(Part 1)

The entire sky and ground were immersed in a short period of darkness, the thundering endless. When the sound suddenly stopped everyone only felt a rush of quietness, and a faint halo broke the silent darkness, slowly rising from Qinglong Platform.

The golden dragon pellet flew out of Qinglong Platform with vigorous energy and fell in front of Jing Zhao who was in Jing Jian's arms. Almost instinctively, the dragon pellet radiated faint energy happily and flew into Jing Zhao's mouth.

As the dragon pellet entered her body, Jing Zhao's pale complexion immediately turned red, but her eyes were full of panic. She raised her eyes to look at Qinglong Platform, her body trembling as she lay in Jing Jian's arms.

Compared with the dragon pellet returning to Jing Zhao's body, the immortals were more concerned about whether Qing Mu, who suffered the Nine Heavens Profound Thunder, was dead or alive.

The whole square was silent, and the sound of blood dripping from Hou Chi's palms became particularly clear. She quietly stared at the fuzzy Qinglong Platform, her eyes deepened to the extreme, looking desolate.

The dark clouds gradually dispersed. After the thunder tribulation, the red figure lying on the ground of Qinglong Platform seemed to be silent. The dragon pellet was out of his body, and the hot dragon breath began to spread uncontrollably throughout his body, and even the corners of the dark red robe had a burning illusion.

Although he survived the thunder tribulation, his weak aura made everyone think that there was no doubt Qing Mu could no longer fight the dragon breath still in his body.

Everyone was quiet. With his back towards Hou Chi, the red figure lying on the ground suddenly moved and slowly got up under everyone's eyes full of disbelief.

It was extremely difficult, even moving his fingertips couldn't be done without trembling, but the red figure never gave up.

Hou Chi held her hands tightly, her eyes that she worked hard to keep open moistening, and felt her heart beat uncontrollably because of the trembling figure on Qinglong Platform.

Thank you, thank you for staying alive. Qing Mu, as long as you are alive...

His hands were slightly bent and he was half keeling on the ground, his aura so weak that he seemed like he was about to be blown away by the wind. His messy black hair was scattered behind him, his appearance looking so defeated.

Although his face was blurred by blood, Hou Chi saw a pair of eyes as bright as a galaxy looking towards her.

The corners of his slightly raised mouth were warm, and he didn't even have the strength to speak. She could only vaguely see the slightly moving lips spit our two words, "Hou Chi..."

In the silence, the scorching aura brought by the dragon's breath could be felt around Qinglong Platform. The vague firelight at the corners of the robe gradually became clear, and this was when everyone saw that the dragon breath was shrouded in a thin layer of spiritual power. And now, the remaining spiritual power also showed signs of being used up. The fabric closest to the dragon breath slowly turned into flying ash, and the figure under the firelight became more and more blurred...

"Qing Mu, no...no..." Hou Chi muttered and rushed towards Qinglong Platform, but was stopped by Feng Ran.

"Hou Chi, don't go, the sky thunder curtain hasn't dispersed!"

Only then did Hou Chi raise her head towards Qinglong Platform. One foot away from Qinglong Platform, the boundary formed by the thunder and lightning had not disappeared!

How could this be, the forty-nine Profound Thunders had clearly all descended!

All the immortals were stunned when they saw the scene. With a dragon breath-covered body, even the Heavenly Emperor and Empress couldn't save Qing Mu. Turning into flying ash was already inarguable, but why hasn't this thunder curtain dispersed yet?

Looking at the scene below, the Heavenly Emperor frowned, and said in a deep voice, "Wu Huan, the Profound Thunder has finished descending. What's the matter with this thunder curtain?"

The Heavenly Empress shook her head with doubt on her face. After taking a look at Jing Zhao below, she said, "No matter what, after suffering forty-nine strikes of the thunder tribulation and also losing the protection of the dragon pellet, Qing Mu won't survive. Fortunately, the dragon pellet was able to travel through that thunder curtain layer and return to Jing Zhao's body, so I'm relieved. It doesn't seem like he can last more than a few minutes, let's go."

The Heavenly Emperor nodded his head and glanced at Hou Chi outside Qinglong Platform, his eyes looking as if he couldn't bear it.

Looking at the motionless Hou Chi, the immortals sighed and turned away to not see the scene there.

The scorching dragon breath gradually spread to the end of the hair, and the blurred face even became stiff and twisted with pain. But those eyes looking at Hou Chi were always bright, deep, and warm.

Hou Chi slowly slipped to the ground, her lips pressed tightly, her face pale, and her lips trembled.

"You promised me." Hou Chi looked hollowly at Qing Mu who was about to disappear a foot away. Her face was calm to the extreme, "You promised me, so, you must come out alive!"

In the silence, cold and clear words slowly spat from her mouth, carrying deep sorrow and pain. Her despair reached Qing Mu's ears, who was half-kneeling on the ground, through the thunder curtain.

The red figure suddenly raised his head and looked at Hou Chi not far away. His hair was windless, and his eyes were as bright and dark as obsidian. Although he was covered with blood and red light, he suddenly had a poise that was not inferior to anyone.

"Hou Chi, I promise you, I will definitely do it!"

The voice was clearly extremely weak, but for some reason, no one inside or outside Qinglong Platform could not hear it. Everyone looked at Qing Mu who was half-kneeling on the ground, secretly frightened by the perseverance in these words.

Under the thunder tribulation, his immortal body was shattered, and he was being burned by the dragon breath. He was about to be wiped out. How could he be so sure that he could survive!

As the words settled, the half-kneeling figure on Qinglong Platform suddenly stood up. Blood dripped from his wrist like a pillar, falling on the Taicang Spear. The blazing red Taicang Spear emitted a bright red light, and shot into the sky!

The sky that was peaceful and quiet suddenly changed drastically. The dissipated thunderclouds gathered again, and even produced an incredible energy that slowly moved towards Qinglong Platform...

Boom...boom...boom...

One after another, one after another, it was no different than the thunder that had spread through the Three Realms a few hours ago.

Everyone was dumbfounded when they saw this scene. When the thunder stopped, even the Heavenly Emperor and Heavenly Empress who were about to leave stopped in shock.

"How is this possible! How is this possible!" The Heavenly Empress murmured to herself. She turned around and looked at the tall and sturdy figure on Qinglong Platform. Her noble and dignified face gradually distorted, and even her voice became sharp and terrified in an instant, "How could he attract eighty-one [1] Profound Thunders? This is not possible!"

Just now, the sky sounded with the sign of thirty-two sky thunders. Added to the forty-nine that already descended, there were exactly eighty-one!

The Heavenly Emperor's always indifferent face also lost its composure, and he calmed the Heavenly Empress down, "Wu Huan, perhaps it is..." Halfway through his words, even he stopped talking, and his expression looking at Qinglong Platform became unpredictable.

People in the world may not know it, but he and Wu Huan were clear that eighty-one strikes of Profound Thunder had only appeared four times since the beginning of Chaos because only the birth of a true god could attract such a magnificent Profound Thunder tribulation!

Shang Gu, Bai Jue, Tian Qi, Zhi Yang...Since then, no one had this goof fortune after the four true gods.

But how could Qing Mu, who was close to turning into flying ash, and whose spiritual power was even turning into nothingness, attract such Profound Thunder?

Seeing the Taicang Spear floating above Qing Mu, the corners of the Heavenly Emperor's mouth slowly became bitter, and his voice was uncertain, "Wu Huan, on Liaowang Mountain, Qing Mu inherited the Taicang Spear. I originally thought that he was only an inheritor..."

"You're saying...that he is..." The Heavenly Empress hurriedly shook her head. Her eyes were indecisive, and she said, "Impossible, True God Bai Jue has already fallen! Back then..." She suddenly thought of something, and the Heavenly Empress hurriedly stopped talking. Looking at the blood-red figure on Qinglong Platform, she slowly clenched her hands.

"We don't know how capable the four true gods really are. If True God Bai Jue's spirit is still alive, it's not impossible for him to wake up now, not to mention Qing Mu's unknown origins. He's only cultivated for a thousand years and his spiritual power is already so powerful. I think..."

The Heavenly Empress waved her hand. Her complexion gradually recovered, and she interrupted the Heavenly Emperor, her eyes darkening a little, "Mu Guang, don't worry. True God Bai Jue or not, we have to see if he can resist these thirty-two strikes of Profound Thunder that are left. What's more, the body is weaker when it undergoes a tribulation. We just need to..."

"Wu Huan, don't be impulsive!" Hearing this, the Heavenly Emperor's face suddenly changed color and his tone was solemn, "Regardless of whether he is True God Bai Jue or not if he succeeds his tribulation, he may be promoted to a true god in the future. If he learns that you and I intervened, then it will be our catastrophe..."

"What are you worried about? He is nothing more than a mere high lord right now." Although this is what the Heavenly Empress said, she didn't have enough confidence. Her hands behind her were slightly clenched, and her eyes narrowed.

Having been the ruler of the Three Realms for tens of thousands of years, she was naturally unwilling to end up making marriage clothing for others. [2] If there really was a true god reappearing, it would not be a benefit to her at all.

Seeing the Heavenly Emperor and Heavenly Empress stop in the air with solemn expressions, the other immortal deities could only glance at each other as they looked at the inexplicable situation on Qinglong Platform.

Enduring the Profound Thunder again. Does Qing Mu think that he isn't dying fast enough?

Hou Chi looked solemnly at the red figure and slowly said, "Feng Ran, what on earth is he going to do?"

(Part 2)

"No matter what, Hou Chi, as long as Qing Mu doesn't give up, everything is possible. You have to believe in him." A slightly hesitant voice came from behind her. Feng Ran looked at Qing Mu in the curtain of thunder with secret admiration. Under this circumstance, everything that was happening now was simply unthinkable. He actually relied on the last breath of spiritual power to attract the Profound Thunder again...

The thunder and lightning slowly condensed and no longer descended one by one. Instead, they merged from all directions, moving towards the Taicang Spear hanging in the air. The surging power of the thunder and lightning entered Qing Mu's body through the Taicang Spear, and the dragon breath light that lingered in his body dimmed a little.

"He wants to use the power of the thunder and lightning to turn the dragon breath into a part of him! He's simply crazy!" The muttering came out of Feng Ran's mouth, with undisguised shock.

"Feng Ran, what do you mean?" Hou Chi suddenly turned her head to look at Feng Ran.

"After the first forty-nine strikes of Profound Thunder, Qing Mu's body should have shattered. The burning of the dragon breath will destroy one's spiritual veins, but the most overbearing thing in heaven and earth is the Profound Thunder's power. He's drawing thunder and lightning into his body to burn the dragon breath and turn it into his own, reshaping his body and spiritual veins."

Hou Chi froze and suddenly clenched her hands, her lightly pursed lips outlining a stubborn curve, and her heart suddenly sank. Transforming the dragon breath and reshaping the spiritual veins sounded simple, but even the pain of melting one's immortal bones was far less than this. What's more, one act of carelessness may be a goodbye under the Profound Thunder.

The gathering thunder and lightning resounded across the sky, descending one after another, and the dragon breath inside Qing Mu's body gradually became nothingness. Just when Hou Chi sighed in relief, she realized that at the same time the dragon breath disappeared, a deep red light suddenly appeared on Qing Mu's body, enveloping the thunder and lightning, and slowly entering his body.

The red light was fleeting. If it wasn't because she was very close, she would definitely have not been able to see it, but the rich aura was clearly– demon power!

This power didn't flow in from the outside but rather existed in Qing Mu's body. It didn't appear even when he was being burned by the dragon breath, so until now, the reshaping of his spiritual veins couldn't be perceived.

How could Qing Mu, who was born in the Immortal Realm, hide such a horrible demon power in his body?

Hou Chi's expression was slightly startled. Her lips slowly tightened. She ignored everything else and looked worriedly at the figure resisting the thunder and lightning.

At the same time the aura faded, the expressions of the Heavenly Emperor and Empress who hung in the sky also changed, and their eyes fell.

"How could there be demon power hidden in Qing Mu's body?" The Heavenly Empress looked at the Heavenly Emperor. She slightly raised her eyes, and her voice was angry.

"I wouldn't have thought that the demon power would be hidden so deeply inside his body, not to mention we can't see it, I'm afraid he doesn't even know about it."

"Is he from the Demon Realm?" The Heavenly Empress slightly raised her hand, and a five-colored spiritual light appeared in her hand.

"I don't think so. He appeared on the Immortal Realm's side of the Qingtian Pillar after he was promoted to a high lord, so it's impossible for him to be from the Demon Realm, not to mention that compared with the demon power in his body, his immortal power is clearly more vigorous. Wu Huan, nothing is clear right now, don't be impulsive." The Heavenly Emperor frowned as he looked at the halo in the Heavenly Empress's hand, his expression clearly disapproving.

"Regardless of his origin, since there is demon power in his body, I will not allow him to complete this thunder tribulation intact, or else it will become a big disaster for my Immortal Realm. Mu Guang, don't forget, if it weren't for that unknown Jing Yuan intervening, we would have unified the Three Realms more than three thousand years ago. Then would there still be disputes between the immortals and demons now?" The Heavenly Empress's eyebrows straightened, her eyes looking towards Qing Mu carrying an undisguised killing intent.

"True God Shang Gu handed the Three Realms to you in hopes that you could unify the Three Realms and bring prosperity to the Nine Continents. You also know that Gu Jun never intervenes in disputes between immortals and demons. If Qing Mu wants to help the Demon Realm in the future, what shall we do?" Seeing the Heavenly Emperor's slightly relieved expression, the Heavenly Empress continued to persuade him.

As if being touched, the Heavenly Emperor slowly suppressed the struggle in his eyes and staggered to block the Heavenly Empress's eyes.

In terms of his noble identity in the Three Realms, it was most despicable for him to make a move at someone undergoing a tribulation.

The colorful spiritual power was thrown from the Heavenly Empress's hand. It shot across the sky towards Qinglong Platform. Hou Chi seemed to have felt something, and suddenly flew in front of the thunder curtain, blocking the thunderous blow.

Seeing the sudden change, all the immortal deities were taken aback, and they stared at each other.

Qing Mu was still undergoing his tribulation. The Heavenly Empress made a surprise attack on him. This was too...

"Heavenly Mother!"

"Heavenly Mother!"

Jing Jian and Jing Zhao who were looking at Qing Mu with all of their attention looked at the indifferent Heavenly Empress in the sky, their expressions shocked.

"Hou Chi, you should know the reason for my move. Don't think that I won't hurt you, get out of the way!" The Heavenly Empress coldly looked at Hou Chi, who was blocking the thunder curtain, her face sinking. Just now, she had realized that Hou Chi had already seen the impropriety of the demon power. If this continued, it would be too late once Qing Mu finished his tribulation.

"Heavenly Empress, Qing Mu has never offended the Heavenly Palace. And that was just a wisp of demon power. Qing Mu's body was burned by a demon dragon's breath, and now that the dragon breath has been refined, it is not impossible for him to have demon power in his body, how could you make judgments just like that!" Hou Chi looked fixedly at the Heavenly Empress in the sky and did not even take a step away.

All the immortals were secretly startled when they heard this. Could it be that there was still demon power in Lord Qing Mu? Seeing the fiery red figure and hearing Hou Chi's words, they couldn't help but secretly nod.

Qing Mu had been in the immortal lord rank on Qingtian Pillar ever since he had been promoted to a high lord. How could he be from the Demon Realm? The Heavenly Empress really thought that grass and trees were the soldiers of the enemy! [1]

Hearing this, the Heavenly Emperor was visibly stunned. He paused, and a bit of approval also appeared in his eyes, then he grabbed the hem of the Heavenly Empress's clothing.

"Wu Huan, this is possible...we should find out the real reason before making a conclusion."

"Heavenly Mother, Qing Mu was hurt by the dragon breath in order to save me. Everything was caused by me. I ask Heavenly Mother to be merciful."

Jing Jian held Jing Zhao stay standing, then flew towards Hou Chi, who was suspended in front of the thunder curtain and bowed solemnly to the Heavenly Empress.

Hou Chi slightly froze. Seeing the hint of warmth in Jing Jian's eyes, Feng Ran raised her eyebrows and flew beside the two of them.

"He possesses demon power, how do you know that he is not someone from the Demon Realm? The Immortal and Demon Realms are like fire and water. If there is a big disaster in the future, can you guys take care of it? Jing Jian, get out of the way!"

The Heavenly Empress seemed to be offended by Jing Jian's behavior. A cluster of more colorful lights appeared in her hand. Seeing the motionless Jing Jian, she let out a cold snort and went to Hou Chi.

A god's power was not something that a mere immortal lord could resist. The five-colored spiritual light instantly traveled to the border of the thunder curtain. Although the three of them used all of their power, some spiritual power still entered the thunder curtain but was blocked by the Taicang Spear right.