From the fake emperor to the concubine

Upon hearing this, the Blood Demon locked its blood-red eyes on Zheng Yi and then pounced on him.

Its speed was astonishing; it appeared before Zheng Yi in an instant. A huge claw reached for Zheng Yi's head, bringing with it a gust of bloody wind.

Zheng Yi's pupils suddenly contracted.

He could sense that this blood demon was far stronger than Ning Wuyai. If it caught him, he would surely die.

"Time-space evasion!"

Zheng Yi vanished in a flash. The Blood Demon's claws missed their mark, leaving five deep furrows in the ground.

Zheng Yi appeared several dozen feet away, his expression solemn.

This blood demon is too powerful. With his current strength, he simply cannot confront it head-on. But if he keeps hiding, he will be caught up sooner or later.

Moreover, the Blood Demon Orb can only last for fifteen minutes. As long as you can survive this fifteen minutes, the Blood Demon will disappear.

But the question is, can he hold out until then?

The Blood Demon pounced again. This time, it was smarter; it didn't just use physical attacks, but instead unleashed the magical powers of the demon race.

"Blood flames engulf the heavens!"

A crimson flame spewed from the Blood Demon's mouth, covering an area of ​​a hundred feet in radius. That flame was no ordinary fire, but demonic fire, specifically designed to burn away the soul.

Zheng Yi dared not take the attack head-on and quickly used his spatial evasion technique to dodge. However, the Blood Demon's attacks were too dense, and he was still stained with some demonic fire.

The moment the demonic flames touched his body, they began to erode his soul. Waves of excruciating pain surged through his mind, slowing his movements.

"Damn it!" Zheng Yi gritted his teeth.

He knew this couldn't go on. He had to find a way to fight back, or hold out until the Blood Demon disappeared.

Just then, a voice suddenly rang in his mind.

"Young man, do you need any help?"

Zheng Yi was taken aback. The voice came from the jade slip!

"Are you the Immortal Kongming?"

"Indeed, it is a wisp of my lingering will," the voice said. "I left this jade slip to find a successor. Your ability to reach this point proves your talent and character are both excellent. I am willing to lend you a hand."

"How can we help?" Zheng Yi asked.

"I can temporarily lend you my power, allowing you to unleash the divine abilities of the Mahayana stage. However, this will place a tremendous burden on your body and may severely injure you. Are you willing?"

Zheng Yi answered without hesitation: "I'm willing!"

Before his eyes, Xiaoyue's dying smile reappeared. That obedient little girl, she died in his arms. And the murderer was right before him.

He absolutely cannot die here. He still wants to avenge Xiaoyue and make the Ning family pay the price.

"Very well, then accept my power!"

A surge of immense power erupted from the jade slip and poured into Zheng Yi's body. The power was so strong that his meridians trembled violently, as if they were about to collapse at any moment.

But Zheng Yi gritted his teeth and persevered.

His aura began to surge. Mid-stage of the Integration Realm, late-stage of the Integration Realm, early-stage of the Mahayana Realm, finally stabilizing at the mid-stage of the Mahayana Realm!

Although it was only temporary, this power was enough for him to fight the Blood Demon.

"How is this possible?" Ning Wuyai stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Just now, Zheng Yi was clearly only at the peak of the late stage of the Integration Realm, how could he have broken through to the mid stage of the Mahayana Realm in the blink of an eye? This is absurd!
Zheng Yi ignored Ning Wuyai's surprise. He raised his longsword and pointed it at the Blood Demon.

"Time-Space Sword Technique - Ultimate Secret - Time-Space Annihilation!"

This is the ultimate technique of Master Kongming, and also the strongest move of the Time-Space Sword Art. Although Zheng Yi could use it before, its power was far from sufficient. But now, with the help of Master Kongming's lingering will, he can finally unleash the true power of this move.

A dazzling sword light shot into the sky. The sword light contained the power of spacetime to destroy everything; wherever it passed, space collapsed and time was distorted.

The Blood Demon instinctively sensed danger, let out a terrified roar, and turned to run away.

But how could Zheng Yi let it escape?

"Go to hell!"

The sword flashed down.

In an instant, the sky and the earth turned pale.

The sword light cleaved the Blood Demon in two. Terrifying spatial and temporal power erupted within the Blood Demon, tearing it apart completely, leaving not a trace behind.

The Blood Demon, a late-stage Mahayana cultivator, was slain by a single sword strike!

The whole place was dead silent.

Everyone was stunned by this scene. They had witnessed Zheng Yi single-handedly kill the Blood Demon, a late-stage Mahayana cultivator. With such strength, he could practically roam freely throughout the entire Xuan Tian Domain.

Ning Wuyai was terrified. His trump card, which he was so proud of, had been so easily exposed.

“No, it’s impossible,” he murmured, his whole body trembling.

Zheng Yi turned to look at him, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"Ning Wuyai, it's your turn."

He flashed and instantly appeared in front of Ning Wuyai. He raised his longsword high, which contained terrifying spatial and temporal power.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Ning Wuyai cried out in terror, "You can't kill me! I am a Mahayana stage expert, the ancestor of the Ning family! If you kill me, the Ning family will not let you off!"

"The Ning family?" Zheng Yi sneered. "Your son said the same thing, and your grandson said it too. But they're both dead. Today, it's your turn."

"No! I don't want to die!" Ning Wuyai struggled frantically, trying to escape.

However, with the added power of a mid-stage Mahayana cultivator, Zheng Yi's speed far surpassed his. Every time he tried to escape, Zheng Yi easily intercepted him.

"A time-space prison."

With a wave of his hand, Zheng Yi conjured a cage made of spacetime power, trapping Ning Wuyai inside.

Ning Wuyai attacked the cage frantically, but the cage was incredibly sturdy and remained completely still.

"Let me out! Let me out!" he shouted hysterically.

Zheng Yi ignored his pleas. He walked to the cage and coldly looked at Ning Wuyai inside.

"Ning Wuyai, do you know? Xiaoyue was terrified when she died. She cried out, 'Big brother, save me!' but I couldn't save her."

His voice was very soft, but every word seemed to come from an ice cave.

"Today, you'll experience this taste for yourself."

"No! I beg you!" Ning Wuyai knelt in the cage, tears streaming down his face. "I was wrong! I truly know I was wrong! I'm willing to pay any price, just please spare my life!"

"The price?" Zheng Yi's lips curled into a cold smile. "Can you bring Xiaoyue back to life?"

Ning Wuyai opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

"Since it's impossible, then there's nothing more to say." Zheng Yi raised his longsword. "Die."

"No--"

The screams stopped abruptly.

Zheng Yi brought his sword down, severing Ning Wuyai's head. The early-stage Mahayana cultivator, the patriarch of the Ning family, died by his sword. Blood splattered, staining Zheng Yi's robes crimson. But his face remained expressionless, only calm, a deathly calm.

The time-space cage dissipated, and Ning Wuyai's body fell from mid-air.

At the same time, the power of Kongming Zhenren's lingering will also began to fade. Zheng Yi's aura dropped sharply, from the mid-stage of the Mahayana realm to the late-stage of the Integration realm, and then continued to decline, eventually stabilizing at the mid-stage of the Integration realm.

But a price also came along with it.

"puff--"

Zheng Yi coughed up a mouthful of blood, his body swaying precariously. His meridians had been severely damaged in the battle, and every part of his body was in pain.

"Fellow Daoist Zheng!" Liu Ruyan flew over and helped him up. "Are you alright?"

"I'm not going to die yet," Zheng Yi said weakly.

He looked up at the sky and then at the Ning family mansion in the distance.

"How many people are left in the Ning family?"

"Patriarch, the main force of the Ning family is all here," Zheng Bowen said. "Ning Xiaotian and Ning Wuyai are both dead, and the rest are leaderless and no longer a threat."

"That's good." Zheng Yi nodded. "Spread the word. Say that the Ning family colluded with the extraterrestrial demons and I eliminated them. From today onwards, the Ning family is expelled from the fold."

As soon as this statement came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

The Ning family is one of the four great families of the Xuan Tian Domain, with deep roots and immense power. And now, Zheng Yi is going to wipe the Ning family off the list with just a casual remark?

But upon closer reflection, it doesn't seem to make any mistakes.

Both of Ning's most powerful members were dead, and their elite forces had been decimated. Those remaining were utterly incapable of resisting Zheng Yi. Moreover, everyone present had witnessed Ning Wuyai summoning extraterrestrial demons. This was a grave taboo in the cultivation world, enough to bring the Ning family to utter ruin.

Liu Tianxing stepped forward: "Fellow Daoist Zheng is right. The Ning family's collusion with the Demon Clan is an unforgivable crime. My Liu family supports the expulsion of the Ning family."

“My Zhao family also supports it,” Zhao Tianyang said.

"The Lin family seconded it," Lin Tianhe added.

Bai Changkong sighed: "The Bai family has no objections."

And so, the once arrogant Ning family was uprooted in just one day.

The news sent shockwaves throughout the entire Xuan Tian Domain.

A cultivator from another realm single-handedly annihilated the Ning family, one of the four great clans. Such a feat is worthy of being recorded in the annals of the Xuan Tian Domain.

On this day, Zheng Yi's name spread throughout the entire Xuan Tian Domain.

Ten days later, Zheng Yi's injuries had basically recovered.

On this day, he came to Xiaoyue's grave alone.

The wildflowers in front of the grave were in full bloom, the stream flowed gently, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating dappled patterns of light and shadow. Everything was peaceful and beautiful.

Zheng Yi sat down in front of the grave and remained silent for a long time.

“Xiaoyue, I’ve come to see you,” he said softly. “I’ve killed everyone in the Ning family. Ning Zhiyuan, Ning Xiaotian, Ning Wuyai—not a single one is left. I’ve avenged you.”

The wind blows, carrying the fragrance of flowers.

“But I know it’s all meaningless.” Zheng Yi smiled bitterly. “You’re gone. No matter how many people I kill, I can’t bring you back.”

He took a small pastry from his pocket and placed it in front of the grave.

"This is your favorite osmanthus cake. I had it specially made, just like the one you had in Qingfeng Town. Try it and see if you like it."

He sat there quietly, as if waiting for Xiaoyue's answer.

But the tombstone remained silent.

After a long while, Zheng Yi sighed and stood up.

"Xiaoyue, I have to go now. I have some things to do. I probably won't be able to see you for a long time."

He paused, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

"I will become stronger. Strong enough that no one can hurt those around me anymore. When I do, I will come back to see you."

He bowed deeply, then turned and left.

This time, he didn't look back.

Because he knew that if he turned back, he would never be able to take another step.

Three days later, Zheng Yi summoned Zheng Bowen, Zheng Hongzhi, and Xiao Tianxing.

"Get ready, we're leaving the Xuan Tian Domain."

"Leave?" Zheng Bowen asked in surprise. "Patriarch, why leave? The Ning family has been wiped out, and for the time being, no one in the Xuantian Domain dares to provoke us. Isn't this a perfect opportunity to expand our power?"

“That’s precisely why we must leave,” Zheng Yi said. “The Ning family’s downfall has made us the target of everyone’s anger. On the surface, all the major families are trying to curry favor, but who knows what they’re really thinking? If we stay in the Xuan Tian Domain, we’ll inevitably get caught up in all sorts of conflicts.”

“The patriarch is right,” Zheng Hongzhi nodded. “Furthermore, resources in the Xuan Tian Domain are limited. To continue improving one’s cultivation, one must venture into a wider world.”

"Where are we going?" Xiao Tianxing asked.

Zheng Yi pondered for a moment: "I obtained some information from the legacy of True Immortal Kongming. Beyond the Xuan Tian Domain, there is an even more powerful domain called the 'Tian Yuan Domain.' It's teeming with powerful individuals and rich in resources; it's a sacred place for cultivation."

"Tianyuan Domain?" Zheng Bowen's eyes lit up. "I've heard of that place. It's said that powerful individuals are everywhere in Tianyuan Domain, and even those at the Great Ascension stage are considered ordinary. The geniuses there often possess cultivation levels of the late Great Ascension stage or even the Tribulation Transcending stage."

“That’s right,” Zheng Yi said. “So that’s where we need to go. Only in fiercer competition can we grow faster.”

He stood up and looked out the window at the sky.

"Furthermore, I have a feeling that Xiaoyue's background might not be simple. Her Xuan Yin Physique is extremely rare. Perhaps some clues can be found about this physique in the Tianyuan Domain."

Although Xiaoyue is dead, Zheng Yi has never forgotten her. He wants to know Xiaoyue's background, why she has the Xuan Yin Body, and why she ended up in Qingfeng Town.

“Since the patriarch has made his decision, we will follow him,” Zheng Bowen said. “Wherever we go, as long as the patriarch is here, the Zheng family will remain.”

Zheng Hongzhi and Xiao Tianxing also expressed their willingness to follow Zheng Yi.

Zheng Yi nodded: "Okay. We'll leave in three days. Take care of whatever needs to be done in the next few days."

Just as they were about to leave, Liu Ruyan arrived.

"Fellow Daoist Zheng, I heard you're leaving the Xuan Tian Domain?" Her eyes were full of reluctance.

“Yes,” Zheng Yi said, “There’s nothing left in the Xuan Tian Domain for me to grow. I must go to a wider world.”

"Can I go with you?" Liu Ruyan asked, mustering her courage.

Zheng Yi looked at her and remained silent for a moment.

"Ruyan, do you know how dangerous the Tianyuan Domain is? It's teeming with powerful figures; with our strength, we're nothing there."

“I know,” Liu Ruyan said firmly, “but I don’t want to stay in the Xuan Tian Domain, living that sheltered life. I want to become stronger, like you, capable of protecting those I want to protect.”

Zheng Yi pondered for a moment, and finally nodded.

"Okay, you can come along. But you'll have to bear the dangers on the road yourself."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Zheng!" Liu Ruyan was overjoyed. (End of Chapter)