Sage Monarch

The demon-gods joined forces, but couldn't do anything to get the situation under control. In fact, the explosive godpower Yang Qi was unleashing had them all stumbling backward.

Ever since he'd come to the god world, Yang Qi had been holding back. But now there were two versions of him, one calm and collected while the other was evil and full of devilishness. Both had the same immense fighting experience, so it was a given that a conflict between them would be heaven-topping and earth-shaking.

Thankfully, the fight was taking place in Demon Master Valley, ensuring that the shockwaves of energy couldn't escape to the outside and draw wider attention.

As for the demon-gods inside, they quickly realized that they couldn't do anything, and one by one, they just left the valley. After all, every single one of them was a Lesser God, so there was no way they could deal with two versions of Yang Qi.

"I don't know where this kid came from, but he's definitely seeking enlightenment of the Demon Master's Psychic Devil-Raising Demon-Sacrificing Heaven-Defying Grand Magic! But considering he's split apart his psyche, he won't last for much longer. Ai...."

"He's basically gone crazy and is experiencing cultivation deviation. He'll definitely blow up in the end. I guess we're just screwed. There's no point in worrying about plotting against someone who's going to die anyway."

"Well, that's true. If it weren't for the fact that he's going to die anyway, we definitely wouldn't let him off the hook."

The demon-gods were furious, but there was nothing they could do. In any case, they were sure that he would soon die.

Intense rumblings continued rolling out from inside the valley.

It was a sound of such explosive power that it could give birth to god lightning, and was so strong it could pull the souls of those who heard it into deep trances.

"Don't listen to that sound!" said one of the demon-gods, who happened to be a wolf god. "It's a deadly resonance from the Demon Master's psychic secret magics. That guy is already losing control!"

The fight between Yang Qi and his evil version was reaching a fever pitch. In fact, it was a fight more desperate than any he had ever fought. His opponent was an exact copy of himself, and knew all of his flaws. Unfortunately, he wasn't sure what his enemy's flaws were.

Even worse, he didn't have any secret weapons to unleash unexpectedly.

His evil version laughed darkly. "I'm the real Yang Qi, Fateless One. You're just my weak spot. Once I get rid of you, heart-devil, I'll be what I've always been meant to be! You're weak!"

"Bullcrap!" Yang Qi said, completely unfazed by what he was hearing. It was strange to hear the evil version of himself calling his true self a heart-devil and a weakness. Although it made sense in some ways, he wouldn't be easily shaken by such words. And he knew that if he allowed himself to be swayed, he would meet a dismal end. He would definitely lose his senses and become an actual devil king.

Right now he needed to destroy his evil will and restore himself to normal.

"Die!" the evil version howled, furious that his weak version wasn't giving in. Reaching up, he summoned a huge sword and slashed it down toward Yang Qi.

"Prepare to die!" the evil version shouted, his black hair swirling about, black energy pulsing at his feet, almost like the eternal sands of hell. "I'm Yang Qi, and I won't be weak again. I don't need any negative emotions, just strength and power. Weak human feelings won't do me any good. I don't need friendship. I don't need family. I just need to be as cold and hard as iron."

His sword was as red as blood and filled with cruelty to dominate the far corners of reality.

To the evil version, Yang Qi was calm and had feelings, so he was a heart-devil. But to Yang Qi, the evil version was the heart-devil.

"Heart-Devil Submission!"

A pious expression appeared on Yang Qi's face, and he began thrumming with empyrean energy as he drew on his Sage Monarch Grand Magic. Pooling all of his energy, he summoned a sword of morality that was the perfect opposite of his evil version's weapon.

CLANG!

They slammed into each other, then rocketed apart, slamming into opposite cliff faces before rushing right back into battle.

Energy arts and sword energy were being unleashed in grand fashion. Obviously, this was a very important fight, more important than any he had ever fought.

It was a battle of the self.

Evil Yang Qi's godpower flowed without end, and with the backing of the God Legion Seal it didn't seem like he would ever run out.

Clearly, Yang Qi himself was in the same position, though.

"Tribulation!" Evil Yang Qi unleashed tribulations from the Unspoiled Body, while pure Yang Qi launched a move from the Strength of the Hell-Crushing Godmammoth.

Both of them were protected by bubbles that would cause huge shockwaves of godpower to roll out when they clashed.

"I don't need your wretched, devil will. I need clarity, wisdom, valor, and nothingness. I need not evil, ruthlessness, distortion, ferocity...." Yang Qi was speaking such things as he fought, filling him with a sense of happiness, fighting spirit, and confidence.

"Bah! You're weak, and it's all your fault! That's why I haven't been able to flex my muscles in the god world. If it weren't for me, you would've been nothing but a hedonistic silkpants in the lands of mortals. You would've been a woman's plaything, only to be thrown to the side. I'm the one who got you your revenge. I killed Yun Hailan. I helped you kill the Crown Prince! Without me, you're nothing but a weak piece of trash! How many times have I helped you? Apparently not enough, and that's why I'm finally going to kill you today!"

The evil Yang Qi seemed to be getting fiercer and more ruthless, until he pulsed with so much killing intent that it seemed as if he were fully entrenched in the dao of wretch-devils.

"Wrong. I used wisdom, clarity, and emptiness in the impure lands. That's how I ended up here. I don't need your insanity. With you, I'm nothing but an ignorant madman. In fact, the time has come for you to begone."

RUMBLE!

Their fists collided and a deafening shock wave rolled out.

The fighting was reaching a peak. As it did, Yang Qi was gaining further enlightenment, yet his evil self also benefited from all of it.

"Hey, you!" his evil version said. "As we fight, our cultivation bases improve. And it doesn't look like either of us can beat the other. How about we just go our separate ways, work on our cultivation for ten years, then have a rematch?"

"Yeah right. I have the God Legion Seal, and you might have split from me, but you can't take it away. Nor can you take the sheepskin scroll or the Mahātmā Jade. The only way for you to get them is to kill me. Considering how raving mad you are, if you go out into the god world, you'll end up dead sooner rather than later. So quit it with the tricks. I'm also Yang Qi, I know them all. You really think they would work on me? This is a fight of the self; in other words, a contest to see whose will is stronger. Whoever has the calmest heart will beat the other, and what you lack is my calm and clarity!"

Yang Qi's voice was the perfect representation of emptiness and clarity.

"Die!" the evil version screamed. "I'm going to break through, then you won't be able to do anything to me! You may be calm, but I'm strong! We'll see who comes out on top. There will be only one! Fine, I'll show you what it really means to go all out. True-Devil Myriad Tribulations. Tribulations Destroy Everything. I am Nirvanic Rebirth. Enter Destruction, Enter Tribulation!"

RUMBLE!

Over ten thousand tribulations converged on the evil Yang Qi. "I've gained enlightenment of the Unspoiled Body, and I know how to survive tribulations. Once you enter the sea of bitterness, tribulations are born!"

The tribulations exploded, and the evil version lunged forward. "We can also just die together. I'm your hatred, so if you want to get rid of me, I'd rather Yang Qi just cease to exist!"

Yang Qi had the ability to fight with the goal of ending in mutual destruction.

Except this time, it was being used by himself, against himself.

That said, he remained cool and collected, and as the evil version of himself approached, he dodged to the side and drew on the Strength of the Hell-Crushing Godmammoth. Godpower flowed through him like a mighty river bursting out of a dyke.

Thrusting his palm out, he struck directly toward a weakness he had noticed, striking the evil version with heaven-shaking, earth-shattering force.

However, in the end, nothing happened.

"Ready to give up, Yang Qi?" the evil version laughed. "I know you can't do anything to me. And if you don't surrender, we'll both die. I know you want to live, but I don't really care. That's how ruthless I am!"