Zhao Xing and the Ten Sun Army appeared in the most unexpected location.
The Nine Nether God couldn't comprehend how he had managed to show up here.
"Did he find some method to restore his full strength, breaking through the restrictions of Severing Heaven and Earth's Connection—allowing him to appear in Guiyang City so suddenly?"
Nine Nether God questioned.
"Divine Seat, according to our investigations, Zhao Xing has only recovered to Fifth Rank."
Upon hearing this response, Nine Nether God took a deep breath.
He would have preferred if Zhao Xing had found a loophole, fully restored his strength, and then slaughtered his way through, rather than this result.
Because this meant that he had been played like a fool.
An entire army of 400,000 had been dancing in the palm of Zhao Xing's hand, following his every move.
He felt like an idiot, being led by the nose without even realizing it.
His Dao heart wavered violently.
"...Everyone, leave."
Nine Nether God needed a moment to collect himself.
He couldn't let his subordinates see his loss of composure, so before his mind completely collapsed, he sent all his high-ranking officers out of the room.
Once they were gone, he clenched his fists, veins bulging, and let out a low, guttural roar.
Humiliation.
This was a shame that would be nailed to the pillar of history.
How ridiculous—just moments ago, he had been so certain that Zhao Xing would die at his hands.
A wave of violent energy erupted from his body, shaking the surroundings, shattering furniture and ornaments.
Clearly, Nine Nether God had lost control.
At that moment—outside Guiyang City.
"Nine Nether God! Dare to come out and fight?!"
"Nine Nether God! Dare to come out and fight?!"
"Nine Nether God! Dare to come out and fight?!"
Like rolling thunder, the deafening battle cry echoed across heaven and earth.
At first, it was just Zhao Xing's furious shout, but soon, the entire Ten Sun Army roared in unison, shaking the city's protective barriers.
Since Nine Nether God had deployed most of his forces, only 3,000 troops remained inside Guiyang City.
Though there were many high-ranking officers, at this moment, none of them felt safe.
"Everyone, we must evacuate immediately!"
A burly man with sword-like brows and piercing eyes spoke up.
"Divine Seat drove us out of his chambers, which means he has no solution. Even if he tries to recall the army now, it'll be too late."
"That's right! Zhao Xing must have regained his full power."
"Guiyang City may still have 3,000 troops, but they're no match for an army of 30,000! If we hesitate, we'll be trapped here!"
"Before, we thought he'd die in Min Territory, yet here he is—standing outside Guiyang City. Clearly, something is wrong!"
"Exactly! We're outmatched and will probably all die here!"
"Divine Seat is only at Fifth Rank, while our city has 30 Fifth Rank experts."
"But… can we really defeat Zhao Xing, who has fully recovered?!"
"I don't understand why everyone is so convinced we'll be trapped here, as if Guiyang City is already lost."
"Moon Shaman's power cannot be broken! Zhao Xing definitely hasn't recovered his full strength!"
"The Ten Sun Army may have over 30,000 troops, but right now, they have only one Fifth Rank cultivator—whereas we have thirty."
"No matter how you look at it, the advantage is ours."
The great hall erupted into chaotic arguments.
Zhao Xing's ghostly movements had completely shattered their expectations.
No one could understand how he did it, so they could only speculate that he had recovered all his power.
"Shh! Quiet down—Divine Seat is coming out!"
The great hall quickly fell silent.
Nine Nether God stepped out, glancing over his subordinates without saying a word.
He walked forward, his steps swift and precise, and vanished from sight in an instant—as if teleporting.
His Nine Nether Generals quickly realized what was happening and followed behind him.
Nine Nether God moved without stopping, soon reaching the city walls.
At this moment, Zhao Xing stood atop a Riftbreaking Airship, staring at Nine Nether God from afar.
The once boisterous army fell silent.
Zhao Xing raised his hand, and the Ten Sun Army began a silent retreat.
Nine Nether God also waved his hand, stepping beyond the protective barrier—stopping any other Fifth Rank cultivators from following him.
He had decided to accept the challenge.
A one-on-one duel.
As long as he could kill Zhao Xing, the 3,000 cultivators inside Guiyang City would have their morale reignited.
With thirty Fifth Rank experts leading them, the leaderless Ten Sun Army would surely collapse.
This was the last chance to turn the tide!
If he failed, Zhao Xing would break through Guiyang City, heading north like a dragon plunging into the sea—and no one would ever be able to stop him again.
Zhao Xing understood this perfectly.
This was the only way to tempt Nine Nether God into a decisive battle.
Otherwise, with thirty Fifth Rank and Sixth Rank experts constantly harassing his army, he wouldn't even be able to sleep.
Right now, the Ten Sun Army had close to 10,000 cultivators.
If they formed a battle formation, they wouldn't fear a frontal assault.
But moving like that would be too slow.
So if he wanted to return north, he needed to strike fear into the enemy's high-ranking cultivators—or better yet, kill Nine Nether God.
Seeing Nine Nether God step out alone, Zhao Xing was a little surprised.
He had prepared to fight multiple opponents at once, but Nine Nether God actually intended to fight him alone.
As the battle continued, the atmosphere around them became increasingly tense.
Zhao Xing and Nine Nether God stood in mid-air, their powerful auras clashing against each other, making the air vibrate.
Zhao Xing's expression was indifferent, while Nine Nether God's eerie green eyes flickered with an unfathomable light.
Nine Nether God sneered, his voice hoarse yet layered, as if multiple voices were speaking in unison, "Zhao Xing, your tenacity is truly beyond my expectations. But do you really think you can defeat me?"
Zhao Xing remained calm, his sharp gaze locked onto Nine Nether God.
"You're just a lingering specter of the Void. No matter how much you struggle, you won't be able to change your fate," Zhao Xing replied coldly.
Nine Nether God let out a strange laugh. "Fate? What nonsense. The only fate in this world is the strong devouring the weak!"
With those words, his body suddenly expanded, and his muscles swelled grotesquely. The green, ghostly pupils on his back flashed ominously, and his entire form exuded an overwhelming oppressive force.
Without any warning, he shot forward like a green streak of lightning, his speed breaking through the sound barrier, creating a deafening sonic boom.
"Boom!"
Zhao Xing didn't move. Instead, he extended his right hand and made a slight pulling motion.
In an instant, the space in front of him trembled violently.
"Pure Essence Projection!"
A massive shadow of a mountain emerged, directly blocking Nine Nether God's charge.
Nine Nether God, who had been charging at full speed, collided headfirst into the mountain projection.
"Bang!"
A loud explosion echoed through the air. The impact was so forceful that cracks spread across the illusory mountain, but instead of breaking apart, the mountain's force rebounded, sending Nine Nether God flying backward.
Nine Nether God spun through the air for nearly a hundred meters before stabilizing himself. He shook his head, his expression momentarily stunned.
He had crashed into countless mountains before, but this one was different. It was far more solid than any he had encountered.
Zhao Xing smirked. "You think you can just ram through my mountain? Do you think you're Gonggong?"
Without giving Nine Nether God a chance to recover, Zhao Xing raised his hand.
"Summon: Guardian Straw Puppets!"
A series of humanoid figures suddenly appeared, surrounding Nine Nether God. Each of them exuded a powerful presence, their bodies shimmering with elemental energy.
These were not ordinary straw puppets. They had been refined with advanced techniques, each infused with elemental forces.
The first batch consisted of twenty puppets, their bodies crackling with arcs of lightning as they swung their Thunder Chains toward Nine Nether God.
The second batch also had twenty puppets. Their arms extended unnaturally, weaving together to form a massive web, attempting to bind Nine Nether God in place.
"Nether King Manifestation!"
Nine Nether God was instantly enveloped by the image of a ferocious and menacing demon god. The towering figure formed a protective barrier around him, preventing the straw puppets' spells from reaching within ten meters.
"Explode!"
One after another, the straw puppets charged at Nine Nether God, detonating upon impact.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Smoke and dust filled the air, almost completely engulfing Nine Nether God's body.
However, Zhao Xing narrowed his eyes and rubbed his chin. "There's smoke, but no damage. His aura hasn't weakened much."
He sighed. "At the fifth-rank level, my grass puppet techniques, which were once overwhelming, now seem more like a child's battle tactics when facing a monstrous creature with such powerful innate talents."
"Nether Shadow Corrosion!"
Nine Nether God opened his mouth, exhaling a wisp of black mist that swiftly solidified into a dark light sword.
One turned into two… then three…
For every straw puppet clone Zhao Xing summoned, Nine Nether God manifested another black sword.
"Slash! Slash! Slash!"
The black swords moved like serpentine dragons, rapidly piercing through the straw puppets. One by one, the puppets were annihilated, their numbers dwindling in the sky.
Nine Nether God let out a sinister grin. "Let's see how many more straw puppets you can summon!"
He marched forward, unfazed by the explosions, step by step closing the distance.
"Five Elements Poisonous Miasma!"
"Thunder-Piercing Delusion Finger!"
"Nine Heavens Gale!"
"Drizzling Rain Domain!"
"Heaven's Fire Fiend!"
"Soaring Serpent Transformation!"
Countless techniques from Zhao Xing's straw puppet army bombarded Nine Nether God, yet he stood resolute within the Nether King Manifestation, enduring the barrage.
The Nether Shadow Corrosion technique continued slashing through wind, rain, lightning, and clouds, shattering all spells before him as if nothing could withstand its might.
Zhao Xing observed carefully, his expression grim.
"This era's Nine Nether God… his strength has increased significantly."
"That black light sword and his Nether King Manifestation… both his offense and defense have become far stronger."
He thought to himself, "So, Moon God has raised the absolute limit of Severing Heaven and Earth's Connection to the fifth-rank, which also lifted many of Nine Nether God's restrictions."
"His true form is the Nine-Headed Yin Insect. He possesses nine innate divine abilities, and among them, the Nether Shadow Corrosion and Nether King Manifestation are among the most powerful small divine arts."
"Even within the range of Severing Heaven and Earth's Connection, where he's been severely weakened, these abilities remain incredibly difficult to counter with ordinary spells."
In just a short moment, Zhao Xing's straw puppets had been completely annihilated. He did not summon new ones.
Nine Nether God noticed this and scoffed.
"What? Done summoning your puppets?"
He burst into laughter, his voice echoing through the battlefield.
"Hahaha! You truly know nothing about the power of gods!"
"This god possesses nine innate small divine abilities! Even at the fifth-rank level, I can still wield three of them!"
He sneered. "You had a perfect chance to escape, yet you chose to provoke me instead? You're just asking for death!"
Zhao Xing silently assessed the situation.
Nine Nether God's abilities were almost like cheating—his overall strength had far surpassed the typical limits of a fifth-rank expert.
If Nine Nether God were only at the sixth-rank, he wouldn't have been able to use any divine abilities at all and would be limited to using cultivated spells and martial techniques.
But just the difference of one rank had caused a drastic rise in his combat strength.
However…
Zhao Xing suddenly smirked.
"Who said you're the only one who can cheat?"
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed a flower basket into the air and retreated behind a Mo Yun Vine.
Nine Nether God's expression suddenly stiffened.
A deep sense of danger surged within him.
His Nether King Manifestation instantly shattered, and even the black light swords in the air seemed frozen in place.
The Mo Yun Vine swayed in midair, its deep purple-black leaves quivering, creating a third layer of spatial distortion.
This was one of Mo Yun Vine's innate divine abilities—Void Restriction!
Zhao Xing smirked. "Why aren't you laughing now?"
He extended his hand, shifting the illusionary mountain.
"Rise!"
The mountain projection soared into the sky. Zhao Xing, leveraging Pure Essence Projection, now used the very mountain itself as a weapon.
This was the true power of the Self School—"When one's body nurtures a spirit mountain and earth veins, one becomes the world itself!"
He had cultivated for hundreds of years, pouring in enormous resources, and now, the returns were finally showing.
But within the Xuanhuang Realm, few Shennong Practitioners of the Self School ever lived long enough to reach this stage.
"Golden Cicada Shedding!"
At the final moment, Nine Nether God's entire body cracked open—his true form escaped from the hardened outer shell.
His Nether King Manifestation vanished.
His black light swords disappeared.
But he had managed to escape from the crushing weight of the falling mountain, pulling himself to a higher altitude.
"Hiss... Hah... Hiss... Hah..."
Nine Nether God's chest heaved violently. He had just used his third divine ability, but the cost was enormous.
His pale-green and purple skin had turned blood-red, a clear sign of exhaustion.
This was a technique meant for escaping life-threatening situations, and naturally, it came with a steep price.
"Where do you think you're going?!"
Zhao Xing stepped on the clouds, swiftly closing the distance while manipulating the position of the flower basket, causing the Mo Yun Vine to shift along with it.
The world seemed to flow like a moving river, once again enveloping Nine Nether God in the Void Restriction domain.
"Boom!"
Nine Nether God once again activated his divine ability, escaping the restriction.
However, this time, his body had shrunk significantly.
It was clear—each time he shed his outer shell, he lost an immense amount of energy.
Zhao Xing knew the limits of this ability.
As the wielder of Golden Cicada Shedding, Nine Nether God could only use it up to nine times.
The others had merely studied the technique and could not truly unleash the mysteries of Golden Cicada Shedding. At most, they could use it five times.
After all, one was an innate divine ability, while the other was an acquired technique developed through studying Nine Nether God's talent. The difference between the two was immense.
"How can there be such a powerful plant-based soldier?!"
Nine Nether God was unable to comprehend what he was facing. Could this really be a lifeform nurtured by the Xuanhuang Realm?
The repeated use of Golden Cicada Shedding had drained his will to fight.
At the same time, Mo Yun Vine was growing increasingly dissatisfied.
Everyone else had died properly, yet this guy kept running away.
"Hiss—"
The deep purple-black leaves suddenly released a dense fog as Mo Yun Vine expanded the Void Restriction domain.
The expansion was so rapid that even Zhao Xing was caught within it.
His body was frozen mid-air, maintaining his Cloud Surfing stance, unable to move an inch.
"Damn, this guy has lost it! He's even hitting his own ally!"
Zhao Xing was startled. Though his mind remained active, the rest of his body—including every strand of hair—was completely immobilized.
Once again frozen in place, Nine Nether God's Golden Cicada Shedding slowed dramatically.
But Mo Yun Vine was not about to give him another chance.
It activated its second divine ability—Void Strangulation!
Without a sound, black fissures suddenly appeared around Nine Nether God.
There was no warning, no commotion.
Nine Nether God was instantly torn apart.
His body was sliced into sixty pieces, each fragment flung in a different direction.
After executing this move, Mo Yun Vine seemed drained, swiftly retreating into the flower basket. The Pure Essence Projection surged back, merging into Zhao Xing's body to begin recuperation.
At the same time, Zhao Xing regained his mobility.
When he looked at Nine Nether God again—
The black fissures had disappeared.
But Nine Nether God was beyond repair, reduced to a pile of shredded flesh.
"Heavenly Fire!"
Zhao Xing quickly cast a spell, setting Nine Nether God's remains ablaze.
Even the two shed bodies he had discarded earlier were burned to ashes.
He sneered. "You said I knew nothing about the power of gods? Hmph, you knew nothing about the power of Mo Yun Vine."
Stepping on clouds, he turned and left.
"Heavens! Nine Nether God is dead!"
"I told you, Zhao Xing must have fully recovered his strength. What do we do now?!"
"We fight! We must avenge Nine Nether God!"
"That's right! We have to take revenge! Generals, I—Qingyangzi—will make preparations immediately. We will fight those Great Zhou demons to the death!"
A general clad in Nine Nether Battle Armor cupped his fists and immediately left the city walls with two adjutants.
"We will fight to the death! My Cangyue Sect will also gather our forces!"
Another Nine Nether General leapt off the city wall.
The rest of the troops, still in shock and disbelief, remained frozen in place.
However, once Qingyangzi and the other general left the city—
They quickly removed their Nine Nether Battle Armor and put on Great Zhou's Brightlight Armor instead.
Their movements were swift and precise, their armor change quicker than a face-changing performance.
"Hurry! Head east to the Floating Ship Bureau! If we're late, we'll miss our chance!"
Qingyangzi barked orders, leading his men at full speed.
"Nine Nether God is dead! The Southern Barbarians are a sinking ship! We can't afford to wait! We must defect before word spreads!"
Qingyangzi led his group toward the Floating Ship Bureau.
Meanwhile, the other Nine Nether General rushed to the Council Hall and found a fellow Nine Nether officer.
"Cangyue Brother! Why did you leave the wall? Has the crisis outside been resolved?"
Cangyue Daoist hurriedly approached the officer, looking flustered.
"Nine Nether God has defeated the enemy! We are now preparing to chase them down! But my sect's army is missing something… I came to borrow it from you."
The officer brightened. "Fantastic! What do you need?"
"Your head."
Swish!
A blade flashed.
A head flew high into the air.
Cangyue Daoist swiftly retrieved a soul pouch, sealing both the body and the soul inside.
He then proceeded to loot everything valuable from the supply depot.
"Let's go!"
Zhao Xing did not bother destroying Guiyang City.
The city was already falling into chaos on its own.
He swiftly turned north, pursuing the retreating Ten Sun Army, beginning his journey back to the north.
Meanwhile, at the Southern Front—
The commander of Wu Yao Army, Li Hao, was struggling to break through a fortress along the southern defense line of Canglan River.
Inside the military hall, he was analyzing the battlefield when a courier rushed in.
"General! Urgent report from the Ten Sun Army!"
Li Hao's head snapped up upon hearing the news.
"Quick! Hand it over!"
He was incredibly anxious.
The high command had issued an absolute order—
If Zhao Xing died, the ascension plan would be ruined.
Thus, rescuing him was a top priority.
A day earlier, Li Hao had received word that Zhao Xing's Ten Sun Army was trapped in Min Territory.
His army was the closest to Zhao Xing's location.
But "close" was relative—
Even at full speed, it would take him more than half a month to reach Zhao Xing.
He had been praying that the Ten Sun Army could hold out—
At the very least, that Zhao Xing himself could survive.
Yet, as he opened the report and read its contents, his eyes widened in shock.
"General Li Hao, personally addressed—
Our forces have crossed the Tianshui River, reached Guiyang Commandery, and are en route to rendezvous with General Dong Ze to the north.
There is no need to breach Cangyue Pass for reinforcement.
—What?!"
Li Hao was dumbfounded.
He doubted his own eyes.
But the signature at the bottom was unmistakable—
Grand Shennong Zhao Xing.
"Is this truly an official report from the Ten Sun Army?"
His subordinate saluted.
"General, the message was transmitted by the Ten Sun Army's mechanists. There is no mistake."
"How is that possible? He was still in Min Territory yesterday, and now he's already in Guiyang Commandery?!"
Li Hao stared at the sand table map, his head full of questions.
Zhao Xing had crossed the Tianshui River four times. Forget Nine Nether God not understanding—even their own people were completely in the dark.
While Li Hao's forces were still fiercely attacking in the southeast, trying to rescue Min Territory, Zhao Xing and the Ten Sun Army had already passed through Guiyang Commandery, heading north.
"General! Another urgent report from the Ten Sun Army!"
"Read it out loud!"
The adjutant quickly unfolded the letter.
"To General Li Hao—
Nine Nether God has fallen in a battle of generals, slain by the Grand Shennong himself. The forces of Lanhé and Cangyue are bound to fall into disarray.
Our army has withdrawn beyond the Guiyang Commandery border. There are no enemy forces obstructing our path.
General, you may seize this opportunity to either launch an attack on Cangyue Pass or target the southeastern Kalet Division and the southwestern Feather Soaring Division.
—Grand Shennong, Zhao Xing."
The adjutant's voice wavered slightly as he read the message.
Li Hao felt even more confused.
He suspected this was an enemy deception.
How could something so outrageous possibly happen?
"Is the encrypted message authentic?"
"Confirmed."
Li Hao's face was filled with worry. "The main force of the Ten Sun Army may have been captured alive."
That was the only logical conclusion he could reach.
He did not dare to believe the report was true—
Because it was too absurd.
Zhao Xing had led 30,000 troops, escaped from a 400,000-strong siege, and even killed the supreme commander, Nine Nether God.
Within the Severing Heaven and Earth's Connection Domain, Nine Nether God was supposed to be the strongest combatant.
He wasn't just any ordinary Fifth Rank expert.
According to Yun Tiandao, Nine Nether God's true combat power could very well surpass that of a mere Fifth Rank cultivator.
"What's the enemy's motive for fabricating such a ridiculous claim?"
Li Hao immediately convened his military advisors to discuss the situation.
Suddenly, one of the strategists spoke up while studying the map.
"General, what if this is real?"
"What if the Grand Shennong truly wields godlike command and has escaped unscathed?"
Li Hao gazed at the four routes Zhao Xing had taken across the Tianshui River and let out a deep sigh.
"If this is real, then it's not merely godlike strategy—it's as if the gods themselves are commanding the army."
Ultimately, Li Hao's forces decided to continue attacking Cangyue Pass.
He couldn't verify the truth of the reports, but continuing the assault was the safest choice.
If the reports were true, then Cangyue Pass would soon begin to collapse from the chain reaction.
Meanwhile, in the northeast, Dong Ze's forces also received intelligence from the Ten Sun Army.
"The Ten Sun Army has reached the Beisang Ridge area and is expected to arrive at Hong'a City within three days.
Our forces are requested to launch an assault on the four towns of Gongye, Fantuo, Daoyu, and Hong'a to support their arrival."
Dong Ze looked at the report and chuckled.
"Hah. The Grand Shennong and the Ten Sun Army were trapped in Min Territory. How could they possibly have reached Beisang Ridge?"
"This must be an enemy ploy."
His expression turned cold.
"Send orders. Mechanist Wang Ji has either been captured by the enemy or has defected. From now on, we will not trust any messages from him."
"Gongye, Fantuo, Daoyu, and Hong'a are likely enemy traps. We will attack from another direction!"
Dong Ze raised his voice as he gave the order.
"We must advance toward Guiyang Commandery at full speed! Apply pressure on Nine Nether God!"
The primary rescue force was Li Hao's Wuyao Army, but Dong Ze's troops also needed to apply pressure on the enemy.
Like Li Hao, Dong Ze did not believe the Ten Sun Army's report.
This frustrated the soldiers of the Ten Sun Army immensely.
"Damn it! Why don't these old fossils believe us?!"
Long Xiao was agitated.
Chen Shijie gave him a side glance.
"If you weren't in the Ten Sun Army, would you believe it?"
"I—" Long Xiao was speechless.
Putting himself in their shoes—
Even he would find this hard to believe.
Because it was just too ridiculous.
"Wang Ji, did you report this to the military intelligence division?"
Xia Jing asked.
"They accused me of treason… and blocked me."
Wang Ji looked helpless.
Xia Jing sighed. "Send another report through someone else."
Zhao Xing chuckled.
"Can't blame them. It's fine. Let's wait a couple more days. Once multiple sources confirm the news, they'll accept it."
Late April of the sixteenth year of the Yuanding Calendar, the imperial court finally confirmed the death of Nine Nether God.
But Zhao Xing had already returned ahead of time.
Because, while most people refused to believe it, there were two people who did.
The first was Ye Yukong.
After reviewing the intel and map, he immediately deployed troops to attack Hong'a City.
There, he actually discovered the Ten Sun Army launching an assault from another direction.
The second believer was Liu Tianning.
He had become Ye Yukong's military Shennong.
He didn't analyze anything—he simply trusted his intuition.
He believed the tone of the message could only have come from Zhao Xing.
Thus, Ye Yukong, King Shenluo, and Liu Tianning led forces to rendezvous with Zhao Xing and escort him back.
Shortly after, Dong Ze and Li Hao mobilized their troops at full speed, launching massive offensives amidst the chaos.
On May 10, Zhao Xing finally exited the Severing Heaven and Earth's Connection Domain, successfully returning home.
"Finally! We're out of this damned place!"
At the borderline of the Severing Heaven and Earth's Connection Domain, numerous damaged floating ships and heavy siege weapons were stationed.
There, Zhao Xing saw many familiar faces.
Yun Tiandao, Ji Si, Liu Tianning, Ling Tianchen, Qiu Yuanshan…
Even Princess You Ruo had come in person.
"Welcome back, King Zhao!"
A deafening cheer erupted from the gathered crowd.
Zhao Xing stepped off the floating ship.
"I appreciate everyone waiting for me."
Ji Si approached, speaking in a hushed voice.
"His Majesty is unable to move and has specially sent me to greet you. Upon your return, you must go see him immediately."
Zhao Xing nodded.
"Understood."
The confrontation between Moon God and Ji Che within the Severing Heaven and Earth's Connection Domain was destined to be a prolonged standoff.
In past lives, almost every Fortune Emperor who ascended would seize the opportunity to drive the Human Emperor Sword into Moon God whenever he activated the Severing Heaven and Earth's Connection Domain.
The first to do so was Emperor Wu, who realized that this was the only way to reduce the difficulty of breaking the Severing Heaven and Earth's Connection Domain. Later, others followed suit, until eventually, Moon God earned the nickname "Sword Shaman."
"I thought you were dead."
Yun Tiandao exhaled a long sigh of relief as he watched Zhao Xing return. A trace of guilt flickered in his gaze—it was clear he regretted not allowing Zhao Xing to step onto his Star Cloud at that critical moment.
"I'm not that easy to kill. I still need to help you find your family."
Zhao Xing laughed, dismissing the thought.
"Don't think too much about it. Moon God was targeting me. Even if you had offered, I wouldn't have been able to step onto your cloud."
"Zhao Xing."
A familiar voice called out.
"Teacher."
Zhao Xing stepped past Yun Tiandao, looking at Liu Tianning.
"It's good that you're back."
Liu Tianning nodded. "I knew you wouldn't die."
"Thank you, Teacher, and General Ye, for believing in me."
"Come, let's go see His Majesty. He's been worrying about you for a long time."
Princess You Ruo smiled.
"Alright."
Yinyou Royal City, Taiji Palace
Sitting on the throne was Ji Che, a Heavenly Tome floating above his head, radiating golden light.
As soon as Zhao Xing stepped inside, the golden light quivered, betraying the excitement within Ji Che's heart.
"Hahahaha! Big brother, you're really back!"
"You crossed the Tianshui River four times and even killed Nine Nether God! That's incredible!"
In an instant, Ji Che's entire demeanor brightened, and the once oppressive atmosphere of the hall transformed, bringing back the carefree emperor of old.
"I was just lucky."
Zhao Xing sighed. "If not for Great Zhou's years of preparation, the spies left behind in the Southern Barbarians, and the unwavering will of our soldiers, this would have been impossible."
Had it been any other army, they would not have succeeded.
The Ten Sun Army was the first to train under the 'Untrainable' system, making them accustomed to this style of combat.
Commanders like Xia Jing, Long Xiao, and Chen Shijie were all veteran comrades. Though they might not read each other's minds, their coordination was flawless.
Executing this strategy without them would have been nearly impossible.
"Big brother, tell me the whole story!"
Ji Che leaned forward eagerly. "I heard the news back in mid-April, but I still want to hear you say it again."
"Alright, I'll tell it again."
Zhao Xing smiled.
"Around January 20th, we were trapped in Fengwu City when I noticed that Nine Nether God's three legions were beginning their sweep…"
Time passed quickly.
By Yuanding Year 48, twenty-two years had gone by since Zhao Xing's return.
Yinyou City, Shennong Hall
As Zhao Xing reviewed military reports, a familiar figure rushed inside.
Meng Kun burst into the room, out of breath with excitement.
"Grand Shennong! Victory! A great victory!"
"Old Meng, what kind of victory would excite you this much?"
Zhao Xing laughed. "Haven't we had plenty of victories over the years?"
"This one is different!"
Meng Kun was so exhilarated he could barely stand still.
"On June 15th, Lord Luo led three imperial guard legions and crushed the defenders of Nan Sheng Pass! They took control of the four great cities—Nan Sheng, Tongxuan, Wu Shen, and more!"
"Now, there's no more Wu City blocking the path to the Southern Barbarian Holy Mountain!"
"We are only a thousand miles away from the Holy Plain!"
"Oh?"
Zhao Xing's brows lifted slightly.
"June 15th? It's already early July. So this happened half a month ago?"
"So fast…"
Zhao Xing marveled.
"I originally estimated it would take until August to complete the campaign. But they finished more than a month ahead of schedule."
"Marshal truly lives up to his name."
"Compared to you, what is that worth?"
Meng Kun grinned. "If you hadn't killed Nine Nether God back then, the Southern Barbarian army wouldn't have collapsed so quickly."
"The past is the past. No need to dwell on it."
Zhao Xing chuckled.
"Yun, get ready. I think His Majesty will soon summon us to ascend the mountain."
"I've been preparing for an entire era."
Yun Tiandao sighed.
Yuanding Year 49, Early Spring – The Holy Plain
A vast, blackened sea of soldiers stretched across the plain like a tide.
Towering fifth-rank warships soared through the air, and thousands of flying boats filled the sky.
Auspicious clouds illuminated the land, while musicians and dancers performed among the clouds.
On his throne, Ji Che gazed at the misty horizon.
Beyond the Severing Heaven and Earth's Connection Domain, the endless legions encircled a mountain that pierced the heavens.
"Your Majesty, up ahead is the Southern Barbarian Holy Mountain—one of the Four Pillar Mountains, Nantian Mountain."
"Moon God moved the divine soil of the Three Pillar Mountains, causing the Southern Barbarian Holy Mountain to grow taller while the other three shrank."
"Because of this, the other three mountains have lost their divine essence, and their original forces have vanished."
Zhao Xing stood beside Ji Che, explaining.
"Your Majesty," Lord Luo reported. "The entire mountain is barely guarded. The Four Great Witch Kings have either fled or perished."
"All that remains are a handful of shamans defending it."
"As long as Moon God is slain, the Severing Heaven and Earth's Connection Domain will collapse."
The final battle—the duel between Moon God and Ji Che—had to be fought personally.
This was a battle between the Witch and the Emperor. No one else could interfere.
"At last… I have waited for this day."
For the first time, Ji Che stood up from his throne.
At that same moment, atop the sacred temple at the mountain peak, Moon God slowly lifted his head and opened his eyes.
The civil and military officials ascended into the air, as countless divine warriors and generals surrounded the mountain peak.
Zhao Xing and Yun Tiandao unleashed their "Cloud Heaven Dao", setting the battlefield ablaze with power.
The clouds surrounding the entire sacred mountain shifted, forming a domain of their own.
Everyone gazed down at the small temple at the mountain's peak.
"Dong!"
As Ji Che descended from the throne, the sound of war drums echoed in the sky. Ji Mengjun, an Eight-Tier Grand Dance Master, led 800 dancers in an intricate performance.
This was the Cloud Gate Grand Dance, the pinnacle of war dances!
Dong! Dong! Dong!
The powerful drumbeats resonated in everyone's hearts. Ji Che stretched out his hand.
"Zheng!"
A golden light shot out from the temple.
The Human Emperor Sword appeared in Ji Che's hand.
At the same time, a young man in white robes stepped out of the temple, tilting his head back to gaze at Ji Che and the vast army of Heavenly Soldiers and Generals of the Great Zhou in the sky. He slowly ascended.
For the first time, aside from Yun Tiandao, the world beheld the true face of the legendary Moon God.
He looked harmless, his expression gentle—just like an ordinary neighbor's son, with no resemblance to a god whatsoever.
Yet, no one dared to underestimate him. Because on the young man's chest was a terrifying wound, rapidly healing.
This wound was caused by none other than the Human Emperor Sword.
Throughout history, only Moon God had ever survived a strike from the Human Emperor Sword.
"Huang, are you not going to strike?" Moon God pointed to his wound. "I still need a little time to fully recover. Now is the best time for you to make your move."
"Zhen shall wait for your recovery." Ji Che's voice was imposing.
Had it been Zhao Xing, he might have already charged forward with a blade, but this was the Emperor Wu—he intended to defeat Moon God in a fair fight.
About half an hour later, Moon God's wound had fully healed. He lifted his head. "The dark universe is cruel and dangerous. Huang, do you truly wish to venture beyond?"
Ji Che pointed his sword at Moon God, radiance layering upon him like armor. "You erased your heroic soul, slaughtered your own courage. I have come today to tell you—you are wrong, completely and utterly wrong."
As the Human Emperor Sword blazed with light, the clouds across the sky turned golden.
Ji Che, wielding the sword, charged toward Moon God.
As Ji Mengjun danced, the musicians sang loudly, their ancient and primal melodies seemingly summoning something unseen.
Zhao Xing listened, feeling a deep sense of realization.
Suddenly, silver patterns erupted across Ji Che's body, quickly covering him entirely. This silver armor was not material, and yet, it existed.
"Heavenly Emperor Armor. It is formed from the [Heavenly Music Chapter] and [Imperial Dance] of the Book of Fate. Only by nurturing a Grand Dance Master can one summon the Heavenly Emperor Armor," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
The shamans wielded techniques that severed the connection between heaven and earth, but the Imperial lineage had left behind their own arsenal of techniques. Among them, the Heavenly Emperor Armor was an immaterial suit of armor.
It was akin to a Star Domain Soldier, yet classified as a special artifact. It could not be carried beyond the Star Domain or a Minor World, as it was bound to its realm.
Only the Emperor of a Fortune Dynasty, upon reaching a certain level of power, could summon it.
"Yu~"
As the Heavenly Emperor Armor enveloped him, a thick earth-yellow book manifested above Ji Che's head.
This was not the Book of Fate, but rather the Book of the Earth Emperor.
It had no connection to the Earth School, yet it too required summoning. Buried deep within the earth veins of the Nineteen Provinces, it could only be called forth when a nation's fortune had reached a sufficient level.
The Human Emperor Sword, Heavenly Emperor Armor, and Earth Emperor Book.
One for attack.
One for defense.
One for restoration.
At this point, Moon God should have had no chance left to fight. Ji Che was invincible.
Yet, Moon God still had to fight.
It was his conviction, deeply ingrained in his soul—the determination to resist until the very last moment.
"Sever Heaven and Earth's Connection, Banish All Laws!"
Moon God extended a finger, and two golden beams of sorcery light shot toward Ji Che.
This was a minor divine ability Moon God had derived from the Severance of Heaven and Earth's Connection. Though it functioned similarly, its power was worlds apart.
Since he was casting it through a Dao Field, its potency was significantly weaker.
Behind Ji Che, a phantom figure emerged.
He wielded a golden halberd, his expression stern, and his voice resonated like ringing jade and metal, echoing across all present.
"This land belongs to its master—enter only by invitation!"
A Dao Incarnation of the Grand Ancestor manifested around Ji Che, forming a vast Dao Field.
The two streams of divine light, one clear and one murky, released by Moon God were immediately blocked.
"Dai dai dai—"
Behind Moon God, the temple suddenly seemed to come alive. The green tiles rippled, reflecting countless moons.
In the next moment, tens of thousands of Moon God avatars leaped out from the tiles.
"Mechanized Divine Ability—Wu Yue Avatars," Zhao Xing murmured to himself.
Ji Che swung the Human Emperor Sword, and a ruler shot out from within his body, likewise splitting into countless copies, nailing each Wu Yue Avatar in place.
"Mechanized Divine Ability—Infinite Divine Nails!"
Zhao Xing watched closely. In the past story settings, both Moon God and Ji Che were masters of all professions.
The Grand Ancestor himself had come from a mechanist family, so to Zhao Xing, watching these two fight was akin to witnessing the pinnacle battles of multiple professions.
Of course, minor divine abilities were rare. In reality, these two only possessed minor divine abilities in martial arts, mechanist arts, and Shennong arts.
But in an era where Ultimate Techniques were the ceiling, just the fact that these two could wield minor divine abilities was already an incredible feat.
"Shua shua shua—"
Ji Che unleashed Cloud Heaven Dao's Star Cloud. His movement speed skyrocketed, and as the Wu Yue Avatars were destroyed, he shifted into hand-to-hand combat with martial arts.
"Fortune Emperor learns things way too fast. Cloud Heaven Dao only taught him recently." Zhao Xing thought to himself. "But once it gets to the cosmic version, the Fortune Emperor won't have it so easy. Expansion won't be as effortless, and without expansion, his strength will be limited. Ji Che might fight for a thousand years, yet instead of strengthening his nation, it might decline. He'll end up stuck in one realm forever."
"Clang!"
A deafening sound rang out, interrupting Zhao Xing's thoughts.
At some point, Moon God had summoned a blue moon staff in his hands.
A duel of weapons began—staff versus sword!
Their figures blurred as they clashed. This was a pure battle of martial arts.
The aura of Moon God weakened with each collision.
Meanwhile, Ji Che's aura only grew stronger. Behind him, not only did the Grand Ancestor's phantom appear, but so did Summer Emperor and several past emperors from history.
But Moon God had none.
Because every generation of Wu, a portion of their souls reincarnated, meaning he could not borrow power from past generations.
"Boom!"
"Pfft!"
In an instant, Zhao Xing's vision sharpened—just in time to see the decisive moment of victory.
Ji Che's Human Emperor Sword once again pierced Moon God's chest, nailing him against the temple wall.
"Buzz—"
Ji Che approached Moon God, his tone calm. "Wu, you have lost. Hand over the Spirit Energy Pearl."
Moon God stared at the sword in his chest, his voice finally carrying a hint of emotion. "Why is it always me who loses? You all left, never returned, and have only ever brought harm to this world—"
He did not look at Ji Che, but instead turned his gaze toward the sky, in the direction of Zhao Xing. "Is living in the Xuanhuang Realm really so bad? If we wait, the Spirit Energy Rain will come naturally. We can all live long lives. Why must we leave to explore?"
Zhao Xing was caught off guard—this wasn't how the original script went.
According to the original timeline, after Wu was defeated by the Emperor, his lines should have been:
"You use mortals to ascend and achieve Dao—how ironic! I will return, while you will never come back! The next generation of Wu will stop the Emperor's foolishness!"
However, Zhao Xing was never one to back down.
With the Shennong Hoe on his back, he descended onto the stone steps, standing exactly as foretold in Moon God's prophecy.
Zhao Xing did not answer directly. Instead, he asked in return: "Every generation of Wu has resisted, but it has always been futile. Do you know why?"
Moon God looked at him and asked, "Why?"
Zhao Xing responded calmly, "Because life will always find a way."
"Exploration and curiosity are part of human nature. You may erase your own instincts, but you can never erase them from everyone else."
Moon God fell silent.
After a moment, he opened his palm, and a crystal-clear pearl materialized out of thin air. "I will be reborn again… until I see that path."
As soon as he finished speaking, his body began to disintegrate, bit by bit.
Ji Che frowned.
He could not sense Moon God's soul, nor could he stop the disintegration. It was as if it were an unbreakable law, or perhaps a force beyond fate itself.
Ji Che felt Moon God's presence fade into the world, entering the Yin Realm, yet he could no longer sense his soul—as if he had truly ceased to exist.
Zhao Xing took the Spirit Energy Pearl, feeling the vast energy within. He couldn't help but smile.
"Four hundred sixty-seven years… Born in Dingxin, living through Jingxin, Great Governance, Eternal Governance, Yuan Shou, Yuan Shuo… and finally, in the forty-ninth year of Yuan Ding, I have seen the hope of ascension."
"The cosmic version… the path to immortality… Old Zhao is finally here!"