The West Six Palaces were engulfed in flames, a hundred zhang of light, so bright that even shadows seemed less distinct in the surrounding inferno.
The Three Fire Gods had just turned the corner onto West First Street, completely unaware of the upheaval behind them!
Ji Xiang approached, his steps light, moving step by step along the shadows of the Yongning Palace gate. He circulated his mana, held his breath, and at the moment the Three Fire Gods turned, he transformed three steps into one, striding swiftly behind them!
Move lightly, act quickly! No hesitation, strike when the time is right, or complications will arise!
Ji Xiang locked onto his target, extended his palm, and with a forceful push, slapped the shoulder of the Scarlet Banner Child!
The Scarlet Banner Child’s shoulder was suddenly pressed down. The child abruptly turned his head, only to immediately receive a resounding slap!
“Chizhi, reveal yourself!”
Children shouldn’t play with such dangerous toys, let Uncle play!
*Bang!*
The slap stunned the unruly child. Guowei immediately activated, channeling thirty percent of his divine power. Simultaneously, the sheer force of Ji Xiang’s slap sent the child spinning in place!
Ji Xiang snatched the red banner from the child’s hand and tucked it into his sleeve, then casually produced the mud-filled Sanqing Bell.
While the unruly child spun, the other two fire gods also turned back in an instant.
“Who…?”
The white-bearded old fire god, Qian Guang, was startled and shouted, but before he could finish speaking, Ji Xiang had already taken a handful of mud from the Sanqing Bell and, with a move called “Mud from Beyond the Heavens,” smeared it directly across his face!
*Boom!*
The mud slapped onto his face, instantly silencing Qian Guang. The bowl-sized hole in his back, from which flames and smoke had been spewing, ceased its output. With a massive roar, he was rendered speechless!
Following that, Ji Xiang landed two solid punches, knocking Qian Guang to the ground!
Ji Xiang’s actions: first snatching the child’s toy, then beating the old man with mud!
On West First and West Second Streets of the Forbidden City, ask around to see who’s the boss!
At this moment, a large red robe filled Ji Xiang’s vision. The noble fire god, Song Zhongzheng, waved his red sleeve, and dozens of fireballs shot out like meteors, spinning and radiating intense heat, directly aimed at Ji Xiang’s face!
Ji Xiang scrambled and rolled. The fireballs struck the ground, cracking bluestones and igniting pillars of fire, instantly sealing off the path back to Yongning Palace!
Seeing his attack miss, Song Zhongzheng waved his sleeve repeatedly, launching more fireballs, and spoke with an extremely majestic and resonant voice:
“Misfortune and fortune are interdependent. You dodged disaster, which is good fortune. But when good fortune appears, misfortune also follows!”
“Who are you… a Daoist in the Forbidden City… could you be…?”
“Where is Master Song!”
Ji Xiang’s heart leaped. He saw more fireballs rising from the fiery pillars behind him, spinning and hurtling towards his current location!
Song Zhongzheng raised one hand, and a blinding, fierce firelight surged upwards, spreading in all directions like a fiery rain!
“You are about to encounter misfortune, but within misfortune lies good fortune. You may escape death, but you will be wounded.”
The fiery rain descended, covering nearly a third of West First Street. Beside Song Zhongzheng, Qian Guang emitted muffled groans of discomfort. The Scarlet Banner Child, having lost his banner, rushed to help Qian Guang, wiping the mud from his face with his small hands.
Song Zhongzheng’s voice continuously mentioned matters of fortune and misfortune, and the cycle of life and death…
Ji Xiang almost recited a poem on the spot!
At this critical juncture for the nation, how could one flee from misfortune! I, Ji Xiang, am such a noble Daoist!
However, remembering the warning from the blank divine plaque not to engage with Song Zhongzheng, Ji Xiang could only play the role of a silent, handsome man, provoking Song Zhongzheng with a hint of disdain in his eyes.
But a problem arose.
Seeing Ji Xiang’s gaze, Song Zhongzheng’s anger flared, and he said fiercely:
“You… don’t believe?”
Ji Xiang realized something was wrong. At this moment, Song Zhongzheng’s face turned crimson, and he took a large step forward, letting out a mighty roar!
Flames erupted all over his body, and his large red robe radiated immense brilliance. An incredibly massive, scarlet fireball condensed!
Within Ji Xiang’s inner vision, the divine plaque rapidly flashed with text:
[Fire God’s Spirit Essence: Spirit essence is the spirit, energy, and essence, the true form of the Envoy of Mars!]
[True form of a Righteous God manifested, opponent’s divine power increased by thirty percent, current divine power equivalent to the Sixth Divine Ability Realm!]
[Continue to enrage him, and his divine power will continuously increase!]
Ji Xiang was speechless.
This operation had gone awry; even a contemptuous look was problematic. Indeed, eyes are the windows to the soul, and some people’s eyes speak volumes. Later generations were not wrong!
A refined and polite phrase escaped Ji Xiang’s lips.
Indeed, strategies are one thing, but practical application can lead to problems. But it doesn’t matter!
Because he had already reached his intended position!
At this moment, Song Zhongzheng let out a great roar, and a vast divine might, like national prestige, surged towards Ji Xiang, intending to intimidate him. However, this immense national prestige struck Ji Xiang and vanished like a clay ox entering the sea, leaving no trace!
“You are not an official of the court, yet you possess national prestige!”
Song Zhongzheng was astonished! Ji Xiang clearly was not a court official, so how could he bear national prestige!
Ji Xiang saw the Scarlet Banner Child’s movements and dared not delay. He had already fled to the designated position. Seeing Song Zhongzheng manifest his true form and charge forward, Ji Xiang, facing him with his back to the red star, stood up from the ground and shouted loudly:
“Flickering firelight, chaotic and bewildering!”
*Buzz!*
Instantly, a red star in the sky, reddened by the great fire, emitted its radiance.
Hearing this voice, Song Zhongzheng was forced to look up and saw Mars!
He froze on the spot, falling into a state of fear. His true spirit essence solidified in mid-air, the great fireball spun, and the launched flames lost their targets!
Song Zhongzheng was immobilized, his body stiff and unable to move, his fiery aura completely extinguished. The other fireballs he had launched flew about wildly and fell, striking various palace complexes on West First and West Second Streets!
The giant fireball even flew towards the entrance of West First Street, where a certain prince suffered undeserved disaster. His residence caught fire, forcing him to flee in panic.
Seizing this opportunity, Ji Xiang swung his Taiyi Sanyuan Sword!
The Yuebo Mantra displayed its divine power, and incense burned, complementing the light of Mars. With one sword, he struck Song Zhongzheng’s physical body, forcing him to kneel on one knee!
Immediately after, Ji Xiang did not hesitate and produced the Golden Striker!
“Song Zhongzheng is the strongest among the Three Fire Gods. Aim for a swift kill!”
One percent of his vital energy was immediately offered!
The Golden Striker was immensely pleased, and Ji Xiang felt a slight weakness.
As the Golden Striker flew out, Ji Xiang chanted a profound, resonant phrase:
“Universal Salvation!”
Whether you are in the sixth, seventh, eighth, or ninth realm, all of you will die by this Daoist’s hand!
Physical salvation, under the little golden hammer, all beings are equal!
Song Zhongzheng, forced to look up by the light of Mars, saw a golden light covering the divine radiance of Mars in his eyes. Then, he saw that golden light fly out and strike the giant fireball!
The Fire God’s spirit essence was instantly scattered!
And Song Zhongzheng’s forehead caved in, as if struck by the Golden Striker!
*Dong!*
All laws were shattered!
His forehead instantly cracked open, and raging flames erupted from the head of the physical body he possessed. A huge gash appeared in his head, and the physical body collapsed to the ground, rendered useless. His spirit essence true form was also killed. Ji Xiang had no time to collect the remains, but looked in the distance!
The mud on Qian Guang’s face had been wiped off by the unruly child. The white-bearded old man looked at Song Zhongzheng, who had fallen with a crash, his expression instantly becoming incredibly complex and filled with horror!
“You dare to kill a Righteous God, this is a grave offense! I shall petition Heaven!”
Qian Guang was about to perform a life-draining spell, but as he began his prayer, Ji Xiang immediately pointed at him and shouted:
“He who sins against Heaven has no one to pray to!”
To translate, it means “What’s the point of praying when you’ve offended Heaven!”
Qian Guang’s prayer technique immediately failed, and furthermore, a large amount of fire qi within his body was instantly drawn out, and he watched helplessly as that vast fire qi flowed into the body of the Daoist before him!