Volume 11, Chapter 780 – Exterminating the Immortal Alliance (Part 6)

Lu Lin made his move not merely because he had no choice, but also because he still had some confidence in himself. After all, he was considered the number one expert of the cultivation world! Moreover, rumor had it that Qi Huang’s only true strength lay in her Divine Sense; as long as one sprinkled a bit of Heaven-Deceiving Water, she could be restrained.

Conveniently, as a Heavenly Tribulation Realm cultivator, Lu Lin always had Heaven-Deceiving Water sprinkled over himself. Thus, he was firmly convinced that as long as his speed was fast enough, that “little demoness” would be unable to detect his whereabouts. Therefore, the moment he struck, he unleashed his fastest movement technique.

Lu Lin’s feet stepped onto the void, releasing a surge of thick golden True Qi so substantial that it seemed tangible. Like a magnet, it pulled the surrounding space toward him, producing the effect of “shrinking ground into an inch”. His speed was so great that none present could track his trajectory with their naked eyes. Even Zhen Feiyan was no exception.

“Die for me!”

In an instant, Lu Lin appeared before Qi Huang as if teleporting. His sword stirred faint spatial ripples as he thrust mercilessly toward Qi Huang’s towering chest, utterly devoid of pity.

“Be careful!”

Zhen Feiyan cried out in alarm. The last time she had ventured into the Immortal Alliance, she had suffered a loss precisely because of this old man’s strange movement technique.

But Qi Huang remained serene, graceful as a noble lady, without a trace of panic. The reason was simple: Lu Lin’s speed was indeed fast, having already reached the late stage of the Heavenly Tribulation Realm. Yet in the eyes of one at the Human Immortal Realm, he still appeared as slow as a snail.

“Kneel!”

Qi Huang gave a gentle command, while her vast Divine Sense surged outward like a raging flood.

BOOM!

Lu Lin crashed down like a mountain collapsing, utterly helpless to resist. He struck the ground with a thunderous crash, blasting a massive crater and sending dust flying. Only now did the crowd finally see his figure clearly.

“He… Heavenly Tribulation Realm… late stage? How… how is this possible? How exactly have you cultivated?”

Lu Lin lay prostrate on the ground, struggling desperately.

Qi Huang wasted no words and pressed down harder.

BOOM!

A crisp series of cracks resounded as Lu Lin’s bones shattered. The ground beneath him sank another ten feet. He spat out a mouthful of blood and roared in despair: “Why… why… I clearly had Heaven-Deceiving Water on me!”

Qi Huang remained tranquil, her Divine Sense hauling Lu Lin’s battered body up before her as she commanded: “Do you wish to live? Dissolve the Immortal Alliance!”

“Dream on! Spatial Suppression!”

Lu Lin bellowed in fury, his golden True Qi coursing along a mysterious trajectory. Instantly, a massive gravitational pull spread outward, dragging the surrounding space together and crushing inward at the center.

SWISH, SWISH!

All around, space itself warped and squeezed toward Lu Lin and Qi Huang. Buildings along the streets collapsed, walls cracked with countless fractures, and people frantically fled. Even Qi Huang’s relatives and friends staggered to their feet in alarm.

A tremendous pressure pressed from every direction. It was as if Qi Huang had sunk to the bottom of the ocean, her bones creaking under the strain. Even her Divine Sense met slight resistance.

“This is spatial power! Kill him quickly!”

Cheng Hongling shouted a warning from nearby.

“Alliance Leader Lu has truly opened this young lady’s eyes.”

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Qi Huang sneered softly. Her terrifying Divine Sense burst outward, shattering the crushing space around her to pieces, and along with it, grinding Lu Lin’s body into pulp. This was the principle of overwhelming force crushing all laws.

With Lu Lin’s death, the surrounding space returned to calm. Only then did the onlookers breathe a sigh of relief.

Lu Lin’s Life Soul stood in place, dumbstruck, his face filled with disbelief. He could not comprehend why such a terrifying monster would exist in this world.

“Alliance Leader Lu indeed lives up to his name as the foremost of the cultivation world, even managing to indirectly wield spatial power through a metal-based cultivation art.”

Qi Huang politely acknowledged him.

“Impossible! This cannot be! Spatial power is supposed to be the strongest force in this world!”

But Lu Lin, lost in despair, only muttered to himself.

“My heavens… what just happened? Why was there such an enormous pull?”

“If I’m not mistaken, Alliance Leader Lu used a heaven-defying technique, trying to crush that demoness by absorbing the surrounding space.”

“Yes, but she destroyed it. Look, the space around them is completely shattered.”

“My heavens! Just how strong is she, to silently shatter so much space?”

Millions of spectators were left utterly speechless.

“Now, will you dissolve the Immortal Alliance?”

Qi Huang once again questioned Lu Lin’s Life Soul.

“You demoness, stop dreaming. As Alliance Leader, I will only die in battle, never bow!”

Though regaining clarity, Lu Lin stubbornly resisted. His broken doppelgänger lunged at Qi Huang once more.

“Then this young lady shall send you on your way.”

With a thought from Qi Huang, Lu Lin’s Life Soul was annihilated, and his doppelgänger collapsed lifelessly. Thus perished the Alliance Leader of the Immortal Alliance.

“Alliance Leader Lu is dead! She really killed him!”

The eyes of the crowd nearly popped out of their sockets.

“Long live Junior Sister! Junior Sister is invincible!”

“Retribution! Truly retribution! He had it coming!”

“Well done! The Immortal Alliance is finished!”

Qi Huang’s relatives and friends leapt with excitement, cheering loudly.

From afar, Zhen Feiyan drew in a sharp breath. She alone knew how troublesome Lu Lin was. Yet in Qi Huang’s hands, such a terrifying foe was as powerless as a chick.

The so-called prodigies of the previous generation and the geniuses of this one stared at Qi Huang in horror. Any thought of reclaiming lost honor instantly vanished, replaced only by bone-deep fear.

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The Immortal Alliance members were equally terrified, their bodies trembling so badly they could hardly hold their weapons.

Qi Huang, however, walked forward with graceful steps, warning: “Your leader is dead. I will count to three. If you remain obstinate, you will follow him to the grave. One…”

The hundreds of thousands of Immortal Alliance elders and disciples were utterly at a loss, darting their eyes about, searching desperately for someone to lead them. But none dared to oppose her.

“Two…”

Qi Huang counted again.

“Run!”

The Immortal Alliance’s ranks broke completely, rushing madly for the exits.

Qi Huang knew the Alliance was finished, so she did not continue counting.

Cheng Hongling noticed members of the Lü Clan also attempting to flee and quickly sent a mental transmission: “My lady, will you let the Lü Clan escape as well? They slaughtered so many disciples of Shuiyu Valley. They must pay with blood!”

“Worry not, my dear husband.”

Qi Huang gently reassured her, then turned and called aloud, her voice sharp and clear: “Friends of the Lü Clan, I only said members of the Immortal Alliance could surrender. I never permitted you to leave.”

The Lü Clan knew well the depth of their sins and dared not tarry. They tried to slip away within the crowd.

Qi Huang frowned slightly, releasing her Divine Sense like countless thin ropes. They lashed out, dragging the Lü Clan members back.

“You wretched girl, what are you doing? I am a descendant of immortals! If you dare harm us, once our clan’s Immortal Stele revives, you will die without a burial place!”

Lü Yi shouted, his voice hollow with fear.

“Sorry, but your clan’s Immortal Stele will never revive. On the first day of next month, I will personally visit the Lü Clan to uproot that stele.”

Qi Huang smiled faintly, like blossoms in full bloom.

“What? Uproot the stele?”

Lü Yi’s father, Lü Gao, thought he had misheard.

Without another word, Qi Huang’s hair surged forth, piercing through their Qi Seas one by one.

“AHHH!”

The Lü Clan screamed in agony, writhing on the ground. With their Qi Seas destroyed, they were reduced to cripples.

“My heavens!”

The spectators shuddered in terror.

Qi Huang dragged the Lü Clan before the people of Shuiyu Valley, saying: “The Lü Clan once used their Immortal Stele to suppress Shuiyu Valley, causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of disciples and civilians. Their crimes are monstrous. Now I leave them to you for judgment.”

“Thank you! Thank you, Sister Qi Huang!”

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Mu Ruoyi sobbed in gratitude, and the other leaders of the Honghua Sect also bowed repeatedly in thanks.

Once the Immortal Alliance’s people had mostly fled, Qi Huang ascended into the air and announced from above: “Before you depart, I have several declarations. First, from this day forth, the Immortal Alliance is dissolved. From now on, the cultivation world’s affairs shall be managed by the ‘Dao Alliance’, led by my main body, Cheng Hongling, as its Alliance Leader. The Dao Alliance’s headquarters will be located in the Honghua Sect of Huangtian County, within the Western Radiance Dynasty. Second, all Immortal Alliance branches scattered across the cultivation world shall fall under the Dao Alliance. You must continue your duties faithfully. If you are unwilling to remain, you may leave… but none may act against the Dao Alliance, nor attempt to restore the Immortal Alliance. Discovery means death, even for those who stay. Third, the purpose of establishing the Dao Alliance is likewise to bring benefit to the masses of the cultivation world. Any sect may voluntarily join us; we will provide protection and resources where possible. But all sects must bring their Nine Nether Demon Cats to the Dao Alliance headquarters for registration.”

After delivering these three points, Qi Huang concluded: “Other than that, everything remains as before. Return home peacefully. All I wanted was the downfall of the Immortal Alliance, not to disrupt the entire cultivation world.”

“This Qi Huang seems reasonable. She’s not as the Immortal Alliance portrayed, not some unforgivable villain.”

“Indeed, if she only targets the Immortal Alliance, it won’t affect us ordinary cultivators and mortals.”

“She can do as she pleases. For us, it’s only like a change of rulers. It doesn’t matter who sits on the throne.”

The crowd let out a collective sigh of relief.

“Oh, by the way, I plan to host a three-day banquet here to celebrate the fall of the Immortal Alliance. If anyone is interested, you are welcome to stay and celebrate with us.”

Qi Huang extended the invitation, and instantly the atmosphere grew lively.

“What do you intend to do with the Immortal Alliance’s headquarters?”

Cheng Hongling came forward to ask.

Qi Huang turned to gaze at the vast headquarters, large enough to cover a third of Wuye City. A look of disgust appeared on her face. “A den of filth and corruption. There is no need to keep it.”

At her words, her terrifying Divine Sense descended from the heavens like a crashing river, slamming into the headquarters. Dust billowed and the earth quaked.

BOOM!

A deafening roar echoed across heaven and earth. With a single strike, Qi Huang reduced the massive headquarters to rubble, leaving only ruins.

“My heavens! Can a mortal truly accomplish such a thing?”

The watching cultivators trembled once more, while many sects resolved firmly to join the Dao Alliance.

Qi Huang’s Divine Sense spread across the ruins, keeping the dust contained. After all, she still had a celebratory feast to host.

She ordered Wenxiang Pavilion to serve food again, and directed the priest Chen and the girls of Baihua Brothel to prepare festivities for the Immortal Alliance’s funeral-turned-celebration.

With their fears gone and having witnessed Qi Huang’s power, none dared slack. They threw themselves into the preparations.

The remaining Life Souls of Elder Xiao and Elder Zheng became the “spirit tablets” of the Alliance, to be “honored” by all.

Amid laughter and celebration, the destruction of the Immortal Alliance was swiftly forgotten. The funeral became a joyous festival.

Qi Huang did not slacken. Her Divine Sense blanketed Wuye City and even the entire Xianlin Empire. If she detected anyone attempting to restore the Immortal Alliance or plotting against her, she executed them instantly. Though currently in her female persona, she well understood the principle of eliminating evil at the root.

Cheng Hongling, meanwhile, busied herself with the flood of cultivators seeking favor. Each “Alliance Leader” greeting left her increasingly heavy-hearted, uncertain if she was fit for the role.

“My lady, perhaps it’s better to let someone else more experienced serve as Dao Alliance Leader.”

In the end, Cheng Hongling could not help but speak to Qi Huang.

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“Why? Do you not wish to serve the common folk of the cultivation world?”

Qi Huang asked in puzzlement.

“I do, but…”

Cheng Hongling hesitated, rare uncertainty clouding her face. After a pause, she said: “First, my experience is shallow. I truly don’t know if I am fit for the position. Second, you know our path is to defy the heavens. We cannot afford distractions. If mundane affairs hinder my cultivation, what happens if Heaven’s lackeys appear?”

“My dear husband, don’t worry. As for the first concern, we can recruit experienced cultivators to assist you. As for the second, you can simply send a doppelgänger to fulfill the Alliance Leader’s duties.”

Qi Huang offered solutions.

“A doppelgänger?”

Cheng Hongling blinked.

“Yes. You’ve already reached the Heavenly Tribulation Realm. You can refine doppelgängers from your three souls and seven corporeal spirits. That will be sufficient.”

Qi Huang reminded her.

“But… won’t they also need to cultivate?”

Cheng Hongling was still hesitant.

“No need. At our growth rate, you can replace their bodies quickly. Their progress will far exceed what they could achieve on their own. That’s the first point. Second, they yearn for freedom. This will grant them exactly that.”

Qi Huang reasoned persuasively.

Cheng Hongling fell into deep thought, then clenched her teeth. “Very well. I’ll consider it.”

“No need to hesitate. Trust me, I’ll help you with all my strength. After all, I also need the Dao Alliance’s people to plant ghost tomatoes.”

Qi Huang coaxed again, then teased: “Don’t let me look down on you, husband!”

“Enough! I’ll do it!”

Cheng Hongling finally relented.

Qi Huang smiled in satisfaction. She insisted on making Cheng Hongling the Alliance Leader for two reasons: first, absolute trust; second, to intimidate the hidden “rats”. The Immortal Alliance had just been destroyed, appointing anyone else might not convince the masses.

The next morning came quickly. Qi Huang eagerly shifted back into his male persona. Little did she know, nearby Yin-Yang Eyes bearers had seen everything clearly, and not just one.

The Yin-Yang Eyes bearers were shocked, but Qi Huang’s overwhelming presence silenced them. None dared to speak.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye. The celebrations ended. Qi Huang prepared to leave with her relatives and friends, for though the Immortal Alliance was destroyed, her Dao Dream still remained elusive.

“My friends, we part ways here. Next month, I will personally go to the Lü Clan in the Weiyuan Empire and uproot their Immortal Stele. Those who wish to watch the excitement may come. I guarantee you an even more spectacular performance.”

With this bold declaration, Qi Huang departed.