Volume One: The Great Tribulation of the Lich 239. The War of the Lich (Part Two)

Hou Yi’s longbow continuously unleashed arrows of profound ice, extinguishing the Solar True Fire of Di Jun and Tai Yi. The two celestial emperors, however, persisted in gathering more of the flames, which grew increasingly scorching. They transformed into their true forms—two massive Golden Crows—enveloped within the searing inferno. Countless torrents of Solar True Fire rained down from the heavens, and the earth, which had yet to recover from the previous scorching of the ten Golden Crows, was plunged into a state of even greater devastation.

The Great Shamans and Battle Shamans unleashed their true forms, tearing through the ranks of the demon race. The demons, for their part, brought forth their own magical treasures to clash directly against the formidable physical bodies of the Shamans. Meanwhile, Xi He, consumed by rage, flew from the Heavenly Court to the battlefield. Fixing her eyes on Hou Yi, she cried out, "Hou Yi! I will have you pay with your life for my children!"

She reached for her magical weapon, intent on striking him down, but Di Jun hurriedly intervened. "Xi He, focus on little Ten first. I will ensure he meets his end as well!"

Xi He replied, her mood dark, "But..."

Di Jun gestured toward the Chaos Bell of Tai Yi, using it to transport the tenth prince to her side. "He is all we have left! Do you want him to suffer the same fate as his brothers?"

At this question, Xi He cast a look of intense hatred at Hou Yi before reluctantly taking the tenth prince back toward the Heavenly Court. Just then, a thunderous roar erupted from the Shaman ranks. "Where do you think you are going? Stay here and pay for the life of our brother Kuafu!"

Xing Tian brandished his giant axe and shield, charging toward Xi He. Knowing the terrifying combat prowess of Xing Tian, Di Jun and the others quickly moved to intercept him. "Xing Tian, you shall not pass today. In fact, it is you Shamans who must all be buried alongside my children."

Di Jun erupted with intense Solar True Fire, preparing to incinerate the Shaman. Xing Tian whirled his axe with such ferocious speed and power that the surrounding demons dared not approach. Tai Yi joined the fray, striking the Chaos Bell repeatedly, sending waves of chaotic air currents sweeping across the battlefield. Even the physically indomitable Shamans were forced to recoil from the onslaught.

Di Jun and his allies plunged into the Shaman ranks, their magical treasures reaping lives with every sweep. Seeing this, Jiufeng and the others could hold back no longer; they charged in with their thunder spears, clashing with Tai Yi and the others. The air was filled with the deafening tolling of bells and the roar of thunder. The newly promoted Great Shaman Chi You locked in combat with the demon sage Bai Ze. The battle raged, with the earth-bound Shamans and heaven-bound demons caught in the wake of the warring emperors, sages, and shamans.

Unable to pursue Xi He while hindered by their opponents, Hou Yi and Xing Tian fought with all their might. Fuxi utilized the Hetu and Luoshu to set up the River-Luo Formation, bracing against the charges of the Great Shamans while playing his zither to unleash waves of attacks upon them.

"You demon spawn," Hou Yi shouted, "you boast of ruling the world, yet you allow your children to wreak havoc upon it! It seems your time on the Heavenly Throne is coming to an end!"

Di Jun sneered. "What a joke. If we are unworthy, are you, the brainless Shaman race, any better?"

"Enough, Di Jun! Do not insult us. We are the descendants of the Father God; how could a mere bird like you dare to mock us?"

"That is nothing but your own claim," Di Jun retorted with a mocking glare. "Who knows how much truth there is in that? I could just as easily claim to be an heir of the great Pangu myself!"

Meanwhile, on Mount Sumeru, the sages observed the carnage. "Now that the conflict between the Shamans and demons is truly irreconcilable, our great teachings will finally have their chance to flourish." For the demon race, led by Di Jun, dominated the Heavenly Court and held sway over the entire world. As long as the demon race stood as a mountain in their path, few would seek the Western Teachings. They needed to find a way to see this mountain vanish so that the creatures of the world would flock to them.

On the battlefield, the slaughter reached a fever pitch. The ground was littered with corpses and turned to mud by rivers of blood. With the River-Luo Formation fully deployed, Di Jun commanded, "Attack the Shamans with everything you have! I refuse to believe they cannot be wiped out entirely."

As Shaman warriors fell in droves under the might of the demon formation, Hou Yi and his kin were consumed by fury. They revealed their true Ancestral Shaman and Great Shaman forms, becoming giants who leveled the landscape with every punch, their strikes rippling with laws and ancient power. They tore through the demon ranks, each blow claiming thousands of lives. They turned their focus toward Fuxi, the master of the formation, and the sea of demons within.

Deep within the Wa Palace, the Goddess Nuwa watched the battle unfold, her heart heavy with anxiety. She knew that with her strength, she could easily annihilate the Shaman race, yet she hesitated. She had glimpsed the hidden power within the Shaman's Pangu Temple—a presence that filled her with dread. She had a premonition that if she intervened, she might lose her own life. Moreover, she harbored doubts about Di Jun’s ambition; she was uncertain if he would ever truly show gratitude to her, a saint of the demon race.

On Mount Kunlun, the others remained aloof, watching the war like spectators, neither offering aid nor intending to intervene.