Chapter 113: The Return of the Supreme Deity

"The Jade Dragon Flagon! You found the Jade Dragon Flagon!" I exclaimed in surprise.

"Ming Zhong fell into the sea, and I spotted a divine object shimmering in the depths. I retrieved it, believing it to be the very flagon Ming Zhong had stolen—and indeed, it was!" Jiang Ye said excitedly.

"It has finally returned..." I looked at the Jade Dragon Flagon, overcome with a thousand emotions.

"There is even better news! After you shot Ming Zhong dead, the six hundred thousand troops of the Netherworld threw down their armor and surrendered. Their morale has utterly collapsed. The King of the Netherworld has regrouped his forces and is currently stationed at the West Sea."

I was stunned. My master once said that to capture the bandits, one must first capture the leader. I never imagined that Ming Zhong held such sway; his death caused the entire structure to crumble like a falling tree. If that was the result, receiving ten more arrows would have been worth it!

"How are the six hundred thousand prisoners being handled?" I worried that this might be a ruse. If such a massive force were integrated into our ranks without proper caution, they could turn against us, leading to unimaginable consequences.

"Tiansheng is struggling with that very issue."

I forced myself up, suppressing the pain.

"You are severely wounded. What are you doing?"

"It is nothing. The prisoners must be managed properly."

I stumbled out of the infirmary tent. The sky seemed brighter than before. I looked up and saw a crimson divine star emerging, radiating a fierce, fiery aura that made the blood-red moon pale in comparison. A sharp, piercing pain struck my chest, and the star dimmed; once the pain subsided, it shone brightly again. My divine star had ascended from the Embryonic Realm of the Peak of Light to the heavens. I had passed the Star Ascension Tribulation! So, this was what my star looked like... No wonder they called it the Fiery Demon Star!

"Do they know you saved me?" I asked.

"I was in such a rush to pull you from the sea and treat you that I haven't had a chance to notify them," Jiang Ye replied.

"Jiang Ye, my life is in your hands. The soldiers at the Immortal-Intercepting Formation saw me get hit and fall. Tell them that the Great Sound True God died in battle!" If they want to believe that I am the Fiery Demon Star, so be it; as long as the Great Sound True God is dead, I will not be the scapegoat for that star! I decided to stage another escape before dealing with Tiande.

"Why?" Jiang Ye asked, confused.

"To die at the hands of one's own side rather than the enemy—is that not a great injustice?"

"It is!"

"Then do as I say!"

"Very well!"

I consumed a Transformation Pill to take the form of a long-bearded male immortal. Disguised as an elder of the Sea Wolf tribe, I draped myself in black robes from head to toe, marked my face with the elder’s seal, and took up a wolf-headed staff. Together with Jiang Ye, we rode a chariot to the central command tent. "Jiang Ye, go and offer Tiansheng your counsel. Ten miles to the northeast of the West Sea lies the Valley of Oblivion. It is vast and flat, suitable for observation from above and holding prisoners below. Arrange for ten thousand soldiers to set up a containment barrier at the valley immediately, leaving only two entrances! Select those with silver tongues to explain the Heavenly Army’s code of conduct to the prisoners. Treat them according to our laws—reward and punish clearly. Do not abuse or discriminate. Separate those who wish to fight from those who wish to lay down their arms. Have the latter engage in logistics. Among those willing to fight, separate the officers from the soldiers. Offer rewards for intelligence on the Netherworld! As for the soldiers who wish to serve, promote the capable! Vet them carefully; do not rush to integrate them into the heavenly ranks!"

"Understood."

Suddenly, the sky flared with light. I looked up to see a divine star, clear as water, brilliant and pure! Its radiant light suppressed the red of the blood moon, turning the night into day.

"The Chongming Star! Master!" My heart seized in shock; I could not believe my eyes.

Then, a beam of white light descended before Tiansheng’s command tent, manifesting as a commander. He wore a purple-gold Cloud-Piercing Helmet, jade-wind dragon-embroidered armor, and battle boots of Kui-hide. His posture was heroic, his stride meteor-like, his presence as proud as the Kunlun Void!

"Am I truly dead, then, to see him? Or is this a dream conjured by a dream-inducing spell?" I was dazed.

Yet the arrow wound still throbbed. I could not tell if this was reality or illusion...

"Jiang Ye? Are you alive or dead?" I asked.

"Little Fairy, are you alright?"

I pinched him hard. He let out a howl, "Ouch! It hurts! I am alive and well! You... don't use your divine power to pinch me..." Jiang Ye complained.

"It really hurts?"

"Of course! My wolf leg feels like it's breaking!" Jiang Ye rubbed his arm, grimacing.

"It’s not a dream?"

"No! The you in my dreams is sweet and gentle, not this invincible warrior," Jiang Ye said.

"Who did you see just now?" I asked urgently.

"An incredibly imposing commander!" Jiang Ye replied.

"Wearing a purple-gold helmet, dragon armor, handsome, with a presence that defies heaven and earth—was that him?" I pressed.

"Yes! Who is he?" Jiang Ye asked.

I felt myself slipping into a trance... and the words escaped my lips: "God of Clouds and Skies."

I followed Jiang Ye into the central tent like a puppet. There he stood, leaning on his Longyuan Sword before the map, as majestic as ever! The generals were all on one knee, hands cupped in respect. Tiansheng, the generals, my brothers... and Lu Xue!

"Han Qing, deploy the troops as you once did," Lu Xue said softly.

He looked at her and smiled slightly, then turned to the generals with a stern expression.

"Tiansheng! Serve as Deputy Commander! Stay in the center to help me manage the troops!"

"As you command!"

"Gui Bin! Serve as Deputy Commander! Stay in the rear to manage logistics and supplies!"

"As you command!"

"Ding Mao! Lead the covert scouts! Gather intelligence on the enemy!"

"As you command!"

"Kunpeng! Command the underwater forces and the Winged tribe!"

"Zi Chan! Manage the battle reports, memorials, and the Canon of Deities in the central tent!"

"Xiu Yuan! Pu Hou! Guang Hao... set up the Jade Purity Formation!"

Except for Tiansheng and my fifteenth brother, those commanded left the tent.

"Tiansheng, have the prisoners been arranged?"

"Not yet."

"I am Jiang Ye of the West Sea Wolf tribe! I volunteer for this task!" Jiang Ye stepped forward.

"Jiang Ye! I order you to take ten thousand heavenly soldiers to station at the Valley of Oblivion! Set up a containment barrier! Use Sea Wolf oil to light the eternal lamps! Select eloquent men to instruct and integrate the prisoners!"

"As you command! My lord, I recovered the Jade Dragon Flagon, a divine artifact of the Jade Purity Realm, which Ming Zhong dropped in the sea. Please accept it!" Jiang Ye presented the flagon with both hands.

He took it.

"Lu Xue! I order you to oversee the inventory and records!" He handed the flagon to her.

"Have you found the Great Sound True God?" Tiansheng asked Jiang Ye.

"Reporting to the God and the Second Prince, I searched the sea. I found the True God struck by an arrow through the heart, showing no signs of life. The body was being devoured by a school of razor-toothed sharks drawn by the blood! I could not protect the remains, only recovering a few feathers and a broken sword!" Jiang Ye presented my blood-stained feathers and the arrow.

He looked at the feathers and the arrow, his expression unreadable. "Zi Chan, preserve the remains of the Great Sound properly. Record this in the Canon of Deities; we shall grant posthumous honors after the battle!"

"Yes!" my twelfth brother replied.

Jiang Ye and I left the tent.

"Little Fairy, I feel like I'm dreaming now. Should you pinch me again? How is the God of Clouds and Skies alive? Is it him? Or am I dead?" Jiang Ye was bewildered.

"It is him!" I said. Whether in dreams or reality, the way he commanded was unmistakably his.

"Jiang Ye, I don't know if he is alive or if we are dead. But even if this is a dream, it is a beautiful one. Let us see this dream through to the end!" I said.

The leaders of the other nine tribes entered the tent in quick succession.

"Report! Ten thousand elites of the Mutuo tribe have arrived to fight under the command of the Great Sound Flying Immortal!"

"Report! Ten thousand underwater elites of the Shi tribe have arrived to fight under the command of the Great Sound Flying Immortal!"

"Report! Ten thousand archers of the One-Eyed tribe have arrived to fight under the command of the Great Sound Flying Immortal!"

"Report! Ten thousand illusionists of the Rain-Master Concubine State have arrived to fight under the command of the Great Sound Flying Immortal!"

"Good! Tiansheng! Integrate them!" he ordered.

"Yes!" Tiansheng immediately began the arrangements.

Princess Changyang arrived in full armor, passing right by me without noticing...

A moment later, a loud "As you command!" echoed as Princess Changyang left the tent. Clutching her orders, she shed a tear before wiping it away fiercely and heading off to deploy her troops. Perhaps everyone felt this was a dream and wanted to make it complete.

"Let’s go. Let us fulfill our duties," I said to Jiang Ye.

"I will support you." Jiang Ye placed his hand on my back.

"This!" Jiang Ye’s hand came away covered in blood.

"Your wound isn't healing! This won't do!" Jiang Ye said.

I didn't know why my arrow wound refused to heal, even with magic. I only felt my heart pounding as if it would burst. I had never dreamt so vividly, never dreamt of him in his armor. Let it bleed; let it hurt. I never wanted this dream to end!

Jiang Ye tried to heal me with his magic, "It’s no use! My power is insufficient! Let us go to the God of Clouds and Skies. You don’t intend to keep hiding this from him, do you?"

"No! I will treat it myself once we reach the Valley of Oblivion." Even in a dream, I was not ready to face him.

At the valley, Jiang Ye arranged the prisoners according to my instructions. I channeled my magic to heal, finally closing the wound, but a burning sensation persisted in my heart. I vomited blood twice, as I had before my self-immolation, before feeling any relief. Leaning on my staff, I exited the tent. Seeing the busy soldiers, I felt as if this were both a dream and reality.

War drums sounded; the King of the Netherworld was personally leading an attack on the Jade Purity Formation. Seeing that Jiang Ye had settled things, I flew to the front lines. The formation, derived from the Taiji and Eight Trigrams, was infinitely complex and impenetrable. The attacking Nether-soldiers were instantly swallowed by it. Master waved his sword from within, turning the formation from defense to offense. The heavenly army drove the Netherworld forces back to the border.

The King of the Netherworld, humiliated, roared, "Idiots! All of you are idiots! Where is Ming Mo? Get out here!" No one answered. "Jiang clan! You wretch! Get out here!" Still, no answer.

The King brandished his Black Gold Soul-Severing Blade, flying to the front of his army. Three trails of ghostly blue Nether-fire danced on the blade. He swung, and the flames multiplied into thousands of fireballs, raining down on the formation. The soldiers defended themselves, but the fire was fierce; anything it touched—blades or robes—instantly caught fire and burned hotter. Some soldiers were forced to jump into the sea to extinguish it.

Suddenly, a brilliant light erupted from the formation, and the flames on the soldiers began to fade.

A much larger mass of Nether-fire was launched by the King’s blade. Master flew out from the formation, flicking his wrist to transform the Longyuan Sword into a divine whip. A flash of white light cut across the sky, churning the sea into massive waves filled with countless razor-sharp shards of black ice. The waves crashed into the King and his army, extinguishing the fire instantly. The King swung his blade in defense, but his massive, dark army was shattered by the strike. After the waves subsided, the King was covered in wounds, his flesh torn by the ice blades. His army fled in chaos, some dissolved into mere spirits by the waves, their souls scattering back to the Netherworld. I watched in awe. My master could use a whip, and with such devastating power! The storyteller at the Qilin Town hadn't done justice to his greatness!

The King rushed at Master with his blade. Master retracted the whip into the Longyuan Sword and engaged him. The King’s strikes were fierce, shaking mountains and earth, each blow lethal. Master used the "Empty Mountain Flying Goose" palm technique fused with "Xuan-Jie" swordsmanship, flowing with both hardness and softness, dancing with elegant, erratic steps... like clouds soaring to the ninth heaven, like snowflakes drifting, like a dragon emerging from the sea, like an eagle crossing the sky... He redirected the King’s mountain-crushing strength, leaving the King with nothing but mounting shame.

This was not a slaughter; it was a dance of war... "You have truly returned! Returned!" For five hundred years, I had built fantasies out of tears, and now, the miracle I dreamt of so often had appeared! Large tears fell... I wiped them away with my sleeve.

In the shadows behind the Jade Purity Formation, another woman stood, eyes fixed on him, her lips moving in a low whisper...

"Clouds and Skies, just like that! Just as you once were. Just as you are in my memories!" Lu Xue channeled her memory-power, and though she was near collapse, her hands, hidden in her sleeves, never ceased their secret mudras.