Or rather, she had never left, lurking at the very rear of the lizard clans. Today, she had returned.
Behind Miao, she brought nearly all the Heavenly class members of the Azure Lizard tribe, excluding those participating in the Myriad Beast War.
A total of fifteen!
With this number, victory was all but assured.
Even if Qing Ling was a born deity with three Heavenly class members of considerable strength, they could only be defeated.
Miao dared not request reinforcements from the Black Lizard Upper Clan again. Her mere Heavenly class cultivation serving as a Saintess of the Upper Clan was already met with dissatisfaction by many Golden Immortal Venerables in the tribe. If not for the former Saintess suddenly achieving a breakthrough to Taiyi through opportune circumstances and personally designating her successor, Miao would never have become Saintess, even with her immense confidence in achieving Golden Immortal status!
Qing Ling and the other three stood up, all looking solemnly at the fifteen Heavenly class members. Including Miao, there were sixteen.
This time, he did not have the life-saving divine abilities of a Golden Immortal Venerable. Even if he did, the opponent had already made preparations.
Qing Ling stepped forward. The spring god's flawless countenance gazed calmly at the sixteen Heavenly class members. He casually removed the jade belt from his hair and smiled, "Saintess, you have attacked several times, all for this spiritual treasure in my hand, have you not?
Then come and take it by your own means!
Du, Ke, and Qi, show them the strength of our Xi Shan Ancient Clan!"
Ke took a step forward. The temperature within a thousand zhang instantly dropped to below zero. The ice-heart fairy, clad in a blue long skirt, stepped into the wind and snow, wielding two short daggers.
Du let out a sinister laugh. His long sword was drawn. He pointed his sword to the sky, and dark clouds gathered. Heavy poisonous essence, like wind and clouds, infiltrated everywhere.
Qi raised his saber again. Possessing a trace of the Ba Serpent's bloodline, he was immensely strong, his saber's edge fierce and imposing.
Even with only the three of them, the oppressive aura they exuded made the fifteen Heavenly class opponents feel immense pressure.
Miao snorted coldly and spread her hands. A torrent of water surged into the sky, stretching for ten thousand zhang, like a floating ocean. Waves crashed against the sky. Single-handedly, she shattered the atmospheric phenomena of Ke and the other two.
Following that, the fifteen Heavenly class lizard tribesmen unleashed their respective atmospheric phenomena. In an instant, giant lizard divine statues soared through the sky, a persistent drizzle fell, poisonous miasma swirled like clouds, spiritual images of sabers and swords appeared, and mountains and seals materialized.
The combined atmospheric phenomena of sixteen Heavenly class beings made even the snakes and lizards tens of thousands of zhang away tremble with fear.
Qing Ling saw that the atmospheric phenomena of Du and the other two were beginning to falter, and immediately unleashed his own.
Within his dantian world, the three-thousand-zhang spiritual power lake surged. Qing Ling gestured, and the spiritual power manifested. Azure energy surged eastward for thirty thousand zhang, and azure brilliance rose into the sky, revealing dense forests, blooming flowers, verdant grass, and ten-thousand-zhang mountains, all dyed green.
The grand phenomenon of his magic power revealed a world of spring. Within Qing Ling's manifestation, a human with a serpent's tail, he drew upon the spring breeze for ten thousand zhang and rode the celestial clouds for ten thousand li. In this land of the Xi Shan clan, he was a god!
A pressure carrying the power of heaven and earth instilled a trace of fear in the hearts of the sixteen great beast Heavenly class beings. Such a magical phenomenon clearly surpassed the Heavenly class.
But Miao still did not retreat. She chanted a spell, and countless incantations arose. A black lizard dharma image, fifty thousand zhang large, appeared in the sky. The giant lizard stomped its four feet, as if directly crushing the sky downwards. Ascending into the sky, one lizard and one god confronted each other in the heavens.
Below, Qi was already wielding his long saber, his saber energy crisscrossing endlessly, each strike faster and more potent than the last, forcing two Heavenly class lizard people to fight together.
As for Du, he let out a long roar. His sword was drawn, and with a single strike, ten thousand swords were unleashed. The ten thousand swords, like rain, swept up the remaining thirteen Heavenly class great beasts.
All the Heavenly class lizard tribesmen were enraged. An old man in a green robe shouted, "Arrogant! You snakes dare to disrespect us so!"
Saying this, he hurled his cane, which transformed into ten thousand azure lizards that lunged towards the ten thousand swords.
"Clang!"
"Puff!"
As the ten thousand swords pierced the bellies of the ten thousand lizards, and the attacks of the twelve Heavenly class tribesmen behind the old man were about to strike the enemy, he heard a "puff" from within his own body.
Then, a sharp pain in his back and chest, followed by an icy sensation that froze his soul. The old man looked back in disbelief, only to see a beautiful woman, wielding a dripping short blade, vanishing amidst the wind and snow.
"Hiss... Heh..."
This was the last sound the old man made as he fell to the ground.
The twelve Heavenly class lizard people were stunned for a moment, then reacted with furious roars. A sky-filling malevolent aura swept down directly towards Du, making his face tense. He quickly manifested his five-step snake body, growing to five hundred zhang, carrying five layers of cloud poison to resist. And
Ke, who had once again concealed herself, was also forced to reveal herself, blending the wind and snow to jointly resist the five layers of cloud poison. Otherwise, if she did not reveal herself, Du would surely die.
Above, the benevolent divine image of spring did not enter the black lizard's black water domain, and the black lizard did not dare to enter Qing Ling's spring scenery.
But at this moment, Qing Ling reached out and pointed at his face. Three parts of his internal magic power were released. The Sky-Binding Rope, carrying a green crystal on its face, instantly descended from the clouds, transforming into a ten-thousand-zhang giant python that coiled around the twelve Heavenly class lizard people.
The black lizard, however, paid no heed to the lives of the lizard people below. Seizing this opportunity, it greatly amplified the black water surrounding its body, enveloping the ten-thousand-zhang divine domain. Then, it opened its mouth wide, releasing all its divine power. The power of the Golden Immortal Divine Lizard, summoned by the Saint Sacrifice, was all hoped to be concentrated in this single strike!
At the same time, a beast skin magic talisman flew from Miao's transformed black lizard, descending towards the Sky-Binding Rope.
"Boom!"
The giant black light spewed by the black lizard shot towards the divine domain trapped by the black water. The immense power directly scattered the ten-thousand-zhang celestial clouds.
It hit!
Miao rejoiced in her heart. An attack comparable to a Golden Immortal's would at least heavily wound the opponent, if not kill them. And her Spirit-Suppressing Talisman could naturally suppress a congenital spiritual treasure that its owner could not control!
The Sky-Binding Rope, previously transformed into a ten-thousand-zhang giant python, directly swallowed five Heavenly class lizard people. It then transformed into thousands of forms of Sky-Binding to block the combined attack of the twelve Heavenly class beings. As a result, its spiritual energy was exhausted, transforming into a jade-green belt, still restraining the five Heavenly class beings.
The Spirit-Suppressing Talisman immediately transformed into a profound yellow divine light that descended upon the Sky-Binding Rope.
But in the next moment, a cyan shadow flashed before the Sky-Binding Rope. The divine pattern of Qing Ling's divine spark on his brow shone brightly. A divine radiance blocked this profound yellow magic pattern. As they met, a resounding boom echoed, and cyan and yellow colors scattered in all directions.
Qing Ling was repelled several steps, then stopped his movement and said, "Saintess, you have lost!"
Miao's face contorted with rage. "How is this possible?"
She looked at the place where the black water had originally bound the divine domain. Only a blue serpent's body, covered in wounds and cracks, remained.
"Substitute Tribulation!"
Miao instantly thought of this divine ability, and a surge of hatred filled her heart. She angrily shouted, "Everyone, follow me and take them down!"
Qing Ling smiled. "They would like to, but their hearts are willing, though their strength is insufficient."
Miao's gaze sharpened. She saw that the aura of the seven Heavenly class lizard people was fluctuating unstably, and their faces were all filled with pain. A violent sensation of life force being devoured within them made it difficult for them to muster their internal magic power.
"You have been struck by my Thousand Tears of Sorrow. If the poison is not removed in time, even a Golden Immortal Venerable would be flayed. If it were you, there would only be death!"
Upon hearing this, the remaining seven Heavenly class lizard people, as well as the two lizard people entangled with Qi, could no longer care about anything else. They all transformed into streaks of rainbow and fled, abandoning their five fellow tribesmen on the jade-green belt, let alone the Saintess!
Miao's face turned ashen, her eyes bloodshot. She roared, "Good! I, Miao, remember this! I will surely take your life someday to repay today's humiliation!"
Qing Ling stepped forward, his expression calm. "I remember it too. When you abdicate as Saintess, it will be the moment of your demise!"
The beautiful woman's face was contorted with ferocity as she glared at the handsome youth. The two stared at each other across the distance, their silent gazes filled with unspoken threats and curses.
Miao roared and turned away, transforming into a blue rainbow and disappearing into the horizon. Upon her return to the clan, she would face the reprimand of her ancestors and the questioning of her tribesmen!
Qing Ling saw that Miao had truly left before his body trembled, and he nearly collapsed to the ground. It was Du who supported him, preventing him from falling.
Leaning on Du's arm, Qing Ling slowly sat down cross-legged. He remained silent, meditating and immersing himself in his consciousness.
Each use of the Great Substitute Tribulation Technique was a self-inflicted injury. Although he had escaped a fatal blow, he was undeniably severely weakened. Moreover, he had used his divine spark to resist the divine light of the Spirit-Suppressing Talisman, directly damaging his divine body and flesh, compounding his injuries!
Even though he could communicate with the power of heaven and earth in Xi Shan by virtue of his divine authority, making him comparable to a Golden Immortal, Saintess Miao also possessed the Saint Sacrifice, which could reach the power of a Golden Immortal. Furthermore, below, there were fifteen Heavenly class clansmen scattering Qing Ling's attention.
At this moment, Qi approached and hurriedly transmitted his voice, asking, "Brother, how is your injury?"
Du patted his shoulder and comforted him, "Don't worry, it's just a bit troublesome. Are you alright?"
Qi shook his head. "I'm fine. I can hold off two early-stage Heavenly class beings."
After sealing the primordial spirits of the five Heavenly class lizard people, Ke walked over. She glanced at Qing Ling and said, "Born deities have the protection of fate; they cannot be compared to those four-legged reptiles."
Du turned and asked, "Will the Black Lizard Upper Clan not cause trouble again this time?"
Ke shook her head. "They probably won't."
Qi resentfully said, "That Saintess, I will surely kill her one day!"
Du sighed. "No need to rush. Saintesses and Saint Sons of each clan cannot be harmed. This is the third rank of the Twelve Orders, and violating it is punishable by death."
Qing Ling's consciousness was completely immersed within himself. His divine spark was damaged, and his dao body's meridians were broken in multiple places. Although severe, these were only injuries that could be healed.
Injuries that can be healed are not considered injuries. Only injuries that shake the foundation of one's dao root are irreparable for a lifetime!
The spiritual power lake within his body flowed throughout his body, nourishing the meridians everywhere. Wherever the spiritual power passed, broken bones and flesh mended, and vitality dispersed.
Qing Ling recovered for several years, and his injuries were completely healed.
Then, he picked up the five Heavenly class lizard people and began to practice life-force plundering, slowly refining and purifying his magic power.
Qing Ling's name completely resounded throughout the Azure Lizard tribe. If in Xi Shan, Qing Ling was a god in the eyes of all serpents, then among the Azure Lizard tribe, Qing Ling was a demon. The Heavenly class members of the tribe who perished in Xi Shan alone numbered no less than two hands!
The Azure Lizard tribe was on par with the Xi Shan Snake tribe. The loss of so many Heavenly class clansmen would surely cripple them. Of course, this tribe was also clever; those who followed the Saintess were members of the tribe with no hope of becoming Golden Immortals, otherwise, the losses would have been even more severe.
And Miao, after returning to her clan, was met with opposition from many Golden Immortal Venerables in the tribe, nearly losing her position as Saintess.
Upon her return, she immediately entered seclusion to break through to Golden Immortal, thereby silencing the dissenting voices in the tribe.
As for the Azure Lizard tribe complaining and crying for pity to the Black Lizard main clan, they received no substantial compensation.
The ancestor of the Black Lizard clan stopped probing, unsure whether he had given up or was planning his next move.
Fifty spring and winter cycles after Qing Ling took up his post at the Green Wood Great Wall, Ke and Du received orders to return to Xi Shan.