4068-chapter-76
Chapter 76
“Arrogant and demonic beings dare to provoke our entire immortal realm!”
This time, it wasn’t just Xi Yun.
Three sect leaders from the immortal sects simultaneously summoned their immortal swords and swung them towards Chong Zhao.
Jinyao did not stop them this time.
Although he felt guilty towards Songfeng, as the Heavenly Palace’s master, he could no longer protect Chong Zhao, who had chosen to shatter his immortal bones and fall into demonhood.
Four immortal swords simultaneously thrust towards Chong Zhao’s spiritual core.
Chong Zhao, barely holding on by a thread of breath, had no strength to fight back.
Yet, there was no fear in his eyes—only resignation to death.
The long-haired young man stood alone in the grand hall, like a demon abandoned by the three realms.
Some of the immortals in the hall who were close to the Piaomiao Sect could no longer bear to watch.
Just as the four immortal swords were about to pierce Chong Zhao’s spiritual core, a figure leaped out from the crowd, creating a faint immortal barrier in front of Chong Zhao.
The barrier was weak, like a flickering light against the bright moon, compared to the power of the four sect leaders.
Everyone looked up and saw a blood-soaked girl standing protectively in front of Chong Zhao.
“Bai Shuo!”
“Junior Sister Bai Shuo!”
Among the Piaomiao disciples, someone anxiously called out Bai Shuo’s name.
The immortals were stunned.
This was actually a disciple of the Piaomiao Sect—a small sect from the East Sea.
How could such a small sect produce such reckless disciples?
In mid-air, the four immortal swords, momentarily delayed by Bai Shuo’s barrier, continued to thrust towards Chong Zhao without hesitation.
Bai Shuo, standing in front of him, was the first to bear the brunt.
Chong Zhao, whose eyes were already shrouded in demonic energy and devoid of life, rushed towards Bai Shuo.
But his immortal bones were shattered, and his spiritual energy was completely drained.
After just one step, he collapsed to the ground, blood flowing from his seven orifices.
Chong Zhao looked at Bai Shuo in despair, the black energy in his eyes reaching its peak, and let out a beast-like roar.
“Girl!”
“Little Bai Shuo, are you trying to get yourself killed?”
Hua Hong and Mu Jiu’s expressions changed simultaneously, and they were about to intervene when a powerful divine light descended from the sky, landing on the four immortal swords.
The swords of the four sect leaders from the three mountains and six palaces of the immortal realm were halted by this light, unable to advance even half an inch further.
Within the divine light, a figure descended slowly from the sky.
Dressed in red robes with a moon pattern, his clothes fluttered in the wind.
He extended a hand and lightly flicked his fingers.
In an instant, the four immortal swords shattered into pieces, and the four sect leaders’ expressions changed dramatically.
In the hall, another figure suddenly rose into the air and, without warning, struck Xi Yun and the others with a palm strike.
The four sect leaders spat blood and fell to the ground like broken kites.
Jinyao and the three other immortal lords expressions changed, and they simultaneously released their spiritual energy to catch the four sect leaders.
As the divine light dissipated, the Lord of Haoyue Palace held the blood-soaked girl in his arms.
Meanwhile, the Lord of Cold Spring Palace, Zhen Yu, stood before Chong Zhao, who was on the verge of death.
The situation in the hall had changed in an instant.
No one had expected that two demigods from the demon realm would simultaneously intervene to protect these two Piaomiao disciples.
“Bai Shuo, do you value your life so little?”
The Lord of Haoyue Palace’s expression was cold, but only he knew that the hands holding Bai Shuo were trembling slightly.
Bai Shuo had already been severely injured when she took a palm strike for Chong Zhao in the Phoenix Hall.
Now, after exhausting her immortal energy to block the four sect leaders’ swords, her bloodied body was like a broken doll.
She opened her eyes and met his cold, angry gaze, but suddenly grinned.
Although Fan Yue’s words were cold and harsh, the fear, guilt, and anxiety she had felt since returning to Phoenix Island vanished the moment she felt the familiar embrace behind her.
“Big demon…”
She mustered all her strength and carefully tugged at Fan Yue’s sleeve.
“Don’t be angry with me anymore, okay?”
With just that soft sentence, the Lord of Haoyue Palace’s anger dissipated.
His gaze fell on Bai Shuo’s broken arm, and his expression grew even colder.
However, a continuous stream of divine energy flowed from his palm into Bai Shuo’s spiritual veins.
The two of them conversed as if no one else was present, but the hall fell into an eerie silence.
Everyone in the three realms knew that the Lord of Haoyue Palace’s temperament was colder than a glacier that had existed for millennia.
Yet now, he had intervened for the sake of a disciple from an immortal sect.
Who exactly was this Bai Shuo from the Piaomiao Sect?
Not far away, Chong Zhao lay on the ground, barely alive.
In his blurred, blood-filled vision, he saw Bai Shuo’s joyful and dependent expression as she looked at Fan Yue.
The last glimmer of light in his eyes faded, leaving only darkness.
“Lord Zhen Yu, Lord Fan Yue, what is the meaning of this?”
In the silent hall, Jinyao finally spoke after using his divine energy to heal the four sect leaders.
“This is an internal matter of our immortal clan. Are the two of you declaring war on us?” Jinglei, known for his impulsive nature, angrily questioned.
“When did I interfere in your immortal clan’s internal affairs? I was merely saving someone from my Haoyue Palace. Is that not allowed?” Fan Yue replied indifferently.
Someone from Haoyue Palace?
The immortals exchanged puzzled glances.
Xi Yun couldn’t help but speak up, “She’s clearly a disciple of Piaomiao!”
“If I say she’s from Haoyue Palace, then she is.”
Fan Yue’s expression turned cold, and the pressure of a demigod fell upon Xi Yun, causing his face to pale.
“Lord Fan Yue,” Jinyao spoke again, “She is clearly an immortal, even if you are a demigod of the demon clan, you cannot twist the truth like this.”
“Who says an immortal cannot be from Haoyue Palace? She was already expelled from Piaomiao. If you don’t believe me, Lord Jinyao, you can ask the Piaomiao disciples.”
Jinyao looked towards the Piaomiao disciples.
Eryun bit her lip and nodded, “Yes, although Bai Shuo was from Piaomiao, she was expelled by the sect leader. She is no longer a disciple of Piaomiao.”
Eryun had once disliked Bai Shuo, but after experiencing the trials of life, she no longer held any grudges against her.
Now that Piaomiao had undergone such drastic changes, with Chong Zhao falling into demonhood and Bai Shuo standing against the immortal sects for his sake, there was no place for Bai Shuo in the immortal realm anymore.
It would be better for her to leave with the Lord of Haoyue Palace.
“Since she has no sect, there’s no issue with me taking her into Haoyue Palace, is there?”
“Immortals and demons are different. How can you…”
“Lord Jinyao, have you forgotten? The entire lower three realms were created by the Primordial Ancestral God using the power of chaos. At the beginning of creation, all races shared the same origin,” Fan Yue said leisurely.
Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall—whether immortal or demon—was rendered speechless.
Among the demons, the Lord of Haoyue Palace was known to be the least fond of associating with immortals.
If they hadn’t heard it themselves, they would never have believed that the words “At the beginning of creation, all races shared the same origin” had come from his mouth.
Faced with such a simple yet grand statement, Jinyao was left without a retort.
Even if Mu Guang were still here, he wouldn’t have been able to find fault with it.
“Lord Jinyao, has anyone from my Haoyue Palace violated the laws of your immortal realm?”
Seeing Jinyao remain silent, Fan Yue spoke again.
“Indeed, they have not.”
“In that case, the affairs of your immortal Clan have nothing to do with my Haoyue Palace. My people—I will take them with me.”
Having said this, Fan Yue held Bai Shuo in his arms and prepared to leave.
“Big demon… Ah Zhao…”
Bai Shuo, severely wounded, was already delirious, yet even so, she still worried about Chong Zhao’s safety.
Fan Yue’s forehead twitched slightly.
He raised his hand and flicked his fingers, sending a divine force onto Bai Shuo’s forehead.
Before Bai Shuo could say another word, her eyes closed, and she fell into a deep sleep.
With a flash of divine light, Fan Yue and the people of Haoyue Palace transformed into streaks of flowing radiance, heading straight for the Demon Realm.
As soon as the Lord of Haoyue Palace left, all eyes in the hall fell upon Zhen Yu.
This time, before Jinyao could speak,Zhen Yu—who had been watching the drama unfold—took the initiative.
“Lord Jinyao, I acted in haste just now and may have been a bit heavy-handed. However, the four sect masters are deeply cultivated in immortal power, so I trust I did them no real harm.”
“Palace Lord Zhen Yu, what exactly is your intention?”
Xi Yun, who had just suffered a setback in front of Fan Yue, was now the one to question him, alongside another sect master who had acted earlier.
“What intention? The four great sect masters of the Immortal Sect joining forces to kill a boy whose spiritual meridians are shattered—I simply couldn’t stand by and watch.”
“You! Chong Zhao is a criminal of the Immortal Clan! How we deal with him is none of your concern!”
“A criminal? What crime has he committed? Assassinating the Ziwei Star? Songfeng has already taken the blame for that. Falling to the demonic path? He is hardly the only one in this world who has fallen from a immortal to a demon. Must he die just because of that?”
Zhen Yu’s gaze was cold.
If Fan Yue had just now subdued them with the pressure of a demigod, then Zhen Yu’s raw divine power was already pressing down on everyone in the hall.
Several disciples of lower cultivation immediately spat blood, while the sect masters also turned pale.
Jinyao took a step forward, his divine power surging to block Zhen Yu’s demonic energy.
“Palace Lord Zhen Yu! The Immortals and Demons have been at peace for a thousand years—what exactly do you want today?”
“Nothing much. I simply want you all to bear witness for me.”
Bear witness? Witness what? The gathered immortals were momentarily stunned.
Zhen Yu lowered his head and looked at Chong Zhao, who was barely clinging to life on the ground. He suddenly spoke:
“Chong Zhao, I ask you—do you wish to join my Cold Spring Palace?”
The hall fell silent, and all eyes turned toward Chong Zhao.
The bloodied, broken young man on the ground lifted his head with his last breath.
His blurred gaze swept across the immortal masters in the hall before finally landing on Zhen Yu.
Without hesitation, he spoke:
“Chong Zhao is no longer an immortal. I am willing to enter Cold Spring Palace.”
“Good!”
Zhen Yu laughed heartily and, with a wave of his hand, sent Chong Zhao into Fu Ling’s arms.
“Lord Jinyao, I will protect Chong Zhao’s life today. From now on, he is a disciple of my Cold Spring Palace! If the immortal Clan wishes to kill him, then come to Cold Spring Palace. I will be waiting in the Demon Realm!”
As soon as his words fell, Zhen Yu suddenly unleashed a divine strike.
Jinyao’s expression changed as he raised his hand to block it.
When the collision of divine powers finally dissipated, not a single demon remained in the Phoenix Hall.
The hall was silent.
Jinyao’s face was dark with anger, yet none of the immortals dared to speak.
No one had expected that the grand centennial event of the Three Realms—the Phoenix Island’s Wutong Martial Banquet—would end in such a manner.
In the Demon Realm, Extreme North
A thousand miles of frozen land, an unbroken expanse of ice and snow.
Yet in Haoyue Palace, a thousand glazed lanterns burned undiminished.
Amidst the icy landscape, a chamber in the rear hall was as warm as a spring day.
On the bed, Bai Shuo’s face was pale.
Her blood-stained clothes had long been changed.
A steady stream of divine energy flowed from Fan Yue’s palm into Bai Shuo’s shattered spiritual meridians.
Half an hour later, Bai Shuo’s spiritual energy finally stabilized, and color returned to her face.
“Don’t… don’t go…”
In her sleep, Bai Shuo murmured, her brows furrowing as though plagued by unrest.
Fan Yue gazed at the sleeping Bai Shuo, and a fleeting memory of the moment in Phoenix Hall—when Bai Shuo had shielded Chong Zhao—crossed his mind.
He turned to leave.
“Mumu…”
His departing footsteps halted.
Fan Yue froze and turned back.
“Don’t go, Mumu.”
On the bed, Bai Shuo’s lips parted, softly calling a name.
A low sigh echoed in the chamber.
Resigned, the Lord of Haoyue Palace sat back down and took Bai Shuo’s hand in his own.
Outside the hall, Hua Hong leaned against the corridor, drinking.
Long Yi Pig fluttered over, drawn by the scent of wine.
“Hey, Little Hua, sitting on stone steps drinking—what’s the point?”
“It’s warm here.”
Hua Hong stretched lazily.
“Warm? In this frozen wasteland?” Long Yi pig was speechless.
“The warmth of the heart.”
Hua Hong glanced toward the hall, smiling as she downed half a gourd of wine.
Long Yi Pig turned its gaze inside.
Two figures—one sleeping, one seated—were cast in silhouette against the window.
Something seemed to stir in its memory, and its large eyes gleamed with nostalgia.
“Yeah… Ever since she left, the Taichu Hall has never been warm again.”
“Who left? Where’s cold?”
Hua Hong mumbled, half-drunk.
“Just drink your wine.”
Long Yi Pig flapped over to the blacksmith, snatched the gourd, and downed it all in one gulp.
Beside them, Hua Hong’s steady snores began.
Under the moonlight, the dragon’s shadow stretched across the snow—its true form revealed, a five-clawed dragon soaring into the night.
A Thousand Miles Away, Cold Spring Palace
In an ice-cold stone cave, a pool of blood churned—identical to the one beneath the stone palace of the Yi city.
Chong Zhao lay unconscious, floating above the blood pool, his eyes tightly shut.
Outside the pool, countless demons stared in terror.
Nearly all were of the Demon Lord rank.
Zhen Yu stood expressionless by the pool.
With a wave of his hand, demonic energy was forcibly extracted from these demons, rushing into Chong Zhao’s body.
Agonized screams echoed as the demons, drained of their demonic power, disintegrated into dust.
Fu Ling’s face showed a trace of reluctance, but as she looked at the lifeless Chong Zhao, his shattered spiritual meridians beyond repair, the last of her hesitation faded.
A long silence followed.
The blood pool finally calmed.
Chong Zhao remained unconscious, motionless—
Yet deep within his spiritual core, a weak black flame slowly ignited.