The reconstruction of Heavenly Phoenix City was in full swing. Sunlight fell over the busy crowd; the clanging of hammers against stone, the chants of those hauling timber, and the laughter of clansmen encouraging one another blended together into a vivid, hopeful scene. Li Yuancun, a resident of Heavenly Phoenix City, had just set a polished foundation stone in place. He straightened up and wiped the sweat from his brow, preparing to take a drink, when a familiar, suffocatingly terrifying pressure descended without warning like an invisible mountain!
"Buzz—!"
The sky instantly darkened, as though some invisible force had seized it by the throat. Everyone at work, whether ordinary clansmen or Soul Masters, froze at once. Those with weaker cultivation turned pale and could barely breathe as they stared up at the sky in horror.
A figure stood in the clouds like a god or demon, surrounded by a cold, netherworldly aura. It was the Qiu Family's ancestor, Qiu Qianchen, who had returned after leaving!
"Qiu Qianchen!" A chilly shout exploded like thunder. A dazzling golden spear radiance shot into the heavens, instantly dispersing part of the gloom. Li Yunming stood before Qiu Qianchen with the Sky-Piercing Divine Spear in hand, his face icy and fury burning in his eyes. "How did you guarantee this before Senior Luo and Senior Lin three days ago? A dignified deity going back on his word and breaking his promises—aren't you afraid of being mocked by the world, or suffering backlash from the covenant?!"
His voice carried divine power and spread throughout Heavenly Phoenix City. He was questioning Qiu Qianchen, but also warning every clansman—the enemy had arrived!
Yet Qiu Qianchen showed not the slightest embarrassment at being exposed. Instead, a mocking, cruel smile appeared on his face, and his voice swept over them like the cold wind of the Nine Netherworlds. "Li Yunming, you are still too naive. Mockery? Backlash? Hehe... history has always been written by the victors! Once both your families are wiped out, root and branch, who will remember what happened today? And who would dare mock me?"
He did not even bother to hide it. He openly tore away all pretense and revealed his naked malice!
"Despicable!" Li Yuanhui below trembled with rage, while Dongyue Qing and the others wore expressions of utmost gravity.
Just as Qiu Qianchen finished speaking, another change erupted!
"Hehehe... Qiu old ghost, why waste words on men who are about to die!"
A sinister laugh came from another direction. Dark green poisonous mist spread outward like a living creature, and wherever it passed, space itself gave off faint sizzling sounds. A ghostly light condensed with terrifying corrosive power shot silently toward Li Yunming's back like a Poison Snake striking from its den! Xie Miaojiang had launched a sneak attack!
"Xie Miaojiang, you're courting death!"
A cold shout rang out. A jade-green halo arrived after the attack yet reached it first, forming an incomparably resilient barrier precisely in front of the ghostly light. With a dull bang, the ghostly light and jade-green halo vanished together, while a vast aura forced back the poisonous mist. Dongyue Xian appeared, holding the Heavenly Heart Ring that glimmered with a soft radiance. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Li Yunming and glared furiously at the revealed Xie Miaojiang.
"I knew an old poisoner like you was only capable of such underhanded tricks!" Dongyue Xian said coldly as light flowed around the Heavenly Heart Ring.
Poisonous mist churned around Xie Miaojiang as he laughed hoarsely. "Dongyue Xian, and you're still talking tough at death's door! Today, your Heavenly Heart Ring will change owners!"
For a moment, four deities faced off in the sky. Their mighty divine presences collided and crushed against one another, turning the skies above Heavenly Phoenix City turbulent with flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder, as though the end of the world had arrived. Everyone below had their hearts in their throats. Two deities had returned after leaving—the situation was already overwhelmingly unfavorable!
Li Xuansheng clenched his fists tightly, his nails nearly digging into his flesh as the unease in his heart became a cold reality.
Yet as though the despair facing the Li Family and Dongyue Clan was not deep enough, a third divine aura appeared without warning!
This aura was completely different from Qiu Qianchen's coldness and Xie Miaojiang's poisonous brutality. It carried the dampness of the sea and the chill of the deep ocean, along with a greed that seemed capable of devouring everything. Like a sea monster lurking in darkness, it had finally bared its fangs.
"Hahaha! What a lively scene! It seems this old man arrived at just the right time!"
Accompanied by a wild laugh, a water-blue divine light streaked across the sky. An elderly man in a blue brocade robe appeared at the flank of the battlefield. His face was lean, and greedy light flickered in his eyes. Together with Qiu Qianchen and Xie Miaojiang, he formed a triangular encirclement, trapping Li Yunming and Dongyue Xian in the center!
The Southern Sea Whale Gang's Supreme Elder—Du Yunhe!
Du Yunhe's gaze first swept greedily over the Heavenly Heart Ring in Dongyue Xian's hand, then fell upon Li Yunming's golden Sky-Piercing Divine Spear. He made no attempt to conceal his desire for them. Licking his lips, he smiled. "Tsk, tsk, they truly are fine treasures! Dongyue Xian, Li Yunming, hand over those divine artifacts obediently, and perhaps this old man will let you die more quickly!"
Three deities!
A full three Divine Official-level powerhouses had arrived at the city gates together!
"Du Yunhe, it's you. You've come to muddy these waters too?" Dongyue Xian's expression darkened.
"They must have given you quite a few benefits to invite you all the way from the south." Dongyue Xian could tell at a glance that this old ghost had accepted payment and come to cash in on the chaos.
"That is not something an old ghost like you should concern yourself with. Come to think of it, we have not met for over a hundred years. Who would have thought that now, you are about to die? Hahahaha—" The more Du Yunhe looked at the Heavenly Heart Ring in Dongyue Xian's hand, the more satisfied he became. He even found himself taking a measure of interest in Dongyue Xian as well.
Below, Li Yuanhui, Dongyue Qing, and all the members of the Li Family and Dongyue Clan had turned incomparably pale.
Against two deities, the Li Family could still rely on the newly ascended Li Yunming and Dongyue Xian to hold their ground. But now three deities had joined forces... this was practically a certain deathtrap!
Qiu Qianchen looked at the grave-faced Li Yunming and Dongyue Xian, a cruel smile of absolute confidence appearing on his face. "Now, do you still think I need to care about those so-called promises and mockery? Today, Heavenly Phoenix City is destined to become dust in history!"
Terrifying killing intent flooded the entirety of Heavenly Phoenix City like towering waves. The hope of reconstruction was extinguished in an instant, replaced by a deeper, more despairing darkness.
"Hmph, two fickle little men. I, Dongyue Xian, despise people like you the most." Dongyue Xian spat fiercely.
Yet although Dongyue Xian and Li Yunming both looked grave, neither showed the slightest fear.
For no apparent reason, Xie Miaojiang's heart skipped a beat.
But after observing carefully and finding nothing unusual, he relaxed slightly.
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