Chapter 97: The War Ghost Emperor

As the azure palm seal came crashing down, Jiang Xiaofei immediately felt a crushing pressure. Although, with the blessing of the Phoenix True Fire, he now possessed strength enough to contend with peak beings of the Heaven-Transforming Realm, he was still far short of a cultivator in the Dao Extremity Realm. After all, before absolute power, what outside aid could truly stand against it? Especially now, when he was only at the Profound Heaven Realm, he could not fully unleash the sky-burning might of the Phoenix True Fire. And the Ghost Emperor was by no means comparable to an ordinary Dao Extremity expert.

This pressure was something he had not even felt when facing the Black Mountain Old Demon, and it only proved how formidable the Ghost Emperor truly was.

But since he had come here, he had never intended to retreat.

Even if it meant perishing together, he would destroy the Ghost Emperor and avenge Xiao Qing.

Fight.

At once, Jiang Xiaofei’s gaze sharpened. With a sweep of his hand, the Phoenix True Fire and the black-and-white energies surged forth together, transforming into two seal arts that slammed toward the palm imprint.

Boom! Boom!

A deafening blast shook the heavens. Under the impact of the fire seal and the yin-yang seal, a terrifying force erupted, causing even the void to tremble.

Wave after wave of that shock struck the palm imprint, steadily dissolving its power.

Yet the palm imprint remained unstoppable, bearing the fierce momentum of crushing everything in its path. Jiang Xiaofei’s brows furrowed, his face grave. Could it be that even the Phoenix True Fire and the black-and-white energies were unable to contend with the Ghost Emperor?

“Hahaha. You are no match for this emperor. Today you are surely doomed.” Seeing this, Gao Muqiu laughed heartily and moved her delicate hand again.

Instantly, under her guidance, the palm imprint’s momentum surged. It released a terrifying force that broke straight through the fire seal and then battered toward the yin-yang seal.

That yin-yang seal had been Jiang Xiaofei’s final barrier. After withstanding the strike of the palm imprint, he was immediately thrown backward, the force of the impact sending him flying.

“Hahaha.” Gao Muqiu laughed without restraint. “You want to kill this emperor with that little bit of strength? You are truly overestimating yourself. Still, this is good. This emperor will kill you as a celebration of my return. Hahaha.”

Jiang Xiaofei steadied himself and said with hatred, “Do not speak too soon. Who dies is still uncertain.”

“Oh?” Gao Muqiu raised a brow. “Then this emperor would like to see what other abilities you have to challenge me. But before that, I shall let you understand that before this emperor, you are nothing but a joke.”

“Azure Jade Seal.”

As her voice fell, Gao Muqiu formed hand seals. A massive imprint appeared before her at once, runic patterns flowing across it as it radiated a terrifying fluctuation.

When Jiang Xiaofei saw that wave of power, his heart tightened. This force was by no means comparable to the attack from before. If he were even slightly careless, he might truly lose his life here.

Without hesitation, he pressed his hands together, and the boundless Phoenix True Fire surged out wildly, like a vast river in flood, meeting the seal imprint head-on.

Boom!

The heavens trembled with the explosion. The two different forces collided, instantly producing an incomparably powerful aura, and for a moment they were evenly matched.

Whoosh.

The Phoenix True Fire swept outward, twisting even the surrounding space.

Seeing this, Gao Muqiu refused to show weakness. Her hands continued forming seals as she sustained the power of the imprint.

Boom!

Then, with the infusion of her mana, a terrifying force rippled outward and directly sent Jiang Xiaofei flying.

Even Gao Muqiu herself was affected by the collision. She staggered back several steps before regaining her footing. Lifting her head, she said in disbelief, “You do have some ability. No wonder you dared come here and throw your life away. But this ends now. The power of this emperor is not something you can defeat.”

Jiang Xiaofei raised his head, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and said coldly, “Use whatever move you like. If I retreat even one more step, I will write my name backward.”

Gao Muqiu frowned. “You do have some backbone. But backbone is worthless before absolute power. Since you want to die, this emperor will oblige.”

With that, Gao Muqiu suddenly slapped out a palm. A azure seal immediately appeared in her palm, releasing a horrifying ripple of power.

Once it left her hand, the seal expanded rapidly, like a heavenly compass pressing down toward Jiang Xiaofei.

As it descended, the terrifying pressure cracked the floor beneath Jiang Xiaofei’s feet. He, too, felt an immense weight bearing down on him.

That oppressive force seemed intent on crushing his flesh and bones, making it difficult even to lift his head.

Yet he was not the least bit afraid. In his eyes, a blaze of Phoenix True Fire burned fiercely, so vivid it seemed almost solid, as though it might burst forth from his gaze at any moment.

In the next instant, endless Phoenix True Fire surged from within Jiang Xiaofei, spreading outward and making him seem as though he stood within a sea of flames, like the sovereign of fire itself.

Sensing the change in Jiang Xiaofei, Gao Muqiu was utterly stunned. At that moment, Jiang Xiaofei’s aura was so powerful that it made her feel the same dread she had once experienced when facing the demon star within Phoenix Platform Mountain.

It was truly unimaginable. Jiang Xiaofei was only at the Profound Heaven Realm. How could he possess such a terrifying aura?

This shocked and enraged her in equal measure. She immediately drove the imprint downward with all her strength, wearing the expression of one determined to annihilate Jiang Xiaofei.

Yet in the face of the descending seal, Jiang Xiaofei showed no fear at all. With a forceful sweep of his hand, the terrifying Phoenix True Fire met it head-on and directly shattered the imprint.

Seeing this, Gao Muqiu was struck with terror. Fear even entered her eyes, for at that moment she had actually sensed the aura of the demon star from Jiang Xiaofei. That aura was all too familiar; it was unmistakably the demon star.

What was more, a phantom phoenix had manifested behind Jiang Xiaofei.

The moment she saw that phoenix phantom, Gao Muqiu became even more certain of her suspicion.

But how could that be? Jiang Xiaofei was merely at the Profound Heaven Realm. How could he possibly subdue the demon star?

“Could it be that he has been concealing his cultivation all along?” The thought filled her with incomparable fear and unease.

At this moment, Jiang Xiaofei had not expected that, by borrowing Xiao Feng’s power, he would become so formidable. He now feared he might already be comparable to a peak Dao Extremity expert.

At the same time, this filled him with boundless confidence.

At this rate, dealing with the Ghost Emperor would be as easy as catching something by hand.

Thinking of this, Jiang Xiaofei could not help but laugh. “Hahaha. Ghost Emperor, you have nowhere left to run. Why not come here and die?”

Gao Muqiu’s brow furrowed, and she said with some alarm, “Do not think that just because you have reached the Dao Extremity Realm, you can kill this emperor. If I am determined to flee, so what if you are a peak Dao Extremity expert?”

“Is that so?” Jiang Xiaofei laughed aloud and then unleashed the Phoenix Domain.

As the Phoenix Domain descended, Gao Muqiu immediately felt that the space in all directions had been sealed off, leaving her with nowhere to evade. At the same time, she sensed a terrifying burning force, making her seem as though she were trapped inside a furnace.

Her expression turned exceedingly ugly. She quickly circulated the mana within her body to resist the burning might of the Phoenix True Fire.

Seeing this, Jiang Xiaofei grinned triumphantly. “Wasn’t it you who wanted to run just now? Go on, then. Let me see you escape now.”

“You...” Gao Muqiu was momentarily at a loss for words, then said furiously, “Even if you kill this emperor, you will never obtain the lower volume of the Underworld Ghost Dao.”