CHAPTER 72.1: HEAVEN'S END CLEARED, TIME TO MEET JIN LI

Enveloped in blood-red armor, Qi Yuan’s height soared to 107 meters. Barbed spikes jutted from his shoulders, gleaming translucent crimson under the sunlight, as if they’d drip blood at any moment.

Wielding a massive giant sword, he marched like a demon emerging from hell.

"Kill!" he cried hoarsely.

At this moment, there was only one word in his mind: kill!

Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!

Three thousand Peak Divine realm experts launched attacks from every direction.

Qi Yuan's blood-red eyes shot open. He saw countless afterimages, innumerable martial divine abilities.

"Kill!"

He raised the giant sword with one hand and leaped, the impact shattering the ground beneath his feet. An enormous, scarlet-armored figure shot into the sky.

The sheer impact of his landing alone was terrifying, rendering all techniques meaningless. Not to mention that he swung an incomparably powerful sword.

"All of you shall die!"

He slaughtered everything in sight until he lost count of the lives he’d taken.

A single sword strike split apart a towering mountain peak, annihilating the cultivator residing there. Boulders and earth exploded into fragments, scattering in every direction.

"Aaah!

"

Qi Yuan was like a God of Slaughter—no, a Demon of Slaughter!

The massive blood-red sword descended again and again, mowing down everything in his path. All the experts joined forces, launching an endless barrage against him.

Dozens, even hundreds of martial divine abilities bombarded Qi Yuan, like spiderwebs trying to bind a monstrous beast.

He swept his giant sword with brute force, shattering all laws with sheer power. With a single strike, everything was severed like fragile webs and erased into nothingness.

Mountains collapsed, and rivers reversed their flow, eventually streaming with blood.

Qi Yuan was like a wolf among sheep. Like a savage beast, his feet crushed the earth, and his head brushed against the clouds. His giant sword butchered all living beings.

His battle skills and will had been tempered to perfection over 129,600 battles.

His fights against the Peak Divine realm cultivators was the peak of aesthetics of violence. Brutal, arrogant, tyrannical, yet carrying the utmost mastery of technique. All of his movements seamlessly connected with each other, natural and artistic.

"Kill kill kill! Kill kill kill!"

Slaughter until the heavens collapsed, until sun and moon waned, until the mortal world was cast into chaos!

With Little Bride, he cut down all three thousand experts!

***

At the Five Elements Forbidden Zone...

A trace of worry filled Dragon Judge's eyes. "Did you feel that? The Five Elements Forbidden Zone’s restrictions are slowly fading. I fear that in a thousand years, it’ll be reduced into an ordinary forbidden zone, one even Peak Emperor realm cultivators can tread."

"Do you think it's the work of alien demons?" Feather asked. "In a thousand years, the Demon-Slaying Assembly will be long over. Since he’s only just begun, it’ll take him a thousand years to break those seals. What use is that?"

Dragon Judge ended the topic. "You are right. Didn’t you say that the Garment Division Master is training in the mortal zone? How much of our Divine Reflection has he digested?"

Feather sighed, "You’re overthinking. He's only been gone a month. We still have three hundred years. Hopefully, he can reach Peak Divine realm by then. That way, when facing alien demons, we'll have a bit more assurance."

Dragon Judge’s expression became grave as he thought of something. "The Celestial God transmitted to you when he fought the alien demons, didn’t he? Besides what you’ve already told me, was there truly nothing else? For example, the demons' strength, or their exact numbers?"

Feather fell silent for a moment. "No. I've already told you everything the Celestial God said."

Dragon Judge sighed. "Why must you hide it?"

"There is nothing to hide."

***

Only half a day had passed outside, but inside the Ascension Platform, a whole year had gone by. Qi Yuan fought continuously, without rest.

"Die!"

The giant sword came down, shattering the last mountain peak, and flattening the final Peak Divine realm cultivator with its tip.

Qi Yuan stood where he was, exuding thick blood qi all over, nearly condensing into substance. The blood on his crimson armor had dried, forming black stains. He thrust the sword into a mountain crevice and sat down, gasping heavily. His breath alone blew away the gravel and dirt.

Scooping water from a lake, he splashed it over his face again and again. The water level in the lake lowered, exposing mud beneath. Only then did he feel relief.

Even the final step was guarded by three thousand Peak Divine realm experts. How terrifying must the Metal-Armored God be? He dared not imagine. Still, he felt no fear. This was both his weakest and strongest state. To retreat now would scatter his martial Dao's spirit.

There was only one path forward.

"Fight!"

He’d be unstoppable and invincible. Pulling the sword free, he shattered the mountain behind him. Then, he stepped onto the final Ascension Platform. His body shrank, condensing to twelve meters tall.

At that moment, someone said in a majestic voice, "You've come."

Qi Yuan looked and saw the one-armed Metal-Armored God.

He stood on the Ascension Platform, his expression mechanical and cold. In his right hand was a pitch-black spear. Marred with bloodstains, it gleamed with chilling light.

The man was somewhat different from the Metal-Armored God Qi Yuan had seen.

The god said in a mechanical voice, carrying a trace of loneliness. "So many years have passed. I never thought someone could still ascend to the platform."

"Where does the Ascension Platform lead?"

For the first time, a strange smile appeared on the god's rigid face. "They say to the stars. But..."

"But what?"

The Metal-Armored God leveled his black spear at him. "In truth, you’ll become the lord’s disciple and enter his stomach."

A chill ran down Qi Yuan's spine. Who’s Heaven’s End master? Who built this arena?

He didn’t know. However, Earth’s End was being ruled by the alien demons.

"The world is in chaos, the sun and moon reversed. That’s how a weakling like you has the chance to reach the true Ascension Platform and stand before me," the Metal-Armored God said coldly, lifelessly. "Make your move. End this dull battle."

The spear's sharp edge glimmered with icy light. The armless god stood alone, yet his pressure surpassed that of a thousand armies.

Qi Yuan narrowed his eyes and information appeared.

[Broken Metal-Armored God's Remnant Soul, Level 119.]

Level 119?!!

This was the first time he had ever seen such a powerful being in this world. Before this, no one had surpassed level 100. Heck, not even he could break to level 100.

Now, he faced an unknown, mysterious, terrifying powerhouse. Qi Yuan's hair bristled as he trembled, every muscle taut. All his focus and spirit locked on the Metal-Armored God.

He gripped his sword, alert and ready to strike. His killing intent and battle resolve finally reached their peak.

"Kill!"

He understood that this battle would almost certainly end in death. Hence, his first strike had to be his strongest.

"Hyaaa!"

Thus, Qi Yuan unleashed his mightiest slash, infused with countless martial divine powers and skills.

The sword pierced the Metal-Armored God.