"Our dynasty, built by generations, will not be destroyed by you! We are immortals, lofty and inviolable, while you are merely lowly commoners, meant only to bow and obey. To resist us is to court death."
"Oh, and I must let you know that offending us means death is not an easy escape." As she spoke, she swung the red chain in her hand again, sending blood splattering.
The surrounding people were shocked into silence, too terrified to even breathe.
Someone started it, and then others knelt down, prostrating themselves before Tong Qin: "Exalted Immortal King, we will no longer challenge your authority. Please grant him a swift end."
Tong Qin, lost in her frenzy, continued to swing the chain with a whistling sound. "Do you feel his pain too? Hahaha, good that you do. Let it sink in deeper. I want you all to know the consequences of offending us – a fate worse than death."
At this moment, Mo Qi, who had almost lost consciousness, was stirred. You can make my life a living hell, but you cannot plunge the entire world into misery.
As if struck by divine inspiration, the Azure Lotus Fire within him blazed fiercely. His flesh and blood blurred, consumed by azure flames.
Tong Qin tugged at the chain, swinging it a few times. It came back empty, clattering against the ground with a crisp metallic sound.
"He committed suicide, hahaha…" Tong Qin continued her mad laughter. "Good that he's dead. I'm tired of playing anyway."
Standing afar, Shui Han couldn't help but feel her eyes well up. "I'm sorry, I couldn't save you."
However, at this moment, the kneeling people stood up, pointing at the pile of flames and exclaiming in surprise, "Look! There's something in the fire!"
Tong Qin's heart lurched. She squinted and indeed, there was something within the flames.
In the center, a ball of red fire floated, seemingly denser than normal flames.
It moved as if alive, trembling and shifting.
The flames swirled like agile wings, dancing gracefully in the breeze.
The surrounding flames were azure, light as gauze, gently draping over the red, lending it an air of mystery and beauty.
The red fire continued to flow and writhe, gradually revealing a clearer form. It seemed to have wings, and feathers!
"It's a phoenix!" the people cried out.
"He's going to be reborn from the ashes," the people watched with wide eyes, eagerly anticipating.
"Reborn from the ashes? I'll ensure you suffer eternal damnation!" Tong Qin roared. Her body suddenly surged in size, the chain in her hand growing thicker and more numerous as she lashed out at the flames.
"How wicked!" the people cursed. "Let him grow a little longer…"
But Tong Qin paid them no mind. She unleashed her full power, channeling her spiritual energy. The chains clanged, and as they moved, the surrounding space vibrated, the world shaking.
The chains were about to pierce the ball of fire, to wrap around it.
History seemed poised to repeat itself.
Everyone closed their eyes, unable to bear watching.
A flicker of warmth that had just risen in Shui Han's heart plummeted once more.
Tong Qin felt victory was within her grasp, smugly declaring, "A commoner is still a commoner. No matter how they transform, they remain commoners. Before us, you can only submit."
Just then, a voice drifted through the air. "Viper, your retribution is here today!"
For some reason, Tong Qin's heart trembled. She herself was startled.
She looked around, but saw no one else approaching.
Suddenly, ten thousand fiery projections shot out from the red flames, like countless birds flying through a forest.
Yet, the red figure in the center was indeed pierced by the chains!
The people couldn't help but open their eyes, witnessing this terrible sight and feeling a surge of indignation.
Tong Qin felt a strange sensation. Although the chains had pierced the flames, she felt she had not succeeded. On the contrary, failure was just beginning.
Her premonition, it must be said, was quite accurate!
At that moment, ten thousand red fiery projections surged from all directions, emitting crisp cries. With each beat of their wings, the surrounding space vibrated, and a strong wind blew.
However, the wind had no fixed direction; it shifted left, right, forward, and backward, sometimes seeming to blow from within one's heart, sending shivers down their spine.
Tong Qin wildly swung her chains. "Tricks of the trade, you won't defeat me."
"I don't want to defeat you, I only want to kill you, you venomous woman!" a voice echoed, as if from within her heart.
Tong Qin looked around, still seeing no one, her heart growing uneasy. She shouted, "Stop playing games, come out!"
Her chains moved in a dense flurry, scattering the approaching fiery projections.
Yet, the voice continued to whisper in her ear, "Aren't you the one who plays games the most? You venomous woman, arrogant and conceited, you are merely a viper with a heart of venom, a wretch who desires to trample on lives and control fate. You dare call yourself an Immortal King? You don't deserve it. You don't even deserve to be called a wretch. You are a vile beast!"
Tong Qin looked left and right, her eyes filled with panic, her face showing fear.
The people, hearing the powerful voice and feeling its magnificent aura, cheered and shouted at Tong Qin, "Vile beast! Vile beast!"
Tong Qin was so enraged she spat blood, her hair standing on end. In a frenzy, she hurled her chains into the crowd. "You lowly commoners, you all deserve to die!"
How could they withstand her attack? Even a breath from her would scatter them.
Flesh and blood flew, blood splattered, and screams erupted.
Tong Qin became even more frenzied. "See? You are no match for me. And I am immortal. Want to resist? With what? You might as well accept your fate."
Then, another voice drifted, ethereal and distant. "Is that so? I'd like to see if you, the lofty deity, are truly immortal."
Immediately, ten thousand fiery projections struck Tong Qin from all directions.
Tong Qin swung her chains again. With a series of clangs, the fiery projections were struck down.
However, countless more projections pierced through the air, transforming into fine needles that fiercely stabbed at Tong Qin.
Tong Qin was greatly alarmed. She directly swatted at them with her palm. The needles passed through her divine light, then through her palm, and then through her body.
Blood trickled from Tong Qin's lips. Her body swayed, and she collapsed to the ground.
At that moment, the ten thousand fiery projections converged from all directions, forming a ball of flame. The flames twisted again, taking on a human shape. It was Mo Qi!
A faint smile appeared on Shui Han's face.
Chang Yu Ning's eyes welled with tears. "I knew you were no ordinary person."
Chang Xun Huan sighed. "If he can't even die from this, what's the point of living?"
Mo Qi slowly walked up to Tong Qin, his expression calm. "Have you ever considered that our positions might be reversed?"
Tong Qin's face turned ashen. "Kill me or let me live as you please. Why bother with words?"
"Killing you is too easy. I'll let you taste the pain you inflicted on me, because I know how to do that too." With a wave of his hand, ten thousand threads shot out, piercing Tong Qin's body, then extending further, looping back to bind her.
Then, Mo Qi swung the threads, repeatedly slamming Tong Qin to the ground, blood splattering and her cries echoing.
The people erupted in cheers, shouting, "The viper deserves this fate! The viper must die!"
Tong Qin begged for mercy. "Kill me. Give me a quick end."
"Oh, a deity begs for mercy? Do deities beg for mercy?"
The people's emotions surged. "Kill her! Kill her!"
"Torture her to death! Torture her to death!"
Mo Qi flicked the threads. They suddenly snapped, and Tong Qin's body flew out, landing in the crowd. "I leave her to you."
The crowd surged forward like frenzied beasts, claws and teeth bared, tearing and biting.
Just then, a beam of light descended from the sky, enveloping the crowd. The people were involuntarily pushed apart, and then, Tong Qin's dying body slowly ascended within the beam.
"I will protect this person," a voice declared, echoing through the heavens and earth.
The people looked up and saw a majestic figure floating in the sky, radiating golden light, surrounded by mist.
The people found him unfamiliar, but their instincts told them this person was not to be trifled with.
But Mo Qi recognized him instantly. It was Hongjun.
Enemies meeting, their eyes burned with hatred!
Mo Qi's eyes instantly became bloodshot. Taking advantage of Tong Qin's slight ascent, he pointed his finger. Ten thousand threads shot out, instantly coiling around Tong Qin's body and pulling her back. "You cannot protect her!"
Hongjun, seeing it was Mo Qi, became furious. "You again? Do you think I don't know you've been reborn? I merely gave you a chance, and you've only worsened, not repented. Don't you know this world was sealed by me and the ancestors of the Immortal King's Palace? It was sealed for a greater purpose. You broke the seal for your own gain, destroyed my painstaking efforts, and disrupted my plans. What crime have you committed?"
"You've kept these people under your control for their entire lives, preventing their cultivation from improving, manipulating them at will. Is that your plan? What crime have you committed?" Mo Qi retorted, unyielding.
"You know nothing," Hongjun said, his beard bristling with rage. "I have no time for your nonsense. Release Tong Qin first. She is not yours to deal with."
"Hmph," Mo Qi snorted coldly. "She's as good as dead today. Let's see if you can save her."
As he spoke, thunder crackled in Mo Qi's hand, and the Sky-Burning Stone surged forth, instantly engulfing Tong Qin's body.
Hongjun's words, "You dare," hadn't even finished before Tong Qin vanished into smoke and dust.
Hongjun trembled with rage. "You are dead. From now on, even if you are reborn ten times, I will kill you ten times."
Hongjun turned his gaze to Mo Qi, forming a hand seal. Above his head, the sky revealed a massive disc of light and energy. A curved line in the center divided the disc into yin and yang poles.
Dazzling light shot out from the yin and yang poles, one white light, the other black energy, both projecting downwards.
Simultaneously, the entire disc descended like the firmament, pressing down.
Mo Qi summoned the Star Fortune Stone, emitting a dense white light upwards, barely counteracting the black and white light. The black and white light paused briefly before continuing their relentless descent, forcing the white light to compress.
The Star Fortune Stone trembled, nearly falling to the ground.