Sage Monarch

As Emperor Heart-Celestial spoke, he looked at Yang Qi with a piercing gaze, as if he hoped to see through all of his secrets. Yang Qi simply stood there quietly, looking like he didn't notice what was happening. Inside, his will stirred, making himself look like nothing but a mass of primal-chaos and making it impossible for anyone looking at him to learn a single thing about him.

Although Emperor Heart-Celestial didn't have Terrifying will convergence, he was extremely close to it. However, because of that, Yang Qi knew that, not only could he fight him, he could use him to grow stronger and stronger.

"Fine," Yang Qi said, proudly clasping his hands behind his back. "If that's how things are going to play out, then I'm very curious to see what the disciples from Celestial Peak are like. Do they really have any skills worth talking about?"

Everyone was stunned by his words, including An Yiru. Even she would act obsequiously around people from Celestial Peak, and wouldn't dare to do anything to offend them. In contrast, Yang Qi had outright provoked them, and had done so in a way that made him seem completely confident in his own invincibility.

The people from Celestial Peak immediately burst into an uproar.

"Oh?"

"What gall! How dare you talk like that, boy! Don't you know the vast difference in rank between Memory Peak and Celestial Peak?! Do you have a death wish or something?"

"Bah! Let me be the one to teach this brat the height of the heavens and the breadth of the earth."

However, Emperor Heart-Celestial still had an unreadable expression on his face that might have been admiration. Looking at Yang Qi, he said, "Excellent. Wonderful! It seems Memory Peak has really recruited a top talent. Perhaps the time has finally come for them to rise to the top. Go, Junior Brother Emperor Rain, you test out his cultivation base."

"Yes sir!" said a tall, slender cultivator. Walking forward to face Yang Qi, he reached out and flicked his wrist, causing a long sword to appear. "What weapon are you going to use?"

"None. Just my fists." Yang Qi was in the mood for fighting, and was ready to take on every student from the Will Manifestation Heaven Sect who would face him. He would use their techniques to catalyze his own advancement, and he was convinced that experts close to the Terrifying level were the best grindstone to do that. He obviously couldn't stand up to actual Terrifying experts, but those who were not there yet were definitely within the realm of what he could handle.

"That's not appropriate," the man said. "If you refuse to use a weapon, I'd rather not fight you! Here, take this." He pulled out a sword and tossed it over. "That's my Garuda Sword, which is a sage sword from a buddhist school. It's very strong, strong enough to match up to my Emperor's Dao Sword. This way, no one will be able to claim that I took advantage of you."

Yang Qi grabbed the sword and sent some true energy into it. Immediately, buddhist script began flowing over its surface, and buddha power began thrumming within it. It really was a powerful god item. Yang Qi immediately had a good impression of this Emperor Rain. Apparently, not all the disciples in the Will Manifestation Heaven Sect were vicious, underhanded fighters. Some were straightforward and upright.

"You needn't inspect it," Emperor Rain said. "I would never rig it to hurt you. You can wield it without any such worries. However, if you're not pleased with the sword, you're more than welcome to switch it for another."

"That's not necessary," Yang Qi said. "A buddhist sword like this is the perfect match for my mental state." He flicked the sword, and godlight erupted from the blade, accompanied by zen chants proclaiming the grand virtues of the buddhist schools. In the blink of an eye, a lokapāla dragon could be seen.

"Excellent sword technique! Excellent true energy! Please, prepare to counter my first move!"

Emperor Rain thrust his sword forward, sword light spilling out noiselessly and with no fanfare whatsoever. It was like a cool breeze that appeared right in front of Yang Qi, who countered by sending his own sword light forward.

However, Emperor Rain was like an expert strumming a zither, sending out a tune of sublime musical composition.

His sword light enveloped Yang Qi, piercing through his defenses in accord with the orbit of the sun and moon. Yang Qi immediately felt like he was either going to die or be seriously injured; this was not an attack that could be vanquished as easily as a palm strike, and it was filled with true energy that couldn't be easily dispelled.

Yang Qi shifted between a variety of stances and techniques to block the incoming sword, then suddenly unleashed a move that caused abundant life force to flow through his sword. It was none other than the sword technique of Star Swordlife, which was astonishing in its defensive capabilities. Emperor Rain's advance was halted, leaving him incapable of piercing Yang Qi's defenses.

Everyone in the audience who had just watched Yang Qi vanquish Bright Fatality's Myriad Gods Holy Pilgrimage Energy Art by using strength against strength were completely taken aback to see this exquisite sword technique. In fact, quite a few exclamations of surprise were heard.

"I can't believe that he has this superb level of skill. How truly exceptional! I wonder where this sword technique is from. It seems to take life force from heaven and earth to make one completely unbeatable. Who could possibly pierce defenses like that?"

"How incredible for Memory Peak to have an expert like this on their side."

"No wonder Memory Peak is on the rise now. Their peaklord is always in seclusion, and doesn't pay attention to outside affairs. But with an expert like this to take the lead, they'll definitely be able to make a name for themselves."

"Well, you never know. You have to wait and see if he'll actually defeat Emperor Rain. After all, Emperor Rain's sword skill is nothing to take lightly."

"Excellent sword technique!" Emperor Rain said. "Emperor's Dao Sword!" An imperial energy surged out of his sword, like the Son of Heaven out for an inspection tour, prompting all living beings to bend the knee in deference. It was a mighty sword technique, each slash of which could shake heaven and earth, and provoke intense rumblings like that of thunder. In fact, the entire Land of God Extermination was trembling, which just went to show how amazing the technique was.

However, Yang Qi wasn't backing down at all. He continued unleashing a torrent of sword moves, defending against every attack his opponent sent his way.

In terms of enlightenment of the life force in heaven and earth, there was nothing superior to Star Swordlife's technique. It was something an ordinary dao of the sword couldn't compare to, and Yang Qi had clashed with Star Swordlife enough to have come to a deep understanding of it. And considering he was backing it with the true energy of the Strength of the Hell-Crushing Godmammoth, his version was even more formidable than the original, just like how indigo blue is extracted from the indigo plant, but is bluer than the plant itself.

"Cavalcade of Myriad Emperors!" Emperor Rain shouted. Seeing that he was incapable of piercing the net of swords that Yang Qi had created, he finally resorted to a killing move, slashing out in a way that summoned a projection of a myriad of emperors.

Bam. Bam. Bam.

This technique was finally enough to pierce through the net of swords Yang Qi had created.

However, that was when Yang Qi suddenly shrank back, transforming into the most deadly type of sword, the kind that emanated the sternest and most awe-inspiring killing energy possible, as if he wanted to kill heaven, kill earth, kill man, and kill life.

He wanted to destroy anything and everything!

BOOM!

The deadly move of Cavalcade of Myriad Emperors was vanquished by Yang Qi.

Emperor Rain's face turned ashen as he stumbled backward, Yang Qi's sword at his throat. However, Yang Qi didn't press the attack. Flipping the sword around, he handed it hilt-first to Emperor Rain.

"You let me win, Brother Emperor Rain," he said.

It took a moment for Emperor Rain to regain his composure. When he did, he nodded and said, "Extremely impressive. Your sword technique abounds with life force, except for that last move, which was clearly from a consummate dao of killing. Don't tell me you know King Life-Killer's sword technique."

"That's right. It was none other than that King Life-Killer's technique. I just so happened to come across it, and luckily, it was just what I needed in that moment. Again, thank you for letting me win." You respect me an inch, I'll respect you a mile. That was how Yang Qi did things.

"In the future, I hope you can teach me a thing about sword technique, Brother," Emperor Rain said. Returning to the Celestial Peak group, he faced Emperor Heart-Celestial and said, "Elder Brother, I failed. Please punish me accordingly."

"It just wasn't fated to be," Emperor Heart-Celestial said. "His sword technique is too strong, making him nearly invincible. However, I don't think I've ever heard of anyone like this on the Ancient Road to the Gods. I wonder where he might hail from. Sorrow Might. It's your turn. Someone from Celestial Peak already lost, and I'm not the kind of person who tries to take advantage of situations."

WHOOSH!

Looking at Yang Qi, he snapped his finger and a god pill appeared in front of him. "This is one of Celestial Peak's famous Emperor-Heart Exalted-Celestial Pellets, which can completely restore your true energy. You must have wasted a lot of energy fighting Emperor Rain just now, so we'll wait until you've recovered before commencing the match with Sorrow Might. If you defeat him, and there are no other challengers, then the two of us will fight."

From the immense godly might and strong medicinal aroma the Emperor-Heart Exalted-Celestial Pellet emanated, it was obvious that it wasn't poison. Nor was it laced with warding spells.

However, Yang Qi didn't accept it. Instead, he flicked his finger and sent it back toward Emperor Heart-Celestial. "I appreciate your kindness, but regrettably, must decline your offer. My true energy flows without end, as I've long since reached the point of being able to draw on the boundless vitality of the god world."

"In that case, perhaps I've underestimated you," Emperor Heart-Celestial said, his expression flickering. Putting away the pill, he said, "You're up, Sorrow Might. Let's see the same impressive might you used on that Executor of the Ancient Road."

Sorrow Might snorted coldly. Not even attempting to match the magnanimity of Emperor Heart-Celestial, he said, "Since you people from Celestial Peak have already lost, it means that beating this brat will prove I'm stronger than you people. Soon enough, Celestial Peak will be taking orders from Grand Might Peak!"

"You're really a shameless boaster, aren't you?" Yang Qi said. "In fact, you don't seem anything like a chief disciple. And you're definitely not as honest and dependable as the people from Celestial Peak." Yang Qi could now see more than ever that there was a lot of variety in the Will Manifestation Heaven Sect. Some mountain peaks were arrogant and despotic, others were elegant and graceful. Some were enigmatic and impossible to predict, others were sinister and vicious, almost like heretical wretch-devils. Apparently, the sect was like a melting pot of good and evil.

Even as the words left Yang Qi's mouth, he attacked Sorrow Might.

He lunged forward, leading with his left hand and following up with his right as he unleashed a bevy of palm strikes from the Seventy-Two Monarchs Energy Art.

BOOM!

Not only were the techniques in the Seventy-Two Monarchs Energy Arts consummate techniques that had devastated the god world, but Yang Qi had gained a lot of enlightenment on this battlefield. In fact, his previous enlightenment was like nothing compared to the profundities he now understood.

He attacked relentlessly, with mountain-toppling, sea-draining force that sounded like a myriad of beasts howling, or the god world devolving into chaos. Almost instantly, Sorrow Might was gasping for breath as he staggered backward.

He spun back and forth trying to defend himself, but eventually lost control, and was squarely hit, sending him flying backward to slam into the ground, where he coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood and collapsed into unconsciousness.

Yang Qi had won a clean victory.