Chapter Sixteen: Heavenly Phenomenon Mother

"Fang Jiange of Sword Gate?"

Zhong Yue was startled. He took a deep look at the white-robed Qi Practitioner, only to see him walking through the air as if on level ground, with the mountain-like Old Turtle following behind him, each step shaking the earth.

The Old Turtle was much faster than before. It seemed that the sword light it had carried on its back had been too heavy, making movement difficult. Now, with its incomparably thick legs striding out, each step covered a hundred yards or so. It was far faster than Zhong Yue sprinting, moving like a mountain on the march!

It was easy to imagine how heavy Fang Jiange's sword light was!

Before long, the Old Turtle had entered the mountains of the Demonic Ruins. Its shell towered high like a moving mountain. Deep within the Demonic Ruins, countless Demonic Races around the altar howled and shrieked, swarming toward the Old Turtle like ants. Their momentum was earth-shaking!

The Heavenly Elephant Demon Race, Eagle Demon, Fire Demon Race, Snake Demon Race, Spider Demon God, Mutated Demonic race, and other races of the Demonic Ruins numbered in the hundreds of thousands and even millions. The scene was horrifying!

Among these Demonic Races were no shortage of Mutated Demonic race members, all extraordinarily powerful. They pounced around the Old Turtle, and the densely packed Demonic Races climbed up its legs like ants, wielding various weapons. Clang, clang, clang—they hacked down at the Old Turtle like a downpour!

"Roar—"

The Old Turtle opened its mouth and bellowed. The sound waves even pressed against the air, creating ripples. The surrounding mountains were struck by the tangible waves, rumbling and shaking. Loose stones on the mountains were jolted into the air and shot in all directions!

The countless Demonic Races on the Old Turtle's back were blasted into midair one after another. Their internal organs were shattered, and even their brains were burst apart by the sound waves!

The Demonic Races within a radius of eight or nine li around the Old Turtle were swept away like they had been caught in an incomparably violent explosion. The sight was spectacular!

Even Zhong Yue and the others near the exit of the Demonic Ruins felt those astonishing sound waves rolling over. Their chests grew heavy and stifling, and they nearly vomited blood from the pain!

It was easy to imagine how terrifying the pressure from the sound waves was for the Demonic Races near the Old Turtle!

Suddenly, figures shot up from within the Demonic Race horde. They were Qi Practitioners of the Demonic Races hiding among them. As soon as they flew into the air, they each summoned their spirits and charged toward the Old Turtle!

The air was instantly filled with all kinds of wondrous phenomena: the Elephant Head God with four heads and eight arms, the Eagle Head God with an eagle's head, a human body, and four wings, the One-eyed Demon God wreathed in blazing scarlet flames, and the Spider Demon God with its feet planted on a web. The forms were varied, all spirits cultivated by these Demonic Race Qi Practitioners.

They had yet to reach the stage where spirit and soul became one, nor had they cultivated human-spirit unity. Even so, the sight was still terrifying when they summoned their spirits, shaking the mountains. They intended to eliminate the Old Turtle first while it was raging, cutting off Fang Jiange's support!

In midair, Fang Jiange did not even glance aside. He stared fixedly at the blood mist above the altar. The demon god within the blood mist was becoming clearer and clearer, while the blood mist itself grew increasingly faint.

Clang.

Fang Jiange held his sword in his left hand and lightly flicked the hilt with his thumb. The sword light in its scabbard revealed a blade a little over an inch long, suffused with golden light.

The sword light trembled softly, giving off a crisp sword cry. Sword qi rose into the air one strand after another, brilliant sword light blooming like a peacock spreading its tail.

The Qi Practitioners of the Demonic Races had only just summoned their spirits and had yet to pounce on the Old Turtle when sword qi descended in streaks. In midair, heads of Elephant Head Gods, Eagle Head Gods, One-eyed Demon Gods, Spider Demon Gods, and other varieties fell like rain!

Fang Jiange withdrew his thumb. The sword light a little over an inch long returned to its scabbard, and the sword qi filling the sky vanished at once. Corpse after corpse fell from midair.

The Qi Practitioners of the Demonic Races hidden among the countless Demonic Races had all been beheaded, wiped out to the last!

"Such sword qi..."

Zhong Yue was dazzled and shaken to the soul. He murmured, "One day, I will become a Qi Practitioner like this too!"

In his sea of consciousness, Kindling Child gave a soft snort. "This Fang Jiange does have a little ability. He isn't that much of a bumpkin. If you continue cultivating the visualization method I taught you, it isn't impossible for you to become a Qi Practitioner like him. If you become a Kindling inheritor, surpassing him will be only a matter of time! What a pity—your Fuxi bloodline is far too weak..."

"Being able to become a Qi Practitioner like Fang Jiange would already satisfy me," Zhong Yue said with a smile.

Kindling shook his head, like a tiny flame brushed by a breeze. "That would satisfy you? You truly underestimate the visualization diagram I taught you..."

"Junior Brother Zhong, what are you still waiting for?"

Ting Lanyue and the others hurried toward the exit of the Demonic Ruins. Seeing Zhong Yue still watching the battle deep within the Demonic Ruins, she stamped her feet repeatedly. "If the Qi Practitioners' battle spreads here even slightly, you and I will both die without a burial place! Hurry up and leave!"

Zhong Yue withdrew his gaze and was about to follow everyone out of the Demonic Ruins when he suddenly saw the enormous corpse of the Heavenly Elephant Demon Race woman. His heart stirred. He visualized a Flood Dragon, and a dragon cry rang out as the Flood Dragon Totem appeared. It opened its mouth, bit down on the ankle of the Heavenly Elephant Demon Race Qi Practitioner, and dragged with all its might.

Ting Lanyue and the others were speechless when they saw this.

"Senior Sister Ting, Senior Brother He, is the corpse of this Heavenly Elephant Demon Race Qi Practitioner valuable?" Zhong Yue asked.

He Chengchuan was both amused and exasperated. "Junior Brother Zhong, are you trying to get yourself killed? The corpse of a Heavenly Elephant Demon Race Qi Practitioner is indeed worth a great deal, but how could it compare with your own life? If the aftershocks of the Qi Practitioners' attacks reach here, we will all die! The corpse of this Heavenly Elephant Demon Race member is extremely heavy. It won't be easy to move..."

He did not finish speaking, because the Flood Dragon Totem Zhong Yue had visualized had clamped onto the Heavenly Elephant Demon Race member's ankle and was dragging it at a decent speed.

He Chengchuan was horrified. "The bones of a Mutated Demonic race Heavenly Elephant Demon Race member are pure Mysterious Gold, far heavier than Mysterious Iron. The bones of a Heavenly Elephant Demon Race Qi Practitioner probably weigh over ten thousand jin! Add her flesh and blood, and that weight... The Flood Dragon visualized by Junior Brother Zhong can actually drag her along. Just how tenacious is his mental power?"

"After risking our lives in this trial, how could we return empty-handed?"

Zhong Yue smiled. "Once we move this corpse of a Heavenly Elephant Demon Race Qi Practitioner out and sell it, we can split the proceeds equally. It's just a pity about the other Senior Brothers and Sisters..."

Ting Lanyue, He Chengchuan, and the others fell silent, their expressions dimming. Elder Pu had more than a hundred disciples. Over a hundred of them had entered this trial, but only a dozen or so had returned alive. The others had all been blood-sacrificed by the Demonic Races and died upon the altar.

Ting Lanyue drew a long breath, her mental power spilling out to help him drag the corpse of the Heavenly Elephant Demon Race Qi Practitioner toward the exit. In a low voice, she said, "This can only be blamed on the treachery of the Demonic Races in the Demonic Ruins and the Sword Gate higher-ups' lax supervision. That was how this great disaster came about. The Upper House disciples who died in the Demonic Ruins probably number a thousand when added together, and two Sword Gate elders also died inside..."

He Chengchuan repeatedly shook his head. "Junior Brother Zhong was right. There are probably people among our Sword Gate higher-ups who colluded with the Demonic Races and became their spies in the Demonic Ruins. That was how this great disaster came about! More than a thousand Upper House disciples just..."

Ting Lanyue said solemnly, "Junior Brothers, once we leave the Demonic Ruins, we must not discuss the matter of a spy among the higher-ups. Otherwise, we may invite disaster and lose our lives. Do you understand? There are naturally clear-minded people among the Sword Gate higher-ups. Such matters should be dealt with by them."

Everyone felt a chill in their hearts and nodded repeatedly.

There was a spy among the Sword Gate higher-ups, while Zhong Yue and the others were merely insignificant Upper House disciples. Escaping this calamity was already fortunate enough. If they spread word of the spy everywhere, they would certainly draw inexplicable killing intent!

Zhong Yue was about to leave the Demonic Ruins. He looked back and saw demonic qi surging before the altar, appearing and vanishing like streams of air as it drifted about. Within it, he could vaguely see a black-robed figure standing in the demonic qi. Behind him, the form of Heavenly Phenomenon Mother within the blood mist was becoming increasingly solid!

A towering spirit of a demon god stood within the blood mist. Heavenly Phenomenon Mother had head after head: an elephant head, a snake head, a one-eyed head, an eagle head, and four others, eight heads in all. Below them was a spider's body. Its many eyes were half-open and half-closed, seeming to open yet not, and it had not fully awakened!

The flesh and blood of more than a thousand Upper House disciples and the vital essence of two Sword Gate elders were being gathered by this spirit of the demon god, faintly showing signs of forming her physical body!

Around the altar, millions upon millions of low-level Demonic Races continued bowing and kowtowing to this demon god spirit that was about to awaken, doing everything they could to rouse Heavenly Phenomenon Mother!

"Hehehe, Fang Jiange, your strength has improved again. As expected of the second-ranked figure among the Four Great Young Powerhouses of Sword Gate, the Innate Golden Spirit..."

The black-robed figure in the black mist darted rapidly about, laughing. "Do you think you can slay Heavenly Phenomenon Mother's spirit by yourself?"

"You're not a member of the Demonic Races."

Fang Jiange stopped and turned his head. "You're one of my fellow Sword Gate disciples. That demonic qi and black robe are merely to conceal your identity. Who exactly are you?"

He slowly drew his treasured sword. Streaks of golden light revolved around the blade, and the trembling sound was like rolling thunder.

Fang Jiange's expression remained indifferent as he walked forward. "I knew you wouldn't tell me, but it doesn't matter. As long as you fight me, you'll have no choice but to use your greatest skill. Then I'll know who you are."

The black-robed figure laughed uproariously. Suddenly, his body collapsed into a wisp of black smoke and dispersed. "It won't be so easy to keep me here, Fang Jiange. Heavenly Phenomenon Mother has awakened. I hope you can survive!"

Above the altar, the enormous demon god spirit slowly opened one eye after another, its gaze falling upon Fang Jiange.

"Livestock..." the demon god spirit said.

"Livestock?"

An overwhelming killing intent suddenly burst from Fang Jiange's eyes. Dazzling sword light filled heaven and earth in an instant, golden sword qi spanning the sky with earth-shaking force as it pierced straight through Heavenly Phenomenon Mother's body!

"Did she escape, or did she die?"

Heavenly Phenomenon Mother's spirit collapsed with a rumble, blood pouring down like a waterfall. Fang Jiange returned his sword to its scabbard and looked around. Countless Demonic Races below had been killed or wounded, yet Heavenly Phenomenon Mother's spirit had vanished without a trace.

"Fu Shan, carry my sword. We're going back."

Fang Jiange tossed the sword light into the air. It landed on Old Turtle's back. The Old Turtle grunted and moved toward the exit, raising its head as it said, "Jiange, I'm afraid Heavenly Phenomenon Mother has already come back to life."

"It's merely a soul. It can't stir up much trouble. The bitter chore of searching for Heavenly Phenomenon Mother's spirit can be left to those old bones in Sword Gate."

Fang Jiange remained indifferent. "What interests me is that spy. What exactly does he want by awakening Heavenly Phenomenon Mother?"