"Speak. Who are you, really?"
In the stillness of the Qingshan Mountains, the Ruthless Emperor's icy voice cut through the air like a blade. A chill killing intent radiated from her, wilting the grass, freezing the stream, and dimming the very sky above.
The smirk on Chen Xiaoming's face faded. He stood there, uncertain what to say. A moment passed in silence. Before him stood the masked woman whose blade hovered so close—yet somehow, seeing her stirred a strange softness within his heart.
After gathering his thoughts, he finally spoke, his voice low but steady.
"I once passed through a small place. There, I saw a little girl with twin braids, her patched-up clothes barely holding together, and her tiny shoes worn through at the toes. She was crying as she watched a boy and a group of others set off on a long journey."
"That little girl… she stayed behind, alone, guarding the altar day and night."
As he spoke, he looked straight into her eyes.
"She didn't even know how long she waited. Spring turned to winter. Again and again, she waited… until the day when many returned—among them, the one she was waiting for. She rushed forward, desperate, only to see his bones lying cold and silent."
"They pulled her away. She wasn't even allowed one last look. She cried. But no one listened. It was as if she was the only person left in the whole world."
The hand gripping his shoulder trembled. The suffocating killing intent began to fade. Chen Xiaoming noticed and felt a glimmer of hope rise.
He opened his mouth to say more—but before a word could escape, a cold gleam flashed—a sword edge now rested against his throat.
He looked up.
The Ruthless Emperor's gaze was frigid. Her expression unreadable.
Chen Xiaoming froze. Wait—wasn't that story solid? Where did I mess up?
Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.
Before he could dwell on it, the surrounding mountains quivered. The void around them shattered as five white-haired elders appeared, sealing off the space around them.
Each figure radiated overwhelming divine force. Their eyes were locked on Chen Xiaoming and the Ruthless Emperor—burning with greed and hunger.
"I'll hold them off. You go," Chen Xiaoming said, stepping in front of her, his voice grave.
These five didn't possess the strength of a God King from the third heaven of the Immortal Platform Realm, but they were clearly peak-tier second heaven Immortal Platform Realm cultivators.
Such cultivators were often referred to as "undying old monsters" or "living fossils"—ancient beings whose power far surpassed ordinary Holy Lords.
The Ruthless Emperor's sword hovered at Chen Xiaoming's neck. But now her expression shifted. She stared at him silently for a moment, her eyes unreadable—though a faint flicker of… was that pity?
Still, the look in her eyes also seemed to say: "You idiot. They're after you, not me."
"Hahaha! Save your breath. Neither of you are getting away!" one of the elders barked, his voice laced with mockery.
His gaze latched onto Chen Xiaoming with blazing intensity. His lifespan was running dry—Chen Xiaoming represented his only chance at survival.
Five aged monsters, their eyes burning, their intent locked on him. Chen Xiaoming felt an involuntary shiver ripple through his back.
"This is disturbing…"
Whoosh.
Suddenly, the Ruthless Emperor moved. Her sword spun. A brilliant sword light erupted, piercing the void and slicing toward one of the elders.
The heavens shook. Dao patterns descended. Auspicious light surged. Celestial blossoms fell from the sky and transformed into endless sword beams, engulfing the elder in a maelstrom of divine radiance.
"Attack!"
The elder under siege summoned a floating ancient mirror. It hung in the air, reflecting all of existence. From its surface, Sunfire True Flames erupted, engulfing the world in a sea of fire, devouring the void.
Sword light and divine fire clashed. The remaining four elders wasted no time—they too attacked, launching a joint assault on the Ruthless Emperor.
"Huh? Am I being... ignored?"
Chen Xiaoming blinked in disbelief. The four elders had all gone after her?
His expression darkened. Do they think I've got no fight left in me?!
Behind him, the Azurewood Tree phantom stirred. Golden fruits shimmered, and his aura burst outward—reaching the peak of the Dragon Transformation Realm. Divine light surged, enveloping him.
A set of gleaming silver battle armor materialized on his body.
Though his bloodline origin hadn't recovered fully in the past three months—limiting his use of certain powers—Chen Xiaoming's overall strength had still grown.
The Divine Fruit of First-Class God condensed from his Soul Master cultivation served as the core of his power. With it, even fighting one of these Immortal Platform old monsters wasn't impossible.
And now was the time to use a trump card he'd never revealed before—his Divine Armor.
A shimmering figure streaked through the sky, and the void crumbled beneath his feet. Chen Xiaoming hurtled toward the elder locked in combat with the sword light.
Strike while the iron is hot.
Since they were outnumbered, the only way to shift momentum was to take down one first.
His Divine Spear had been left behind in the Douluo Plane as a legacy, so now it came down to his fists.
Boom!
With a roar, Chen Xiaoming threw a punch. Behind him, the void cracked, and ten golden rings manifested. They spun, unleashing radiant divine light.
White, yellow, purple, black, red, and gold—six colors of halo light swirled in unison, shattering the void before collapsing inward and fusing into a single, brilliant punch.
The elder's eyes widened. Caught between the Ruthless Emperor's sword storm and now this, he summoned the Ancient Mirror again, sending a wave of blazing Sunfire True Flame to intercept the strike.
Boom—!!
Flames erupted. The void became a hellscape of fire. The punch collided with the flame wave in a dazzling explosion.
"Break!"
Chen Xiaoming roared. The ten golden rings behind him expanded—like miniature worlds, they rained down beams of divine light.
The pressure overwhelmed the Sunfire True Flame. Chen Xiaoming stepped forward, reaching toward the glowing rings. With a flick, they fused into a purple-gold Vajra Bangle, inscribed with Dao patterns and streaked with silver energy.
"Go!"
He hurled it toward the Ancient Mirror.
The bangle flew silently. The void could not contain it. The sword light could not strike it. It felt as though it had come from beyond the heavens themselves.
"Not good!"
The elder finally noticed—but it was too late.
His instincts screamed danger. He summoned the Ancient Mirror above his head. Flames surged, forming a fiery shield.
Clink.
A crisp sound. The Vajra Bangle pierced the fire barrier and struck the Ancient Mirror. The void fractured. The fire screen faltered.
And in that instant—Chen Xiaoming, wreathed in silver light, appeared before him. His six-colored fist, wrapped in divine energy, smashed down.
Boom.
With a flash of light, the elder's skull shattered. Divine light burst from within, his life force extinguished.
Huff—huff—
Chen Xiaoming panted, victorious but weary. He quickly dispelled the Sunfire True Flame clinging to his armor.
A faint smile tugged at his lips—until his eyes darted to the other battlefield.
And there—
The Ruthless Emperor had been struck. A sword pierced her shoulder, and blood bloomed like crimson rain across the sky.
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