They must hurry to the Royal Capital!
"You don't have to worry about the aftermath here, they will take care of themselves." Hua Cheng said.
Guoshi placed Yin Yu's body on the back of one of the fish bones, and that Bone Fish thus carried the Bone Dragon skull along with Quan Yi Zhen and Yin Yu and swam away into the distance. Meanwhile, the other Bone Fish went to pick at the Bone Dragon bones that fell apart, and puzzled them back together, slowly repairing them. It seemed, they certainly would take care of themselves.
There wasn't a moment to waste, and without another word, Xie Lian immediately directed that giant divine statue to fly towards the sky. The heavenly officials all called out, "Your Highness, where are you going?"
"You can't be thinking of chasing after him?! We've finally just escaped..."
"We have to pursue him!" Xie Lian said, "He's gone somewhere heavily populated! There's no more time, everyone please hang on tight!"
A dice rolled out between Hua Cheng's fingers, and he said with a low voice, "Gege, are you ready?"
Xie Lian nodded. Hua Cheng tossed that dice out and said, "Distance Shortening Array,
activate!"
The giant divine statue restored all of its spiritual powers and charged upward with all of its strength!
As expected, after traversing through the clouds, they could see the black expanse of the horizon reflected with the vibrant crimson of the fiery demonic giant. They've also come to the skies of the Royal Capital!
When the crowd down on the ground saw such a flaming monster suddenly appear in the sky, slowly descending, coming closer towards them, some were stunned, some started screaming, and some were so terrified they almost ran. Shi Qing Xuan also sucked in a few cold breaths, but he quickly snapped out of it, yelling with all he's got in the crowd, "IT'S ALRIGHT!!! NOBODY PANIC! IT WON'T COME DOWN, SOMEONE WILL STOP IT! THERE ARE GODS ABOVE HELPING US!!!"
"IS THAT REALLY TRUE, OL' FENG? IT WON'T BE FUNNY IF SUCH A HUGE MONSTER COMES SMACKING DOWN AT US!"
Shi Qing Xuan laughed wildly, "IT'S TRUE! DON'T YOU ALL SEE I'M HERE TOO? IF ANYONE IS TO DIE, I WILL DIE FIRST! HAHAHAHHAHAHA..."
He was panicking so hard he lost his mind again. Xie Lian directed the giant divine statue to fly over, dodging the fire walls the giant was spouting, and grabbed onto that fiery demonic giant, desperately pulling it upwards so that it wouldn't keep going closer to the ground, all the while he was shouting, "EVERYONE, GO DOWN QUICKLY!"
The heavenly officials were already scared to death by the way Xie Lian was controlling the divine statue the entire way, and couldn't wait to get off, so they all hastily jumped off like dumplings. The moment they landed and saw Shi Qing Xuan, everyone was taken aback, "Lord Wind Master? Why are you here?"
"Why are you like this..."
Shi Qing Xuan was overjoyed, "Don't ask so many questions, come come come, join us quickly, join the human array and help hold it up, we can't let the resentful spirits inside break out!"
The majority of the heavenly officials were hesitant, and it was Lang Qian Qiu who rushed out first, "I'LL GIVE YOU A HAND!"
With someone taking the lead, the other heavenly officials finally joined in one after the other. The human array was expanded and strengthened once again, and became much more secure. Xie Lian only just sighed a breath of relief and continued to pull that fiery demonic giant upwards when he heard a large crackling noise. That fiery demonic giant actually broke into parts again!
One of its legs broke away from the body and flew downwards. Even with just a leg it could crash and kill a significant number. Not just the human array, perhaps the entire street could be destroyed!
Yet unexpectedly, that leg had only dropped halfway down when it suddenly broke into several pieces, and exploded in mid air.
Millions of glittering sparks brought tiny specks that had melted into the darkness down and spread across the entire sky, like the dust of smoke raining down after magnificent fireworks, completely harmless. Xie Lian wondered, "Why would it explode on its own?"
Just then, a figure appeared from the midst of those fireworks and started heading upwards against the current of the air, and after a few hops, it landed upon the body of the fiery demonic giant. Xie Lian looked closer, and exclaimed in delight, "General Pei! You're alright, thank goodness!" He was already prepared to perform a service for Pei Ming!
Pei Ming wielded a sword in one hand, and the other was smoothing his hair back; his hair perfect, his charm unruffled, "Not quite alright, but mostly alright."
Still not cooked after being roasted and boiled, martial gods certainly possessed very stubborn life forces. Xie Lian asked, "Where's Ban Yue and Pei Su?"
"They're fine." Hua Cheng said, "Gege, look, they're over there."
Xie Lian turned his head and looked, and sure enough, in the distance, Ban Yue brought Pei Su as they landed on the roof of a house. It seemed that Palace of Ming Guang was sealed down tight, and the boiling Black Sea water didn't pour in completely, so everyone was mostly fine. Xie Lian then asked, "Where's Xuan Ji and the others?"
A voice spoke up proudly, "Of course they were defeated by me!" That voice had come from Pei Ming's hand, and only then did Xie Lian noticed, that the sword in Pei Ming's grip was actually Ming Guang!
"General Pei, you actually dare wield the sword Ming Guang?" He asked.
"This is more complicated." Pei Ming replied.
Rong Guang however, chuckled, "Hehehehe, how is it complicated? Wasn't it only you kneeling down before me to apologize to say you were wrong and begged me for forgiveness?? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH FEELS GREAT, FEELS AMAZING!"
"..."
"..."
Xie Lian figured most of it then. It was most likely that before the three demons and ghosts could actually kill, they already started fighting among themselves over "unfair distribution".
Rong Guang won overwhelmingly and kicked Xuan Ji and Ke Mo aside, and by then, it was rumbling outside, the ground moving and flying, the situation dire but they couldn't break out.
Their only chance was joining forces. Rong Guang relentingly forced Pei Ming to admit his wrongs, and when Pei Ming did as he wished and apologized, he was elated. That fiery demonic giant wasn't angry even when having lost a leg, and leisurely started to reconstruct itself. The other boulders and golden palaces moved towards the crack, and it didn't take long before it was fully rebuilt. It was still a giant, just a bit smaller in size.
Pei Ming gripped the sword Ming Guang and charged towards the Great Martial Hall. Xie Lian exclaimed, "GENERAL PEI, BE CAREFUL!"
However, with the sword Ming Guang in hand, Pei Ming's attacking power suddenly exploded. Although Rong Guang's character was awful and astray, but it was certainly worthy as his old subordinate, and the two knew how to work together best. Quan Yi Zhen hadn't gotten anywhere close to the Great Martial Hall before he was smacked, but Pei Ming charged much further than him, storming straight into the Great Martial Hall directly!
Inside the sword Ming Guang, Rong Guang was scolding as it fought, "DO YOU SEE! I TOLD YOU, IF THE TWO OF US GOT TOGETHER WE'D BE INVINCIBLE! NOTHING CAN STAND IN OUR WAY! IF YOU HAD LISTENED TO ME, WHY WOULD YOU STILL ONLY BE A MERE GENERAL MING GUANG AFTER SO MANY CENTURIES??"
Veins popped on Pei Ming's forehead, "Can you stop talking??" Qi Rong was hiding by the Great Martial Hall, and he shouted arrogantly, "FRIGGIN' MANWHORE, I SUGGEST YOU DON'T COME UP HERE TO SEEK YOUR DEATH!"
Ming Guang slapped over with a soundly PA! "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS GREEN THING,
DON'T BLOCK THE WAY!" Qi Rong almost spun a few times from the strike, and Gu Zi hugged his leg to steady him with difficulties, asking worriedly, "Dad... are you alright?"
Qi Rong had lost face in front of Gu Zi and was outraged, but seeing how Pei Ming was bursting with killing intent, he wasn't tough enough to face him head on. Still, his mouth was tough, "USING UNDERHANDED MOVES AGAIN!"
Yet unexpectedly, Gu Zi didn't respond, and instead, he slumped to the ground in a heap. When Qi Rong looked down, Gu Zi wasn't moving, and he glared as he picked Gu Zi up, shaking the collar back and forth wildly, "Foolish son, what are you playing at?"
Gu Zi seemed to have fallen asleep, his eyes shut, his forehead burning. Xie Lian was still pulling strenuously at that fiery demonic giant, but he also noticed the situation below and shouted, "QI RONG! WHY HAVEN'T YOU LEFT, THAT PLACE IS STILL BURNING, GOING UP AND DOWN THE SKY AND INTO THE WATERS, THAT CHILD IS TOO YOUNG, HE'LL DIE!"
Qi Rong looked up to cuss, "DON'T YOU DARE LECTURE ME! WHO ARE YOU BLUFFING? THIS BRAT IS CHEAPLY RAISED, HOW CAN HE DIE SO EASILY*? THINK I CAN'T TELL YOU WANT TO TRICK ME INTO LEAVING? THE MOMENT I LEAVE YOU'D DEFINITELY KILL ME!"
Even if Xie Lian didn't make a move, Lang Qian Qiu was still waiting down below! On the other end, Pei Ming and Jun Wu had already started fighting. The flames of war would singe Qi Rong time and time again and he'd scream, jumping all over to evade. Xie Lian exclaimed angrily, "YOU'RE A GHOST AND EVEN YOU CAN'T STAND THIS FIRE, AND YOU EXPECT A CHILD TO TAKE IT??"
Tucked under Qi Rong's arm, Gu Zi's face was burning bright red, but Qi Rong's mouth was tough, "WELL I WON'T GO! I WON'T GO! WAH!!!" A throwing flame came lunging, blowing right into his face, and Qi Rong crawled and stumbled in a circle once before he leapt up, unable to hold back his complaint, "UM, JUN WU, YOU TH... BOSSMAN! CAN YOUR FIRE NOT BURN THIS VICIOUSLY?? YOU'VE BURNT THIS... ME!"
Xie Lian could sense he had wanted to say "Jun Wu, you old thug, you've burnt this ancestor!", but valuing his life, he didn't dare say those words out loud. As if Jun Wu would care. He was currently fighting with Pei Ming, a creepy smile hanging on his face. The fires around Qi Rong were growing bigger and bigger, there was practically no place left to stand. While he was a demon and couldn't die from burning, it was still torture. Soon after, Gu Zi who was tucked under his arm also let out a tormented shriek, like he was singed by the fire. Qi Rong raised him up to check, and sure enough, Gu Zi's forehead was all bloody, and a big hole was burnt through his robe, revealing a burnt shoulder.
Gu Zi was roused forcefully by the burns, and he started bawling, crying that he didn't know anything, hugging Qi Rong, "DAD, IT HURTS! I'M SCARED!"
Cold sweat was rolling nonstop down Qi Rong's forehead, his lips frozen, not knowing what to say. Gu Zi covered his wound with his hand, snotty and weepy as he asked, "Dad, are we going to burn to death here?"
Qi Rong stuttered, "Um... um, well..."
Gu Zi sniffed, "Even though your domain here is very beautiful, but it doesn't seem too great. The people here don't seem to be good to us. Why don't we find a different place to live..."
Qi Rong couldn't take it anymore.
He charged into the hall, wanting to grab for Jun Wu but didn't dare to go close, so he yelled from afar, "LET'S TALK, JUN... BOSSMAN! IT'S FINE IF YOU WANNA KEEP SETTING FIRES, THIS IS YOUR TERRITORY ANYWAY, SET OFF WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT, HEHEHE..."
Xie Lian was going to fall off the jaded crown platform from anger by his foolish act, "DON'T GO THERE TO SEEK YOUR DEATH, JUST COME DOWN! I PROMISE NOT TO TOUCH YOU!"
Qi Rong wouldn't listen to him at all. Seeing Jun Wu was ignoring him, completely uncaring for his existence, and with Gu Zi crying so soundly, he probably felt he was losing face in front of his cheap son again, and he rushed over to yell, "WHAT'S WITH YOUR TEMPER, I TOLD YOU TO STOP THE BURNING, DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME??"
"QI RONG!!!" Xie Lian shouted.
Before Qi Rong even got close, Jun Wu raised a hand, and a ball of fire instantly surrounded his entire person!
Qi Rong let out a shrieking cry. Xie Lian shouted, "GU ZI!"
With such a huge fire, even if Qi Rong didn't burn to dregs, his spirit would be greatly damaged, and wouldn't Gu Zi be burnt to ashes directly?
Pei Ming also saw that Qi Rong had a small child under his arm and had the mind to rescue them, but Jun Wu was gaining the upper hand, he couldn't get away, and after counting the time in his head, they were probably beyond saving, "My lord, it was but a child, there wasn't a need to be so vicious!"
But both Xie Lian and Pei Ming knew that there was no longer any child in Jun Wu's eyes. The only things he could see were enemies and those in his way. An arm swung out, and a ball of raging fire lunged, and it was sent flying, taking Pei Ming along.
Many of the heavenly officials down below exclaimed in alarm, "GENERAL PEI HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE!"
Right then, torrential rain came pouring down, and while it didn't put out the flames of war on the body of that giant, it extinguished the flames on Pei Ming's body. Within the crowd, a black shadow leapt into the sky and caught the falling Pei Ming.
———–
●It's a folk belief that a cheap and vulgar life would last longer.