Martial Saint!

"His Lightning Dao is only at First Rank."

"Unless a miracle happens..."

"Why did the ancestors set the standards so strict? There's no way anyone could succeed in such a trial."

Everyone was plunged into utter despair, their hearts torn as if by knives.

A rainbow light fell to the ground.

It was Lu Chenzhou.

From the start of his trial until now,

it had only been about an hour.

Everyone looked over, eyes full of hope.

The Grandmaster of Xia Realm's eyes flashed with delight.

"So fast? You finished already?"

Qingtian Cang couldn't help but laugh and say:

"Hahaha, one month? One day is more than enough!"

Wang Xian was also calm and at ease.

"Junior Brother, how did it go?"

Lu Chenzhou's expression was unchanged.

"I failed at the last stage."

Lin Xia: "..."

If she didn't know her junior brother's character,

she would have doubted if he was joking.

Wang Xian was also taken aback.

"Looks like it really is difficult."

Now it was the Grandmaster of Xia Realm's turn to be in disbelief.

"The Aurora Palace is even harder than an Ancient Cultivation Cave Mansion? That's a Great Power's inheritance, and Senior Lu handled those with ease."

The disciples of Three Suns Palace looked disappointed.

Their last straw of hope, gone as well.

Grief welled up, and sighs were endless.

"Sigh, in the end we're the incompetents."

"Indeed, how can we expect outsiders to save us?"

"Is the Aurora Palace really going to be buried in this realm?"

...

"He failed."

The Yaochi Immortal, however, remained calm.

Objectively, Lu Chenzhou indeed couldn't make it.

They had come too soon.

If only they'd waited three to five more years, let Lu Chenzhou enhance his cultivation or make further breakthroughs in the Lightning Dao, maybe there'd be hope.

The hopeful gazes from Three Suns Immortal Palace dimmed.

She gave a tragic smile: "Still, thank you, fellow Daoist. It's all our own incompetence, a shame to waste our forefathers' efforts."

Cold Moon Immortal was also silent.

The atmosphere was slightly oppressive.

The Demon Saint was approaching.

They had no means of saving themselves.

Lu Chenzhou closed his eyes, deep in thought.

Suddenly, he asked offhandedly:

"Does the Aurora Palace have a limit on inheritance attempts?"

The Three Suns Immortal's expression was dim as she looked over.

"No, why do you ask?"

"So, I could go in again?"

"Yes. But the final stage's Light Chaser is a pure test of speed and strength. If you can't catch up, you'll never catch up—the longer you drag it out, the farther apart you'll be."

Lu Chenzhou seemed thoughtful.

The Yaochi Immortal's eyes sparkled like shooting stars, curiosity in her voice:

"Do you have a way?"

Lu Chenzhou said:

"I'm thinking, if I could raise my Lightning Dao to Fourth Rank in the short term, perhaps I could succeed."

The Three Suns Immortal's eyes lit up.

"Could it be that Fellow Daoist Lu senses an impending Unity of Heaven and Man? I hear young friend here has already achieved Unity of Heaven and Man twice."

The Yaochi Immortal also felt emotional inside.

She had cultivated for hundreds of years, and only managed to attain Unity of Heaven and Man three times in total. This fellow, so young, already twice.

If Lu Chenzhou could do it once more, there would indeed be hope to let his Lightning Dao enter Dao. Although this sounded even more unbelievable, this kid, perhaps he really could work a miracle.

Lu Chenzhou shook his head and said earnestly,

"Unity of Heaven and Man can't be forced—it all depends on one's state. I'm not confident it'll happen before the Demon Saint arrives. I was thinking, to find a really great Lightning Dao teacher."

"A teacher?"

The Three Suns Immortal and Cold Moon Immortal looked at each other.

Where would one go to find a teacher now?

Even if you could find a Lightning Dao Great Power, to get your Lightning Dao to Fourth Rank in a short time before the Demon Saint arrives, that's not possible!

The Yaochi Immortal seemed thoughtful.

She smiled with her eyes.

"Come on then, I'll find you a teacher."

Lu Chenzhou's gratitude overflowed from his face.

"Thank you, senior."

"Just call me Immortal."

The two figures, one big and one small, left the secret realm.

The Three Suns Immortal was utterly confused.

Cold Moon Immortal seemed to realize something.

Her gaze flickered with shock as she muttered:

"Could it be..."

"Could it be what?"

"Fellow Daoist Lu's been chased by the Lightning Demon Venerable these days. At first, I thought he couldn't get away. But actually, he's got two Seventh Rank Spiritual Weapons. That means he did it on purpose! I couldn't figure it out earlier—now it's clear, he was trying to comprehend the Lightning Dao?"

"Is that even possible?"

"His talent is astonishing. That move that pierced the heavens, the blood light, it seems he learned that from Barto Demon Emperor's [Hell Breath]. His comprehension exceeds common sense."

"In that case, let's just wait and see if he can get his Lightning Dao to Entering Dao in such a short time. At first, I saw him walk the World Dao and thought he was seeking death. Now it's clear, he really is something else."

...

Up in the heavens.

Two figures moved forward in concealment.

"Immortal, is it really just the two of us heading to Corpse Palace?"

Lu Chenzhou looked at the self-assured Yaochi Immortal.

The Yaochi Immortal glanced at him, calm as ever:

"If all you want is to capture the Lightning Demon Venerable's divine soul, that's enough. By the way, do you want it alive, or dead?"

"Dead."

No matter if it's just a divine soul, the Demon Venerable is not someone Lu Chenzhou at his current stage could easily handle. Upon reaching Heavenly Realm, whether cultivator or demon, their soul becomes powerful and is called 'primordial spirit'—capable of using divine skills and techniques.

Without a flesh body, the power drops greatly, but it's still easy for them to display the level of the top ten in the Heavenly Person List.

...

The next day.

Corpse Palace.

The three Great Demon Venerables gathered together.

Devouring Country Demon Venerable said:

"Big Brother, the people of Three Suns Palace have already moved all mortals to the capital. Are they planning to flee this world?"

Mountain Forest Demon Venerable said:

"I heard there's an Eighth Rank Heaven-reaching Spirit Weapon inside the Three Suns Secret Realm, a rare palace-type Cave Heaven Treasure called [Aurora Palace]. They must be hoping to use this supreme treasure to break the void and escape this realm."

The Lightning Demon Venerable's expression turned anxious.

"Big Brother, are we just going to let them get away? If not for that damned Cold Moon, I would have taken Lu Chenzhou already. I wouldn't have been ambushed and lost my physical body!"

Its divine soul was trembling with excitement.

Dignified as a Demon Venerable, when had it ever been so aggrieved?

Mountain Forest Demon Venerable glanced at the third brother.

"Look at you, all worked up."

"Big Brother, how can I not be?"

"Relax. That Aurora Palace has been resting in the secret realm for countless years. That Empress' treasure may be great, but those incompetents have no way to control it, because they can't complete the Empress' inheritance trial—they're too stupid."

Even Mountain Forest Demon Venerable couldn't help but scoff.

Devouring Country Demon Venerable also laughed loudly.

"If they truly had an Eighth Rank Cave Heaven Treasure, they'd have left this Kun Gu Realm long ago. Why struggle on here?"

The Lightning Demon Venerable felt relieved too.

"That's good. Can't let them run. Say, is the Empress' inheritance really that hard? All this time and still no one's claimed it."

Mountain Forest Demon Venerable said:

"Very hard. You need to be under two Jiazi and have Six Realms cultivation and have mastered a Fourth Rank or higher Speed Extreme-type Dao. Third Brother, you're a Falcon Demon, born with mastery of the Lightning Dao and peerless speed. You took a thousand years to comprehend it to Entering Dao."

The Lightning Demon Venerable boasted, "When it comes to speed talent, even the usual Great Demon Venerable can't compare to me!"

"So don't worry. The Aurora Palace will be ours sooner or later. Once we corrupt it into a Demon Weapon and seize this realm, we brothers can use it to invade other realms."

Suddenly, Devouring Country Demon Venerable remembered something: "Big Brother, that Lu Chenzhou from Xia Realm is very talented. He fits Aurora Palace's conditions, doesn't he? What if he gains control of the Aurora Palace?"

Mountain Forest Demon Venerable's expression changed slightly.

That—it hadn't considered yet.

The Lightning Demon Venerable laughed, "Relax. I've fought him. His World Dao is indeed strong, and he can imitate other Daos, but to comprehend a Speed Extreme-type Dao to Entering Dao before the Demon Saint arrives—not going to happen!"

No one understood how difficult the Lightning Dao was more than it did.

Rumble—

The earth quaked.

In the distance, countless demons fled in panic.

Above the clouds, a Goddess Dharma Form stood tall; with a sweep of her spacious robe, she crushed demon soldiers and generals alike.

"How dare you!"

The three Great Demon Venerables flew out together.

Lightning Demon Venerable and Devouring Country Demon Venerable's eyes narrowed.

"Big Brother, that's her! Yaochi Immortal!"

"Yaochi Immortal, how bold! To dare charge alone into my Corpse Palace! Together, the three of us don't even fear a Great Demon Venerable, and you, newly stepped into End Realm, must have a death wish!"

Mountain Forest Demon Venerable released an aura of Middle Stage of Seventh Realm, thick and black demon energy dyeing the sky red. Its strength was overwhelming, dominating over the second and third brothers combined.

As a Deer Demon, it was the descendant of the Lord of Mountains' Divine Blood. Second and third brothers were only offspring of other subordinate gods and demigods. In the Demon Race's world, bloodline ruled all.

Yaochi Immortal swooped down.

The Goddess Dharma Form pressed both palms downward.

Towering snowy peaks formed into Kunlun!

Mountain Forest Demon Venerable said, "Second, third brothers, attack together! Slaughter her here—it'll be a great merit!"

A towering Deer Demon body rose up to a thousand zhang tall. Its antlers raged, tearing apart Kunlun Mountain.

"Domain: Rock Peak Vault!"

A shockwave swept through; countless rock peaks shot up from the ground, forming a forest of peaks. The summit of each peak merged with the heavens, shaping a sealed space 253 kilometers in diameter.

Yaochi Immortal dodged and weaved with lightning speed.

"This Deer Demon, truly has some skills."

The Goddess Dharma Form was ripped apart by the Domain.

Yaochi Immortal stopped evading, bringing both hands before her chest. Her blue robe fluttered, veil dancing, wind chimes ringing clear as jade.

Barefoot, she touched the ground, dancing like a goddess.

Another Mysterious Dao Essence-filled, invisible ripple spread out from her as the center. Wherever it passed, immortal herbs sprouted, immortal trees towered, immortal vines entwined, fruits hung heavy.

Rare birds and mutant beasts gathered.

Immortals assembled like hemp.

Together, they formed a grand banquet in the heavens.

Heavenly King's Realm—Yaochi Fairyland!

The domain was not large, a hundred kilometers in diameter at most.

But no matter how the rock peaks attacked, the domain always instantly restored itself. Yaochi Immortal strolled through the endless assaults, casually plucking a pan peach and biting with delicate lips.

Crisp and sweet.

Both wounds and weariness faded.

Not only that, but every immortal fruit and herb became a soldier; grass and trees transformed into spectral Heavenly Soldiers and Generals.

Immortals arrayed themselves for battle.

Suddenly, an Abyss Giant Mouth tore open a corner of Yaochi Fairyland, swallowing Yaochi Immortal whole—it was Devouring Country Demon Venerable.

"Big Brother, I'll help you!"

In the next moment, on the mouth's surface, immortals broke out in formation, immortal vines like long whips restraining it for a moment.

"Third Brother, together!"

Mountain Forest Demon Venerable's eye twitched.

But there was no response from Lightning Demon Venerable.

Suddenly, its expression changed drastically.

In the distance, a Fox Woman apparition had the Lightning Demon Venerable tightly bound, and vanished into the void with it.

"Big Brother, third brother got caught!"

"I know."

Mountain Forest Demon Venerable roared,

"Mountain God descends!"

Buzz—a wave of divine power rippled out.

Above the sky, ghostly mountains appeared. A gigantic deer's head thrust out, baring its jaws to bite at the void.

Zheng! A blue spear light stabbed at the deer's head—a divine beast with a wolf's head and dragon's body descended, encircling Wan Shui, radiant in its majesty.