Chapter 1774: Refining the Spring and Autumn Ceremony

The enmity between the Spirit Race and the Human Race had lasted for tens of thousands of years.

Countless relatives and friends had died at each other's hands, making the feud irreconcilable, impossible to resolve with words or benevolence.

Now, with the strongest emperor of the Spirit Race besieged here, how could the ancient sages of the Master Hall let this opportunity slip?

"And you, Zhang Hongtian?"

Chenyong Emperor was not surprised to see these people also ganging up on him; he looked over again.

"My Zhang clan has fought no fewer than a hundred battles against the Spirit Race. My father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and generations of ancestors—countless have died at your hands! Your hands are stained with the blood of my family. Today, though it is not honorable to outnumber you and win without glory, this is revenge, not a fair duel. Even if Master Kong knew, he would never blame us!"

A long sword leaped from his waist; Zhang Hongtian gazed at the figure before him, his eyes filled with righteousness.

To fight with just cause—a master must give the most fitting reason to advance courageously without retreat.

"Ancestor Hongtian..."

Seeing that he was about to act, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but speak.

With so many besieging him and the Star Chart surrounding them, it seemed Chenyong Emperor would have a hard time getting out of this unscathed.

Though he had no fondness for the Spirit Race, Wuchen had always been by his side, serving him diligently. Seeing him besieged by so many was still hard to accept.

"The Spirit Race deserves no sympathy!"

Knowing what he wanted to say, Zhang Hongtian waved his hand.

Years of war had made the two races irreconcilable.

Without this foremost emperor, the Spirit Race would surely become a scattered mess, unable to oppose humanity.

This would eliminate a long-standing threat!

For this reason, the Hundred Schools had spared no expense in sending so many ancient sages, even putting the seizure of the Spring and Autumn Ceremony in second place.

"Very well. And you?"

Seeing all three factions unite, Chenyong Emperor turned to the sacred beasts nearby.

"We take neither side and wish not to interfere... We only want the Spring and Autumn Ceremony!" said the White Venerable.

"If you take neither side, then step back. Otherwise, fists and feet have no eyes; if you stay in the battle circle, no one can guarantee you won't be killed..."

With a cold laugh, Chenyong Emperor shook his long blade, producing a sobbing sound. Without further ado, he raised his brows, and his aura suddenly erupted, giving a sense of depth like an abyss or sea.

Disguised as Wuchen, he had used the power of a master. Now, restored to his true form and employing the killing qi of the Spirit Race, his combat strength instantly more than doubled.

"Attack!"

Seeing his aura about to peak, and knowing that delaying would make him even harder to kill, Yan Qing, the ancient sage, shook his halberd and shot it through the air.

"Go!"

Bu Yu's ghost claw tore through space.

The attacks of the two super experts transformed into one black and one white beam, streaking like meteors.

"Well met!"

Restored to his true form, Chenyong Emperor roared, his voice like thunder suddenly exploding, while his long blade slashed straight forward.

Rip!

A pitch-black crack appeared in the space sealed by the Star Chart. The blade light met the two attacks, and the halberd and ghost claw flew back like struck baseballs.

Chenyong Emperor stepped forward, his power surging, the sea of clouds boiling. Under the sweep of his long blade, the attacks of the other ancient sages were blocked. He advanced again, slashing down at Yan Qing's head.

This strike sealed the void with power; even Yan Qing, who had reached the Blood Rebirth realm, could not evade.

Hum!

Just as this strongest of the Hundred Schools was about to be slain, a sword light broke through the limits of time and space, appearing before him. If he did not block it, even if he killed Yan Qing, he would surely be severely wounded.

Chenyong Emperor raised his blade.

Ding ding ding ding!

The sound of a rain of swords rang incessantly. Zhang Hongtian strode forward like a sword immortal.

Watching such a battle, Zhang Xuan swallowed his saliva.

Truly the pinnacle super experts of the continent—every move carried the laws of nature. He was fortunate to be far from the battle circle; otherwise, he would surely have been torn to powder, not even a trace left.

This Chenyong Emperor was powerful to the extreme. Despite being besieged by so many, he remained composed and unhurried.

Bang!

The battle grew fiercer. Suddenly, a muffled groan, and then a figure fell from the sky.

An ancient sage had fallen!

"It's a Spirit Race member at the Philosopher realm..."

Seeing the corpse, Zhang Xuan recognized it as one of Old Ghost Yu's subordinates, possessing the strength of the second layer of the Ancient Sage realm.

"This is a good thing..."

Knowing that a corpse of this level was rare, Zhang Xuan approached, and the Dragon Bone Divine Spear shot over, giving a sharp lift.

Whoosh!

He stored it in his storage ring.

Boom!

Just as he collected that corpse, another ancient sage from the Hundred Schools fell.

Not only Spirit Race members died; experts of the Hundred Schools also began to fall.

Then came the Master Hall.

He could collect Spirit Race corpses, but he did not touch those of the Hundred Schools or the Master Hall.

After all, he was a master.

Though he couldn't take the corpses, during the battle, ancient sage blood splattered, and he managed to collect quite a bit.

As the battle grew fiercer, more ancient sages died.

In less than ten minutes, of the more than twenty ancient sages, fewer than half remained.

By now, Chenyong Emperor was covered in wounds and heavily injured.

Yan Qing and Zhang Hongtian also bore hideous wounds, panting heavily, not faring well.

Old Ghost Yu, on the other hand, had the lightest injuries.

Not because he was stronger, but because he was cunning; the frontal attacks were borne by the other two.

"Truly the foremost emperor of the Spirit Race. I never thought that with so many of us united, we would still suffer such heavy losses..." Looking again at Chenyong Emperor before him, Zhang Hongtian spoke with admiration.

He had thought himself at the pinnacle of the world, yet with so many united, so many had been killed.

"You are not weak either. But... with only this level of strength, I'm afraid you cannot kill me today..."

Leaning on his blade, Chenyong Emperor's heroic spirit remained undiminished.

"Even if I die today, I'll drag you down with me..." Zhang Hongtian gritted his teeth.

"Then try..."

Chenyong Emperor sneered. He was about to continue when he suddenly felt the space sealed by the Star Chart shake incessantly.

Rumble!

The heavens and earth seemed to tear apart. A pure white light shone through the Star Chart, and a huge altar slowly emerged.

The light shone directly on Luo Ruoxi, who was refining the Spring and Autumn Ceremony.

"Success..."

Chenyong Emperor's eyes lit up.

He had left the square earlier and prepared for a long time precisely for this. Seeing it succeed, he could no longer contain his excitement.

Rip!

The altar's light bathed Luo Ruoxi. Her power, already at the Ancient Sage level, seemed to have its seal lifted again, becoming even more vast and immense.

Under such power, the Spring and Autumn Ceremony could no longer resist and was instantly completely refined.