Starlit Path of the Mystic Forge

Beiluo, West Mountain.

Kong Nanfei’s failed tribulation did dampen the cultivators’ morale.

Many now understood: cultivation wasn’t smooth sailing. Power came with peril—tribulation peril.

Fear and hesitation spread. Heaven Lock had three bolts; even Kong Nanfei, who could manifest a righteous qi river, nearly died.

Ordinary cultivators? Instant death under thunder.

Heaven Lock... perhaps only for geniuses.

They’d settle for Golden Core.

Nie Changqing swept the crowd; said nothing.

To each their path. Heaven Lock’s danger visible; not all could choose it.

Ning Zhao and Nie Changqing exchanged glances; stepped into the trial tower.

Continued breakthrough assaults.

Ni Yu shouldered black pot; smacked lips.

Nie Shuang clenched fists; eyes gleamed.

Bai Qingniao’s three chicks poked heads; spotted Jiang Li; eyes lit. Earlier saw him but Kong tribulating; no shout.

To Jiang Li; inspected unharmed; stone fell.

Little Phoenix One climbed Bai Qingniao’s head; glared Jiang Li.

Jiang Li glanced; mouth twitched.

Never thought glared by chick.

Ni Yu Nie Shuang entered tower.

Ni Yu called Bai Qingniao; ignored; pestered Jiang Li.

Ni Yu pot-top; proud hum; twist entered.

Scene shifted.

Cleared; primitive forest.

Black shadows shot; Ni Yu chin up; grudging eager.

Trial tower third layer.

Shadows halted; masked weird beings Ni Yu knew; mask center hole; cold eyes.

Uniform black pots.

Sat around Ni Yu; she one-hand pot; war intent.

Come!

Death battle!

Posturing.

All sat; herbs appeared Ni Yu; chubby face twitch; fire; alchemy; herbs into pot.

Distant.

Weird beings hand flame; threw pot bottom; blazing.

Alchemy too.

Ni Yu’s challenge unique; others kill; hers alchemy rivals.

Win: better pills.

Ordinary Qi Gathering.

Ni Yu gritted.

Failed before; pot-smashed dead.

Swore win; pot-smash back!

Young Master’s favored alchemist!

Tower layers talent-based.

Nie Changqing: pig-butchering knife foes; knife intent.

Ning Zhao: cicada-wing sword.

Nie Shuang: bare fists.

Bai Qingniao: chick-rearing.

Tower dug potential; broke shackles.

Beiluo, Lake Heart Isle.

Kong Nanfei woke.

Weak; meridians burning.

Wheelchair snow crush; Lu appeared.

"Regret?"

Lu leaned Thousand Blade; eyed Kong.

"More settling; adapt power; block third bolt..."

Lu.

Kong eyes fluctuated; failed...

Prove self; failed.

Tribulation shattered all; huge blow.

Breakthrough heart risked crush.

Meng Haoran concerned; feared master slump.

Kong lost; no slump.

"Too hasty."

Kong calm.

"Thanks Young Master Lu save..."

Kong cupped hands.

Lu waved: "No thanks me."

"Travel; like Master; tour lands; heart insights; accumulate; Heaven Lock chance."

Lu.

Kong rose; pale; cupped Lu.

Planned.

Pre-leave; found Mo Tianyu; knelt Master grave; solemn bow.

Then Meng left isle; Beiluo.

Post-Kong; Mo knelt grave; pocket three coins; bid Lu.

Carefree; confucian robes hunt; snow vanish.

Isle quiet.

Lu wandered peninsula peach bamboo.

Fingers tap guard.

Kong failed; but instinct: Heaven Lock soon birth.

Beiluo lake.

Little Yinglong mouth ring unopened; supine leaf-like; drifted.

Lu amused.

Hand; dispersed ring.

Little Yinglong mouth flap; eyes bright; flip; wave again!

Ignored lake frolic.

Lu eyed lake bottom.

Faint.

Saw suppressed thunder pearl; inner thunder dragon.

...

Snowy sky.

Steed galloped; crane-cloaked Mo Ju eyed side green-ox Li Sansi.

Li’s ox mad run; no slower steed.

Snow slapped Mo Ju face; skin sting. Follow current novels on novel{f}ire.net

"Daxuan Xiliang attack capital; Xiliang has Overlord top; Daxuan avoid edge; exit capital; likely Yuan Chi; hurry; Overlord may strike."

Mo Ju horseback analysis.

Li Sansi yawn lazy.

Pocket wood sword; drowsy.

Mo words unclear.

But promised help vs Overlord; no refuse.

Mo Ju sent "Bamboo Leaf Green" Buzhou Peak; favor.

Of course; told only block Overlord; may not beat.

Mo smiled unconcerned; block enough; kill Overlord but Beiluo Young Master...

None.

Sudden.

Ox-back drowsy Li; eyes open.

"Hm?"

"Qi fluctuation; cultivator aura..."

Li.

Mo stunned; cultivation weaker; no sense.

But smart; guessed; thought turn; face change.

"Perhaps..."

Mo ugly.

"Daoist Li; faster."

Mo eyed front; exhale.

...

Snow plain; armies no standoff.

Direct war.

Xiliang cavalry Xiang charged Daxuan.

Tantai Xuan no chariot; hot temper; eyes red.

Drew blade; roar kill.

Led charge enemy.

First Daxuan-Xiliang clash.

First cultivator armies; Xuanwu Xiang; blades qi.

Then cavalries.

War flood; snow mud.

Soon blood dyed; cruel air.

Overlord eyes flicker; Daxuan not weak; border Xirong kills; no less Xiliang; lions biting.

Brutal.

Overlord war chariot; three steeds.

Whip reins; black-manes mad; sped Daxuan.

Demonic qi release; flood destroy; dive.

"War!"

Overlord low.

Overlord move; Xiliang morale soared.

Daxuan pressed.

Tantai red; weak beaten; but bite flesh.

Ruthless.

Today crisis; greatest.

Armies face.

Defeat cascade; stray dogs.

Daxuan withdraw Yuan Chi; no battlefield heart collapse.

Overlord chariot crushed.

None block.

Spirit pressure; chariot pass; common soldiers head low; five full Body Storage unimaginable.

Kong thunder-miserable.

Heaven might.

Kong Body limit; righteous river suppress armies!

Tantai blood armor; eyed chariot speeding Overlord.

"Good Overlord..."

Tantai laughed.

Recall Overlord spare.

Kill openly; armies slay...

Face.

Else earlier; no escape.

Five full vs mortal-strong Tantai; how?

Sudden.

Front.

Xuanwu blocked.

"King! Withdraw!"

Xuanwu roar; lives block; win breath.

Tantai trembled.

Xuanwu front; Overlord slight cheek.

Familiar.

Attacked Mohist city; same.

Now again.

No soft; then no; now less.

Chariot continued.

Overlord sudden roar!

Xuanwu blood mist; flew.

Qi Core no block mighty Overlord.

Chariot.

Mo Beike bags twitch.

Sleeve hand clenched.

Overlord...

Mo powerless; pre-cultivator era; scheme world.

Cultivator era broke cognition.

Now Overlord brute crush.

Tantai die here.

Daxuan done.

Sudden.

Light laugh.

"Overlord... long no see; still... domineering."

Voice battlefield.

Dao robes flew; wood sword horizontal Tantai front.

Qi crisscross; spirit armor front Li Sansi.

Boom!

Chariot Overlord stood.

Three steeds front hooves high; neigh; hot breath.

"Li Sansi."

Overlord unexpected; never thought battlefield Li.

Former Dao Sect first.

First Body Storage.

Tantai saw; not just Overlord; self surprised.

Why here?

Sudden.

Recall Mo Ju; Mo Beike said Mo seek anti-Overlord.

Li Mo found?

World vs Overlord; Li perhaps!

Li aid; Daxuan... match Xiliang!

Daxuan... fight!

Distant.

Mo Ju horse chaos.

Qi surge; no kill; parted; battlefield; Tantai side.

Tantai complex.

Recall torn letter; thought Mo betray flee.

Darkest; Mo sunshine; hope; Daxuan hope.

Mo pant; dismount.

Blood Tantai; exhale.

Good; made.

But complex eyes; Mo stunned; wise; knew identity.

Mo smiled unconcerned.

Know fine.

Much hidden; Master battlefield death; foresaw.

"Lord; post-battle talk."

Mo.

Tantai grabbed hand; solemn pat.

Distant chariot; Overlord frowned.

Never Li here.

"Li Sansi; block king?"

Overlord.

Li wood sword smile: "Owe favor; entrusted..."

Overlord silent.

Said; war.

Gripped Ganqi; chariot leap; black demonic sweep; rush Li.

Li smile; robes flew rush Overlord.

"Long wanted fight; see... first Body breakthrough; how strong!"

Overlord low.

Axe sweep; black edge; ground thick soil!

Li sword ground; bent; qi burst; soil clump.

Collide.

Sudden explode!

Qi waves; blast.

Overlord unmoved.

Li robes hunt.

Cultivators vs same realm...

Tantai true cognition.

Invincible Overlord blocked!

"War!"

Tantai blade; roar.

Daxuan soldiers weapons; violent drink.

Distant; Mo Beike chariot down.

Lifted hem; sped Tantai: "King; desperate unwise..."

Tantai unwilling glance.

"Forget one year; Daxuan Academy."

Mo grave.

Tantai unwilling settled.

Eyed distant Li-entangled Overlord; closed eyes; force calm.

Long.

Exhale; open.

"Good!"

"Withdraw!"

Tantai order.

One year; Mo Ju unclear; but Xiliang fast attack; because.

Daxuan safe withdraw.

No Overlord press; Xiliang strong; hard destroy.

Daxuan withdrew.

Li few moves Overlord; fled; else Overlord Xiang; stay here.

Daxuan ragged retreat.

Overlord no pursue; Li aid unexpected.

Body Storage help; easy Daxuan no.

Overlord sighed.

Heaven intent.

Heaven no Daxuan die; no die.

Overlord back Beiluo; next... train Xiang soldiers.

Lu favor academy.

Overlord disbelieve; train strong army cultivators; crush academy!

Slap Young Master face; expect.

...

Daxuan Xiliang battle; Lu watched.

No intervene.

But Li appear; even Lu slight surprise.

Mo Ju move Li; interesting; how?

Body Storage; dead-end Daxuan revitalized.

Overlord no destroy today; world situation; stable development.

Sudden.

Lu stunned.

System panel pop.

Long silent [Mission]; flashing.