Outer void battlefield.
A sword bloomed like a green lotus in ultimate splendor, slicing the void with countless fractures in an instant.
This was Lu Jiulian's pinnacle strike.
His eyes blazed; every pore surged with vast energy, channeling into the blade.
Destructive dao intent, unity of man and heaven, fusion of man and sword!
At this moment, his essence, energy, and spirit peaked.
He poured all his accumulation—from the start of cultivation to half-step Mysterious Immortal—into this one sword.
His only chance.
In a fair fight, he couldn't defeat the Cloud Saint Ancestor.
The man was no weakling—an ancient who had cultivated for hundreds of thousands of years, ancestor of an upper realm saint clan.
Not a fresh saint, nor like the Dao Saint Ancestor, stripped of dao reserves and plummeting in power.
Victory was nearly impossible!
Thus, during the clash...
The Cloud Saint Ancestor froze inexplicably, a split-second lag.
Lu Jiulian seized the opening.
Unleashing his strongest sword.
One strike—to slay a saint!
Rumble!
In the outer battlefield, a massive green lotus bloomed—immense, formed from countless sword qi sweeping vast distances.
Each strand could span eternities.
Terrifying explosions thundered through the void.
Closing in—relentlessly!
The Cloud Saint Ancestor's eyes reddened instantly!
Dao Saint Ancestor's curse coiled like chains around him, weakening his aura, clouding his will.
"Damn it!"
Lu Jiulian's sublimated strike posed true peril.
At saint level, battles hinged on instants—details.
The curse bound him, stiffening his body—a fatal flaw!
He raged.
If the curse came from Lu Jiulian, he'd accept it.
But from the Dao Saint Ancestor—former ally? Confusion fueled fury.
Indeed, the ancients spoke truth: often not enemies, but those beside you who defeat you!
Boom!
The curse brimmed with venom.
Sworn by Nine Heavens Dao—terrifyingly potent.
Lu Jiulian's sword cascaded like a galactic torrent.
Boom!
Roaring, the Cloud Saint Ancestor reacted from the curse—just as the saint-slaying blow crashed down.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Explosions rippled across the battlefield; continent-sized stones shattered, fragments pulverized by shockwaves.
Brilliant radiance—like a dying star, dazzling and scorching.
Lu Jiulian's body flew back, slamming into a massive rock.
Gasping, face excited.
His purpose in this world: pursue cultivation's pinnacle.
This battle—his first taste of that exhilarating extreme!
The annihilation lingered long.
Finally, the brilliance faded.
Lu Jiulian stood expressionless, leaning on his sword.
Gazing at the emerging figure amid interwoven sword light.
He exhaled.
Still not enough.
At the explosion's core...
The Cloud Saint Ancestor was wretched.
Curse lingered; nearly every inch torn by sword qi, flesh scattering. His Dao-tempered body—gravely wounded.
Lu Jiulian's sword fused insights and destructive intent.
A sublimated extreme.
It nearly ended him.
Like fished from a blood pool.
Waist gashed deep to bone—golden spine faintly visible beneath.
Pitiful.
Eyes fixed on Lu Jiulian; powerful fluctuations spread as he suppressed the curse.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Whatever madness gripped the Dao Saint Ancestor...
Priority: kill Lu Jiulian.
Post-pinnacle strike, he must be weakened.
Seize the moment—end him.
Then deal with the curse.
Not easy—sworn by Nine Heavens Dao. Not lethal, but draining.
He felt wronged.
Three years healing in seclusion—barely recovered, now cursed again...
Staring at panting Lu Jiulian.
Flames seemed to burn; aura blazed like a sun—though closer inspection revealed hollowness.
Boom!
He shot forward as light.
Approaching...
Suddenly shuddered.
Turning toward a section of the battlefield.
Rumble!
Nine Heavens Dao thundered.
Lu Jiulian, leaning on his sword, looked up.
Vast fortune formed a torrent—rushing like a river across the heavens.
"Fortune like a river..."
"Someone's becoming Mysterious Immortal!"
Gazing at the white river of fortune, he realized.
Envy surfaced.
So hard—reaching Mysterious Immortal too hard.
His full strike couldn't slay the saint.
No fortune from it to breakthrough.
Yet someone succeeded otherwise.
"Her?"
Thinking of Zhulong—envy deepened.
The Cloud Saint Ancestor paled.
Becoming saint?!
Someone breaking through in the outer battlefield?!
Who?!
Unease gripped him—linked to the Dao curse, foreboding loomed.
...
Yuan Magnetic Heaven.
Lu sat on the Thousand Bladed Chair, Spiritual Pressure Chessboard before him, pieces scattered.
"Little Zhulong... fortune converging like a river."
"Five Phoenix's first Mysterious Immortal."
He smiled, anticipation growing.
Slaying the Dao Saint Ancestor granted immense fortune—shattering her half-step bottleneck.
Fully stepping into Mysterious Immortal—comparable to saint realm.
Now, besides Gu Mangran and himself, Five Phoenix gained another saint-level force.
Mood lifted.
He knew...
Upper realm Dao and Cloud Clans—doomed.
Hm?
Eyes narrowed skyward.
Mysterious Immortal equated saint—naturally triggering heavenly response.
Nine Heavens Dao descended terrifying tribulation.
Lu squinted.
"Nine Heavens Dao..."
Hand sweeping the chessboard.
Decision made.
"Zhulong, go aid Jiulian."
"This heavenly tribulation—Father will bear it for you."
His vast voice echoed into the outer battlefield.
...
Outer void battlefield.
Torrential river of fortune surged, pouring into Zhulong.
Coiling like a massive white python—roaring defiantly at Nine Heavens.
Majestic!
In candle dragon form, bathed in the river—power elevating, transforming—she felt joy.
Dao Saint Ancestor slain; slaying fortune hers—propelling her to Mysterious Immortal.
Vaguely closer to Five Phoenix Dao.
Bloodline sublimating.
Candle dragon evolving.
Like an ancient demon god awakening!
Eyes closed, lashes trembling—blush on fair cheeks.
Suddenly.
Lu's words thundered in her ears.
"This tribulation—Father bears it!"
Like thunder—lips curved, dimples appearing.
Nine Heavens tribulation pressured her.
Facing it alone—great terror.
Might lose many scales.
But with Father shielding—she feared no horror.
Best father in the world.
Touched!
Since he said he'd bear it...
She ignored it—fulfilling his request.
Aid Lu Jiulian!
Boom!
She moved—streaking across the battlefield!
...
Rumble!
Oppressive aura spread; Nine Heavens Dao manifested terrifyingly.
As if crushing down.
Lu tore void, entering the outer battlefield.
White robes pristine, seated on Thousand Bladed Chair.
Saint tribulation?
Mysterious Immortal saint-equivalent—horrific indeed.
Why not let Zhulong transcend it?
It would purge unstable energy from breakthrough.
But he chose to block—for reasons.
First: his precious little one—he couldn't bear her struck by lightning.
Second: she inhaled/exhaled Five Phoenix Dao, bearing its aura—future possibly embodying it.
Tribulation might expose it.
Thus, he blocked.
As creator—he bore none of its aura.
Pure, untainted Qi Refiner.
No exposure.
Moreover...
Hand gently stroking the Stealing Heaven Tower on the chair's arm.
Eyes gleaming.
...
Outer void battlefield.
Cloud Saint Ancestor sensed rolling Nine Heavens Dao.
Expression shifting.
Someone ascending to saint!
Dao Saint Ancestor dead, cursed—now ascension: Lu Ping'an?!
He recalled: saint power without realm.
Now truly saint... terrifying!
Glancing at Lu Jiulian—killing intent surged.
Kill him fast—then disrupt Lu's tribulation.
If Lu truly ascends...
Teaming with Lu Jiulian—he'd be doomed!
Boom!
Like a blazing sun—bloodied but murder unparalleled.
Fist crashing!
Mountains and rivers seemed to shatter!
Lu Jiulian raised green lotus sword to block.
Dong!
Muffled blast; stone behind exploded, Lu Jiulian rocketing away like a cannonball.
Cloud Saint Ancestor gathered energy.
"Die!"
Flames swirled like stellar storms—forming a fearsome fire halberd in his hands.
Gripping it, sweeping the battlefield.
One hit—unblockable, even with fragment sword!
His strongest killing art—from Supreme Furnace flames.
Rumble!
Fire sea surged—world-ending.
Lu Jiulian hovered, sword raised.
Expression calm.
Mind unprecedentedly serene.
This battle...
His toughest one-on-one—victory unseen.
Too hard.
He could challenge saints above his level.
But against this Cloud Ancestor—victory elusive.
Yet...
Until the end—no surrender.
Suddenly.
Fortune river swept in.
A figure streaked from afar.
Boom!
Halberd thrust.
Clang!
Terrifying clash thundered waves.
Ripples spread; fire sea burned millions of miles!
Beneath...
Lu Jiulian looked up, hair flying—stunned at the figure shielding him.
A girl, eyes closed, back to him—taking the halberd strike.
Imperial fragment armor radiated vast might...
"What?!"
Cloud Saint Ancestor felt his halberd dissipate.
Horror on his face.
What the hell...?!
Under the fire sea.
Lu Jiulian stared in shock.
"Buzhou Peak... Zhulong?!"
Deep breath.
"Father sent me to aid you..."
Zhulong said faintly, lashes fluttering.
"Father said beat him half-dead—you finish."
Lu Jiulian froze. Half-dead... for him to finish?
To claim the kill—slay saint, reach Mysterious Immortal?!
Was he one to scavenge kills?!
And a saint ancestor—easily beaten half-dead?
Deep breath.
Leaning on sword.
Staring at Zhulong.
"Girl... I don't want to struggle anymore."
Clang!
Sword drawn.
Humming brightly.
"I'll take it!"
Zhulong paused—something off, but nodded.
She spoke little—cold to all.
Except Father.
"Saint might! You're the one ascending?!"
Cloud Saint Ancestor stared gravely as Zhulong turned slowly from the fire.
Serene beauty, eyes closed—like a quiet autumn leaf.
"What a Five Phoenix... besides Lu Ping'an, spawning monsters like you two!"
"Pity—today, you all stay!"
Killing intent boiled.
Fear gripped him.
One Lu Jiulian—half-saint prodigy, manageable.
But this girl—true saint might!
Must kill!
Or given time—Five Phoenix horrifying!
Netherworld, Heavenly Gate, Five Phoenix... grand conspiracy—plus prodigies like Zhulong, Lu Jiulian.
Unlimited potential—terrifying!
Unkilled—Cloud Clan doomed!
Boom!
He struck—flames forming halberd, charging Zhulong.
Hair flying, she burst forward.
Pre-saint, she fought Dao Ancestor—now saint-equivalent, fearless!
Two rainbows clashed!
Suddenly!
Vast candle dragon emerged—crimson scales blazing.
Tail whipping down.
Crack!
Cursed Cloud Saint Ancestor struck—halberd shattered, fire sea parted.
Tail smashed his body.
Half exploded.
Against Mysterious Immortal Zhulong—his tempered flesh held no edge.
He flew back, face shocked!
Lights collided endlessly—shifting.
Puchi! Puchi!
He coughed blood relentlessly.
Beaten down—no counter.
Zhulong inwardly conflicted.
She wanted divine ability—one glare, end it.
But feared instant death.
Father said half-dead—for Lu Jiulian.
She obeyed.
So—tire herself, slowly cripple him.
Bang!
Shards exploded.
Cloud Saint Ancestor dazed—lost.
How to fight?
Monster.
Imperial armor—invincible defense, unharmed—attacks devastating.
Flesh couldn't withstand.
Shoulder exploded.
Waist cavernous.
Arms blocking—shattered.
Legs broken...
Bleeding in void—wretched.
Zhulong hovered, lashes trembling.
Eyelids slightly lifting.
Yin-yang qi swirling terrifyingly.
Oppressive as heavens.
White robes fluttering, bamboo flute at waist—she approached.
Boom!
Aura spread—vast power erupting.
Yin-yang qi collapsed void, mangling his body.
Hurling toward Lu Jiulian.
"Catch."
She said.
Lu Jiulian flushed slightly.
But sword flashed lightning-fast.
"Shnk!"
Smoothly piercing the Cloud Saint Ancestor's head.
