Nine Heavens Above, Divine Firmament Supreme

Chunfeng Residence.

Zhou Chunfeng stood before the window, both hands pressed against the sill, his knuckles white.

Outside Divine Capital.

Where the pillar of thunder and lightning struck, including the Outer Realm Devilfire, every Demon Sect disciple and even five Third Rank experts were reduced to ashes, body and soul utterly destroyed.

Before dying, those five Third Rank Demon Sect experts saw only a figure like a Thunder God descending into the world.

Among the Sky Firmament Sect disciples and Night Guard, four people, like the Demon Sect disciples, turned to flying ash.

The thunderbolts avoided everyone else.

Amid the sky-filling lightning, Jiang Youfei, sprawled on the ground, stared at Li Qingxian in disbelief.

The sachet at her waist suddenly split open, and a wisp of black smoke dissipated.

"Divine Firmament Thunder Seed..." Jiang Youfei stared at the purple crystal in Li Qingxian's hand as it gradually dissolved into the lightning.

After the massive pillar of lightning struck the ground, it contracted. Most of it condensed into purple lightning and flowed over Li Qingxian like water, coursing up and down his body.

Li Qingxian's eyes seemed to transform into a sea of thunder, white-hot lightning writhing and crackling within them.

A small portion of the lightning spread outward from Li Qingxian in all directions, like endless electric serpents dancing madly across the sky. Thunder rumbled in waves, and the glare was blinding.

From afar, a disk of lightning seemed to hang behind Li Qingxian's back. He looked like a deity descending into the world, commanding Heaven's might.

An old Night Guard had first been terrified out of his wits by the Demon Sect Third Rank experts. Then the Night Guards beside him were struck dead by the lightning filling the sky, frightening him so badly his soul nearly fled his body. He collapsed to the ground, thinking himself doomed, but when he looked up, he saw a figure blazing with lightning standing before him. He immediately dropped to his knees and banged his head against the ground, shouting, "A heavenly god has possessed him! A heavenly god has possessed him!"

Among the remaining Night Guards and Sky Firmament Sect disciples, some looked fearful, while others looked envious.

Seeing the Demon Sect members die, Li Qingxian secretly rejoiced. Then he felt his body grow numb, sore, and swollen.

Looking down, he saw his body slowly expanding, his skin stretching increasingly translucent.

Purple lightning raced through his skin, veins, and muscles. His body burned, and threads of pain pierced him.

Li Qingxian immediately recalled that Ye Han's Fortune image had not been like this. It seemed there had been no three layers of Heavenly Soldiers and Generals.

Nor had there been a Divine Firmament Thunder City.

There was far too much Divine Firmament Heavenly Thunder!

Jiang Youfei spat out blood. Forcing herself upright after swallowing a healing pill, she staggered toward Li Qingxian and shouted, "General Zhou, save Little Monkey! He can't hold on any longer!"

A Seventh Rank female disciple hurried over and supported Jiang Youfei as they moved forward.

Zhou Hen shouted, "Swallow the Flood Dragon Transformation Pill at once!"

Li Qingxian hurriedly took out the Flood Dragon Transformation Pill. Before it could reach his mouth, the Divine Firmament Heavenly Thunder wrapped around it. The originally white pill turned red, then purple.

Black dragon patterns appeared across the pill.

Li Qingxian could not spare thought for anything else and swallowed it in one gulp.

Li Qingxian felt as though he had swallowed a sun. Thunder boomed beside his ears, and ten thousand fires burned through his body.

"Something's wrong! The medicinal power is too fierce!" Zhou Hen stepped forward and pressed a hand toward Li Qingxian's back, intending to use True Essence to straighten out the Divine Firmament Heavenly Thunder.

Boom...

Zhou Hen was blasted away by the lightning. Smoke rose from his hair, and his face was blackened.

"This..." Zhou Hen was helpless.

Everyone watched helplessly as Li Qingxian's skin changed from white to purple and his body slowly expanded.

"General Zhou, help guard me!"

Jiang Youfei wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and braced herself against the carriage shaft. Her fair right hand opened, and a bronze bell carved with twin phoenixes flew high into the wind. It released a faint white mist, pushing away those nearby and enveloping the two of them, sealing off inside from outside.

Li Qingxian secretly sought help from Heaven's Mandate Instrument, but it was only a Fate Arts treasure, not a cultivation treasure. It gave no response.

Jiang Youfei raised her voice. "A life hangs in the balance. I can only violate the Dao Sect precepts to save you. I will take out the Thunder Ancestor Precious Proclamation. Recite it once in your heart. Under no circumstances may you speak aloud. Your heart must be sincere, and you must not harbor even the slightest disrespectful or deluded thought."

After speaking, Jiang Youfei lifted her jade-like hand. A wooden plaque inscribed with black characters amid yellow patterns flew out and hovered before Li Qingxian.

Li Qingxian had no other choice. Looking at the wooden plaque, he recited every word in his heart.

"Thunder Ancestor Precious Proclamation. With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and pay homage. Nine Heavens Responding Origin Palace, Supreme Jade Clarity King. Taking form and filling the ten directions..."

After silently reciting the Thunder Ancestor Precious Proclamation, Li Qingxian felt coolness spread through his entire body. The lightning surrounding him seemed much gentler, and the stabbing pain weakened.

Jiang Youfei said, "Now recite the Divine Firmament General Canon with me. I will say one line, and you will recite one line aloud. Once we finish, the incantation will naturally imprint itself upon your Spirit Platform and help you subdue the Divine Firmament Heavenly Thunder. Nod if you understand!"

Li Qingxian nodded lightly.

Jiang Youfei said, "There are nine heavens above, and Divine Firmament stands supreme; soaring straight into the clouded vault, a million leagues above the earth."

Li Qingxian recited, "There are nine heavens above, and Divine Firmament stands supreme; soaring straight into the clouded vault, a million leagues above the earth."

Jiang Youfei continued, "As for thunder and lightning, they are the pivot and mechanism of Heaven and Earth..."

Li Qingxian slowly recited the Divine Firmament General Canon along with Jiang Youfei.

The instant they finished, brilliant light burst before Li Qingxian's eyes. Within the depths of the Spirit Platform between his brows, a Thunderfire Grand Seal appeared.

Atop the grand seal, a coiling dragon raised its head as the knob, a sphere of thunderlight clamped in its jaws as it slowly turned, like it held a great star in its mouth.

Below it was a square seal. Vermilion characters beneath were carved in the shape of dragon bodies, flames like scales, burning without end.

"Chant the Divine Firmament General Canon over and over!" After speaking, Jiang Youfei led Li Qingxian in chanting.

"There are nine heavens above, and Divine Firmament stands supreme; soaring straight into the clouded vault, a million leagues above the earth. As for thunder and lightning, they are the pivot and mechanism of Heaven and Earth..."

At first, Jiang Youfei led, and Li Qingxian followed.

Before long, their voices fell into the same rhythm and tone, faintly resonating together.

Time slowly passed. Part of the purple Divine Firmament Heavenly Thunder around Li Qingxian merged into his body and entered the Thunderfire Grand Seal. The part that could not be absorbed gradually dispersed outward.

The dispersing Divine Firmament Heavenly Thunder split into four portions. One entered the brocade flying-sword case Ye Han had gifted him, one entered the Thunderlight Fire Seal, and one entered the Qinglei Ancient Sword.

The final portion turned into threads of lightning, drawn toward Jiang Youfei and entering her body.

Lightning connected the two of them.

Feeling the Divine Firmament Heavenly Thunder enter her body, Jiang Youfei gave Li Qingxian a deep look, closed her eyes, and continued chanting the scripture.

Not long afterward, a corner of the Thunder City vanished, while the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals and auspicious clouds dispersed.

Li Qingxian opened his eyes and felt refreshed all over, as though he had just emerged from a hot spring. Every pore on his body leapt with joy.

Just as he was about to carefully inspect his body, he spotted Jiang Youfei slumped beside the carriage.

Her face was pale, and blood stained her chest.

"Big Sister Youfei," Li Qingxian said.

Jiang Youfei opened her eyes. Her body swayed, and she fell backward.

Li Qingxian hurriedly jumped down from the carriage. One arm slid beneath Jiang Youfei's knees, while the other supported her waist and back. With a gentle lift, he carried her in his arms.

She was as light as a sheet of paper.

"Big Sister Youfei?" Li Qingxian lowered his head and looked down at Jiang Youfei's face. Her eyelashes fluttered gently like little brushes.

"You..." Jiang Youfei hazily opened her eyes and felt Li Qingxian's breath brush against her face. Angry and flustered, she had never touched a man from childhood until now, much less been held in someone's arms.

"You're seriously injured, so don't move around. If you want to repay me, recover first and talk later. I'm not in a hurry." Li Qingxian's lips curled upward, his brows and eyes bright as he looked at the petite Jiang Youfei.

"Li Qingxian..." Jiang Youfei gritted her teeth, forgetting her embarrassment.

Just then, the bronze bell fell, and the mist dispersed.

Cries of shock rose from the Sky Firmament Sect disciples. Even the Night Guards were stunned.

The Enchanting City Fairy was actually being held in someone's arms.

Jiang Youfei sighed softly and did not move. Since everyone had already seen her, there was nothing to care about.

Li Qingxian looked toward the dazed Zhou Hen and said, "Little Uncle Zhou, I'll carry Big Sister Youfei into the carriage. Help wake these horses, harness them again, and return to Azure Firmament Abbey."

"Oh? Oh!" Zhou Hen secretly gave Li Qingxian a thumbs-up.

Holding Jiang Youfei, Li Qingxian bent over and entered the carriage. As though setting down a cake, he carefully placed her on the sleeping couch.

Her skirt slipped aside, revealing two snowy-white slender legs pressed together, porcelain-like and jade-like, delicate and dazzling.

Li Qingxian pulled her skirt down to cover her properly, thinking, What a waste for legs like these not to wear white stockings.