Lin Qing'er's swordplay was as swift as thunder and lightning.
The first three strikes directly overwhelmed the great demon Wen Chang, shattering his formidable energy and leaving his body covered in countless fine sword gashes. The next three strikes severed Wen Chang's arms and legs, leaving him as a mere rolling sphere. He still spewed demonic energy and unleashed various spells in a desperate final struggle against Lin Qing'er. However, the final three strikes each pierced his brow. After these three, the great demon Wen Chang had no trace of life left, dissipating into the wind like tattered paper.
Lin Qing'er had dispatched a twelfth-realm great demon in merely nine strikes!
...
For a time, the human army watching from Tianchi Ridge erupted in thunderous cheers. After Gu Zixi and Wen Liang had consecutively lost two cities, despair had already settled in everyone's hearts. Lin Qing'er's victory was a triumphant moment that instantly elevated the morale of the entire human race to its peak. And for the final battle, everyone was the most confident.
Would the peerless prodigy Yan Beichen lose? No.
At this moment, Yan Beichen had just finished collecting the corpses of Gu Zixi and Wen Liang. Gu Zixi's body was incomplete, so Yan Beichen personally descended the mountain to gather Gu Zixi's scattered limbs and fragments, wrapping them all in the crimson battle flag prepared by the Vermillion Bird Camp. Wen Liang's corpse lay nearby. At this moment, Yan Beichen's heart felt ashen.
Although he was the greatest genius in the world, he had rarely ventured into the martial world, spending his days cultivating with his master in the sect. Now that he had descended the mountain, he had just befriended two individuals, Gu Zixi and Wen Liang, both good people. Yet, in this battle, both had been beheaded. This felt like a thousand-pound stone pressing down on Yan Beichen's heart. He was deeply saddened and grieved.
"Come!"
The human prodigy strode through the air, his body enveloped in sword intent. His gaze swept towards the Northern Territory, and he sneered, "Come, blood will be paid with blood!"
From afar, the sound of wind and thunder erupted, and a figure arrived on a sword's light. It was a young demon with a gray cloak, handsome and refined, his black hair flowing in the wind. He smiled slightly at Yan Beichen, cupped his fists, and said, "From the demon race, Fu Sheng, twelfth realm!"
"Human race, Yan Beichen, twelfth realm!"
Yan Beichen slowly returned the salute, smiling, "Are you ready to die?"
"What of death?"
Fu Sheng laughed heartily, drew his sword, and charged directly.
Yan Beichen lunged forward, his sword unsheathed, and instantly, myriad sword energies surged around him. They clashed in the air with Fu Sheng. Both of their sword techniques were exceptionally beautiful and sharp with lethal intent. After dozens of exchanges, neither had found the slightest opening in the other. Their swordsmanship had reached perfection, impregnable!
...
"Who is this Fu Sheng?" Chu Huaixi frowned.
"Hmph..."
Huang Tingyu sneered, "The chosen son of the demon race, a favored disciple of the Demon Ancestor. This Fu Sheng... is a heavenly descendant, born with innate knowledge of all demonic arts. Coupled with the Demon Ancestor's dedicated cultivation, he reaps the fortunes of the entire demon race. This Fu Sheng... appears refined and cultured, but in reality, within the demon territories, his conduct is tyrannical and overbearing. Many young demon disciples have been bullied by him, and he doesn't even take older demon figures seriously."
Lin Zhao frowned, "His sword intent is so strong. To be able to fight Yan Beichen like this, he certainly has the right to be arrogant."
Chu Huaixi asked, "Old Huang, you are a sword cultivator. From your perspective, does Yan Beichen have a high chance of winning?"
"It's hard to say."
Huang Tingyu's expression was grave. "They are currently only dueling with sword techniques. Before they unleash their flying swords, it's impossible to be certain who will have the upper hand. Perhaps Yan Beichen, perhaps Fu Sheng."
"Listening to your words..."
Lin Zhao's expression was blank, "is like listening to words..."
Chen Yu chuckled.
...
In the sky, the two twelfth-realm sword cultivators had exchanged blows for over a hundred rounds, both testing their opponents. After a hundred moves, Yan Beichen's swordsmanship remained flawless, while Fu Sheng was becoming impatient. His sword strikes grew increasingly ferocious. The moment he repelled the opponent's blade, Fu Sheng unleashed his first flying sword. From his sword lake, a wisp of sword energy, like a dewdrop, shot towards Yan Beichen's left eye!
Fu Sheng's first natal flying sword, Dewdrop!
"Hmph!?"
Yan Beichen saw it clearly. He tilted his head, striking his sword to evade Dewdrop's attack. Simultaneously, Yan Beichen unleashed his own first flying sword. From his sword lake, a beam of moonlight leaped out, instantly heading for his opponent's throat!
Yan Beichen's first natal flying sword, Moonlight!
Dewdrop and Moonlight were both flying swords focused on offense. For a time, Fu Sheng unleashed three consecutive strikes before he could slightly dissipate the onslaught of Moonlight. He let out a loud laugh, his expression growing more ferocious and arrogant. His second sword lake rumbled, and a flying sword shot out, transforming into a rain of fire that enveloped Yan Beichen.
Fu Sheng's second flying sword, Blazing Flame!
"Zheng~~~"
Yan Beichen gently flicked his sword's body with his fingertip, and instantly, a surge of powerful sword energy shot out, forming a circular shield in front of him, forcefully blocking each of the fiery sword energies unleashed by Blazing Flame. At the same time, Yan Beichen lightly swept his left hand, and his second natal flying sword materialized, transforming into a colorful cloud that wound around Fu Sheng from all directions.
Yan Beichen's second flying sword, Flowing Cloud!
The innate divine ability of this flying sword leaned towards "softness." Like ribbons, it continuously swept towards Fu Sheng from all directions. Once Fu Sheng was trapped, there would be no place for him to escape. This Flowing Cloud would slice his body into countless pieces!
"Beautiful!"
Fu Sheng roared with laughter, simultaneously controlling Dewdrop and Blazing Flame to attack the encroaching offensive of Flowing Cloud. He then slashed out with his sword. At the same time, his third sword lake rumbled, and a blood-red sword light broke through the air, aiming directly for the core of Flowing Cloud's power.
Fu Sheng's third natal flying sword, Tyranny!
This Tyranny was a gift from the Demon Ancestor, forged from the natal scales and bones of hundreds of great demons. It could sever all demons in the world, hence the name Tyranny. As soon as Tyranny appeared, Yan Beichen's Flowing Cloud and Moonlight both let out humming sounds, about to succumb to Tyranny's immense pressure!
"Yan Beichen, are you not dead yet?!"
Fu Sheng laughed wildly, activating Tyranny, his offensive growing even more ferocious.
Yan Beichen frowned. His third sword lake also began to hum. The moment the flying sword Tyranny, engulfed in blood-red gaseous waves, attacked, Yan Beichen directly unleashed his third natal flying sword. He pointed his fingertip into the air, and like ripples spreading, a green sword light flashed out. Like a large fish, it instantly swallowed the flying sword Tyranny!
"What?!"
From afar, a low gasp was heard.
Everyone who had been sitting and watching also stood up. No one had expected Yan Beichen to be able to directly devour that imposing flying sword. What kind of divine ability was this third flying sword?!
In the sky, Yan Beichen instantly gained the absolute upper hand.
His third flying sword, named Fish in the Water, was a great fish in the water, breathing in and out the heavens and the earth. Ever since he had nurtured this flying sword, he had never revealed it to outsiders. This was also his master's teaching. The divine abilities of Fish in the Water were too peculiar. Once word got out, the entire martial world would covet it. Even Yan Beichen, the jewel of the human race, would still be targeted for a fatal disaster.
...
In the sky, Fu Sheng's Tyranny was swallowed by Yan Beichen's Fish in the Water, and his face turned ashen. Yan Beichen, controlling Fish in the Water, continued his relentless assault. In a flash, Fu Sheng's body sustained multiple sword wounds.
"Yan Beichen, oh Yan Beichen!"
Fu Sheng let out a sinister laugh and said, "You shouldn't be this strong. As a human, being this strong will lead to an early death!"
As he spoke, a radiant glow erupted from Fu Sheng's brow, and his entire aura instantly surged several times!
"Swish!"
A sharp sword strike descended from the sky. Yan Beichen could no longer block this strike. It pierced directly into his brow, instantly shattering his brilliant sword heart. The next moment, Yan Beichen coughed up blood, and his body plummeted from the air, his realm also falling instantly from the twelfth-realm Divine Transformation to the eighth-realm Golden Core. He crashed heavily onto the snowy plain.
In the sky, the great demon Fu Sheng stood tall. He was now a thirteenth-realm Ascended Great Sword Immortal!
...
"Bastard!"
On the mountain ridge, the old marshal Chen Wanli stood up resolutely, roaring, "Breaking through mid-battle, do you demons have no shame? Are you not afraid of being scorned by heaven and earth with such cheating methods?"
"The victor is king, the loser is bandit!"
The great demon Fu Sheng sneered, "What, Chen Wanli, you can't play fair anymore?!"
As he spoke, Fu Sheng raised his sword again, and a beam of sword light shot towards Yan Beichen on the ground. Yan Beichen, his sword heart shattered, had already lost all will to fight and could not dodge the strike of an Ascended realm cultivator!
The demon race's intention was too obvious. The fifth battle, a breach of agreement and cheating, was aimed at destroying Yan Beichen's future. If the human race lost this peerless prodigy, they might lose the capital to contend with the demon race for hundreds or even thousands of years to come.
"Bastard!"
Chen Wanli suddenly lunged out, his movements like thunder. He arrived in front of Yan Beichen, raising both hands. Two fist imprints shot towards the sky, forcefully blocking the sword strike of the thirteenth-realm great demon. However, Chen Wanli did not fare well either. His hands were torn and bleeding profusely. A twelfth-realm Rebirth realm martial artist still couldn't withstand a thirteenth-realm Great Sword Immortal for long. Relying on his robust physique might allow him to hold on for a while, but eventually, the sharp sword would pierce the shield.
...
"Demon race!"
Above Tianchi Town, Qin Suihan's dharma body's radiance surged, and he angrily said, "You are too shameless!"
As he spoke, Qin Suihan's dharma body delivered a palm strike, and the great demon Fu Sheng spat out blood and retreated northward.
"Qin Suihan!"
From afar, a colossal figure rose from the Great Wilderness, transforming into an elder-like appearance clad in a gray and white robe. His dharma body was tens of thousands of meters tall, exuding surging demonic energy. It was the Demon Ancestor from the depths of the Great Wilderness, the supreme ruler of the demon race. His expression was grim as he looked south and said, "You, a fallen saint, do you really think you can protect this Snow Domain Tianchi?"
"Hmph!"
From another direction, another colossal figure rose. It was a man with purple eyes, clad in golden armor, wielding a sharp sword. His dharma body was a staggering nine thousand meters tall. It was the Demon Emperor, the sovereign of the demon race. He looked towards the south and sneered, "The human race, today, shall be annihilated!"
One Demon Ancestor, one Demon Emperor, poised to trample the human race!
At this moment, any notion of honor or rules had become a joke in their eyes. The Demon Ancestor and the Demon Emperor only cared about strength. In the face of absolute power, the human race had no right to speak.
...
"Bastard!"
Old marshal Chen Wanli's heart trembled. Facing the breach of agreement by the demon and demon races, he was helpless. Facing the Demon Ancestor and the Demon Emperor, Chen Wanli was even more powerless. He was merely a twelfth-realm Rebirth realm martial artist, while the Demon Ancestor and the Demon Emperor were both fourteenth-realm!
"Mr. Qin."
Suddenly, a remarkably gentle voice came from the northern end of the Snow Domain Tianchi. The speaker wore a blue robe. He smiled slightly and said, "These two, leave them to me, how about it?"
"Certainly."
Qin Suihan's dharma body suddenly shrunk and returned to the small town.
The guest in blue slowly opened his hand, a playful smile on his lips. "Alas... it's been many years since I last used my sword... This strike should usher in an era of peace for the world..."
As he spoke, he reached out his hand towards the south and boomed, "Sword—come!"
...
"Buzz~~~~"
The entire human land trembled violently. Over a thousand miles to the south, a Fusu Great Wall suddenly seemed to have lost all its spiritual essence. The Great Wall was still there, but the sword qi, sword intent, and sword rhyme that it nurtured had suddenly vanished. It was as if someone had borrowed the Fusu Great Wall as a sword, or perhaps, the Fusu Great Wall was originally a celestial sword he had placed in the mortal realm.
"Ah!?"
Lin Wanhua, sitting atop the city wall, trembled slightly, her beautiful eyes looking north. She knew that earth-shattering events were unfolding in that direction!