On the Eve of the Decisive Battle

The foremost of the Four Great Demon Halls of the Hundred Ghosts Sect! Bi Jia!

The eerie green-haired youth slowly stepped forward and spoke.

His gaze towards Lin Chen was filled with hatred!

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow slightly.

Among the Four Great Demon Halls, Chi Xiao had died at the hands of An Yi, and Zi Xin had been subdued by a rogue Taoist priest.

Hei Xi had just been killed by him with a wind explosion a few days ago.

He never expected that now, another one, Bi Jia, had arrived!

Was it you who killed Hei Geng? Bi Jia asked coldly.

Lin Chen replied slowly, "If you're referring to that giant rhinoceros, then yes, it was me."

Still so arrogant!

Bi Jia snapped his fingers.

Instantly, figures emerged from the forest, densely packed, surrounding the area.

They were all elites of the Hundred Ghosts Sect!

Bi Jia was clearly not taking any chances.

If the opponent could slay Hei Xi, then dealing with him would naturally be no trouble at all.

Bi Jia stepped forward, staring coldly at Lin Chen. "This time, you won't escape even if you grow wings!"

Escape?

A cold smile curled on Lin Chen's lips.

If this had happened before, perhaps he really would have died here.

Unfortunately, these guys picked the wrong time!

A biting wind force materialized!

Lin Chen, holding his cane with one hand, strode forward.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three steps!

Three Huanjing martial artists, their cultivation insufficient to withstand the pressure, directly exploded and died.

Even those Xujing martial artists felt their blood and qi churn violently.

Bi Jia's expression changed drastically. "You..."

Qi, it's everywhere!

Lin Chen's icy eyes locked onto him.

In that instant, Bi Jia felt as if Death itself had fixed its gaze upon him, his heart missing a beat!

Immediately after!

A massive blade of air slashed towards him.

The fierce energy howled as it came!

Bi Jia wanted to move, but found himself completely immobilized.

It was as if streams of air, like countless arms, held him firmly in place.

Accompanied by a sharp shriek!

Bi Jia transformed into a giant mantis, forcibly breaking free from Lin Chen's air restraints.

Do you think you can escape?

Lin Chen raised his hand, and rolling waves of air surged forth.

It seemed as though it wasn't he who was surrounded, but rather he alone who had surrounded all these Hundred Ghosts Sect martial artists!

The transformed mantis, Bi Jia, instantly sensed the terror.

Without hesitation, it screeched, "Everyone, flee!"

Too late!

Lin Chen, using the Swift Shadow Step, appeared above Bi Jia and swung his cane down...

Tap, tap...

Lin Chen retracted his cane and walked slowly out of the Tianluo Forest.

Behind him lay corpses scattered in disarray, and the dead body of a giant mantis demon beast.

In another world, far away.

An old man shrouded in a cloak suddenly opened his eyes.

Pushing the hood back, the left side of the old man's face was covered in black tattoos, turning his originally kindly face somewhat ferocious.

Looking closely, one could vaguely make out the totem of a bird.

"Bi Jia is dead too."

The old man slowly stood up, looking at the spirit pearl floating in the air, now extinguished, and spoke calmly.

The deaths of two Demon Hall masters meant that in the Immortal Gate's minor world, the Hundred Ghosts Sect had already been defeated, their century-long plan utterly ruined.

"After lying low for so long, I wonder if these old bones of mine can still move."

The old man murmured, slowly walking out, his eyes filled with icy killing intent. "It's time to meet a few old friends."

A black vortex appeared, and his figure slowly stepped into it...

The peak of the Floating Island.

Already high in the sky, the temperature atop the Floating Island was extremely low, with a biting cold wind that chilled to the bone.

A portly man stood with his hands behind his back, gazing down at the palace below, as small as a box from this height, his expression pensive.

"How is Wu Chen?" Xing Yunhai asked leisurely.

Behind him, Xu Kang replied respectfully, "Fully recovered!"

"Hah, the Bai family is truly amusing. To think they found some bastard from who-knows-where, trying to turn the tables!"

Xing Yunhai's eyes turned cold.

Failing to subdue the Bai family was a miscalculation in the plan!

However, fortunately, that woman Murong Qinghong also failed to swallow up the Bai family.

"What comes next is the true war of conquest!"

"Guardian Xu, what do you think our chances of victory are?" Xing Yunhai asked casually.

Xu Kang's lips trembled slightly. "Seventy percent!"

"Tell the truth!" Xing Yunhai said sternly.

Xu Kang sighed. "I'm afraid it's only thirty percent."

Having been by Murong Qinghong's side for so long, he knew this woman's hidden cards.

The entire Celestial Palace had lain dormant for twenty years, not merely to bide its time.

The forces she had built were not just the Golden Armor Guards; that was only the visible power.

In comparison, Xing Yunhai's overall strength seemed rather weak.

It was all composed of various rogues and vagrants he had gathered over the years.

A motley crew. Although they had the advantage in numbers, it was hard to have confidence in victory.

Xing Yunhai said calmly, "But this is the best chance. If I miss it, I'm afraid I'll have to spend the rest of my life playing the part of a pig."

Xu Kang's expression was indifferent.

"Give the order!"

Xing Yunhai took one last look at the magnificent grandeur of the Celestial Palace.

Soon, this place would become a living hell.

Inside the bedchamber of the Celestial Palace.

"Master, what... what are you going to do?"

Nannan asked softly, looking up at Murong Qinghong with wide eyes.

An intense sense of foreboding rose in her heart.

Looking into Nannan's large, grape-like eyes, Murong Qinghong felt a surge of tenderness for her for the first time.

This was her daughter.

Her daughter with that man!

Yet she herself had not fulfilled a single day of a mother's duty. Instead, she had always regarded her as her own shame.

She reached out and stroked Nannan's hair, a rare smile curling at the corner of her mouth as she said gently, "Be good, Nannan. Master can't be with you forever. You must listen to Aunt Qing."

Nannan looked at Murong Qinghong, then stepped forward and hugged her leg. "Is Master abandoning Nannan? Nannan doesn't want to leave Master..."

Although Murong Qinghong had never been kind to her, she had always regarded Murong Qinghong as the closest person in her life!

Murong Qinghong took a deep breath, pried Nannan's small hands away, and with a wave of her hand, Nannan fell unconscious.

Turning to the Golden Armor Guard Commander, Zhou Qingqing, Murong Qinghong handed Nannan to her and commanded, "Commander Zhou, take her away!"

"But, Palace Master, you..."

Zhou Qingqing's face was sorrowful, her voice choked.

"This is an order!"

Murong Qinghong's expression was complex as she murmured, "Remember, never speak of me to her in the future. Let her live as an ordinary person, carefree and happy."

Zhou Qingqing, tears in her eyes, nodded solemnly.

Without further hesitation, Murong Qinghong picked up her sword, turned, and walked out of the chamber, the cape behind her light armor fluttering in the wind.

Outside the palace, the sounds of battle had already begun to ring out...