Dodge? Impossible!
Many prodigies silently pondered. If they were in the same situation, facing that sword, they too would be unable to change their fate. That strike seemed destined to land. It carried no visible killing intent, yet contained boundless sharpness—neither purely lethal nor entirely benign. And yet, it claimed the enemy's life in an instant. It felt like a certain-kill sword, embodying the killing intent of heaven and earth.
There was a profound, indescribable charm to it.
Ah Qing's sword was impossible to defend against—each movement of her blade stirred the world.
"Such a powerful sword intent. Though it appears strange, it's upright and righteous in nature. Her sword exists solely to slay her enemies. Once she draws it, it is with lethal intent. It feels like the ancient forebears battling savage beasts. At the same time, it also holds the flavor of protection—a perfect blend of guardianship and slaughter."
Dugu, dressed in a black robe with a rusty-looking iron sword on his back, narrowed his eyes when he saw Ah Qing's sword strike, a flash of light flickering within. It was the look of someone who had encountered a worthy opponent. It was the intense battle intent of a fellow sword cultivator.
If not for the inopportune timing, he might have... drawn his sword!
"What a terrifying sword..."
That thought flashed through many prodigies' minds.
Even a Taotie could be slain in a single blow. Ah Qing's sword chilled their hearts.
Just how powerful was Ah Qing?
Even now, neither Yi Tianxing nor Xiang Yu or the others had a true understanding of her limits. It wasn't appropriate to ask directly either. Fortunately, she was one of their own—that alone was a comfort.
"Hate! Hate! HATE!!"
The instant the Taotie was killed, a roar filled with hatred echoed from within its body.
This hatred surged into the heavens, bursting from the Taotie's corpse.
But this hatred was different than before—it was wild, scorching, destructive. The surrounding temperature suddenly soared, climbing rapidly to unimaginable levels in an instant.
Flames!!
Flames erupted from the Taotie's corpse, flooding the sky. These flames were pure white, radiating not just heat but intense hatred, with a chilling lack of mercy. The stronger the hatred, the more violent the fire. With each breath, the temperature rose dramatically—on the verge of exploding.
The destructive power of the flames was unleashed to its maximum.
Before their eyes, the Taotie's flesh and blood were rapidly burned away—vanishing into nothing. As long as the hatred remained, the flames would not die. It was the manifestation of a will, and those flames carried terrifying power—even a single spark could shatter the heavens.
Boom!!
The Taotie's body was consumed by the flames.
Amid the fire, Li Yuanba emerged—skinny like a sickly ghost, eyes wide with fury, hatred surging from his body. The hatred was so intense that all who witnessed it involuntarily felt their own hatred rise. Blood boiled. As if about to ignite. Their will and spirit were being overwhelmed by this hatred.
"Incredible… terrifying. Li Yuanba was swallowed by the Taotie and yet survived. This must be one of his techniques—'Seven Hates of Heaven'. The stronger his hatred, the stronger the power it unleashes."
A prodigy gasped in awe.
Technique: Seven Hates of Heaven — Hatefire Without Mercy (恨火无情)A blazing inferno that can incinerate the heavens and boil the seas. Created by Li Yuanba himself, this hammer technique draws power from hatred—the more intense, the stronger it becomes.
As he stepped out, the flames around him dissipated, his hatred receding. He said nothing. Being swallowed whole by the Taotie was, to him, an unbearable humiliation. He had no face left to speak.
"What's this?"
Ah Qing curiously picked up an object.
After the Taotie's death, an item was left behind. On close inspection, it appeared quite ordinary—a jade pendant. But it wasn't just any jade. Engraved on its surface was the image of a Taotie—as if a miniature replica of the creature itself.
"Here."
Ah Qing tossed the jade pendant to Yi Tianxing, a strange glint flashing across her face.
He caught it with one hand.
The moment he touched it, a stream of information flowed into his mind.
Item: Taotie Jade Pendant (饕餮玉佩)When worn, it creates a Taotie Shield that automatically forms upon attack. The shield devours any attack, leaving the wearer unharmed. However, each attack absorbed causes a crack to appear on the pendant. Once the cracks cover the whole pendant, it shatters.The number of attacks it can absorb depends on the strength of the attacks.Most importantly—it can block attacks from enemy defense towers, allowing the user to approach and destroy them unharmed.
Yi Tianxing couldn't help but smile as he relayed the information.
This was no secret—better to share it and boost morale.
And it worked. Many human prodigies lit up with joy.
"Excellent! With the Taotie Jade Pendant, we can directly approach enemy towers and destroy them without harm. This is vital to taking down the Eternal Night's crystal!" said Zhuge Liang with a smile.
It was a treasure worth celebrating.
"The Taotie is dead. Now the real problem is: how do we cross the Tongtian River?" Zhuge Liang said.
The issue was clear: without crossing the river, they'd have to use the Bridge of Life and Death—exposing their positions and ruining the element of surprise.
"Perhaps... I can get everyone across the river," Yi Tianxing said after a moment's thought.
"Oh? What method does King Yi have?" asked Xiang Yu, eyes narrowing slightly.
He remembered Yi Tianxing from before, but at that time, he hadn't found him so inscrutable. Now, he couldn't see through him at all. Not even that devastating arrow that killed Tongba—he couldn't fathom its power.
"This Tongtian River devours everything with countless whirlpools. Step onto the surface, and you're dragged down. But in the end—it's still water. And water... can be controlled. Let me try."
Yi Tianxing was confident—after all, within him was the Water God Life Aperture (水神命窍). As the name suggests, it grants him godlike control over all water. Unless the river's power vastly exceeded his own, he could bend it to his will.
"My love, isn't this a bit too risky?" Yue asked, eyes filled with concern.
"No matter." Yi Tianxing replied calmly.
He stepped forward without hesitation—his foot landing on the Tongtian River.
As his mind connected to the river, the Water God Life Aperture activated, blending with the mighty currents below.
Meanwhile, while the human prodigies were working to cross the Tongtian River, the Stone Emperor and others had already split into three forces, appearing at the defense towers at the end of each Path of Life and Death. They gazed toward the opposing towers, each towering dozens of meters high—colossal and imposing.
At that same moment, in the Eternal Night faction, forces gathered before their crystal nexus.
"Strategist, what's our plan? The enemy outnumbers us several times over. Can't believe they had the guts to show up for this battle," said the Clown.
"This King's Battle Chess is one of Eternal Night's most beloved games. We're already well-versed in its rules, while the Eternal Heaven prodigies are total novices. That gives us a clear edge," said Blood Concubine with a light laugh.
Familiarity with the battlefield is an immense advantage—leveraging the rules could lead to a swift victory.
"Exactly. What they know are just the basic rules of King's Canyon. They likely haven't learned that there's a shortcut to victory—bypassing the wilderness and going straight for the enemy crystal. This is the fastest way to win."
"Each of the four savage beasts in the wilderness drops a game-breaking item. If we can get all four, our chances of winning will double. We can't pass that up."
The Brain Demon Strategist's eyes gleamed with intelligence.
"Here's the plan: Eternal Heaven will likely take a defensive approach, splitting into three teams to guard the towers and push forward in order. So, we must pretend to do the same."
"We'll assign 1,000 fighters to each of the three paths. Their job is to engage, distract, and delay. Even if they lose ground, it's fine. All they need to do is tie up the enemy's attention."
A confident smile appeared on his face.
From his perspective, the outcome was already sealed. With their superior knowledge of the rules, victory was all but assured.