Tingzhou, Yang family.

Yu Lingzi, without thinking, snapped a finger that reached out in front of him with a "pop".

The other Yang family experts, furious, attacked him without another word, shouting: "You from the Ministry of Rites, why would you break a person's finger just because someone pointed at you?"

"Pop, pop, pop!"

Yu Lingzi dodged and counterattacked, quickly breaking finger after finger. The many Yang family experts shed tears of pain, then received a series of elbow strikes, knee strikes, eye jabs, throat strikes, and more, knocking them down one after another, unable to get up.

Yu Lingzi shouted loudly, "I have come by the command of the True King to deliver a proclamation. In front of two armies, one does not kill messengers. Is this how the Yang family treats their guests?"

"We'll kill you, you little cow-nosed Taoist!"

More Yang family experts came to kill him, shouting, "Aiding the wicked, everyone should kill you!"

"Chen Shi is rebelling, Taihua Qing Palace following in rebellion, we'll flatten your ancestral tombs!"

"Flatten Taihua Mountain, capture Qiongyang alive!"

...

The Yang family patriarch Yang Wenfeng ignored this, while a clan elder beside him said, "Our Great Ming Dynasty indeed has a rule not to kill messengers. Yu Lingzi is the Assistant Minister of Rites for the rebels, sent to deliver a proclamation. He likely harbors a grudge against Chen Shi, which is why they sent him, hoping our Yang family would kill this finger-snapping Taoist and offend Taihua Qing Palace. We should not bear this infamous name. Let them stand down instead."

Yang Wenfeng, expressionless, replied, "Now that a battle has begun, why talk about rules? Even if we kill this finger-snapping Taoist, would Taihua Qing Palace really dare to fall out with our Yang family? What underlying capabilities does Taihua Qing Palace have to quarrel?"

Yu Lingzi struggled to fend off the attacks, breaking more fingers. Even though his cultivation had reached the God Refining Realm, facing so many experts made him feel overwhelmed.

Suddenly, a Returning Void Realm expert waved aside the crowd, his Qi-Blood crashing like a mountain, shouting, "Useless fools, let me handle this!"

Yu Lingzi activated the Taizhen Jade Formula, a Jade Ruyi floating behind his head, clashing directly with the formidable expert. Instantly, he felt excruciating pain throughout his limbs and bones. He seized his opponent's finger, but had no strength left to break it.

The formidable Yang family expert launched another attack, blood and Qi spilling from his hands, forming two mountains in the void pressing from both sides!

Yu Lingzi didn't hesitate, his True Martial Evil Extermination Sword unsheathed, a flash of sword light spread enchanting rosy clouds all around, smashing the two great mountains. The Yang family's formidable expert raised his hand to block the sword light. Upon contact, half his body was left fleshless, his Primordial Spirit also slain!

"An Immortal Artifact?"

Patriarch Yang Wenfeng, both shocked and angry, charged forward but was forced back by the sword light in Yu Lingzi's hand. The True Martial Evil Extermination Sword of Taihua Qing Palace was so ominous that even if you were a Demi Immortal, touching it would cut away half your flesh and blood, and your Primordial Spirit would die upon contact with the sword light, extremely formidable!

The Yang family's Immortal Artifact was known as the Seven Star Tower, containing seven glowing stars — Sun, Moon, Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth — within the ceiling of the pavilion, seemingly in existence. Cultivating inside it allowed one to feel the Immortal Light emitted by the seven stars.

However, this treasure had been taken by the Yang family's Ghost God to attack the Imperial Capital and slay the rebel Chen Shi.

Yang Wenfeng dodged the sword light, waving his sleeve. Yu Lingzi exerted all his effort, wielding the True Martial Evil Extermination Sword for defense. Though the Immortal Artifact's power was immense, his cultivation was far too weak, causing him to spit blood and fly backward from just a flick of the sleeve. The True Martial Evil Extermination Sword in his hand was also knocked away.

Yang Wenfeng breathed a sigh of relief, reaching to capture it, thinking, "This finger-snapping Taoist's cultivation is weak, unable to unleash the item's full power."

At this moment, a long ribbon flew over, wrapping around the True Martial Evil Extermination Sword, leaving Yang Wenfeng grasping at air.

Only to see a beautiful young woman in her twenties fly over, wearing a pale yellow gauzy long dress, baring her shoulders, surrounded by multicolored ribbons, gently raising Yu Lingzi with a wave.

"Qiongyang of Taihua Qing Palace!"

Yang Wenfeng snorted, looking toward his back, where stood the three grand ancestors of the Yang family, then relaxed. Coldly he said, "Qiongyang, I didn't expect you to serve as an errand dog for traitors. But then again, it's hardly surprising. Rumor has it you're Chen Yindou's lover. Since Chen Shi is rebelling, how could you, the fake granny, not help? Aren't you afraid of Taihua Qing Palace's punishment?"

Qiongyang Ancestor laughed, "Punishment? I'm doing what heaven mandates, eradicating the parasitic Yang family. Why would the ancestors punish me?"

She bowed: "I hereby invoke the ancestors!"

The sky remained still.

Qiongyang appeared embarrassed, glaring fiercely at Daoist Chang Ying. Sighing, Daoist Chang Ying kneeled: "I hereby invoke the ancestors, may the divine formation descend!"

The sky responded, cracking open, revealing two colossal blue sheep standing upright in the void, their horns interlocking, the four long horns engraved with talismans, flickering with light. Between the horns appeared a deep Grotto Heaven, where dazzling rays of the greater path moved leisurely like swimming fish.

These swimming fish suddenly flew out from the Grotto Heaven, transforming upon landing into various Daoists — tall, short, fat, thin, male, female, old, young — in myriad forms, precisely the ancestors of Taihua Qingyang Palace from past generations.

Their physical bodies were long dead, leaving only the Primordial Spirits, which had been cultivating in the Pure Yang Cave Heaven throughout the years.

The Qing Yang was of Pure Yang essence. The Pure Yang Cave Heaven, created by the two Qing Yang's long horns, could simulate an Immortal Realm, allowing their Primordial Spirits to be preserved indefinitely.

Seeing these Daoists' Primordial Spirits, Yang Wenfeng knew things had taken a turn for the worse. Indeed, the Yang family wasn't afraid of Taihua Qingyang Palace. Nevertheless, with ninety percent of the Yang family's forces taken by King Pingdeng, Yang Cheng, to attack the Xinxiang Imperial City, the remaining Yang family experts, though numerous, no longer held an overwhelming advantage against Taihua Qingyang Palace.

"Should a fight break out, both sides would suffer heavy casualties. Qiongyang certainly wouldn't want to perish together with our Yang family, leading to mutually assured destruction. Perhaps we might negotiate..."

Just as Yang Wenfeng thought this, he noticed Qiongyang Ancestor smiling like a girl in love, her eyes filled with admiration and affection, looking to one side.

Yang Wenfeng followed her gaze and saw the rejuvenated Chen Yindou walking towards Tingzhou City.

Yang Wenfeng's eye twitched, and at that moment, an ordinary wooden door suddenly appeared outside the city. As the door opened, Du Yiran stepped out from behind it. Du Yiran turned and closed the door, and it vanished.

On the other side, Azhuo, the Heavenly Fox, and Sha Qiutong were approaching Tingzhou City in succession.

Then, Creation Little Five, always with a smile, also appeared in his sight.

Yang Wenfeng's eye twitched violently. He then saw the old eunuch Feng Tianhuan, along with Xiao Wangsun and Jin Hongying leading the Divine Mechanism Camp army.

Yang Wenfeng's voice was sharp and he shouted loudly, "Call upon the underworld gods, come quickly to support!"

In the underworld of Tingzhou, outside the Ghost Gate, Judge Yang Pingcheng sat in front of the gate with an immortal sword across his knees, the Red Rainbow Glaze Sword. He had once achieved Harmonization, nearly becoming an Immortal, but died at the moment of Ascension. The Red Rainbow Glaze Sword was an immortal artifact he had crafted in his muddled state.

"This generation of True King is different from the last."

He watched the hell rising steadily behind the Ghost Gate and a ghost god figure growing progressively larger, and whispered, "The last generation of True King was born of the old method but did not trust it, relentlessly pushing the new method and killing countless fellow practitioners. This generation of True King comes from the new method but cultivates both, and their talent is extraordinary; maybe, just maybe, they can pave a new path."

That ghastly giant of a ghost god strained its muscles, both arms stretched backward, driving the vast hell skyward, linking it to his Void Great Realm.

The ghost god breathed a sigh of relief.

He was called Yang Pingcheng, the judge of Niukeng Hell. This time, during the Yang family's siege of the imperial city, King Pingdeng Yang Cheng virtually took all the ghost gods from the Sevenfold Palace and the Eighteen Layers of Hell, leaving only this Niukeng Hell.

He harnessed the Dao Power of Niukeng Hell, intending to tear through the void and enter the mortal world when suddenly, a beam of celestial light like a long rainbow blocked his path.

Standing atop the celestial light was a Daoist who bowed and said, "Fellow Daoist of the Yang family, I am Taoist Jueyangzi, here to invite you to your death!"

Yang Pingcheng exclaimed, "Jueyangzi? I've heard your name before; you were said to have reached Tribulation Crossing and Ascension but were hunted by the True King, vanishing without a trace. I never expected you to still be alive! Have you become an Immortal?"

Jueyangzi was also quite surprised and said, "You are someone from my era?"

Yang Pingcheng laughed and said, "Indeed. But you cultivated the old method, and I cultivated the new method. In those days, Jueyangzi was famous across the world, a leader of the old method, but I never thought you would turn to the rebels!"

He shook his head, and instantly countless ghost gods in Niukeng Hell leapt out like fleas.

"I will open a path for you to the mortal world, to support the Yang family!"

Yang Pingcheng's Divine Power surged, and with a single punch, penetrated the Yin Yang Two Realms, causing countless ghost god to soar towards the mortal world.

Yang Pingcheng laughed and said, "If you have lived until now, you must have become an Immortal. What kind of Immortal have you cultivated? You still seem no stronger than me!"

These words struck a chord with Jueyangzi, darkening his expression.

He learned much from Liu Daoist, was bestowed a jade pendant by Lady Houtu to suppress his demonic nature, was taught the Yin Yang Dojo and Yin Yang Refining by Chen Shi, yet he still could not completely purge the Evil Qi to achieve a state of Wu Xie.

Thus, he could only achieve Harmonization in Chen Shi's small temple, with Mana slightly above the Perfect level of Ascension Realm, not reaching the true level of a Heavenly Immortal.

Yang Pingcheng seized upon his moment of gloom, summoning the Dao Power of Niukeng Hell, and delivered a punch!

Standing on the Rainbow Bridge, Jueyangzi raised his palm to block the peak-like fist jaw.

His clothes fluttered, yet his body did not move an inch, and he said calmly, "Even if my Mana is a bit weaker, I am still a genuine Heavenly Immortal, something beyond your reach."

Yang Pingcheng roared angrily, with rosy clouds swirling in Niukeng Hell, forming arm-like projections that furiously assaulted Jueyangzi!

He wanted to smash this self-proclaimed Heavenly Immortal, shatter him completely, yelling, "There are no Immortals in this world! There were none in the True King Era, and there are none today!"

Jueyangzi moved gracefully through the air, his figure elusive. With one person and one sword, he evaded almost all of Yang Pingcheng's attacks, and when he couldn't dodge, he broke them with a single sword.

His form drew ever closer to Yang Pingcheng's sky-high body, gradually reaching just before Yang Pingcheng's face.

In a panic, Yang Pingcheng attacked with all his might, yet he could not inflict even a scratch, while Jueyangzi stood only dozens of steps away.

Jueyangzi swung his sword, and the sword light illuminated Yang Pingcheng's eyes.

Jueyangzi retracted his sword and leaped, jumping into the mortal world, arriving outside Tingzhou City.

Meanwhile, a red line extended from the center of Yang Pingcheng's brow, along the midline of his nose, lips, and chin, continuing downward.

"Szz!"

Behind his head, Niukeng Hell surged with Earth Qi, erupting along a straight line, suddenly severing this vast hell into two halves.

Judge Yang Pingcheng of Niukeng Hell also split apart, collapsing to both sides.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.