This wind wasn't ordinary wind—it was Nether Yin Wind. Nor was the rain mere rain—it was Silver Needle Snow Rain. The rain fell as fine as silver needles, imbued with icy chill. When it landed, it could pierce the body like needles, freeze the bloodline, and infiltrate every pore along with the Yin wind. Even a cultivator at the Nascent Soul realm would meet their doom in such a storm.
It was a catastrophe.
One could see that the dense flock of Black Sword Demon Sparrows was engulfed by the Yin wind and rain. In a flash, large numbers of them plummeted from the sky, their bodies corroded and penetrated by countless rain needles. Frost crystals formed across their feathers and flesh—their lifeforce frozen from within, bloodline invaded by the cold, life utterly extinguished.
Yet, these demon sparrows were indeed formidable.
Black light burst from their bodies, transforming them into countless streaks of sword light. The sword light was sharp and fierce, clashing with the Yin wind and rain in a battle of hardness against softness. When they struck the protective barrier of the flying boat, violent tremors shook the entire vessel. Ripples spread across the barrier as its glow rapidly dimmed.
Despite this, the flying boat continued forward, without pause.
"It seems you really intend to force my hand. If that's the case, then let this Holy Son show you what it means to be a true prodigy."
The man wearing the faceless mask sneered. Suddenly, light flashed across the blank mask, and without warning, a bold and domineering face emerged. The face integrated perfectly with his own, transforming his appearance.
"Ha! Lü Bu is here! Surrender now and die with honor!"
The faceless man transformed into Lü Bu, clad in purple-gold scale armor, wielding the Fangtian Halberd, and crowned with a purple-gold headdress. The aura of dominance and the ferocity in his eyes were indistinguishable from the real Lü Bu.
"What?! The Peerless God of War—Lü Bu?!"
Everyone on the flying boat gasped, stunned.
What the hell was this? A faceless Eternal Night genius suddenly cosplayed Lü Bu? Did he really think that by transforming into Lü Bu, he could possess his unmatched power? What kind of joke was this?
"What's next, sticking scallions in your nose and calling yourself an elephant?"
"Ridiculous!"
Though shocked, the cultivators aboard couldn't help but curse in disbelief.
"Peerless Divine Art – Seven Styles of Demons and Gods – Blood Prison Fire Lotus!!"
The false Lü Bu roared. Even his voice was exactly like Lü Bu's—utterly indistinguishable.
As the cry rang out, his blood Qi erupted—golden and radiant, surging like the blazing sun. The energy flooded into his halberd, which gleamed brilliantly. The halberd trembled, its battle intent fusing completely with its weapon spirit.
Blood Qi, battle intent, and divine power—there was no difference from the real Lü Bu.
Boom!
The 'Lü Bu' slammed the halberd into the void beneath his feet. Blood-red light erupted, spreading across the air like a mountain of corpses and sea of blood. Countless golden halberds manifested, swirling around him and coalescing into a massive Fire Lotus. The golden lotus rotated, growing larger and larger, slicing and crushing everything in its path. The violent halberd intent could shatter space itself.
In the blink of an eye, the fire lotus enveloped the flying boat.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The lotus exploded and spun violently. The barrier around the flying boat faded visibly, then collapsed entirely. Countless halberds struck the vessel, causing it to shudder violently and then crash to the ground.
"Impossible!"
"That was Lü Bu's exclusive technique! That blood Qi, that divine art, that intent—it's identical! How can that be?! That mask..."
"It's over! The flying boat's destroyed. We've been caught. This time, we're done for!"
The cultivators leaped from the wreckage, unharmed despite the crash. At their cultivation level, such mishaps posed little threat.
"I'll say it once more—hand over the Martial Ancestor's inheritance, and you might live. Otherwise, next year today will be your death anniversary."
'Lü Bu' advanced again, eyes blazing, clearly unwilling to give up the inheritance.
"Dream on! That inheritance belongs to the Eternal World, not to you. I'd rather die than give it up!"
The man known as the Tower Master sneered.
"You think I need your cooperation to claim the inheritance?" the false Lü Bu mocked. "I can simply soul search you after capturing you. Your memories will reveal everything. Hand it over, or I'll take it by force."
With a wave of the halberd, he stepped forward, his aura crashing down like a tidal wave.
Kill!
The halberd came slashing down.
Roar!!
Just then, a golden true dragon descended from the heavens. A claw struck out, like an antelope's horns—sudden, subtle, yet unstoppable—blocking the halberd. The resulting collision blasted both the dragon and 'Lü Bu' backward. The shockwave blew away the demon sparrows, shredding them. Even the cultivators from the flying vessel were thrown back, faces pale from the shock.
The force of that clash was unfathomable.
"If you want to kill, did you ever consider whether I permit it?"
The golden dragon coiled mid-air, and one could now see it pulling a majestic war chariot. A figure radiating imperial might stood atop the chariot, his eyes sharp and bright as lightning.
"Emperor Yi—Yi Tianxing!!"
The faceless man's expression changed drastically. He hadn't expected Yi Tianxing to appear at such a critical moment. Among the Eternal Night forces, everyone knew: Yi Tianxing was the hardest bone to chew. Dozens of Eternal Night geniuses had already fallen to his hand. On the Void Arena, he was undefeated—every appearance meant a victory for him and death or destruction for his foe.
His fearsome reputation struck terror into countless Eternal Night cultivators.
"It's been a while. How have you fared these years?"
Yi Tianxing ignored the false Lü Bu, looking instead at the Tower Master, a faint smile on his lips.
"This servant, Li Zhilin, greets the Emperor. I haven't served under your command in over twenty years. That is my failure."
Li Zhilin bowed respectfully, his tone utterly sincere.
He was none other than Li Zhilin, the very first person to pledge loyalty to Yi Tianxing when the world underwent apocalyptic change and the myriad realms merged. He had signed a master-servant contract in the early days.
Back then, when the worlds merged, all survivors became Heaven's Favored. Many of them were taken into sects for elite training. With their destiny and luck, they had potential to become top-tier talents. Others were scattered throughout the Eternal World, fated to rise through chance encounters and fortuitous events.
Because the Eternal World was so vast, meeting again was nearly impossible. Even close friends or family would inevitably be separated.
Yi Tianxing had long assumed that finding Li Zhilin again would be unlikely, if not impossible. Many Heaven's Favored had perished without a trace. But when Li Zhilin began approaching White Crow City, the contract link grew clearer. That was what had drawn Yi Tianxing here.
He hadn't expected to witness this exact scene.
Yi Tianxing remembered Li Zhilin well. Back then, in the face of crisis, he had made the swift and correct decision—proof of extraordinary will and character.
"This was never your fault. Besides, that old contract—it's optional. If you wish, we can nullify it now. After all, we come from the same place. We are, in a way, old friends."
Yi Tianxing smiled lightly.
"I, Li Zhilin, may not be a good man, but I stand by my word. These years, I have always been searching for the Emperor."
Li Zhilin replied firmly.
.................
[Break tomorrow (Sunday), Novelisto]