Tang Dynasty: Inherit the Evil Sword Immortal and destroy gods and demons with one thought!
Chapter 13 - The Battle Concludes, Li Yuanba’s Constellation Awakens!

Chapter 13: The Battle Concludes, Li Yuanba’s Constellation Awakens!

In the Demon-Sealing Tower, Li Qiye withdrew his hand, the chaotic evil aura in his palm quickly subsiding. “Phew…” he exhaled. The strike had been a close victory. At the critical moment, the Shu Mountain Five Elders deployed protective artefacts, dispersing much of his force, sparing the eight masters’ lives.

Fortunately, the demonic array was fully restored. Nearby, the Heavenly Demon Emperor’s ethereal form solidified, nearing the final stage of corporeal reformation. Once complete, Li Qiye would gain a formidable ally—the Lord of the Demon Realm. This intervention was worth it.

“Hmph, you got lucky this time,” Li Qiye muttered. “The Demon-Sealing Tower restricts my full power, giving you a slight edge. Once I’m free of this wretched place, we’ll settle scores!” He sat cross-legged to stabilize his state. If the Five Elders heard his words, they’d be livid—beaten to the point of vomiting blood, yet he claimed they had the advantage? Outrageous!

In Hui Province, the battle’s aftermath left the land scarred, mountains within ten miles razed by the cataclysmic forces. Shu Mountain disciples found the Five Elders unconscious, their protective artefacts shattered. “Sect Leader Qingwei!” they cried, scrambling to transport them back for healing. The disciples’ hearts were heavy, shrouded in gloom, but the disappearance of the pale hand brought quiet relief. Another strike from it would have been unstoppable—they were as fragile as infants before it.

The disciples didn’t know whose hand that was; only the Elders’ recovery could guide their next steps. On the imperial side, Li Tai staggered to his feet, brushing off dirt, his face ashen. His quick reflexes had spared him from the storm’s wrath, but a direct hit would have left him gravely injured. Staring at the lingering black clouds, he felt awe and envy. One finger had felled eight peerless masters—what terrifying power! Silently, he yearned for such strength. With it, why bother with succession disputes? He’d crush all dissent. But Li Tai knew such gifts were innate, like his imperial birthright or his Water Virtue Star status. He imagined the hand’s owner as a prodigy, nurtured by sages and bathed in adoration, destined for such heights.

Sighing, Li Tai shook off his musings. A soul transmission from Chang’an relayed the Tang Emperor’s orders: ensure Li Jing and Yuchi Jingde’s safety and stabilise Hui Province with Li Chengqian. Li Tai found the generals unconscious, their armour half-destroyed. “Du Chuke, escort Generals Li and Yuchi back to Chang’an! Deploy thirty thousand Earthly Fiend troops to maintain order in Hui Province. Inform the Crown Prince to deploy forces to clear residual demons—say it’s Father’s command.”

Li Tai issued orders methodically. Du Chuke, complying, sent scouts to Huaiyang, privately noting the Emperor’s likely displeasure. Huaiyang bordered Hui Province, yet Li Chengqian hadn’t stirred, unlike Li Tai’s long march to aid. As Du departed, Li Tai’s gaze turned skyward.

A cocoon of dark light hovered, formed after the hand’s assault on Li Yuanba. Amid the earlier chaos, it had gone unnoticed, but now it drew curious stares. Under their gaze, a crack split the cocoon. Ka! Golden fissures spread—first one, then two, then countless. Boom! The cocoon exploded, scattering golden light.

Li Yuanba emerged, outwardly unchanged but exuding a transformed aura. His Thunder Drum Urn Hammers were gone. Shu Mountain disciples froze, stunned. Li Yuanba’s presence now faintly surpassed Sect Leader Qingwei’s—and he was barely thirty! Li Tai, sensing an overwhelming celestial force, realised it was the power of an awakened constellation. Li Yuanba was the first in the Tang dynasty to achieve this.

Li Tai’s jaw dropped, a bitter sense of defeat rising. He’d prided himself as the Tang’s greatest genius, mastering his star power by sixteen, believing he’d soon outshine Li Yuanba. Now, the gap seemed insurmountable. Forcing a smile, he approached. “Congratulations, Uncle, for turning calamity into fortune and awakening your constellation!” If he couldn’t surpass Li Yuanba, perhaps he could win his allegiance.

Li Yuanba merely nodded, offering a curt acknowledgement before departing, leaving an awkward Li Tai behind. In the Demon-Sealing Tower, as the array closed, Li Qiye caught Li Yuanba’s rejection of Li Tai, a smile curving his lips. His instincts had been right.

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