Simultaneously traversing: traversing countless heavens

Chapter 48 Lord of the Southern Territory

Jin Renfeng's blood surged, and his out-of-control demonic power, along with the remnants of pure Yang Flame, danced wildly in the sky, making him look like a lava demon god crawling out of the blood pool of the Nine Netherworlds. His eyes were bloodshot and dripping with blood, and the last trace of reason was burned away by jealousy, hatred and fear, leaving only the most primal and violent desire for destruction throbbing wildly in the depths of his pupils.

Opposite him, Zhou Yi leaned forward slightly, his black robes fluttering even without wind. The next instant, "Boom!"

Where he had been hovering, a white ring of air exploded, and his figure transformed into a blurry phantom tearing through the sky, hurtling straight ahead! There was no sword light to clear the way, no magic to protect him, only pure speed and power, leaving a distorted mark on space itself!

"die-!!!"

The golden phoenix roared blood-curdlingly from its throat, neither dodging nor avoiding, its body erupting with flames and blood energy. It was like a meteor flying in reverse, carrying with it the heat and bloody wind that could burn the eight wastelands, and it charged head-on!

The two collided solidly in mid-air!

There was no probing, no roundabout tactics; from the very first strike, it was the most savage and violent close-quarters combat!

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang—!!"

The muffled thud of fists striking flesh, the explosive roar of palms cleaving flames, the piercing shrieks of bones rubbing against energy shields when elbows and knees collided—all so densely packed it was as if a million war drums were beating simultaneously in the clouds! Each collision of limbs exploded into a visible circular shockwave, causing space to tremble and distort violently like fragile glass!

Jin Renfeng went completely mad, sometimes transforming his body into a completely elemental form, turning into a roaring golden stream of fire, burning everything with the extreme high temperature of pure Yang Flame, turning even the air into nothingness wherever he passed; at other times, he condensed into human form, his fists and palms wrapped with blood-fiend demonic power that was as solid as a substance, each strike enough to shatter mountains.

Zhou Yi remained steadfast as a rock. Facing the raging inferno, he would either point his fingers like a sword, slashing through the air with unparalleled force to sever the flames; or he would simply strike out with his palm, the palm wind condensing into a tangible barrier of black iron, forcefully shattering and annihilating the raging divine fire wherever it touched, as if it had never existed! The residual force of the palm wind did not wane, like an invisible giant spear piercing through the majestic mountain ridge several miles away, leaving a terrifyingly huge hole with smooth, mirror-like edges, completely transparent from front to back, amidst a deafening roar. Heavenly light poured down from the hole, a horrifying sight!

"This—this is no longer a battle between cultivators—" A chill ran down the spines of the spectators in the distance, and some muttered to themselves.

This kind of battle, which hones physical strength, energy control, and combat instincts to the extreme, has long transcended the scope of ordinary Taoist magic and supernatural powers, and is almost like the war between ancient gods and demons!

As their battle raged on, their figures moved with such speed that they became two intertwined, colliding streaks of light. At times, they crashed to earth like meteors, cracking the ground and spewing forth magma; at other times, they tore through the sky like lightning, ripping open long-lasting voids in the clouds. Their fists swept across the collapsing mountains, flattening their peaks; they clashed against each other on the dry, wide riverbed, the shockwaves carving deep valleys; they shattered layers of clouds, the dispersed mist transforming into a torrential downpour—

Traveling hundreds of miles, the mountains and rivers changed color, and the heavens and earth trembled!

Finally, as if drawn by fate, the two streaks of light, carrying lingering killing intent and aura of destruction, crashed back into the core of the Divine Fire Mountain Manor like two stars captured by an invisible gravitational force, slamming into the solemn and majestic Sunset Peak that overlooks all the mountains!

"boom-!!!!!"

A more violent impact than any before exploded on the summit! A visible spherical shockwave instantly expanded, sweeping away ancient pines, massive boulders, and even half of the mountain peak as if dust had been swept away.

Shattered, turning into countless dust particles!

The two figures were finally thrown apart in opposite directions by the devastating impact and recoil, hovering far apart on either side of the collapsed Sunset Peak.

Smoke and dust filled the air, and pebbles rained down.

Amidst the turbulent energy flow, Jin Renfeng's figure swayed violently. His right hand clutched his left shoulder tightly, but it was empty, and blood was gushing out from between his fingers.

Jin Renfeng staggered, one step, two steps—the void beneath his feet seemed to have turned into a viscous swamp, making it almost impossible for him to stand. He stomped his foot violently, unleashing a burst of violent energy, barely managing to stop his retreat and hover above the crumbling rock face. His right hand, fingers like hooks, gripped tightly the mangled, bloody wound on his left shoulder; between his fingers, a sticky, scalding liquid...

Blood, mixed with wisps of golden flame, was gushing out recklessly, leaving a mournful blood rainbow in the air.

Veins bulged on his forehead as he channeled all the remaining magical power within him, attempting to seal the wound and heal the severed limb. However, a cold, sharp, and strange power lingered at the break, seemingly capable of severing life force. Like a leech, it not only frantically devoured his blood but also eroded the very essence of his Eastern spiritual blood that sustained him! Each surge of magical power towards the wound was like a mud ox entering the sea, silently dissolved by that power, only accelerating the loss of his life force.

His left arm—in that lightning-fast, dazzling close-quarters combat, was torn apart and snatched away by Zhou Yi with even more ruthless and precise strength and skill! The excruciating pain and loss of balance in that instant were still screaming in his nerves.

Compared to the majority of human cultivators in this realm who focus on cultivating magical power and utilizing magical treasures, Zhou Yi displays a near-essential, transcendent "Dharma Body" strength. Even with only a rudimentary understanding, his physical resilience, the sheer power of his blood and qi, and his exquisite control over power have reached an inconceivable level, comparable to those demon emperors renowned for their physical strength! This is something no human cultivator like Jin Renfeng, who relies on evil methods to exchange blood and forcibly elevate his cultivation foundation, can contend with. Humans have always been weaker than demons in terms of physical strength, their strength lying only in supernatural powers and magical treasures. Jin Renfeng's actions are tantamount to hand-to-hand combat with a demon emperor. He suffered a significant intelligence disadvantage.

"Hah—Hah—" Jin Renfeng gasped for breath, each breath laced with blood. He could clearly feel the "spiritual blood" he had stolen from Dongfang Guyue, the blood that had once given him boundless power, rapidly fading and thinning as his life force drained away. "My spiritual blood—my power—no—"

His face was contorted with pain and fear, and the madness in his eyes was replaced by a deeper, colder despair and resentment. Defeat, like a cold iron clamp, tightly constricted his heart and throat.

"Jin Renfeng—!!" A fierce shout, brimming with boundless grief and hatred, pierced the stagnant air of the battlefield like tearing silk. In the distance, Dongfang Huaizhu broke free from Wang Quanba's subconscious, slightly restraining arm, stepped forward, her beautiful eyes wide open, her eyes red-rimmed, but her tears had been dried by rage. "You traitorous, murderous, and depraved beast! You should have been torn to pieces long ago, your soul scattered to the winds!"

"Huaizhu—Junior Sister—" Jin Renfeng turned his head with difficulty, his blood-stained face looking at the face that he had once coveted and hated. His voice was hoarse and broken, like sand rubbing against each other.

"Shut up!!" Dongfang Huaizhu's voice was shrill, filled with an undeniable resolve. "You are not worthy to mention the words 'Junior Sister'! I, Dongfang Huaizhu, have never had a senior brother as heartless and ungrateful as you! Today is your death day! My father's spirit in heaven will surely witness your eternal damnation!"

"Death—? Hahahaha—hahahahaha—" Jin Renfeng was stunned for a moment, then burst into hysterical laughter, the sound as mournful as the cry of a dying owl, echoing through the collapsing mountains, sending chills down one's spine. As he laughed, blood tears streamed from his eyes, mingling with the blood on his face, making him appear exceptionally grotesque. "Though I die today—"

He abruptly stopped laughing, and his remaining right arm burst forth with a final burst of light, desperately raising itself high towards the sky! Palm up, fingers spread wide, as if trying to seize the heavens with bare hands!

"But I—am still the Golden-Faced Fire God!!!"

With a roar, as if he had exhausted all his pride and last bit of obsession, the golden flames around him that had begun to dissipate, the blood-fiend demonic power that was surging out of control, and even the pure Yang Flame Starfire that was still lingering in the air, seemed to be summoned by an invisible force. They transformed into countless violent streams of light, rushing, converging, and compressing wildly toward his raised right palm!

Even if my soul is scattered to the winds—I will drag you all down with me—to be buried with me!!!

boom-!!!

A terrifying energy sphere, dark red to almost black, with molten gold-like patterns flowing at its core, suddenly condensed above his palm! Initially no larger than a head, its expansion was illogical! In the blink of an eye, it had transformed into a colossal object exceeding fifty zhang in diameter! On the sphere's surface, dark golden magma surged and flowed like living things, radiating extreme temperatures capable of melting fine gold and evaporating lakes and seas; inside, violently raging energy clashed wildly…

Annihilation, rebirth, emitting a deep roar like billions of muffled thunderclaps!

This is no longer pure magic or fire, but a final, destructive form that combines all his remaining life essence, the origin of Eastern spiritual blood, the profound meaning of pure Yang Flame, and the evil power of the Blood-Burning Demon Core! A miniature "Doomsday Sun" containing endless resentment and madness, capable of turning hundreds of miles around into an absolute dead zone!

The giant sphere hovered in the air, its destructive pressure almost tangible, heavily enveloping the entire Sunset Peak ruins and continuously spreading outwards. Even the many cultivators watching the battle from the distant clouds felt their breath catch in their throats, their protective magic treasures trembled wildly, and a shadow of death loomed over their hearts.

"Hahaha! Let's die together! All of you—die! Die!!!"

Jin Renfeng's remaining right arm muscles bulged, and his skin cracked inch by inch due to the internal pressure, revealing the red-hot bones and boiling blood underneath. But he was completely unaware of this, and just laughed maniacally, pouring all his remaining consciousness, all his resentment, and all his unwillingness into the sphere of destruction above his head, as if that was the last and most "glorious" bloom of his life.

And opposite him.

The flying debris and dust gradually settled.

Zhou Yi's figure remained suspended in mid-air, his position unchanged.

His black robes fluttered, yet remained spotless.

His expression was calm, and his gaze was indifferent.

Compared to the terrifying "Lava Sun," which swelled and rose, blotting out the sky and exuding an aura of endless rage and despair, his figure appeared so small and frail, like a small boat before a raging storm, as if he would be completely swallowed up by the destructive torrent at any moment, leaving not even a trace.

However, he just stood there.

There was no retreat, no dodging, and not even any obvious defensive stance.

He simply watched calmly as the shadow of death grew ever larger, and as Jin Renfeng went into his final madness.

Formless and without substance.

Yet it seemed more unshakeable than the collapsing, towering mountains beneath its feet. More serene and unfathomable than the bottomless abyss.

"Is this the last resort you've resorted to, even risking your life for?" Zhou Yi gazed at the sky-covering, destructive lava fireball, his voice remaining calm, as if commenting on something unrelated to himself.

His gaze wasn't even fully fixed on the devastating lava fireball; rather, it was as if he were examining the rapidly withering and burning soul behind the fireball.

"So what if it is?!"

Beneath the fireball, Jin Renfeng's roar was like the strain of a broken bellows, hoarse and violent. His face was undergoing a terrifying transformation: his plump cheeks were visibly sunken, covered with deep, ravine-like wrinkles;

Thick, black hair, starting from the roots, instantly transformed into withered, pale grass; his once upright body hunched over, skin clinging to his bones, as if all the essence of his flesh and blood had been greedily sucked away by the "sun" above his head. Only his deep-set eyes, their crimson madness and deep-seated resentment not diminishing but burning almost explosively, like a final burst of light!

"Even if—even if you manage to defeat me by half a move! Today—you won't live alone! Come down to hell with me! Hahaha—cough cough—hahahaha!!" His maniacal laughter aggravated his injuries, causing him to cough up a mouthful of black blood mixed with fragments of internal organs, but the malice and pleasure in his laughter remained undiminished.

You're mistaken.

Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, his gesture carrying an almost compassionate detachment, like a god in the clouds looking down on the futile protests of ants on the ground.

"Today, only you are destined to fall."

Jin Renfeng's heart skipped a beat, wondering whether Zhou Yi's words were just empty boasting or if he truly had something to rely on.

"If this were anywhere else, your desperate attack might have actually given me some trouble." Zhou Yi's gaze seemed to pierce through that raging "sun" and fall upon the vast expanse of heaven and earth. "But unfortunately—this place is the Southern Territory."

"The Southern Border—so what if it's the Southern Border?!" Jin Renfeng roared with all his might, trying to dispel the growing unease, as if raising his voice could mask the ever-expanding emptiness within him. "Heaven and earth are indifferent! Dying anywhere is the same as dying! Stop with the pretense!"

"Don't you understand?"

Zhou Yi stopped looking at him, and slowly raised his right hand, his five fingers together, thumb tucked in, index and middle fingers extended, forming a simple and ancient sword gesture, which he held upright in front of his chest. His posture was calm and composed, his demeanor serene, as if the terrifying fireball before him, capable of destroying an entire region, was nothing more than an insignificant breeze.

"I have already gone to this place—"

His lips parted slightly, his voice not loud, but the moment it left his lips, it resonated with some kind of mysterious, supreme law!

"—Lord of the Southern Border!"

The four words fell like the heavenly sound of a jade chime, resonating throughout the great path!

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