Battle Through the Heavens: Harmony of Flame and Shadow

In the distant city, Jiang Yun stepped out of the spatial passage with Qing Yanjing. Seeing the battlefield outside the city, Qing Yanjing couldn't control her emotions and covered her mouth in disbelief.

Her eyes were filled with shock, pain, and fear.

"Roar!"

In the sky, a giant dragon's form shattered. A middle-aged man was killed, his blood splattering everywhere.

He was a member of the Scarlet Flame Guard from the Scarlet Flame Temple, with a thin bloodline of the dragon race, a dragon that had cultivated for a hundred years and was no weaker than the former powerhouse of the Tianluo Continent, the Ziyang Master.

But at this moment, he was killed on this battlefield, torn apart by a creature from the extraterrestrial evil race that resembled a monstrous ape.

In an instant, blood poured down from the sky, forming numerous blood puddles on the ground. The entire area reeked of blood.

Here, life was exceedingly fragile. Supreme beings, even those nearing the peak of their power, could fall at any moment. Without reaching the level of a supreme being, one didn't even have the power to protect oneself.

Surrounding them, the eyes of many people from the Great Thousand Worlds turned red, staring at that extraterrestrial evil being that tore the dragon apart.

Covered in black fur, towering as high as the sky, it roared upwards, shattering the clouds. Its body was dyed red in the dragon's blood, appearing even more terrifying, like a colossal demon lord. No one dared to look directly at it, hesitating to act.

"Boom!"

The sky was torn apart, and another figure bathed in blood holding a spear approached from the distance. Above his head floated an ancient tower, and he fiercely engaged the enemy.

With just a glance, Qing Yanjing could feel the terrors of war. On this battlefield, it was either kill or be killed; survival was cruel and uncertain. Even the most powerful cultivators could perish if careless for just a moment.

"I brought you to the battlefield. The decision is now yours to make." After putting Qing Yanjing down, Jiang Yun softly instructed and then stepped toward the distant void.

"Where are you going?" Instinctively, Qing Yanjing blurted out as she watched his departing figure.

"I have my battlefield. If you don't want to die, you can stay in this city. As long as I am alive, this city won't fall."

Jiang Yun looked up at the void above the nine heavens, where destructive strikes clashed intensely, making loud noises and causing ripples. The space was thoroughly shattered, but fortunately, both sides managed to contain the waves from spreading to the continent below, since it held their armies.

Despite this, some unfortunate souls were turned to ashes by the remnants of the shockwaves, causing the earth to shake and giant cracks to form like abyssal trenches.

That was the battlefield of the top powerhouses—Supreme Beings and Demon Emperors congregated there.

Jiang Yun sensed two familiar auras among them, one being his own death avatar and the other the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor.

Watching Jiang Yun slowly disappearing into the void, Qing Yanjing's emotions were conflicted. The trope of a hero saving a beauty was always an effective way to win affection.

Qing Yanjing had originally fallen for Mujing due to a hero-save-beauty scenario, but Jiang Yun's conditions far surpassed Mujing's. Additionally, his idol-like aura made him leave an indelible impression on her heart in a short time.

Now seeing Jiang Yun fighting bloodily for the Great Thousand Worlds, she couldn't reconcile with just hiding in the city forever, protected for her whole life.

No, she refused.

On the way here, Jiang Yun had already healed her injuries. As a peak Supreme Being and a master of high-level spiritual arrays, in the battlefield where Supreme Beings and Demon Emperors were restrained from action, she was among the top powerhouses.

Staring at the brutal battlefield outside the city, Qing Yanjing's gaze sharpened immediately.

"Boom!"

In the next moment, she acted. Relying on her heart array state, she drew numerous spiritual imprints in the air within a short period, covering the entire sky.

Under the amazed, puzzled, and exhilarated gaze of the crowd, a massive spiritual array instantly enveloped a section of the battlefield.

With a sweep of divine light, hundreds of extraterrestrial evil beings turned to ashes without even having time to scream.

At this moment, Qing Yanjing, floating in the middle of the array and controlling it to kill enemies, looked like a valiant goddess of war. Every beam of divine light took away countless enemies.

"Kill!!!"

Soon, Qing Yanjing caught the attention of powerful beings among the extraterrestrial evil race. Five peak Supreme Being Demon Kings surrounded her.

Seeing this, Qing Yanjing's expression grew solemn, and she circulated her spiritual power to the fullest.

Instantly, both sides clashed in fierce combat.

"Boom!!!"

The collision of black demon flames and black-and-white flames emanated catastrophic power, causing the space within tens of thousands of feet to collapse into darkness, with countless space fragments shooting out.

"With an Immortal-grade physique, to be able to fight me to such an extent, you are the first in thousands of years."

The Holy Heaven Demon Emperor, with a compassionate and serene expression, calmed the rolling demonic energy around him with a lift of his hand. Looking at the white-robed Jiang Yun, he spoke in a calm and gentle tone.

Saint Demon Flame swirled around him, sometimes as black as ink, sometimes shining with a white light, appearing extremely eerie.

This eerie Demon Emperor wasn't someone other than the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor. It's hard to imagine that someone who didn't evoke hostility in people was actually the top figure of the extraterrestrial evil race, the greatest enemy of the Great Thousand Worlds.

"To break through my physical form, you, Holy Demon Emperor, are also the first!" Jiang Yun, in white robes, raised his hand, surrounded by demonic flames, creating a white mist with sparks of black and white dissipating into the void.

"Sharp-tongued!"

The Holy Heaven Demon Emperor wasn't angered by Jiang Yun's words, only replying with a faint smile.

In this probing, Jiang Yun's strength somewhat exceeded his expectations. For the first time, he felt that this piece on the board might be slipping out of his control.

He had a mix of emotions. Jiang Yun's exceptional performance confirmed his unique insight when he first noticed him, but it's also an issue if the piece is too independent. Although Jiang Yun's family and his grandfather were still under his control, the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor, as a figure of his caliber, wouldn't bet on Jiang Yun's feelings for the Evil Spirit Race or Jiang Hong.

Jiang Yun's current strength had reached the peak of the world. If he broke through to the Holy Grade, even the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor wouldn't have absolute confidence against him. He could influence the battle to rescue the Evil God a century later.

"You progressed faster than I expected."

During this contemplation, the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor looked at the distant space where Jiang Yun's main body, dressed in black robes, was slowly approaching.

"It's up to you next!"

The white-robed Jiang Yun said in a relaxed tone to his main body. Their minds were connected, and they had made plans for their future when they obtained the Endless Light Body. This was the best opportunity.

"Mm."

Nodding, the secondary body turned into a black flame and merged into Jiang Yun's main body. Simultaneously, his aura slightly increased, but he kept it under the Holy grade.

"You seem to have found your own path." The Holy Heaven Demon Emperor watched Jiang Yun absorb the flames, speaking with a tone expressing mixed feelings and gratification, as if looking at a younger family member.

However, Jiang Yun saw a trace of regret in his eyes. Both of them understood that Jiang Yun had found his path, no longer influenced by the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor.

He now had the power to step outside the board and sit at the gaming table!

"Just barely." Jiang Yun calmly replied, looking at the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor.

"What are you planning next?" The Holy Heaven Demon Emperor's expression was complicated. Barely? It implies that he, the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor, was incompetent, easily letting him slip from control.

Encountering an unpredictable situation for the first time in thousands of years, he didn't want to say much more, directly asking Jiang Yun.

"According to your plan, wait a century and then rescue the Evil God!" Jiang Yun's expression remained calm and composed.

The Holy Heaven Demon Emperor couldn't read Jiang Yun's thoughts, feeling a bit dissatisfied, but he said nothing, just nodding and speaking, "Indeed, the Evil Spirit Race is a hybrid of two realms, unwelcome by the Great Thousand Worlds. Only by waiting for the Evil God's resurgence can I report your achievements, making you part of our race."

Surface-wise, Jiang Yun nodded, but inwardly he had no reservations. Calmly, he said to the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor, "I need the evil race's techniques for my cultivation, so I hope to practice in the Ten Thousand Demon Hall."

The Ten Thousand Demon Hall wasn't only a gathering place for the Demon Emperors but also a repository of inherited techniques from countless extraterrestrial evil races. This included the methods for cultivating the Law Body.

"Granted," the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor nodded. Knowing the Evil Spirit Race could cultivate both spiritual energy and evil energy, he had no objections.

Currently in a honeymoon phase with Jiang Yun, the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor wouldn't sour relations over minor issues.

"However, I am curious about your current strength. Black Corpse and Zhan Tian are quite impressed with your extraordinary technique. Could you showcase it for me?"

To know oneself and the enemy is to win a hundred battles. The Holy Heaven Demon Emperor had long been informed about Jiang Yun's incomprehensible technique from Black Corpse and Zhan Tian. However, he hadn't witnessed it himself, seizing this opportunity to gather information.

Knowing Jiang Yun's prowess through his Saint Demon Flame's foundation gave him an edge, but he knew nothing about Jiang Yun's ultimate technique, which was disadvantageous. The Holy Heaven Demon Emperor wouldn't allow such an information gap to exist.

"Fine."

Jiang Yun's eyes flickered as he faced the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor, his expression turning serious.

Before Xiao Yan and Lin Dong rose, the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor was the greatest combat force between two realms, more terrifying than the Gravekeeper and the Undying Master.

In the future, he even demonstrated the terrifying feat of single-handedly fending off three top powerhouses—Undying Master, Qin Tian, and Blue-Clad Sword Saint.

Almost breaking into the domain of the Sovereign, had the Great Thousand World's heavens allowed his name on the Heavenly List, Jiang Yun believed the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor could have etched his name there, just like the Undying Emperor of yore.

"Boom!"

The Holy Heaven Demon Emperor made the first move, with black and white flames swirling between his palms, delivering a sky-shattering palm strike.

"Rumble~~~"

The Reincarnation Demon Flame around Jiang Yun surged at the moment, clashing fiercely with the interlaced black and white Saint Demon Flame. The intense battle created powerful energy ripples around them.

From the first clash, Jiang Yun felt a suppression, a suppression on the level of energy.

The extraterrestrial evil race's energy level was slightly higher than that of the Great Thousand World's cultivators. Thus, demon energy could corrode spiritual energy and was extremely difficult to eliminate. This was why the territories of the Great Thousand Worlds occupied by the extraterrestrial evil race were highly taboo. A careless inhale of demon energy could at best lead to the risk of heart demons.

"The spiritual energy of the Great Thousand Worlds is no match for our race's demonic energy." Seeing this, the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor wasn't surprised, though he didn't lower his guard. Jiang Yun, after all, possessed a bloodline of the Evil Spirit Race, meaning the demonic energy formidable against beings of the Great Thousand Worlds was rather beneficial to him.

Speaking, he didn't slow his movements. His smile unchanged, his demonic eyes suddenly sharpened, and he smugly proclaimed, "Saint Flame Imprisoning Pillar!"

"Buzz!"

As soon as his words fell, bizarre flames of intermingling black and white descended from the sky, forming a black and white pillar of fire, striking at Jiang Yun like lightning.

"Death Ray!"

Jiang Yun quickly responded, the Reincarnation Demon Flame in his palm trembling, transforming into a beam of black and white, merging into a fiendish ray.

The beam exuded a strong aura of annihilation, stripping all vitality in its path. Its power was comparable to an ultimate divine technique.

"Bang!"

The two equally terrifying forces collided, causing silent massive collapses in the space, finally forming a giant black hole suspended in the heavens.

"Condensed Fire Finger!"

Before the clash ended, a near-whisper echoed through the world.

"Buzz!"

High above the sky, a golden flame giant finger several thousand feet long formed instantly. Once formed, it descended with immense power towards the Holy Heaven Demon Emperor below.