With a single clash, it was immediately evident—the power within the axe strike was far stronger than before. Wild and violent, its force had increased by at least fifty percent. In brutal combat, even a ten percent boost could decide life or death. A fifty percent surge? It crushed Lucifer with immense pressure.
If one looked closely, they would see two radiant stars faintly glowing within the battle axe. These stars seemed to connect with the heavens, channeling endless celestial power into the weapon, amplifying its destructive might.
The Heavenly Gang Axe Technique was no ordinary martial art—it was a powerful visualization-based technique. Only by condensing Axe Intent (斧意) could its true potential be unleashed. It comprised thirty-six forms, each paired with a unique visualization diagram to aid in cultivating axe intent. One form represented a fragment of the full Heavenly Gang Axe Intent. Only by mastering all thirty-six forms could one forge the complete and formidable intent.
This axe intent was overbearing, representing the thirty-six stars of Heavenly Gang. Individually, the techniques were equal in power, but when performed in sequence following the axe technique's overarching principles, each strike became stronger than the last. The intent and power in the axe grew exponentially.
Before transcending tribulation, the axe intent was merely foundational. But once it passed the Heavenly Tribulation, and evolved into One-Tribulation Axe Intent, the power increase per strike would double instead of merely growing by half. If all thirty-six strikes were unleashed consecutively, the final blow would carry thirty-six times the force—a destructive force capable of annihilating anything.
Such was the tyrannical nature of the Heavenly Gang Axe Technique.
Back then, when Cheng Yaojin obtained only the first three strikes, he later regretted not seizing the entire art. He desperately wanted the full technique. That's why he was infamous for only three axe strikes—he couldn't execute the fourth. Without continuity, the power faded. The overwhelming might was lost.
Boom!!
A deafening roar echoed like a thunderclap.
The horrifying force made Lucifer's muscles tremble. His tiger's mouth split open. His body staggered backward, each step leaving deep imprints in the earth, cracks spreading around him. The sound of cracking bones was audible—Axe Intent had invaded his body.
Clang!!
Without giving him time to react, the third axe strike slashed through the air.
A third star emerged within the battle axe, drawing upon the Daoist rhythm and energy of the world. The axe's edge grew sharper, the intent more violent—doubling in strength compared to the first strike.
It was a savage display.
"Damn it!!"
Beneath the silver moonlight, Lucifer's body rapidly regenerated, drawing strength from the moon. Yet his face turned grim—he realized this strike was even stronger than the last. Each blow stronger than the one before—it terrified him.
He had no choice but to swing his spiked wolf-fang club to block.
Spurt!!
Blood sprayed from Lucifer's mouth the moment the weapons collided. His body shook violently, and the sound of bones breaking echoed. His organs trembled under the axe intent that rampaged through his body. If not for the silver moon's healing power, he would have been far more gravely wounded.
But still, the damage was real.
"All forces, obey! Moon Worship of Ten Thousand Wolves!"
Lucifer let out a shrill, desperate roar.
Awooo!!
Across the battlefield, tens of thousands of wolf cavalry raised their heads toward the sky and howled, kneeling in reverence. The werewolves chanted praises to the silver moon.
As they worshipped, mysterious energies surged from their bodies toward the sky, converging on the silver moon. The moon grew in size and brilliance, appearing so close it seemed within reach.
In a blink, richer and more potent moonlight enveloped Lucifer's body.
Awooo!!
His body swelled once more, now towering over a hundred zhang tall. His aura and strength surged alongside his form. His eyes glowed with a silvery divine light.
Boom!!
As Yi Tianxing's fourth axe fell, Lucifer responded without hesitation, swinging his club with explosive power.
The resulting shockwave was terrifying.
The ground cracked open, the air distorted. Lu Xitian, who had been steadily forced back, suddenly stood firm. This time, it was Yi Tianxing who was blown backward, his axe knocked from his hand, his body trembling from the recoil. His bones rang out like beans being roasted.
This technique—Moon Worship of Ten Thousand Wolves (万狼拜月)—was a core power of his Silver Wolf Howling Moon Diagram (银狼啸月图). It allowed him to gather the strength of all wolves and pour it into his life diagram, boosting his divine powers to terrifying levels.
It was as if ten thousand wolves lent their strength to Lu Xitian, transforming him into a monster.
"Battle!!"
Yet Yi Tianxing showed no fear. Instead, his fighting spirit surged even higher.
It was the first time he used the completed Heavenly Gang Axe Technique in the real world. Unlike training against spirits in the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower, fighting Lucifer was a life-and-death struggle. This pressure only intensified his desire to fight.
Fifth strike!!
Sixth strike!!
Though the axe technique changed, its foundation remained. The Heavenly Gang Axe Technique didn't focus on the specific forms, but the intent behind the strikes. With solid fundamentals, even simple strikes could unleash peerless power.
One axe!
Two!
Three!
Vertical chops, diagonal cleaves, horizontal slashes—
Each strike became more and more overwhelming.
By the eighth strike, Lucifer—who had just regained ground—was forced back again. Blood flowed from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. He was a ghastly sight.
"Impossible!!"
Lucifer roared in fury.
He couldn't accept that he was being crushed by a peer, especially by a human. In his mind, only immortals of the human race were dangerous. When did their younger generation become this powerful?
Boom!!
His only reply was an even sharper axe light, one that seemed to cut through the void itself.
This time, his wolf-fang club was shattered and sent flying, crashing into the ground and forming a massive crater—killing many of his own soldiers in the impact.
Spurt!!
Crack!!
A final axe light descended from the heavens.
After this blow, Yi Tianxing's axe halted. He stood tall, battle axe in hand, glaring coldly at Lucifer.
"Farewell—may your journey west be swift."
"I refuse! I am a prodigy of the Wolfman race! I was destined to shine across the myriad races of the eternal world. I refuse to die at the hands of a human!"
Lucifer's eyes widened in disbelief. Regret, pain, and shock flooded his face.
Since when… was the human race this powerful?
Spurt!!
As he finished speaking, a line of blood traced down his body from head to toe.
The silver moon fell from the sky. A clean, devastating strike split Lucifer clean in half—from skull to groin. Blood and viscera spilled across the battlefield.
The Wolfman prodigy—was slain.
"When was our human race ever weak? So long as the heart is strong—there is none I cannot defeat."
Yi Tianxing stared coldly at the corpse. Lu Xitian was dead—soul and body severed by that final axe. It was a lethal blow.
He had slaughtered a genius.
"You killed our Holy Son!"
"The Wolfman race will never forgive you. The Holy Son's death will be felt by our people. You won't live long."
"Brothers, charge! Avenge the Holy Son!!"
As the silver moon shattered and Lucifer fell, all the wolf cavalry spat out blood. Their expressions turned pale and drained—clearly, the Moon Worship had exacted a heavy toll.
And now, with Lucifer dead, they were spiritually shattered.
Still, they didn't retreat.
Instead, they charged with fury and desperation.
"Die!!"
Yi Tianxing remained unmoved. He spoke one word—and waved his hand.
Roooar!!
A colossal five-clawed golden dragon materialized in the air. So lifelike, it seemed real.
It dove into the wolf army, tearing werewolves to shreds with its claws. Wherever it passed, blood and gore followed. Their weapons shattered upon contact with its glowing scales.
The wolf cavalry, already weakened, stood no chance.
The dragon's rampage left the field soaked in blood, strewn with corpses. But not one wolf fled—they charged to the bitter end.
In mere moments, the golden dragon vanished.
And no wolf cavalry remained alive on the battlefield.