"Alas," Long Zhandu couldn't help but sigh and turned away.

However, in less than a moment, Long Zhandu's mind went blank, his face filled with alarm.

Because he had unexpectedly caught the attention of a Demon Clan Heavenly Talent!

Ye Jianfei of the Nine Swords Grass!

The former White Tiger Overlord, a contemporary unmatched Heavenly Talent of the Demon Clan, on par with Xuan Guangqiao!

"Die!" Ye Jianfei bellowed, his cold sword ringing out as his Sword Qi extended for thousands of miles.

Toward Long Zhandu, this Slave Tao Saint, Ye Jianfei harbored a resolute intent to kill.

The Nine Swords Grass was a Variant Seed of the Sword Tao. When cultivated to its highest realm, it could transform into the Supreme Sword Tao Nine-Leaf Sword Grass.

As descendants of the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass, nobody understood better than the Nine Swords Grasses the terror that Slave Tao Saints represented.

Since ancient times, soul enslavement knew no bounds. The most infamous example was when the eighth emperor of the Human Race, the Soul Killing Demon Emperor, used the Slave Tao to enslave numerous Demon Clan Saints, treating them as beasts and playthings. He even enslaved the Nine Nether Phoenix—a great shame for the Demon Clan!

Ye Jianfei had long set his sights on Long Zhandu, the Slave Tao Saint, but had struggled to find an opportunity to strike.

Now, the time for the kill had come!

CLANG—

Sword Intent pierced his body, sending an icy chill through his veins.

Sword Qi created thousands of illusions, bitterly cold and bone-piercing.

Sword Light soared heavenward, illuminating the entire world.

Long Zhandu's pupils dilated, his spirit abruptly froze. A chill rushed from his spine to the crown of his head, his scalp tingled, and the coldness completely enveloped him.

Facing Ye Jianfei's long-concealed killing move, at this moment, he simply couldn't react effectively.

In that instant, Long Zhandu's past experiences flashed before his eyes like a fast-moving lantern show.

At the age of sixteen, during the Aperture Opening event, he opened a Class A Aperture to ninety-five percent completion, drawing the attention of thousands and advancing from a menial disciple to an official disciple.

That same year, he joined the Spirit Beast Hall, was accepted by a revered teacher, and ascended from an official disciple to a practicing disciple. Thus, he established his devotion to the Slave Tao, wholeheartedly pursuing the Tao.

At the age of thirty-three, he was deployed to guard a territory and granted authority over a region. His cultivation rose to the primary level of the fourth rank, and he advanced from an official disciple to a True Disciple.

At fifty-one, he participated in the battle for the Phoenix Creek Tutelage and attained the Phoenix Creek Tutelage, becoming one of the nine most revered figures among the mortals of Phoenix Creek Sect.

The past was like a flash of light, fleeting shadows hastily passing by.

The Slave Tao can achieve sainthood, yet all Saints regard it as a thorn in the eye, a sting in the flesh. It's regrettable, not knowing if there will ever be a Slave Tao Great Emperor in future generations...

Long Zhandu suddenly understood why it was so difficult for Slave Tao Saints to emerge, why the Supreme Elders didn't think highly of him achieving sainthood through the Slave Tao.

Somewhat inexplicably, Long Zhandu's thoughts then wandered to Hong Yuan's Slave Array Confluence, the proud figure manipulating tens of thousands of Worms.

The Slave Tao has no emperor; it wouldn't be bad to have a Quasi-Emperor. If only you, Hong Yuan, had pursued the Slave Tao…

BOOM!

A cold flash passed by, and everything dissipated like smoke.

Ye Jianfei slew Long Zhandu with a single sword strike. Heaving deep breaths, he turned to face the next Human Race Heavenly Talent.

「At the same time.」

In a wild expanse under Green Heaven.

Groups of seventh-rank Saints from the Human Race and the Demon Clan were engaged in a fierce battle. Blood rained down as Heaven and Earth mourned.

The combatants included long-famed heroes like the Time Worm Demon Saint and the Green Lamp Buddha, as well as rising stars making a name for themselves, like the Purple Fate Demon Saint and Shi Lingfang.

Indeed, a moment's carelessness could result in death and the obliteration of one's Tao.

On this vast battlefield, one Saint after another fell, one Immortal Aperture after another burst open from the collateral damage.

"What an opportunity!" Seeing the Time Worm Demon Saint's Immortal Nuance depleted and his strength failing him, Shi Lingfang immediately let out a long howl, activating the Dragon Human Bloodline concealed deep within her.

She was a descendant of the Dragon Sun Emperor, born with the Dragon Human Bloodline and a natural affinity for the Temporal Tao.

Even though the Time Worm Demon Saint was the fabled descendant of the ninth-rank Temporal Tao Divine Beast, the Spring Autumn Cicada—being a Variant Seed of the Autumn Cicada—he stood little chance against Shi Lingfang.

In an instant, a blurry dragon shadow emerged behind Shi Lingfang. Each rise and fall of the shadow caused the Heavens and Earth to flicker between light and dark.

Legend had it that the waters of the River of Time were the Time Light Divine Water, which helped the River of Time sustain the world's flow.

And that Temporal Tao Divine Beast, the Spring Autumn Cicada, could travel back and forth along the River of Time. It could travel against the current, returning to the past, or accelerate forward, flying towards the future.

But whether the legend was true or false, it highlighted the close connection between the Time Light Divine Water and the Spring Autumn Cicada.

BOOM!

At this moment, the Time Light Divine Water armor, which the Time Worm Demon Saint had prided himself on, was shattered by a single whip strike from Shi Lingfang.

What was more horrifying was that this protective armor could not revert to its prior state.

In front of Shi Lingfang, a descendant of the Dragon Sun Emperor, all of the Time Worm Demon Saint's methods were suppressed!

Sigh. Had I known this would happen, I would rather have given the Time Light Divine Water to Xuan Guangqiao to form a good bond.

As the Immortal Aperture Origin within his body was pierced, the Time Worm Demon Saint sighed with regret.

He used to look down on Xuan Guangqiao. When Xuan Guangqiao proposed to exchange Time Light Divine Water for his disciple Wei Qin, he had utterly despised Xuan Guangqiao, laughing at their ignorance of the vastness of heaven and earth.

But who could have predicted that Xuan Guangqiao would eventually make a comeback and become the Demon Clan's Destiny?!

However, the Time Worm Demon Saint truly did not need to feel regret.

Because "Xuan Guangqiao" had a little list. Xuan Guangqiao had intended, once his cultivation was successful, to flush the Time Worm Demon Saint's tomb with river after river of Time Light Divine Water...

「Ink Sea.」

This was a sacred place of inheritance for the Human Race Destiny, hosting the nine great Dojos of the Nine Emperors of the Human Race, capable of rapidly advancing the cultivation of the not-yet-enlightened Great Dream Emperor!

Within the Dojo of Le Tu Buddha, the Ninth Emperor of the Human Race, Shang Yaoqin walked slowly.

Therein, she witnessed the entangled life of Le Tu Buddha Ai Feng and the Phoenix Goddess Ji Yinglan, the Demon Clan's Destiny.

The Soul Killing Demon Emperor was the Eighth Emperor of the Human Race, while Le Tu Buddha was the Ninth Emperor.

If the Soul Killing Demon Emperor was known for slaughter, then Le Tu Buddha was known for compassion.

In Le Tu Buddha's era, the Human Race had learned from the confrontations between the Great Moon Saint and the Soul Killing Demon Emperor, understanding that sheer brute force was futile.

Therefore, the Human Race adopted a circuitous strategy.

The Human Race sought for Le Tu Buddha to captivate the heart and soul of the Phoenix Goddess. Their goal was to reform the Demon Clan and incorporate them into the Human Race's system!

This plan, under the original Le Tu Buddha, had nearly succeeded in assimilating the Demon Clan.

Even though it wasn't completely successful, Le Tu Buddha still managed to sow seeds of division within the Demon Clan.

For example, practices like Beast Taming and spirit beast cultivation, though originating in the era of the Soul Killing Demon Emperor, reached their zenith during the era of Le Tu Buddha!

Even to this day, the Buddha Sects of the Western Desert Divine Continent still possess cultivation methods involving signature spirit beasts. They use these beasts to harness power and improve the energy veins of the Western Desert Divine Continent's land.

Uniting some, aligning with others, suppressing some…

The profundity of a Tao Master is unfathomable, both within and beyond…

Shang Yaoqin narrowed her beautiful eyes, deeply contemplating the mysteries therein.

As she reflected, the Le Tu Dojo suddenly resonated and then crumbled apart.

The Le Tu Dojo transformed into clumps of earth-yellow Immortal Qi, ferociously converging towards the land of fortune within Shang Yaoqin, seeking to strengthen her Immortal Aperture Origin.

The power of Destiny was activated!

WHOOSH...

Above Shang Yaoqin's head, the White Feather Taoist Crown bloomed with celestial mist, while the White Jade Immortal Flute at her waist played melodious tunes.

Clothed in an Emperor's black robe, her great fortune manifested. Astonishingly, despite being only at the sixth rank, she was able to contain all the Creation of the Le Tu Dojo!

How astounding was that?

With a thunderous ROAR, Shang Yaoqin's cultivation level instantly broke through to the first tribulation of the sixth rank.

If she were to completely consume all the Creation from the Le Tu Dojo, reaching the seventh rank would pose no problem at all!

She could effortlessly break through realms while practically sitting or lying down!

Shang Yaoqin, having only recently become a Saint, had shown such significant growth; it was truly astonishing.

Compared to Xuan Guangqiao, she was not the slightest bit inferior!

My Sound Tao attainment has improved?!

Let's continue on.

I hope to soon achieve the status of 'Sword Tao Master' so that I can better slay Xuan Guangqiao.

After a long while, Shang Yaoqin came back to her senses. Her eyes filled with resolute determination as she strode forward.

That firm, domineering will within her became even more pronounced, allowing her to look down upon all heroes with an awe-inspiring presence, as if the Heavenly Emperor had been reborn.

Xuan Guangqiao must die! The position of Dream Tao Master—I, Shang Yaoqin, want it. The Emperorship of the Great Dream Emperor—I, Shang Yaoqin, must also have it. This is my mission as the Human Race Destiny!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com