Clear light swept the sky like a waterfall; the Black Sword returned to its sheath, its dazzling brilliance stilled

Sword light quivered, and heaven and earth shook.

Blood mist filled the sky. Crimson droplets, each condensed like jade, fell from the heavens; a single drop landing among the mountains and ravines of the Qingqiu Illusion Realm became a lake.

Chi Peng was dead, and his body began transforming before it even struck the ground.

Although demons and nature spirits could assume human form upon reaching a certain realm, their true forms remained their strongest.

Whether acquired demons or innate divinities, their true forms possessed incomparable might: an affinity with the laws of heaven and earth, insight into the Great Dao, overwhelmingly vigorous vitality, terrifying strength that could topple mountains and shatter peaks, and regenerative power that could regrow severed limbs and preserve life from a single drop of blood.

Thus, when demons and nature spirits found themselves cornered, they often revealed their true forms for a desperate, life-or-death struggle.

Yet their true forms were too enormous to maintain conveniently in everyday life, and human form offered many advantages. Unless necessary, demons and nature spirits would not reveal their true forms lightly.

A demon revealing its true form usually meant one of several things: it was breaking through and transforming itself, using its true form to withstand heavenly tribulation and temper its bloodline; it faced mortal peril and had no choice but to fight for its life; or it was gravely wounded and dying, no longer able to control itself.

Chi Peng now represented a fourth possibility. He was already dead, and naturally could no longer deliberately restrain his body.

Outside the Qingqiu Illusion Realm, within the Cloud Hall Palace and atop the nine tiers of mountain ridges, honored guests from every quarter and beings from myriad worlds watched that human figure nearly ten feet tall transform continuously, changing from