Bitter Realm: My Feet Step Through the Flames of War

At this moment, Qian Yuxie helped Gui Fang Chiming to a secluded place.

Amidst the wind and sand, one could see a person with white hair and a white robe, their face blurred, slowly playing a musical instrument.

The strange sound attracted countless insects to pay homage.

The man stopped playing his flute and his tone turned indifferent: "Your appearance has disrupted my scorpion training."

Qian Yuxie frowned: "Chuan Zixudan, the Crimson King is injured."

The eccentric man called Zixudan remained unmoved: "Guifang Chiming no longer possesses the Red Crown King's Ring; he is not my king."

"But the seven members of the Red Crown share a deep bond of loyalty and mutual support."

“Then we’ll wait until you find the Crimson Crown Ring. Only the Ring can command me to do things. Otherwise, we’re all on equal footing. What do you say, Red Hand Kui Zhang?”

Upon hearing this, Gui Fang Chi Ming pushed away Qian Yu Xie's support and said sternly:

"Until the King's Ring is retrieved, I will remain the King of Red Crown Border City, and I will not allow the King's Ring to have a new owner."

"very good."

After Gui Fang Chi Ming disappeared, the seven members of Hong Mian went about their own business. Only Cheng Shou Kui Zhang, under the pseudonym Qian Yu Xie, infiltrated the Senyu prison for hundreds of years in order to find the Chi Wang.

Meanwhile, Zixu Dan hid on the frontier to cultivate and tame his scorpion army.

Gui Fang Chi Ming glared angrily: "Have you forgotten my abilities?"

Tsou Zixu retorted sarcastically, "You look like you need to lean on Chōshō Kuijō to stand up."

"Alright, alright, the experts from Tiandu will be here soon. With just the three of us, none of us will see the sunset today."

"Chirp~"

A firebird descended from the sky, and as it approached the ground, it transformed into a red human figure.

Gui Fang Chi Ming looked displeased: "Red-winged Azure Roc, I sent a letter long ago, why are you so late?"

The Crimson Winged Roc also showed no respect to the Crimson King: "I have my own business to attend to. Wait until you retrieve the Crimson Crown Ring before you give me any orders."

The Crimson King was furious: "How dare you!"

Having just helped the Crimson King escape from the brink of death, Qian Yuxie now sees her comrades falling apart, and she feels a deep sense of crisis.

Qian Yuxie had no interest in conquering the Bitter Realm, but the Red Crown King Ring contained a wisp of his divine consciousness, and he had to get his hands on the ring.

He had made a deal with Luo Hou, so the people of Tiandu might not make things too difficult for him. However, if the Lord of the Deep Sea finds out about his desertion, he will face extreme punishment.

Qian Yuxie said helplessly, "Everyone, we are now facing a formidable enemy. Perhaps I should introduce our opponents one by one."

"Hmph! With the Seven Red Crowns gathered, who in the world can stop us! Why haven't She Tianqin Ji and Xia Biboluo arrived yet?"

Just as Gui Fang Chiming was filled with anxiety, a cold, poetic chant rang out:

"Whether there is love or no love, the world is old and cold with frost. May all lovers in the world not be able to be together."

Immediately afterwards, a stunningly beautiful woman with red hair and a red dress descended from the sky and stood in front of everyone.

Seeing her indifferent attitude, Qian Yuxie didn't expect Qin Ji to be very interested in this gathering, and proceeded to introduce herself:

The leader of the team, Empress Tiandu, possesses a thousand-year foundation and the complete "Military Scriptures," as well as the protective aura of the Killing Island King, making her virtually unrivaled in the world.

Qinghai Chao: An unparalleled master of innate talent from the Bitter Realm, who once single-handedly slew evil demons overseas, and whose water-based techniques are virtually invincible.

Duanmie Chanti: The purest bloodline of the Heavenly Yama Demon City, whose demonic power is no less than that of Yama.

Jing Wuhuan: The current leader of Dengdaoan, his Taoist arts are divine, and he is extremely effective in restraining demonic energy and evil power. He was a major force of the Holy Party in the Holy War.

Both Tian Dao Xiao Jian Dun and Mo Dao Jue Chen are sword dragons from the Upper Heaven Realm, possessing special physiques and unparalleled swordsmanship, making them extremely difficult for ordinary masters to defeat.

After hearing Qian Yuxie's introduction, everyone in the Red Crown Clan fell silent.

Five against seven, it's obvious they can't win.

"They will catch up soon. Should we fight or make peace? If we can reach a peace treaty with Tiandudi, we can resolve the current crisis."

Gui Fang Chi Ming gritted his teeth: "Fight!"

"Then let Zixudan control the scorpion army to take the lead and exhaust the enemy's strength. Qinji will then use his music to trap them, and Xiyi Canglu will take the opportunity to capture Jishanhu."

Qian Yuxie had no choice but to offer a plan: among the seven, Ji Shanhu was the weakest, and only by capturing her alive could this battle be resolved.

Gui Fang Chi Ming nodded.

"War raged across the land, heroes were wiped out, and the world of martial arts was in turmoil for years. Old friends remain, and old hearts remain. We fought valiantly on the battlefield, buried in the yellow sand. In life, we waited for each other; in death, we waited for each other."

Amidst the low chanting, a young monk approached, dressed in a red robe and carrying a black alms bowl.

His eyes remained fixed on the swirling sand, as if searching for something within the illusory sand.

Chapter 301 Bodhi Changji Saves His Brother

Since the incident at the Eternal Wall, the Sword Debate Sea has been extremely cautious and vigilant, even postponing this year's Sword Evaluation Conference.

Just as the two patrolling swordsmen were changing shifts, a figure flashed past and rushed towards Sunken Sword Lake.

The lake remained calm as the newcomer silently leaped into the water, without disturbing a single ripple.

A huge red Bodhi tree coils at the bottom of the lake, its branches and leaves swaying, dyeing the entire lakebed with the color of rosy clouds. The broken and decaying swords seem to regain their vitality in the rosy light.

The newcomer was a monk with deer antlers. He tapped the Bodhi tree with his Dingguang Suoluo (a type of Buddhist elixir): "Wake up, you've been asleep for a thousand years. Time to get to work."

The Bodhi tree reluctantly replied, "Don't dump your work on me."

"It concerns your brother."

"Ok?"

“I sensed that he was in trouble, right here in Pingshuo Crescent City, where you left the seeds of opportunity.”

The Bodhi tree trembled, and then its branches and leaves began to deform, forming a peculiar long sword with a thin and long blade, like a tree branch, and a Bodhi leaf attached to the hilt.

After transforming, Bodhi Longji burst out of the lake and soared into the sky.

The glow at the bottom of the lake disappeared, and after a period of commotion, the broken swords were reduced to scrap metal once more.

At this time, in the Red Crown Border City, Yu Cixin and others encountered the Scorpion Army.

Tsou Zixu selected superior insects and scorpions from the desert, modified them, and after a long period of domestication, created this army of about 100,000 scorpions.

At this moment, the sound of the flute was like a urging war drum. The Scorpion Army raised their pincers and spat out venom. They moved with lightning speed, forming a vast and overwhelming tidal wave that attacked the people of Tiandu.

Having anticipated this, Jing Wuhuan rushed forward, stepping with the steps of Yu and forming hand seals. He first set up the Heavenly Gang Formation, then cast a thunder and fire spell:

"Transforming Yin and Yang, Severing Evil Masters, Thunder and Fire Righteous Law!"

In an instant, thunder roared and fire rained down from the heavens, as a vast and holy aura descended from the nine heavens and struck the scorpion army.

The battlefield was immediately filled with the smell of burnt meat.

The flute music grew more urgent and intense, and the fearless scorpions continued to race through the thunder and fire rain. Although most perished in the flames, a small number managed to break through Jing Wuhuan's array range.

"I will help you."

With a flick of his sleeves, the coral branch in his hand floated with shimmering light, forming a Six Immortals Trapping Array.

All the scorpions that passed through the Heavenly Thunder and Fire were trapped in the Six Escapes Formation, emitting piercing cries.

At this moment, the flute music changed again, and a strange insect chirping suddenly came from the air, shaking everyone's mind.

"A mere trifle, yet I dare to embarrass myself by showing off."

Qing Haichao took out his own Xuechao pipe and put it to his lips to play.

This xiao (vertical bamboo flute) was a gift from Lady Xi. It is a famous xiao made from the finest bamboo in the world and is also the last work of the master craftsman Jin Zhuxiao.

Back then, due to her father's obstruction, Ji Shanhu and Qing Haichao broke up. In her longing, Qing Haichao began to teach himself to play the flute, never expecting that it would be used on the battlefield today.

Since ancient times, the most moving sound has been the flute, and the xiao has begun before the flute has stopped playing.

If a martial artist infuses their inner strength into the music, then the contest will naturally be between the two people's fundamental strength.

The moment the flute's sound began, a gentle, righteous energy, like a spring breeze, swept across the land, not only suppressing the eerie sound of the flute but also causing the charging insects and scorpions to stop their movements.

According to Qian Yuxie's plan, even if the scorpion army cannot injure the opponent, it can still deplete the opponent's strength, creating an opportunity for their own side.

Clearly, his plan failed. Jing Wuhuan and the formation of the Coral-Slaying Insects eliminated more than half of the insects and scorpions. Tsou Zixudan was suppressed by Qinghai Tide again, and the insects and scorpions were declared to have accomplished nothing.

Just then, a burst of music, like a storm, rang out, transforming countless threads into sharp blades that pierced the sky and poured down to the earth.

Yu Cixin and the others gazed at the opposite side, where a huge ship's zither stood on the desert. A woman sat at the front of the zither, plucking the strings with her delicate hands, stirring up wind and rain.

With a pull and a flick, the flowing sounds echoed, and in the blink of an eye, the vast landscape stretched for thousands of miles.

With a press and a flick, the wind blew in all directions, instantly creating a ninefold whirlwind.

"This woman has such a powerful aura!"

The sound of the flute, "Qinghai Chao," shifted from gentle to soaring, like ten thousand horses galloping, a general slaying in the night, vowing to shatter all darkness.

Between the two strong notes, the flute's sound suddenly became broken, and the faint, red-tinged sound of the flute faded away.

Neither side expected that the border battle would be triggered by the zither and flute, with the sound waves stirring up dust hundreds of feet high and transforming into a battle of figures.

The zither's sound faded, the flute's melody grew louder, and the orchestral music played rapidly.

In the fierce clash, the deadly sonic wave vanished into nothingness.

Just when they were evenly matched, suddenly She Tianqin Ji's red hair was spread out, and the melody changed drastically.

"The King of Hell's first watch sounds, a final flicker of life, the song ends!"

Her hair stood on end, her hands pressed the strings, and an extremely powerful and eerie melody seemed to burst forth from the underworld, gathering the surrounding wind and clouds to form an irresistible killing force.

The sound of the flute suddenly broke.

Qinghai Chao abandoned his flute and switched to a whip. Haoyu Jingmai drew a mighty water dragon in the sky, soaring into the air and splitting the earth, blocking all sound waves.

With a deafening roar, the zither and the water dragon exploded simultaneously, splitting the nearby hills into flat land.

"Not wrong, the King of Hell's second watch sounds, and the soul is bound by judgment!"

At the same time, the Wind-Waving Melody was activated, and the Wind-Riding Triple Turn attacked the Coral Strike, which was still maintaining the Six Immortals Trapping Formation.

Before the sword wind could arrive, a bright blade of light suddenly rushed in, slashing at Wanfengqu first.

It was Tian Dao Xiao Jian Dun, who was guarding the formation, who, after the sword technique, was inspired by Luan Shi Kuang Dao. His sword sense was improved to a higher level, and his sword was released at will, like a gazelle hanging its horns, leaving no trace.