9: Chapter 9 Before me, all are but ants!

The Realms of Cultivators in the Lower Realm, from low to high, are in order: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, Void Refining, Undergoing Tribulation, Body Integration, Mahayana...

Afterwards, they seek the Dao through Ascension, achieve Immortal Ascension, fly into the Upper Realm, and become an Immortal.

When they heard someone say that the woman in the sky might be a Supreme powerhouse of the Mahayana Stage, everyone on the Jianren Sect's plaza opened their mouths wide in astonishment.

If these words were true, then just how terrifying was that woman's strength?

And listening to her tone, it seemed she had come with ill intent.

Could it be... that the Jianren Sect was about to suffer a great catastrophe today?

"Who dares to make a racket before this Venerable!?"

As soon as the voice fell, a white-robed Elder was seen arriving gracefully, carrying majestic spiritual pressure. He was not using Sword Flight; he flew directly into the Void Realm and confronted the purple-robed woman.

"Hmph."

Ji Yao coldly snorted, then slowly stood up and said, "Young brat Wu Jianhua, it has been over a month, and you have actually made progress. You have successfully completed Undergoing Tribulation and achieved a Breakthrough to the Soul Transformation Stage..."

The white-robed Elder was none other than the Sect Master of the Jianren Sect, Wu Jianhua.

Seeing the Sect Master appear, and having achieved a Breakthrough to the Soul Transformation Stage, the countless Disciples on the Sect plaza were all stirred with excitement!

"The Sect Master has actually achieved a Breakthrough to the Soul Transformation Stage!"

"This is truly wonderful! The Sect Master was already one of the top powerhouses in the Liuyun Kingdom, and now that he has achieved a Breakthrough to the Soul Transformation Stage, becoming a protector of the kingdom, it is truly Heaven's blessing for our Jianren Sect!"

"I knew it! A few days ago, there was thunder rumbling and darkness covering the sky behind the mountain; it turns out the Sect Master was Undergoing Tribulation! This is great, the Sect Master succeeded in Undergoing Tribulation; it is truly a blessing for our Sect!"

Wu Jianhua stood in the Void Realm, one hand gripping a snow-white precious sword that shimmered with crystalline light. Listening to the flattery from the Disciples on the plaza, there was not a hint of joy on his face.

When he saw clearly that the visitor was the famous The Demoness, he instead furrowed his brows tightly, looked at Ji Yao, and shouted:

"Demoness, it is actually you!"

"Over a month ago, this Venerable followed Old Ancestor Bing to besiege you, this Demoness. You slaughtered hundreds upon thousands of Nascent Soul Cultivators and Golden Core Cultivators. Even a Soul Transformation Cultivator from the Yinhuo Kingdom was heavily injured by you and nearly lost his life. You Demoness, how dare you come to our doorstep today? Do you think my Jianren Sect has no one?"

The many Disciples on the plaza heard this and immediately sensed something was wrong.

The Sect Master had already achieved a Breakthrough to the Soul Transformation Stage, yet he seemed a bit afraid of this woman...

He even said that this woman had slaughtered hundreds upon thousands of Nascent Soul and Golden Core Cultivators, and even a Soul Transformation Supreme had been heavily injured by her and nearly lost his life...

Could it be... that this woman is truly a Supreme powerhouse of the Mahayana Stage?

"It is good that you remember. A month ago, if that old ghost Bing hadn't heavily injured this Seat, causing this Seat to hide in a place where a True Dragon slept to heal... you brat would have already had your life taken by this Seat!"

Ji Yao's Phoenix eyes were filled with malice. Thinking back to being heavily injured by that old ghost Bing over a month ago, she still felt somewhat indignant. These damned human Cultivators had actually ganged up to ambush her!

Damn them! All of them deserve to die!!!

As the noble Imperial Crown Princess of the Nine-Winged Phoenix Clan, this was the first time she had suffered such humiliation.

If this can be tolerated, what cannot?

Now that her wounds were healed, it was time to settle the score.

Thinking of this, Ji Yao stopped wasting words.

With a "whoosh," she soared into the sky like a Fire Phoenix bathing in flames.

Her dress ribbons were like nimble flames, dancing in the wind across the sky, as if they wanted to ignite the entire space.

Afterwards, even more eye-catchingly, four pairs of huge black-gold wings grew out from behind her!

Those black-gold wings were as towering as mountains, and every feather shimmered with mysterious light, as if they contained endless energy.

The moment the wings spread, they seemed to cover the entire sky, casting a huge shadow.

When the wings flapped slightly, the sound of the wind they brought was as shocking as thunder.

Everyone present from the Jianren Sect was stunned by this shocking scene, their eyes unable to move away from those huge wings.

"An Eight-Winged Phoenix!!"

"Oh! No! It should be the Nine-Winged Phoenix Clan; her ninth wing has not grown out yet!"

Some knowledgeable Elders of the Jianren Sect exclaimed, their mouths wide open in circles.

Afterwards, their voices became low.

"Even if it is eight wings, it is not inferior to a Mahayana Stage Supreme at all..."

"The Nine-Winged Phoenix Clan is a mysterious race from the Primordial Era. It is rumored to be the race descended from the Phoenix, the spirit pet of the first Heavenly Emperor, the Desolate Heavenly Emperor. This Primordial race does not need to use Ascension at all to enter the Upper Realm..."

"When did our Sect provoke such a Supreme powerhouse..."

Just as the Elders and Disciples were astonished, Sect Master Wu Jianhua quietly crushed a sound-transmission Jade Slip. Holding his white-light precious sword, he shouted to everyone:

"Fellow brothers and sisters, all Disciples!"

"This Venerable has already sent a sound-transmission to Old Ancestor Bing for help. In just one hour, Old Ancestor Bing will be able to arrive here, and many other powerhouses above the Nascent Soul stage will also rush over together. This Demoness slaughters our Human Race Cultivators like pigs and dogs. We high-level Cultivators of the Righteous Path should join hands and work together to deal with this The Demoness..."

"Everyone... are you willing to fight alongside me!?"

Wu Jianhua's voice was loud and stirring. Hearing that Old Ancestor Bing would also be rushing over, the Elders and Disciples immediately shouted in unison:

"Swear to live and die with the Sect Master!!!"

Ji Yao let out a soft snort through her nose, then said with malice in her Phoenix eyes:

"Since you ants insist on overestimating yourselves and seeking death, then... this Seat shall grant your wish!!!"

"Form the Sect formation!!"

At Wu Jianhua's command, the many Elders and Disciples quickly formed the Sect formation. Everyone stood according to the Bagua formation, then, holding long swords, they chanted the incantation:

"The Heavenly Dao is vast, the Earthly Dao is boundless, the Human Dao is bustling, the Ghostly Dao is panicked, the Heavens' Qi is sweeping, our Dao flourishes daily, our Sect is named Jianren, Man and Sword become one, the Sword Dao is Supreme, breaking the void—slash!!!"

As the incantation was finished, a huge, incomparable sword of the bright sky was seen in the sky, appearing like a towering mountain. First it was Sword Qi, and then, it slowly solidified. Its blade shimmered with a heart-palpitating cold light, as if it could tear through the Void Realm, and it slashed down towards Ji Yao's position...

Ji Yao just gave a light snort, then shook the four pairs of huge feathered wings behind her, and her figure vanished...

"Feathers Filling the Sky!!!"

"Break for this Seat!!!"

Feathers filled the sky, like Sharp Weapons, falling down with incomparably swift speed like a torrential rain, each one directly piercing into the bodies of the Jianren Sect Disciples and Elders...

"Ugh!" "Pfft!" "Ah!"

In the blink of an eye, almost everyone had fallen to the ground; some died on the spot, some were heavily injured and on the verge of death...

"Nine-Winged Phoenix Clan... is this the strength of the Nine-Winged Phoenix Clan?"

"The Sect formation was actually unable to withstand a single blow..."

In the sky, that giant sword that had solidified suddenly became illusory and eventually dissipated...

Retracting her eight wings, Ji Yao slowly flew down to the plaza. With a casual wave of her hand, one of the Jianren Sect's mountain peaks was snapped in half...

"It is your turn, brat!"

Ji Yao sneered as she looked at the Soul Transformation Stage Wu Jianhua, just as if she were looking at an ant.