Chapter 354: God Sparrows Like Clouds

Three Thousand Worlds.

Zhao Xiang’er gripped the hilt with both hands and slowly rose, pulling her sword from the spine of a demon bird. Blood gushed out, the skeleton collapsed, and Zhao Xiang’er leaped off the demon bird's central head, landing on the ash-covered battlefield.

As she turned around, the demon bird, each of its heads as large as a human, began to crumble.

The demon bird was named Guiche, possessing nine heads and nine tails.

Since ancient times, demon beasts born with nine heads or nine tails were powerful demons with immense spiritual power. Guiche, possessing demigod blood and all nine heads and tails, had power almost equal to a true god. It once devoured multiple river gods, causing chaos in a region. Yet, its powerful magic deterred anyone from stopping it. Later, it fought a bloody battle with the Moon-Devouring Celestial Dog and was eventually bitten to death.

That Celestial Dog shone brilliantly in the subsequent divine war, becoming the current Underworld Divine Master, who rules a nation.

Later, its demonic bones were obtained by the Vermilion Bird and sealed within this realm.

Guiche's dark, ink-black feathers began to rot, revealing bone-like spines. Within the black aura, streams of water spirits condensed, taking the form of the true River Gods. They bowed to Zhao Xiang’er one by one, then dissipated into the Vermilion Bird World.

Guiche, like a building consumed by fire, slowly lost its support and collapsed with a crash.

The wall of condensed air dissipated.

Zhao Xiang’er sheathed her sword into her red umbrella. Leaning on the umbrella, she exhaled slowly.

Blood streamed continuously from the edge of her red robe. Upon touching the ash, it ignited into fierce flames. She stood amidst the fire, like a goddess consumed by self-immolation.

As the smoke from Guiche dissipated, Zhao Xiang’er's ragged breathing returned to a steady rhythm. She continued her journey.

This Guiche was truly worthy of being a nine-headed, nine-tailed demon bird. The bone birds from previous trials couldn't even compare to it. Yet, she hadn't suffered too severe injuries.

All this was due to the dream she had three days ago.

She found her dream-self somewhat comical. It was as if her appearance had grown three years younger, and her mind had regressed to that of a three-year-old. It seemed to be nothing more than absurd dream antics, not something she would do intentionally.

However, the scriptures she had read during those three years in the dream truly transformed into benefits for both her body and mind.

The breadth and depth of these benefits were so immense that calling it a heaven-sent opportunity would not be an exaggeration. Her spells, sword techniques, and spiritual arts all advanced further. Her Violet Court realm reached true perfection. Within her Violet Mansion, a nascent golden core even began to form.

She had a premonition that she was only one life-and-death battle away from truly reaching the Five Paths.

But then, another thought flashed through Zhao Xiang’er's mind: without this dream, her battle with Guiche would have left her either dead or severely wounded, utterly incapable of fighting the next demon king.

"Why didn't Mother let me read these texts earlier? Why wait until now? What was her intention?"

Zhao Xiang’er reached up to re-tie her ponytail, which had loosened during the battle. She then shed her long outer robe, revealing a tight-fitting black combat suit.

Zhao Xiang’er wrung the blood from her skirt and temporarily tied it around her waist. Adjusting her breathing, she walked towards the direction where the flames spread.

Hot waves of flame soon brushed against her cheeks.

As the Vermilion Bird Goddess, Zhao Xiang’er felt the sensation of scorching heat for the first time.

After passing through Guiche's sprawling, interwoven nest, the sea of flames ahead dissipated. Hidden towering cliffs and precipices rose into view.

A waterfall cascaded down the cliffs. This waterfall wasn't made of water, but of torrents of fire. On the rock face, where the sea of fire splashed, slender stems grew, bearing delicate, candle-flame-like flowers. They dyed the entire cliff face crimson. Beneath this crimson sea of fiery flowers, what burned wasn't firewood, but bones.

The steps leading upwards were paved with bones!

Zhao Xiang’er stepped onto the stairs and ascended.

The girl's attire was simple, its lines as graceful as flames. The red robe tied at her waist draped over her hips and legs, resembling an underskirt. She held her sword, and deep within her pupils, the Nine Plumes flickered like dark flames, ready to erupt from her body at any moment.

She reached the highest point of the cliff. Her vision suddenly expanded.

Ahead, dense fog and deep clouds stretched boundlessly. Within the heavy mist, nine red suns rose high. They hung in the sky like peerless jewels forged from fire, radiating a dazzling, irresistible brilliance, unique in the world.

All the magma flowed down from those nine red suns.

The red suns before her were dazzling, yet the path beneath her feet was pitch black. In the firelight, the mist gradually dispersed, revealing a new path. It was a massive trench, like a collapsed cave, its walls studded with sword-like weapons that, upon closer inspection, turned out to be feathers.

Zhao Xiang’er walked into it.

At the end of the mountain path, an eerie, chilling wind carrying sparks blew towards her. Looking up, she could see white bones embedded overhead. The bones were jagged and covered in spiritual energy from heroes, which even the nine suns overhead couldn't disperse.

Thump!

A heartbeat suddenly sounded.

Zhao Xiang’er touched her chest, realizing it was her own heartbeat. A strong ominous feeling surged within her. This was a sensation she had never experienced in her trials. Ahead lay an enemy even more formidable than Guiche!

Zhao Xiang’er tightened her grip on her sword and walked deeper into the surging flames.

At this tense moment, many illusory scenes inexplicably surged into her mind. She saw a vast golden divine kingdom, with expansive lands below. The moon was level with her, and she wore a golden crown, seated high on a divine throne. Beside her seemed to sit a white-clad figure, whose face she couldn't discern, yet felt very familiar.

She and that figure stood side by side on infinite light. Before them stretched a vast sky, filled with floating stardust. Amidst the shifting winds and clouds, she saw meteors streaking across the sky, successively crashing down to earth.

The tails of these meteors varied in color: some like fire, some like water, some were fragments of metal, some dust of earth and wood, and others were pitch black, like fleeting night.

They crashed onto the vast lands.

Beautiful fireworks erupted on the land—they were composed of magma tsunamis, landslides, and fissures, symbolizing destruction.

Zhao Xiang’er's heart suddenly tightened and ached, as if her cherished collection had been wantonly destroyed before her eyes.

"Is... is this my memory?"

Zhao Xiang’er struggled to distinguish reality and couldn't break free immediately.

In her daze, from the mist that had not yet dispersed ahead, many dark birds flew out in flocks. They resembled bats, or the Nine Plumes shrunk countless times, and shot like arrows towards Zhao Xiang’er.

"Xiang'er."

At this critical moment between life and death, a voice suddenly echoed in her sea of consciousness.

It was the voice she had heard in her dream.

The clear and captivating immortal sound bought her a moment of lucidity.

Zhao Xiang’er lightly bit her tongue, using the pain to suppress the illusion. As the black birds spread out in a swarm, she immediately opened her umbrella, warding off the attacking flock.

The girl exerted strength, sprinting forward with a fierce charge. Countless black birds shattered against the umbrella's surface. Amidst the shattered corpses, a strong stench assailed her nostrils. Zhao Xiang’er held her breath and concentrated, directly crashing into the mist.

The earth trembled.

The mist dissipated, and a wall of air condensed.

A rumbling roar startled her. The nine suns in the sky slowly descended at varying speeds, gradually forming a massive ring.

Zhao Xiang’er swept aside her red umbrella.

Amidst the towering waves of flame, her pupils contracted as she witnessed an apocalyptic scene.

Before her, dust and smoke blotted out the sky. Within the dust, a hundred-zhang-tall dark silhouette slowly approached from a distance, gradually revealing its true form.

Zhao Xiang’er saw a long, winding neck and wings covered in emerald feathers. The monster's eyes also lit up within the gray mist, instantly dispelling the dust and fog.

Zhao Xiang’er clearly saw its appearance: it was a peacock with an emerald-tipped crest. Its enormous tail feathers fanned out like a screen, densely studded with iridescent feather-swords. The nine suns that had been in the sky were now embedded in its tail, transforming into sun-like jewels.

It shrieked, spreading its wings, and its feather screen quivered violently. Its dazzling brilliance surpassed everything in the world.

Zhao Xiang’er stared at it, an overwhelming sense of invincibility rising within her.

She guessed its identity.

It was the legendary Peacock King of Wisdom!

In myths, the Golden-Winged Great Peng and the Peacock King of Wisdom originated from the same lineage, yet they were mortal enemies. They battled for a thousand years, until the eve of the great catastrophe five hundred years ago, when they fought a life-and-death decisive battle. After the battle, the Peacock King of Wisdom vanished without a trace. Some said it went to the Buddha Kingdom, others that it was corrupted and became an evil demon, and some claimed it had long been obliterated by the Divine Master...

Today, she finally saw the true form of this divine bird of the Buddha Kingdom.

Zhao Xiang’er gritted her teeth, dispelling all fear and oppression in her heart. She leaped from the bone path, instantly soaring a hundred zhang into the air.

At the same time, her umbrella-sword was unsheathed. Her figure formed a bow-shaped silhouette in the high air. The girl cried out, holding the sharp blade, and slashed down at the Peacock King of Wisdom's head from above.

This was the last enemy she would face in the Vermilion Bird Realm.

***

Ancient Spirit Sect.

The sky was clear, the air bright, and all wind and smoke had vanished.

The gates of the Nine Nether Hall slowly opened.

Lu Jiajia, a snow-like silhouette, slowly emerged. She wore the previous Sect Master's sword and walked out from the hall.

Lu Jiajia wore a practical sword-fighting attire. Her waist-length hair was neatly tied with a coronet. Her countenance was as cold as a sword, her posture as upright as a sword. Her cultivation realm slowly advanced with each step, gradually reaching the peak of perfection.

Ning Xiaoling watched her master nervously, wagging her tail and clapping her paws, cheering her on.

Liu Junzhuo had been waiting outside the gate for a long time.

She wore a fitted black and white sword suit, leaning against a willow tree. Her sword-like eyes narrowed as she gazed at the snow-white silhouette, saying, "Miss Lu has nurtured her sword for three days. Is she finally ready?"

After they made the Three Swords Pact, at Lu Jiajia's request, Liu Junzhuo granted her three more days to nurture her sword.

The three-day period was over, and Lu Jiajia came to fulfill the pact.

Ning Xiaoling silently followed behind.

"There are countless swords in the hall. Would you like me to present one to you, Second Master?" Lu Jiajia asked.

Liu Junzhuo replied, "I'll just use a willow branch as my sword. No need to worry."

Lu Jiajia asked, "Folding willow... isn't that unlucky?"

Liu Junzhuo paused slightly, then remembered her own surname was Liu (meaning willow). She smiled nonchalantly, saying, "I'm never superstitious about such things."

With that, she reached out and plucked a branch from the willow curtain hanging before her. She held it diagonally in her arms like a horsetail whisk. When not holding a sword, this woman of the Sword Pavilion possessed a certain austere grace, like a female Daoist priest. She glanced indifferently at Lu Jiajia and said, "I will exchange three sword strikes with you, without exploiting your realm. We will complete them over three days, so don't push yourself too hard."

Lu Jiajia nodded, "Thank you for your kindness, Second Master."

With that, the two walked side by side towards their pre-arranged battleground—Serene Moon Lake.

With the arrival of spring, the ice and snow on Serene Moon Lake melted. The disciples were all in their wooden classrooms, leaving the surroundings deserted. Only the Fish King, who claimed to be the guardian of Serene Moon Lake, was propping up a grill, watching with great interest.

Women fighting has always been the most beautiful spectacle in the world since ancient times.

The stage was thus set.

On the lake, Lu Jiajia and Liu Junzhuo walked upon the waves. Their graceful figures were exquisite, swords drawn and ready. The shimmering lake water was illuminated by their forms. On the lakeside, Ning Xiaoling and the Fish King sat, eating grilled skewers and watching the show, completely devoid of any sense of danger.

Liu Junzhuo, holding her slender willow branch, suppressed her immense cultivation back into her body. She matched it to Lu Jiajia's level.

But her realm remained exquisitely profound and hard to fathom. If she used her full power, Lu Jiajia would certainly not be her match. This was something both of them knew perfectly well.

Liu Junzhuo wanted to use this to dispel the gloom of her last gambling defeat. Lu Jiajia, on the other hand, intended to use this opportunity to hone her sword intent.

Both got what they desired.

Liu Junzhuo slowly raised the slender willow branch, holding it like a precious sword, and pointed it at Lu Jiajia.

Lu Jiajia held her sword horizontally before her. She calmly watched the water surface, fully adopting a defensive posture.

Liu Junzhuo looked at her figure and suddenly asked curiously, "What exactly is your relationship with Zhang Jiuxiao?"

"..." Lu Jiajia looked puzzled. "Do people from your Sword Pavilion also like to disturb an opponent's sword heart before a duel?"

"Just curious," Liu Junzhuo said. "But your sword heart seems to be genuinely flustered? Tsk... That Zhang Jiuxiao kid is indeed handsome, and you, as his master, are not only beautiful but also ridiculously well-figured. And your cultivation realms are similar... Sigh, it's hard not to let one's imagination run wild."

Lu Jiajia's chest heaved. She gripped her sword tightly and said coldly, "You are overthinking things. Please, Second Master, ask fewer questions and more swords."

Liu Junzhuo lightly flicked her willow branch and continued, "Miss Lu is so stunningly beautiful, I wonder if you are still a maiden?"

Lu Jiajia suddenly raised her head, her expression frosty.

"Oh, so that's it..." Liu Junzhuo continued her attack on Lu Jiajia's spirit. "No wonder that day, when I mentioned my fourteenth junior sister, your expression suddenly dropped so much. I didn't understand it then, but now it seems this was the reason... To think that boy, despite his excellent sword skills, is so unprincipled in his conduct. As his master, Miss Lu must have no peace day or night, I imagine?"

Liu Junzhuo's words were calm, devoid of sarcasm or mockery, yet her slightly undulating tone, upon reaching Lu Jiajia's heart, stirred an unsettling ripple.

"Silence! Does the Sword Pavilion cultivate swords or gossip?!" Lu Jiajia bit her lip and looked up. She knew she was falling into an emotional maelstrom, but every word Liu Junzhuo spoke was true, making it difficult not to be distracted.

Liu Junzhuo smiled faintly. "Even swordsmanship needs a legitimate reason, you know. As a master, to fall in love with your own disciple and pledge your body and mind is truly against human ethics. Today, on behalf of your Ancient Spirit Sect, I shall punish you, this little sword immortal who lacks self-respect, and set your sect's conduct straight."

Unable to bear it any longer, Lu Jiajia retorted with a sneer, "May I ask, Miss Liu, how old are you, how many years have you cultivated, and do you have a Dao partner?"

Liu Junzhuo's expression slightly stiffened. It wasn't that Lu Jiajia's words angered her, but rather that her frosty aura when angry was quite similar to her Eldest Senior Sister's...

Liu Junzhuo's expression was indifferent as she readily replied, "I've cultivated for over three hundred years, walking alone since ancient times. Although I have no Dao partner, with a sword by my side, accompanying me to witness the beauty of the Great Dao, I've never felt lonely. And I certainly don't need to, like Miss Lu, abandon my divinely bestowed, exquisite sword physique to my own disciple. You truly live up to your name!"

Lu Jiajia gritted her teeth. She was somewhat unaccustomed to this. In her dream, even the arrogant Zhao Xiang’er and Siming wouldn't dare speak to her like this.

She stared at Liu Junzhuo and asked, "You said, one sword is enough for you?"

Liu Junzhuo nodded proudly.

Lu Jiajia smiled sweetly and asked, "Then, Second Master, if I may ask, where is your sword?"

Liu Junzhuo's smile instantly vanished, her expression hardening. Beneath her feet, the lake water instantly froze. "I had originally cherished your talent and intended to spare you for two days, but it seems... I was too kind."

On the bank, Ning Xiaoling, munching on grilled fish skewers, mumbled to the Fish King, "What are Master and that new sister talking about?"

The Fish King shook his head, saying, "What else do women argue about? Nothing but looks and figures."

Ning Xiaoling nodded in profound agreement. Then, observing Liu Junzhuo's suddenly rising killing intent, she deduced, "It seems the new sister lost the argument."

The Fish King quietly watched the unfolding situation, saying, "However, this woman's realm is too high; she's very tricky to deal with."

Ning Xiaoling chewed her grilled fish, asking, "Di Ting, weren't you also one of the Five Paths before? How much of your cultivation has recovered? If Master gets bullied, can you go help?"

The Fish King sighed and said, "How much magical power can an Underworld God have?"

Amidst their casual chat, a great battle was about to erupt on the lake.

In a fit of rage, Liu Junzhuo raised her willow sword. The entire lake's shimmering light was absorbed by the willow branch, clinging to it. The entire vast lake instantly turned into a pitch-black mirror. In her hand, it was as if she held a blazing, scorching sun.

Lu Jiajia instinctively looked up at her. For a moment, she couldn't even distinguish which was the true sun: the one in Liu Junzhuo's hand or the one in the sky.

This was a profound Daoist realm that claimed celestial phenomena as its own. Liu Junzhuo held the blazing sun, her black and white sword robe fluttering stiffly. Earlier, Lu Jiajia had accused her of gossiping, and now, beneath her feet, the patterns of the Eight Trigrams and Four Symbols retaliatorily unfolded, instantly encompassing both of them.

Lu Jiajia's figure suddenly appeared helpless and as minuscule as a grain of sand.

Before Ning Xiaoling could react, a great wind had risen on the lake, sweeping towards this speck of dust.

It was a solar storm.

An overwhelming gale of light surged forward first. After the gale, Liu Junzhuo, holding an ancient sword, descended like the high-hanging sun, delivering a single strike.

The previously dark lake surface once again shone brilliantly.

Lu Jiajia dared not open her eyes, fearing her fighting spirit would collapse. She closed her eyes, held her breath, and concentrated, perceiving Liu Junzhuo's sword strike within her sea of consciousness. Before the great sun descended, the fierce wind had already pushed her body significantly beneath the water's surface, soaking her robes. Lu Jiajia paid no mind to it, focusing solely on the front.

The storm within the sun pressed down firmly on her shoulders. This was a "sword lock" in a certain sense.

Liu Junzhuo descended with the blazing sun. As she descended, the sun in her hand and the sun in the sky cleverly merged into one from Lu Jiajia's perspective.

It was as if the heavens and earth were pressing down, and the sun was plunging into the lake, about to boil Serene Moon Lake completely dry.

Lu Jiajia lifted her head, opened her eyes, and faced the sun.

Her narrow eyes also reflected thousands of sword lights.

Lu Jiajia's sword heart was perfectly clear.

Although the opponent was the Second Disciple of the Sword Pavilion, what was there to fear? In the Violet Court realm, she refused to believe she could be defeated by a single sword strike from anyone! Even if the Sword Saint himself were present!

Holding the ancient sword in one hand, her hand moved with her will, and her sword techniques changed hundreds of times. In a dazzling display, all her lifelong learning poured forth like beans from a bamboo tube. On Serene Moon Lake, Lu Jiajia materialized countless figures, each holding an ancient sword and assuming a distinctly different starting stance.

Just as Liu Junzhuo's blazing sun sword was about to strike, Lu Jiajia's hundreds of sword shadows merged into her body.

Ten thousand swords becoming one.

Light and darkness continuously shifted on the water surface. The waters of Serene Moon Lake instantly exploded from the center. Fragments of light, wrapped in water currents, surged wildly away in the waves.

The Fish King's grill was instantly destroyed. Its magical power was insufficient, and its body was also flung into a wooden hall.

Ning Xiaoling, still chewing her fish skewer, struggled to resist with her Violet Court realm. Deep claw marks were carved into the rocks beneath her feet.

The light dissipated.

The sky was clear for thousands of miles.

A heavy rain began to fall over the Ancient Spirit Sect. In the downpour, many fish killed by the shockwaves rained down, splattering onto the ground.

Liu Junzhuo leisurely floated back to the lake surface. She stared at Lu Jiajia's sword-wielding figure and suddenly sighed, "I still underestimated you."

She thought about this woman named Lu Jiajia. Perhaps in a hundred years, she could truly contend with her at her peak, and a feeling of mutual admiration arose within her.

Lu Jiajia's figure swayed. Her silver coronet was cracked, and her long hair fell loose. Though her face was pale, the sword intent in her eyes had not dissipated.

She was silent for a moment, clearly holding a grudge, then said, "I overestimated you."

Liu Junzhuo's appreciation for talent was instantly cut short. She said coldly, "Don't show off. Go back and heal properly. Today was just a test of your depth. Tomorrow's sword strike will be several times stronger than today's."

Lu Jiajia replied, "You too, heal well."

Liu Junzhuo said, "How could I be injured?"

Lu Jiajia said, "A heart injury."

Liu Junzhuo sharply inhaled. If not for her prior promise, she would truly have gone up to strike a few more blows and beat this junior into submission.

"Just you wait!" she snorted, suppressing her anger, and turned to leave.

Lu Jiajia waded through the water to the shore. Ning Xiaoling jumped onto her shoulder, massaging her back and shoulders, saying, "Master is so amazing!"

Lu Jiajia smiled weakly. Her body suddenly trembled, and she covered her lips with her hand. When she removed her hand, Lu Jiajia's lips and teeth were red, and her palm was stained with blood.

***

Ten Thousand Demons City.

The gloom in the sky had not yet dispersed. The cry "Death to sword-bearers" still echoed through the long sky.

The Green Lion and White Elephant, having revealed their true forms, struggled with their bodies. They galloped wildly through the mountains and forests, shaking the ground.

Although it was cloudy, today was exceptionally bright.

The Great Peng Demon Saint, with golden feathers all over its body, stood in the sky. It was like a golden sun hanging in the sky, radiating boundless light.

Ning Changjiu held nothing back. He directly manifested his Asura Golden Body, landing in the valley. His gaze coldly fixed on the movements of the Green Lion and White Elephant. His immense spiritual power boiled within his Qi Sea, ready to counter their pincer attack at any moment.

Above, Siming and the Golden-Winged Great Peng were still in a standoff.

"Is this *that* weapon?" Siming stared at the two characters 'Ruyi' on the divine staff and asked with a cold voice.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng said, "Your origin is indeed extraordinary, to be able to wield this object."

Siming said, "I didn't expect it to be in Ten Thousand Demons City."

The Golden-Winged Great Peng said, "The entire Ten Thousand Demons City is made of a saint's remains. Why shouldn't it be here?"

Siming said, "This divine staff has been lost for five hundred years, yet the Divine Kingdom hasn't pursued it... A holy artifact is named after its master. Without the saint, it seems this holy artifact is merely mediocre."

The Golden-Winged Great Peng said, "Though I cannot wield its full power, defeating you is more than enough."

Siming stood with her hands behind her back, gently shaking her head. Her robes fluttered in the wind, like a stagnant cloud.

Neither she nor the Golden-Winged Great Peng made the first move; both were searching for the other's weakness.

Siming recalled something and suddenly asked curiously, "Back then, in your battle with the Peacock King of Wisdom, who truly won and who lost?"

The Golden-Winged Great Peng, holding the divine staff, gazed idly at the sky and recounted, "That year, we fought all the way from the Northern Kingdom to the Western Kingdom, shattering over a thousand mountain ranges, piercing through several lakes and seas, battling for three months without a clear victor."

"Hmm?" Siming wondered, "Then why are you the only one left now?"

The Golden-Winged Great Peng said, "Because the Peacock King of Wisdom was still defeated, but by someone else."

Siming immediately understood: "Was it that one?"

The Golden-Winged Great Peng smiled, "Precisely, the Vermilion Bird God."

Siming's brow slightly furrowed. "You've revealed a heavenly secret."

No sooner had she spoken than a terrifying bolt of lightning, bearing the power to annihilate all creation, struck towards the Golden-Winged Great Peng.

In the past, even with its profound divine arts, the Golden-Winged Great Peng would have been wary of heavenly punishment.

But at this moment, it stood as unmoving as a mountain, merely raising its staff and casually swinging it.

The lightning of heavenly punishment struck the staff, and the Ruyi Divine Staff only sparked a few arcs of electricity, remaining completely unharmed.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng looked at the divine needle iron, crackling with lightning, and suddenly burst into laughter. "You are blind," it said, "you recognize this object but don't know how many divine powers it truly possesses? When the saint wielded it back then, it swept the Immortal Court into fragments, turning ten thousand bones to ash... Sigh, if that young man can hand over the Golden Crow, I can make an exception and let you leave with your swords. Otherwise, this Ten Thousand Demons City will be the burial ground for both of you."

"Golden Crow?" Siming smiled faintly and said quietly, "That's mine. It's not for you to touch."

She casually raised her sleeve, and ten immortal swords instantly materialized.

Of course, she knew how formidable the saint was.

When the saint was still in the Divine Kingdom, even beings like Yuanfu dared not provoke it.

Because the saint was the only one among the Twelve Divine Masters who could truly enter and exit the Divine Kingdom at will. Even the Vermilion Bird, who possessed the authority over 'worlds', couldn't compare.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng glanced at Ning Changjiu and said to Siming, "I didn't expect a being like you to be swayed by emotion."

Siming didn't bother to respond, merely saying, "Thirteen thousand five hundred jin... that weight is still not enough for me!"

The Golden-Winged Great Peng's eyes turned chillingly crimson. "I hope you can still speak so arrogantly when you are at death's door."

As the echo of its words faded, the Golden-Winged Great Peng brandished its divine staff and swung it down through the air. In an instant, the accumulated lightning within the iron staff surged like a stampede of ten thousand horses, opening a gaping maw like a monstrous flood, and lunged towards the silver-haired woman in demonic robes.

This demigod battle at the peak of the Five Paths truly began above Ten Thousand Demons City.