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When all the infernal energy surged toward him, the Undying Sage Monarchâs true fate appeared across the sky. The blazing sun behind him shone high, dominating half the heavens as though it intended to devour everything beneath it.
âWith just you, you think to swallow us?â snorted Red-Blade Bull Demon.
His own true fate manifested as well, a towering bull demon that stood against heaven and earth.
This bull demon was not identical to Red-Blade Bull Demon himself. It was thousands of times larger, similar in form but different in countless subtle details.
âThe Future Self,â said the Violet Mist Saint Sovereign in surprise.
The so-called Future Self meant that one day, Red-Blade Bull Demon would grow to bee identical to the manifestation of his true fate now.
To touch even a fragment of the future was, in some sense, to transcend the flow of time itself.
For the River of Time dealt only with the past, events that had already occurred and could be traced. But the future was the unknown, untouchable by most.
For Red-Blade Bull Demon to use his future self as his true fate meant one thing: he had already carved out his own Dao.
Though he had yet to step into the Infinite Dao Realm, he was only a step away from opening the eleventh divine meridian.
With his future self revealed, the bullâs roar shook the heavens.
Red-Blade Bull Demon was the first to charge forward. Swinging his massive axe, he unleashed explosions across the void.
The other Infernal Archons did not hold back either.
Each unleashed their holy might, suppressing the four directions and surrounding the Undying Sage Monarch at the center.
Finally, under the relentless assaults, even the Sage Monarchâs true fate could no longer endure.
It began to flicker, being dim and indistinct.
The Undying Sage Monarchâs aura weakened steadily, until at last he was pletely suppressed.
The phantom of the Undying Phoenix behind him shattered.
âWe won,â said the Violet Mist Saint Sovereign with a sigh of relief.
âNot yet,â Xu Zimo said, shaking his head.
âDid you forget his title? Heâs called the Undying Sage Monarch for a reason.â
âShould I help?â asked the Violet Mist Saint Sovereign.
âNo need. These Infernal Archons have fought side by side for countless ages. Youâd only get in their way,â Xu Zimo replied.
Paimon and the others had fought together since the most ancient of times. To them, each otherâs movements were as familiar as their own.
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As the Undying Sage Monarch was pressed down, a sharp cry echoed through the void, the cry of a phoenix. The sky itself shattered under its force.
A tremendous surge of power erupted from the Sage Monarchâs body.
Paimon and the others were flung back by the blast.
When they steadied themselves, their eyes glowed with demonic light as they looked toward the center.
The Undying Sage Monarchâs body had vanished. In its place, a blazing sphere of light pulsed and flickered.
âHeâs revealing his true form,â said Paimon.
Sure enough, as his words fell, the radiance faded, revealing a colossal Undying Phoenix before them.
This was no true fate, nor a projected illusion, this was the real Undying Phoenix, one of the lower eight royal beast races.
The phoenixâs feathers shimmered in seven-colored brilliance, surrounded by flames of undying fire.
Its majestic presence spread across the land.
Across the boundless desert, countless beasts prostrated themselves, not daring to lift their heads.
To look upon it was to blaspheme.
The King of God Beasts.
Its eyes burned with pride as it gazed down upon all living beings from its lofty perch.
Its vast wings stretched wide, blotting out the sky.
Yet Red-Blade Bull Demon showed no fear.
He laughed loudly and said, âBack in the Demon Descent Era, phoenixes were mounts, and azure dragons were appetizers with wine. Your kind may frighten others, but not me.â
He hefted his giant axe once more.
His attacks held no technique, only pure, overwhelming power.
He cultivated the Dao of Strength itself.
Legend said that once, a supreme being had proven the Dao through sheer strength, splitting heaven and earth apart, unstoppable in all things.
ârades,â Paimon roared, âtoday we slay this phoenix! Let no one dare call our Ancient Demon Race weak again!â
Around him, infernal energy surged like a tidal sea. His Domain of Despair expanded outward, covering the heavens with a storm of black clouds.
Seven-Face transformed into a lotus of seven faces.
That lotus rooted deep into the ground, its myriad petals blooming as it absorbed all the worldâs despair and negativity.
Celestial Devourer raised his aura to the sky, piercing through the heavens themselves.
The demonic currents merged into a river in the sky, which soon became an ocean, a sea of Ancient Demons.
That dark ocean churned violently above, flooding the heavens like an infernal tide.
Celestial Devourer stood within it, his body half-submerged in its depths.
The four Ancient Demons struck together with absolute force.
Four torrents of power converged at once, shaking the heavens and earth.
Even under such crushing might, the Undying Phoenix managed to endure.
Flames of undying fire burned brighter and brighter upon its wings.
The Undying Flame was also the fire of Nirvana.
The more grievous the Sage Monarchâs wounds, the stronger the flames became.
And when the Nirvana Fire reached a certain point, it would trigger rebirth.
The phoenix cried out again and again, its voice echoing through heaven and earth.
âYou cannot kill me,â said the Undying Sage Monarch. âYour strength will eventually wane, but I shall rise again and again.â
âDamn it!â Red-Blade Bull Demon roared in fury.
He strode forward, tossing aside his massive axe.
Reaching the phoenix, he seized both its wings in his hands, and tore them apart.
âThen weâll kill you as many times as it takes!â he bellowed. âOld Bullâs not backing down today!â
As the phoenix was ripped apart, the flames of Nirvana gathered once more.
From within the fire came the sound of a beating heart.
He was resurrecting again.
âEnough, Old Bull,â Xu Zimo said, interrupting the demonâs rage.
âCanât you see it yet? Heâs using you. He wants to die.â
âWhat?â the Bull Demon froze.
Xu Zimo stepped into the air, looking up at the phoenix in the heavens.
With a faint smile, he said, âYouâve played your hand well.â
âMy lord, could you explain?â asked the Bull Demon, scratching his head. âThis old bullâs a bit lost.â
âDonât you understand?â Xu Zimo said. âWith every rebirth, a phoenix grows stronger.â
âHeâs taken the wrong path. His Dao has reached a dead end. He canât advance even a step further, and breaking through the eleventh meridian is nothing but a dream. But he knows this himself. Since heâs an Undying Phoenix, each death allows him to rebuild his Dao foundation, to strike once more at the gate of the Great Dao, hoping to set his path right.â
As Xu Zimo spoke, realization dawned on the others.
This man wasnât fighting to survive, he was seeking death.
Using the phoenixâs power of rebirth to reshape his Dao foundation.
âSo what if youâve seen through it?â said the Undying Sage Monarch coldly. âWill you kill me, or not?â
âYou really think your Undying Phoenix Race is truly immortal?â Xu Zimo said with a faint smile, lifting his head.
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