The Living Dead City

The Primeval Demon City hung silently beneath the leaden clouds. After these days of repeated refinement, Xiao Chen could now barely control this dormant giant city. The black city was deathly still, like a dark cloud hanging in the sky without any vitality, yet still imposing and breathtaking to behold.

A flash of black light, and the giant city instantly moved a thousand li, appearing in the eastern region of the Death World. "No, still too slow," the old Ancestral Dragon shook his head. "At least ten thousand li in an instant is necessary." The enemy was not a Half-Ancestor but an undying Otherworld Ancestral God; everything had to be strictly demanding.

The divine diagram rotated slowly beside Xiao Chen, providing him with an unending source of divine power to better control the Dead City. But he could never truly merge with it, could not achieve the state where the city moved at his mere thought.

In the distance, the old farmer, holding the Great Annihilation War Spear, shouted at Xiao Chen: "Come, suppress me!"

Black light shot into the sky. The majestic Dead City traced a long divine radiance across the sky, falling like the firmament itself, pressing down to suppress the old farmer.

The old farmer thrust upward with the Great Annihilation War Spear, which swelled instantly to the size of a mountain, reaching toward the descending city. The spear's divine power was overwhelming, scattering all the gray clouds above the Death World.

With a thunderous crash, the Dead City shook and trembled violently, colliding heavily with the Great Annihilation War Spear. Although a supreme Ancestral God-level great barrier had been laid down, the earth below still collapsed for thousands of li with a deafening roar, sinking into the depths. The old farmer plunged straight down into the deep strata, while the Dead City followed, pressing down onto the shattered blood-red earth, crushing him beneath it.

"Some power has been unleashed, but still far from enough," the old farmer's voice came from below. He struggled out, grimacing, clearly not yet suppressed—let alone killed. An Otherworld Ancestral God would require far more force.

"Let us assist him together and see how it works," said the old Ancestral Dragon. Together with Yan Huang and the others, they flew into the Dead City to aid Xiao Chen. The ancient giant city immediately blazed with black light, pressing down toward the old farmer once more. A terrifying aura shook the Death World. The ancient city emitted a dreadful black radiance that enveloped the old farmer below.

"Stop!" the old farmer shouted. At this moment, he felt an extremely powerful force of destruction. He sensed that in a few more minutes, he would be annihilated entirely—body and soul.

The Dead City's light faded, and it hung in the sky. The old farmer rushed out of the black radiance and breathed a sigh of relief. "With all of you joining forces, even without controlling the Dead City, you could kill an Ancestral God. Let alone piloting this demon city."

Yan Huang nodded. "We should not all stay together in the Dead City. If we are all trapped inside at once, we would lose all our Ancestral God-level combat power."

The Martial Imprint frowned. "Could the Otherworld really have someone who can seal everyone in the Dead City?"

The old Ancestral Dragon said gravely, "There are no absolutes in the world. The three Otherworld Supreme Ancestral Gods have remained motionless like fossils for so many years. Perhaps they have already developed such means. Moreover, we all know their true deterrent power—if it is unleashed, the consequences are unimaginable."

"Although Xiao Chen was once petrified, he still cannot fully merge with the Dead City," Mo Xiaowang frowned.

At that moment, within the ancient city, Xiao Chen's body surface suddenly began to petrify, as if a layer of stone armor had formed—ancient and ornate. "Oh!" Yan Huang and the old Ancestral Dragon had sharp eyes and immediately understood what was happening. Xiao Chen was using the half-skull within his body to petrify his flesh, as he had done not long ago. Back then, his defense had reached an astonishing level, but his movement speed had been unimpressive. Now, however, after petrification, the situation was vastly different.

In an instant, Xiao Chen felt a connection with the ancient city, as if they were joined by flesh and blood, gradually showing signs of merging. The demonic pattern on his forehead appeared, flickering like blazing flames, forming a vertical eye that emitted terrifying light.

With a bang, the Dead City trembled. Xiao Chen's figure gradually vanished, sinking into the center of the city's underground. A thunderous roar echoed. The ancient city seemed to come to life, shaking violently as black light shot into the sky. It instantly fled ten thousand li, then returned in the blink of an eye.

"Come, suppress me again!" the old farmer shouted, brandishing the Great Annihilation War Spear once more to test it.

A flash of light. The Dead City descended like a demon cloud covering the sky, instantly sealing all directions. A hazy black light imprisoned everything here. The old farmer thrust with his spear to resist, but with a rumbling sound, the Dead City descended irresistibly, suppressing him beneath it.

"Stop!" he shouted urgently, for the destructive force made him deeply uneasy.

With a thunderous shake, the ancient city trembled but did not immediately rise. Below, the old farmer coughed up blood, his body cracking. He felt a terrifying aura enveloping him.

"Not good!" Yan Huang and the old Ancestral Dragon exchanged alarmed glances. They rushed over to block the city's descent.

With a rumbling, the Dead City shook and finally shot into the sky, leaving the area. The old farmer's cracked body slowly healed. He exchanged looks with Yan Huang and the old Ancestral Dragon, all of them stunned.

At this moment, Xiao Chen also rushed out of the city, his face filled with shock as he looked back at it. "It... still has life!"

"Yes, we were all wrong!" Yan Huang and the old Ancestral Dragon also stared at the city in astonishment. Finally, joining forces, they used their great divine powers to probe inside. "At the center of the city, underground, there is a faint, weak light enveloping a broken humanoid stone statue!" This was what they had discovered. Even with the combined power of Ancestral God-level experts, they had only barely probed it. The weak light was about to go out. If Xiao Chen had not entered the city in his stone form, they might never have found it.

"This is even better," the old Ancestral Dragon said, sharp light flashing in his eyes. "If an Otherworld supreme powerhouse should shatter this city, it would be devastating enough."

The Martial Imprint, always eager for chaos, snickered. "It will be most interesting."

At the same time, everyone had a hidden worry: the Dead City was not truly dead. Piloting it was like playing with fire. The terrifying existence at the city's center could awaken at any moment.

In the end, Xiao Chen was the only one to pilot the ancient city, as it was most appropriate. The half-skull within his body still had some deterrent power.

"If the ancient masters of the Celestial Race also make a move this time, it will certainly be earth-shattering. We should be able to lure out the three Supreme Ancestral Gods."

Three days later, Xiao Chen quietly returned to the Nine Provinces and went directly to the South Sea, arriving before the mountain gate of the Otherworld Ancestral God Chou Tian. Chou Tian had been sacrificed by him; only a fleshly shell remained, his consciousness a puppet. He was entirely at Xiao Chen's disposal—a crucial chess piece.

Entering this sub-world created by the Ancestral God, Xiao Chen quickly established contact with Chou Tian. Mountains green, valleys emerald, waterfalls and flowing springs—this was a tranquil pure land. Pavilions and towers dotted the landscape. With a flash of light, Xiao Chen appeared on the most beautiful divine mountain.

On a flat mountain top, divine trees grew in clusters. Only a single pavilion stood among them, and the Ancestral God Chou Tian sat cross-legged inside. "How are the Undying Sect Leader and Yan Qingcheng?" Xiao Chen asked. "Completely safe," Chou Tian replied, his expression nearly numb. "I want to see them."

The Otherworld Ancestral God Chou Tian, surrounded by hazy mist, nodded silently and sent a divine thought to have two slaves brought here. The cultivators of the Nine Provinces and the Four Worlds, once captured, were all treated as slaves, though they were divided into grades. Those who performed well could even become generals of the Otherworld powerhouses.

In an instant, Xiao Chen sensed the auras of the Undying Sect Leader and Yan Qingcheng. The four escorts were not particularly strong—only at the Perfected Man realm. In this space created by the Ancestral God, Otherworld cultivators were completely at ease, confident the two would not dare to escape.

"This woman is truly a national beauty. I must ask the patriarch to grant her to me," one of them said, his eyes burning with desire. "We may be direct descendants of the Ancestral God, but our cultivation is unremarkable. A beauty that captivates the world is unlikely to fall to us." "Then I'll ask my great-grandfather; he is a Ninth Heaven Half-Ancestor, and I am his only great-grandson." One youth clearly had an unusual status. "My great-grandfather is only a Third Heaven Half-Ancestor, but he once rendered great service. Asking the Ancestral God for a beautiful slave should not be a problem, hehe."

The four escorts were very presumptuous on the way, constantly baiting the Undying Sect Leader and Yan Qingcheng. If Chou Tian had not personally issued an Ancestral God's decree, they might have acted on their impulses. As they neared the divine mountain, they all fell silent, not daring to speak recklessly. The Ancestral God was emotionless; even as direct descendants, they trembled inwardly.

When they reached the mountain and saw Xiao Chen sitting side by side with the Ancestral God, they were startled. The four youths mistakenly thought this was a visiting Ancestral God.

Not seen face to face for many years, Yan Qingcheng was as always: ice-like bones, jade-like skin, peerless beauty, like an untouchable cold immortal—pure and moving. Her long black hair was glossy and soft, flowing in the wind. A purple gown outlined her graceful, enchanting figure. At this moment, Yan Qingcheng's mouth fell open in shock. She could hardly believe her eyes: Xiao Chen was sitting boldly beside the Otherworld Ancestral God—this defied all reason. The Undying Sect Leader knew a little of the hidden circumstances, and though shocked, did not show it.

"Greetings, Ancestral God!" the four young Otherworld cultivators hastily prostrated themselves in great reverence. Chou Tian did not speak, silently sitting in the pavilion, looking down at them. The four knelt trembling among the divine trees. They shouted at the Undying Sect Leader and Yan Qingcheng, "Kneel down!" But the two remained unmoved.

"You two slaves—do you want to die?!" they yelled.

Hearing this, Xiao Chen smiled faintly. "Have any of you four killed cultivators of the Nine Provinces?" "Reporting to the Ancestral God, we have all been bloodied in battle. Each of us has killed at least a hundred experts." They quickly replied. "Truly drenched in blood," Xiao Chen said, his voice turning cold. "Then it is no injustice to erase you."

The four clearly sensed something was wrong. They did not know who this young man sitting beside the Ancestral God Chou Tian was, or why he would want to erase them. "Ancestral God!" They looked desperately at Chou Tian.

"Do you have any objection?" Xiao Chen patted Chou Tian's shoulder. The four youths' eyes went wide—how could anyone so casually pat an Ancestral God on the shoulder, even if he were also an Ancestral God? Beside them, Yan Qingcheng's beautiful eyes flickered with shock; her peerless face was full of incredulity. It was too unbelievable.

But what made them even more stunned was that Xiao Chen then patted Chou Tian on the head. "Better do it yourself." The four Otherworld cultivators were about to go mad—who was this young man? How could he treat their patriarch with such disrespect? Yan Qingcheng's crimson lips parted in astonishment; her jade-like hand covered her mouth. She simply could not believe her eyes. Only the Undying Sect Leader remained relatively calm.

With a bang, Chou Tian expressionlessly raised his right hand and pressed down lightly. "Ancestral God, no—" The four young cultivators were filled with terror and tried to flee, but before an Ancestral God, they were truly as fragile as ants. Chou Tian pressed down from a distance, and in an instant, they turned into clouds of blood. With a flash of light, the blood mist vanished—utterly annihilated, nothing left.

The incomparably beautiful Yan Qingcheng felt as if she were dreaming. "Are you really Xiao Chen? How is this possible?" she asked, her voice unsteady. "It is me," Xiao Chen said, sitting in the pavilion and beckoning to them. "Come, sit with me." "How can this be!" Yan Qingcheng struggled to believe it. Before her was the Otherworld Ancestral God Chou Tian! How could Xiao Chen act so casually in front of him? The Undying Sect Leader was also uneasy, for Chou Tian stood right there. Facing an Otherworld Ancestral God, no one could relax.

Xiao Chen casually patted Chou Tian again and looked at the two before him. "Don't mind this block of wood. I accidentally sacrificed him." "Sacrificed... him?" Yan Qingcheng's beautiful eyes went wide, her red lips unable to close, revealing a row of snow-white, jade-like teeth. A look of utter disbelief froze on her face; even the dimples at her cheeks stiffened. The Undying Sect Leader was equally shocked. To sacrifice an Otherworld Ancestral God to death—this was too fantastical to believe.

"It's just killing a person—why make such a fuss?" Xiao Chen said it casually, but to the ears of those before him, it was like a thunderous wave. How many Ancestral Gods appear in the history of a civilization? Each is an undying being, almost impossible to kill or destroy. The man who had once shared their world now seemed suddenly unreal, wielding such power.

"Oh, I forgot—Chou Tian is an Ancestral God after all. I can see how it would be hard for you to believe. I've killed too many. Whether Ancestral Gods or ordinary cultivators, they are all people. For me, killing has become numbing." This was the truth. Even though Xiao Chen knew that Ancestral Gods could not truly be annihilated, and that killing even one would shake heaven and earth, he still felt this numbness. Perhaps years of unending war had left him utterly exhausted. But these words sounded entirely different to the Undying Sect Leader and Yan Qingcheng.

He spoke of killing Ancestral Gods as if it were a mundane thing—truly shocking.

"Go sit over there," Xiao Chen said casually, pushing Chou Tian aside and making room. "Both of you, sit down."

The Undying Sect Leader and Yan Qingcheng were truly stunned. Even though they knew most of what Xiao Chen said was true, accepting it was still difficult. In that instant, Yan Qingcheng recalled many memories—their confrontations on Dragon Island, the myriad moments in the Southern Wastes. The past flowed like a clear spring, like a gentle breeze, spreading through her heart, briefly showing a trace of confusion. Back then, the Undying Sect Leader had nearly arranged for her to marry Xiao Chen, but in the end, it never happened. Scenes flashed by. Yan Qingcheng's heart was complicated. For her, the past was a complex and unforgettable chapter. It was difficult to truly understand the various emotions she had felt in those years.

"Time flies. In the blink of an eye, the world grows old. Hundreds of years have passed," Xiao Chen said, gesturing for them to sit. They came to their senses and sat down.

At this moment, the Undying Sect Leader was filled with awe. He fully believed everything now. Yan Qingcheng's emotions were tangled and hard to articulate clearly.

"Hmm, trouble is coming. A Half-Ancestor seems to have sensed something and is spying this way." Xiao Chen said calmly to Chou Tian, "Summon him and kill him." Chou Tian nodded silently. Only the fleshly shell of Chou Tian remained; his mind had long been reshaped.

With a flash of light, a powerful Half-Ancestor flew over. It was the 'Divine Emissary' who had selected Yan Qingcheng and the Undying Sect Leader from the Undying Sect—a seemingly handsome young man but actually an old monster over a thousand years old, of extraordinary talent, not to be underestimated.

"Ancestral God..." As he bowed to Chou Tian, he was shocked to find Yan Qingcheng and the Undying Sect Leader seated above, which seemed impossible. And when he saw Xiao Chen, his face filled with astonishment. "You are—" He had seen portraits of Xiao Chen and immediately sensed grave danger.

With a bang, Xiao Chen struck personally this time, directly sealing this divine mountain. His giant hand reached out, containing terrifying power that even an Ancestral God would find shocking. The Divine Emissary before him, powerful as he was, could not resist—he was seized in an instant.

"You must have killed many cultivators of the Nine Provinces. Now I grant you death." Xiao Chen's voice was calm, but it made the emissary tremble. "No..." He only managed to utter this single word before Xiao Chen crushed him—utterly obliterated.

Beside him, Yan Qingcheng and the Undying Sect Leader were deeply shaken. Now they were certain it was all true.

"How many Half-Ancestors are in this realm? I might as well kill them all," Xiao Chen said coldly. "Most are outside. Only a few are in this pure land," the Undying Sect Leader replied. "But there is one Ninth Heaven Half-Ancestor." "I know him," Xiao Chen said. How could he forget the Half-Ancestor who guarded the exit for Chou Tian? He could sense his presence even now. "Only one step away from the Ancestral God realm. That one must be eliminated."

His plain words held terrible killing intent. Xiao Chen had Chou Tian send a telepathic summons to that Ninth Heaven Half-Ancestor.

With a flash, the supreme Ninth Heaven Half-Ancestor arrived. Facing such a pinnacle Half-Ancestor, Xiao Chen did not dare to be careless. He directly used the formation diagram to seal the heavens, enclosing this area, and at the same time ordered Chou Tian to attack.

"Ancestral God, you—" The Ninth Heaven Half-Ancestor's face changed drastically. The moment he saw Xiao Chen, he understood everything. Without a word, he tried to break through, but the space of this divine mountain was completely sealed, and a hazy divine diagram blocked his path.

With a bang, Chou Tian's combat instincts were fully intact. He struck the Half-Ancestor down to the ground. With a crack, Xiao Chen's palm and fingers manifested a celestial scar—a miniature manifestation of the true Heavenly Stele. He pressed down emotionlessly, his hand covering the sky.

At this moment, an ordinary palm strike contained the profound meaning of the supreme, the imprint of the Dao, the sublimation of ultimate martial arts, and also encompassed the power of divine principles. Its vast aura made even the Ninth Heaven Half-Ancestor unable to resist. With a bang, that heaven-covering hand pressed down, and he could not move at all. Xiao Chen pressed lightly, crushing his divine consciousness, then sealed him.

"It would be a waste to kill such a strong man. Keep his body and soul for others to sacrifice."

Beside him, Yan Qingcheng and the Undying Sect Leader were deeply shaken.

"Chou Tian, do you have any Ancestral God weapons here?" Xiao Chen planned to plunder, for he could not use Chou Tian for long. Chou Tian's purpose was only one: a grand explosion at the gathering! After that, he would be destroyed.

"Yes." "Good. Open your treasure vault and let me see."

Chou Tian tore open space, and before them appeared a strange, narrow space. Within it lay a drum covered in dragon scales. Xiao Chen's eyes narrowed immediately. The drum was made from Ancestral Dragon skin—he could clearly sense the Ancestral Dragon's aura. It was clearly a sacred treasure forged from the skin of an Ancestral Dragon who had fallen in battle. Xiao Chen felt a surge of anger, wanting to destroy Chou Tian, but remembering that he had already been sacrificed, he suppressed his fury. He quickly searched Chou Tian's remaining memories, and his anger abated somewhat. The Ancestral Dragon Drum had been made by an Ancestral God of the Nine Provinces from the skin of a fallen Ancestral Dragon—the ancient battles had been so brutal that even the bodies of their own Ancestral Gods had to be used. In the end, the drum had fallen into the hands of the Otherworld. It could be imagined that many supreme treasures of the Nine Provinces and the Four Worlds had been seized by the Otherworld.

"Report!" At that moment, an Otherworld cultivator respectfully sent a message from afar. The Otherworld's ten-thousand-year grand gathering was about to begin, and a Divine Emissary had come to inform them.

"The time for heaven and earth to turn upside down has come!" Xiao Chen calmly uttered these words, but Yan Qingcheng and the Undying Sect Leader knew that chaos was about to erupt across the world.