Chapter 170: Entering the North Pole, Bestowed an Honorific Title!

After that man declared his name, the three Star Lords before them—and the many other hidden Star Officials and reserve forces lurking here—fell into deathly silence.

Qi Wuhuo clearly saw that they had lost their earlier composure and calm. In the eyes of Jidu Star Lord, the one who had stirred up this great calamity, there even appeared a trace of panic—an emotion that should never exist in a cultivator’s heart.

Among the many saints of the North Pole, ranked second.

Tianyou!

Overseer of the Yuanjing Dantian Province.

Commander of three hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and generals.

The man’s voice was even and unhurried. He was precisely the one who previously assessed and questioned whether Qi Wuhuo possessed strength at the True Lord level, whether he could, by himself, withstand the methods of several direct disciples of the Three Pure Ones. Now, with one hand gripping his sword, his tone was indescribably calm as he stood before Qi Wuhuo and asked:

“Five Thunder Judge—what do you see in their eyes?”

The young Daoist barely managed to steady himself.

Not a single person from the North Pole Exorcism Court stepped forward to support him.

All were armored, swords in hand, standing to one side, their expressions cold and composed.

Behind the Four Hidden Stars stood numerous Star Officials and concealed contingencies—far more in number than these few of the North Pole Exorcism Court.

Yet their gazes were aloof and calm, their killing intent faintly circulating, as though they had not stepped into an enemy’s lair and trap, but were instead ferocious beasts on the verge of unleashing their final hunt.

Standing beside Tianyou, the young Daoist saw strange flickers pass through the eyes of those Star Lords. He had seen such looks many times before—but then, they had been in the eyes of the common people of Jinzhou, when they beheld rivers running dry and all things withering, the light in their gaze at such moments.

He answered: “…Fear.”

Tianyou replied evenly: “Yes—and no.”

“That is fear. It is regret. It is the madness that comes when one faces the inevitable end after clinging to a sliver of luck.”

“What they fear is not you and me—but the weight carried, over tens of millions of years, by the four words: [North Pole Exorcism Court].”

“In other words, they have always known what sort of ending their actions would bring.”

“A cultivator refines the self. Yet when only the self remains—when for the sake of that self, all may be discarded, all may be slaughtered, all may be trampled—then even if one still walks the road of seeking the Dao and may be called a seeker of the Dao, in our eyes that is already the demonic path.”

“And among the gods, those who pursue the Dao for the sake of the self alone and thereby fall into demonic corruption—such beings must all be executed.”

“Tianyou! Do not be so arrogant!”

Rahu Divine Head Star Lord’s voice was low, almost a suppressed roar: “Within the North Pole Exorcism Court, only Tianpeng bears the methods of an Emperor! You and I are of comparable realms! You fought bitterly to reach this place—do you truly have absolute confidence you can take us down?! How dare you be so presumptuous!!!”

Tianyou lowered his eyes toward the youth beside him and said calmly: “This is hysteria.”

“It is the final venting of one who knows there is no other road left.”

“And in the next instant, they will seize the chance to launch a sneak attack.”

The moment Tianyou dipped his head, the starlight ahead suddenly flared in blazing brilliance. Yet this starlight differed from what Qi Wuhuo had sensed before. It was not clear and pure, but dim and murky, like the yellowed gloom of all things fading—bearing an aura that stirred unease and dread. Each of them unfolded divine abilities, striking toward Tianyou’s back in a deadly assault.

For they knew well: the North Pole Exorcism Court left no room for mercy, no path for retreat.

Driven into this final desperate strait, they erupted into frenzied slaughter. The flow and transformation of primordial qi interwove chaotically; they no longer bothered to conceal their identities, directly drawing upon the stars and their power from the heavens above. Layer upon layer of qi was summoned and stacked—divine workings far beyond the comprehension of the young Daoist.

Then, all at once, they manifested their true forms, each transforming into terrifying figures thousands of zhang tall. Yet this place seemed sealed by starlight itself; what transpired within went utterly unnoticed by the outside world. Rahu Star Lord donned golden armor, halberd in hand. Behind him, the Star Lord’s Primordial Spirit Dharma Form radiated endless streaming brilliance. Amid an enraged howl, he revealed a majestic aspect of three heads and six arms, wielding a golden halberd, a Seven-Star Sword, a demon-subduing golden brick, and other divine weapons of lethal might.

His visage grew faintly ferocious—the baleful star of Rahu revealing its savage nature.

“I have cultivated the Dao for three thousand years to reach this realm. And you think a mere calamity can demand our deaths?!”

“Insolence!!”

Behind him, the Star Lord’s Dharma Form roared in fury.

Both hands gripped spear and halberd, cleaving down with crushing force.

Layer upon layer of shockwaves exploded outward. Even the primordial qi was driven into motion, transforming into deep violet, near-black thunder that surged and coiled. Jidu and Yuebo likewise manifested their Star Lord true forms. Before his eyes, the young Daoist beheld three thousand-zhang celestial bodies, each radiating an overwhelming presence. Within their Dharma Forms, countless streams of starlight coursed and revolved—surpassing even Lingmiao Gong and Ao Liu.

All assumed the battle aspect of three heads and six arms, then brought their weapons crashing down.

Thunder roared. Flames flared. Divine weapons and immortal artifacts scattered boundless brilliance. Rosy clouds trailed behind them; beneath their feet lay starlight itself. Such was the bearing of Star Lords.

Aside from his teacher and that unfathomable Great Dao Sovereign, the strongest beings Qi Wuhuo knew were Uncle Niu and Uncle Yun—

The Principal and Deputy Star Lords of the Ox Mansion among the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions.

Yet at this moment, Qi Wuhuo faintly sensed that even if Uncle Niu and Uncle Yun joined forces, they would not survive such an assault. Watching this scene from the sidelines, only shock remained in his heart.

This was the final madness of the Four Luminaries Star Lords.

Tianyou tossed the sword in his palm to Qi Wuhuo.

He turned, clenched his fist—

And struck across.

In that instant, all things froze.

The thousand-zhang Dharma bodies shattered in a heartbeat.

Endless starlight scattered as three Star Lords were blasted out of their true forms.

The vast, surging tides of qi twisted, drew together, and condensed—until it seemed that all phenomena rested within Tianyou’s grasp. He pulled down the collapse of every star’s radiance. That power, which should have detonated utterly—perhaps even erupting into a calamity greater than that of seven years past—was instead seized directly within his palm. With a single punch, it was as though the myriad stars were to be crushed to fragments, all divine abilities dispersed.

Tianyou strode forward, his blood-stained battle robe lifting in the wind. The young Daoist saw him standing ahead, starlight revolving about him.

His tone was calm:

“Five Thunder Judge. Watch carefully.”

“When you faced them earlier, you made one grave mistake.”

“That is, your heart was too soft.”

“For those who have fallen into [demonic corruption], no words are needed. They are to be executed, directly!”

The young Daoist saw that Tianyou did not even draw upon his weapon. With both fists alone, he fought, and all divine techniques shattered before him. As Tianyou stepped forward, boundless qi coiled about the edges of his fists. His battle posture was tyrannical and domineering—yet carried with it an effortless composure.

The other generals of the North Pole Exorcism Court advanced to seal off and behead the remaining followers of the Four Hidden Stars.

Among them were Heavenly Officials recorded upon the Celestial Registers.

There were also true cultivators from the lower realms.

Even fiends and demonic creatures of vile kind.

None was spared mercy. Beneath the sword’s edge, the slaughter was heavy. And yet, even so, two remained at the young Daoist’s side to guard him.

This kid was too weak.

They feared that once the killing intent rose, they might forget to protect him.

A Thunder General at Qi Wuhuo’s side noticed his concern. His tone was calm and indifferent, yet he was offering reassurance: “Tianyou Venerable Deity once mastered in full the Supreme Scarlet Spirit Script of the Shangqing Great Heavenly Venerable. He has also been fortunate to learn the divine abilities of the Yuqing Great Heavenly Venerable. He has battled across the world for three thousand years. Though all stand within the realm of True Lords—True Lord and True Lord are utterly different.”

“I thought I was the closest to this place and thus hurried here in haste.”

“Had I known Great True Lord Tianyou was present, why would we have needed such urgency?”

The young Daoist watched the slaughter unfolding before him.

The stern young man beside him spoke in an even tone: “When a cultivator reaches the level of a Human Immortal, he may ascend to Heaven and serve as a Heavenly Official. If he attains the tier of a True Person, he must receive a talismanic edict. And if one can break through the Eight Tribulations, gather the Three Flowers at the Crown, and bring the Five Qi to the Origin—able to manifest an external incarnation and transform freely—then he may be called an Immortal.”

“But an Earth Immortal is not the same as another Earth Immortal. The gathering of the Three Flowers and the Convergence of the Five Qi are merely a matter of life level.”

“It is like people in the mortal world. After reaching twenty and coming of age, they are fully grown—yet is not the difference between one person and another still immense?”

“Among them, the strong may be called a True Lord. The weak are also respectfully addressed as True Lord. Yet though they bear the name, they have neither subordinates nor authority. It is nothing more than an empty title. At best, they are merely Wandering Immortals, claiming themselves carefree.”

“One must be proficient in Thunder Methods, skilled in battle and contest, able to command clouds and spread rain, to enter the Thunder Department. And one who resonates with the divine offices of the stars, able to respond above to the celestial constellations and carry out righteous law below, may enter the Dipper Department. But the vast majority of cultivators are not qualified to enter either of these two. The Heavenly Court maintains order across the Six Realms—it has no need for useless beings who possess only a realm without ability.”

“They can only remain outside as Wandering Immortals or Earth Immortals.”

“Among the forces of the Six Realms, the strongest is the Thunder Department; next comes the Dipper Department.”

“Within the same realm, each can stand against ten.”

“As for the North Pole Exorcism Court—every three thousand years, it selects the strongest from the Dipper Department and the Thunder Department to enter its ranks.”

“In this way, the scale of the Exorcism Court is maintained.”

“And as for Tianyou? He is one of the North Pole Saints, standing above the ordinary war-generals of the North Pole Exorcism Court.”

The Thunder General beside them said: “Why are you telling him all this?”

The previous generation Taibai Star Lord replied faintly: “He will have to know sooner or later.”

The Thunder General fell silent.

It seemed he tacitly agreed.

Taibai Star Lord then said: “Are you curious why a Star Lord would rebel?”

The young Daoist fell silent.

The former let out a soft laugh, removed the gourd at his side, and casually handed it over, gesturing for him to take a drink. Qi Wuhuo took a sip. It entered warm and mellow, faintly carrying the fragrance of a hundred blossoms. He did not drink more and returned it to the sword-bearing Star Lord. Taibai Star Lord smiled slightly and answered:

“A cultivator refines the Dao, refines the purity of the self. But among the myriad forms of living beings, this thing called the [Self] has never had only one voice. Most people in the mortal world are not so pure or steadfast—they argue within themselves. How much more so for cultivators?”

“Most people lack firmness of heart. They merely quarrel. But cultivators are extremely resolute in their sense of self.”

“When they face problems, they do not argue. They act directly—and resolve them.”

“That, too, may be considered a flaw…”

“With a thousand people, there are a thousand ‘selves’. A thousand faces, none alike. Even between two people in the human world, there will be contradictions. Among a thousand, conflict is unending. Those who have cultivated to a certain depth all place utmost importance on the word [Self]. How could it ever be a [single voice hall]? There is no shortage of conflict. Yet it is not for profit—they seek what is true.”

“For example, you come to know someone. But his path obstructs your path. What should you do?”

“Yield—or not yield?”

“If what I seek is that this Dao be mine alone, yet you also walk this Dao, and both of us are utterly sincere toward it—then what?”

Taibai Star Lord said calmly:

“When conflicts accumulate, there will naturally be killing and struggle. The earliest Heavenly Court was formed because of this.”

“As for them…”

“Jidu and Rahu were never beings born of the mortal world. They were formed from primordial essences of Heaven and Earth. In their eyes, humans and grasses and trees are no different.”

“When they kill to prove their Dao, it is no different in essence from a man cutting firewood to warm himself.”

“These Four Hidden Stars are all baleful stars of slaughter. They accepted divine office in order to seek a further path.”

“Thus, they must bring about upheaval under Heaven.”

As they spoke those few sentences, the starlight filling the heavens had already completely dispersed. The young Daoist saw that two more heads now lay upon the ground. The once-mighty Rahu Star Lord had been beaten to death outright. His starlight scattered, and his Primordial Spirit was directly seized by Tianyou Great True Lord—one hand clasping his throat, the other sweeping flatly across.

Thus, the Star Lord’s true body, tempered through countless refinements, was shattered into dust.

Qi Wuhuo held Tianyou Great True Lord’s sword in his arms.

Suddenly, the long sword gave several ringing cries and shot straight into the heavens.

After a few breaths—

High above in the firmament, the Rahu Star abruptly blazed with brilliant radiance, dazzling and resplendent—and then completely dimmed.

It became impossible to perceive.

Qi Wuhuo noticed this scene and seemed to realize something. At his side, Taibai Star Lord explained:

“The Rahu Star Lord’s celestial residence has been destroyed.”

With a single sword strike, the very foundation of a Star Lord at the level of the Eleven Luminaries had been eradicated.

Next was Taiyi Yuebo Star Lord. Though filled with terror, he too was beheaded—his star broken, his divine office extinguished, his Primordial Spirit seized.

Yet Qi Wuhuo saw that Tianyou Great True Lord’s expression remained calm. He spoke lightly, telling the others to withdraw.

Beneath his battle boots, the ground was slick with blood.

The other war-generals of the North Pole Exorcism Court had already completed their encirclement and extermination. They now stepped aside in unison, parting left and right, swords in hand, their bodies still wreathed in the lingering aura of slaughter.

Tianyou Great True Lord took a step to one side and flicked his right hand.

Jidu Star Lord was thrown down upon the ground.

“Five Thunder Judge, this is your responsibility.”

“You pursued him all the way here. We have no right to kill him on your behalf.”

“Well?”

Tianyou Great True Lord’s face was calm as he asked: “Will you strike personally or shall I act for you?”

“I will do it myself!”

The young Daoist’s steps were still somewhat unsteady. He walked past the war-generals of the North Pole Exorcism Court one by one until he stood before Jidu Star Lord. The latter’s face still bore an arrogant and unruly expression. He sneered repeatedly: “Creatures of the mortal world? They are merely forms condensed from essence and qi. The Dao gives birth to the ten thousand things—life and death are no different. When I kill them, I merely return them to Heaven and Earth.”

“Hahaha—have I done anything wrong?!”

“I am not wrong!”

“Tianyou—tell me, am I wrong?!”

Tianyou Great True Lord nodded and replied: “You are not wrong.”

“Therefore, when the Five Thunder Judge executes you, that is likewise not wrong.”

“It is only natural—upright and proper.”

“It accords with the turning of Heaven and Earth, does it not?”

Jidu Star Lord gritted his teeth and struggled. “You—!!! If you had not intervened, would I have ended up here?! If you have the ability, release me! Let me fight him one-on-one right now! In the state I’m already in, it cannot be said that I would be taking advantage of him!”

Tianyou indifferently withdrew his gaze. His hand rested upon the young Daoist’s shoulder. “Do it.”

The young Daoist’s body trembled slightly.

Holding the sword, teeth clenched, he steadied his emotions and declared his name:

“A man of Jinzhou—”

“I have come here for revenge.”

He did not speak his own name.

Gripping the blood-stained sword in his hand, he clenched his teeth and struck down again and again in dull, heavy blows. It was as if the young Daoist wished to vent all the pain and struggle of the countless days and nights of the past seven years.

As the sword fell, at first the baleful star Jidu could still stubbornly sneer, shouting curses in wild arrogance. But gradually, those sounds turned into nothing but miserable screams.

In the end, even his spirit seemed to be split apart. The enraged young Daoist nearly hacked him into a mass of shattered flesh and blood.

Only then did he stagger back, panting, looking at the Jidu Star Lord before him—eyes still open in death, screaming as his soul scattered and his spirit dispersed.

He gasped heavily, and large drops of tears fell uncontrollably.

The fifteen-year-old youth clenched his teeth, sobbing, unable to speak.

Tianyou Great True Lord planted the sword in his hand upside down into the ground.

The Great True Lord, who stood well over two meters tall, slightly bent down and rubbed the young Daoist’s head with his palm, saying nothing.

His armor was cold and severe, his sword merciless—yet the warmth of his palm was gentle.

Meanwhile, the Blood River Sword was busily absorbing the blood in this place.

It was already full to bursting.

Yet the blood of a Star Lord was simply too tempting.

It was the kind of thing that—even if one vomited from overeating—one would still force oneself to swallow.

Suddenly, Taibai Star Lord picked it up. His hand brushed across the blade. Curling a finger, he flicked it lightly. The sword gave a clear ringing cry.

He laughed briskly and said: “This thing carries a bit of baleful aura, but it should feel quite smooth when killing with it.”

“Indeed, not bad. A sword that can kill demons is a good sword.”

“A fine sword.”

“Indeed.”

The war-generals of the North Pole Exorcism Court all clicked their tongues in admiration.

They all thought the sword was quite good.

They passed it around among themselves, taking turns examining it.

The Lianyang Sword behaved extremely docile—

Far more obedient than a pig that had been stuffed full.

If someone were to open their eyes and look, they would see Star Lords and Thunder Gods whose qi was bright and upright, all examining a sword brimming with a sinister aura. But if one were to close their eyes and sense it instead—damn it, the killing intent on these fellows was far denser than its own.

The aura of death and slaughter around them was almost solid.

Fierce men! Ruthless men!

A group of killing fiends unmatched under Heaven and Earth!

The Lianyang Sword became as well-behaved as a good little child.

The young Daoist barely managed to steady his emotions. Then Tianyou Great True Lord asked about what had happened.

The young Daoist recounted everything one by one.

The many war-generals of the North Pole Exorcism Court all grew slightly solemn. They exchanged glances with one another, then nodded faintly.

Tianyou Great True Lord stood up. The other war-generals immediately straightened their expressions, standing with swords in hand. For a moment, a faintly solemn and austere atmosphere filled the place. 

Tianyou Great True Lord extended his hand and said: “Earlier, I said that you were temporarily our Five Thunder Judge. Now that the matters here have reached their end, return your temporary Five Thunder Judge token.”

The young Daoist touched the Five Thunder Judge token for a moment, then presented it with both hands.

Just as he was about to withdraw his hands, Tianyou Great True Lord pressed them down and shook his head. “What are you in such a hurry for?”

“I’m only giving you a new one.”

He took out a much plainer token, yet treated it with far greater solemnity, and placed it in the young Daoist’s hands.

The young Daoist looked at the token in his palm. One side was blank, while the other bore six large characters: Central Heaven Northern Pole Exorcism Court.

Tianyou Great True Lord said: “This is the true command token of the North Pole Exorcism Court.”

“You need not feel the slightest sense of unworthiness in accepting it.”

“In this calamity, you hold the foremost merit.”

“Of course, if you are unwilling, you may also seal this token. In that case, it will count as us owing you a favor. So long as it does not violate the order of Heaven and Earth, we will help you. Well then—make your decision. Will you join the ranks of our Central Heaven North Pole Exorcism Court and purge demons and evil from the world?”

The young Daoist looked at the war-generals before him, then pointed toward the corpses of Jidu and Luohou and asked: “Pindao wishes to ask something.”

“Behind them… there should be someone of even higher standing, correct?”

Tianyou Great True Lord raised his eyes.

After a moment of silence, he replied: “That is why Tianpeng has not yet appeared.”

“Then Pindao is willing to join the North Pole Exorcism Court.” [TL_Note: Pindao = This poor/humble Daoist]

The young Daoist gripped the token. A faint smile appeared on the faces of the many war-generals of the North Pole Exorcism Court. They did not concern themselves with the youth’s deeper reasons. When Qi Wuhuo reached out to write his name upon the token, someone suddenly pressed his hand down. The Thunder General’s expression was heavy, and he said calmly:

“Do not write your true name.”

“It makes it easy to be targeted by hidden schemes.”

Taibai Star Lord drank his wine and laughed: “Judge is only a temporary wartime title. In ordinary times, it does not exist. And those whom the North Pole Exorcism Court faces are the most vicious and ruthless beings in the world. If one were to walk the world under their true name, there would inevitably be the danger of secret attacks.”

“So, within the North Pole Exorcism Court, we address one another only by special titles. These titles are directly recorded and engraved among the ranks of the stars.”

“They cannot be locked onto through the heavenly secrets of the stars.”

“In that way, one will not fall victim to certain divination-based schemes.”

“Moreover, the North Pole Exorcism Court only gathers when we summon one another. In ordinary times, we do not travel the world under this position.”

After this explanation, Qi Wuhuo finally understood. He raised his hand.

The others said that today’s matter had been too rushed to establish a ritual altar, so they might as well follow their usual practice—Tianyou would personally bestow a title, and it would then be directly recorded into Ziwei Doushu(Purple Star Astrology), lest anything go wrong. Tianyou Great True Lord took Qi Wuhuo’s waist token and said: “Since you possess the heart to sweep away demons and evil—”

“So be it.”

He made his decision. Holding the Heavenly Brush, he wrote two characters upon the youth’s Central Heaven Northern Pole token. The strokes were sharp and forceful, like iron hooks and golden lines. When the others saw the title, they all felt it was exceedingly fitting, and nodded in approval. Taibai Star Lord clapped his hands and sighed with a smile: “In that case, there is no problem at all. It should indeed be so.”

The Thunder General glanced at it, thought for a moment, then nodded and said concisely:

“Good.”

He then handed the Central Heaven Northern Pole Exorcism Token to the young Daoist—whose temples were already streaked with white and whose eyes were still red—and personally fastened it at his waist. The young Daoist stood there, holding the sword that had slain countless demons. The war-generals of the North Pole Exorcism Court lined up on both sides.

All of them grew solemn, holding swords, clad in armor, their battle robes stained with blood.

Thus they spoke, thus they proclaimed—

“Central Heaven North Pole—

Expel evil and annihilate demons.”

“Under the enumerations of Ziwei(Purple Star)—

Commanding Thunder and the Dipper.”

“Because you have swept away the demons of this entire province—”

“We bestow upon you the title—

Dangmo (Demon-Queller)!”