That voice, that aura.
It came from the direction within the Meteor Immortal Cliff.
Beneath the sky-filling snow, the soldiers were locked in a suicidal battle with the demon race, while only Emperor Yan, Mother Lotus, Daoist Fang Lie, Daoist Qiu Ling, and the great demon Ning Shang were in the sky.
The voice descended.
An aura, not belonging to a Garrison Commander but similar to one, instantly surged into the heavens, like a sage descending into the mortal world in the vast darkness, with ten thousand feet of golden light erupting.
In just an instant.
"Booming!!!"
The earth shook, and tens of thousands of demonic beasts instantly exploded into bloody mist, perishing.
Then, the ten thousand feet of golden light shrank, transforming into an ancient, extremely ancient long sword.
At this moment, every human's pupils contracted sharply, and they blurted out:
"Human King Sword!"
Who in the world didn't know that the previous Human King Sword wielder had passed the Human King Sword to the current True Demon Sect Master, Chen Jiuyang, whose Daoist title was Lord Qianyang Demon!
He... how could he be here!
Suddenly, a massive killing intent descended in an instant, enveloping Mother Lotus, Daoist Fang Lie, Daoist Qiu Ling, and the great demon Ning Shang!
The Human King Sword, imbued with the power nurtured by generations of sword masters, struck forth, not to mention that the Human King Sword was a Half-Ancestor Artifact!
This killing intent was so fierce and intense that even Mother Lotus, Daoist Fang Lie, Daoist Qiu Ling, and the great demon Ning Shang, these peerless mighty beings who had lived for countless years, couldn't help but shiver, their hair standing on end, and a sense of imminent death surged within them.
In an instant, Mother Lotus, Daoist Fang Lie, Daoist Qiu Ling, and the great demon Ning Shang all retreated. Not a single one dared to test how sharp the Human King Sword, passed down through generations of humans, truly was.
However... with Chen Jiuyang's current ability, he could at most wield the Human King Sword three times!
Yet, this sword did not strike any of them. It flew through the air, startling the four, and then remained before Emperor Yan.
Then, the golden phantom sword in Emperor Yan's hand transformed into golden light and was gradually absorbed by the Human King Sword.
"Pfft—"
Emperor Yan pulled the Dragon Spear from his chest, spat out a mouthful of blood, and managed to float down from the sky. Leaning on the spear, he knelt on one knee, appearing as if his lamp was extinguished and his life was nearing its end.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Sounds like thunder and dragon roars echoed, and a scorching wind swept through, instantly melting the snow within a thousand-meter radius, then transforming into a warm summer breeze, caressing every human.
Emperor Yan coughed blood, raised his head with difficulty, and looked at Chen Jiuyang standing before him, managing a smile and saying:
"Congratulations, Jiuyang, on successfully forging the furnace."
As he walked, he could bring forth the momentum of thunder and dragon roars. Truly formidable, how many martial artists in the world could achieve this?
If he hadn't created the Garrison Commander system and had dedicated himself to the martial path, perhaps he could have achieved this as well.
"Alas." Chen Jiuyang looked at Emperor Yan's state and couldn't help but sigh with emotion, "Emperor Yan, why did you have to do this, hiding your means and power, causing injury upon injury? Ordinary methods cannot heal such wounds."
He took out a pill and a King of Medicine from his spatial ring and gave them to Emperor Yan: "Use these as an emergency measure to suppress your injuries."
"If Emperor Yan dies, who will manage the Garrison Commander system?"
Emperor Yan remained silent, accepting the pill and the King of Medicine.
Patriarch 'Sleepless' appeared, his gaze falling upon Chen Jiuyang. His expression was one of shock, his pupils contracting sharply, and then a 'smile' appeared on his face: "Good, good, good! The Martial Dao Furnace has been forged successfully! And it's a Heavenly Nine Furnace, a supreme-grade furnace! The Emperor's Path is in sight!"
"Forging a furnace with the five great origins, truly unprecedented and unparalleled!!!" 'Sleepless', who had been silent for an unknown time, was now subtly excited.
Mother Lotus, Daoist Fang Lie, Daoist Qiu Ling, and the great demon Ning Shang glanced at Chen Jiuyang. They were also startled, their pupils contracting, and their faces showed grave expressions.
"You brat!" Mother Lotus stared at Chen Jiuyang with rage, her eyes filled with intense killing intent!
The great demon Ning Shang's vertical pupils were cold: "In this generation, humanity actually has two peerless talents. One created the Garrison Commander system, and the other possesses the bearing of an Emperor's son!"
In his vertical pupils, he could clearly see how terrifying Chen Jiuyang's 'Blood Qi Furnace' was. The furnace forged with the five great origins had cracked his body and was killing him, yet he had managed to control it. This utterly shattered his understanding of humanity.
"...This demon," Daoist Fang Lie's face was solemn, "actually hid in Meteor Immortal Cliff to forge the Martial Dao Furnace, stepping halfway into the Imperial Way."
Daoist Qiu Ling's face showed apprehension: "Remarkable. Just looking at this blood qi furnace's power, it is no less than ours..."
Under Chen Jiuyang's control, the Human King Sword protected Emperor Yan. Then, Chen Jiuyang stretched his body as if waking up. His great dragon spine compressed, and his blood qi and physique, along with the Martial Dao Furnace, let out dragon roars and hisses.
With the Martial Dao Furnace formed, he had stepped halfway into the Imperial Way.
And Chen Jiuyang's thunderous dragon roars, in terms of his physique, could rival true dragons. How terrifying was that?
All his strength circulated from the Martial Dao Furnace, surging into his divine soul, passing through the five great palaces and divine treasures, then flowing into his limbs and bones. There was an indescribable smoothness and exhilaration, an inexhaustible power supporting Chen Jiuyang.
Forging the furnace was a true sublimation of the Martial Dao's essence, a return to simplicity after witnessing myriad phenomena and understanding all methods. There was no greater satisfaction than the comfort brought by such a return to simplicity.
If he hadn't sensed the power of the Human King Sword being drawn away in the dream world, he wouldn't have discovered that Emperor Yan was being ambushed and seemed to be pushed to a desperate situation. It was then that Chen Jiuyang returned from the dream world to Meteor Immortal Cliff.
Chen Jiuyang's gaze slowly fell upon Mother Lotus, Daoist Fang Lie, Daoist Qiu Ling, and the great demon Ning Shang. His calm voice echoed:
"The five great sacred lands and the demon race want to kill Emperor Yan, so they sent you four?"
"Only?" Mother Lotus's ferocious old face looked terrifying. She stared intently at Chen Jiuyang: "Brat, you're merely relying on the might of the Human King Sword to force us back. You've just forged the Martial Dao Furnace, what makes you so arrogant?"
"Old man." Chen Jiuyang looked at Mother Lotus, a sharp glint in his eyes, as if it were tangible:
"Perhaps I shouldn't have participated in the Martial Ranking World Competition back then, and shouldn't have let you wicked spirits out."
"But it doesn't matter. Killing you all here today will be my atonement for the karma I've created."
"What big talk!" Mother Lotus's voice was icy: "Even Yan Fengyun couldn't do it, how can you? It seems forging the Martial Dao Furnace has muddled your mind, little brat!"
"Heh heh."
Chen Jiuyang smiled lightly, slowly assumed a stance, his body circulating with blood qi and Dao rhythm, and then his indifferent and calm voice resounded through the heavens and earth:
"Today, I, without the Human King Sword, can still deal with you."
"Want to know where my confidence comes from?"
His blood qi surged, the furnace churned, and as the sound waves reverberated, Chen Jiuyang slowly extended a large hand, his fingers curling and uncurling to form a fist. His vast personal Martial Dao will instantly manifested between heaven and earth. A punch erupted, traversing heaven and earth, striking towards them:
"If you survive, I'll tell you!"