BAAF Chapter 101

A hundred miles outside the Demon Capital’s barrier, people could see only blurry scenes through the semitransparent barrier, but phenomena like the ascension tribulation lightning covering the sky and the seven-colored divine auspicious cloud were seen clearly.

 

In an instant, everyone displayed different expressions—amazement, envy, worry…

 

“Emperor Di! As expected of Emperor Di! Actually ascending on an auspicious cloud, who else in the world could do such a thing!”

 

“The tribulation lightning dispersed, the auspicious cloud descended—such an ascension path is unheard of. This is the treatment of the continent’s number one person, truly the envy of others.”

 

“The barrier hasn’t broken. Does that mean Qiongqi is still alive? What are we going to do!”

 

With these words, everyone had to focus on the present situation. Considering this possibility, their faces all turned pale.

 

Hundreds of years ago, against the four demon beasts, there was Emperor Di. Hundreds of years later, there was Emperor Di again. But now Emperor Di had left—who could take on this great responsibility…

 

“Clang—!”

 

Shen Liuxiang struck down with his sword at the dying Qiongqi on the ground.

 

His sword Zhaoyao was a high-level magical artifact. He channeled all his spiritual power into the sword—this strike could even split a mountain range. Unexpectedly, Qiongqi’s body was like dark iron. The sword rang out but couldn’t break through the skin, just a painless, ineffective strike.

 

Instead, Shen Liuxiang was forced back several steps, his sword-holding fingers aching.

 

Shen Liuxiang was incredulous. Just now, Di Yunyu had been punching the demon beast bare-handed as if beating a cub. How was it that when it came to his turn, Qiongqi’s body became so invincible?

 

Qiongqi had been hanging on by a thread, nearly unconscious. Seeing Di Yunyu ascend and leave, he immediately became somewhat alert. His gaze fell on Shen Liuxiang, the demon markings on his face twisting together with his curved eyes and mouth, looking particularly terrifying.

 

“My body, tempered for hundreds of years, how could a little brat like you, who hasn’t even dried up from decay, hurt me? Once I recover…”

 

Before he could finish speaking, Qiongqi was grabbed uncontrollably. At the same time, Shen Liuxiang was violently struck. Amidst the world spinning around him, he blocked a claw that nearly pierced his chest with his spiritual sword, crashed into a huge rock, fell to the ground, and spat out a mouthful of blood.

 

Heng Jiuyin’s long hair danced wildly in the wind, his face ferocious. His ascension dream, planned for hundreds of years, had been ruined in an instant. His mind roared, as if he had fallen into an abyss, his whole body cold, already on the verge of madness.

 

His blood-red eyes stared at Shen Liuxiang, wishing to tear him into pieces.

 

But Heng Jiuyin still retained a bit of reason. At this moment, Qiongqi was most important—he needed to obtain power while Qiongqi was unable to resist. As for Shen Liuxiang, there would be plenty of ways later to make him wish he were dead.

 

Heng Jiuyin raised his hand, and a three-legged cauldron appeared in his palm.

 

His life-bound magical artifact, the God-Destroying Cauldron.

 

Inside was his backup plan. If he couldn’t ascend as wished, without Di Yunyu, he would become the lord of the Three Realms, with all beings kneeling before him!

 

With a flash of light from the black cauldron, a purple wooden coffin appeared on the stone-strewn ground.

 

The coffin lid fell away, revealing a slender figure inside, wearing a yellow long dress, the tassels on the phoenix hairpin in her hair swaying gently, emitting scattered light, her appearance clear and otherworldly.

 

Shen Liuxiang’s eyes widened.

 

It was Xinglian!

 

Di Yunyu had said he allowed Xu Xinglian to go out and play, but she was having too much fun and hadn’t returned, so he came to the Demon Capital to look for her. It turned out she had fallen into Heng Jiuyin’s hands.

 

Heng Jiuyin restrained Qiongqi with spiritual power, taking advantage of his weakness. A spell instantly enveloped Qiongqi’s body, while his other hand pressed on Xu Xinglian’s forehead, his lips moving slightly, silently reciting an incantation.

 

Qiongqi let out a roar.

 

During the prehistoric era, when demon beasts roamed freely, the Nine-Headed Serpent, though quite renowned, was still like an ant trying to shake a great tree compared to Qiongqi’s tribe.

 

Now, a Nine-Headed Serpent descendant with diluted bloodline dared to lay hands on him. Qiongqi felt utterly humiliated. “A mere Nine-Headed Serpent dares to be reckless before me! Try to refine me if you dare. When I break through your mind prison in a moment and tear apart this person’s body to escape, I will blood-blade you!”

 

Heng Jiuyin grinned, his voice icy: “Wait until you can break free from the mind prison before talking, great Qiongqi.”

 

As he spoke, Qiongqi was forced to transform into a red light, merging into Xu Xinglian’s heart.

 

Xu Xinglian’s curled eyelashes trembled slightly. Whether her hazy consciousness had awakened was unknown. Her eyes remained tightly closed, her face very pale. As Heng Jiuyin’s incantation continued, large beads of sweat appeared on her fair forehead. Her slender figure was enveloped in red light, her face showing great pain.

 

Shen Liuxiang’s gaze was fixed without blinking.

 

When searching for the demon core in the secret realm, Su Baiche, who had refined Zhuyan and suffered backlash, had taught him the Demon Refining Technique for self-preservation. It was identical to the spell Heng Jiuyin was casting. Xu Xinglian had a Void Spirit Constitution, which was like an indestructible cage for demon beasts. Heng Jiuyin wanted to use her to trap Qiongqi and obtain the prehistoric demon beast’s power.

 

Shen Liuxiang held his breath, his fingers tightening on the sword hilt.

 

Heng Jiuyin had lived for hundreds of years, his cultivation already touching the peak of the continent. The earlier thunderous strike had already severely injured Shen Liuxiang. If he wanted to save Xinglian, he could only wait for the best moment.

 

He remembered that the Demon Refining Technique had three layers: entry, binding, and sealing the mind prison.

 

What he was waiting for was the gap between binding and sealing.

 

Binding Qiongqi in the mind prison, even though Qiongqi was injured and had no power to resist, had consumed most of Heng Jiuyin’s internal spiritual power. He paused for a moment, and just as he was about to complete the final step, an unexpected change occurred.

 

Shen Liuxiang saw the opportunity and was about to act when his expression suddenly changed.

 

Xu Xinglian silently opened her eyes. A jade-white hand suddenly broke through Heng Jiuyin’s defense, penetrating his heart, and in an instant, blood splattered everywhere.

 

Heng Jiuyin felt a chill in his heart, his face showing shock. He had already put Xu Xinglian’s soul into a deep sleep—how could she suddenly wake up!

 

At this moment, the spiritual power probing into the mind prison was suddenly pushed out by a powerful force. Heng Jiuyin spat blood. Xu Xinglian’s mind prison actually contained a prohibition set by Di Yunyu, and he had triggered it by trying to seal Qiongqi!

 

Xu Xinglian’s jade-white hand was dyed red with blood, her fingertips trembling.

 

Having grown up in the Imperial Palace since childhood, she had never even quarreled with anyone. This was the first time she had killed someone, and she was terrified inside, but her face showed no trace of fear.

 

Her slender back was ramrod straight, and her usually gentle voice was as hard as iron, enunciating word by word: “I am the Imperial Princess of Shenqi Mountain. How dare a villain like you try to control me!”

 

As her words fell, Xu Xinglian withdrew her blood-soaked hand, letting Heng Jiuyin, who was gradually losing his life force, tumble to the ground.

 

She gasped for breath, her almond eyes looking toward Shen Liuxiang, her vermilion lips parting slightly. Before she could call out “Elder Brother,” her body violently trembled, her pretty face showing an expression of pain as she let out a scream.

 

Qiongqi, who had not yet been successfully refined, escaped from her body. Xu Xinglian lost all strength, her body falling onto the gravel-covered ground.

 

A familiar feeling came over her; her soul seemed to be falling into a dark sea, as if being pulled by someone, sinking to the lightless seabed, gradually losing consciousness.

 

Vaguely, she fell into someone’s embrace, feeling very warm.

 

That person seemed to be calling her; it must be Father Emperor, or brother, or elder brother…

 

Xu Xinglian turned her face, the corners of her lips curving slightly, as her consciousness sank into deep sleep along with her soul.

 

After capturing her, Heng Jiuyin had originally planned to erase her soul, creating a perfect vessel without consciousness. But the tassel hairpin in Xu Xinglian’s hair was actually a magical treasure nearly reaching divine artifact status, which protected her soul and true body extremely well.

 

Unable to harm her, Heng Jiuyin could only use magic to make her soul fall into a slumber. After the prohibition set by Di Yunyu briefly pulled Xu Xinglian’s soul back, it returned to its original state.

 

Shen Liuxiang held Xu Xinglian, his spiritual power revealing she wasn’t injured, but regardless of what he did, she wouldn’t wake up.

 

Shen Liuxiang frowned tightly, suspecting what kind of spell might be causing this.

 

In the original story, Xu Xinglian had disappeared. Now it seemed that Heng Jiuyin had successfully stolen the destiny and ascended. These backup plans were no longer needed, so Xu Xinglian would have been left in the purple wooden coffin, neither dead nor alive, unable to awaken for a long time.

 

Shen Liuxiang bit his lip, found a clean place, and put Xu Xinglian down. As long as her soul was safe, he could find a way to help her. For now, the barrier surrounding the Demon Capital hadn’t broken, and he needed to deal with Qiongqi first.

 

Shen Liuxiang grabbed his sword, looked up, and was shocked by the scene not far away.

 

Qiongqi was devouring Heng Jiuyin’s corpse!

 

The upper half of Heng Jiuyin’s fallen body was torn beyond recognition, and his pierced heart had been picked up and swallowed in one gulp.

 

Qiongqi was using the most primitive method among demon beasts to seize his cultivation.

 

Shen Liuxiang had experienced how difficult Qiongqi was to deal with and immediately moved to stop him. But before he could act, Heng Jiuyin, with only half a body remaining, suddenly moved, striking Qiongqi away with a palm. The missing parts of his body regrew, and his empty chest healed.

 

Heng Jiuyin had long cultivated nine hearts, hiding his beast core in one of them. As long as the beast core wasn’t damaged, he would have nine lives.

 

Heng Jiuyin stood up and immediately cast a spell to attack Qiongqi.

 

Demon beasts already had extremely strong recovery abilities, and Qiongqi, as a magical beast, was exceptional. Given the slightest chance to catch his breath, his spiritual power could recover. Now, having consumed some Nine-Headed Serpent flesh and blood, he was recovering even faster.

 

In a short time, he would become difficult to handle.

 

Heng Jiuyin knew this well. He summoned the God-Destroying Cauldron, infusing it with spiritual power, instantly causing the weather to change.

 

The once palm-sized three-legged cauldron floated into the air, growing several times larger. Its black body took on a faint red hue. When Qiongqi was thrown inside, accompanied by bursts of howling, the cauldron body shook incessantly, as if it might overturn at any moment.

 

However, once the symbols appeared on it, the wailing inside gradually ceased. The cauldron returned to calmness, becoming as thick as blood.

 

Shen Liuxiang felt a chill throughout his body.

 

When Heng Jiuyin had released the purple wooden coffin from this cauldron, he hadn’t realized it was the God-Destroying Cauldron—the strongest magical artifact from the later part of the original story, except its owner wasn’t Heng Jiuyin then!

 

At that time, all the demons obeyed one person’s command. That person had used this cauldron to trap Su Baiche inside, attempting to rescue him. Many prominent figures from the Three Realms entered the cauldron one after another, but these people had their souls destroyed inside the God-Destroying Cauldron, almost all perishing.

 

Inside the cauldron’s small world, blood floated and corpses piled like mountains. Only a few male supporting characters survived, but they also suffered greatly. In the end, Zhou Xuanlan defeated the masked man holding the cauldron, finally releasing Su Baiche and his companions.

 

Such a magical artifact was now in Heng Jiuyin’s hands—or perhaps it had been his from the beginning, only left on this continent after his ascension, and later seized by the masked man.

 

Heng Jiuyin didn’t expect the God-Destroying Cauldron to kill Qiongqi; he just wanted to keep him constantly tortured inside, depleting his spiritual power. This way, he could ensure Qiongqi remained severely injured. After he resolved the prohibition in Xu Xinglian’s body, he would release Qiongqi and refine him.

 

Heng Jiuyin’s gaze fell on Xu Xinglian. Shen Liuxiang’s expression changed, but this time Heng Jiuyin gave him no chance. With hundreds of years’ difference in cultivation between them—each cultivation level being worlds apart—Heng Jiuyin directly captured Shen Liuxiang and, as he had done with Qiongqi earlier, threw him into the God-Destroying Cauldron.

 

No one in the world knew better than Heng Jiuyin what was inside the cauldron. Shen Liuxiang had ruined his life’s wish; throwing him into the cauldron was to subject him to torture worse than a thousand cuts.

 

Moreover, Qiongqi was still inside.

 

One moment outside equaled ten years inside. Who knew how long Shen Liuxiang could endure… Perhaps Qiongqi had already devoured him inch by inch.

 

Heng Jiuyin sat cross-legged, thinking with immense satisfaction.

 

After a moment, he looked up. The barrier was showing signs of cracking. He couldn’t allow interruptions before successfully refining Qiongqi. Heng Jiuyin cast a spell, spending some time reinforcing the barrier.

 

When everything was prepared, Heng Jiuyin looked at Xu Xinglian nearby. Just as he was about to resolve the prohibition in her body, the dark red giant cauldron in front of him began to shake violently.

 

Symbols flashed, the light flickering unstably, as if about to shatter!

 

Heng Jiuyin’s face changed dramatically. He immediately cast a spell to control it, but with a thunderous boom, the God-Destroying Cauldron’s body broke into pieces.

 

As his life-bound magical artifact was damaged, Heng Jiuyin spat out a mouthful of blood.

 

Someone leaped out from inside the cauldron.

 

Heng Jiuyin looked up abruptly, exclaiming in disbelief: “Qiongqi, how could you—!!!”

 

His words halted; Heng Jiuyin’s eyes widened to the extreme, his facial expression freezing. He opened and closed his mouth blankly, “How is this possible…”

 

He had thrown the person into the God-Destroying Cauldron for a quarter hour, which meant ten years had passed inside. How could a mere mortal possibly still be alive!

 

The one who came out was not Qiongqi, but a young man covered in blood.

 

That young man’s black hair danced lightly in the wind, a pair of crimson phoenix eyes looking at Heng Jiuyin, the corners of his lips curving upward, smiling somewhat eerily.

 

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