Chapter 225: A Wise Man Knows When To Submit
South Sea Divine Nun suddenly made her move, and almost everyone failed to notice. The implication was clear: South Sea Divine Nun could not possibly have been swayed by Black Blood Demon Lord’s few words. Thus, there was only one possibility.
South Sea Divine Nun had also turned traitor!
Among the several supreme experts, two had actually turned traitor. This was too alarming.
Everything had come extremely suddenly.
Near the location of the World Will.
Ning Qi and Black Blood Demon Lord were locked in fierce battle, Gui Changqing and South Sea Divine Nun were inseparable, Black Blood Demon Lord and South Sea Divine Nun clearly intended to exert some means on the World Will, but Ning Qi and Gui Changqing were blocking them. The fluctuations from the great battle were extremely terrifying, preventing all saints from intervening; they could only watch anxiously. Now the scene had become somewhat chaotic.
Moreover, the congregation harbored an even more terrifying thought in their hearts.
Besides these two, were there other traitors?
Almost the moment this thought rose.
Clusters of spiritual power fluctuations instantly exploded.
One by one, Martial Saints wore fierce expressions as they turned to kill their surrounding compatriots.
“Savage Emperor! How dare you?”
“Treasure Tree Buddha, why?”
“Changqing Martial Saint, I truly misjudged you. To think I considered you a close friend!”
Cries of anger rang out.
The congregation could never have imagined that these former most intimate enemies would degenerate to this extent. The great battle had not even begun, yet they had already turned traitor one after another. Had they forgotten the blood feud of tens of thousands of years?
They were heartbroken and incredulous. This blow struck on both physical and mental levels.
The traitorous Martial Saints were filled with killing intent.
“Those who understand the times are heroes. We merely seek a path to survival for ourselves!”
“Different paths mean we cannot scheme together!”
Their wills were firm. Having chosen this path, they would not regret it.
These traitorous Martial Saints resolutely blocked the others from aiding Ning Qi and Gui Changqing.
Though few in number, several had profound cultivation.
To a certain extent.
The closer one’s cultivation approached the limit, the less they wanted to die. They too wished to see the scenery at higher places. After tens of thousands of years, it was normal for some to harbor disloyal thoughts.
“Supreme Martial World Will, please send down heavenly thunder to smite these traitors!”
A Martial Saint cried out in blood tears, attempting to forcibly summon the Martial World Will with an ancient Daoist sound secret technique.
This was also why the traitors had not secretly eliminated the Martial Saints earlier. If they were careless and the news leaked, it would be total failure. No matter how strong they were, they amounted to nothing before the Martial World Will. They had endured until now, seizing the perfect opportunity when the Martial World Will had just finished its baptism and was in a brief period of weakness, striking suddenly.
The Martial World Will heard the congregation’s call and blazed with light.
But invisible spiritual chains suddenly appeared, binding it firmly, preventing even a trace of power from leaking out.
The congregation was all shocked.
This method was extremely terrifying and clearly targeted at the Martial World Will. The traitors came prepared; this method was very likely granted by the Mountain Sea Realm!
One by one, gazes filled with hope and shock turned to the last two supreme experts.
Great Yan Martial Saint and Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint.
After the other four supreme experts engaged in battle, these two had not intervened, seemingly on guard against each other.
And now.
As the spiritual chains appeared around the Martial World Will, Great Yan Martial Saint’s eyes suddenly sharpened. He said in a deep voice:
“Heaven-Slaying, why? Why is it you?”
There was incredulity in his eyes. He had considered others, even thought the current battlers might be acting and thus had not struck first. But he never imagined it would be Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint.
This enforcer and orderer walking the world had actually been corrupted over the long years.
The others were also utterly shocked.
They never imagined even Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint had turned traitor.
For a moment, everyone’s hearts were filled with panic. The blow to morale was too great. After all, to a certain extent, Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint could be considered the foremost in the Martial World. Though not called so openly, many Martial Saints felt this way deep down.
Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint’s expression was calm, saying nothing.
He let his actions speak.
The heaven-piercing giant saber erupted with terrifying saber intent, slashing toward Great Yan Martial Saint. The unparalleled domineering power nearly cleaved the sky!
Great Yan Martial Saint’s pupils contracted sharply. He sacrificed an ancient seal, boundless flames rising and surging, forming various anomalies. But before this incomparably domineering Heavenly Saber, all were severed in one stroke. Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint’s strength was even higher than previously shown.
Li Yanwu felt immense pressure.
He sensed he was no match for Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint, making his heart even heavier.
Li Yanwu roared:
“Heaven-Slaying, you betray to the Mountain Sea Realm—do you live up to your ancestors’ glory and will? Do you know that the Heaven-Slaying lineage was once completely exterminated by the Mountain Sea Realm, leaving only your ancestor? With such a blood feud, have you forgotten?”
It might have been better unsaid. The moment he spoke, Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint, who had been calmly composed, suddenly twisted with a fierce expression.
“Your ancestors’ glory and will?”
“Bullshit glory! All bullshit!”
“Why can you all enjoy your parents’ love and friends’ care freely, while I, the world’s strongest being, must live alone like a rat in the gutters? Why?”
Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint’s eyes bulged with bloodshot whites, as if venting years of pent-up resentment. He slashed down with saber after saber, ruthless and merciless.
“From birth, I was born blind, enduring torment day after day. Family all dead, lone star—anyone I care for suffers calamity and torment.”
“What accompanied me was only the bloodline inheritance. That power told me: shoulder the responsibility, walk the human world, guard the world.”
“My father, my ancestors, all the same.”
“But why? Why this bullshit responsibility? What did I get? The world’s admiration? Or so-called glory?”
“I don’t need it!”
“What I want is just to live like a normal person!”
Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint’s roars echoed in everyone’s hearts. One by one, stunned gazes turned to that aged figure. Some mouths moved, but ultimately said nothing. Those new saints, unaware of the inside story, might find it baffling.
But the Martial Saints who knew the Heaven-Slaying bloodline inheritance all fell silent.
Great Yan Martial Saint’s expression was complex, but after a deep breath, he still said gravely:
“These are no reasons.”
“With the Mountain Sea Realm invading, we endure humiliation for the greater plan. You’re not the only one suffering—millions are the same.”
“I alone span the river of time, watching blood descendants sacrifice for me one by one. The pain in my heart is no less than yours. But I know it is all worthwhile.”
“Heaven-Slaying, think of those scenes in your bloodline inheritance, think of your Heaven-Slaying lineage’s generations of effort. It’s not too late to turn back!”
He still wanted to persuade Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint to return.
But Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint raged:
“I can’t turn back!”
His body suddenly expanded, also transforming into a giant hundreds of zhang tall. He gripped the giant saber and slashed down furiously. Layer upon layer of space shattered. Great Yan Martial Saint was horrified, feeling overwhelming pressure crashing down, his heart sinking.
“You… you’ve actually drawn power from the Mountain Sea Realm!”
The scene was utterly chaotic.
The six supreme experts were pairwise battling, and the other Martial Saints each had opponents.
Though the Martial World side held advantage among ordinary Martial Saints, everyone knew the true key lay in the supreme experts’ battlefield. Whoever won there would decide the final outcome.
And at present.
Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint was clearly overpowering Great Yan Martial Saint; victory was only a matter of time.
The Martial World’s many Martial Saints all felt immensely heavy-hearted.
A traitor laughed loudly:
“Fellows, why not join us in abandoning darkness for light? All are heroes of the realm—why be so stubborn?”
Some Martial Saints’ hearts wavered.
Golden light flickered in Ning Qi’s eyes.
He had been battling Black Blood Demon Lord, of course, without using full strength.
The reason was simple. Since things had reached this point, he naturally had to clean them up all at once, forcing all traitors to reveal themselves. The subsequent developments were mostly as he had guessed. South Sea Divine Nun’s sudden outburst was expected, and traitors among the Martial Saints was normal.
But he hadn’t expected Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint to choose betrayal too.
This made him sigh. After learning of the Heaven-Slaying lineage from Old Black Tortoise, he had always felt their contributions to the Martial World were immense. He had even thought Great Yan Martial Saint’s betrayal more likely than Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint’s.
“It seems the layout at the Gu God back then was also Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint’s doing.”
As thoughts turned in Ning Qi’s mind, his hands did not slow. Five Elements Divine Sword Qi slashed out one after another, repelling Black Blood Demon Lord’s demon banner. Streaks of sharpness nearly tore holes in the demon banner, giving Black Blood Demon Lord immense pressure.
Everything happened in the span of electric light and flint.
The moment traitors began persuading other Martial Saints to defect, Ning Qi knew it was time to act.
The fish were all hooked; no need to wait further.
“Heavenly Sword, abandon darkness for light now and join me to kill the others—you can still claim great merit. Once the dust settles, even if you want to join the Mountain Sea Realm, there’ll be no chance. Truth is, the world channel between Mountain Sea Realm and Martial World will connect soon. Decide now while you can!”
Black Blood Demon Lord laughed sinisterly, trying to shake Ning Qi’s mind.
Ning Qi merely smiled calmly:
“Is that so?”
Black Blood Demon Lord’s heart jolted, danger senses flaring.
The next moment.
His pupils dilated sharply. He felt a peerless sharpness slashing toward him, nearly tearing him apart. The already terrifying Five Elements Divine Sword Qi’s power surged once more!
“Ah!!”
A miserable scream echoed.
Almost all Martial Saints turned toward the sound, eyes filled with disbelief.
They saw.
An arm fly into the air, not even given time to be recaptured by the demon banner before being pulverized by sword qi sharpness.
The arm’s owner was Black Blood Demon Lord.
The current Black Blood Demon Lord wore an incredulous expression. He looked at Ning Qi and shrieked:
“Impossible! He stepped into Divine Ability Realm? How is he so powerful?”
His face paled as he stared at that five-colored sword qi, eyes filled with fear and trepidation. Moments ago, the five sword qis had suddenly merged, erupting with supreme power—far beyond his own Divine Ability Embryo. Caught off guard, his arm was severed instantly, and even the demon banner was shaved away by half.
Old Black Tortoise laughed heartily. He erupted in green light, tightly entangling South Sea Divine Nun. She panicked, her White Jade Bottle blazing with light as she tried to aid Black Blood Demon Lord, but she couldn’t break free. After all, Old Black Tortoise hailed from True Martial Immortal Sect. Though South Sea Divine Nun had Immortal Dao spells granted by Mountain Sea Realm, she gained no benefit.
“Old Turtle, get lost!” she cursed in fury.
But Gui Changqing chuckled:
“Got the guts to smash my turtle shell?”
And Great Yan Martial Saint, who had been completely suppressed, also stunned, then laughed maniacally:
“Heaven does not abandon my Martial World! Heaven does not abandon my Martial World! Heavenly Sword Martial Saint, truly a genius of the ages!”
The Martial World side’s morale soared, while the traitors’ hearts sank.
If Ning Qi finished off Black Blood Demon Lord first and then freed up, the outcome would be the complete opposite!
In an instant.
Offense and defense swapped.
In a breath, another Five Elements Sword Qi slashed down. This was what Ning Qi had comprehended from the World Will Baptism, fusing Five Elements Divine Sword Qi into one—its power unmatched. Black Blood Demon Lord screeched in retreat, spitting essence blood nonstop. The Black Blood Demon Banner swelled, trying to envelop the sword qi.
But it was useless.
One sword slashed down, shattering the demon banner into fragments across the sky. Dark clouds and blood rain were all swept away by sword qi sharpness.
Just as Black Blood Demon Lord was about to perish under this sword, a heaven-piercing saber qi slammed down. The giant swung its saber in a sweep, also carrying supreme power to intercept.
At the critical moment, Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint acted.
He forcibly disengaged from his battle with Great Yan Martial Saint and slashed over, just blocking the five-colored sword qi aimed at Black Blood Demon Lord.
Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint stared fixedly at Ning Qi, his voice thick and heavy:
“I underestimated you. Seems that sword back then was far from your full strength.”
He naturally did not know this was merely Ning Qi’s further progress in that short time. That time atop True Martial Mountain, though not full strength, his power had not been this terrifying.
Ning Qi sighed lightly:
“You’ve strayed onto the wrong path. A pity.”
Roars accompanied streaks of ferocious, domineering saber light:
“Who has strayed onto the wrong path is yet uncertain!”
Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint’s aura surged again.
“Heaven-Slaying!”
The heaven-piercing saber qi and five-colored sword qi collided explosively. Terrifying fluctuations spread, even startling the other supreme experts. These two had both surpassed the half-step Divine Ability Realm scope. Though Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint had not yet stepped into Divine Ability Realm, bolstered by Mountain Sea Realm’s secret technique, he barely matched Divine Ability Realm strength.
Golden light blazed in Ning Qi’s eyes.
He glanced at Great Yan Martial Saint coming to aid and said calmly:
“You handle that side.”
As the words fell.
The five-colored sword qi split into five, becoming five sword qis again. But it didn’t end there—the five sword qis continuously divided, into millions, instantly forming an extremely terrifying sword formation!
The sword formation swept out, encompassing Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint, Black Blood Demon Lord, and South Sea Divine Nun entirely.
Ning Qi was taking on three at once!
