Out of hands and sleeves were burning scrolls, triggering one magical circle after another. At rapid speed, the multitude of protective shields among the righteous sects, quickly converging into one colossal barricade. Those who were not behind the barriers, reeled over, bathing in their own blood.

All of a sudden, a silver streak of light cracked upon the veiled stranger’s large blockage of yin energy, immediately splitting the thin sheet of magic open—and allowing Fa Guang to fly through.

With large eyes, the wicked Immortal skipped back—dodging the flung silver whip by a hair's length. Then, came the flying sword’s swing—to which he evaded as well, leaning out of its trajectory. The keen edge of Fa Guang only nicked the smooth edge of the pot.

Still, so close.

Mei Ying knew that it was out of the question to ask for Jian Yu’s help. After all, spiritual energy that stems from yin—is not so effective toward yin itself.

Deep inside her heart, Mei Ying had faintly sensed that Jian Yu would sometimes observe from the sideline, fostering her growth. He also does not want to give away the full span of his powers. As the huntress contemplated on this matter, the tiny bells that lined the linked chains jingled vehemently.

At the next second, Fa Guang swerved around the person as Mei Ying raced over, wrapping the whip around herself again. Wei Sheng had told me that he was afraid that 'this friend' went through confidential information in the study room. The flying sword slipped its grip into the maiden's hand, which allowed her to spin the brilliant blade around her. A trail of blood formed her path as the demonic cultivators’ dark robes stained in red and fell to the ground.

Now that I know that Wei Sheng is the God of Fate, then, my guess is that whatever they must have read in someone's scroll of fate...triggered their qi deviation; hence, making them lose their mind. Wei Sheng did not want to wait for help since the villain was already trying to intervene with the person’s fate.

A scarlet, wild storm of razor-sharp petals revolved around the young woman, all dressed in white.

Apprehension permeated Mei Ying's composure, causing her to feel ill. If the scroll of fate that they read...is mine, then, it explains why they knew so much about me and about Shaman Hua. And how to slip through the magical barrier of Cheng Xiu Village.

“Young Miss!” Xiao Li’s pupils contracted. However, he was not given the luxury of time—and found himself being flanked by three demonic cultivators, each wielding twin blades. “Shit!”

“Bing…Wen.” Once the other noticed the strange Wei Sheng’s frozen posture, Bing Wen’s eyes widened at the helpless person’s back. All his meridian points were pricked with a golden needle. This…

“Protect the demon king!” one of the dark-robed cultivators shouted. He jumped over the sky-high wall that led into the arena and immediately clanged his sword against Bing Wen’s dragon-head spear. Sparks flew. “Since our loss from the Ghost War, this is our chance to rise again! If we annihilate the top cultivation sect members here, we will severely weaken their power!”

Watching the quick metal winks in the distance, Jian Yu tilted his head. Hearing what one of the demonic cultivators had just said, the red-robed person laughed softly to himself. Flames seemed to flash across his dark eyes.

“…Demon king.” Jian Yu sneered, scanning over the shadow-shrouded people that circled around him with weapons in hand. “This is the first time that I am hearing about the Netherworld god joining forces with mere mortals…” A sinister shadow cloaked over his face as he glowered at the demonic cultivators, all of whom started shaking at his presence. “Who is this ‘demon king’ that you speak of?”

“Who are—” Before one of the subordinates could finish their sentence, a flying sword of fire had already hovered over his face.

“SHIXIONG! SHIXIONG!” Another demonic cultivator screamed, feeling her flesh set ablaze and melt under the unbearable heat.

To Jian Yu, the task was as easy as flipping over one’s hand. He could blink or put on his boot, and cities would collapse. Mountains would crumble. Rivers would evaporate.

All fifteen demonic cultivators were swallowed up in the fire, succumbing into piles of blood and ash. He whistled a merry tune, stepping over the soot and was careful to not get the soles dirty.

Even the righteous sects, protected by their enormous boundary, were shocked by this single feat of the mysterious young man in red. But seeing that there were less demonic cultivators near them, some of the righteous sects from each end of the crowd—began to strategize once more.

“We can’t all be on the defensive!” Nodding to one another, several sect leaders started to group up some of their strongest remaining disciples and stepped out of the massive barrier from both ends of the line. On their flying swords, each cultivator was armed with a bow and quiver of arrows of spiritual energy or talismans of cinnabar magical scripts.

Out of nowhere, a stream of smoke emanated, and a righteous disciple, wearing the eye mask, appeared by Jian Yu.

The Feng Bao sect cultivator cupped his hands together before the other. “Young Master, your cultivation aura is truly one-of-a-kind. Your high affinity with the fire element is violent and fleeting but one with your body, worlds away from many cultivators at around your age and even older. Which sect are you from?”

Jian Yu snapped his attention to the Feng Bao cultivator. He smiled innocently. “Huo Xing sect.”

The younger person's returning smile stiffened. Being the weaker one, he did not want to refute; yet he went on, “Your spiritual energy cannot be felt. Could it be that you have surpassed the Soul Transformation rank, in which you have shed your mortal body for a Heaven Immortal’s and lived on for several life spans in seclusion? It may be why we have never heard of you before…or your Huo Xing sect.”

How nosy.

“Maybe.” Despite the other’s startlement, Jian Yu continued, loudly, “But what’s so great about Immortality?”

The handsome cultivator averted his eyes to Mei Ying, who was being evaded by the villainous Immortal. “Living forever and watching those around you drop like insects or living forever and being around people whose words cannot move your heart nor possess the ability to understand your mind…is the same as being dead.” He managed a low, self-depreciating laugh. “In the end, are you any more alive than you were before?”

The Feng Bao sect disciple’s eyes grew bright. He then lowered his gaze.

Without another word, the mysterious cultivator became a red mist of leaves, leaving behind nothing for the spectators to see.

Coinciding with Jian Yu’s scuffle, the villain whom Mei Ying approached—manifested a shining sword from mid-air. Even without a free hand, he crossed blades with the huntress. A powerful wind swept over their faces and hair as they came to a fierce deadlock of spitting sparks. Beneath the opponents, seismic waves encompassed both sides, creating a deep crater.

Mei Ying did not bat an eye. Having had sparred with only her Shifu, a Heaven Immortal, for thirteen years—she was not deterred. It was fortunate that the farther away a Heaven realm inhabitant is from their domain, the weaker they can become.

Now, closer to the person than before, the young woman discerned a twinge of pain in the man’s cool eyes.

“Can’t you wait until I eat these souls?!” asked the veiled stranger.

“Shameless!” Mei Ying snapped. “How shameful that you murdered a helpless old woman—and stole the souls of hundreds and hundreds of innocent humans, the same people who have worshipped your kind for countless generations!”

For a moment, the man froze as it dawned on him that the huntress mentioned a significant detail.

“Did you intend for us to meet from the start?!” Mei Ying was overpowered by the other’s overwhelming strength. She side-stepped out of the way, avoiding the cut that snipped off a few hair strands. “That’s why you created the trail of those yin-infused chrysanthemums!”

The huntress dipped past under the scintillating blade. Just as she was about to pierce Fa Guang into the container of souls—the flying sword of her opponent’s deflected it!

No sooner when the blade moved out of her way, Mei Ying felt her skin shiver from the red-rimmed, crazed eyes of the man, wrapped in divine restraints and talismans.

“Yes, this is what I had intended.” Again, the veil that hung around his wide-brimmed bamboo hat wavered over his snow-white face. “For centuries, the whereabouts of your incarnations were unknown among the gods and Heaven Immortals. That old hag was in the way. She knew who you were but suppressed your childhood ‘nightmares’ with spells—when, really, they were memories of your first life.”

A shadowy-black magical circle emerged from beneath the young woman's boots, immobilizing her legs.

Shit.

At the same time, Fa Guang was swiftly grabbed out of the air by the shadows that burst from the rotating seal of stars, moon, and Yin and Yang symbols. The poor weapon became stuck to the ground as well.

“When you left Cheng Xiu Village, you started having the ‘nightmares’ again, right?” asked the wicked Immortal. To this, Mei Ying tried to speak but found that she could not due to her paralyzed self. She glowered. Taking her expression as ‘yes’, the man glanced at the levitating pot. “It was far easier to remove that old lady than that man, En Lai.”

It was as though the entire Mortal realm went silent for Mei Ying despite people screaming, spitting out blood, and trading blows and cuts nearby. A man shouted for help, and another finished the work. Guts were spilled. The field teemed with a horrid, rotting stench as the air filled itself with death and despair.

Mei Ying stared at the man in all-white. A red maple leaf fluttered past her long, black hair and shining necklace.

“Yes, I was the one who planted that little curse to splinter her spiritual veins.” The Heaven Immortal smiled widely. It was rather chilling. “You heard it right too. En Lai, your precious Shifu…was disguised as a woman. It was the only way for the Song clan members to let him teach cultivation to you. And when En Lai and his tiger spirit went out on that day…” He paused. “…he knew that I was tracking him back to Cheng Xiu Village.”

So, Shaman Hua…was murdered because of me. Mei Ying did not want to hear what the person had to say anymore. Her heart felt small. Now, Shifu and Shuang are either hiding…or...

This little disciple had messed up. Big time.

“And, yes, you were chosen as the Child of Red Omen…because if you fulfill your role in the play, you can become one of us again, Mei Ying. But, if you don’t, well, you know how that goes, right? You die, everyone whom you love—will die, and everything…will be your fault again.”

At last, Mei Ying’s lip were able to move. Despite it, she casted her eyes to the swarming shadows of the black magical seal and scriptures.

“But I’m here to help you.” The veiled stranger’s eyes became a pair of shining crescents. He leaned toward the young woman.

“And the only way for me to help you is for me to become…” A powerful gust of wind rushed toward the swaying cloth that separated his face from the young woman. Then, slowly, one side of the veil rose, providing Mei Ying a glimpse of what had awaited her. “…the demon king himself.”

Again, the fabric that lined around the hat swelled up from the air current. The opening was small, but it was enough for the huntress to see the chilling image.

Mei Ying's heart dropped.

“Do you like what you see?” Right away, the stranger gradually erupted into a maniacal laughter, trembling in ecstasy of her discovery. “…Ha ha ha… I LOOK JUST LIKE HIM, DON’T I? HAHAHAHA!”

On Mei Ying’s forehead, the red floral mark burned fervently and more vividly than before. The young woman turned away, shutting her eyes—

Suddenly, a red light penetrated the floating pot of souls, shattering into a hundred pieces!

Amidst the falling shards, innumerous orbs of blue light drove off in different directions. These glowing souls were rapidly soaring in loops and circles, going faster than what the mortal eye can follow! The sight was so bizarre, it startled many cultivators from both factions as they watched the souls return to whoever they may belong to.

“Young Miss!” Xiao Li abruptly landed by the maiden’s side and whispered to the black seal that imprisoned his friend—“Shifang.”

Without a word, Mei Ying first looked at Jian Yu whose back faced her direction, with a wave of obscure emotions. A harsh wind blew in, causing the young man’s red outer robe to sway and fold within itself over and over. His long, straight black hair rippled into the air like a dark bolt of exquisite night sky. Though the pitch-black skies loomed overhead, the scattered red maple leaves that surrounded Jian Yu persisted in its beauty.

Mei Ying’s soft eyes flickered toward the young Xiao Li as well.

Out of the way, beyond the teenager and farther still, a tremendous soundwave sent mounds of earth, stone, and demonic cultivators flying toward the lofty amphitheater wall. The ground quaked violently. Before Mei Ying could recognize the powerful but tranquil tune that echoed across the arena, she saw that the fierce Xia Qi and Li Qin had teamed up with the liberated sounder, the same female cultivator who was formerly possessed in the secret realm. Once more, the woman drifted forward and plucked the hard string of her rosewood guzheng, unleashing a calamity of detonated earth upon the demonic cultivators.

In the secret realm, when Mei Ying underwent her Heavenly Tribulation trial of lightning strikes to break through her cultivation rank, Jian Yu was swift in knocking out Xia Qi, Chong Lin, and the female sounder or “Xi Feng”, the Heavenly Empress. This course of action fulfilled the magical formation’s condition of the four last contestants of the battle royale tournament. It allowed them to return to the Mortal realm, just in time to see walking corpses terrorizing the mortal cultivators of righteous sects.

Of course, Chong Lin, Xi Feng, and the other Heaven Immortals were more likely expelled out of the Mortal realm and back to the Heaven realm, their original domain.

Now, the other eliminated contestants, who did not get their souls stolen, were waking from their unconsciousness. It was the same for those who had their souls returned to them.

Upon the spectacular battle scene, the cosmic magical forcefield vanished, and the remaining righteous cultivation sects emerged forth. All at once, countless cultivators unsheathed their glaring swords—readied their bows and gleaming arrows—or drew out their beaming talismans of spells. With roaring battle cries, the fighters either ran forward or flew on their flying swords.

At the back end of the righteous sect masses, a few also dashed toward the medical examination room. Some were sent to check on the people who were strapped under the vines and crimson flowers, alongside the high stone seats of the coliseum that overlooked the field that everyone else was on.

Embers and curtains of gold-and-red fire swept the entire field. Gray and black ash gathered in every corner and available space there was. Smoke started to consume the air.

Mei Ying was dazed.

It was difficult to believe that in just two days—everything and everyone that she had known and believed in, along with the reality that she was living in…fell in shambles.

“Are you alright?!” Xiao Li shook both of Mei Ying’s shoulders. His once-neat long-braided ponytail was messy, with strands poking out everywhere. Even his combed-back crown of hair that showed off his forehead were slightly tousled. “H-Hey!”

War must be a thousand-fold more horrendous than this.

When the heavens rain swords

and the springs flood with fire,

the earth shall bleed to ash...

At that moment, the young woman felt herself grow cold.

Isn't the scenery of the prophecy...unfolding as of now?

“WHAT’S THE MEANING OF THIS?!” A booming voice overcame the substantial area—and without warning—a flash of lightning split the heavens into two. Thunder blasted, and the smoke-tangled air began to dissipate.

Soon, a flood of blinding white light enveloped the entire amphitheater, forcing all to shield their fragile eyes before shortly dimming away.

Red surrounded the huntress. She blinked, only to find that Jian Yu had warped her, Xiao Li, and himself away from the stupefied villain. When Mei Ying glanced around, they were up on top of a sky-high pillar of white jade and gold ornaments. As soon as she realized this, the young woman tried to take a step forward—only to feel a firm tug on her broad white sleeve.

Startled, Mei Ying glanced back.

Jian Yu’s eyes were on the white stone platform, which had once been so pristine before. His long lashes quivered a bit as his hold on the sleeve tightened more.

Considering his anxiety, the young woman chose to stay put.

Overhead, when the black clouds parted way, a mountainous white dragon was revealed, beaming in prismatic light, with stag-like horns and loose, fresh greenery. He gently floated down from the azure-blue skies. His aura was soothing to the people’s souls and light like feathers, providing others to feel at peace. As the creature drifted closer toward the wide-ranging amphitheater though, his gargantuan self rapidly shrunk.

"I-It's the Spring God!" Quickly, the righteous sect cultivators withdrew their weapons and accessories. They went to kowtow, pressing their foreheads against the ground.