Just as Jiang Wang, resplendent in his fluttering frost cloak, brought his sword to bear upon Zhu Lanruo’s delicate neck, a sword-light of supreme sharpness, like a startled bolt of lightning splitting the ten thousand li, momentarily illuminated heaven and earth!

“Do you take me for a cur to be dragged along, or a painting to be admired?”

Lu Qi Lang had arrived!

Though Jiang Wang had already pushed his capabilities to their absolute limit, it was ultimately impossible to instantly dispatch Zhu Lanruo. The brief entanglement with the Lan Yin Xu Guo divine ability had cost him but a fleeting instant. Yet, for Lu Qi Lang, whose grasp of battlefield opportunity was paramount, this blink-of-an-eye gap, the time it took for a white horse to leap a chasm, was the eternal divide between life and death.

The Flaming Flower Burns the City, arguably the purest and most potent of Jiang Wang’s supreme Dao techniques, was utterly incapable of obstructing Lu Qi Lang’s full-throttle killing intent. This sword, meticulously honed and unleashed, paradoxically contained its vast, heaven-linking sword-light. A blinding flash of electric brilliance passed in an instant, yet remained utterly silent.

Jiang Wang, his front foot stepping through the Flaming City, his momentum like that of a heavenly god, was poised to cleave Zhu Lanruo.

Lu Qi Lang, his back foot just entering the Flaming City, his brocade robes fluttering, strode forward with great strides. And wherever he walked, cracks naturally appeared. Pavilions, terraces, buildings, and streets… all constantly emitted cracking sounds. By the time he reached Jiang Wang’s rear, this city of roaring red flames had already split open down the middle, collapsing behind him.

His steps appeared so leisurely, yet his approach was incredibly swift. It was as if every stride landed precisely on the nodal point that maximized the distance traversed. His sword remained in his hand, and distance still separated him from Jiang Wang, yet Jiang Wang’s fluttering frost cloak had already split, the surrounding red fire had split, his green robe had split, and even his back, starting from his spine, had begun to crack! Lu Qi Lang’s sword pierced through distance, and it pierced through nearly all defenses!

At the crucial moment when Jiang Wang, with his peerless combat talent, had almost suppressed Zhu Lanruo’s Lan Yin Xu Guo divine ability and was on the verge of cleaving her dead, Lu Qi Lang had also sounded the death knell for him!

This sound was so sudden, yet it was not at all abrupt. For from the moment he had to leap out of the Red Makeup Mirror, Jiang Wang had always walked on the precipice of life and death. Every confrontation with Yang Yu, Shu Jialan, and even Ling Xi Hua, had placed him squarely in the face of death. It was only these moments of extreme crisis that he had overcome with sheer courage, willpower, and combat experience forged through countless life-and-death struggles.

And now, he was walking down that path once more. The path that Yang Yu had nearly stepped onto due to being caught off guard, the path that Shu Jialan had nearly entered due to a misjudgment – the path of certain death.

Indeed, he had not erred. But in this battle, he needed to survive. Simply not erring was not enough; merely performing perfectly was also insufficient. For the opponents he faced at this stage were all absolute top-tier existences. And he was outnumbered; he was alone!

Feeling the pain and tearing spreading from the great dragon of his spine, the lingering heat of Shu Jialan’s fist print on his chest, the bone spear that Ling Xi Hua had pierced through his body, and the injuries from the Frost Wind Valley that had not yet fully healed… Jiang Wang felt his consciousness fading!

He fell infinitely within a vast and endless abyss.

But he still held tightly to his sword, unleashing a roaring sword qi that propelled him forward to his limit, increasing the distance from Lu Qi Lang while closing in on Zhu Lanruo—

The frost wind swirled on the cold blade, carrying the supreme killing intent of the Heavenly Mandate, and chopped down upon Zhu Lanruo’s body!

Indeed, as Lu Qi Lang said, I, Jiang Wang, came to the Demon World, and this is also one face. Since the body is already irrecoverable, then this grand solo battle must at least add a stroke of brilliance, another stroke of honor! A Son of Heaven of the Human Race, a person named Jiang Wang, fought alone against five powerhouses, new kings on the Demon Race’s Heaven List. Killed Yang Yu, killed Shu Jialan, struck down Ling Xi Hua, and now, killed Zhu Lanruo!

Or…

Jiang Wang used his last reserves of will, staring fixedly at the dazzling, colorful beautiful eyes before him—

Could there still be other possibilities, Zhu Lanruo?!

The Divine Xiao world holds infinite possibilities, and Lan Yin Xu Guo is a divine ability of legend.

*Hua la la*

As the long sword carrying the killing intent of the Heavenly Mandate descended, Zhu Lanruo transformed into a pool of water. And not far away, within the Undying Spring, the water recondensed into Zhu Lanruo.

This scene unfolded too suddenly, yet it was also entirely logical. It was impossible to know whether she had suddenly swapped with a water body, or if she had been fighting with a water body from the beginning. But one point was clear: even without Lu Qi Lang’s timely arrival, she would not have died. She had made arrangements within the Undying Spring long ago, leaving herself ample room for error…

However, her left hand’s little finger suddenly vanished, the wind upon it her broken string. Jiang Wang’s sword intent still chopped towards her, the Buzhou Wind still blew upon her body! That wind, capable of extinguishing all things, was far colder and more silent than the Undying Spring water imbued with the power of divine decay.

Zhu Lanruo’s eyes, dazzling and colorful, initiated her divine ability once more without hesitation. Jiang Wang’s figure smashed into the Undying Spring, sending water splashing in all directions! Zhu Lanruo’s figure appeared on the mountain path, her back precisely against Lu Qi Lang. With slender jade fingers, she lightly clipped Lu Qi Lang’s long sword and pushed it backward.

Lan Yin Xu Guo, cause and effect exchange.

The cause and effect of me within the Undying Spring exchanged for the cause and effect of you upon the divine mountain’s path. The cause and effect of me suffering the frost wind of the Heavenly Mandate exchanged for the cause and effect of you being cut by Lu Qi Lang’s long sword!

She had indeed seen that Lu Qi Lang’s sword had already struck Jiang Wang. But from that pair of red-gold eyes, it was impossible to discern too much emotion, impossible to judge whether Jiang Wang would die, or when he would die. Of course, she would not sacrifice herself, nor was it necessary to take a risk to hasten Jiang Wang’s already destined death. Moreover, the Undying Spring itself possessed the power of divine decay; it was inherently her weapon. This exchange merely meant Jiang Wang would die in a different way. And she would regain Lan Yin!

Zhu Lanruo’s spine was indeed cut open by the long sword, but upon discovering the exchanged target, Lu Qi Lang, of course, would not continue his killing strike. He merely retracted his long sword with the momentum and leaped towards the Undying Spring!

Regardless of Jiang Wang’s current state, he would not give him any opportunity. Such an opponent was too terrifying; if he did not die this time, he would undoubtedly become a thorn in the Demon Race’s side in the future. The Seal God Platform had specially revealed traces and issued honor missions. At the beginning, he had only felt surprise and a touch of mockery, as if the Tai ancient imperial city was making too much of a fuss. Now, however, he felt that it was entirely appropriate, entirely reasonable; this person named Jiang Wang was indeed worthy of such an array.

Therefore, he wanted this person to die cleanly, to die thoroughly.

His flesh and blood body smashed onto the surface of the Undying Spring, emitting a clear collision sound.

Jiang Wang, his consciousness clear at this moment, still saw death. Although the injury on his back had been exchanged, Lu Qi Lang’s absolute killing sword could no longer continue. But this was the Undying Spring! The result he had hoped for by fighting Zhu Lanruo with all his might was indeed for Zhu Lanruo to exchange cause and effect with him. Exchanging positions would of course be better; he could move farther away from Lu Qi Lang’s sword… but he had not expected to be exchanged into the Undying Spring.

He truly had no strength left to resist the power of divine decay in the Undying Spring, to resist the strangulation of the Undying Spring water controlled by Zhu Lanruo. He also had no strength left to traverse the distance between the Undying Spring and the mountain path below. Having struggled to escape for so long, he had actually returned to the starting point! That time, after leaving the old forest and completing those tests, all the competitors had stood on the edge of this Undying Spring. Fate, in the darkness, seemed to have a fixed course.

The invading Buzhou Wind and sword intent had suddenly ceased. The light of the Heavenly Mansion contended against the Undying Spring water surging from all directions. The little finger of his left hand had already been wiped away, affecting the seal, affecting the sword in his left hand…

Quickly assessing his physical state and clearly recognizing the situation, Jiang Wang leaped up for the first time. This was a battle against the absolute top Heaven’s Favored of the Demon Race; it was impossible for everything to go as planned, and even if everything went awry, it was still to be expected! No need for complaint, no need for despair. The person was not yet dead, the sword was still in hand, continue fighting!

He was like a flying dragon leaping into an abyss, his bowed figure possessing a kind of extreme force and beauty. At this moment, his will was like a myriad-jun bow, a cast-iron arrow, fully drawn, waiting only to be released!

But countless water chains flew out from all sides, weaving together in the air, blocking Jiang Wang. Zhu Lanruo, while suppressing her sword injury, had already made her move. The entire Undying Spring instantly became a massive water prison! Compared to Lu Qi Lang, she recognized Jiang Wang’s terror more clearly. She asked herself, within this battle, she had already done extremely well; she could not say she had played to her limit, but she had done everything possible while ensuring her own safety. With Lu Qi Lang, Yang Yu, Shu Jialan, and herself, Zhu Lanruo, what reason was there for a cultivator at the Divine Arrival stage to not be killed? But this person could always create possibilities in impossible times, allowing the several times already destined Grand Prosperity to take flight once more.

Hence, she wanted to leverage the power of the Undying Spring even more, to directly drown Jiang Wang on the spot.

Those vertically and horizontally interwoven water chains precisely blocked Jiang Wang as he flew upwards. The power of divine decay and the light of the Heavenly Mansion constantly collided.

Jiang Wang quickly transferred his sword to his left hand, opened and raised his right hand, and his seven spirits leaped up from his fingertips, swirling together—exploding with a blinding, dazzling light!

The Cang Long Seven Transformations, a technique just researched last year by the Qi Kingdom’s Technique Academy, exhibited its brilliance for the first time in the Divine Xiao world. The Five Elements reversed, Yuan Qi in chaos. The water element upon which the power of divine decay relied collapsed first, and the power of divine decay scattered without root.

Jiang Wang broke through the water prison and soared into the sky!

But an incredibly sharp sword-light met him head-on! It seemed to pierce through the sky dome, killing its way from another world into this one. Lu Qi Lang had arrived!

At this moment, he stood in the high sky and looked down. Behind him, the golden sea of clouds cracked open, projecting brilliant heavenly light down upon this half-mountain waist. That wisp of heavenly light piercing through the sea of clouds was his sword-light.

His demon name was “Qi Lang,” and his sword was called “Ye Ping.” Intent, force, and momentum, integrated into one body. Stirring wind and clouds for three thousand zhang, the first sharpness of the Divine Fragrance Flower Sea!

It crashed directly against Long Xiang Si, sword tip against sword tip, sword qi twisting sword qi, sword light killing sword light! Lu Qi Lang was a flying immortal from outside the heavens. Jiang Wang was a man supporting the sky. This clash was too fierce; even the water of the Undying Spring exploded into a curtain of spray, and the unrestrained sword qi swirled around the entire mountain waist, almost forming a tornado!

*Ding ding ding ding dong!*

Qin sounds suddenly rose, Zhu Lanruo using her jade hand as a qin frame, plucking the broken string. And Jiang Wang used his sword whistle to create thunderous sounds, resolving the sonic attack while resisting Lu Qi Lang. The Sound Attaining Immortal State—subduing myriad sounds, making them come to court.

But this qin sound simultaneously dyed a touch of red light upon Lu Qi Lang, adding three points of killing intent and bolstering his vital energy. Jiang Wang, originally heavily injured and barely holding on, was instantly pressed down three chi, comprehensively falling into a disadvantage!

Jiang Wang felt a sharp pain that penetrated to the bone marrow, but perhaps because the sign of death was too strong, he seemed separated from this pain by a layer, feeling the pain within his body from outside his body. His red eyes shifted downwards, only to see that Ling Xi Hua had already quietly approached under the cover of the qin sound, intending to pierce his heart with a palm knife that burned with spiritual flame! He was indeed not to be underestimated, and indeed possessed the strength of a new king on the Heaven List, indeed capable of seizing opportunity.

“Die!”

Jiang Wang’s red eyes widened, and he let out a fierce roar. Sound Attaining Immortal State, listening to his own ears, bringing forth the Vajra Thunder Sound of the Outer Dao!

What Ling Xi Hua saw was the already broken frost cloak, the scattered red flames, the fresh blood dyeing the green robe, the sword wounds all over his body… and still, his killing intent boiled like a god of war! His palm knife had already touched the opponent’s heart, but his body suffered the shock of the thunderous sound, and immediately countless fire snakes bit into the palm knife and wound around his arm. The spiritual flame was utterly unstoppable; neither Dao Yuan nor Qi and Blood could extinguish it, his muscles and bones instantly turning to ash. Ling Xi Hua directly chopped down with his left palm as a knife, severing the entire right arm that was burning to half, covering the wound and retreating in horror!

He had reason to rejoice, for at this moment, he was not fighting alone. That Lu Qi Lang, who came from the Divine Fragrance Flower Sea, scanned the world with his spiritual sense, utterly unwilling to give his opponent any opportunity. With the Ye Ping sword in his hand, he pressed down once more—sword intent, sword qi, sword momentum, a comprehensive defeat.

Jiang Wang still held his sword, but both person and sword were chopped into the water.

*Pu pu pu.*

He continued to fall within the Undying Spring. Sunk to the bottom by a single sword!

The power of divine decay gathered around, and within the splashing water flowers, Jiang Wang’s body rapidly dissolved.

Just like this?

Just like this… is it?

The light sources manifested by the five inner mansions between his chest and abdomen extinguished one after another. The light of the Heavenly Mansion could no longer be restored! The As You Wish Immortal Robe was almost completely dissolved. Consciousness and flesh body almost fell simultaneously; consciousness and flesh body almost dissolved simultaneously.

But at this moment, the body manifested by his spiritual consciousness suddenly put on a piece of splendid brocade clothing! Big red and big purple, embroidered with dragons and woven with tigers, especially exaggerated, especially flashy. Outside his gradually dissolving flesh body, such a piece of brocade clothing also appeared. That sword qi, sword light, and the power of divine decay were all still fiercely impacting his body, but he gained a moment of brief peace, not seeing the wind and rain! And thus, his consciousness returned to clarity!

As the foremost front line of the newly opened race battlefield, the newly built Wu An City, its city walls already bore many mottled traces. These traces were the medals of a heroic city. On one of these wall bricks, there were words carved that were not beautiful but also not entirely unsightly. Among the traces of blood and fire around them, they appeared out of place.

Written above was—

“Xu Xiang Gan, one of the twin prides of Catch Horse Mountain, visited here.” Above “one tour,” a red cross was struck, and beside it was written, “mourning.”

At this moment, the three words “Xu Xiang Gan” became “Jiang Qing Yang.” The red cross above the words “one tour” moved to above the word “mourning.” And in another world far beyond calculation, within the present world, on the vast, cold, and bleak heavenly stele snow ridge, there was a scholar with an oddly high forehead, who had specially powdered himself today, making him appear particularly greasy. He carried large and small packages in his left hand, filled with rouge, powder, and famous clothes. In his right hand, he carried large and small packages, filled with precious supplements and various foods. He walked with a swagger in the snow, one foot sinking deep, the other shallow.

He hummed a little tune, singing—

“Stretching out which hand, yi ya…
Touching my yi ya sister…
Touching to my A-sister’s head, oh which ai yo!
A-sister’s head above, the osmanthus flower is fragrant~”

His singing suddenly stopped. Countless sword wounds suddenly appeared within and upon his body; the flesh on the back of his hand quickly disappeared, revealing white bone. This sharp pain came too suddenly. Because he was considering his newly tidied handsome face, he leaned back forcefully, choosing to fall backward!

In the vast wind and snow, he fell down, printing out the character “大” (big).

Such big snow.

Such big friendship.

Such big extravagance—

“Jiang Qing Yang, one of the twin prides of Catch Horse Mountain, a tour of the Demon World!”