Chapter 146: The East Gate Has Already Reached Mandate Tier

The four powerful ministers were no match for Xie Wuji. After he cut his way through them, the Imperial Guards scattered like bowling pins.

Dongmen Yong charged straight toward Ding Desheng. As he ran, he called out, “Three Sect Masters, this is a private matter between Ding Desheng and me. I ask that you do not interfere!”

“No problem,” they replied.

Baili Qingyan gave a bitter smile. He looked at Xie Wuji, but his gaze soon fell upon Dongmen Jianhao. “It seems that, apart from today’s competition, I will still have to fight you to the death tonight.”

“Your injuries have yet to heal. I advise you to sever your ties with Ding Desheng. I will not make things difficult for you,” said Dongmen Jianhao.

Baili Qingyan shook his head. “Once a man becomes your teacher, he is your father for life. Since Ding Desheng is my master, then regardless of whether he is good or evil, he is still my master.”

“Then there is nothing more to say!”

A murderous glint flashed through Dongmen Jianhao’s eyes, and he attacked Baili Qingyan.

The other three Sect Masters did not make a move. They would intervene only if Dongmen Yong encountered danger. It was the wisest choice.

This was also the first time Dongmen Yong had formally fought Ding Desheng. Neither of them used weapons; it was purely a contest of techniques and cultivation methods.

Ding Desheng’s fists came like a raging storm, sweeping toward Dongmen Yong from every direction. Yet Dongmen Yong caught each blow with remarkable ease.

Ding Desheng cried out in shock, “How is this possible? How did your cultivation suddenly rise so far above mine?”

Dongmen Yong laughed heartily. “During a recent period of secluded cultivation, I broke through the Void Realm. I have now reached the First Heaven of the Heavenly Mandate Realm. As for you, you have remained in the Void Realm for far too long. You always believed your cultivation was superior to mine. You were too arrogant.”

Dongmen Yong drove a fist into Ding Desheng’s chest. Blood burst from Ding Desheng’s mouth as he was sent flying backward.

The gap between the Void Realm and the Heavenly Mandate Realm was like a chasm. Cultivation was divided into seven major realms, each with ten minor stages: Spirit Gathering, Core Condensation, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Void, Heavenly Mandate, and Boundless.

The realm after Heavenly Mandate was Boundless. Once one reached Boundless, one’s life would be as long as heaven and earth. Yet Heavenly Mandate was only one major realm away from it.

From the Golden Core Realm onward, every breakthrough became increasingly difficult. Now that Dongmen Yong had revealed the power of the Heavenly Mandate Realm, the outcome was already decided.

Xie Wuji seized Chancellor Li by the collar. “You have aided tyrants and committed every kind of evil. You are but one step away from murdering the sovereign and usurping the throne. In the Cloudrise Kingdom, you wield power over the entire court, turning it into a cesspit of corruption. The people are no longer people, ministers no longer ministers, and the ruler no longer a ruler!”

“You—you understand nothing! The late emperor entrusted us with assisting the Empress and stabilizing the realm. You are nothing more than an outsider. You have no right to lecture us!” Chancellor Li shrieked.

Xie Wuji threw back his head and laughed. “How amusing. Truly amusing. Do not think I am unaware of what you have done during the years you held power! You accepted bribes from low-ranking officials and sheltered corrupt administrators, leaving the common people to suffer. Take Greenhide County, for instance. You even allowed its magistrate to accept money from the Azure Cloud Sect, enabling them to plunder wealth and take lives as they pleased, committing every imaginable evil!”

“Stop! Stop! You are merely a cultivator, a commoner! You have no right to lecture this chancellor!” Chancellor Li screamed.

“Rest easy on your journey.”

Xie Wuji sighed. He knew these men were beyond saving. Corruption had already seeped into their marrow. They were like players trapped in hopeless positions on a chessboard, with no room left for repentance.

Facing the four ministers—four ordinary men without the slightest cultivation—Xie Wuji unleashed a single punch. One of them was crushed beneath its force, and after several exchanges, all four powerful ministers lay dead.

By then, blood dripped from Xie Wuji’s fists, and his face was cold as frost.

On Dongmen Jianhao’s side, Baili Qingyan had already been gravely wounded. After several rounds, he collapsed onto the ground. His peerlessly beautiful face was filled with despair—or perhaps it was not despair at all, but release.

Dongmen Jianhao raised his treasured sword. Just then, Xie Wuji shouted, “Senior Brother, stop! He is not Baili Qingyan—he is Baili Yany’er!”

“Baili Yany’er?” Dongmen Jianhao asked with a frown.

“She is Baili Qingyan’s younger sister!” Xie Wuji replied.

Dongmen Jianhao burst into laughter. “Are you a fool? Baili Qingyan has no younger sister. This is merely a man with a face so beautiful he looks like a demon.”

Xie Wuji said solemnly, “Impossible. She really is Yany’er!”

“Senior Brother, Baili Qingyan does not deserve death. Let Master first bring Ding Desheng to justice. If Baili Qingyan is willing to submit to us afterward, then let him do so. After all, he is one of the most promising members of the next generation of the Vermilion Dawn Sect,” said Ji Liancheng.

The outcome of Ji Liancheng’s earlier match against Little Zhuge had also been decided: Ji Liancheng had won. Unfortunately, because the battle had taken too long, both of them were ultimately ruled defeated.

Li Qianjun and the others could clearly see how the battle stood. Dongmen Yong had evidently won, and the Ten Thousand Demons Hall had been the greatest threat to him. Now that the Ten Thousand Demons Hall had withdrawn, the mission of their three great sects was more or less complete.

Li Qianjun cupped his fists. “Brother Dongmen, since the affairs of your sect have been more or less settled, we shall take our leave. The finals are tomorrow. I hope that the people standing upon the arena will be disciples of your sect and mine, so that we may determine the victor. Regardless of the result, our sects will remain friends!”

Dongmen Yong had already secured victory. He nodded at Li Qianjun and the others. “You have my thanks for your assistance.”

Ding Desheng gnashed his teeth. “Dongmen Yong, if you intend to kill me, then do it! Do not humiliate me here!”

Dongmen Yong watched as the others departed. The disciples Ding Desheng had brought with him also surrendered one after another. The tide had completely turned.

At that moment, Dongmen Yong took out two talismans. He placed one against Ding Desheng and the other against Baili Qingyan. The talismans immediately began to melt, transforming into golden chains that bound the two of them.

When Xie Wuji saw that Baili Qingyan had not been harmed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Wuji, come with me. There is something else I must discuss with you,” Dongmen Yong said as he walked ahead.

Dongmen Jianhao smiled and patted Xie Wuji on the shoulder. “It seems my father is highly impressed by your accomplishments. Go on. I am looking forward to fighting you tomorrow.”

Those words filled Xie Wuji with excitement, making his body tremble. Dongmen Jianhao was a powerful man, and there was no better feeling than being acknowledged by someone strong.

Xie Wuji hurried after Dongmen Yong. At that moment, Dongmen Yong took out a book and said, “This contains the other five volumes of the Phoenix Immortality Divine Art.”

“Master, you…”

“Actually, I have wanted to speak with you about this for some time. You are my most beloved disciple, so naturally I care deeply about your cultivation method. Some of the five guardians of the Undying Longevity Sect have already passed away, while others still live. Those who remain in this world should all have been brought back to the Vermilion Dawn Sect by now. Your affairs are my affairs.”

Dongmen Yong smiled at Xie Wuji.

Xie Wuji was naturally overjoyed and deeply moved. He failed to notice the sly glimmer that flashed through Dongmen Yong’s eyes.

The other disciples gradually returned, leaving only Ding Desheng and Baili Qingyan behind.

Ding Desheng’s eyes widened. “You—you are…”

“Elder Ding, I shall tell you the truth. My disciple is not the Fourth-Grade Golden Core disciple you saw before. He is the only First-Grade Golden Core disciple in our sect. Moreover, he possesses an even more extraordinary identity: he is the inheritor of the Phoenix of the Undying Longevity Sect!”

Dongmen Yong cast him a sidelong glance.

Ding Desheng spat out a mouthful of blood, but he was unable to move. “So the Phoenix was beside me all along! Damn it! If only I had discovered it sooner! If only I had gained the support of a divine beast’s spirit, I would never have lost! Damn it!”

“Hahahaha!”

Dongmen Yong threw back his head and laughed. His laughter was wild and unrestrained.

Xie Wuji grew increasingly confused. Why did Dongmen Yong seem like an entirely different person now? He gave Xie Wuji an extremely dangerous feeling.

“Leave at once!”

A distant, ancient voice echoed from within Xie Wuji’s dantian.

Xie Wuji thought he had imagined it. He looked around, but apart from the three people beside him, there was no one else nearby.

Then, suddenly, he understood.

It was the voice of the Phoenix.