The scene before Ji Xiang was akin to an inferno from the deepest hell.
Countless palace maids and eunuchs had been reduced to charred corpses.
The grand palaces, with their intricately carved beams and pillars, were now blackened remnants.
Flames met across the north and south streets, turning the once glorious Guangming Palace into scorched earth.
The magnificent and opulent architecture of yesteryear, ravaged by fire and weathered by the elements, had crumbled into ruins, leaving behind only dreamlike palaces in the memories of those to come.
The charred bodies lay in various postures: some prostrate on the ground, others with a raised hand in supplication, some slumped against the debris, and others kneeling with heads bowed, clutching their chests.
In the June Forbidden City, divine fire had consumed twelve palaces, claiming three hundred lives.
As Ji Xiang walked, one could not say he felt pity, but rather a surge of anger.
These people were strangers to him, with whom he had no connection. He owed them no tears.
Yet, compassion was a part of human nature.
Witnessing the suffering of hell, how could one not feel a pang of sympathy!
Ji Xiang recited scriptures, sighing several times:
"At that time, the Heavenly Venerable of Salvation, pervading all ten directions, with his divine power, saves all sentient beings, leading them away from the path of delusion, though beings remain unaware..."
The *Taishang Jiuku Jing* (Scripture of Supreme Salvation) flowed from Ji Xiang's lips as he walked slowly along the bluestone avenue.
Each step echoed, a thunderous sound that startled the souls of the departed on either side, guiding them to rebirth.
"Qingyun opens the gate of life, auspicious smoke seals the door of death..."
Under the salvation of the Heavenly Venerable's auspicious clouds, beings opened the gates of life and death.
In the pouring rain, Ji Xiang chanted scriptures to help the souls transcend. Of course, Ji Xiang knew that his actions were futile.
The palace maids and eunuchs who died in the Forbidden City, those who did not carry the nation's might in life, had their three souls instantly crushed by the nation's might upon death, leaving them no opportunity to develop into ghosts.
Even so, the scriptures had to be recited.
After finishing his recitation, Ji Xiang bowed to Emperor Wanli, who stood not far away:
"Your subject arrives late to save you, Your Majesty. I beg your forgiveness!"
Emperor Wanli looked at Ji Xiang, taking a deep breath. He finally felt a sense of confidence and called out to Ji Xiang:
"Not late! Not late at all! You have arrived at the perfect time!"
"Proceed as you see fit!"
Emperor Wanli had also figured it out. The Fire Lord wanted him dead to refine that so-called "unclear karma fire." However, it seemed he needed to provoke Emperor Wanli first. Therefore, as long as he maintained a calm heart, the other party would have to let him live for the time being!
Having realized this, Emperor Wanli decided to go AFK and wait for Ji Xiang to carry him.
"Today, I shall play passively!"
After receiving Emperor Wanli's response, Ji Xiang's gaze fell upon the two small figures before him!
Text appeared in the inner vision divine tablet!
[Wandering Fire Children (Two Small Figures): Fire spirits! One in red, one in white.]
[The red-clothed child, upon passing a person's door, throws a red embroidered ball to the ground. The white-clothed child follows behind to pick it up, finding amusement in this. If the embroidered ball is thrown and not picked up by the white-clothed child, the fire that occurs the next day will burn everything to ashes.]
[These fire spirits, not yet ascended to proper deities, have stolen a portion of the nation's might and exist by replacing the seven souls of the human body. When not manifested, the nation's might is useless. When manifested, because the other party has stolen a small amount of the nation's might, the deterrent effect of the Great Ming's nation's might is halved.]
[Seize the red embroidered ball (ineffective in wind and rain), then strip the white-clothed child's clothes and cover the red-clothed child with them. Both fire spirits will die.]
The two small figures looked at Ji Xiang approaching, fear welling up within them. They hid behind the two empresses, then turned to look at the Fire Lord, seeking help:
"Fire Lord... we... cannot defeat him."
The Fire Lord had remained still because, in her eyes, Ji Xiang's summoning of wind and rain for so long was merely a nascent breath. She had thought him to be a formidable person, and merely shook her head.
When the two small figures sought her aid, she merely smiled:
"Fire spirits without fire are useless. They are no different from mortal children. If you cannot defeat him, then die."
The smiles vanished from the faces of the two small figures. Ji Xiang, meanwhile, raised his sword, covering six or seven paces in a single stride!
"Two empresses, this humble Taoist offends you!"
Ji Xiang shoved the two women away with his shoulder, showing no gentleness or pity.
Upon reaching the fourth realm of nascent breath, one transcends the mortal realm. Ji Xiang's movements were like chasing the wind and pursuing the rain. The two small figures retreated, but Ji Xiang caught up to them in an instant!
He slammed the dark, sinister jar in his hand onto the head of the red-clothed child!
*Bang!* The sinister jar struck the red-clothed child's head, immediately dazing him, and he cried out, "Mother!" On the other side, the white-clothed child was terrified by Ji Xiang's strength. As he was about to hide in the nearby palace, Ji Xiang caught up to him and pierced his body with his sword!
The sword's edge tore the white clothing, and he flung it onto the red-clothed child. Instantly, both children let out screams. The white-clothed child, naked, dissipated into a white smoke, while the red-clothed child's entire body was absorbed into the sinister jar, entering the refining process.
With a clang, Ji Xiang inverted the sinister jar onto the ground.
Within four or five breaths, he had killed the two fire spirits on the spot. At this moment, Emperor Wanli and his entourage finally dared to move, approaching Ji Xiang.
But the Fire Lord also moved.
As Emperor Wanli and his group took just two steps.
The Fire Lord had already arrived before Ji Xiang! One step was like a thousand! Immense incense and fire power surged around her!
Simultaneously, a voice, from afar and approaching, reached them. It was the Fire Lord's voice, following her arrival! .oΓg
"The sins and karma of the world, cast into the dust and mortal realm of the East..."
A world-shaking illusionary technique. Dust swirled around, a fiery path ascended to the heavens. She held the Taiyin Sacred Fire in one hand and pressed down with the other palm, which transformed into immeasurable height within the illusion, her fingers reaching the heavens and pressing upon the earth.
In the first exchange, the surrounding landscape transformed into an illusion of the mortal realm of the East. But the next moment, the Great Ming's nation's might surged from Ji Xiang, shattering all of the Fire Lord's illusions!
With the Great Ming's nation's might upon him, he was immune to any confusion below the ninth realm. Within the Forbidden City, all illusionary arts were rendered ineffective!
In Ji Xiang's eyes, that beautiful face was now clearly visible, her lips like fire, her figure full and voluptuous – clearly a demon!
Normal people did not grow this beautiful!
Her eyes blazed with brilliant light. In his inner vision, the divine tablet displayed a large amount of text!
However, Ji Xiang did not have time to examine it closely at this moment!
A thousand steps became one, and the Fire Lord's actions were already upon him!
The gap in their strength was immense!
The Fire Lord's jade hand was entwined with incantations, about to touch Ji Xiang's heroic face.
"Muni treasure rolls up to Kunlun..."
Ji Xiang suddenly snapped back to reality. Hearing the sound, a great sense of alarm arose in his heart. He quickly turned his sword behind him, pushed off the ground, and retreated rapidly, not daring to let her touch the Moon-Blight divine incantation on the Taiyi Sanyuan Sword. Instead, he hurled the town altar wood backward!
However, the town altar wood was directly crushed into dozens of fragments by the Fire Lord's delicate jade hand!
After this move, Ji Xiang retreated many steps, creating a brief distance. The Fire Lord did not pursue. Ji Xiang now had a few breaths to examine the text on the divine tablet in his inner vision!
But the first line of description made Ji Xiang jump in shock, his sword-holding hand trembling slightly!