Every memory Jiang Wang held of Deng Shu was intertwined with Zhao Ru Cheng.

This elder’s presence had always been understated, yet as he sifted through his recollections, a figure invariably emerged. He was the one who gently nudged Ru Cheng homeward after late-night drinks. He was the silent benefactor who settled their bills. He was the quiet observer who watched over them…

Back then, he didn’t even know Deng Shu’s full name, simply echoing Ru Cheng’s familiar address. He was Ru Cheng’s steward, and more than that, he was family.

Later, Jiang Wang learned the truth: Deng Shu was, in fact, a master. He was Deng Yue, renowned as “One Finger Breaks Rivers,” the formidable expert who had spirited Ru Cheng away from the clutches of the Great Qin Town Prison Department. The patience such a powerful individual had shown those youths, in retrospect, was truly precious.

Those days in Maple Forest City – who could ever forget them?

Ru Cheng had mentioned that Deng Shu later became a Five-Horse Guest on the grasslands, daily driving several steeds laden with goods, trading and wandering through the mortal world. For a man who had spent half his life in turmoil, that was perhaps an ideal existence. Jiang Wang had no intention of disturbing his peace. He simply imagined a future reunion with Ru Cheng, a gathering of old friends. His current journey to the grasslands had brought him close, but Ru Cheng’s entry into the Eerde Mi cultivation sect had made a meeting impossible. He hadn’t anticipated that their reunion would be now, under these circumstances, with Deng Shu.

“Deng Shu” emerged from the dense fog, those eyes, cold and devoid of warmth, meeting Jiang Wang’s gaze. Then, with a sudden movement, he lifted a finger.

*Pī pā! Pī pā! Pī pā! Pī pā!*

The very fabric of the Border Wilderness space groaned under the strain, emitting a cascade of explosive sounds. What began as a mere wisp of finger wind ultimately traversed mountains and rivers. It possessed an unstoppable momentum, a force that no power could withstand. It was fate, it was calamity, it was a severance, a penetration.

It was the Nine Calamity Cave Immortal Finger, the very technique Zhao Ru Cheng had once displayed on the View River Platform!

At that time, Zhao Ru Cheng had only cultivated to the seventh calamity, yet his display had shaken the four directions. This ultimate finger art’s eighth calamity was achieved within the Outer Building realm, while the ninth required divine descent. The strike delivered by “Deng Yue” now was precisely the complete Nine Calamity Finger. The so-called “One Finger Breaks Rivers” – that year, it had shattered the Wei River!

Jiang Wang’s eyes instantly transformed into a fiery red-gold hue. Since completing the supplementary Gan Yang Dormant Outer Building chapter and resuming his cultivation of the 《Self-Contemplating Immortal Scripture》, the power of his Gan Yang Crimson Pupils had grown day by day. Even in this greatly suppressed Border Wilderness, his insight was amplified.

This person was not Deng Shu.

Although the appearance was identical, the aura indistinguishable, and the power reaching the divine descent level, he clearly did not recognize Jiang Wang. Those eyes were too indifferent, devoid of any flicker of recognition. But if not Deng Shu, how could he wield the Nine Calamity Cave Immortal Finger?

Thoughts raced through his mind. Jiang Wang’s left hand flipped, his five fingers pressing out a ball of dim light – the Disaster Suppression Seal, already manifested. The divine seals of the Mountain Sea Scripture were undoubtedly among the most potent sealing methods in existence. To say they could awe the ancients and illuminate the present era upon their full deduction was no exaggeration. Jiang Wang’s Disaster Suppression Seal and Bi Fang Seal, though part of an incomplete scripture, encompassing only eight hundred and seventy-one of the total seal methods, were, after his ascent to divine descent and penetration into their mysteries, fully capable of reaching divine descent level regulative power.

But facing Deng Yue’s Nine Calamity Cave Immortal Finger, mere divine descent level regulative power was clearly insufficient.

The dim light was instantly shattered, scattering into the air. The colorless, formless, yet tangible finger force surged forward relentlessly, aimed directly at Jiang Wang’s celestial spirit. Yet, a wisp of crimson, like a flickering bean flame, suspended before it.

No, not suspended.

It was severed, collided with, confronted.

The might of the Nine Calamity Cave Immortal Finger was intercepted by that tiny, bean-like flame.

“Deng Yue” took a cold step forward, advancing further. A power as violent as a raging sea roared within his body.

*Pī pā!*

A terrifying Cave Immortal force erupted. The finger strength wasn’t visible, but faint black cracks appeared in the surrounding space. The bean-like flame was instantly pressed down—

But then it rose again, flickering, on the verge of extinction, yet revitalized! At first glance, it simply swayed slightly. It burned so weakly, yet so grandly magnificent, brimming with vitality. What it burned was not just fire, not just a divine ability, but a spiritual knowledge power as vast as the sea. Spiritual knowledge interfering with the present world, constructing a god-like domain here!

The bean-like flame expanded silently, enveloping both “Deng Yue” and Jiang Wang himself. The sky became a dome, the earth a thin mountain, and floating crimson transformed into vapor. It divided the clear and the turbid, giving birth to a vivid world. In this world, flame conceived will, and beautiful flame flowers bloomed one by one. The pervasive “dryness” of the Border Wilderness was extinguished here. Even under the suppression of the Border Wilderness, this world maintained a scale of ten *zhang* square. The flame here was intensely hot, brilliant and lively, as if it had life.

This was Jiang Wang’s spiritual domain. Relying on his vigorous divine soul power, he had constructed a spiritual domain upon first reaching divine descent on the Fa Xia battlefield. And after persistent cultivation, diligent seeking within the Ji Xia Academy, and further understanding of the world’s essence, he had integrated the Fire Boundary technique into his spiritual domain, forming a true domain with god-like dignity. This was one of his strongest trump cards, and he could name it the “Fire Domain.”

The power of the Nine Calamity Cave Immortal Finger could easily penetrate space, break through the limits contained within the Disaster Suppression Seal, yet before Jiang Wang’s spiritual domain, it found it difficult to advance an inch. This domain possessed a different rule; “Deng Yue” could no longer “cave” into it. The strongest aspect of the Nine Calamity Cave Immortal Finger lay precisely in its ability to “cave” into the immortal realm with divine descent cultivation, even offering a glimpse and touch of True Person power.

If it were the true Deng Yue, he would naturally adjust quickly, re-penetrating the rules of the Fire Domain. The expert who had intercepted the Wei River, attacking with the peak Nine Calamity Cave Immortal Finger, would not be so futilely powerless, so easily neutralized as this moment. The current “Deng Yue” possessed Deng Yue’s power, yet lacked the mastery to fully wield it.

Jiang Wang, at this crucial moment, suddenly revealed one of his strongest trump cards, descending the Fire Domain upon the world. This was, of course, not solely for this degree of “Deng Yue.” The Nine Calamity Cave Immortal Finger, though potent, was not enough to warrant such an all-out effort. Within this Fire Domain, he cautiously maintained his distance from “Deng Yue,” his gaze subtly shifting to the other side—

*Pa da, pa da.*

From within the thick fog, another figure emerged. This person had a somber face, wore a black robe with a texture like iron, and two black arrowheads hung from the hem. As he slowly advanced, a black prison pattern gradually appeared on the back of the black robe.

The Dark Prison Hanging Arrow Robe! The Great Qin Town Prison Department!

Moreover, this person was clearly activating the Town Prison Department’s secret methods, otherwise the Dark Prison would not have manifested on the Dark Prison Hanging Arrow Robe. Deng Yue, who had protected Zhao Ru Cheng’s escape, and the head of the Great Qin Town Prison Department, who had pursued Zhao Ru Cheng for years, joining forces in the demon-ridden Border Wilderness to surround and kill him, the Great Qi Wu An Marquis Jiang Wang – this scene was truly bizarre, yet it was undeniably happening.

How was this possible?

Unless this Deng Yue was not Deng Yue, and this Si Yu Chang was not the Si Yu Chang of Qin.

Then who were they?

Where was the true Deng Yue?

And the true Si Yu Chang of the Great Qin Town Prison Department?

Jiang Wang’s mind was filled with questions, but there was little time to dwell on them. For as this unknown “Si Yu Chang” entered the battlefield, his attack also unfolded in sync. As his image solidified and entered Jiang Wang’s vision, night followed. The gray sky was swallowed by a black night curtain, and the thick fog also churned in the dark color. Looking up, it was difficult to see one’s hand. The sound of wind and sand gradually ceased. Heaven and earth divided into Yin and Yang, Qi unified with clear and turbid.

Night possessed a silent power, utterly inconspicuous, yet impossible to resist, forcing all things in the world to rest and sleep. This included the fog and the wind and sand here. This power spread towards Jiang Wang’s Fire Domain; darkness approached with the breath of evil beasts.

The ten *zhang* square Fire Domain became the only light in this night, like a single tent in a vast desert, its stubborn candlelight calling home a traveler.

However, even within this Fire Domain, there was not a moment of peace. “Deng Yue,” driven by the Nine Calamity Cave Immortal Finger, fiercely battled Jiang Wang within the domain. Sackcloth and green robes danced together, finger strength and sword *qi* flew together.

The vast Border Wilderness, boundless at a glance. Deep in darkness, unable to discern east or west. In the distance, this place, some two thousand six hundred *li* from the lifeline, which was originally unremarkable… within several hundred *li*, Yin demons retreated, demon hunters vanished. The thick fog lay heavy, destined to bury some stories.

Night was like a colossal cover, inverted over this square of heaven and earth. The Fire Domain was like a small bowl, crickets fighting within it. In a grander perspective, perhaps the battles of gods and True Persons were merely tiny ripples, like crickets fighting for their lives.

But in the fight of crickets, is bravery invisible?

Precisely at this moment, as Jiang Wang parried with “Deng Yue” with his vertical sword, his left hand inverted, his five fingers spread apart. Five-colored light balls of gold, blue, black, red, and yellow lit up and suspended at his fingertips. And from the center of his palm, a ball of white light leaped out! It was vaguely a crescent moon, then suddenly, a snow fox. Its fur was纯白洁净 (pure white and clean), its eyes charming like water.

It leaped high into the sky, beyond the Fire Domain, hovering in the dome, looking up and howling. Endless, snow-white moonlight poured down, like a waterfall for a moment, illuminating this night.

The Azure Dragon Seven Transformations, Heart Moon Fox!

With the moon high in the sky, it was the master of the night. The snakes, insects, rats, and ants that had gathered outside the Fire Domain for a time, all revealed themselves. That grim-faced Si Yu Chang also reappeared in sight.

Jiang Wang, while sword fighting “Deng Yue,” scanned with his eyes. Wherever his red-gold eyes shone, those black snakes as thick as water buckets, those incredibly fast black insects, those black rats as large as stones, those sharp-mouthed black ants… all were ignited by crimson flames! Like torches lit one by one in the long night.

The Samadhi True Fire ignited all, including that nameless Si Yu Chang. Flames blazed, wantonly burning the Dark Prison Hanging Arrow Robe. Trapped in the flames, his expression remained unseen. He simply lifted his hand, pressing remotely towards the sky, that frost-white, chilling hand palm in the flames. Frost-like webs connected his five fingers. And the beautiful fox in the sky, emitting endless moonlight and driving away the long night, its fur instantly froze. Those lively, charming eyes solidified just like that.

The Heart Moon Fox was frozen!

The fire outside this Great Qin Si Yu Chang’s body could not penetrate the Dark Prison Hanging Arrow Robe, could not truly touch his flesh. It seemed… just a little bit dim.

Could this person’s surname be Gong Yang? Jiang Wang thought this to himself, turning his body to deliver a single sword strike that split “Deng Yue” open. Then, his person followed the sword, unleashing a torrent of sword techniques! Regardless of whether this “Deng Yue” was real or fake, until he figured out the truth, he didn’t want to truly kill the person, to avoid future regret. So, he had been entangled with him for so long within his controlled spiritual domain.

Now, he had already reached the realm where his sword techniques penetrated the divine. All kinds of human path sword styles were integrated between horizontal and vertical movements. This one relentless attack pressed down, hacking and slashing at the “Deng Yue” who couldn’t truly control his power, rendering him disheveled. With a backhand, he pressed out dragon and tiger, and an empty drilling motion conjured chains. The Fire Domain suddenly suppressed, imprisoning “Deng Yue” in place.

In the momentary gap in the flame light, Jiang Wang suddenly turned back.

Sword light, like the moon, rose high!

The Heart Moon Fox, suspended in the high sky, had already shattered into flying ice particles. The moonlight that had confronted the long night had been extinguished. But Jiang Wang’s one sword strike arrived.

Starlight illuminated the long night, starlight illuminated the Border Wilderness! What endless night, what gray sky. At this moment, starlight was brilliant like a waterfall, and the figure holding the sword horizontally across the sky was like a god, like an immortal.

Though the “Moon in the sky is already frozen frost,” at this moment, “More have the Seven Stars shine upon the Northern Dipper!”

The Winter Path, a sword technique spanning all under heaven, swept across like a streak of light. The Gong Yang clan successor, who should have been the least susceptible to freezing, stiffened for a moment, and then shattered into flying ice particles filling the sky.

For a time, the night curtain dissipated, revealing flowing starlight, flying frost flowers, and the still-burning Fire Domain, like an isolated lamp guarding a night pass. The ice particles reflecting the frost light were too pure, seemingly untouched by any stain since they had descended to the world after that one day’s collapse—how was this possible?

Jiang Wang only realized at this moment that this nameless Si Yu Chang actually had no real flesh and blood, and no definitive divine soul. Yet, before he died in battle, his clothes, skin, flesh, and power… everything was indistinguishable from a real cultivator. He could even employ the secret methods of the Great Qin Town Prison Department and activate the bloodline divine abilities of the famous Qin clan, the Gong Yang clan. What was the reason for this? Demon? Human?

Especially after being wiped out, there was no trace of a life soul stone left behind. Not carrying a life soul stone, yet being immune to the dryness of this heaven and earth, could only be classified as something belonging to the demon realm. The Si Yu Chang just now was actually a transformation wrought by demonic means? How could it be so real?

Was Deng Yue the same?

Amidst the shock and doubt.

*Sou! Sou! Sou! Sou! Sou! Sou!*

Sounds of breaking air came one after another.

Jiang Wang held his sword and looked around—

That thick fog remained, extending deep, its end unknown. And piercing through the fog, six more divine descent cultivators arrived! There were males and females, tall and short, fat and thin, all with different appearances and clothing, and all with distinct auras. The common thread was their profound indifference, their silence, and their collective enmity towards Jiang Wang, their killing intent unconcealed.

These individuals were like a pack of wolves surrounding their prey, standing in different positions, each employing their unique methods. This was the danger he should have encountered after venturing two thousand six hundred *li* deep into the Border Wilderness. This place was still over three hundred *li* from the restricted area. Even if he were to truly charge into the restricted area, and encounter over-boundary True Demons, it wouldn’t be like this! Zhong Shan Yan Wen had slain a True Demon, but that was eight thousand *li* deep in the Border Wilderness.

Counting on his fingers, since entering the Border Wilderness until now, Jiang Wang had already killed three divine descent level general demons and encountered eight divine descent cultivators. Not to mention whether the latter were humans or demons, their strength was undeniably at the divine descent level. In other words, in a mere four days, Jiang Wang had encountered eleven divine descent level combat powers. Leaving aside the two days where he wasn’t deep enough, this frequency was even more terrifying.

This was completely abnormal demon hunting difficulty, and not a normal demon hunting encounter. If the demon beings in the Border Wilderness were all this strong, what would idle demon hunting teams even do deep within the Border Wilderness? They would simply be sending food to the demon race. When things were abnormal, there must be demons at play.

With such a dense concentration of powerful demon beings, could it be a demon tide descending?

A hundred thousand thoughts swirled in his heart, but Jiang Wang simply tightened his grip on his sword. Regardless of what was happening, being trapped in this heavy encirclement now meant that leaving without paying a price was absolutely impossible. Even if these people were all the same as “Deng Yue” and that Si Yu Chang – possessing divine descent power but unable to fully utilize it – he still couldn’t simply not fight!

Sometimes, one plus one isn’t equal to two. A foolish opponent is often a greater help than a teammate. In a chaotic situation, finding opportunity, in the gap between life and death, seizing victory – Jiang Wang was confident he was second to none!

However, among them, a plump woman made the first move, and it immediately caused Jiang Wang’s heart to sink—

That woman took a single step in the air, precisely stepping on a most uncomfortable node. Advancing was difficult, retreating was not free. And with a circle of her jade hand, she actually pulled the “Deng Yue” who was firmly imprisoned within the Fire Domain to her front. Her positioning alone showed her ability to grasp the opportunity in battle, and she possessed such a strange divine ability.

If these newcomers were all like this, then perhaps…

Soon, there was no need for “perhaps.” Because in an instant, these newcomers launched their offensive, already telling Jiang Wang—

Indeed, every person was like this. The mastery of power by these six new divine descent cultivators far surpassed that of the already eliminated Si Yu Chang. Even the current “Deng Yue,” his Nine Calamity Cave Immortal Finger, fully embodied the might of the Cave Immortal! It was as if his previous attacks were merely going through the motions, and this moment was the true activation of his power.

Jiang Wang instantly shifted from being at ease to being in peril.

Attacks occurred almost simultaneously. Every divine descent expert who made a move at this moment possessed their own unique skill, special divine ability, and thereby constructed a unique combat system. And under their exceptional understanding of combat, they unleashed them one after another, almost perfectly. One plus one truly did not equal two; the combat power they displayed when joining forces far surpassed a simple stacking of power!

Terrifying Dao technique light and shadow exploded in an instant. They covered the sky and the earth, almost filling all of this square of heaven and earth, leaving no gap whatsoever. All kinds of divine abilities spread out, almost cutting off all avenues of life.

Jiang Wang also instantly manifested his Heaven’s Abode Body and shone with the divine ability of the Sword Immortal!

No matter what, no matter who he faced, his sword was always held and ringing. Anyone, any existence, who sought his life, had to be prepared to die under his sword.

The battle began suddenly, yet its evolution was so natural. Like a wisp of wind passing by, like a handful of sand falling. Of course, the process of the battle was far more brilliant than a natural occurrence, because what was against nature was the unyielding light of life! For example, starting a battle that was impossible to win, for example, holding a sword to welcome an almost certain death.

The Fire Domain spread, the Sword Immortal Person evolved myriad laws. For the proud sons of this world, every day that passed had to surpass the day before. And the battle of Qi Xia had already passed for a full six months.

The combat power Jiang Wang displayed at this moment almost penetrated the entire hazy sky! In this vast and boundless Border Wilderness, it created enough commotion. And a boot stepped down from within a crack in that haze.

It was an ordinary sheepskin boot. The owner of the boot wore only ordinary herdsman clothing. But his entire body seemed bathed in divine light. Looking around, he possessed an endless majesty. With that one step down, it seemed he had emptied all the disharmony of that heaven and earth.

His boot completely landed, and his entire person appeared before Jiang Wang. And the seven divine descent cultivators, each with their own formidable style, who had just been frantically attacking Jiang Wang, all disappeared! Like a mirage being pricked. Only sand dust rose high, then fell powerlessly.

In the short few breaths of battle, Jiang Wang had inevitably sustained injuries. Someone helping him was a good thing, but the sudden emptiness of his boiling fighting intent also brought an almost blood-spitting frustration. Especially the sudden appearance of this grassland expert, which greatly shocked him.

“Lord Tu?!”

The person who appeared before Jiang Wang at this moment had extremely dark eyes and a handsome appearance. Although his clothing was very ordinary, not at all like the brilliant and glorious appearance he had seen before, how could Jiang Wang not recognize him? It was precisely Tu Yuan, the host of the Mu Country’s Min River Temple, whom he had seen before and personally received. How could he appear here?

“You are the Great Qi Wu An Marquis?” the male bathed in divine light said.

Such an unfamiliar tone? Jiang Wang felt some doubt, but still replied, “That is I.” Then he asked, “How are you here?” What he actually wanted to ask was, had Tu Yuan specifically come to save him, or had he been protecting him in the dark… But he thought, the Min River Temple seemed to have no such obligation, nor any reason to do so. Regardless of their country, participating in demon hunting was a matter of course. Mu Country itself had many proud sons who had died in the Border Wilderness, and they hadn’t seen a strong person protecting them every day.

“I have always been here,” Tu Yuan said in a soft voice. “You have gone too deep. Retreat first. What is happening in this area is no longer something you can participate in.”

“The strength of the demon beings appearing here indeed doesn’t match the information I have. Speaking of which, do you know what is happening?” Jiang Wang couldn’t help but ask, “And those cultivators just now.”

Tu Yuan said with crystal-like lips, “The change occurred within these two days. Of course, you wouldn’t have the intelligence. He wants to deal with me. You just happened to meet.”

“He?” Jiang Wang asked, “Who wants to deal with you in the Border Wilderness?”

Tu Yuan had no intention of answering this question, merely saying, “As for those cultivators you just saw, they were all those who, without reporting, secretly slipped into the Border Wilderness and died. Their nature and spirit were not protected by the power of Great Mu Country, and thus were captured by the demon head.”

Died in the Border Wilderness…

Died in the Border Wilderness! Jiang Wang’s mind was filled with these four words.

Had Deng Shu already died?

“Right,” Tu Yuan suddenly asked again, “Have you encountered a certain demonic skill on this journey?”

Jiang Wang subconsciously asked, “Which one?”

Tu Yuan looked at him deeply and said, “One of the Eight Great Demonic Skills, the 《Flick Finger Birth and Extinguish Illusion Demonic Skill》.”

Jiang Wang shook his head. “I haven’t seen it.”

“Go back. It’s almost dawn.” Tu Yuan’s last words were only these. Then he turned and walked into the thick fog.