My enemies became my companions

Chapter 717 Change of Thrones (Part 2)

Everyone turned around simultaneously, frozen in place.

At the end of the mountain path, a person in blue robes walked slowly.

He did not fly away, but walked slowly, like a traveler from a very distant place.

Or perhaps, from the Great Tianshan Mountains where he was stationed, he only took three steps to get here.

A gentle breeze swept by, causing his robes to flutter and the mist to swirl. His face gradually emerged from the mist, revealing him to be nothing more than a lean and vigorous middle-aged man.

Old Taoist Zhao Deshan's body went limp, and he collapsed completely into the mud, his lips trembling. Almost unconsciously, he uttered that name again:

“A true celestial being…Xu Qi…”

In the martial arts world, any person with a certain reputation will have their portrait scrolls circulating, not to mention the top ten on the martial arts ranking list that hangs high above all living beings.

Anyone who makes it onto the martial arts list, except for those who truly live in seclusion and do not concern themselves with worldly affairs, has a picture album. But if they really live in seclusion, why bother to be listed on the martial arts list and attract the attention of the world?

The person before me, in appearance and demeanor, was exactly the same as the vivid yet vaguely described portraits circulating in the martial arts world.

Undoubtedly, it was Xu Qi himself.

The Taoist priests of the Shenxiao Sect were all struck dumb, their eyes fixed on the slowly approaching figure in green robes. They were so shocked that they almost forgot to breathe.

That's Xu Qi, a true celestial being...

They never imagined that they would be able to see each other's faces so closely in their lifetime.

Zhao Deshan, who had fallen to the ground, was trembling uncontrollably, his face showing a mixture of surprise and joy.

Having roamed the world for decades, he boasts of his extensive knowledge and often says, "I've eaten more salt than you young people have eaten rice."

Even with his vast experience, the existence before him was still beyond his wildest imagination in terms of its breadth and depth.

Even if Wei Gang, the undisputed second-best swordsman in the world, were to be present, it would not be enough to make him so distracted and lose his composure. This is because when Xu Qi was still the second-best swordsman in the world, he personally shattered Wu Buyu's aura of a sword immortal and his title of the best swordsman in the world, while Wei Gang was defeated by Xu Qi within three steps.

Looking back over the past two cycles of sixty years, only the Bodhisattva Sword could rival Xu Qi. However, the Bodhisattva Sword Master Wuxiang had disappeared for decades in search of Mount Ling. Even if he were to reappear in the martial world, he would probably be far inferior to Xu Qi.

Those who can rival the top martial artists are extremely rare figures in the martial arts world.

Those who can rival the true celestial beings are the top ten on the martial arts ranking.

Everyone had heard of the True Celestial's formidable reputation, and thus, they all stood frozen in place.
The man in blue, revered as a true celestial being in the martial world, chuckled softly and slowly said, "The Divine Firmament Sect?"

Zhao Deshan shuddered and immediately stood up. Xu Qi recognized their sect at a glance. Although he didn't know whether Xu Qi mentioning those words was a blessing or a curse, just mentioning them filled his old body with an indescribable sense of pride.

Xu Qi recognized them. Perhaps he knew the ancestral masters in heaven. The Shenxiao Sect had been in decline for who knows how long since the Northern Song Dynasty. This was a blessing accumulated by the ancestral masters.

Zhao Deshan bowed to Xu Qi, and his disciples, realizing what was happening, followed suit.

Xu Qi glanced at everyone and said in a calm voice, "No need for formalities. Let's get straight to the point. You've been in Southern Xinjiang for a while now. If you have anything to say, just get to the point."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Deshan immediately fell silent, but a chill ran through him.

The divination proved accurate; the person before them was indeed the celestial being Xu Qi. Yet even this being had to personally intervene. Just how terrifying was this so-called Great Demon?
He suppressed his inner fear and carefully organized his words: "Reporting to the True Celestials, we have come to the Southern Frontier to warn of the Great Demon's appearance, as instructed by our Ancestral Master in a dream. However, strange phenomena are occurring frequently, and the weather is changing drastically, yet we have found no trace of the Demon."

At this point, the Shenxiao Sect members realized something, as if they had been doused with cold water. Their excitement at seeing Xu Qi gradually cooled down, replaced by a bone-chilling cold.

If it truly requires the intervention of a celestial being, how terrifying would this calamity be? When gods fight, mortals suffer. How will those of us with shallow cultivation cope then?
Zhao Deshan, being a seasoned veteran, quickly regained his composure and continued his report: "Based on our deductions, the appearance of the Great Demon must be related to the Demonic Cult. Currently, Gongsun Guan, ranked seventh on the martial arts list, is stationed at Gaoliang Mountain. If he joins forces with the Great Demon…"

Xu Qi said calmly, "Only seventh in the world..."

He then said, "Let's talk about the Great Demon."

This casual remark did not surprise the crowd, who were not surprised by Xu Qi's disdain for Gongsun Guan; on the contrary, they felt it was perfectly reasonable.

"Let's talk about the Great Demon," Xu Qi said, steer the conversation back on track.

Zhao Deshan took a deep breath, his expression becoming extremely solemn: "When the Ancestral Master appeared in my dream, he revealed the name of the Great Demon Lord, but to prevent the secrets of heaven from being revealed, he sealed this memory with silence. Now that a true celestial being has personally arrived..."

He circulated his inner energy, a glimmer of spiritual light appearing at his fingertips and touching his brow. His brow furrowed slightly, as if he were under some kind of pressure, and invisible vital energy overflowed, then returned like a gentle breeze. After a moment, he finally seemed relieved and slowly uttered two words:
"Your Majesty."

The moment those two words were uttered, it was as if a thunderclap exploded in everyone's heart.

The young disciples looked at each other, their faces filled with disbelief.

"Mingzun?" a disciple exclaimed in disbelief. "Isn't that the evil god worshipped by the Demonic Sect?"

Zhao Deshan's expression changed drastically. He looked at Xu Qi, hesitant to speak.

But then this true celestial being slowly turned his head, his gaze distant, as if piercing through layers of mist, looking into the distance.

"interesting."

Xu Qi uttered three words softly, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips.

"My Lord, I wonder which one we should kill..."

The rain had stopped sometime earlier, and the mountain wind swept through the forest, carrying an indescribable chill.

...............

Chen Yi slowly turned his head back.

Just a moment ago, he seemed to hear someone calling him.

Then, a person slowly uttered the three words "Interesting."

He lowered his gaze slightly, no longer paying attention to the commotion in the distance, and raised his hand, feeling the light flowing over his body like water.

That's really interesting.

In the past, when he traveled the martial world, he mostly fought with swords and knives, killing people head-on. As for those mysterious methods such as magic, they were just optional aids. Even now, as a Taoist priest, he can't even draw thunder talismans. He still needs Yin Weiying's help to make some.

Perhaps it's because I'm naturally drawn to the down-to-earth feeling of a warrior.

Splitting a mountain with a sword, every punch landing with flesh, even if it's dripping with blood, is undoubtedly an extremely exhilarating experience.

Throughout their journey, all the women involved were skilled in martial arts. Min Ning, Qin Qingluo, Zhu E, Yin Tingxue who became the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect, Consort Dong, and even Taoists like Zhou Yitang and Lu Ying all prioritized swordsmanship. Only Yin Weiying, the confused Goddess of Taihua, was proficient in some esoteric and mysterious magic.

However, at this moment, feeling the power of light, which was different from martial arts internal energy but more fundamental and vast, flowing through his body, Chen Yi's state of mind was surprisingly peaceful.

He slowly clenched his fist, and the flowing light gently condensed between his fingers.

He suddenly understood what the romance of a monk was.

"I see……"

The path of a martial artist is to seek power from the outside world, temper the body, and hone the will, like a traveler wandering the world without a fixed abode. But at this moment, what he felt was as if he himself was the world, and even... the world existed because of him.

Whether to wreak havoc on the world or save the common people seems to be just a matter of a single thought.

It seems like everything is under control...

When a person has ability, they will have lofty ambitions. Chen Yi's eyes were golden, and this man, who was once extremely petty, now revealed a rare air of supreme authority.
It was as if... one could embrace all the beauties of the world... The thought only flashed through one's mind for a moment.

Before Chen Yi could even mock himself, his thoughts were interrupted once again by a roar.

With a single gesture, he steadied the unsteady Yin Tingxue. Her figure floated in front of Chen Yi, her size unchanged, yet suddenly appearing as small as a mustard seed, landing in Chen Yi's palm.

Yin Tingxue didn't know how to describe this strange feeling; she just looked up at Chen Yi in a daze.

He is... the Wise One...

Chen Yi chuckled and said, "To be honest, I really don't know what you're worried about, little fox. Even if you're fake, I can still believe you're real."

Slowly regaining her senses, Yin Tingxue, though still unable to make sense of things, subconsciously thought that he was still so annoying...

Even if the tone was heartfelt, she couldn't tell which Yin Tingxue was speaking in that slightly intimate tone.

The surrounding light grew stronger, as if the daytime world was slowly closing in. Chen Yi protected Yin Tingxue in his palm, glanced at the silly girl who was hiding by the temple and drifting around like a kite with a broken string, and casually cast a halo of light at her.

May all your wishes come true.

Donggong Ruoshu suddenly fell on her bottom from mid-air. She rubbed it in pain and was stunned when she felt the full and firm touch of the fingertips.

She survived?
Before I could think any further, a distant roar shook the heavens and the earth once more.

The black tide, as dark as ink, surged forth like a raging storm.

Chen Yi's gaze pierced through the barrier of space and landed directly on the approaching Lord of Resentment.

Previously indistinct, its form was now vividly depicted in his eyes. It was no longer the pervasive ignorance, but rather a nearly tangible outline, like a colossal whale swimming in the deep sea of ​​ignorance. Wherever it passed, even the light emanating from Chen Yi's body was distorted and swallowed up.

It was surrounded by countless faces writhing in agony and shattered visions of ignorance. Its enormous eyes, devoid of pupils and filled only with rolling gray-white light, stared indifferently at the only source of light in this world of ignorance.

Chen Yi slowly raised his hand, and the light flowing around him responded accordingly. It was no longer a gentle flow, but a boiling, light surged out of his body. At first, it was like a stream, but in an instant it became a vast sea of ​​fire, and finally it turned into a magnificent golden tide that swept across the world, colliding violently with the dark tide that devoured everything.

There was no sound, yet it seemed to be filled with the deafening roar of the beginning of the universe.

At the boundary between light and darkness, space itself groans and distorts. Where the sea of ​​fire reaches, darkness melts like ice and snow, and the black tide surges in, temporarily submerging the sea of ​​fire.

After a long time, the black tide and the sea of ​​fire finally separated. The area where they collided was empty and desolate, as if everything had been wiped out.

A flicker of anger seemed to flash in the giant, greyish-white eyes of the Lord of Resentment.

Its enormous shadow churned violently, drawing more darkness from the depths of the world of ignorance, transforming into billions of twisted, shrill thunderbolts of resentment, like a chaotic dance of demons. At first glance, they varied in size, like pitch-black pools of lightning crashing down on Chen Yi.

Chen Yi stood still, his eyes growing even brighter.

With a slight thought, the boundless sea of ​​fire around him changed shape, transforming into countless sword shadows.

"Disperse."

He uttered a single word.

Thousands of swords fired together!

The magnificent rain of swords and the torrent of black lightning clashed and annihilated in the air.

Each time the sword shadow was corrupted by darkness, an even more intense sword shadow was born from Chen Yi's body to replenish it; each time darkness was purified by light, a deeper ignorance surged from the demon body.

The collision between the two is no longer a matter of attrition, but rather a struggle between two fundamental laws for dominance over this world.

Chen Yi's eyes narrowed slightly.

The Lord of Resentment is not easy to deal with. As a Lord of Resentment whom the Church of Light and Darkness keeps a deep secret, his very existence is enough to instill fear in all living beings.

The surging darkness seemed to be alive, each impact carrying a demonic sound that eroded the Dao heart, and countless broken resentments condensed into tangible sharpness, as if to pierce through the brilliant light.

Chen Yi clearly sensed that this Demon Lord was no ordinary evil spirit, but rather a manifestation of boundless despair and sorrow, a collection of evil thoughts accumulated over thousands of years in the world of ignorance, whose essence was almost a distorted law.

Even so, Chen Yi remained clear-headed.

Although this immense power originates from within, its application is far less effortless than that of fists, feet, swords, or knives.

It's like suddenly gaining access to a vast ocean, but only being able to use a ladle to scoop water for combat; you can only unleash three or four tenths of your full power. Otherwise, why would you be entangled with this demon lord for so long? If given enough time to familiarize yourself with this power…

How long can they remain evenly matched?
The thought had just arisen,

The dark tide, teeming with countless unknowns, surged forth with even greater ferocity, attempting to engulf this magnificent sea of ​​fire.

Chen Yi's lips curled slightly. He admitted that this Demon Lord was troublesome, but so what?
He has a cheat code now.

With a thought, he attempted to draw upon a deeper level of power, enough to determine the fate of the world with a single thought. Based on his previous experience, this should be as natural as breathing, as easy as he had made Donggong Ruoshu reshape her physical body with a single thought.

With a casual wave of his hand, another round of sword rain swept across the sky.

The dazzling rain of swords roared out once again, but this time, its power was significantly weakened. The sword shadows formed by the condensed light were no longer so solid. After colliding with the darkness, they dissipated much faster than they regenerated. The sea of ​​fire that was originally burning brightly, as if it could burn away the eight wastelands, was now like a candle in the wind, its range constantly shrinking and its light rapidly dimming.

Chen Yi's brows furrowed suddenly, and he was immediately horrified to realize that the light around him was rapidly disappearing.

He clearly felt that the source of light within his body, which had been flowing endlessly and seemed inexhaustible, was now leaking out uncontrollably like a leaky jar, and the flow was becoming more and more rapid!
The struggle against the Lord of Resentment no longer resembled mutual attrition, but rather a one-sided outpouring of resentment.

His pupils contracted slightly.
Damn it, where's my cheat code?
.....................

At the core of the pillar of light that leads straight to heaven and earth, the magnificent and splendid Ming Palace is within reach, radiating an ancient and sacred glow.

at last……

The Pure Saintess hovered beside the pillar of light, her aura incompatible with this ignorant world, yet subtly resonating with the Bright Palace.

She slowly raised her hand, her fingertips flowing with a light that shared the same origin as Chen Yi's but was even more obscure and profound, reaching towards the magnificent palace.

A strange scene unfolded: her hand seemed to extend and expand infinitely, covering the heavens and the earth; while the majestic Ming Palace seemed to shrink and condense rapidly, turning into a faint light.

It's unclear whether she is standing tall and upright, or whether the Ming Palace is containing Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed.

In the blink of an eye, the temple, which symbolized the power and residence of the Mingzun, had transformed into a dazzling core, gently floating above her fair palm.

She stood quietly in the void, holding up the bright palace in her hands, her appearance solemn and dignified, just like the Heavenly King who brought down the pagoda to suppress demons in a Buddhist painting.

It became.

She slowly opened her eyes, and a pure and majestic golden light suddenly shone from the depths of her eyes, replacing her original pupil color. It was exactly the same as the light in Chen Yi's eyes in the distance, but seemed to be more ancient and more profound.

Gongsun Guan stood before the main hall, gazing at the strange change occurring at the core of the pillar of light that pierced the heavens and earth, his face showing neither joy nor sorrow.

He gently shook his head, as if confirming some preordained destiny. His voice was not loud, but it echoed clearly in the ears of the two saintesses and Zhu E behind him:

"The Ming Palace changed hands, and power changed hands."

Having usurped the Ming Palace, she is now the true Ming Sovereign.

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the Holy Maiden of Might and the Holy Maiden of Wisdom behind her changed drastically. Even Zhu E, who had always firmly believed that Chen Yi was the Bright Venerable, was struck dumb, her face turning pale instantly. She stared incredulously at the figure in the distance holding the Bright Palace in his hand, his golden eyes shining brightly.

The Mingzun... has changed his position.
(End of this chapter)