Chapter 99: The Crisis Arrives

Night Nine Demon lowered his head and stared at his own hands, now completely covered in monkey fur, with demonic aura flowing between his fingers.

He looked at them in astonishment. A current of power pulsed through those hands, stronger than his vital energy by far, so much so that it could almost be said to surpass it beyond comparison.

"Come, my staff!"

With a thought, a long staff flew in from the void. Terrifying golden light spread over it, and with a buzzing cry it landed in his hand.

Clang.

A dreadful tremor rang out from the staff, and instantly he felt as though the clouds had parted to reveal clear skies, as though a strand of blue light had opened between heaven and earth.

"Stellar Staff Form!"

Night Nine Demon swung it out fiercely. In an instant, staff shadows filled the sky, each strike bursting with thunderous force, like the shaking of heaven and earth themselves.

"So this is the Stellar Staff Form?"

He sensed that strike carefully. It was far more terrifying than anything he had unleashed before, and one might even say it carried an even more unfathomable power.

After finishing his perception, Night Nine Demon dispersed the energy surging through his body. A keen light flashed in his eyes, and once more he sank his mind into comprehension.

When he awoke, it was already the next day.

"My child, your stellar journey is about to begin."

Night Nine Demon slowly opened his eyes, then looked into the distance. Only after that did his gaze finally settle on Shepherd Grace.

"Mother..."

"Boom!"

Before Night Nine Demon could finish speaking, a heaven-shaking tremor suddenly erupted from the ground. Everyone's expression changed drastically.

"A great enemy has arrived!"

Shepherd Grace spoke softly, yet her voice carried a frigid edge, as though she already knew who had come.

"Go."

Night Nine Demon and the others rushed out, arriving at the mountain gate of the Mystic Gate Sect. At that moment, a crowd so vast it blotted out the sky stood suspended in the air.

"Hiss... how terrifying!"

"They're all above the Heavenly Human realm!"

"So this is the power of a rank-four sect?"

"..."

The people of Mystic Gate Sect were shaken to the core.

There were simply too many of them. The sky-darkening mass had already covered the sect's mountain gate, and slowly, a figure stepped forward.

Qin Jade.

"Mystic Gate Sect? Heh... the Scar Emperor Marten is dead. Whatever lies within the Mystic Tower should belong to everyone in the Hundred Sects Realm. Hand it over today, and I will spare your lives. As for punishment, you will still not escape it!"

Qin Jade spoke as though he were a messenger from the netherworld, pointing and decreeing like a judge from on high. His eyes contained nothing else, and his words were delivered with absolute confidence.

"Cut the nonsense. Make your move."

Shepherd Grace immediately erupted with power. An immense, overwhelming aura gathered around her, like a dragon that had lain dormant in the abyss finally awakening.

"Mid-stage Sage Monarch? You're not qualified to speak to me. Still, for the sake of the Realm Lord, I won't hold it against you. But they... must die!"

Qin Jade looked at the power unleashed by Shepherd Grace, and his eyes remained indifferent. Yet when his gaze turned to Night Nine Demon and the others, killing intent surged to the heavens.

"You lot... deserve death."

Qin Jade slowly raised his right hand. Light flowed at his fingertips, and a force even more terrifying than that of a Sage Monarch began to circulate.

Hum!

A resonant vibration rolled through heaven and earth. The stones beneath the feet of the crowd suddenly began spinning wildly, forming a storm!

"Die!"

"Child, run!"

Bloodshot veins spread in Shepherd Grace's eyes. She looked utterly mad as she roared at Night Nine Demon.

But that fingertip of light was too fast.

Even though Night Nine Demon's reaction was swift beyond measure, he was still half a beat too late. Just as the finger-light was about to strike his body, a massive hand suddenly reached out, as if crossing countless layers of empty space to arrive.

"Bullying my grandson?!"

The voice sounded ancient and weary, yet it carried thunderous force, like heaven and earth striking together in sudden explosion.

That palm carried a continuous, inexhaustible power, like flowing water, its thick and majestic vital energy revealing the bearing of a true master.

Boom!

When palm force met finger force, the collision sent up a sky-filling roar. In an instant, a piercing sound formed, and the sonic wave spread outward like ripples across a lake.

Qin Jade's body was driven backward uncontrollably. Only after several steps did he steady himself, and there was not the slightest fear in his eyes.

"Shepherd Sun Heaven, who do you think you're fooling?!"

Qin Jade lifted his head and shouted into the void.

"Qin Jade, the Thousand Sects Realm is the outer world. Those not of our kind will surely have divided hearts. And yet you dare act so brazenly?"

Shepherd Sun Heaven's voice rang out again, thick with hatred. The faces of the crowd changed once more, and many stared at Qin Jade with ugly expressions.

Most of them clearly knew nothing of this, but Qin Jade only laughed aloud and said disdainfully, "Shepherd Sun Heaven, the Hundred Sects Realm has always belonged to the Thousand Sects Realm. What nonsense about other races? After serving as Realm Lord for too long, have you grown unable to see the situation clearly?!"

"So there's nothing left to discuss, is there? Then I, Shepherd Sun Heaven, will send you to meet the people of the Thousand Sects Realm!"

A terrifying force crossed the void and shot straight toward Qin Jade. Yet the latter showed not the slightest fear, and with a loud laugh he rose to meet it head-on.

At once, thunderous crashes rang out in the sky. The oppressive force rolling in like mountains and seas made the crowd retreat again and again, all of them staring in utter disbelief.

This supreme power overturned their understanding, yet it also opened a door before them.

Their hearts burned hot. All of them longed for such invincible might. They loved this kind of power. It was simply too great.

So great it seemed unbeatable.

"Ha!"

Suddenly, Qin Jade roared.

Brilliant light flashed across the sky, and behind him a towering figure emerged, imposing and radiant beyond measure.

"Shepherd Sun Heaven, do you know why the Thousand Sects Realm is strong? Because above it lies the Thousand Emperors Realm. As for us, we are nothing more than the weakest of worlds!"

Qin Jade's nearly bellowed voice resounded through the heavens, but Shepherd Sun Heaven did not answer. Instead, he unleashed wave after wave of terrifying power, bombarding Qin Jade without pause.

Yet the great figure behind Qin Jade merely waved a hand lightly, and all that terrifying force vanished without a trace.

"So strong!"

"This is the power of a Sage?!"

"Father... he's in danger..."

...

The people of Mystic Gate Sect looked at the power erupting high above with faces full of disbelief. This force had already surpassed their understanding.

"Lord Qin Jade... so strong!"

"I feel like Lord Qin Jade is like a blazing sun, and the Realm Lord Shepherd Sun Heaven is no weaker!"

...

They discussed the thunderous roars erupting overhead. The void was already trembling and shattering, as though mountains were collapsing and the earth itself were caving in.

"Die!"

Shepherd Sun Heaven's voice sounded like the voice of heaven and earth itself, exploding forth at once.

A streak of finger-light crossed the void like the force of the heavens, instantly racing toward Qin Jade.

"Lord!"

Qin Jade showed no panic at all. Instead, he looked back at the dharma figure manifested behind him. The figure gave a slight nod.

"This world belongs to him."

The words were domineering beyond compare, and with them came another finger strike.

Instantly, the two forces collided.

Boom!

A monstrous roar detonated between heaven and earth. Billowing dust and smoke shot upward at once, and the crowd's expressions were filled with terror as they stared into the center of the explosion.