Chang'an.
Red Toad True Man's large sleeves fluttered as he looked down upon the crowd from his high vantage point.
Though he called himself an Immortal Master and had long ago severed his Mortal attachments—remaining unmoved by external gains or personal losses—
Every time he thought back to when his Dharma Body had descended here, only to be forcibly beaten back by a girl who didn't know the height of the heavens... how could he not feel hatred?!
At this very moment.
Seeing the people of Chang'an so terrified, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.
This was how Mortals should look when facing him.
Awe, fear, and despair.
The corners of his mouth curled up as his gaze swept through the crowd, yet he failed to find that specific figure.
"By the way... where is that girl?"
"..."
No one answered.
Red Toad True Man curled his lip and sneered, "Wasn't she quite arrogant when she shattered this old man's Dharma Body? What's the matter? Now that I've come in person, she's hiding like a turtle in its shell?"
Hearing this.
The Emperor's face showed bitterness, and his heart was filled with complex emotions... On one hand, Lonely Moon's habit of wandering off had saved her life today.
If she were in Chang'an right now, given that girl's explosive temper, she would certainly have been the first to charge up.
Not being in Chang'an City... could be considered a narrow escape.
On the other hand, he didn't know why he still held onto a shred of hope.
In this moment of despair, he secretly wished for that figure to appear.
It was as if the young woman could descend from the sky just like before, shatter this sky full of gloom with a single punch, and trample these five old bastards under her feet.
Thinking of this.
The Emperor laughed self-mockingly.
Heh... As the sovereign of a nation, why was he still like a Child, pinning his hopes on the plots of storybooks?
But this was Five Immortals Mountain... Never mind that five Immortal Masters were gathered here; even if Five Immortals Mountain had just sent a single Martial Immortal, no matter how many tricks she had or how much of a Prodigy she was... she was simply too young.
Facing such a lineup, what could she do besides throw her life away?
He looked up at the five towering figures in the sky and sighed inwardly.
Go... the further away, the better.
If this girl returns later and sees the tragic state of Chang'an, she must never, ever let her emotions get the better of her and dive headfirst into this.
As long as she lives... as long as she lives!
With Lonely Moon's talent, she will surely be able to avenge Great Tang in the future!
Red Toad True Man's brow furrowed.
Though he didn't know what this Mortal Emperor was thinking.
Somehow, that inexplicable expression made him feel extremely uncomfortable.
It was like an ant about to be crushed by a foot, who instead of crying or screaming before death, gave a relieved smile.
It was truly disgusting.
Forget it.
Why waste words with these common Mortals?
Even if he saw through the thoughts of an ant, what of it?
It would only be a joke and a loss of his status as an Immortal Master.
He then said coldly, "Everyone, let's begin!"
"First, destroy Chang'an City, then drag out that Reincarnation of the Great Ancestor."
Having spoken.
Red Toad True Man didn't spare another glance at the city walls.
Red mist surged from the acupoints across his body, and a cloying, sweet scent immediately filled the sky.
The mist billowed and condensed in mid-air.
It transformed into a crimson toad, which opened its massive maw and roared down toward the imperial city below.
The other Immortal Masters also watched with cold eyes and followed suit.
Mist of four different colors surged, transforming into the shapes of their respective Dharma Bodies.
Five colossal entities blotted out the sun.
Atop the city walls.
The Emperor's expression changed drastically.
Even though he had long prepared to perish together with the enemy, when truly facing the world-ending might of the Five Immortals attacking together,
His heart couldn't help but tremble.
"You go too far!"
The Li Old Ancestor took a step forward, his hair and beard bristling, his long sword pointed straight at the firmament.
"Ziwei Emperor Qi Art!"
Boom!
The earth rumbled.
Streaks of Dragon Qi burst from the ground, turning into dense purple Qi that frantically poured into the Old Ancestor's body.
His originally withered body instantly swelled.
As an Old Ancestor of the imperial family, why had he sat in Chang'an for these past hundreds of years without ever leaving?
There was a reason for it.
Chang'an was the gathering place of Great Tang's Dragon Qi, the seat of the Supreme Sovereign.
Any member of the Li imperial family, while in this place, could mobilize the fortune of the entire nation.
The support of such a vast and majestic aura was enough to allow him, at the Lamp-Lighting Perfection realm, to forcibly cross that threshold for a short time.
His strength was comparable to a Half-Step Tower Ascender Realm!
The Li Old Ancestor's expression shifted as he looked up.
Facing the five-colored Dharma Bodies pressing down from all directions, he gnashed his teeth in fury and violently swung the long sword in his hand.
"Slash!!!"
As he swung the sword.
He spat out another mouthful of foul-smelling blood, clearly having exerted his full strength.
Nine purple Sword Qi streams surged upward, colliding violently with the crimson toad in mid-air.
Several of them were snapped by the thick red mist, turning into specks of purple light that fell straight to the ground.
But this was only the beginning.
The remaining purple Sword Qi continued their upward momentum, still lashing out at the red toad phantom above.
"Hmm?"
Red Toad True Man snorted coldly.
He hadn't expected this old dog to still have some strength left.
With a thought.
Countless red mists instantly pulled back to defend, intending to block this strike.
Screech—!
The sword light was like a rainbow.
The seemingly indestructible red mist toad was actually split open by the sword light.
With just one strike.
The Red Toad was actually sent flying back!
Li Old Ancestor panted heavily, his hand holding the sword trembling slightly as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled grimly: "Five Immortals Masters... are nothing more than this..."
"..."
Red Toad True Man stood upon the clouds, his face darkened.
Although it was only his Red Toad Dharma Body that was damaged—which for his true body only meant a slight loss of Origin Qi—
To be struck by an ant in front of the other four lineages' Immortal Masters...
His dignity was completely lost... Even the other Immortal Masters, who had been nonchalant, stopped what they were doing.
Their gazes lingered on the panting, sword-wielding Li Old Ancestor.
Venerable Green Snake's vertical pupils narrowed as he said hesitantly, "Such power... could this person be the Reincarnation of Li Tianyuan? Has he awakened his past wisdom ahead of time?"
If he weren't the Great Ancestor's Reincarnation, how could he, with a Lamp-Lighting body, stand against an Immortal Master?
Hearing this.
Venerable Yellow Centipede pondered for a moment, then slowly shook his head.
"No."
"This person is merely borrowing Dragon Qi. If he were to leave Chang'an City, he would be no different from an ordinary Lamp-Lighting cultivator."
Once these words were spoken, everyone's hearts settled slightly.
However.
This was a matter of great importance after all.
No one dared to truly conclude that it definitely wasn't him.
Venerable Yellow Centipede's eyes narrowed, brimming with killing intent.
"For now, keep an eye on the Li imperial family and do not kill them by mistake. Whether it's this old dog or the Emperor... just cripple them."
"Once they are captured, the truth will be revealed."
With that.
He no longer hesitated.
Boom—
The five-colored clouds surged once more.
Atop the city walls.
Li Old Ancestor's figure swayed, and the Dragon Qi sword in his hand had already become somewhat illusory.
He gave a bitter laugh, his heart growing more desperate.
That strike just now seemed to have stood against an Immortal Master... but it alone had consumed the Dragon Qi Chang'an had stored for hundreds of years.
How could he resist what was to come?
But at that very moment.
The ring of a sword exploded from the distance.
The five Immortal Masters turned their gazes.
They saw in the mid-air not far away.
An old man dressed in ordinary cloth robes, stepping through the air.
The old man was thin with white hair, and in his hand, he held a rusty iron sword.
In the crowd below, someone's eyes widened.
"Old... Old Bai?!"