I Pick up a Lost Godhood

On the ground, Sanmao gravely agreed.

"I was wrong?" The girl smiled faintly. ’How could I be wrong? I’m never wrong. At least, I haven’t been up to this point. Nothing can escape my Ninefold Heaven.’

Everything exists within the Ninefold Heaven.

Mingren remained noncommittal, offering no explanation. The girl felt helpless; anyone would be left speechless when dealing with someone like him.

The girl came and went in secret, noticed by no one but the rolling Sanmao. Sanmao was thoroughly enjoying this life of plenty. ’It’d be even better if Wang Meng could come and enjoy this with me,’ he thought.

The second round of the main tournament began. Everyone gave it their all, fighting for the final spots that would allow them to advance to the Pure Land. At this stage, every single step forward was a victory.

Over in Starlight City, the great battles had already begun.

Ling Fei was the first to fight. Her opponent was a master Sword Cultivator from the Cyan Cloud Sect. The Cyan Cloud Sect was known as the world’s most traditional Saint Cultivation Sect, holding a status among Saint Cultivators comparable to the No Illusion Demon Sect’s status among Demon Cultivators. However, the Cyan Cloud Sect’s momentum had flagged in this generation. With the passing of two Supreme Elders and the failure of a Holy Statue to appear among the youth, their ranking had slipped.

The start of the second round was truly explosive, and Ling Fei finally deployed her Peacock Ming King Statue.

The Holy Hall Beings were also in attendance. As Starlight City’s strongest potential opponents, they couldn’t afford to be complacent.

Hu Jing watched with the keenest interest. As a fellow Talisman Cultivator, she possessed the Dawn Goddess Holy Statue, a burst-type that relied on High Elemental Power. Ling Fei’s Peacock Ming King Statue, on the other hand, was a status-type. However, the master from the Cyan Cloud Sect failed to force Ling Fei into using her Holy Statue Ability. The First Senior Sister of the Flower Fairy Sect was truly a cut above the rest in terms of strength.

「In another city, a highly anticipated battle was taking place.」

Mingren was facing Shi Chao from the No Illusion Demon Sect. Shi Chao was Lin Jinghao’s senior brother, the number-two figure in their sect, and a cultivator at the Fourth Layer of Minor Perfection. He was part of the No Illusion Demon Sect’s core strength, a truly exceptional disciple who had passed through its many grueling trials.

Shi Chao had advanced this far without meeting any worthy opponents. ’In my eyes,’ he thought, ’no one else matters besides Lin Jinghao.’

Duels between Sword Cultivators were always the most magnificent and spectacular spectacles. The rivalry between Mingren and Lin Jinghao for the title of the number one Human Cultivator was a long-standing one, and Shi Chao was Lin Jinghao’s staunchest supporter. Defeating Mingren would not only prove his junior brother’s superiority but also eliminate his greatest competitor.

This was a battle of interception, and the No Illusion Demon Sect was putting everything on the line.

Dressed in black, Shi Chao stood proudly in the middle of the Magic Arena. The momentous battle had drawn countless Cultivators to spectate.

Shi Chao was ranked third on the Star Alliance’s list of Sword Cultivators with the most potential. The ranking was a comprehensive measure, and while a higher rank didn’t necessarily mean one was the strongest, anyone who made the list was a true master.

Mingren entered the arena. He seemed to be smiling, yet he wasn’t. Across from him, Shi Chao was already radiating intense fighting spirit and resolve.

Outside the arena, Lin Jinghao and the other disciples from the No Illusion Demon Sect had all arrived. For the No Illusion Demon Sect, this was a crucial battle of interception. Forget the Dragon Race and the Demon Race; their first priority was securing the title of number one Human Cultivator, and Mingren was the greatest enemy blocking Lin Jinghao’s path to the top.

Therefore, Shi Chao had to give this fight his all, even if it meant taking Mingren down with him.

Ji Guang, the commander of the Pure Land’s Knight Order, arrived. He was one of Mingren’s staunchest supporters within the Pure Land.

No unnecessary words were exchanged between them. Judging by his expression, Shi Chao had no intention of being courteous.

SHING...

The Demon Blade was unsheathed. Within the Star Alliance, sabers were generally categorized alongside swords, with no special distinction made between them.

Shi Chao’s eyes seemed to burn in unison with his Demon Blade as his aura surged. The Elemental Power of the Fourth Layer of Minor Perfection completely suppressed the entire arena. He had no intention of showing mercy, nor would he give Mingren any opportunity to act.

’The best way to deal with a Holy Statue is to prevent them from ever using it!’

"KILL!"

With an earth-shattering roar, Shi Chao moved as one with his saber. His entire body erupted in towering Demon Flames, like a Demon God descending upon the world. It was the ultimate strike, delivered with his aura and Elemental Power at their absolute peak.

This was the very technique that had made Shi Chao famous—the Mad Wave Demon Saber!

This saber technique was renowned for its ferocity and had remained undefeated until now.

Saber energy shot toward the heavens as the Demon Flame raged, both surging toward Mingren. Mingren’s body ethereally faded away. A cold sneer touched Shi Chao’s lips. His saber technique continued unabated; with a pivot, he transitioned seamlessly into his next move, his aura growing even more potent. ’As a representative of the No Illusion Demon Sect, how could I let a petty trick like this disrupt my rhythm?’

With a sweeping slash, he forced Mingren’s figure to reappear, and Shi Chao’s attack bore down with even greater ferocity.

At that moment, Shi Chao took a heavy step forward. The Dueling Platform groaned and began to shake violently. By now, his saber radiated an aura that seemed to overwhelm heaven and earth as it came crashing down.

The essence of the Mad Wave Saber Technique—the Ninefold Demon Saber!

In an instant, nine incredibly fluid killing strikes burst forth. They appeared to be nine ordinary slashes, but as they were unleashed, they formed a rare, overlapping killing blow!

Normally, when saber energy is unleashed, subsequent waves of one’s own energy would simply cancel each other out. But when the output of Elemental Power from one’s Life Mark reaches its absolute peak, an inversion effect occurs. The saber energies stack upon each other, creating the most ferocious of saber techniques.

It was originally the Ninefold Sword Technique, but no one had ever been able to master it. Shi Chao, a true powerhouse of the No Illusion Demon Sect’s younger generation, had forcefully adapted it for the saber. No one thought he would succeed, but after a year in closed-door cultivation, he emerged having mastered the Ninefold Demon Saber.

Once unleashed, there was no known way to counter this technique.

Offense has no limits, but defense does. When a battle between Cultivators reaches a certain level, it becomes a pure exchange of attacks—a contest to see who can take down the other first.

’So what if he uses his Holy Light Demon Collapse Holy Statue now? Can he possibly block this!’

ROOOOAR!

This saber energy was potent enough to shatter the defenses of a Great Perfection Cultivator. Furthermore, the instant the Ninefold Demon Saber was unleashed, it generated a powerful attractive force, making it nearly impossible to dodge. And yet... Mingren hadn’t moved an inch.

The Demon Blade pierced his body!

Everyone was dumbfounded. It had actually pierced him!

’How could this be happening?!’

’Mingren! The Holy Light Demon Collapse Body! The one chosen by the Pure Land and acknowledged by the Star Alliance! What was all that for?!’

The Cultivators in the crowd were going wild. The neutral spectators had come hoping to see an intense battle, one worthy of the two fighters’ reputations.

Shi Chao had delivered, letting them witness his incredibly domineering Ninefold Demon Saber.

And Mingren?

A single thought crossed countless minds: Mingren had postured so hard he’d gotten himself killed.

It wasn’t an illusion. Any illusion would have dissipated within a single breath of being struck. Three seconds had passed, and the Demon Blade was undeniably embedded in Mingren’s body.

Even Shi Chao himself was stunned. ’He should have put up some kind of resistance.’

Just then, Mingren smiled.

Shi Chao sensed something was terribly wrong, but it was already too late.

KRA... KRAK...

BANG!

The Demon Blade shattered. A force of intertwining light and darkness flashed by. The Demon Blade exploded, and in the next instant, Shi Chao also burst into pieces.

Mingren remained standing in the same spot, without a single drop of blood on him. His expression hadn’t even changed.

No one knew what had just happened.

The entire arena fell silent. Mingren turned and left as if no one else was there, offering no word or gesture.

This was the Holy Light Demon Collapse Body.

After Mingren left, the arena erupted with discussion. ’How did that happen? We all saw that insane strike hit him. How is he not dead?’

Instead, the attacker had been blown to pieces—a state only slightly better than... dust.

An Undying Body?

Damage Feedback?

How was anyone supposed to fight that?

He was simply invincible! An opponent you couldn’t attack... what were the others supposed to do?

A chill ran down the spine of every Cultivator who had witnessed it. Mingren’s supporters, on the other hand, were driven into a frenzy. This was true invincibility! True dominance!

This was humanity’s number one—the Holy Light Demon Collapse Body!

Tremble, you miserable fools! Do not attempt to fathom this supreme existence with your mortal minds!

Clearly, many Cultivators were drawn to this kind of cold, overwhelming power, especially since it belonged to someone acknowledged by both the Star Alliance and the Pure Land.

With this one battle, Mingren made all his doubters tremble in fear.

He was already an unsolvable puzzle without even using his Holy Light Demon Collapse Holy Statue. If he were to use it, wouldn’t he be completely unrivaled?

Rumors of his Undying Body spread like wildfire.

Before the Snake Woman Desire Spirit departed, she said only one thing: "Mingren is a monster that even the Demon Race would call monstrous."

To receive such an evaluation from a powerhouse of the Demon Race meant that anyone who still doubted Mingren could pack it in.

The Demon Race, much like the Dragon Race, disliked exaggeration, especially when it came to strength. To them, the strong were simply strong. Humans, on the other hand, tended to spin all sorts of different interpretations.

They would claim Mingren was close to the Demon Race, or that the Demon Race was deliberately propping him up.

In fact, the opposite was true. Defeating Mingren was the Demon Race’s number one priority.

Because Mingren was the Human Cultivator meant to suppress the Demon Race and carry on the tradition of the previous generation.

To Mingren, however, such trivial talk wasn’t even worth a passing thought.

An opponent like Shi Chao was fundamentally incapable of piquing his interest.

"Senior Brother... was that a Demon Technique?" The disciples of the No Illusion Demon Sect were terrified, their eyes all turning to Lin Jinghao.

"If he has an Undying Body, we might as well all pack up and go home. There’s no way to win a fight like that."

Lin Jinghao smiled faintly. "There is no such thing as an Undying Body."

He didn’t elaborate, however. Lin Jinghao was a lazy man at heart. Those who understood, understood. Those who didn’t could remain in their confusion.

’Still, this battle revealed a great deal,’ he thought. ’It seems Mingren has no intention of hiding his strength. Or perhaps, he simply no longer cares if it’s seen.’

’His Holy Light Demon Collapse Body has finished its transformation. Shi Chao’s attack never really landed; I saw right through it. It was one of the powers of the Holy Light Demon Collapse—Yin Yang Reversal. Shi Chao was destroyed by his very own Ninefold Demon Saber.’

’The difficulty of turning an attack like that is far greater than executing it in the first place. But for a Holy Light Demon Collapse Body that has mastered the Yin-Yang Void Real, it’s nothing difficult.’

’In a battle against Mingren, any attack he sees through can be instantly turned back against its user.’

’How could I not be excited to face an opponent like that!’

Lin Jinghao was actually quite pleased. Shi Chao’s death hadn’t affected his mood in the slightest; he was still fanning himself cheerfully. Clearly, he was no Saint Cultivator. Deep in his bones, he was the most unorthodox and thorough of Demon Cultivators.

「On another battlefield」 Longyue, the successor of the Holy Light Sect and wielder of the Lofty and Refined Holy Statue, had also unleashed her fury.

Her opponent, a powerful Loose Cultivator who practiced the Enchantment Technique, was completely dissolved by her Lofty and Refined Holy Statue. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)