Epilogue

"It means nothing. I am the Holy Maiden of the Snow Hidden Sect, and I am fully qualified to participate in the Elder Rankings!" Qin'er said indifferently.

"Oh? Very well, proceed." Elder Quanshan said with a placid expression.

Although an unexpected variable had occurred, it did not disrupt their overall plan.

Chen Xiang and Li Qin'er descended into the center of the plaza.

Although Chen Xiang had a mountain of words he wanted to say to Qin'er, he first needed to deal with the immediate trouble at hand.

"Qin'er, rest for a moment and watch my performance," Chen Xiang said with a confident grin.

"Mhm." Li Qin'er still placed immense trust in Chen Xiang.

Chen Xiang grinned widely at the hundreds of people gathered in the arena: "Hehe, come at me!"

The Dragon Slaying Blade materialized in his hand, and the Shadow Arts instantly activated. His figure vanished from the spot in the blink of an eye.

"Not good!"

The crowd gasped in shock at the sight.

Such terrifying speed was completely beyond what their eyes could track.

Even the numerous Soul Transformation stage cultivators seated on the high platform were greatly alarmed.

They had originally thought Chen Xiang had already displayed his full strength previously, but it turned out he had only revealed the tip of the iceberg.

This Elder Chu was truly unfathomable!

Shadow Void Slash!

Countless blade beams rained down from the sky.

"Run!"

Someone screamed, but before he could take more than a few steps, the blade beams descended upon him.

"Splat!"

His life force was instantly extinguished.

Such gruesome scenes played out repeatedly across the arena.

"Junior, stop this at once!"

Seeing this one-sided massacre, the figures on the high platform could no longer sit still and rushed forward to intervene.

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for killing a seventh-layer Soul Transformation cultivator. Obtained 600,000 experience points!"

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for killing an eighth-layer Soul Transformation cultivator. Obtained 600,000 experience points!"

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for killing a ninth-layer Soul Transformation cultivator. Obtained 600,000 experience points!"

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for killing a tenth-layer Soul Transformation cultivator. Obtained 800,000 experience points!"

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for killing a tenth-layer Soul Transformation cultivator. Obtained 800,000 experience points!"

...

Although these fellows had no personal grudge against Chen Xiang, the hostility they had previously directed toward him was genuine. He had to strike first and eliminate them.

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for leveling up. Current realm: ninth-layer Soul Transformation!"

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for leveling up. Current realm: tenth-layer Soul Transformation!"

"Ding! Host's current realm has reached the peak of the Soul Transformation stage. Excess experience points will be transferred to the experience pool!"

"Ding! Detected that the host has reached the peak of the Soul Transformation stage. The Five-Nine Heavenly Tribulation will descend in three days. Difficulty level: Hell Mode. Please prepare accordingly!"

...

Chen Xiang ignored the system notifications, focusing instead on preparing to face the incoming horde of Soul Transformation stage cultivators.

"Hahaha, Qin'er, stay back!" Chen Xiang shouted toward Qin'er.

Three distinct types of flames suddenly erupted from his body, each of them scorching hot to the point that even the void began to warp and distort.

Hearing Chen Xiang's warning, Li Qin'er suppressed the urge to step forward and help. With a flash, she retreated a hundred miles away. Her speed was by no means inferior to Chen Xiang's.

"Hmph, brat, you've murdered the elders of so many sects; you're a dead man! It's better to surrender obediently and suffer less torture," a Soul Transformation stage cultivator roared angrily.

"Heh, catch me first before you talk!" Chen Xiang said dismissively.

"System, give me a few more heavenly flames!" Chen Xiang called out in his mind.

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for successfully redeeming 'Red Lotus Karma Flame'. Consumed 10,000 prestige points!"

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for successfully redeeming 'Nine Nether Golden Ancestor Flame'. Consumed 15,000 prestige points!"

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for successfully redeeming 'Three Thousand Burning Flame'. Consumed 8,000 prestige points!"

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for successfully redeeming 'Eight Desolations Flame-Breaking Blaze'. Consumed 20,000 prestige points!"

...

In a single breath, Chen Xiang redeemed four more types of heavenly flames.

"Ding! Shall the heavenly flames be integrated into the host's body?" The system prompt sounded.

"Do it!"

Chen Xiang answered without hesitation. With the system's aid, he could integrate heavenly flames instantaneously, provided he had the prestige points to spare!

"Ding! Successfully integrated 'Red Lotus Karma Flame'. Consumed 1,000 prestige points!"

"Ding! Successfully integrated 'Nine Nether Golden Ancestor Flame'. Consumed 1,500 prestige points!"

"Ding! Successfully integrated 'Three Thousand Burning Flame'. Consumed 800 prestige points!"

"Ding! Successfully integrated 'Eight Desolations Flame-Breaking Blaze'. Consumed 2,000 prestige points!"

...

"Come on, hahaha!" Chen Xiang laughed heartily.

Eight different flames manifested in the arena, causing everyone present to feel as though they were being baked dry by the heat.

The expressions of the numerous Soul Transformation stage cultivators shifted drastically.

Unfazed, Chen Xiang waved his hands rapidly, causing the eight-colored flames to intertwine swiftly.

"Stop!" The Soul Transformation stage cultivators cried out in utter dismay.

Those terrifying flames fusing together? Just how catastrophic would that power be? They all desperately wanted to rush forward and stop Chen Xiang. Yet, aided by the system, their speed was a fraction too slow.

An eight-colored fire lotus bloomed in Chen Xiang's palm.

"Go," Chen Xiang uttered softly.

The eight-colored fire lotus darted forward at lightning speed, plunging directly into the midst of the cultivators.

"Boom!"

A vast sea of fire erupted amidst a deafening roar.

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for killing a fourth-layer Soul Transformation cultivator. Obtained two million experience points!"

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for killing a fifth-layer Soul Transformation cultivator. Obtained two million experience points!"

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for killing a third-layer Soul Transformation cultivator. Obtained one million experience points!"

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for killing a seventh-layer Soul Transformation cultivator. Obtained three million experience points!"

...

Dozens of Soul Transformation stage cultivators perished by Chen Xiang's hand.

Chen Xiang had already crushed a spatial talisman beforehand and departed, leaving himself completely unharmed.

"Qin'er, let's go!" Chen Xiang said as he arrived by Li Qin'er's side.

"Mhm!" Li Qin'er smiled faintly and followed Chen Xiang away from the scene.

The Elder Rankings had truly transformed into a death list for those sects.

...

Decades later, in the Barren Sand Realm.

"Qin'er, this should be the teleportation array leading to the upper realm. I saw it once before; I believe it's still usable."

Over the past few decades, Chen Xiang had long since advanced to the Void Integration stage. However, reaching the first layer of the Void Integration stage was the limit in this realm; continuing to cultivate yielded negligible experience that was nowhere near enough to level up, and advancing further was an impossible prospect with no foreseeable timeline.

With Chen Xiang's assistance, Li Qin'er had also successfully broken through to the first layer of the Void Integration stage. Together, the pair were now invincible entities within the lower realm.

Furthermore, out of sheer boredom decades ago, Chen Xiang had even conquered the four continents, accumulating an endless surplus of prestige points.

The total had reached tens of millions!

"Husband, I believe that even upon reaching the upper realm, you will still be an unrivaled prodigy!" Li Qin'er said softly.

Over the decades, Li Qin'er and Chen Xiang had fallen deeply in love, forging a bond far beyond simple friendship, and had formally become dao companions not long after the Elder Rankings incident.

"Haha, of course," Chen Xiang laughed shamelessly.

"Qin'er, let's go!" Holding Li Qin'er's hand, Chen Xiang stepped into the teleportation array.

A new Demon King had emerged in the upper realm!

The End!