From the very beginning, Yi Tianxing had the chance to prevent this act. If he had wished, no one could have transmitted his cut hair so easily. He had deliberately allowed it to happen—to lure out the Dragon-Slaying Demoness. A supreme Eternal Night cultivator with dragon-slaying ability, existing quietly in the Eternal World, was a massive threat, like a razor hanging over his head. That kind of danger was intolerable to Yi Tianxing.
So, no matter what, he had to find the Dragon-Slaying Demoness.
This time, she acted through Yu Tingjun, finally exposing a flaw—there was no way to let her escape. If this attempt failed, who knew when the next would come? The situation between Eternal Night and Eternal World had reached a highly tense state. Any development could instantly trigger an all-out war between the two realms.
Eliminating the threat above his head was the utmost priority—to avoid future trouble at a critical moment.
That strand of hair? It was bait.
It was a Red Dust Hair, condensed and refined from his Red Dust Life Meridian.
"Dragon-Slaying Demoness, now let's see whose skill is higher," Yi Tianxing said, taking a deep breath as a flicker of an unusual color appeared in his eyes.
In fact, the ominous premonition he felt was not ordinary. Such intuitions did not occur lightly—when they did, it meant a genuine threat to his life was either imminent or already in motion.
The methods of the Dragon-Slaying Demoness were unpredictable, but for her to act through his hair as a medium, it had to be some kind of curse, akin to the Seven Piercing Arrows Technique—extremely deadly.
"A curse? I'm not afraid. Let's see if your curse is stronger than the cursed life meridian within me," he thought with a cold smirk.
Within him, he had already opened a Cursed Life Meridian, condensing it into a Heavenly Pillar of Laws and forming a unique cursed divine ability—the Heaven-Earth Life Talisman. This talisman did not cast a curse outwardly, but it possessed a divine property: when faced with a lethal curse, it could reverse heaven and earth, not only nullifying the curse but reflecting it back to the caster.
During this reflection, his own Curse Laws amplified the backlash, making the counterstrike infinitely more powerful.
In essence, any curse cast on him would not only fail but would return as a stronger curse. Anyone foolish enough to curse him without understanding this would instantly face a fatal strike.
Of course, the Heaven-Earth Life Talisman was not invincible. Attacks beyond its limit could still pose a mortal threat. How it fared would depend on the opponent's strength.
On the surface, Yi Tianxing made no other moves, acting as if normal—handling state affairs, resting, and cultivating.
Meanwhile, the Dragon-Slaying Demoness continued her ritual with the Dragon-Slaying Needle: three times daily, a needle pierced the straw doll. Yet, the surrounding lamps remained bright, and the doll showed no signs of damage. Everything seemed perfectly harmonious.
Only Yi Tianxing subtly felt the ominous energy growing stronger each day. The curse was real—but its origin remained unknown.
One day.
Two days.
Time quietly passed.
The expansion of Great Yi was evident. The seventeen newly annexed realms seamlessly entered its fold. Combined with the previous fifty-five, Great Yi now controlled seventy-two realms.
This territorial growth caused the Immortal Court to surge with activity. Orders flew in every direction. Thanks to the Star Network, information transmitted swiftly, avoiding the delays that ordinary states would face with such expansion.
The newly annexed realms recovered at an astonishing pace. Demon calamities were suppressed, demonic abyss sealed. Hunting Eternal Night demons in the wilds was in full swing, though some calamities were severe—borderline rampant. Even for Great Yi, it was challenging, though still manageable without deploying the army. Bounty hunters led the charge.
Witnessing these changes, countless top factions in nearby realms fell silent. The pressure of Great Yi's foundation weighed heavily—an invisible force almost suffocating them.
Another matter drew attention. After Great Yi's expansion, previously rampant demon calamities in adjacent realms vanished without warning. Demons pouring from their lairs suddenly stopped, as if the source had dried up. Even those already unleashed disappeared overnight.
Shaky realms transformed overnight.
The contrast was unbelievable. Many thought it a dream—but it wasn't.
Entire realms near Great Yi changed. demon calamities continued elsewhere, but these zones became paradises, untouched by demon troops.
Great Yi quickly learned of these shifts. Reports poured into Xuanhuang Immortal City, and the court grew tense.
"Eternal Night is no simple matter. They have withdrawn their demons and calmed the calamities, leaving Great Yi with no excuse to intervene. The neighboring realms have no reason to submit. This tactic… is ruthless. They've removed the foundation entirely," Jia Xu said, full of admiration.
If one couldn't see the mastermind behind it, it would be a waste of eyes.
"Without conflict in neighboring realms, each faction won't easily give up power. Better to be a rooster's head than a phoenix's tail—they all understand this. If the realms cannot be moved, we risk being trapped. This will spell trouble for Great Yi," Su Shi said gravely.
Eternal Night had clearly set a trap, trying to contain Great Yi within a circle.
Despite the headache, the ongoing expansion—adding dozens of realms to reach seventy-two—still required time to settle and consolidate Great Yi's foundation. The expansion pace had to pause.
Time passed.
Three days.
Four days.
…
Before he knew it, the tenth day arrived—the final day for the Soul-Slaying Dragon-Slaying Needle, the true day of dragon-slaying.
From morning, Yi Tianxing felt his heart pounding. His eyelids twitched uncontrollably.
"Day ten. The curse is about to erupt. Let's see if your curse is stronger, or if my life is tougher," he thought, taking a deep breath.
He waved the nearby attendants away and entered his private cultivation hall, sitting calmly.
Inside, he cultivated the Eternal Heavenly Emperor Scripture. The Hongmeng (primordial) Heavenly Emperor Tower illuminated his body. Bodhi divine light shone, enhancing his understanding of the laws every moment. Dozens of laws manifested, and within his Heavenly Emperor Dragon Diagram, real dragons coiled and spat heavenly aura. His laws became ever more refined.
The Eternal Heavenly Emperor Scripture was his foundation. Its most formidable feature—the Heavenly Emperor Dragon Diagram—demanded universal obedience. With this scripture, Yi Tianxing had gathered nearly a thousand life meridians, each corresponding to one of three thousand laws. Upon completion, he would ascend as the Dao-Proving Heavenly Emperor.
Evening.
On the altar, the Dragon-Slaying Demoness performed the final ritual with the straw doll.
The last Dragon-Slaying Needle silently pierced the doll.
"Dragon-Slaying Needle, destroy the three souls and seven spirits. Yi Tianxing… perish!!"
She formed a mystic hand seal.
Suddenly, ten purple needles appeared within the straw doll, then vanished. Countless black, eerie runes flickered across its body.
"Ah!!"
In his quiet chamber, Yi Tianxing's eyes snapped open.