"The Heavenly Fire Descends!" The impetuous Segment Master launched the first attack, arms outstretched, a thick column of flame surging upward and piercing the sky. The flame spread across the night sky, staining the clouds with magnificent crimson hues, illuminating the entire nation. Soon after, one after another fire meteors broke through the cloud layers, descending in a sweeping wave over the roads outside the city and the open fields—truly a magnificent spectacle. Tao Bao Guang He remained unmoved, allowing fire balls to strike beside him without flinching, coolly remarking, "A mere trifling skill." Occasionally, fire balls hit him, causing only scorched, blackened patches on his skin, which healed completely within moments of breathing. Fu Qingyang gently pressed his index finger, and the flame-burning Segment Master, like a puppet guided by strings, surged forward and dove toward Tao Bao Guang He. Xiao Yuan swept her hands through the air, forming a magical table, placing a straw figure shaped like the Segment Master upon it, then pressed her palms together, bowed her head, and recited softly in a reverent temple-like posture. The Palace Master, meanwhile, opened her voice, singing a song of vigorous and uplifting melody The flames on Duan Bangzhu’s body suddenly surged to brilliance. Tuoba Guanghe’s muscles along his back swelled, his strength surging through his eight arms, transforming into fist energy, and then erupting in a sudden, powerful blast. "Boom!" Eight beams of fist energy struck Duan Bangzhu as he dove forward, tearing him apart into countless streams of fire. Duan Bangzhu appeared silently behind Tuoba Guanghe, his palms pressing against the thick, metallic-tinged back of his opponent. Given Tuoba Guanghe’s status, he hadn’t immediately sensed the enemy’s attack from behind. Xiao Yuan’s prayer had masked the subtle movements of the fire element, ensuring Duan Bangzhu’s assault succeeded. As a master-level cultivator, she could guarantee such fine details, but in matters of war or victory, such precision would inevitably falter. "Crack… crack…" White frost rapidly formed and spread across Tuoba Guanghe’s back. Fire stolen! A master-level fire cultivator’s ability to extract both tangible and intangible flames—where the latter signifies "temperature." Master Duan stole the warmth within Tuoba Guanghe, freezing his five viscera and six organs. Immediately after securing his victory, Master Duan withdrew, determined not to remain near Tuoba Guanghe for long. Though the Fire Master was confident in close combat, if his opponent were a great master-level ancient war god, the situation would be entirely different. Negative energy surged forth, releasing one after another of Sealing Spirit Scrolls that rained down upon Tao Bao Guang He’s back, accompanied by thunderous drumbeats. The northern realm’s first martial master, who had just dispelled the chill, instantly felt his mind grow sluggish—like someone waking from a mild hangover, with a dull headache, dizziness, and impaired movement. While not severe, nor entirely negligible, the effect was noticeable, as Sealing Spirit Scrolls were one of the core abilities of the Spirit Scroll, and although the spirit-impacting monster was solid in its spiritual strength—neither as powerful as the Void Ones nor the Sun-Wandering Deities—it still exerted a measurable influence. Fu Qingyang curled his fingers and flicked out a drop of blood. The drop shot toward a small circle hovering in the air—blood he had quietly gathered during their prior battles from Tao Bao Guang He. The small circle reached out and caught the drop, incorporating it into the straw figure, which instantly took on the appearance of Tao Bao Guang He. Then, she lifted the prepared yellow scroll with black characters and swiftly pressed it onto the straw figure’s torso. Black flames erupted from the figure, causing it to tremble continuously. Tao Bao Guang He, feeling mentally foggy and exhausted, saw his body ignite with black flames, emitting a rare, pained low roar as if enduring intense agony. "Hah!" Duan's master roared, forming a ball of blazing white fire in his palm, then moving with fluid grace to stand before Tao Bao Guang He and delivering a powerful strike to his chest. Boom! The explosive force launched the Nine-Rank War God flying backward, the expanding fire radiating like a miniature nuclear bomb, its mushroom cloud rising to over a hundred meters. The shockwave rapidly spread, lifting dust, corpses, and fragments of weapons left behind from the battle. Tao Bao Guang He, whose chest had been extensively carbonized, instantly escaped all negative effects. The passive skill "Bloodthirsty Fury," which underwent a qualitative transformation upon his ascension to Ancient War God, now activated: when sustained damage was received, it would ignite a surge of combat spirit, eliminating all effects of dizziness, immobilization, or freezing. Fu Qingyang, Zhi Sha's Master, Yin Yao's Princess, and Duan's master simultaneously launched attacks from four different directions, closing in on Tao Bao Guang He. Mo-tu Guanghe pressed his palms together, forming the Dharma Body of the Buddha, manifesting as a form as dark as ink, exuding majestic and serene radiance. Suddenly, from the crown of this dark, ink-black form, a substance resembling mud began to flow. The once impenetrable form, subjected to intense contamination, rapidly thinned and weakened. At a distance, the straw figure held by Xiao Yuan was coated with a layer of fragrant ash—clear evidence of the impurity and malevolent spirits' pollution. The attacks from the four Sovereigns struck the Dharma Body, causing it to tremble violently, and the inherently ethereal form now bore countless fissures. "ROAR!" Mo-tu Guanghe lifted his head and roared, his voice thunderous; the sound shook the city walls hundreds of meters away, causing cracks to spread and shift. The eardrums of the four Sovereigns ruptured simultaneously, overwhelmed by the disturbance. Mo-tu Guanghe then dissolved the Dharma Body, extended his eight arms, used his long sword to block Fu Qingyang's sword point, pierced Segment's main officer through the chest with his lance, struck down the Master of the Stopping Palace with his Lady Yin Yao's limbs emitted the sound of tearing. At that moment, dense threads surged in, tightly wrapping around Tuoba Guanghe's arms, legs, and body. As Tuoba Guanghe raised his sword-arm to strike, he suddenly saw the beauty before him—her eyes glistening with springtime warmth, her cheeks flushed, her delicate lips appearing like the most exquisite delicacy in the world. A surge of desire, possessiveness, and tenderness for her blossomed within him; his sword hung suspended in midair, unable to descend. In that brief moment of stillness, Lady Yin Yao dissolved into starlight, escaping the tearing fate. The scene unfolded outside the city—what was once "Three Heroes Defeating Lu Bu" now became "Four Heroes Defeating Lu Bu." Tuoba Guanghe surveyed the battlefield with keen awareness, his movements dynamic and precise, countering four adversaries with ease, never showing the slightest sign of fatigue or decline. The ancient war god excelled at large-scale engagements; to him, four opponents were no different from one. In contrast, the Southern Dynasty faction suffered severe setbacks—Fu Qingyang, Duan's Master, and Lady Yin Yao all sustained critical blows. Though Fu Qingyang possessed the ability of insight, he could not evade the explosive force of punches or sonic attacks. Lady Yin Yao, on the other hand, lacked the necessary cultivation level and, as a frontline combatant, was consistently outmatched by the ancient war god of higher rank, nearly losing several times. Thanks to the Master's consistently strong healing support, she managed to survive. Later on, all he could think about was: save the children... Now, only a few scattered thoughts remain, and he's half-unconscious, relying solely on his willpower to stay awake, ready to collapse at any moment from the intense pain of his soul being torn apart. Suddenly, Fu Qingyang, who has been continuously monitoring the original state, said, "Are you ready? The original state is rapidly deteriorating." As the infant took shape, Tao Bao Guang He's strength gradually waned, like a tide retreating. It seemed as though everything had been prearranged: first, the distant small circle raised a straw figure, dusted it with fragrant ash, and caused a mud-like filth to seep from the top of Tao Bao Guang He's head, further weakening his power. Then, they caught the blood droplets hurled by Fu Qingyang and applied them to the straw figure. "Hoo!" Tao Bao Guang He's body erupted in black flames. Duan Zhuben seized the opportunity and repeated his earlier maneuver, pressing his palm against the back covered in red threads, activating the "Steal Fire" technique to drain Tao Bao Guang He's warmth, freezing his blood vessels and organs. Fu Qingyang raised his index fingers like a sword, piercing them into Tao Bao Guang He's chest. At that moment, he suddenly sensed the imminent danger and said firmly, "Retreat now!" The very next instant, Tao Bao Guang He's vital energy collapsed inward, vanishing completely. Moments later, an unimaginably powerful suction emerged from within him, drawing in and consuming all living beings around. The Princess Gong and Xiao Yuan did not come close; upon hearing the news, they swiftly retreated. Princess Yin Yao, however, was an entity of阴energy, not possessing ordinary vitality, and thus remained unaffected by the cyclonic force. Master Duan, who had been in close proximity, failed to escape in time and was drawn into the vortex, firmly pressed against the back of Tuoba Guanghe. His skin lost its luster, his flesh rapidly shriveling, and his vital energy surged like a flood, being sucked into the cyclone. At the same time, blood mist rose in waves throughout the city, drifting gracefully out of the city and drawn into the vortex, spiraling into Tuoba Guanghe's body. These were the vital essences of ordinary soldiers and civilians—those closer to the city center were affected, while the more accomplished saints remained unharmed. A small portion of their extraordinary vitality seeped out, while ordinary people were instantly drained of their essence, becoming nourishment. Tuoba Guanghe's previously weak vital energy surged dramatically, rising steadily like a tidal wave. The bloodthirsty spirit beast, which thrived on blood and became aggressive when its vitality was low, required the sacrifice of living beings to activate its passive But at the level of Supreme Master, the skill undergoes a qualitative transformation—capable of drawing out the vital essence of beings below his own life level, forcefully stripping it away. Of course, the ordinary qi and blood energy of common people is not sufficient to allow him to recover so swiftly; primarily, the qi and blood of the Deputy Head of the Sect are a great replenishment to him. Fu Qingyang, the Palace Mistress, and the young circle of the young lady all grew pale with alarm. Tuoba Guanghe, a Supreme Master of the ninth rank, exerts positional dominance, so as long as they enter the range of the aura, they will inevitably have their vital essence drawn off—a defense mechanism that cannot withstand this. As the Palace Mistress holds the office of the Master of Fate, she is not afraid of being drained completely; yet, by stepping in to rescue the Deputy Head, she effectively offers herself as a blood supply. Only the Silver Yao Princess persistently employs magical attacks, though the damage inflicted remains negligible. It's no longer viable—should this situation persist, all their previous efforts will be rendered futile. The Deputy Head now feels a sense of weakness he has never experienced before upon entering the Master-level realm—like an elderly person on Though his body grows increasingly frail, the tenacity and pride inherited from the Fire Master burn ever brighter, fiercer with each passing day. Suddenly, Master Duan recalls his youth—his father passed away when he was young, and he was raised by his widowed mother. At the age of twelve, the mother was murdered by a powerful local bully who coveted her beauty, driven to death by force inside their home. She jumped into the well and died. With the help of neighbors, Duan filed a complaint with the magistrate, but it went unanswered. He quietly buried his mother, then stole the pig-butcher's knife from Wang, and at night, crept into the bully's home to kill him with a series of blows. "There is always a god three feet above us; justice is always found on the tip of the blade." Since then, he has been relentlessly pursued by the authorities, living a life of constant peril and bloodshed. Rising from humble beginnings, he has spent decades in the grasslands, never ceasing to fight against the powerful and support the weak. Officials who saw him as a threat would send him to his death, and tyrants who encountered him would be extinguished. For years, he never questioned the meaning or purpose Like the final brushstroke that brings a painting to life, everything became clear at once. Master Duan suddenly lifted his head, gazing at Zhao Shun atop the city wall, and with all his remaining strength, shouted fiercely, "Zhao Shun! The emperor can defend the nation's gates—so can a common man. You have burdened the common people for twenty-four years. If you continue to pursue pleasure and oppress the people, Duan will not rest even as I become a ghost!" When the thick smoke rises, when the storms subside, when the flames die out, a blackened human form stands upon the scorched land. His body shattered, all eight arms severed. Yet he has not perished yet—suddenly, his blackened, carbonized face opens its eyes. The carbonized flesh shell cracks and peels away, revealing fresh, tender tissue growing rapidly; the severed arms slowly mend and restore themselves. Duan Huoshen's self-explosion severely wounded Tuoba Guanghe, but it was not enough to kill a Nine-Rank Sovereign, even when Tuoba Guanghe was already weakened. Of course, Tuoba Guanghe is now even more frail. On the ruins, Zhang Yuanqing slowly rises, steadies the tilted Kui Niu Drum, and strikes it powerfully. He should have reached his limit, but Duan Huoshen's self-explosion interrupted his drumming, and the erupting fire-based spiritual energy raged for three full minutes, knocking him unconscious. Those three minutes granted Zhang Yuanqing precious recovery time. The powerful self-healing capacity of the Day Traveler God allowed him to regain consciousness, and after drinking a vial of Life Source The blackened figure froze instantly, his flesh healing rate dropping sharply. At the edge of the collapsing city wall, a figure darted out swiftly, cloak flapping, his sword tip striking the blackened humanoid's forehead. Cracks appeared in Tuoba Guanghe's forehead, exposing the stark white bone. The intense pain sharpened his gaze, as he summoned his vital energy to his fullest potential, prompting the regeneration of his two primary arms, which grasped Fu Qingyang's arm. "Crack!" Fu Qingyang's arm bone shattered, the sword's energy momentarily stalled. Just as Tuoba Guanghe was about to tear off the opponent's right arm, he suddenly felt a powerful surge of sword energy erupting from the severed arm, piercing through his palm. The severed arm automatically reconnected, waves of crimson spiritual energy rolling into it and gathering at the tip. "Shh!" The bright white sword energy turned crimson, its sharpness intensifying. Tuoba Guanghe's cranial bone "cracked" and split. This nine-tier master, the foremost champion of the northern realm, the grandmaster who had never faced a rival, finally sensed the imminent threat of death. At the very brink of death, his latent potential surged forth. Six ethereal arms swiftly coalesced, forming a web that encircled Fu Qingyang, aiming to drive him back or shatter him. Fu Qingyang's figure suddenly grew lean, his vital energy rapidly draining, transforming into sword qi that erupted from his fingertips. "Pff!" The blood-colored sword qi pierced through his brain, spewing out crimson blood and white cerebrospinal fluid from behind Tao Bao Guang He's skull. This powerful warrior stared in wide-eyed astonishment and reluctant disbelief, as though he couldn't believe this was his fate—yet ultimately, his radiance faded helplessly. A delicate, resilient spirit body detached itself from his flesh and drifted toward the distance. Fu Qingyang then thrust his sword finger skyward, the sword qi imbued with the power to shake and destroy penetrating the spirit body. An invisible, turbulent surge of mental energy spread and diffused through the air, eventually settling into stillness and vanishing. Standing alone, emaciated and slender, Fu Qingyang was left in the night wind, which whistled through his hair, each silvery strand trembling and swaying. As bright as morning hair, now turning to snow at dusk In the night sky, the resolute voice of the Master of the Zhishā Palace rang out with clear strength: "Drunk, I light the lamp and gaze at the sword; in dreams, I hear the horns blowing across the camps. Eight hundred miles of roasted meat shared among my troops, fifty strings echoing the sounds from the northern frontier. Autumn battles, troops arrayed and summoned." "Like a galloping horse, swift as a Li Lu; the bow strings snap like thunder. I have fulfilled the king's grand ambitions, earned glory both in life and after death. Alas, how pitiful the white hair of old! Alas, how pitiful the white hair of old!" The song carried the spirit of war, imbued with an uplifting power that stirred the drumming Zhang Yuancheng and the nearly lifeless Fu Qingyang, reviving a surge of vibrant vitality within them. It prevented their immediate or sudden demise. Then, she produced the Pot of Immortal Transformation, traced its surface, and poured two streams of golden, concentrated life essence into the two bodies that had grown weary and lifeless. "Big brother, your skill of going completely white overnight is absolutely impressive," Zhang Yuancheng said "As he spoke, the attendees heard a gentle voice from beside them: 【Ding!"""