Chapter 174 - 134: Heaven-Slaying
The three from the Saint Demon Sect strode in through the ruins of the city wall.
The refugees secretly watching from a distance all clapped their hands over their mouths!
’Is this the might of the Saint Master? Is even an Ancient Qilin Divine Beast willing to serve him?!’ Wang Yue screamed inwardly.
Compared to the old, rigid Imperial Court that had shut the refugees out of the city, the Saint Demon Sect Master’s display of overwhelming power left a deep impression on Wang Yue and the other refugees.
...
The Ancient Fire Qilin charged into the Capital Region.
Like a ferocious beast let loose in a sheep pen.
It rode upon clouds, hovering in mid-air!
It spat a hundred-meter-long column of fire from its mouth. The flames swept down from above, leaving a swathe of scorched earth in their wake. Even the sturdiest buildings were reduced to ash by the Qilin’s fire.
A man who had just been taking his songbird for a walk was instantly turned into a desiccated corpse by a blast of scorching heat.
They didn’t even need to be touched by the fire. The mere heatwave was enough to kill any ordinary person.
The Ancient Fire Qilin had not forgotten Lu Changfeng’s instructions. It flew straight for the Imperial Palace.
With such a huge disturbance, the Martial Arts Powers within the Capital City were naturally all alerted.
But as they watched the powerful Fire Qilin rampaging across the sky, no one was willing to be the first to throw their life away.
And so, the Fire Qilin continued its brazen rampage through the Capital City, soon arriving within three li of the Imperial Palace.
Hongg Zai stood atop the Imperial Palace’s Observatory Platform, his expression extremely grim.
He now deeply regretted moving the Black Dragon Army out of the Capital Region so quickly.
He had sent his most loyal subordinates away from his side.
What he hadn’t expected, however, was the sheer audacity of the Saint Demon Sect Master! To dare to attack the Capital City directly.
"What’s the word from Grandmaster Ming?" Hongg Zai asked the silver-haired eunuch beside him, his eyes fixed on the rampaging Ancient Fire Qilin in the distance.
Standing beside Hongg Zai was Cao Gongjun, the Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Palace.
Before becoming the Chief Eunuch, Cao Gongjun had been the head eunuch serving Hongg Zai’s birth mother.
He was a scion of her family, sent into the palace to serve, and was even distantly related to Hongg Zai by blood. For this reason, Hongg Zai trusted him implicitly.
"Grandmaster Ming said that while he does not support Your Majesty, he will not stand by and watch this beast destroy the Imperial Palace."
"Good." Hongg Zai nodded slightly. ’With Grandmaster Ming holding it off for a while, my master from Yunfo Temple will hear the news and arrive soon.’
’When the time comes, I’ll make sure that beast pays!’
The words had barely left his mouth when he saw the distant Ancient Fire Qilin flying toward the Imperial Palace.
Outside the Imperial Palace, the Ancient Fire Qilin opened its mouth, and a hundred-meter-long pillar of fire shot toward the palace.
Just as the pillar of fire was about to reach the Imperial Palace walls, an invisible energy intercepted it.
The fiery torrent slammed against an invisible wall, shattering and spraying embers in every direction.
The Ancient Fire Qilin closed its mouth and focused its gaze, only to see an old man with a white beard and hair, dressed in a dark robe, staring steadily back at it.
"You beast! After committing such slaughter, do you not fear the tribulation of thunderbolts from beyond the Nine Heavens?"
"Grandmaster Ming has made his move!" Cao Gongjun said to Hongg Zai on the Observatory Platform.
Hongg Zai nodded slightly. ’Even though Grandmaster Ming has never supported me, at least he’s loyal to the Royal Family.’
’The old man doesn’t have many years left anyway. Let him burn his last embers. It would be best if he and this beast take each other out.’
Seeing Grandmaster Ming make his move, the major Martial Arts Powers of the Capital City finally began to reveal themselves one by one.
"Grandmaster Ming! This beast is powerful!"
"Be careful, Grandmaster Ming! We’re ready to back you up at any moment!"
Before the Imperial Palace, the Ancient Fire Qilin understood Grandmaster Ming’s words.
A trace of disdain showed in its pupils, each the size of a normal person’s head.
In the Ancient Times, the Human Race was originally food for the Demon Race.
The Heroes of the Human Race were the exception, of course. Those humans, born blessed by heaven and earth, were the doted-on children of the world.
Because its realm had declined, it couldn’t speak, but Grandmaster Ming could see the contempt in its gaze with perfect clarity.
Grandmaster Ming was enraged.
His slightly aged figure shot straight up into the sky, coming face-to-face with the Ancient Fire Qilin!
Grandmaster Ming was clearly an expert of the True Spirit Body Realm!
Experts of the True Spirit Body Realm, whose Spirit Bodies were further solidified, could fly freely hundreds of meters in the air.
The formidable Spiritual Power within their bodies could further enhance the might of their Spiritual Martial Arts.
Grandmaster Ming’s Spiritual Martial Arts was called [Illusory Sea Barrier].
He possessed the High-Grade Martial Talent [Illusion Sea].
This was a Spiritual Class Martial Talent.
From a young age, Grandmaster Ming had a photographic memory. After he began his martial arts training, he could already use his Spiritual Ability to create illusions and run circles around his peers by the time he reached the Blood Forging Realm.
Grandmaster Ming developed [Illusion Sea] to its absolute limit.
In the Bone Refining Realm, he was able to achieve Visualization of his Martial Arts True Intent.
Relying on this, he successfully broke through to the Rebirth Realm without the need for a Demon Fiend Bloodline.
After breaking through to the Rebirth Realm, a gap in power appears between those with a Demon Fiend Bloodline and those without. In the Primordial Spirit Body Realm, the former are typically stronger. The enhancements from their Demon Fiend Bloodline, combined with their bizarre array of Demon Fiend Skills, allow them to completely overpower the latter.
Fantian was the best example of this.
However, starting from the True Spirit Body Realm, this situation changed.
In the True Spirit Body Realm, the Spirit Body of a Martial Artist without a Demon Fiend Bloodline becomes purer. Both the quantity and quality of their Spiritual Power surpass those of Martial Artists who advanced by relying on a Demon Fiend Bloodline.
Furthermore, Martial Artists at this realm tend to have a higher level of understanding of Martial Arts True Intent. By relying on their purer Spiritual Power, they can already negate the enhancement effects brought by a Demon Fiend Bloodline.
Conversely, when a Martial Artist who relies on a Demon Fiend Bloodline advances from the Primordial Spirit Body Realm to the True Spirit Body Realm, they must be careful to prevent their bloodline’s power from growing too strong, lest it affect their personality and physical form.