After the initial exchange, Emperor Shixue seemed to disregard his own safety and continued his assault.
Emperor Qingxu found himself bewildered. They were both veteran Immortal Emperors, with no shared history of murdered fathers or stolen wives. Was there any need for such a life-for-a-life fighting style? It felt as if he had somehow wronged the other’s wife.
"Shixue, are you out of your mind?" Emperor Qingxu cursed.
"Yes, I am out of my mind! Either you leave the Hongming Continent, or today one of us dies," Emperor Shixue declared stubbornly, acting like a scoundrel.
Enraged, Emperor Qingxu felt his entire being surge. "Fine, I’ll see this through to the end."
The two clashed once more. The space grew dim, and the earth trembled. Emperor Shixue’s reckless fighting style left Emperor Qingxu in a state of disarray for the first time. Even when Emperor Shixue appeared to be injured, he would not dodge, pressing forward relentlessly, as if forcing Emperor Qingxu to suffer the same fate. This kind of combat, despite Emperor Qingxu’s superior strength, began to put him on the defensive. Gradually, he found himself being chased and attacked by Emperor Shixue.
Susanoo watched with immense satisfaction, even imagining himself as Emperor Shixue and Xia Feng as Emperor Qingxu, engaged in a fierce battle until Xia Feng was killed by his own hand. Before Susanoo could fully emerge from his daydream, a voice beside him spoke, "Your Highness."
Pulled from his pleasant dream, Susanoo looked at the black-robed figure beside him. "Heipao, why are you out? If we are discovered, it will be a great disaster."
"Your Highness, rest assured. I can sense they are beginning to weaken, and Emperor Qingxu is too preoccupied to notice me," Heipao explained calmly.
Since breaking through to the Immortal Emperor realm, his entire mindset had undergone a massive transformation. He had once speculated about the Immortal Emperor realm, believing it to be merely a step above Immortal Venerable. But upon achieving it, he realized his past self had been like a frog at the bottom of a well, and he had now leaped out into a different world. Previously, he yearned for power, territory, and the celestial maidens he wished to conquer nightly. After becoming an Immortal Emperor, he found all his former desires had lost their flavor. Now, he simply wished to cultivate peacefully, all other matters seeming insignificant.
Susanoo did not question Heipao’s words. The current Heipao, an Immortal Emperor, appeared much more reserved. The aura of an Immortal Emperor was truly different. Thinking this, Susanoo felt an urgent desire to break through to the Immortal Emperor realm himself. With the resources his sister had left him, he was not worried about failing.
"Alright, I'll be counting on you shortly," Susanoo nodded.
Heipao gave a soft hum and shifted his gaze back to the two combatants. Both were now injured. Regardless of their power, their strength was not vastly different. In a true battle, they were bound to sustain mutual injuries. It was like two cars traveling at 100 mph and 99 mph respectively; to an observer, they would seem to flash by incredibly fast. Yet, to the occupants, they could roll down the windows, exchange water, and not perceive the other's speed. It was a similar feeling; after all, they were both respectable vehicles.
Emperor Qingxu and Emperor Shixue finally pulled apart, both panting heavily. This reckless, all-out fighting style from the start was truly unbearable. They had already been battling for three days and three nights. For them, three days and three nights felt like an instant, but the prolonged combat was exhausting. Everyone knew oxen possessed great strength, and the phrase "strength like an ox" existed. Even such powerful oxen would collapse in the field after continuous plowing. The two of them were like exhausted oxen. As for the fields, there were no fields that could not be plowed – in fact, it proved that men… (winks)
"Shixue, you truly have a screw loose! Stop playing games and just kill me," Emperor Qingxu wished to rest, but Shixue gave him no respite, charging forward with his injured body. This was truly beyond reasonable behavior.
The two resumed their reluctant engagement. Their current power was significantly diminished, and their reactions had become sluggish. They fought for a long time, both nearing their breaking point.
"Qingxu, you fell for it," Emperor Shixue finally revealed a hint of a smile as the situation seemed ripe.
"What do you mean?" Emperor Qingxu felt a sense of foreboding.
"Heipao, it’s your turn," Emperor Shixue glanced in Heipao’s direction.
Heipao, standing beside Susanoo, said to him, "Your Highness, it is time for me to make my appearance."
Upon hearing this, Susanoo rejoiced. "Good, go quickly."
With Susanoo's confirmation, Heipao flashed and appeared directly beside Emperor Qingxu and Emperor Shixue.
"Emperor Qingxu, it is our first meeting. Allow me to introduce myself; I am Heipao of the Angel race." Heipao then displayed his Immortal Emperor strength.
Emperor Qingxu now understood Emperor Shixue’s ploy. No wonder he had fought so desperately—it was all to deplete Emperor Qingxu’s strength, so that when both were sufficiently weakened, Heipao could make his move. How truly insidious. Unfortunately, it was too late for Emperor Qingxu to realize it; he had indeed fallen into the trap.
"Do you truly believe you have the strength to keep me here?" Emperor Qingxu asked Heipao with a cold gaze.
"No, Immortal Emperor, you are free to escape. The two of us would not be able to stop you, but…" Heipao paused.
"But what?" Emperor Qingxu inquired.
"But I have enough confidence to degrade your cultivation. Will you still be Emperor Qingxu then?" Heipao asked with a calm, confident demeanor, as if victory was assured.
Emperor Qingxu's expression shifted upon hearing this. He felt a twinge of regret. He should not have been so careless; otherwise, he would not have fallen for this deception.
As Emperor Qingxu pondered, Susanoo called out from a distance, "Emperor Qingxu, I respect you as an Immortal Emperor. If you swear to the Heavenly Dao to follow me for ten thousand years, we can call this a truce today."
"Also, do not worry about being controlled by me. You are an Immortal Emperor, and I will treat you with great respect. All you need to do is nod when needed or act when the time comes," Susanoo added, perhaps fearing Emperor Qingxu's pride and wanting to avoid offending him.
Emperor Qingxu pondered for a long time, a smile appearing on his lips. He said calmly, "I am of the Human race; how can I associate with demons like yourselves? If you wish to fight, then come."
Upon saying this, Emperor Qingxu’s long sword unleashed a powerful battle intent. He was now completely unburdened. He knew he would suffer grievous injuries today, and even if he escaped, as Heipao had said, his cultivation would be diminished. He might as well fight honorably, to uphold the prestige of an Immortal Emperor. Even in death, he could take Heipao down with him.
"Did we arrive too late?"
A voice echoed from the distant sky, and moments later, two figures appeared.