Purgatory

Purgatory...

A deafening boom resonated through the air, and the Divine Stele revealed faint lines that seemed to indicate it could still be separated into nine distinct portions.

The fused Divine Stele now had a total of nine sides, each radiating a different amount of light and ancient will.

"If you truly hail from the ancient kingdom," Qin Wentian began, fixing his gaze on the golden-robed middle-aged man suspended in the air, "then why is the Divine Stele now in my possession? Unless... could it be that you don't know the summoning incantation?"

The golden-robed man responded with a cold, mocking laugh and took a step forward. An immediate and oppressive pressure descended, causing Qin Wentian to groan as if an immense weight was crushing his chest.

Another step, and another boom echoed through the platform. Everyone present, not just Qin Wentian, spat out blood as they suffered under the overwhelming difference in power.

"The audacity to steal our Divine Stele," the golden-robed man hissed, his palm forming an enormous Astral Nova, reaching out to seize the Divine Stele.

The Divine Stele erupted in radiant brilliance, blinding everyone as it suddenly vanished from its original spot and reappeared before the golden-robed man. A celestial sword beam, filled with annihilating power, descended from the heavens, slicing through the void with terrifying force, making the hearts of the onlookers tremble with fear.

"Isn't that the Stellar Transposition and Heavenly Swordplay arts?" Spectators marveled at the astonishing sight. Could the Divine Stele actually execute the nine ultimate arts on its own?

A droplet of blood materialized on the Divine Stele, followed by torrents of bloody tears. A fearsome aura of destruction surged from the Stele.

The golden-robed man's expression stiffened, and his eyes gleamed with an incomparable sharpness. "The ancient will from a few thousand years ago remains undiminished, still daring to challenge the heavens?"

With these words, the golden-robed man unleashed a palm strike, unleashing a scorching solar divinity that incinerated everything in its path.

Sizzling sounds filled the air as the sword beam tore through the fabric of reality, obliterating the manifested palm. The golden-robed man swiftly retreated, his followers following suit, as blood-colored palm imprints shot out in eight directions at incredible speed. The golden-robed man's faction retreated hastily, their expressions filled with dread.

Not everyone managed to dodge the attack, and some unfortunate souls found themselves bathed in droplets of blood from the blood-colored palm imprint. These drops swiftly infiltrated their bodies, corroding flesh at a visible rate. Within the span of two breaths, only their bones remained, making them deader than dead. This gruesome spectacle sent shivers down the spines of the remaining onlookers.

"That's one of the nine ultimate arts of Ancient Grand Xia—the Bloodcurse Imprint."

"The Divine Stele's ancient will is astonishingly potent; it hasn't weakened a bit over the years."

The spectators were awestruck, but the golden-robed man's followers were not ready to give in. They brandished terrifying divine weapons and summoned their own ancient stele into the air. Countless runic words emanated from it, creating a shimmering seal that enveloped the entire area, aiming to immobilize the Divine Stele.

The Divine Stele began to resist frantically. Thundergod's Slash descended from the heavens, cleaving one of the opponents in half before it executed Stellar Transposition, disappearing into the gap it had created.

The golden-robed man bellowed in anger, wielding a colossal sword surrounded by radiant starlight.

The massive sword shot into the sky to block the oncoming Divine Stele, leading to a fierce struggle between the two.

"Capture him! I want him alive," the golden-robed man ordered, directing his gaze toward the rankers on the arena platform.

Old Man Tianji frowned, and the experts from the Great Solar Chen Clan moved forward.

"He's the first-ranked contender now. Wouldn't it be inappropriate to take action against him?" Old Man Tianji interjected, attempting to intervene.

"Senior, you're too courteous. Despite his top ranking, this brat has a terrible character. He actually stole the Great Solar Chen Clan's stele. We intend to capture him for questioning," an expert from the Chen Clan declared, glancing around at the gathered onlookers. "What do you all think?"

"The stele of my Hua Clan was stolen as well. I'm in favor of the interrogation," another representative from the Hua Clan declared, stepping forward to voice his agreement.

"After this matter is resolved, I can return the steles to your clans," Qin Wentian declared, his demeanor frosty.

"Since you've decided to become a thief, you've already crossed the point of no return. Your personality will undoubtedly spell great trouble for Grand Xia in the future. It's best to eliminate you right now," declared a stern voice, belonging to a member of the Wang Clan from the War Continent.

The various transcendent powers made their intentions clear. Qin Wentian's remarkable talent had earned him their ire. He had already offended numerous transcendent powers before this incident. Even without the presence of the golden-robed man, they would have schemed against him in the shadows. Now, with a ready-made excuse, they couldn't allow Qin Wentian to leave the ancient kingdom unscathed, especially after his meteoric rise to the top of the Heavenly Fate Rankings.

Leaving Qin Wentian aside, Mu Feng, Qin Zheng, and the others were all rapidly ascending in the rankings. They would undoubtedly become formidable opponents in the future. If they fell into the hands of the golden-robed man now, their souls would be mercilessly searched, leaving them as mere shells of their former selves before being eliminated.

"Quite the spectacle. It truly reveals the grandeur of Grand Xia's transcendent powers. I can practically see the green tinge of envy in your eyes. So, tell me, does this mean the younger generations in your clans are all worthless?" Ouyang Kuangsheng sneered. The theft of their steles by Qin Wentian was merely an excuse for them to act.

"It seems that the ancient will is slowly waning," Yun Mengyi murmured as she glanced at the Divine Stele.

In this era, the once imposing and majestic Divine Stele of Ancient Grand Xia was now held by a few Heavenly Dipper Sovereigns.

Qin Wentian's eyes narrowed as he said, "All of you, leave."

This predicament had arisen because of him, and these enemies had gathered here solely to target him.

"You fool. If we're standing here with you, it means we have no intention of leaving," Ouyang Kuangsheng retorted. He locked eyes with the transcendent powers, then shifted his gaze to his own Ouyang Aristocrat Clan.

"Kuangsheng, come back!" Ouyang Kuangsheng's uncle pleaded, but Ouyang Kuangsheng shook his head. Helplessly, his uncle beseeched the other transcendent powers, "I beg you, please spare my nephew and try not to harm him."

"My disciple is there too." In the direction of the Mystic Moon Palace, Bai Qing's master spoke quietly, expressing his concern.

At this moment, the formidable force arrayed against Qin Wentian consisted of the seven grand clans. They couldn't halt them, nor did they have any reasonable justification to oppose these clans over matters concerning the younger generation. It simply didn't make sense.

"Bailu Yi, you should leave," Qin Wentian urged, his gaze turning towards Bailu Jing and Bailu Yi. Bailu Yi, however, was determined and shook her head resolutely. She wouldn't abandon this place unless Qin Wentian did the same.

Qin Wentian felt deeply moved by her unwavering loyalty. He turned his attention back to the approaching adversaries, and a cold and ominous glint flickered in his eyes.

"If I go, the rest of you must leave immediately as well," he instructed his friends. Then, he took a bold step forward, his eyes ablaze with a demonic fervor.

Facing the encroaching crowd, Qin Wentian's lips curled into a chilling grin as he began to chant an incantation. As his deep, rumbling voice resonated through the air, a torrential surge of energy descended from the heavens.

The surroundings rumbled as the space itself quivered under the influx of overwhelming demonic energy. It spiraled into a vicious wind, carrying a destructive aura with it.

"With the invocation of demonic divinities, the ancient will spans across the skies…"

Qin Wentian's eyes glinted with a malevolent light as he gazed at the celestial dome. From all directions, demonic energy converged upon him, forming a maelstrom of power. The furious winds it generated struck terror into the hearts of those witnessing it. What manner of energy was this?

"What's happening?" Ouyang Kuangsheng's robes billowed wildly on the platform, and he struggled to keep his eyes open in the face of the ferocious demonic gale. A look of shock was etched on everyone's faces. What kind of power was Qin Wentian tapping into?

A thunderous bird's screech pierced the air, causing Heaven and Earth to quiver. The colossal silhouette of the Vermilion Bird from the Vermilion Bird Formation reappeared, its ethereal figure intertwining with that of the Purgatory Vermilion Bird, transforming the entire space into a purgatorial realm.

The onlookers were left astonished as they beheld the massive form of the Purgatory Bird hovering above them, enveloped in eternal flames. Its imposing presence made the entire vicinity tremble, and even the earth beneath them began to crumble under its overwhelming force.

"Do it."

As those determined individuals closed in on Qin Wentian, they transformed into streaks of light, hurtling towards him. But suddenly, an ear-piercing screech erupted from the Purgatory Vermilion Bird.

Peng! Its colossal wings generated a ferocious gust that slammed into Qin Wentian, abruptly disrupting his incantation.

Qin Wentian tilted his head, his eyes glowing crimson as he questioned the Purgatory Vermilion Bird, "I can become a demon divinity, why are you obstructing me?"

"But you're not willing..." A voice reverberated within Qin Wentian's heart. In this moment, he shuddered involuntarily—he could actually hear the thoughts of his Purgatory Vermilion Bird.

In the Vermilion Bird's eyes, Qin Wentian detected unshed tears and profound sorrow. It was no longer a mere spirit—it had acquired a life of its own.

A formidable palm strike hurtled towards Qin Wentian, yet the Purgatory Vermilion Bird detached itself from the illusory manifestation of the Vermilion Bird Formation. It swooped down to shield Qin Wentian, bearing the brunt of the blow. A deafening crash echoed as its body was sent hurtling backward, blood spraying from its beak. Paradoxically, the eternal flames around it grew even fiercer, while the illusory figure of the colossal Vermilion Bird expanded dramatically.

"Seeking death." An expert from the Great Solar Chen Clan spat out coldly as he launched another palm strike.

The Purgatory Vermilion Bird let out a furious cry and darted forward once more to intercept the blow. In a thunderous clash, its body appeared on the verge of shattering, yet it faced the impending doom without a trace of fear.

With a mournful screech, the Purgatory Vermilion Bird turned back and cast a profound gaze upon Qin Wentian. Its eyes were filled with an overwhelming longing and sorrow.

In a flash of brilliance, the bird transformed into a streak of light that shot skyward, merging once more with the illusory outline of the colossal Vermilion Bird. However, this time, radiant light burst from its form, erupting into countless astral motes that blanketed the entire sky, forming a Purgatory Constellation. A deluge of dark flames descended wildly, plunging the world into darkness.

"What's happening?"

As the crowd looked up and beheld the heavens, they witnessed the Purgatory Constellation manifesting a pair of eyes that opened wide. The entire area quaked, reverting to a formation world once more.

"Purgatory!" Qin Wentian's heart ached as he stared at the constellation, which had been born from the distant silhouette of the Purgatory Vermilion Bird.

He had never regarded the Purgatory Vermilion Bird as a mere tool; instead, it had been a true companion. Its eyes, brimming with profound yearning, cast one final glance, etching a lasting scar upon his heart.

The Purgatory Vermilion Bird had recognized that Qin Wentian wasn't truly willing to embrace the path of the demon. Thus, it made the heart-wrenching decision to sacrifice itself.

In this critical moment, the colossal form of the Purgatory Vermilion Bird soared above. Its burning eyes locked onto the Chen Clan's formidable expert. Enormous spheres of dark flame hurtled towards the expert, who tried desperately to evade. However, in a matter of mere breaths, he found himself ensnared within a fiery maelstrom. Purgatory Lotuses materialized from the blaze, relentlessly closing in on him, determined to consume him in their fiery embrace.

A spine-chilling scream pierced the air as the mighty Heavenly Dipper Sovereign from the Great Solar Chen Clan was reduced to nothing more than ashes, instantly incinerated.