Chapter 490
Pang Shishu sighed with worry, "The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor may indeed have schemes against the Great Freedom Demon Emperor, or perhaps it’s all just a ruse... What if these two are plotting against our Jiushan Sect together?"
Zheng Fa was taken aback, suddenly recalling a classic saying from the Seventh Young Master, Zhao Jingfan: "What are they after?"
It wasn’t that the Yin-Yang Fish jade pendant or other treasures within Zheng Fa were unworthy of their schemes. Rather, why would these two demon ancestors bother with the small Jiushan Sect? Why not just come and smash the Jiushan Realm to pieces?
Strangely enough, this self-deprecating form of consolation made even Pang Shishu feel it made sense!
"According to the message from the communication talisman, they will strike first."
Sister Zhang nodded slowly, then suddenly said, "Let’s give it a try!"
Zheng Fa looked at Xie Qingxue, who was also nodding in agreement.
Sister Zhang wasn’t motivated by a love for adventure; it was that the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor had been eyeing them for quite some time. If there was a way to resolve this once and for all, even with some risk, it was worth a shot!
Besides, with the Blood River Ancestor attacking Jiushan, this was already the third time they had been confronted by the Great Freedom Demon Sect!
It wasn’t just Sister Zhang who was feeling the pressure; even Zheng Fa wanted to resolve this troublesome situation.
...
Zhao Jingfan fled alongside his elders and fellow disciples, the flood behind them hot on their heels.
He didn’t know whether the Great Freedom Demon Emperor truly didn’t care about them, or if he simply wanted to force Zheng Fa out with this slow approach.
Or perhaps, with the Dao Fruit of Haori Mountain in play, he was being cautious and had slowed his pace.
After all, they were still quite far from the waves.
But the mortals on the ground weren’t so fortunate; village after village was destroyed, countless people swept away by the tide.
Though Zhao Jingfan didn’t care for mortals as much as Zheng Fa did, he still felt a pang of sympathy.
Yet the Dao Fruit of Haori Mountain seemed oblivious, his expression as calm as a still pond.
At that moment, more figures appeared beside him—Ming De, the head elder, Cheng Kong, and Yao Chi, all of whom seemed to have received news of the unfolding chaos and rushed over.
But with the Dao Fruit of Haori Mountain not taking action, no one dared to intervene, and no one could stop the Great Freedom Demon Emperor!
On the ground, the common folk were in a frenzy—some were pulling their wives, others were clutching their children, and some were even carrying elderly family members, all desperately seeking a way to survive.
But the speed of the rushing water far exceeded the capabilities of mortal legs.
Waves rose, sweeping away lives.
A little girl, around five or six years old, seemed to have fallen, lying on the ground and crying loudly.
The throng of demons blocked the light above her.
The seawater had already soaked her tiny feet.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The sound of bells rang out, pushing the surging sea back several meters.
The little girl’s father scrambled over, rolling and crawling, and looked gratefully toward the direction of the bell’s sound.
The Sun and Moon Bell, infused with Zheng Fa’s spiritual energy, radiated a warm and powerful aura, rising slowly from the horizon.
On the ground, countless mortals fled into the distance, while the Sun and Moon Bell boldly advanced toward the Great Freedom Demon Emperor.
(End of this chapter)
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Chapter 381: Unprecedented in Millennia, Who Dares to Speak Again?
The sky was divided into two distinct halves.
On one side was the Great Freedom Demon Emperor leading millions of demons, an endless tide of demonic energy gathering to create a breathtaking yet chilling spectacle.
On the other side was the golden light reflected by the Sun and Moon Bell, resembling a small golden sun, soothing the flowing clouds, the raging winds, and the hearts of the people with its rhythmic chimes.
All eyes were drawn to this confrontation.
At that moment, even the elder of Haori Mountain seemed to become a mere spectator, standing aside as if it were of no concern to him.
His gaze flickered over the Great Freedom Demon Emperor, seemingly assessing something, his expression tinged with caution.
Then he turned to look at the Sun and Moon Bell, his eyes ablaze with golden flames, as if he could pierce through the barriers of the Jiushan Realm to see Zheng Fa and the others.
After a long pause, the elder’s hoarse voice broke the silence, "Zheng Fa, still at the Golden Core stage?"
Ming De and the others were momentarily stunned; this was something they had long known—why ask again?
But the next moment, the elder’s words struck them with clarity:
"A single Golden Core facing a Dao Fruit cultivator..." The voice of the elder from Haori Mountain grew softer, repeating the phrase.
Only then did they grasp his meaning. Zheng Fa had created numerous miracles, yet they hadn’t considered the vast disparity in cultivation levels between the two sides in this battle.
"Is the so-called first Golden Core in history, the Tianhe Zhenren, known for such achievements?"
He suddenly turned to Ming De, who, being the oldest in the Taishang Dao lineage, had the most extensive records and knowledge.
His question implied that he remembered the Tianhe Zhenren did not have such accomplishments!
Ming De shook his head directly.
"Is there anyone else who achieved such feats at the Golden Core stage?"
"No."
After three questions, Ming De’s gaze toward Zheng Fa had changed—some things, if left unspoken, he wouldn’t realize what Zheng Fa was doing.
But once it was made clear, only one thought remained in his mind:
Regardless of the outcome, the mere fact that Jiushan Sect dared to stand here, forcing the Great Freedom Demon Emperor to display such a grand formation, proved Zheng Fa’s worth as a Golden Core cultivator and the success of Jiushan Sect!
Unprecedented in millennia!
A surge of admiration welled up in his heart, recalling how Zheng Fa had saved their five sects more than once. He bowed to the elder, pleading, "Luo Shangxian, though Zheng Fa is strong, he may still fall short against the Great Freedom Demon Emperor. I ask you, for the sake of our shared sect and past friendship, to lend your assistance."
The elder of Haori Mountain remained impassive, as if he hadn’t heard, yet his gaze toward the Jiushan Realm was laden with meaning, as if he were waiting for something.
Ming De couldn’t decipher his thoughts, but behind him, Shi Nandang understood the intentions of his own Taishang:
He was merely watching from the sidelines, partly because the Great Freedom Demon Emperor had already shown a desperate resolve, which made him wary.
On the other hand, and perhaps most importantly, was their doubt about Zheng Fa—
The destruction of Haori Mountain had dealt a significant blow to them.
They even speculated about this phenomenon—could it be the emergence of the Fusang Tree?
Some spiritual roots of heaven and earth were incredibly domineering, to the point where even those with slight blood ties could not survive.
Because of this speculation, the Taishang found it difficult to decide whom to help.
If they truly encountered the Fusang Tree, it could spell disaster...
...
Zheng Fa and the Great Freedom Demon Emperor could only sense each other’s presence now.
At this point, there was no room for negotiation, nor any verbal sparring.
The first to act was the Great Freedom Demon Emperor, whose cultivation was higher and whose presence loomed larger in everyone’s minds—he cast a glance at Zheng Fa.
Just a glance.
But that gaze pierced through a thousand miles of void, traversing the barriers of the Jiushan Realm, penetrating Zheng Fa’s very being, and striking directly at his soul.
The Great Freedom Demon Emperor’s strangely hued purple-gold pupils suddenly appeared in Zheng Fa’s consciousness, pulling him into countless memories:
The desire to resurrect his father when he passed away.
The longing to devour the plowing oxen while toiling under the scorching sun in the fields.
The small wish to establish himself in this modern world upon his arrival.
...
Scenes unfolded like a hazy dream, ensnaring him in a quagmire from which he could not escape.
The memories were real, and the desires were real.
Only this most genuine desire caused his spirit to sink repeatedly, even the Yin-Yang Fish jade pendant in his consciousness showed no reaction...
The rustling of bamboo leaves echoed in his ears, golden light illuminating his consciousness, enveloping him like a mother’s embrace, bringing him back to clarity.
Zheng Fa lifted his gaze, only to find Sister Zhang holding the Qingjing Bamboo, looking at him with concern.
He nodded at Sister Zhang, then glanced around to see Xie Qingxue, her Qingping Sword humming softly in her hand, her eyes dazed, as if she had just awakened.
Now, only the three of them remained on the Nine Islands of the Heavenly Palace.
"Xie Xianzi, are you alright?"
"I’m fine..." Xie Qingxue shook her head, "That gaze was directed at you; I was merely collateral damage."
After saying this, she nodded slightly at Zheng Fa, closed her eyes, and the light of dawn flowed over her Qingping Sword.
Outside the Jiushan Realm, those mortals who had just been fleeing had come to a halt, wailing, raging, rejoicing, and indulging in pleasure on the ground.
Though the majority of the gaze had fallen upon Zheng Fa’s soul, a residual wave had plunged these people into a sea of desire, unable to extricate themselves.
But the Great Freedom Demon Emperor’s gaze was certainly not just a greeting; his assault surged like the relentless waves beneath his feet!
The banner of ten thousand demons billowed in the wind, the myriad beast patterns upon it all raising their heads to the sky, as if roaring in fury.
"Break!"
With that shout, the roar of millions of beasts erupted from the banner, transforming into an indomitable black ripple that shook the void, crashing toward the Jiushan Realm!
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