Forge a path to success.

Chapter 61 Peerless General

The moment the Stormbreaker appeared, absolute chaos descended upon everyone, indiscriminately. Team members in the heat of battle clutched their throats and knelt, while the glowing corpses and crows froze like out-of-control puppets. They couldn't breathe; the city's gases surged upwards, engulfing the Stormbreaker's face.

"Not enough! Not enough!" Its roar transformed into genuine thunder, with lightning dancing wildly in the rain.

The Demonic Gale wasn't fully formed yet; this mere crack was far too small for it. So it breathed wildly, trying to expand its form using the city's gases. Its face doubled in size with each breath, completely covering the sky, causing the crack to burst open again, destroying nearly half of the water curtain. Satisfied, it exhaled a satisfied breath, its plasma-formed eyes gazing at the tiny creatures amidst the ruins.

Its gaze is a deadly spot of light, and all life within its sight becomes a corpse dominated by the light; its colossal body casts shadows like the night sky, from which countless demons spring forth, stretching out claws as sharp as knives; its emotions are revealed in its breath, turning into fire rain, hail and sandstorms, from which enormous demons are born, seeking flesh and blood in the city with their tyrannical nature.

The ghouls and corpses are merely byproducts of its activity; the demonic storm itself is the true symbol of natural disaster.

"What's this?" Ji Huaisu said with a wry smile. "It's already tough enough, can you stop acting like a lunatic?"

She gripped the shrunken Shadow Blade in one hand, the blade embedded in the demon's head. Her right leg was bleeding profusely, just an inch away from being bitten off by the demon. This creature was born to devour light, a mortal enemy of light shields; fighting it without risking one's life meant certain death.

Ji Huaisu was unaware that she had just created a miracle: she had single-handedly defeated two heretics of the same kind, and not just any heretics, but the infamous, ferocious Demon Slayers. Even in the ancient times when knights still roamed the land, this was a revered feat. People would weave this story into poems, which would be sung for a long time in castles and villages. But even if she knew, she would only smile bitterly. What meaning did her personal miracle have for the overall situation?

She can defeat two demons, while the monsters high in the sky can create hundreds of the same enemies in a single breath.

Ji Huaisu took out some first-aid bandages from her belongings and bandaged her wounds. She suddenly felt a little tired. Thinking back, it seemed like it had always been like this since she was a child. She had worked hard to train, but her elders had still passed away one by one. She had always wanted to help her father, but could only watch him grow old day by day. Now they had finally won a few matches, but they were still insignificant in the face of the big picture.

Before a superior being of high quality, an individual's will is extremely fragile. No matter how many victories you win, you can never reach the enemy in the sky.

She forced herself to stop thinking and used her Shadow Blade to support herself as she stood up. Broken glass and metal reflected blinding light; adorned by the torrential rain, wind, and streaks of fire, the dilapidated city resembled a castle within a glass bead, displaying a fragile beauty on the verge of collapse. Calamities and demons roamed instinctively, and desperate cries echoed from the ruins.

There were still people on the battlefield—a hunched old man who, unfortunately, hadn't been taken into a shelter, but had luckily survived the chaos of battle. He lay on the ground, gazing at the sky and weeping.

"They're here... We can't escape...! We're going to die!"

Ji Huaisu forced herself to walk over and help the old man up, seeing his dry and desperate eyes. She felt a pang of sorrow. At times like these, she found herself not afraid, but she was particularly unwilling to hear people's cries of grief.

"can you hear me?"

The old man's expression was just as bewildered as hers. A voice echoed in her mind, a voice that was all too familiar.

·
Ji Qiufeng sat in the water curtain room, where the surrounding water curtain had all turned into a chaotic color, tainted by the power of heretics and no longer clear.

This was actually the central control room of Huilong City, where the city lord could control this unprecedented metropolis using the water curtain. When the Huilong water curtain was destroyed, it lost its meaning, and the surrounding light gradually dimmed, leaving only him and Youyou in the room.

Ji Qiufeng slowly closed his eyes.

Suddenly, he saw what the control room used to look like. It was the early days of the city, a whole pioneering team pointing and gesturing at blueprints. It was the time of the dragon's transformation, everyone gathered here drinking and singing, telling unrestrained jokes. It was when the first war broke out, warnings flashing in the water curtain, people offering suggestions and rushing to the front lines. Their faces wore fearless smiles, unafraid of hardship or death, believing in their inevitable victory.

He opened his eyes. The room was pitch black; there was no light, and no one could be seen. Yet Ji Qiufeng felt they were all there, standing in this desolate room, looking at him with unreal eyes, silently entrusting him with sincere trust. "I believe you can do it. I believe you won't lose."

I believe you will win.

"That's enough," Youyou said softly. "We've done everything we could."

Ji Qiufeng stroked the golden pill and took a deep breath.

"Can you hear me?" he asked.

He heard Huaisu's response, Xiao An's response, and Heng Kong's response. They were all still alive, and despite the arduous war, they had not despaired. Those voices and the invisible gaze seeped into his heart, giving him a renewed sense of strength.

"Now, let's assign the final task," Ji Qiufeng said. "Defend the Huilong City headquarters and survive!"

Having finished speaking, Ji Qiufeng, as the city lord and a father, had nothing more to say. He stepped into the dark water curtain, where Youyou was waiting. The small snake's body emitted light and transformed into a long dragon resembling a ladder to the heavens. They instantly appeared above the dilapidated city, the dragon roaring loudly, while the city lord stood atop its head, facing the typhoon-like monster.

The Demon Blast discovered their presence; compared to its size, the Flood Dragon was merely a slightly larger worm. It curled its lips in surprise, extending a hand formed from dense clouds: "Flood Dragon, you really are still alive…you?!"

The dragon's longing sigh turned into a gasp of surprise halfway through, for it saw the man atop the dragon's head and recognized his face. But it didn't see the man make a move; the ferocious dragon had already taken the initiative.

Its body shone brightly, emitting countless majestic divine rays. That light was like a blazing sun in the shape of a dragon, dispelling the thick clouds and thunderstorms, and causing the demons that falsely claimed to be natural disasters to vanish into thin air.

All the calamities in Dragon City perished instantly, and the swirling storm ceased. A dragon, as radiant as the sun, broke through the storm, its divine light carving a path straight to the outside world. It soared majestically and proudly into the heavens. The people on the ground stared in astonishment, vaguely remembering that this was the city of the Dragon God, and that they lived under the protection of a righteous god.

Some people saw things more clearly, understanding everything simply by seeing that radiance. Ji Huaisu silently shed tears. She finally realized why she had never been afraid: because she had always believed in her father, believed in the dragon, like a child believing in a fairy tale hero. Even though they were weak and decayed to their limit, she believed they would, like heroes, turn the tide and step forward.

She felt ashamed, yet also proud. A complex and indescribable mix of emotions burned within her. Ji Huaisu picked up the communicator and spoke with all her might.

"Lord of the City, fight! Lord of the City, fight!!"

·
Huilong and Ji Qiufeng soared into the sky together. The moment they left the water curtain, the real world, which had been isolated for twenty years, appeared before their eyes.

Thunderclouds loomed overhead, a storm howled, and behind the inky black clouds lurked a malevolent rainbow. Under the flashing lightning, the boundless ocean surged and roared, countless phantoms of demons churning within, forming the foam of the tide.

Their Huilong City lies deep within the ocean, nestled within a colossal vortex that flows ceaselessly like a sea eye. In the past, the top of this sea eye was sealed by a water curtain; as the curtain collapsed, they leaped from the city to confront the heretical demons outside. The relentless gales carried a sense of fear; each gust of wind was a demonic whirlwind, hidden behind the clouds, hesitant to strike and follow in the footsteps of their kind. The sea demons were the same; even the most rampant phantoms dared not flaunt themselves before this man and dragon. Before Ji Qiufeng and Huilong, these beings were nothing but weaklings; only the strong were worthy to stand before them.

"Long time no see, General Wushuang." A low laugh came from within the light.

The rainbow light pierced through the clouds, rising from a spiraling tower in the endless distance, guided by the Mirror of the Moon, transforming into a human figure as tall as the storm. Its body was crystal clear, like glass, every inch of its flesh radiating a seven-colored glow. Its face was beautiful and compassionate, surpassing any skillfully sculpted statue. Yet, within its seven-colored glass body, black mist writhed, like venomous pus contained within the Bodhisattva's form. All who saw it would wail and go mad, becoming playthings of natural disaster.

Outer Path Point Five, Cataclysmic Seed - Rainbow Calamity. A mobile calamity that ravages the continent, the source of suffering for all.

Ji Qiufeng remained silent, gazing at it in quiet contemplation. Hong Nie seemed to sense something, and couldn't help but smile.

"You martial cultivators are truly fascinating creatures. Even when your lives hang by a thread, you still stubbornly persist, as if you could pierce me with your Heavenly Eye." The black mist within Hong Nie's body trembled. "But can you still speak, Ji Qiufeng? How much power do you have left?"

"The law of the jungle is an immutable truth of the world. Old beasts are destined to become food for newborns!"

Another roar echoed from the rainbow, and a colossal shadow emerged from the depths of the sea of ​​illusions. As it appeared, a massive tornado rose, engulfing countless illusions within it, which transformed into colorless masks amidst their wailing. Those masks, some joyful and some angry, intertwined and merged within the water tornado, transforming into a majestic and furious countenance.

The colossal creature in the sea broke through its mask and revealed itself. It had the head of a bird and the body of a snake, with two wings sprouting from the back of its head, and nine eyeless snake heads on its serpentine body. Its massive body churned in the sea, exuding both monstrous ferocity and bewitching beauty.

The Demon of Ambition, Arik F. Bessen. A great demon who holds the true name, a fantasy beyond imagination.

Ambitious demons and rainbow fiends appeared, their terrifying presence dwarfing even the sea. The battlefield could hold no more, yet the world's malice knew no bounds. A grey wound split open in the center of the battlefield, from which a serene bell tolled, an ancient sound carrying the sorrow of countless millennia past.

As the bells tolled, the light between heaven and earth faded, and all things lost their color, turning into a monotonous and lifeless gray. The sound of hooves shattered the gray silence. A skeletal horse emerged from ancient times, carrying a knight clad in animal mane and black armor on its back.

It looked at the city lord and the dragon with pity, its fleshless eye sockets flickering with gray flames. It was the heretic who single-handedly ignited the third great war, and the culprit behind Ji Qiufeng's decline to this day.

Funeral procession - Priest who announces death. The embodiment of destiny.

"After twenty years of hardship, you should know the laws of nature." The Bone Knight's voice was firm and resounding. "Fate has decreed that all things must die."

Huilong raised his head, looking down arrogantly at the three heretics, disdainful of exchanging a single word with them. Ji Qiufeng, on the other hand, laughed, his mouth full of blood and foam, yet his eyes showed no fear.

"Twenty years have passed. I've thought about it a lot," Ji Qiufeng said. "So-called natural disasters are nothing but tyranny that tramples on the weak. Those who call themselves demons are nothing but delusions that take advantage of vulnerability. Death speaks falsely of destiny, only daring to show itself when old and seriously ill. How cowardly they are."

"Those heretics are nothing but such lowly things, just like you who have been guarding outside the city for twenty years, only daring to show yourselves to me today!"

The black mist within Hong Nie trembled. It saw something in the man's eyes that shouldn't have been there—hatred, a fierce and resolute hatred, as intense as a fire burning from blood. A dying martial artist shouldn't have such spirit; under such pressure, he shouldn't even have the strength to speak.

It discovered the source of the anomaly: the blood Ji Qiufeng coughed up was tinged with golden light; he had just swallowed a pill…

The elixir of the Pure Land Master!

In the blink of an eye, his emotions transformed into a burst of light. A filthy light emanated from Hong Nie's eyes, like a rainbow bridge spanning the heavens. In an instant, the rainbow traversed thousands of miles, crossing the flying clouds. From a higher celestial vantage point, one could see an extremely thin and bright "line" piercing the clouds, parting the sea of ​​clouds like waves, illuminating the continent beyond the shore as if it were daytime.

That was the "Anti-Law Rainbow" controlled by Hong Nie, a synonym for absolute power, whose radiance could destroy all magical treasures and defile the flesh and blood of gods.

But the rainbow light dissipated, all because of a mere paper fan. Ji Qiufeng tapped his fingers on the fan, his eyes gleaming with fighting spirit. He didn't need to use any power; a mere wisp of willpower was enough to shatter the anti-law light. Because he could see the flow of light, the trajectory of the power's transformation, and could sever any force simply by touching its vital points.

Point Five, the Secret Heavenly Eye, a cultivator in the mortal world. His cultivated "Mind's Eye" can perceive a thousand secrets and break through ten thousand kinds of laws!

Seeing the situation was dire, the ambitious demon immediately attacked, spewing forth poisonous fire that could boil the sea. A needle-like light flashed from the dragon's claws, expanding with each roar until it transformed into a bright yellow divine needle. Following the dragon's will, it pierced the sea, sealing off the battlefield. This was the Divine Needle Xuanji, a magical artifact personally crafted by the dragon, its divine power enough to calm the sea and anchor time itself.

Ji Qiufeng casually pricked his fingertip, a drop of blood seeping into the paper fan, staining the wooden ribs crimson. The paper fan trembled as if alive, elongating with the flowing blood, transforming into a straight steel rod, sprouting sharp curved blades, a red tassel at the tip fluttering in the wind. It was a halberd, a halberd as red as blood.

The boundless dark clouds fell silent, the raging winds and waves ceased, and all was quiet when the halberd appeared. Azure flames and rainbow light followed, carrying with them the vile fear of the heretics. The man picked up his weapon, and a blood-red light appeared beside him, forging into a complete set of majestic armor, transforming into a divine, awe-inspiring figure behind him.

He roared and brandished his halberd, unleashing unparalleled spirit and unmatched bravery. That strike forced the heretics to tear through the thick clouds, shattering the despairing sky with his unparalleled courage!
The Secret of Longquan Township: Amazing!
Amidst the earth-shattering might, the skeletal knight indifferently drew his sword. His sword had no form, only a desolate gray shadow. It was the Holy Sword of Apocalypse, bestowed upon him by the gods themselves, "The Ash of Death." When the knight drew his sword, it was already before Ji Qiufeng; there was no process, only a predetermined end. The Holy Sword of Apocalypse fell silently, foreshadowing the inevitable fate.

That was the sword that severely wounded Ji Qiufeng twenty years ago, the very sword that extinguished the last hope of Huilong City. But the invisible blade met the raging fire, striking the scorching halberd. Ji Qiufeng blocked the holy sword with one hand on the halberd, and the vision of man and skeleton intersected for a fleeting moment.

"All things in the universe are preordained. Do you insist on defying fate, Ji Qiufeng?"

"In my whole life..." the man said, emphasizing each word, "I don't believe in fate!"

Behind Ji Qiufeng, a blood-red figure raised his arm and shouted. At the point where the halberd and the holy sword clashed, countless tiny cracks appeared. Sounds broke through the silence, subtle and fragmented, like tender shoots breaking through hard soil.

He unleashed his power, roared, and repelled the holy sword of the dead, repelling so-called fate and death. The deathly silence and darkness shattered instantly, and color returned to the world. The power of that earth-shattering strike was unstoppable; that single slash caused golden light to rain down from the heavens!

Sunlight pierced through the broken clouds, illuminating the man's hard, iron-like profile. He was an undefeated, peerless general, whose bravery even outsiders feared. The twenty-year siege was not a cat-and-mouse game; they were waiting for Ji Qiufeng to die from his injuries. But this man did not die; he endured twenty years of suffering, waiting for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fight his enemy to the death.

Ji Qiufeng leaped away from the dragon's head and charged forward alone, roaring as he swung his battle halberd at the outsiders. His weapon was the deadly flames of war, and his companions were the godlike ancient dragons.

This is the real Ji Qiufeng. He is a man who even ghosts and gods fear. When he wields his battle halberd, the sky opens up!
(End of this chapter)