Rebirth of the Supreme Immortal Emperor

Ling Shuanghua's words, each like a piercing arrow, swiftly transformed the conflict originally elevated to the level of sect rivalry into a personal vendetta.

The reason Jian Wuheng is so aggrieved with Li Chen is due to their rivalry over a woman, not the so-called sect interests.

Those Heaven's Chosen Sons, Holy Daughters, aren't they all the proud and ambitious types? They neither wish for Li Chen, a Loose Cultivator, to climb above them nor desire to be used as pawns by Jian Wuheng for nothing.

Even though unspoken on the surface, an irreparable rift has already formed in their hearts.

Yet, in doing so, Ling Shuanghua also threw herself into the eye of the storm. After this Immortal Sect Martial Arts Competition, the pressure she will face is easily imaginable.

Ling Shuanghua is a smart and astute girl, naturally able to foresee these consequences accurately. But even so, she still proceeded, unwaveringly.

Upon hearing these words, Jian Wuheng was immediately enraged, and his eyes, like those of a predator, were burning with intense flames.

"Ling Shuanghua, what do you mean by these words in front of everyone, intentionally humiliating our Heavenly Sword Mountain and me, Jian Wuheng?"

Though angry, Jian Wuheng did not lose his composure, and his words were skillful, quickly pulling out the banner of Heavenly Sword Mountain.

The implied meaning was a suggestion to Ling Shuanghua to think before speaking. Is Cloud Sea Sect planning to openly break face with us, Heavenly Sword Mountain?

The situation became increasingly complex, and the scene abruptly grew tense.

The first to be unable to sit still were Ling Shuanghua's parents, Ling Yunlong and Su Yuru.

"Shuanghua, what nonsense are you causing? Hurry and come down!"

Ling Shuanghua looked apologetically at her parents, then turned to glance at Li Chen, her eyes slightly reddened.

Li Chen understood the deeper meaning behind Ling Shuanghua's actions. He paused for a moment and spoke solemnly, "Fairy Ling, there's no need for you to do this for me. This is a private vendetta between Jian Wuheng and me; you needn't involve yourself!"

However, Ling Shuanghua was entirely unappreciative and immediately glared at him, shouting a sentence.

"Shut up, who said I was doing it for you!"

After shouting, Ling Shuanghua once again faced Jian Wuheng, whose green clouds seemed oppressive and whose face was filled with fury.

"Jian Wuheng, I never intended to humiliate you, so stop trying to intimidate me with Heavenly Sword Mountain. I'm saying if you win the championship in this Immortal Sect Martial Arts Competition through fair competition, I'll marry you."

"But the result just now was witnessed by everyone; you, Jian Wuheng, lost. That's the reality, not humiliation. Since you know you're not as good, stop flaunting here; it only embarrasses you and degrades others' views of you, Jian Wuheng!"

"Fine, fine, fine. Ling Shuanghua, is this how you see me, Jian Wuheng? Today, I will prove to you that I, Jian Wuheng, am no worse than anyone else!"

Jian Wuheng laughed angrily, saying "fine" three times to express his deep grief and indignation.

As he spoke, a pill, egg-sized and as clear as amber, imbued with a glow of red radiance, suddenly appeared in his palm, as if by magic.

Jian Wuheng looked at the red pill in his hand, his eyes seemed filled with pain and hesitation.

Yet, as his gaze passed over Ling Shuanghua and Li Chen on the Jade Platform, all hesitation vanished, leaving only madly intense killing intent.

"Li Chen, let us settle life and death once more!"

On the high platform, Jian Chen witnessed this scene and, greatly shocked, quickly stood up.

"Wu Heng, don't do anything foolish!"

However, it was already too late.

Just as Jian Chen's words left his mouth, Jian Wuheng had already swallowed the pill.

The effect was immediate, a violent potency blending with blood, making Jian Wuheng exceptionally rampageous. His eyes were blood-red, visibly burning with flames, white smoke started rising from the top of his head, making his entire body resemble an imminently erupting volcano.

Seeing this scene, everyone's faces changed drastically.

Jian Changming, looking frantic, turned to his brother Jian Chen.

"Brother, Wu Heng has taken..."

Before Jian Changming finished his sentence, Jian Chen nodded with deep sorrow.

"Yes, it is the Red Lotus Pill!"

The Red Lotus Pill is made using the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Medicine, the Millennium Fire Lotus, a fourth-grade high-grade Spirit Medicine.

Its effect is extremely potent, allowing a cultivator at the Peak of Golden Core Late Stage to rapidly break through the Life and Death Shackles and advance to the Nascent Soul Realm. For an ordinary cultivator, it can boost one's combat power by threefold instantly.

Of course, everything has pros and cons. The Red Lotus Pill also has obvious side effects; slight negligence by the user can easily lead to backlash. The lesser result is foundational injury requiring decades of arduous cultivation to recover; the worse outcome is complete cultivation wipeout or immediate death.

It seems Jian Wuheng harbors a murderous intent towards Li Chen.

Even though the rules of the Immortal Sect Martial Arts Competition call for restraint, prohibiting killings.

Yet, no prominent figures emerged to prevent Jian Wuheng's near-mad actions.

No matter how exceptional, Li Chen is considered a rare genius in a thousand years; but after all, he is just a rootless Loose Cultivator. It's unnecessary to offend Jian Wuheng and his powerful sect, Heavenly Sword Mountain, for someone doomed to die.

"Li Chen, prepare to die!"

At that moment, Jian Wuheng resembled a blazing fire lotus. Where he passed, even the air ignited, creating explosive sounds like fireworks.

"Chen!"

Lian Hongshang worriedly shouted, concerned for Li Chen.

Li Chen pretended to be casual, smiled, and said, "Don't worry, just a mad dog. Stand aside and watch how your husband slays a dog?"

After saying that, he pushed Lian Hongshang to the side and spun into the air, stepping on lotuses, confronting Jian Wuheng.

"Li Cheng, today's Ascending Dragon Platform will be your burial ground!"

Jian Wuheng's eyes were filled with a blood-red radiance, unleashing an unparalleled, crazed momentum.

Li Chen coldly sneered, replied, "Jian Wuheng, do you believe that even with taking a pill, you are not my opponent?"

"Arrogant!"

Jian Wuheng, enraged and humiliated, caused the Dragon Slayer Sword in his hand to emit a soul-stirring dragon roar, instantly tearing through the air, slashing at Li Chen.

Li Chen, clasping the ancient zither, plucked the strings deftly; the sound of slaughter surged out, condensing into an unparalleled phoenix, singing to the skies.

A dragon and a phoenix, sometimes passionately entwining like reunited lovers, and sometimes madly clashing like relentless foes.

Rolling clouds, endlessly changing. The whole void vibrated violently under such furious True Yuan impact.

"Break for me!"

Jian Wuheng's True Yuan burned rapidly inside him, his sword-shadow, akin to a Barbaric Fire Dragon, roared ferociously, forcing the phoenix born of the zither's sound down.

"Twang!"

The zither string broke with a particularly piercing noise.

"My Phoenix-tail Zither!"

The Dancing Girl trembled involuntarily upon seeing her Lifebound Magical Treasure, the Phoenix-tail Zither, having its strings snapped.

Witnessing this, others turned wide-eyed in shock.

One must know, earlier Li Chen used this very move to consecutively defeat Shangguan Changhong, Luot Ziming, and Bai Yunfeng, three top-tier Heavenly Pride.

Yet now, Jian Wuheng broke the zither's string with just one sword.

Currently, his combat power had reached an astonishing realm, perhaps even equaling ordinary Nascent Soul Cultivators.

Reflecting on this, many once again turned their attention to Li Chen suspended in mid-air.

Some lamented his fate, believing the legendary figure to be fleeting as the blossoming of a flower, now doomed.

Others rejoiced in his misfortune, thinking Li Chen courted death. Believing his talent was license to defy all, blind arrogance. "The tall trees catch the wind, that is the Heavenly Dao!"

Yet there existed a group of individuals who cautiously observed the conflict between Jian Wuheng and Li Chen. Although Li Chen presently seemed disadvantaged, his real forte remained the Sword Dao.

The exciting show had just begun, it was premature to conclude this duel now. With ever-changing battles, the outcome remained uncertain.