At the summit of the cloud sea.
Li Qianyuan stood with his hands behind his back atop the clouds, silently gazing south.
Even across thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, even through layer upon layer of clouds.
He seemed still able to see that young girl's cold, proud figure.
"Mountain-Viewing... killed Lamp-Lighting..."
Even for him.
Even for the Late Emperor of Great Tang, who had once commanded vast lands, read through all the realm's dossiers, and known countless hidden secrets.
It still felt unbelievable.
Too fast.
Far too fast.
So fast that even he, the Chess-Player, felt a trace of terrified loss of control.
Even with extraordinary talent, even with great fortune upon her.
But that was Lamp-Lighting.
A saint who had ignited the Heart Lamp, who could seize life from heaven and turn causality on its head.
Looking across hundreds of thousands of years, ancient and modern.
Turning over historical records as vast as a sea of smoke.
When had there ever been something so absurd?
Li Qianyuan's gaze darkened as he looked toward Chang'an.
"Back then, the Grand Ancestor rose from humble beginnings, received Heaven's mandate, had Nine Dragons protecting his body, and swept through the six realms... Yet even when the Grand Ancestor was in the Mountain-Viewing Realm... if he had faced a Lamp-Lighting Demon Saint, he would likely have had no choice but to avoid the edge for the moment and bide his time."
Li Qianyuan shook his head.
A trace of self-mockery flashed through his eyes.
"Monster..."
"A true monster."
Looking at it this way.
That previous scheme would likely come to nothing.
If she were given a little more time.
Not to mention this half-dead remnant body.
Even if he used his final trump card...
Could he truly still suppress her?
Li Qianyuan