Chapter 414: White Tiger Roars Along the Long River

The Northern Kingdom.

There was no moon in the sky. A fierce gale swept through, roaring as it squeezed through cracks, as if an army of ghosts and demons was galloping across the heavens on a dark and stormy night.

The strong wind slammed open windows throughout the street, snapping wooden latches.

Like thunder and lightning, it burst through the window frames, waking people from their night dreams. They tried to gather their pots, pans, books, and ledgers, but were pinned down to their beds by the powerful wind, as if experiencing sleep paralysis. They could only let out hoarse screams, which were swallowed by the wind.

This great wind did not last long.

The hurricane swept across the sky above Beiming, leaving no trace of dust on the streets. Yet the moon remained like a mirror draped in black cloth, unable to emit any light.

People speculated it was a large sandstorm, but without sand. They were unaware that, in the immense darkness above this rather small city, something monumental had already arrived.

Sì Mìng heard the sound of hoofbeats after the hurricane had passed.

The sound was like raindrops dripping from eaves and hitting the ground.

Autumn in the Northern Kingdom was filled with an unutterable chill. The night wind felt dry on the skin. After the boisterous wind, the city fell silent, a deathly quiet. In this stillness, upon hearing the first hoofbeat, Sì Mìng found herself uncontrollably concentrating on the sound. Gradually, her long hair turned snow-white, for she perceived that the rhythmic clatter of hoofbeats overlapped with her own heartbeat. It was as if the demon was not from outside, but a demonic seed birthed within her own heart, about to tear through flesh and emerge!

Bai Zàng knelt on the ground. After hearing the hoofbeats, she immediately realized that the current ruler was Tiān Jì.

Tiān Jì...

Many believed that the Divine Lord Tiān Jì was an ancient demonic warhorse that had emerged from the Beast Tide War.

But she knew that wasn't true...

Tiān Jì was an ancient God of War who had led hundreds of battles during the Divine-Demonic War, slaying countless foes with his spear. Three thousand nine hundred years ago, when the ancient immortals collectively ascended and established the Immortal Court, Tiān Jì soared into the sky and fought a desperate battle against them. He was eventually impaled through the heart and decapitated.

Though his powerful body was pierced, his heroic spirit remained intact, and his soul returned to the mortal realm. After the Primordial Divine War fully erupted, he absorbed the resentment and demonic nature of the conflict, becoming even stronger. In a fiery cavern, he retrieved his remaining bones, cut his corpse into three sections, and forged them into three magnificent steeds, imbuing them with divine power.

Later, after entering the Divine Realm and becoming one of the Twelve Divine Lords, he bestowed the titles of Divine Official and Heavenly Sovereign upon two of these warhorses, though no one knew exactly which two.

Tiān Jì's Divine Realm was the Scarlet Line.

It was a line encircling the middle of this star.

Legend had it that if the Scarlet Line Divine Realm were to collapse, the rotation of this star would also be affected, slowing down more and more until it ultimately ceased, plunging into deathly stillness.

Bai Zàng lowered her head, clenching her silver teeth, her gaze filled with ferocity.

Among the twelve deities, in terms of origin alone, she and the Sin Lord were likely among the weakest. This inherent insecurity was the root cause of her desperation to seize the Divine Heart of Heavenly Treasury.

The hoofbeats grew closer. Even with her eyes closed, Bai Zàng could feel the outline of a tall, magnificent horse forming in her sea of consciousness.

Ye Chán Gōng sat in a chair wrapped in a cotton quilt. She glanced at Sì Mìng.

The power of the dream realm neutralized Tiān Jì's influence, and Sì Mìng immediately regained her composure, holding firm to her inner self.

Ye Chán Gōng said calmly, "It is still a great distance from us. There's no need to be too afraid."

"Mm..." Sì Mìng nodded lightly. She cast aside the interference of other external forces, her heart settling into tranquility, her long hair still as white as snow.

Bai Zàng listened to the hoofbeats beside her ear. The anger on her face suddenly vanished, replaced by a slight smile playing on her lips.

"No need to be too afraid?" Bai Zàng chuckled. "Héng É, are you really not scared? In the past, you resided high in the heavens, fearless of Divine Lords, and that was true. But now the moon is gone, isn't it? Ha! You must have never experienced this fear of being amidst the dust, with deities looming just three feet above your head, right?"

Ye Chán Gōng looked at her and said, "Isn't this something we're constantly experiencing?"

Bai Zàng froze. She immediately realized that Ye Chán Gōng was referring to the Dark Lord, and the implication was that Ye Chán Gōng had never considered her or the other Divine Lords as true deities.

Bai Zàng said coldly, "At a time like this, are you still being stubborn?"

A black sword flew out, knocking Bai Zàng to the ground.

Bai Zàng glared at Sì Mìng, resentment filling her heart. How dared a mere Divine Official overstep her bounds...

But she said no more, for Sì Mìng's black sword hovered directly over her brow. She did not want to endure physical pain for no reason.

Sì Mìng stood beside Ye Chán Gōng, her divine countenance cold, her red lips like plum blossoms in snow.

In the darkness, the hoofbeats grew increasingly rapid.

Even knowing that her Master was now far weaker than she had imagined, Sì Mìng said little. She gently embraced the girl, who appeared truly cold, and asked, "Master, where do we go next?"

Ye Chán Gōng said, "The Northern Kingdom ends here. From now on, we head south, cross the Luò River, and go to the Central Land."

Sì Mìng nodded without hesitation. She lifted Ye Chán Gōng's delicate and tender body from the bedding, then casually wrapped a blanket around her and held her in her arms.

The black sword retracted, and the Dragon Bone Death Prison tightened with it.

Bai Zàng once again transformed from a human into a white tiger-striped tabby cat.

Ye Chán Gōng curled her finger lightly, and the chain retracted, falling into her palm.

Bai Zàng leaped back into her slightly cold and frail embrace.

After transforming into a cat, she became much more docile, merely meowing a few times to indicate she preferred Sì Mìng to hold her.

Ye Chán Gōng naturally paid her no mind.

She looked out at the pitch-black night through the window and said to the cat in her arms, "Regardless, for now we are allies. If you wish to die, you may tell me at any time. If you wish to live, then be obedient, understand?"

Bai Zàng suppressed the resentment in her heart and let out a soft meow, indicating her willingness to set aside past grievances for the time being.

Sì Mìng held Ye Chán Gōng, and Ye Chán Gōng held Bai Zàng. As the hoofbeats reached their ears, a flash of sword light streaked across the sky, and the two instantly departed the city.

"If Tiān Jì pursues us later, Master... do you have confidence you can win?" Sì Mìng asked, her voice laced with worry.

Ye Chán Gōng nodded lightly and said, "Yes."

Sì Mìng felt much more at ease. Although her current cultivation was high, if a Divine Lord truly intended to kill, she could barely protect herself, let alone confidently shield the girl who was now as delicate as a green vine.

"What should I do then?" Sì Mìng asked.

Ye Chán Gōng picked up the white cat from her arms, handed it to Sì Mìng, and said, "When the time comes, throw her out."

"Meow meow meow?" Bai Zàng was greatly alarmed.

Ye Chán Gōng looked at her and said, "Since we are forming an alliance, you naturally need to prove your allegiance. This will be your first battle."

Bai Zàng clawed and gnashed, wailing in protest.

"Héng É, no wonder you didn't kill me... You are very weak right now! Very weak! That female Divine Official can't protect you; you need my protection. You simply don't dare to kill me! You..." Bai Zàng finally understood. She had been fooled by Ye Chán Gōng's mystification all along. She had initially thought Ye Chán Gōng had ulterior motives for keeping her and had planned to contend fiercely with her.

Now it seemed there were no ulterior motives at all; it was simply that the Divine Realm was about to close, leaving her without support, and she needed some help.

She was once Héng É, the Immortal Sovereign, a name that struck terror into hearts, but without the moon, she was merely a fish drying on a riverbank... Her fear had been utterly unnecessary!

Ye Chán Gōng opened her eyes and looked calmly at Bai Zàng. "Wisdom that comes too late is not wisdom, but regret."

Bai Zàng wanted to curse, but the slave mark on her body was immediately activated. The slave mark was connected to her divine soul, capable even of forcibly altering her thoughts.

Her resistance was forcibly erased, her sharp claws retracted into her paw pads, and her fierce growl softened. Sì Mìng was startled, wondering if autumn was also mating season for female cats...

No sooner had that thought arisen than the Luò River flowed into view.

But she stopped by the banks of the Luò River.

It was often said that a goddess of peerless beauty resided in the Luò River.

But legends are always imagined ideals.

Ye Chán Gōng opened her eyes. She gazed at the Luò River, and on its surface, there was a monstrous, immense, dark shadow.

When Sì Mìng's figure was still a hundred zhang from the Luò River, a pair of golden pupils lit up at the upper end of that dark shadow. Simultaneously, a golden spear also glowed.

Bai Zàng's vertical pupils narrowed into slits, glowing in the gloomy night. Her fur bristled, standing on end.

What appeared on the river surface was a majestic divine horse.

But it was not a mere horse; it was a centaur.

Its four hooves proudly trod upon the water's surface, creating gentle ripples. Solid bones supported a body like a small mountain, its stiff muscles resembling protruding rock formations. It was immensely robust, its physique a sturdy, deep blue-green, with electric arcs flickering and hovering over it. Its raised mane resembled fiercely burning flames, while its upper body was that of a man clad in shimmering armor and battle scales. The man wore a helmet, his pupils glowed golden, and his thick arm held a golden spear.

A fine, sweat-like mist covered the hair illuminated by the spear.

The bronze-colored centaur's gaze upon them was cold, proud, and disdainful.

Though clearly human in its upper half, it snorted like a warhorse. As bronze flames burst forth, it raised its heavy spear high and directly hurled it towards them.

Sì Mìng, without hesitation, grabbed Bai Zàng and threw her out.

Bai Zàng roared in fury, but the slave mark controlled her, forcing her to choose loyalty.

After being thrown out, the white cat transformed into a maiden. The maiden landed on the foreshore, barefoot, clad in a molten silver gown. She held no weapon, and gazed at the majestic horse, which was hundreds of times taller than her, without a hint of fear.

The golden spear failed to press down.

Bai Zàng directly reached out and seized the spear tip.

In this scene of a mantis trying to stop a chariot, the 'mantis' actually clamped onto the wheel, unleashing unimaginable strength and forcefully pushing the chariot away.

The stillness of the Luò River's surface was shattered.

The enslaved Divine Lord and the now formidable divine steed engaged in an epic battle on the Luò River.

On the riverbank, Sì Mìng held Ye Chán Gōng in her arms, observing everything from afar.

"The one who came is Bronze," Ye Chán Gōng said.

"Bronze?"

"Yes, Tiān Jì has three divine steeds: Bronze, Silver, and Gold," Ye Chán Gōng explained. "Bronze is the weakest of them."

Sì Mìng was even more puzzled. "Why is it the weakest one who came?"

Ye Chán Gōng quietly explained, "Because many years ago, Tiān Jì used this very method to ascend to the position of Divine Lord... Tiān Jì doesn't believe he can kill me, so he sent the weakest divine steed to hold me back. The other two must have gone to find Níng Cháng Jiǔ and my two disciples."

Sì Mìng sensed the destructive aura emanating from the Bronze divine steed and said uneasily, "Cháng Jiǔ... can he handle it?"

Ye Chán Gōng said, "That depends on him."

Sì Mìng frowned. "Tiān Jì is gambling on three fronts. If he wins even one, the consequences would be unimaginable."

Ye Chán Gōng nodded, a faint smile gracing her pure, childlike cheeks. "That may be so, but Tiān Jì might have also made a mistake."

Sì Mìng asked, "What mistake?"

Ye Chán Gōng said, "His victory with this method back then was clever, but to repeat it every time is clumsy."

On the Luò River, the freezing spell that accompanied the arrival of the Bronze divine steed was lifted. The river surged once more, and Bai Zàng and the divine steed engaged in battle on this great river spanning between the Central Land and the Northern Kingdom.

The suppression within Bai Zàng was temporarily lifted, but the power of the slave mark compelled her to choose loyalty.

After pushing aside the golden spear, her body suddenly leaped, transforming into a silver pillar of light that slammed fiercely into the warhorse's body.

This Bronze warhorse was countless times larger than her, yet under Bai Zàng's impact, it was still shaken, swaying uncontrollably.

In the previous Battle of Boundary-Shattering City, Bai Zàng hadn't been able to fight to her heart's content. Now, however, she was fighting with everything she had. The only downside was that her cultivation was far from what it once was, and her divine authority had been plundered, leaving her with little left.

But a starved tiger is still larger than a cat. Her opponent was not a Divine Lord, merely an ancient warhorse. As the strongest tiger the world had ever known, how could she allow a horse to stand so arrogantly before her?

Her combative nature was ignited within her.

The Bronze divine steed hurled its golden spear. Bai Zàng was occasionally forced back by the golden spear but quickly returned. She was like a sharp blade, darting back and forth within the golden spear's shadow. Her body continuously underwent beast transformation, growing ears and a tail as she closed in on the divine steed's heart.

The Bronze divine steed reared up on its front hooves, unleashing a furious whinny. The golden spear danced into a blur, intercepting Bai Zàng's figure.

The two continuously clashed, like a sharp blade and a shield, or fierce beasts encountering each other in the jungle.

Sì Mìng watched the battle on the Luò River, asking, "Master, did you already guess Tiān Jì's intentions?"

Ye Chán Gōng said, "There's no need to guess. Anyone who knows Tiān Jì's story knows what he would do."

Sì Mìng's brow furrowed slightly; she had never heard of it.

She looked at the surging waves on the Luò River and asked, "Should we help Bai Zàng?"

Ye Chán Gōng gently shook her head. "No need. Let her stretch her limbs and fight. Otherwise, she might truly become a domestic cat with a bad temper."

Sì Mìng remembered the story of the Fish King, a former powerful cultivator of the Five Paths, who became a useless cat after too much comfort, and nodded in profound agreement.

Sì Mìng asked, "What should I do then?"

Ye Chán Gōng's hands and feet were cold at that moment. She leaned gently into Sì Mìng's arm and said, "I'm a bit cold."

Sì Mìng had already noticed that Ye Chán Gōng's body had been growing colder these past few days. Only now did she ask, "Master, what exactly is happening to your body?"

Ye Chán Gōng thought for a moment and asked, "Do you know why the moon has become uglier over the years?"

Sì Mìng shook her head. "I do not."

Ye Chán Gōng said, "Because the moon is my sword... or rather, my shield. During the Divine War back then, Yi and I were besieged in a snowy valley. Dozens of gods and demons launched a combined assault on us. At that time, Yi was drawing his bow and could not be disturbed, so I flew forward to block in front of him. The gods and demons were overjoyed then, thinking I intended to sacrifice myself to protect him, but I remained completely unharmed."

Connecting this to her Master's previous words, Sì Mìng immediately guessed the reason and asked, "Master, you grafted the damage onto the moon?"

"Yes," Ye Chán Gōng nodded slightly. "Like the six Outer Gods of Primordial Chaos, I am the spirit of the moon. The homeworlds of the Six Gods are too far from here, so they must create their own bodies. But I do not need to... Even without ascending to the moon, you can see from the mortal realm that the Moon Prison's surface has many craters. Most of those were left during the Primordial Divine War. The Moon Prison was very beautiful in its infancy, smooth as a mirror polished from ice."

Ye Chán Gōng's gaze grew distant, as if lost in memory.

"This is also why I don't fear the other Divine Lords," she said, "because their power is only manifest in this world. They do not possess the ability to destroy the moon."

Sì Mìng's red lips trembled slightly, and a chill spread through her icy eyes. She recalled the fallen meteorite in the Northern Underworld Sea and said, "But the Dark Lord can destroy stars, right?"

Ye Chán Gōng hummed in affirmation and said, "But destroying the moon would greatly affect this planet's rotation. The Dark Lord wouldn't do that, just as he wouldn't open multiple Divine Realms at once to destroy us all at the cost of countless lives. Therefore... what the Dark Lord wants to destroy is only me."

Sì Mìng looked up at the location of the black moon, understanding that after the moon was obscured, her Master's connection to her true form had been severed.

She could no longer use the moon as a shield, nor could she receive power replenishment. It was like a pond whose source had been cut off, gradually becoming stagnant water.

Sì Mìng reached out, grasped Ye Chán Gōng's cold hand, and held it against her chest.

"Then, Master... can you still hold on?" Sì Mìng asked.

Ye Chán Gōng said softly, "Do not worry about me. As long as the moon is not truly destroyed, I cannot be truly killed..."

She did not finish her sentence.

She knew that while she wouldn't die, she would fall into a long slumber. By the time she awoke, the Black Sun would likely have already descended, and she would be the last person on this planet. The moon, outside this star, would be the last solitary star.

Sì Mìng could discern the unspoken meaning. She asked, "What do we do now? How... can I warm you up?"

Ye Chán Gōng was uncharacteristically silent for a moment, then gave a brief answer: "Sunlight."

Above the Luò River, the battle between Bai Zàng and the Bronze divine steed intensified.

Their initial clashes gradually evolved into a confrontation of divine power.

Red light flared across the Bronze divine steed's body. These lights were like brands, making it appear as a great bronze cauldron ablaze.

In the night sky, azure lightning struck the Luò River.

The waters of the Luò River were infused with electricity, forming a thousand-mile electric field.

Sparks flew from the golden spear as it swept swiftly.

The sparks were like bloodthirsty butterflies, relentlessly pursuing Bai Zàng like a persistent disease.

Bai Zàng also unleashed her innate divine abilities. Within this bronze furnace of thunder and fire, she unfurled a silver storm like snowflakes. Her beast transformation was complete; faint tiger stripes majestically crisscrossed her jade-like skin.

Wielding her fists and claws, she felt as if she had returned to her youth.

Back then, ancient demons were just rising. She was the only White Tiger in the Myriad Tiger Sect, whose Sect Master was a Black Tiger skilled at tearing out hearts to devour.

Ancient beasts were not considered powerful in that era. Before them were the ancient gods who had oppressed and enslaved them for thousands of years, and after them, new immortals emerged with strength comparable to the ancient gods. They practiced diligently, striving for survival in the fissures of blood and fire.

Aside from the ancient gods and immortals, the tiger held a respectable position among ancient demons, which is why the Myriad Tiger Sect was considered a reputable and righteous sect in the region.

The Myriad Tiger Sect did not only accept tigers; any animal resembling a cat could join based on their aptitude. However, after joining the sect, they had to paint tiger stripes on themselves. Thus, in the Myriad Tiger Sect, Bai Zàng often saw other large felines tattooing stripes onto each other with brushes.

She disdained this practice.

She was a noble White Tiger, and after cultivating a human form, she became the sect's 'Tiger Blossom.' The emissaries who admired her were countless.

But she paid no heed to such things. She was the Myriad Tiger Sect's favored daughter of heaven, and she had once received a great fortunate encounter. When she was very young, she fell into a valley where she found a golden arrow inscribed with runes. The inscriptions on the golden arrow were the rudimentary form of what would later become the Myriad Demon Art.

She secretly cultivated this demonic art, and her cultivation speed was unprecedentedly fast. She hoped that one day she could dominate the world, just like the gods and demons.

However, good times did not last long. Soon, the Myriad Tiger Sect brought a catastrophic calamity upon itself.

The cause of this calamity stemmed from the death of the Candle Dragon. After the Candle Dragon was slain, the dragons were left leaderless, with no one to command their respect. Many ancient dragons scattered, each forming their own domain. At that time, to mourn the Candle Dragon, they decided to slay all living beings in the world as a sacrifice to the departed soul of Zhú Yīn.

As the leader of the local ancient beast sects, the Myriad Tiger Sect became the primary target of attack.

The Black Tiger was defeated by a powerful ancient dragon. This once-majestic Sect Master, in order for the sect to survive disgracefully, intended to offer his disciples as gifts to these ancient gods to appease their wrath.

In ancient times, ancient gods naturally enjoyed raising demonic beasts as pets.

There was a saying back then: cats were pets and slaves to humans, and tigers were pets and slaves to ancient gods.

The ancient dragon accepted the Black Tiger's apology, and Bai Zàng, being the most beautiful tiger among them, was naturally chosen by the most powerful dragon.

It was Bai Zàng's first time seeing an ancient god. Previously, she had only heard of them in myths and legends, knowing that ancient gods were the favored and beloved of heaven. Most ancient beasts, even after cultivating their entire lives, could not defeat newly hatched dragons.

The ancient god walked towards her. Though she was clearly afraid in her heart, the demonic art within her was like a true demon, bewitching her in that moment, granting her inexplicable courage and strength.

She actually leaped from the ground like a madwoman, fiercely pouncing on the old dragon walking towards her.

The old dragon paid no mind.

For he knew that many ancient beasts were born untamed, but the wilder the horse, the more satisfying it was to break, let alone this White Tiger maiden...

Everyone watched the young girl with hair like snow, shaking their heads and letting out mocking laughter.

The Black Tiger even angrily chastised her for her insolence.

The old dragon reached out to stop her, but his movements froze. Then, he looked down with immense confusion at the location of his heart, and his pupils began to dilate.

The maiden's sharp claws pierced through his scaled heart.

Five hundred years ago, there was a Sword Immortal poet, Lǐ Hè, who wrote a famous verse about severing dragon feet and chewing dragon flesh. But four thousand years prior, in the great hall of the Myriad Tiger Sect, a White Tiger maiden had already done just that.

The blood and stench of that day were a torrent she would never forget in her life.

She killed the first ancient dragon, drew the sword from its waist, and then pounced on the other bewildered ancient gods. From that day forward, ancient gods were no longer unconquerable in her eyes; they were also mere trash, cowards armed with scales.

In the Myriad Tiger Hall, the maiden slaughtered all the ancient dragons. Bathed in dragon blood, she stood at the sect entrance and turned to look at the Black Tiger.

The Black Tiger watched her, trembling and speechless. Then, he watched as she used his own unique technique to rip open his heart, crushing the beating organ into minced flesh. Before he died, he heard the maiden say, "Master, your technique is perfectly suited for killing... From this day forward, I have graduated from your tutelage."

Bai Zàng was lost in her memories. The demonic art from those years had been purged by the Heavenly Dao after she became a god, but her blood had never run cold.

She merged with her younger self.

The Bronze divine steed let out a furious roar on the Luò River, but Bai Zàng had already surged past the thunder and fire, slamming punch after punch into its chest, driving it towards the riverbed.