From the fake emperor to the concubine

Just then, the sounds of fierce fighting came from afar. The battle between Zheng Tianhao and Ling Xiaoyun continued, and it was growing increasingly intense.

"It seems the battle on the clan leader's side has reached a critical moment," someone said.

Should we go help?

"Forget it, with our limited strength, we wouldn't be of much help anyway, and might even cause trouble," Zhuo Liqun said, shaking his head.

Indeed, that level of combat is beyond their capabilities.

“Let’s deal with Horse-Face’s corpse first,” Wei Siling said. “A cultivator of this level must have a lot of good stuff on him.”

Everyone nodded and began searching for Ma Mian's belongings.

Sure enough, a number of precious pills and spirit stones were found on the horse-faced man, as well as the giant axe, which was also a rare spiritual weapon.

“These things should be distributed according to merit. Brother Yunfan has made the most contributions, so he should take the lion’s share,” Zhuo Liqun suggested.

"No need, we can just split it equally," Zhang Yunfan said weakly.

"That won't do. If it weren't for you, none of us could have dealt with those two guys."

Ultimately, with everyone's insistence, Zhang Yunfan obtained the giant axe and half of the pills and spirit stones, while the others divided the rest equally.

"This giant axe is too heavy; I can't use it." Zhang Yunfan looked at the giant axe in his hand. "Brother Zhuo, you can take it."

"I can't accept this," Zhuo Liqun declined.

"Don't refuse, this giant axe is a perfect match for your halberd."

After some back and forth, Zhuo Liqun finally accepted the giant axe. With this magical weapon, his strength would be greatly enhanced.

Just as everyone was distributing the spoils, the space trembled violently once again.

"Oh no, this space is really about to collapse!" someone exclaimed.

Indeed, the entire spirit gourd space was trembling, and cracks appeared in the void, as if it would collapse at any moment.

"We must end this battle as soon as possible, or we will all die here," Zhuo Liqun said solemnly.

Just then, a shrill scream suddenly came from afar.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Dugu Yunfeng was covered in blood, clearly seriously injured.

"It looks like the Zheng family is going to win," someone said.

"That's good. If the Zheng family wins, we'll be safe."

But at that moment, an astonishing aura suddenly erupted from Ling Xiaoyun's side.

"Oh no, Ling Xiaoyun is going to fight desperately!" someone exclaimed.

As expected, Ling Xiaoyun had been driven to the brink and began to use some kind of forbidden technique. His aura was rapidly rising, but at the same time, he was burning his own life force.

"Zheng Tianhao, even if I die, I'll drag you down with me!" Ling Xiaoyun laughed maniacally.

Even Zheng Tianhao had to be cautious in the face of Ling Xiaoyun's desperate efforts.

The battle entered its most intense phase, with each collision between the two causing the entire space to tremble.

“This space really can’t hold on any longer,” Zhang Yunfan said weakly. “If this doesn’t end soon, we’ll all die here.”

Blood-red flames began to burn around Ling Xiaoyun's body. These were not ordinary flames, but rather the manifestation of energy generated by burning his essence and life force.

"Blood Burning Forbidden Technique!" Ling Xiaoyun roared to the sky, his voice filled with determination and madness. "Zheng Tianhao, today it's either you or me!"

His aura was rising rapidly. Originally, he was barely on par with Zheng Tianhao, but now he was even showing signs of suppressing his opponent. However, the price was heavy. His hair turned white at a visible speed, and wrinkles appeared on his face, as if he had aged more than ten years in an instant.

Zheng Tianhao's expression was solemn; he could sense the destructive aura emanating from Ling Xiaoyun. He had heard of this forbidden technique before; it involved burning one's life force to gain power far exceeding one's limits in a short period of time.

"Why bother, Ling Xiaoyun?" Zheng Tianhao sighed. "The grudges between us shouldn't have gotten to this point, should they?"

"Not at all?" Ling Xiaoyun sneered, her eyes filled with resentment. "Zheng Tianhao, do you know how much I sacrificed to deal with your Zheng family? I practically jeopardized the entire Ten Thousand Blades Sect's future! Now that defeat is inevitable, how am I supposed to go back and face the sect?"

“That was your own choice,” Zheng Tianhao shook his head. “From the very beginning, it was you who attacked my Zheng family first.”

"Enough with the nonsense!" Ling Xiaoyun roared, "Ten Thousand Blades Slaying Heaven Technique - Boundless Sea of ​​Blood!"

With his roar, countless crimson sword energies erupted from his body, sweeping towards Zheng Tianhao like a tidal wave. Each sword energy carried destructive power, even slicing black cracks into the void.

Zheng Tianhao dared not take the attack head-on. He flashed forward and used the movement technique passed down to him by his ancestor.

"Flowing Cloud Steps!"

His figure moved like clouds and mist, weaving through the swirling sword energy, narrowly avoiding fatal attacks each time. Even so, several sword energies still grazed his body, leaving deep wounds.

"You can hide for a while, but you can't hide forever!" Ling Xiaoyun grinned maliciously and continued his attack, "Ten Thousand Blades Slaying Heaven Technique - Mountain of Blades and Sea of ​​Blood!"

This time, he transformed the entire space into a domain of blades. Countless blood-red longswords emerged from the void, densely covering the entire battlefield, each radiating a bloodthirsty killing intent.

Zheng Tianhao was trapped in a sea of ​​knives and blood, surrounded by deadly attacks from all sides, with almost no room to dodge.

"Since we can't dodge it, then we won't!" A resolute glint flashed in Zheng Tianhao's eyes. "It's time for the techniques passed down from our ancestors to show their true power!"

He took a deep breath, and the spiritual energy within his body began to circulate along a special path. This was a cultivation technique specially tailored for him by Zheng Yi, taking into account his physique and personality traits.

"The Mountain and River Suppression Technique!"

Zheng Tianhao unleashed a palm strike, seemingly ordinary, yet containing the immense power to suppress mountains and rivers. Wherever the palm wind passed, the blood-red longswords shattered, and even Ling Xiaoyun's sword domain began to waver.

"This is impossible!" Ling Xiaoyun exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock. "How could your strength be so great?"

"Because I have a wonderful ancestor," Zheng Tianhao said calmly, "and you, you're just a pathetic person blinded by jealousy."

"A pitiful person?" Ling Xiaoyun laughed angrily. "Fine, then I'll show you just how terrifying this pitiful person really is!"

He suddenly bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood essence. The blood essence transformed into a blood-red longsword in the air, its blade covered with eerie runes and radiating a chilling aura.

"Blood Sacrifice Demon Blade!" Ling Xiaoyun reached out and grasped the blood-red blade, his entire demeanor changing. "This is the most treasured artifact of my Ten Thousand Blades Sect. I usually dare not use it, because each use costs me ten years of my lifespan. But today, I can't care about that anymore!"

The moment Ling Xiaoyun acquired the Blood Sacrifice Demon Blade, his strength surged once more. He wielded the blood-red blade, each strike seemingly capable of cleaving the heavens and earth. "Demon Blade First Form - Bloodstained Azure Sky!"

With a single slash, the entire void was stained crimson. The power of this strike surpassed the comprehension of ordinary cultivators, seemingly poised to dye the heavens itself blood.

Faced with such a terrifying attack, Zheng Tianhao dared not be careless. He clasped his hands together, and his spiritual energy circulated wildly within his body.

"Mountain and River Suppression Technique - Suppressing All Heavens!"

A giant golden palm emerged from the void, with illusory images of mountains and rivers floating in its palm, carrying an overwhelming aura as it met the crimson blade light.

"boom!"

The two forces collided, creating a deafening explosion. The entire Spirit Gourd space trembled violently, and the cracks in the void grew wider and wider, as if it would collapse completely at any moment.

The onlookers were all stunned by the aftershock and retreated in disarray.

"This is terrifying! Is this really an attack that a Foundation Establishment cultivator could unleash?" someone exclaimed in horror.

"This is already close to the strength of the Golden Core stage!"

"If this continues, this space will really collapse!"

Although physically weak, Zhang Yunfan still forced himself to watch the battle. He could sense that this fight was a matter of life and death for everyone. If Zheng Tianhao lost, none of them would survive.

As the smoke from the explosion cleared, both men were found to be seriously injured. Zheng Tianhao's right arm was covered in blood, clearly wounded by the blade's energy. Ling Xiaoyun was in even worse shape, with a deep palm print on her chest, indicating that her internal organs had been shaken.

But what's even more deadly is that the combined drain from the Blood Burning Forbidden Technique and the Blood Sacrifice Demon Blade is causing Ling Xiaoyun's life force to drain rapidly. His hair has turned completely white, and his face is covered with wrinkles, making him look decades older.

"Cough, cough..." Ling Xiaoyun coughed up blood, but the madness in her eyes intensified. "Fine, very well! Zheng Tianhao, I admit your current strength is indeed above mine. But do you think you've won just like that?"

"Do you have another trick up your sleeve?" Zheng Tianhao asked, frowning.

"Of course!" Ling Xiaoyun grinned maliciously, raising the Blood Sacrifice Demon Blade. "Demon Blade Second Form - Blood Sea Raging!"

This time, he didn't just slash; instead, he raised the Blood Sacrifice Demon Blade high above his head, and the runes on the blade began to flash wildly.

"With the blood of Ling Xiaoyun, and the might of the Ten Thousand Blades Sect's heritage, I summon the phantom of an ancient demon god!"

As the incantation was chanted, a colossal figure began to emerge in the void. It was a demon god wielding two swords; though merely a phantom, the oppressive aura emanating from it made everyone present feel suffocated.

"An ancient demon god?" Zheng Tianhao's expression changed drastically. "Ling Xiaoyun, are you insane! Summoning such a being, aren't you afraid of the backlash?"

"Hahaha! Since I'm going to die anyway, what's there to fear about the backlash?" Ling Xiaoyun laughed maniacally. "Demon God, please unleash your divine power and slay my enemies!"

The phantom of the demon god slowly opened its eyes, and two blood-red beams of light swept towards Zheng Tianhao. That single glance alone caused Zheng Tianhao to feel immense pressure.

But at that moment, a gentle yet powerful force suddenly surged within Zheng Tianhao's body.

"Ancestor?" Zheng Tianhao's heart stirred.

"A mere wisp of an ancient demon god dares to be so insolent before me?" Zheng Yi's voice echoed in Zheng Tianhao's mind. "Tianhao, let me teach you the true art of suppression."

The next moment, Zheng Tianhao's temperament underwent a dramatic change. His eyes became as deep as the sea, and the pressure emanating from his body was not much weaker than that of the demon god's phantom.

"The True Explanation of the Mountain and River Suppression Technique!"

Zheng Tianhao's voice became extremely majestic, as if it were no longer him speaking, but some supreme being proclaiming judgment.

"Suppress all heavens, imprison all realms, seal gods and demons, and establish order in the universe!"

As the incantation was chanted, the entire space began to tremble. Golden chains emerged from the void and coiled around the phantom of the demon god.

The phantom of the demon god sensed the threat and tried to break free from the chains, but the chains seemed to possess infinite power, tightening their grip the more it struggled.

"No! This is impossible!" Ling Xiaoyun stared at the scene in disbelief. "How could a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator suppress an ancient demon god?"

"Because behind him stands an existence even more terrifying than the ancient demon gods," Zheng Tianhao said calmly, but his voice carried an authority that did not belong to him.

The golden chains tightened more and more, and the demonic phantom roared in anger, but it could not break free. Finally, with a resentful howl, the demonic phantom vanished completely.

Ling Xiaoyun suffered a severe backlash, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and his aura instantly weakened to the extreme.

"How could this be? How could this happen?" he muttered to himself, his eyes filled with despair.

The oppressive aura emanating from Zheng Tianhao vanished, and he returned to his normal state. However, he knew that just moments before, his ancestor had briefly displayed his true strength through his body.

“Ling Xiaoyun, even now, you still refuse to admit defeat?” Zheng Tianhao sighed.

"Admit defeat?" Ling Xiaoyun gave a bitter laugh. "I, Ling Xiaoyun, would rather die than surrender!"

He struggled to his feet, gripping the Blood Sacrifice Demon Blade tightly. Although he was already at his last gasp, the fighting spirit in his eyes remained undiminished.

"In that case, I have no choice but to see you off." A hint of reluctance flashed in Zheng Tianhao's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination.

The two faced off again. Although Ling Xiaoyun was seriously injured, Zheng Tianhao dared not be careless. Even a cornered beast will fight, let alone a strong person like Ling Xiaoyun.

"The final blow will decide the outcome!" Ling Xiaoyun raised the Blood Sacrifice Demon Blade, pouring all his remaining life force into it. "Demon Blade Third Form: Blood Sacrifice to All Living Beings!"

This is the Blood Sacrifice Demon Blade's strongest move, a move that results in mutual destruction. Once unleashed, regardless of success or failure, the caster will die.

An unprecedented crimson light erupted from the blood-red blade, as if it were offering up everything in the world to the demon god. This strike contained all of Ling Xiaoyun's anger and resentment, and its power had exceeded his limits.

Faced with this fatal blow, Zheng Tianhao took a deep breath and unleashed the strongest move he had ever learned.

"Mountain and River Suppression Technique - Ultimate Secret - Suppressing Eternity!"

This move incorporated all the essence of what Zheng Yi had taught him, representing his understanding and application of the laws of heaven and earth. A dazzling golden light emanated from Zheng Tianhao's palm, carrying an all-encompassing will to meet the crimson blade light.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment, as the two forces remained locked in a stalemate in the void. Crimson and gold intertwined, forming a dazzling yet dangerous light.

In the end, the golden light prevailed slightly, completely suppressing the blood-red blade light.

"puff!"

Ling Xiaoyun coughed up a mouthful of blood, the Blood Sacrifice Demon Blade slipped from his hand, and he fell backward.

"I...I've lost." His voice became extremely weak. "I never imagined that your Zheng family would have such a powerful foundation." (End of Chapter)