They Are Archenemies, But They Have A Child - Chapter 107

Chapter 107: The Finale

All the demons, gods, and immortals present were completely unprepared for this sudden change. The Azure Emperor asked in astonishment, “Uncle God?”

The Heavenly Emperor stretched his hand, examining the new body, his eyes full of satisfaction. “Indeed, rather than placing hope in the descendants, wouldn’t it be much more effective for me to secure this position myself?”

Lǐ Qīngyáng had just arrived at the scene and witnessed this moment. He muttered, “Then what about my junior brother?”

The Heavenly Emperor: “He shall live on with me.”

Lǐ Qīngyáng’s eyes trembled slightly. Everything now was contrary to what he knew.

The God Lord of Bright Virtue was the first to declare: “This is excellent. If Your Majesty can continue to preside over the throne, the Heavenly Realm will surely welcome a more stable future.”

“Then, Your Majesty, how do you plan to explain the Nánzé Kingdom matter?” Jiāng Héyè’s eyes were stubborn.

The Heavenly Emperor chuckled lightly. “I have no need to explain. The Nánzé Clan, being mortals, enjoyed a lifespan longer than that of gods. They violated the Heavenly Dao, so shouldn’t they die?”

The Azure Emperor nodded. “For the stability of the three realms, anything that violates the Heavenly Dao should indeed be eliminated.”

The gods echoed, “Your Majesty speaks reasonably.”

Yáng Yuǎnlí curved his lips into a sarcastic smile, offering no agreement.

Yáng Duàn was about to speak, but Yáng Yuǎnlí sharply pulled him back, forcibly silencing him.

“Everything exists for a reason. By what right can you decide their fate?” Yún Chuān used his magic to forcibly ease Leng Licí’s injuries, looking up to question his father.

At this point, he no longer held any expectation for his father.

The Heavenly Emperor slightly raised his chin, looking arrogantly at everyone. “Because we are gods. To govern all things is our duty and our power.”

Leng Licí scoffed mockingly, “Is… that so?”

As soon as he spoke, the Heavenly Emperor’s face instantly froze. He felt as if his internal organs had been pierced by ten thousand arrows.

Ptoo—!

A mouthful of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

He glared at Leng Licí, his eyes filled with either rage or hatred. “You two actually formed a contract? Ha—”

He burst into laughter, then abruptly stopped, gritting his teeth. “He, as a god, actually formed a contract with a half-demon like you? Truly useless! Extremely shortsighted!”

These words were like a stone dropped into a still lake, suddenly shattering the frozen atmosphere.

“What? The Lord Prime actually had a liaison with this Fox Demon? And broke the Heavenly Rules to form a contract?!”

“But weren’t they fighting fiercely? When did it turn into such… such a disreputable relationship!”

“The Lord Prime is utterly confused! I’m sure it’s the Fox Demon’s conspiracy!”

“Those rumors were indeed not groundless.”

Yún Fēiyǔ arrived a moment later. Before he could grasp the situation, he heard this news. He stumbled and fell to the ground. “What are you saying?! Qingwu formed a contract with whom?”

Yáng Yuǎnlí pointed his chin toward Leng Licí. “Him.”

“I—” Yún Fēiyǔ looked at Leng Licí half-lying on Yún Chuān’s lap, and then at “Yun Qingwu” in mid-air. “The child’s mother is a man? Why did you two fight and end up in bed?!”

The Heavenly Emperor looked down contemptuously at Yún Fēiyǔ, wiping the blood from his mouth. “He might not be able to answer that question for you.”

Yún Fēiyǔ: “?”

Yáng Yuǎnlí interjected: “That is His Majesty.”

Yún Fēiyǔ looked utterly confused. “That’s His Majesty? Then where is Qingwu?”

As the words left his mouth, he instantly grasped the likely situation and wisely fell silent, his mind racing for a counter-strategy.

Yáng Duàn stared at Leng Licí in shock, unable to utter a single word. He had only thought his dear disciple was being foolish by associating with the Fox Demon, but he never imagined that they had such an improper relationship!

Xǔ Lín was internally astonished but showed no outward sign. He stared at the Heavenly Emperor, deeming all this trivial in comparison to Qingwu’s safety.

Lǐ Qīngyáng and the Bed God, who already knew the underlying reason, looked worriedly at Yun Qingwu, whose life was unknown, and tacitly avoided the topic.

Many of the God Lords and Immortal Lords who had initially been critical of the Heavenly Emperor’s taking over the Lord Prime’s body were now relieved that the Lord Prime had not had the chance to ascend the throne.

Leng Licí looked at the Heavenly Emperor mockingly. “What? Afraid to strike?”

The Heavenly Emperor narrowed his eyes, staring coldly at Leng Licí. “In this world, there is a fate worse than death.”

He looked at the surrounding observing gods and immortals. “Guards, take this Fox Demon—no!”

The expression on Yun Qingwu’s face shifted for a moment. He desperately struggled to control his body, looking at Leng Licí with pain in his eyes. “A-Cí… I—”

Leng Licí raised his hand, touched the fresh blood welling up from his mouth, coughed a few times, and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t die.”

“Qingwu, stop this futile struggle.”

“You won’t succeed!”

The expression on Yun Qingwu’s face kept changing. No one person could fully dominate the body.

…

Inside the Sea of Consciousness.

On the ice-and-snow-covered plateau, Yun Qingwu and the Heavenly Emperor faced each other.

The Heavenly Emperor’s face was as still as water, his tone cold. “Qingwu, must you oppose your Grandfather God like this?”

Yun Qingwu lowered his gaze. “You intended to take over the body from the very beginning.”

The Heavenly Emperor: “Then you misunderstand your Grandfather God. If you had been compliant from the start, why would I have gone to this extent? I never intended for the Soul Binding Formation left here to be activated. But you insisted on getting entangled with that filthy bloodline, you insisted on tracing the past. How could I entrust the future of the Yun Clan to you with peace of mind?”

Yun Qingwu’s jaw tightened. Recalling the events of this period, he quickly found the crucial moment. “Your sealing of my memory was merely a distraction.”

The Heavenly Emperor nodded. “Not too stupid. After all, even for me, taking over another’s body is not easy. If I hadn’t sealed your memory, how could I have made you obediently drink the concoction blended from your heart’s blood and my divine consciousness? Only this last step took some effort. Fortunately, that bastard was here, otherwise, I wouldn’t have been confident enough to make you kill me here.”

He shook his head, sounding somewhat regretful. “You are not a child of my Yun family after all, an ungrateful wolf.”

“Do you know why I began seeking the truth again?”

Yun Qingwu curled his fingers, pulling out a mocking smile. “It was precisely because of your Soul Binding Formation. It cultivated Mèng Huǎng’s obsession into a demon, re-gathering all the vengeful spirits of the Nánzé Clan, allowing me to see them again. Otherwise…”

Yun Qingwu said self-deprecatingly, “Perhaps I would have lived my entire life under your lies.”

“You see, this is cause and effect.” The emotion drained from his eyes, leaving only a calm dead sea.

The Heavenly Emperor pursed his lips and clenched his right hand. He never imagined the flaw would be here.

But those things no longer mattered.

He opened his right hand. Purple flames danced in his palm. “Cause and effect? I am cause and effect.”

The moment the purple flame left his hand, it turned into an overwhelming wave of fire, sweeping toward Yun Qingwu. Yun Qingwu formed a hand seal. All the ice and snow on the plateau instantly turned into a storm, rushing to counter the fire wave. However, their cultivation difference was too great.

Soon, fine beads of sweat appeared on Yun Qingwu’s forehead, and his hands trembled uncontrollably.

“Qingwu, why struggle? Wouldn’t it be better for your Grandfather God to live on for you?”

With that, the Heavenly Emperor struck Yun Qingwu with a palm.

Yun Qingwu immediately fell to his knees, his face pale.

“You… dream on!”

“Is that so?” The Heavenly Emperor seized control and launched an attack outward again. The air was filled with curses, gasps, and a mingled cry of agony.

“Honored One—!”

“Little Cí!”

The Heavenly Emperor slightly raised his chin, looking down at Yun Qingwu. “Since this is the case, you will watch them die.”

Yun Qingwu gritted his teeth, stood up, and gathered spiritual energy again, rushing toward the Heavenly Emperor, wanting to regain control. But he was quickly struck hard to the ground again.

“Yún… Qīngwú…”

A familiar cry rang out in Yun Qingwu’s ear. Yun Qingwu’s eyes were half-closed, his breathing heavy, and his divine soul flickered unsteadily.

“A-Cí…”

The Heavenly Emperor looked coldly at the two, one inside and one outside, and shook his head. “Emotions are truly the most useless thing in this world. They are completely pointless, except to make you weak.”

The sun hanging over the icy plateau shifted its position. Sunlight cast down upon Yun Qingwu, coating him in a layer of warm light. Yun Qingwu looked up at this divine affinity, which was completely out of place in his Sea of Consciousness.

He whispered, “Is that so?”

He supported his body again, managing to stand up.

The Heavenly Emperor: “How long will you continue this futile struggle?”

Yun Qingwu closed his eyes and formed a hand seal. White light radiated from his body. The Heavenly Emperor watched Yun Qingwu in a composed manner, as if nothing he did could pose the slightest threat to him anymore.

Yun Qingwu opened his eyes. The surge of energy spread out, but it was not aimed at the Heavenly Emperor. It was aimed at the sun in the sky, which did not originally belong to him.

The already precarious sun fell completely under this blow.

The Heavenly Emperor’s eyes turned cold. He attempted to use his magic to stop it, but it was already too late. He said hatefully, “Are you insane?!”

Yun Qingwu used his power to forcibly expel the divine affinity from his body, smiling. “Do you still want a body that cannot inherit the throne?”

The Sea of Consciousness shook violently due to this brutal act. Yun Qingwu exhausted his strength and finally collapsed into unconsciousness.

…

Outside the Sea of Consciousness.

Amidst the chaos, the divine affinity overflowed from Yun Qingwu’s body, flying directly into Leng Licí’s forehead, merging with him.

This scene was as if a spell of stillness had been cast. All the divine beings present widened their pupils, frozen on the spot, watching as the wounds on Leng Licí’s body rapidly healed.

“What is going on?”

“What was that just now?”

Voices of discussion began to emerge.

Yáng Yuǎnlí focused his gaze on Leng Licí, then quickly surveyed the somewhat restless God Lords. He knew that if they were to find a crack in the order established by the Heavenly Emperor, now was the best opportunity.

Yáng Yuǎnlí feigned an expression of surprise and doubt. “That seemed to be the divine affinity just now. But how could this divine affinity merge into this half-demon’s body?”

If some things are not mentioned, people won’t think in that direction. But once someone brings it up, it becomes the spark that ignites a raging fire.

“If that was the divine affinity, doesn’t that mean this Fox Demon has our clan’s bloodline?”

“Half-demon, half-demon means he only has half the demon clan’s bloodline! So this…”

The Azure Emperor’s eyes darkened. Others merely speculated, but the Five Emperors knew that this was indeed the divine affinity. She looked at Yún Chuān, hoping he would deny it: “Cousin, what is your explanation for this?”

Yún Chuān shielded Leng Licí, who was still recovering, and said calmly, “That’s right. Little Cí is my biological son, the son of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan’s Empress Jì Sū Xiǎozhú and me. There has never been a White Marsh Lady Monarch in this world, only this one White Marsh, Qingwu.”

“What?”

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd erupted.

The Azure Emperor said in a deep voice, “Cousin, you cannot make such baseless claims.”

Yún Chuān only looked at the Azure Emperor, Bái Mián. He knew the answer the Azure Emperor wanted, but he used silence to express his stance.

Yún Fēiyǔ stared at Leng Licí in shock, then looked at Yún Chuān. “Uncle?!”

Once the address was out, he didn’t know what else to say.

Yáng Duàn and Xǔ Lín were also unable to digest this information for a long time.

Lǐ Qīngyáng subconsciously tightened his grip on his golden hammers, looking at Leng Licí and then at Yun Qingwu in surprise. He muttered, “How is this possible… impossible…”

However, others quickly clarified the current situation and quickly found their appropriate stance.

Grand Harmonizer True Lord: “Doesn’t that mean we were all deceived? Putting aside the violation of the Heavenly Rules, you even intended to deceive Heaven and swap people. Does this not suggest that the Heavenly Emperor’s position is not exclusive to your Yun Clan?”

God Lord of Bright Virtue: “No wonder the Lord Prime insisted on investigating the truth of the Nánzé Kingdom’s demise. It must be that he discovered something amiss with his own identity. To cover it up, such cruel methods were used. Even the Heavenly Emperor cannot act so recklessly!”

“Exactly! To act in such a manner, it’s possible that the so-called divine affinity and heavenly bloodline have long ceased to be pure.”

“Even now, he still attempts to take over a body to continue dominating this position. Simply insatiable!”

Jiāng Héyè watched the sudden shift in the wind, taking a step back in shock. The lives of a nation could not be a major issue in their eyes, but the purity of the bloodline could.

Truly… ridiculous.

After his wounds healed, Leng Licí stood up again, glaring menacingly at the Heavenly Emperor. The Heavenly Emperor, due to Yun Qingwu’s previous struggle, could now only barely maintain control over the body.

When others saw Leng Licí stand up, they became both wary and fearful.

Grand Harmonizer True Lord: “You demon spawn, we will absolutely not allow you to become the Heavenly Emperor!”

Leng Licí glanced sideways at the Grand Harmonizer True Lord, his tone contemptuous. “Do you decide that?”

With that, he recalled the Bone Sword and aimed a strike at the Heavenly Emperor, mocking, “Old coot, does he decide that?”

Just as the sword’s edge was about to reach the Heavenly Emperor, he finally regained control of the body, striking the sword’s edge away with a palm. “With or without the divine affinity, I will still be the Heavenly Emperor.”

“Uncle God, since you committed such a sin for your own selfish desires, you should atone for it,” the previously silent Red Emperor said.

“This nephew also agrees. As for the position of Heavenly Emperor, I think selecting one among us Five Emperors to take the role is not impossible. At the very least, we also belong to the Yun Clan bloodline,” the Azure Emperor also said.

After carefully weighing the pros and cons, this was perhaps the way to minimize the impact on the clan’s interests.

“Agreed. Yún Fàntiān, you are already due to perish. Why not simply step down in accordance with the Heavenly Dao?”

The God of Thunder stepped forward, clanging his iron hammers together. Thunder and lightning instantly flashed in the sky.

The Heavenly Emperor held the Purple Flame Staff, his eyes deep and cold. “You do not decide that.”

As soon as he spoke, he brandished the Purple Flame Staff. Purple light rapidly condensed in the sky into dense, razor-sharp fire blades. The God Lords below who wished to take advantage of the chaos all tightly gripped their weapons.

However, the purple fire blades showed signs of shrinking before they could descend.

“Yún Fàntiān, since you refuse to cooperate, don’t blame us for being merciless!”

A blue “giant dragon” rushed toward the Heavenly Emperor following the shout.

“Hmph, Qingwu, do you think this can stop me?” The Heavenly Emperor scoffed. A streak of purple light suddenly flew out of Yun Qingwu’s body.

Yun Qingwu’s body plummeted abruptly.

Leng Licí waved the Bone Sword, cleaving off the “dragon’s” head, and flew up to catch Yun Qingwu in his arms.

At the same time, purple light suddenly emerged from the southwest corner, like a tidal wave, rushing toward the crowd with sweeping force.

The gods and demons were caught off guard by this change, forced to defend themselves while attempting to counterattack.

The Red Emperor frowned deeply. “Black Emperor? He has been in your hands all this time?”

Huá Yuān looked coldly at the “Black Emperor” before him, his teeth nearly ground to dust.

Just now, he had managed to seize the opportunity amidst the chaos to find the place where his father was imprisoned in the Heavenly Emperor’s body and transfer his father’s body, but he hadn’t expected the Heavenly Emperor to intercept it.

“I am merely fulfilling his wish. This is the fastest way,” the Heavenly Emperor said, looking at his hand and shaking his head. “It’s a pity that Huá Yáng’s body is still somewhat lacking.”

Huá Yuān’s eyes twitched. He was furious. “My Father God was your most devout follower, yet he receives such treatment. By what right do you still claim to be the Heavenly Emperor?”

“You people talk too much.”

After stabilizing Yun Qingwu’s divine soul with spiritual energy, Leng Licí seemed to have finally lost all patience with them. He formed a hand seal, causing the Bone Sword to expand several times its size, and flew toward the Heavenly Emperor again.

“I will personally kill you today!”

The Heavenly Emperor’s lips curled. “You try.”

Yáng Yuǎnlí joined in at the right moment, shouting, “More talk is useless. If you don’t want to be suppressed again, then put everything into this fight!”

Except for a few God Lords who remained unmoved and unwilling to join the conflict, the rest of the gods were more or less swayed.

“Alright! Old Lěi is here!”

The God of Thunder struck his hammers again. A lightning bolt immediately split down.

“I’m coming too!”

The Goddess of Lightning waved her dual mirrors. Lightning immediately followed the thunder.

Before long, all the gods with unstable positions had joined the fight against the Heavenly Emperor.

Yáng Duàn stared blankly at the chaotic scene. “Chaos, chaos, everything is chaos.”

With the combined effort of gods and demons, the Heavenly Emperor, although still holding the advantage, began to show signs of decline.

Leng Licí was struck down for the umpteenth time. His face was covered in blood, and his dark clothes were soaked. Yet, he seemed oblivious, rushing back into the battlefield the next second, driven by a relentless fighting spirit.

Some God Lords, whose sharp edge had been dulled during the prolonged confrontation, were often re-ignited with fighting spirit at this sight.

“How could I possibly lose to a half-demon?”

The Giant Spirit God lay panting on the ground, then rose again to charge.

Through successive rounds of battles, Yún Fàntiān, who had initially held a firm advantage, gradually began to show signs of fatigue. His knuckles gripping the Purple Flame Staff were pale, and a layer of frost settled in his eyes.

“I merely intended to handle a family matter, yet you people jump around here. Since this order is already a mess, why don’t I rebuild it?”

With that, Yún Fàntiān closed his eyes, formed a hand seal, and golden light scattered from his joined hands. He spread his arms. The golden light illuminated the darkness. “From this moment on, the sun shall never rise!”

The golden light bound the already emerging Golden Crow, forcibly pressing it down.

The Golden Crow struggled, shooting flames everywhere from its body, which landed on trees, weeds, and rooftops. A raging fire spread across the mortal world.

Yún Chuān expanded his Crimson Moon Fan several times its size, attempting to stop the fire from spreading, but the fire source was endless, and his effort was futile. He gritted his teeth, looking at his cold and arrogant father. “Stop! Wasn’t one Nánzé Kingdom enough? Do you intend to destroy all three realms?”

Yún Fàntiān’s eyes were half-closed, unmoved. “Why not? Everything can be reborn from zero, can’t it?”

The Red Emperor: “You lunatic!”

The Azure Emperor: “Do you intend to drag the Yun Clan down with you?”

In less than half an hour, the sounds of panic and cries for help from the mortal realm began to mingle with the hardships of the night.

In Jǐngchéng, people scattered everywhere. Blood-red flames and black smoke intermingled, creating a scene like hell. The second floor of the Cloud-Come Inn was struck by a fireball. Cries and screams rose and fell.

“Mother! Mother! Father!”

“Don’t be afraid, child, don’t be afraid.”

Shopkeeper Lǎo Yú’s face was already blackened, and half of his hair was scorched. He merely wiped his face and rushed back into the inn without hesitation.

“Master, Master, hurry and leave!”

In the Cuī family of Yuè Lín City, servants pulled Old Master Cuī, trying to escape the sea of fire, but everywhere they looked, there was only fire.

“Wait, I haven’t taken my son’s spirit tablet yet!” Old Man Cuī shoved the servant out the door and rushed back into the Cuī Residence alone. Fire burned everywhere, but the room he had protected for half his life had not yet been burned. Old Man Cuī pushed open the door and ran to the spirit tablet, clutching it protectively to his chest like a treasure.

He hurried out of the room, but just as he was about to leave, he turned and ran in another direction.

It was Cuī Yóu’s room.

“Yóu’er’s most prized fan is still in the room. He’ll make a fuss if he can’t find it when he comes back. I must go get it, I must go get it.”

Cuī Yóu’s room was already filled with thick smoke. Tongues of fire intermittently burst from inside. Old Man Cuī only looked up for an instant before unhesitatingly pushing open the door and rushing in.

The intense fire had already charred the room beyond recognition, but the arrangement of the furniture was still vaguely discernible, just as it had been.

The fan lay quietly on the desk, waiting for its owner to return.

Old Man Cuī picked up the fan, patted off the dust, and turned to leave.

Clang—

A burning roof beam, unable to bear the weight, collapsed, smashing directly onto Old Man Cuī. He groaned and fell to the ground. The fan and the spirit tablet scattered.

“Son… the fan… mustn’t be broken…”

He trembled as he reached out, using his last bit of strength to firmly shield the spirit tablet and the fan beneath him.

The raging fire soon completely consumed the residence.

Old Man Cuī closed his eyes, murmuring, “Son, I’m sorry.”

…

“The three realms are about to fall into complete chaos!”

The bent figures of the weasel demons’ eyes glowed. At the patriarch’s command, they scurried into the villagers’ homes, intending to feast.

“Since this is the case, wouldn’t it be a pity not to have a full meal? I’m truly sick of these mortals on ordinary days!”

“Ah—!” In Jade Sea Village, screams and the laughter of weasel demons abruptly mixed together.

“Take this child! Let me go, let me go!” A villager said, unceremoniously throwing his daughter out.

“You murderous fiend, that’s your daughter!” Lǐ Sǎozi, who had fled there, saw this and shouted in anger, rushing over, wanting to save the girl.

“Oh, look, food delivered right to the door.” A weasel demon standing in the back rubbed his hands, lifting his leg to pounce on Lǐ Sǎozi, but was instantly tackled by a white fox.

“Stinky thing, get lost!”

“Heh, a fox that has just gained its spiritual consciousness. Seeking death.” Three weasel demons lunged and bit at the white fox.

The white fox fought desperately, its peripheral vision finding Lǐ Sǎozi. It shouted, “Sister Lǐ, run quickly!”

Lǐ Sǎozi looked startled and uncertain. She picked up the little girl and ran away. “Little White, wait for me! I’ll find someone to help you!”

…

On Dānxuè Mountain, a multicolored figure flew up into the sky, using magic to extinguish all the raging fires on the mountain.

Phoenix God Lord’s expression was serious. “You all quickly go to the mortal realm to save people. I will go to the Nánzé Kingdom ruins to check the situation.”

“Yes, God Lord!”

On Sū Mountain, Xiǎo Dāo walked out of the small courtyard. The overwhelming sounds of shouting rushed into her ears. Her expression hardened. “Father, Papa.”

She formed a hand seal and instantly vanished from the spot.

“Help—”

“Golden Crow Saint Lord, please, stop your wrath!”

“What did we do wrong? Why treat us like this? We will offer you three more sticks of incense. Please, save us.”

One plea after another echoed in Yun Qingwu’s ears. He frowned sharply, suddenly opening his eyes. Before him was a sea of fire.

“Qingwu?” Yún Chuān called out tentatively.

Yun Qingwu gasped for breath, his thoughts gradually returning. Yes, they were at the Nánzé Kingdom ruins.

He propped himself up. “Father God, what is the situation now?”

His gaze searched the chaos for the familiar figure, only to see the familiar figure rushing toward him.

Leng Licí immediately snatched Yun Qingwu from Yún Chuān’s arms, holding him tightly, gritting his teeth. “You forcibly severed the divine affinity, aren’t you afraid you won’t survive?!”

Yun Qingwu reached out and touched Leng Licí’s pierced chest. Feeling that the area had already healed, he breathed a sigh of relief. “It was never meant to be in my body. How could I not survive?”

Yún Chuān endured his feelings and finally spoke a reminder. “The Heavenly Emperor has lost his mind. We need to stop him quickly, or the three realms will be completely destroyed.”

Yun Qingwu stood up, supported by Leng Licí, and looked around. Both the gods and demons present were in disarray. Some were still tenaciously maneuvering against the Heavenly Emperor, while others desperately fought the raging fires.

Yún Fàntiān noticed that Yun Qingwu had woken up. He waved the Purple Flame Staff, malice in his voice. “You ask me why only we can sit in this position? Listen. What difference is there between them and ants? We are bestowing a great blessing by being willing to protect their inferior species to multiply.”

Amidst the strong winds and fierce flames, the miserable scenes in the mortal world unfolded one by one.

Pleading sounds rose and fell.

Yun Qingwu clenched his fists tightly. These sounds were like knives, slowly slicing away at his heart. He looked at Leng Licí. Leng Licí nodded.

The two simultaneously moved the Ice Spear and the Bone Sword, attacking the Heavenly Emperor hand-in-hand.

Red and white merged, forming a golden giant blade that stabbed toward Yún Fàntiān.

Yún Fàntiān snorted coldly. “Even with the contract’s enhancement, it’s nothing more than an ant shaking a tree.”

Leng Licí raised an eyebrow. “It’s too early to say that now.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the giant blade suddenly changed direction, spreading out toward the sky. The Heavenly Emperor’s earlier remark about mortals being “ants” scattered along with it.

The sounds of prayers before the divine statues in the mortal realm instantly ceased. A look of hurt flashed in the eyes of the devout followers, which quickly turned into confusion.

Fire burned into the Golden Crow Temple. The red flames reflected on the divine statue, giving the previous sense of solemnity a touch of the Asura realm.

The flames burned away the confusion in people’s eyes, replacing it with anger.

The kneeling people suddenly stood up in unison, grabbing anything in the temple that could be used as a weapon, and angrily smashed the statue.

“Since you are unwilling to protect us, there is no need for you to exist.”

“Ants? Let us show you what the power of ants truly is!”

In an instant, almost all the fear and panic in the mortal realm turned into a single blade aimed at the Golden Crow Saint Lord’s statue.

The flame on the Purple Flame Staff faded from vigorous to weak. Yún Fàntiān’s eyebrows slightly furrowed. He could feel the spiritual energy that had been abundant in his body rapidly dissipating.

His heart sank. While dealing with the ongoing attacks, he forcibly channeled energy, attempting to save the sudden dissipation of spiritual energy.

Boom—

Lightning streaked across the dark night. The brief white light illuminated the darkness, followed by streak after streak of Heavenly Thunder, splitting downward.

The Heavenly Empress looked at the ferocious Heavenly Thunder and said in a deep voice, “It is the Heavenly Dao.”

Yún Fàntiān frowned at the imminent Heavenly Thunder, disgruntled. “What wrong have I done? What can the Heavenly Dao do to me?”

Leng Licí and Yun Qingwu exchanged glances, knowing this was the best time to strike. Leng Licí: “Let me do it. Since I said I would take this old coot’s life, I won’t let the Heavenly Dao steal it first.”

With that, he flew forward, gathering spiritual energy into the Bone Sword again. The sword’s body extended indefinitely, attempting to wrap around Yún Fàntiān’s exposed neck.

Yún Fàntiān dodged sideways, but due to the dissipation of his spiritual energy, he could only barely avoid it, and a wound already appeared on his neck.

“Quick, attack together!” Yáng Yuǎnlí saw the opportunity to win and shouted.

The gods and demons, who had been somewhat tired, immediately became enthusiastic again, jointly attacking Yún Fàntiān.

The God Lords who were still watching also joined in one after another.

At this moment, Lǐ Qīngyáng cast aside all the turmoil in his mind. He gripped his dual hammers and charged forward.

Yún Fàntiān was overwhelmed. The first Heavenly Thunder struck at the opportune moment. He groaned, falling to one knee, barely supporting his body with the Purple Flame Staff.

The spiritual energy in his body continued to dissipate.

He looked up at the sky with an unwilling expression, his eyes full of incomprehension. “Why… What wrong have I done?”

Yun Qingwu looked coldly at the former respected Grandfather God. He walked up to him and leaned over. “Because there are gods because of the mortal world, not that gods created the world.”

Pfft—

The Bone Sword ruthlessly pierced through Yún Fàntiān’s body.

A hint of pity appeared in Yun Qingwu’s eyes. “Mistaking the means for the end will only lead to self-destruction.”

Several streaks of Heavenly Thunder struck down entirely.

Yún Fàntiān was forced onto his knees. He looked up at the sky, his eyes filled with unwillingness. He formed a hand seal and muttered something under his breath. The body, clinging to its last breath, suddenly exploded.

“I am the one who decides.”

More ferocious flames and hurricanes swept across the land. The disasters in the mortal world did not stop with Yún Fàntiān’s death. The damage caused by his self-sacrifice expanded wildly.

Yun Qingwu’s face paled slightly. He formed a hand seal, attempting to stop everything with his spiritual energy, but compared to the scale of the disaster, it was completely futile.

“Stop!” Leng Licí grabbed Yun Qingwu’s shoulders, frowning deeply. “Your spiritual energy hasn’t fully recovered. Are you trying to kill yourself?!”

Yun Qingwu coughed. “But I cannot ignore this.”

Leng Licí tightly gripped Yun Qingwu’s shoulders, his nails almost digging into his flesh. After a moment, he cursed, “You are the true lunatic!”

After cursing, he sat cross-legged with an angry expression, channeling spiritual energy to Yun Qingwu.

Yún Chuān: “I will help too.”

Dān Mù: “Me too.”

Gods and demons joined in one after another, but more gods were still watching, taking no action.

The number of participants was limited, and the area that needed to be covered was too vast. Soon, the participants gradually became exhausted. Yun Qingwu and Leng Licí, being at the center, were affected the most deeply.

Just as everyone was about to reach their limit, a massive golden light suddenly appeared. All the fierce flames and hurricanes rushed toward a single point.

“Father, Papa, let Xiǎo Dāo do it.” Xiǎo Dāo sat cross-legged, her hands spread out on her knees.

Before long, all the disasters lingering in the mortal realm gradually subsided.

Leng Licí looked at Xiǎo Dāo, his eyes narrowed. He flew over, only to see that Xiǎo Dāo’s once rosy cheeks had become pale and translucent.

“Enough, stop!”

Xiǎo Dāo shook her head. “Xiǎo Dāo cannot stop. Everything will be destroyed if I stop.”

Yun Qingwu also flew to Xiǎo Dāo, raising his palm to share the depletion of spiritual energy for Xiǎo Dāo, but found that spiritual energy could not enter her body.

Xiǎo Dāo forced a smile. “Papa forgot. Xiǎo Dāo is just a lamp.”

Yun Qingwu’s eyes reddened. “You are our daughter.”

Leng Licí also raised his hand and pressed it onto Xiǎo Dāo’s small back. Even though it was useless, he still refused to give up. He said fiercely, “Who allowed you to come and go as you please?”

Xiǎo Dāo blinked, her phoenix eyes, identical to Leng Licí’s, curved slightly, but her voice was choked with sobs. “Xiǎo Dāo knew Papa liked… Xiǎo Dāo.”

The last wisp of flame vanished into Xiǎo Dāo’s body. Xiǎo Dāo’s figure was already semi-transparent. She tried hard to smile. “Father, Papa, don’t worry. Xiǎo Dāo… Xiǎo Dāo is just a little tired…”

As the last word fell, the small figure completely dissipated into the void.

Clang—

An Ancient Town Lamp fell to the ground.

Yun Qingwu silently picked up the lamp, wiping his face. It was completely soaked.

Leng Licí closed his eyes, suppressing the uncontrollable sourness in his eyes. He snorted coldly. “She won’t leave just like that. Since we could bring her out once, we will definitely bring her out a second time.”

Yun Qingwu stepped forward and embraced Leng Licí, saying dully, “We will definitely find her.”

The complete cessation of the disaster signaled the end of a prolonged battle. The gods present, unconcerned with their appearance, sat on the ground, calming their still slightly frantic breathing.

“Now that the Heavenly Emperor’s position is vacant, what are your thoughts, esteemed friends?” the Azure Emperor asked.

Someone immediately sensed the hidden message in her words and echoed, “The Five Emperors are one entity. Since the Heavenly Emperor’s position is vacant, how about selecting one of the remaining Four Emperors to fill the role?”

The Red Emperor looked meaningfully at the Azure Emperor. “Tsk, has sister become a bit too eager, right after the calm?”

Yáng Yuǎnlí looked at the proposing God Lord and the Azure Emperor, saying with an ambiguous tone, “The Heavenly Emperor’s incident proves that the current rules are the wrong path. Why must we still adhere to them? If we must adhere to them, isn’t Leng Licí the legitimate successor?”

“Impossible! A half-demon leading us? What a huge joke!” Grand Harmonizer True Lord flung his sleeve.

“Exactly! Absolutely impossible!”

“Given the current circumstances, is that what you should be concerned about first?” the Heavenly Empress said, her expression stern and her voice deep.

“While the fire disaster has been contained, the damage inflicted upon the mortal people is not something that can be healed overnight. Or are you going to repeat Yún Fàntiān’s mistake?”

At this, the arguments immediately subsided significantly.

Without the offerings of mortal incense, they were nothing.

The Azure Emperor was still somewhat unwilling, but she was also wary of the consequences of losing believers this time. “Then, what is your suggestion, Heavenly Empress?”

The Heavenly Empress looked at the gods. “Since the most urgent task now is the aftermath, how about using the mortal incense as the criterion for judgment? Let’s set a period of a hundred years. Whoever can gain the most believers and incense will be the one the people favor and will be able to succeed to the throne of the Heavenly Emperor.”

She then looked at Yun Qingwu, her eyes holding expectation. “Qingwu, you can also participate.”

Yun Qingwu nodded his thanks but added, “Qingwu also has a suggestion. How about expanding the scope of participation to include all three realms? Whether human, demon, god, or immortal, as long as one can take the top position, they will be qualified to govern the order of the three realms. How about that?”

The Azure Emperor was displeased. “You are overstepping your bounds.”

Yún Fēiyǔ stepped out and said, “I think this measure is excellent. When the time comes, I am willing to relinquish my position as the White Emperor.”

He looked at Yun Qingwu. “I finally understand what you said last time.”

Yun Qingwu nodded. “Thank you, cousin.”

Yáng Yuǎnlí: “I agree too.”

Xǔ Lín: “I also agree.”

Lǐ Qīngyáng remained silent for a long time, then said in a deep voice, “Perhaps we can try.”

Yáng Duàn pondered for a moment. “Doesn’t that turn it into a contest of martial skill? Interesting. I can try.”

The voices of agreement gradually became the mainstream, with only a very few opposing voices still insisting.

Yun Qingwu tugged at Leng Licí’s hand and asked, “How about it? Is the Honored One interested in participating?”

Leng Licí folded his arms, looking coldly at the contention. “No interest.”

Yun Qingwu deliberately drew out the ending of his “Oh,” sighing. “It seems the Demon Lord was intimidated by their words, afraid of losing face to me.”

Leng Licí sharply turned his head, glaring at Yun Qingwu, and said coldly, “I lose to you? Dream on!”

Yun Qingwu flew up toward the disaster area. “Words are easily said.”

Leng Licí quickly chased after him. “I will make you yield with a sincere heart!”

Yun Qingwu laughed. “Then let’s try!”

In a realm of desolation, everything will be reborn.