Panyu Mountain, the summit.
Two graceful figures stood atop the peak, gazing at the distant battlefield. One wore a red long dress, the other a black one. They were the great demoness Yu Zhi and the demon race's strategist, Shi Jungang.
"Sister Shi," Yu Zhi smiled slightly and asked, "What do you think the outcome of this great battle will be?"
"In the end, we will surely win," Shi Jungang pursed her red lips and chuckled. "How could the plans devised by you and the Demon Ancestor possibly fail? Moreover, this time the demon race's plan is akin to stealing the heavens and changing the earth. Those high and mighty human Sages will definitely pay a price for this."
"Hmph, indeed," Yu Zhi chuckled. "If this battle is handled well, perhaps we can even kill a human at the fourteenth realm~~~"
"Ah?" Shi Jungang's expression grew serious. "Who could it be?"
"I don't know," Yu Zhi said with a smile. "However, the Confucian, Military, and Mohist schools will not stand by idly while we break through Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, nor will they watch Lin Zhao, who has undergone soul separation and reincarnation, be killed again. In his previous life, he was protected by that sword; in this life, he may not have the chance to reincarnate. Therefore, unless a Military Sage himself descends, any other fourteenth realm cultivator is very likely to die."
Shi Jungang frowned. "Why wouldn't a Military Sage descend?"
"Hmph!" Yu Zhi smiled faintly. "Ding Muchen is already swamped with matters outside of the heavens. How could he have the mind to concern himself with affairs below? If Ding Muchen were to come, it would be good. Our demon race would immediately withdraw our troops back to the ancestral court. And if Ding Muchen's true body were not in the outer heavens, the ensuing repercussions could very well shake the entire upper realm. Overall, it would be beneficial to us."
"Oh, I see..." Shi Jungang nodded, a hint of worry in her expression. Clearly, there were many matters that she, at the eleventh realm, was not privy to. It was her station, after all. If she hadn't reached Ancestral Mountain a step earlier than Yu Zhi and hadn't helped Yu Zhi once, Yu Zhi probably wouldn't have addressed her as 'Sister Shi.' She simply wasn't worthy.
Shi Jungang raised her head and looked towards the distant battlefield again.
...
The Northern Domain battlefield was already a scene of utter chaos.
On the ground, countless demon and human armies, players, and cultivators clashed fiercely. In addition, fifty thousand demon race cavalry had entered the fray. Currently, Chen Xi and Han Yetang were leading thirteen thousand cavalry, launching a fierce flanking attack on the demon cavalry, while Lü Fengxian, commanding one hundred thousand elite troops from Wu Zhen Lou, was holding the front line against the demon cavalry.
A twelfth realm commander of the demon race was locked in a fist-to-fist battle with Lü Fengxian. It was currently a stalemate, but Lü Fengxian, as a martial artist in the Rebirth Realm, possessed enduring stamina and a profound physical foundation. Victory was only a matter of time.
However, the more intense battle raged in the sky. The Military Sage, Huo Piaoyao, wielding a shining silver spear, was engaging two thirteenth realm great demons.
"Boom!"
With a deafening roar, Huo Piaoyao's spear strike in mid-air landed on Fu Sheng's long sword, causing it to crackle with fissures. Immediately after, a punch descended, sending Fu Sheng flying diagonally. He crashed through more than ten mountain ranges before coming to a halt. Just as Fu Sheng was getting up, Huo Piaoyao descended like lightning. With a "噗嗤" sound, the spear pierced Fu Sheng's heart, lifting his body high into the air!
"Ah?!" A group of demon cultivators watched, their hearts filled with terror. They knew Fu Sheng's standing within the demon race. A thirteenth realm expert, one of the four guardians of the demon race, was impaled by a spear just like that?!
"Hmph..." Huo Piaoyao smiled faintly. He shook his spear, shattering Fu Sheng's body. However, after the body shattered, there was no flesh and blood, only a golden bamboo slip, a life-bound substitute slip of Fu Sheng, shattered by the shining silver spear. Although it had saved him from death once, Fu Sheng's cultivation would inevitably be greatly damaged!
"Track!" Huo Piaoyao pulled out a tracking talisman personally written by Military Sage Ding Muchen. The moment it was ignited, the talisman transformed into a bolt of lightning and shot out. Huo Piaoyao then directly hurled his spear. The shining silver spear transformed into a silver dragon, following the tracking talisman into the deep mountains, only twenty li away from Snow Domain Heavenly Pool.
With a pained cry, Fu Sheng, who had been hiding beneath the trees, let out another miserable howl. His body was lifted into the air once again by the shining silver spear. His body then disintegrated, transforming into a second life-bound substitute slip.
"Good!" Huo Piaoyao laughed heartily. "Let's see how many life-bound objects you have to deplete!"
"Nan Qingfeng!" From the depths of the distant mountains, Fu Sheng's enraged roar echoed. "Are you going to stand by and watch me be killed?!"
Nan Qingfeng brought down his sword in a sweeping motion, but it was repelled by Huo Piaoyao's punch. All Huo Piaoyao wanted now was to kill Fu Sheng!
"Again!" The second tracking talisman was ignited, transforming into a streak of blood-red lightning that shot into the forest. Huo Piaoyao, in his white robes, carried his shining silver spear and pursued again. Fu Sheng, meanwhile, was heading directly for Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. Lin Zhao, in the air, also hurriedly followed on his sword, not daring to get too close, nor daring to stay too far away. At this moment, although Huo Piaoyao seemed to have the absolute upper hand, the situation could change.
In the wind, Nan Qingfeng's pretty face flushed red. The cold voice of the Demon Ancestor reached her ears: "What are you hesitating for? If Fu Sheng dies, or his cultivation drops, and you, Nan Qingfeng, refuse to contribute to the demon race, then prepare for your own demise. I believe my two disciples would be very happy to taste your flesh and blood. After all, the number one beauty of the demon race, your taste must be quite good."
"Demon Ancestor, I know what to do," Nan Qingfeng gritted her teeth, revealing her white peacock form, and also pursued. With a gentle flap of her wings, she unleashed three golden life-bound wing feathers, which transformed into three beams of auspicious light and shot directly towards the back of the Military Sage.
"What?!" Huo Piaoyao suddenly twisted, his killing intent surging. He delivered a punch, shattering all three life-bound wing feathers. At the same time, streaks of blood flowed down his arm. After all, his opponent was a thirteenth realm great demon, and their strength was naturally not weak. He turned and threw his spear again!
"Chii!" A figure landed on the northern mountain east of Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. Immediately after, it was pierced through the body by Huo Piaoyao's spear. After the body exploded, it transformed into a third life-bound bamboo slip. At this very moment, Huo Piaoyao descended from the sky, swept out a horizontal punch, and a figure in the void spat blood and flew out. It was Fu Sheng, who had been hiding in the wind. At this point, Fu Sheng's face was deathly pale. Having had three life-bound objects shattered consecutively, he was already on the verge of a cultivation drop. Now, after taking a punch from the Rebirth Realm expert Huo Piaoyao, he immediately vomited blood, his injuries compounding.
As his body flew through the air, he rolled and transformed into a giant deer tens of feet tall, clad in a robe and heading directly for Jiuzhangyuan. Simultaneously, the pháp tướng of the great demon Yu Zhi appeared in the sky above Jiuzhangyuan, already preparing to receive Fu Sheng.
On the other side, Nan Qingfeng in the air also flapped her wings and fled. Although she didn't appear as battered as Fu Sheng, her losses were indeed substantial. She had lost too many life-bound wing feathers. It could be said that Huo Piaoyao, with his single spear, had beaten two peak thirteenth realm great demons of the demon race back to the early thirteenth realm.
Small town, Baiyuxi.
A red-robed youth leaped down from the roof beam of the River God's shrine, picked his ear, and finally, it was his turn to act.
"Kid!" On the stone bridge, Xiang Ji suddenly stood up and said sternly, "Where are you going?"
The red-robed youth completely ignored him and pulled out an iron rod wreathed in flames from his ear.
In the wind, Lin Zhao descended on his sword, his face filled with joy. "Brother Huo, have we won then?"
"Almost," Huo Piaoyao smiled faintly and raised his hand to summon the shining silver spear from afar. However, before the spear could fly back, there was a sudden "噗嗤" sound. A section of an iron rod protruded from Huo Piaoyao's chest. The iron rod was wreathed in flames, with golden runes constantly appearing. Blood flowed, and the Military Sage's aura plummeted almost instantly.
"I told you so," the red-robed youth who had emerged from the small town said with a smile, his clothes continuously tearing apart, revealing a hairy body beneath. His face also began to change, becoming similar to that of a giant ape. His body continued to expand, and in the blink of an eye, he was several feet tall. A ferocious grin appeared on his lips. "Killing the Marquis of Victory is effortless!"
Lin Zhao stood there, stunned, in front of Huo Piaoyao, holding the immortal sword Li Quan, as if struck by lightning. Watching Huo Piaoyao's life force continuously fade, he found himself unable to move.
...
Kusong River.
As Su Qingjiu pointed her sword at Ning Yuansheng's forehead, a snow-white flying sword shot towards Ning Yuansheng's throat. This flying sword was extremely fast. It was the first flying sword Su Qingjiu refined into a life-bound object after becoming a sword cultivator. It was exceptionally light and sharp, and Su Qingjiu named it "Baiyu" (White Fish). This was because in her childhood, when she was in Baiyuxi, she loved to follow Lin Zhao into the water to catch white fish among the water weeds. Those white fish swam very fast, and the white fish soup Lin Zhao made was also incredibly delicious, making it unforgettable for her. Thus, the flying sword was named Baiyu.
However, for Ning Yuansheng, this flying sword Baiyu was not easy to swallow; it could be fatal. Therefore, to avoid being killed by Su Qingjiu, Ning Yuansheng had to withdraw his innate divine ability and release his restraint on Lin Wanhua.
At the same time, Su Qingjiu's second flying sword swept past, transforming into a green light sword rain and attacking Long Zheng and two other twelfth realm great demons. This was her second flying sword, named Qingyu (Green Fish). In her childhood, Lin Zhao had personally cooked many delicious sour fish dishes using green fish as an ingredient, which also made Little Jiu'er unforgettable. Thus, the second flying sword was named Qingyu.
In an instant, Lin Wanhua regained her freedom, her face filled with joy.
"Rise!" Su Qingjiu's sword split the chaotic energy, and her third flying sword flew out. It transformed into a snow-white silk ribbon that wrapped around a twelfth realm great demon in a green robe from the river water. This third flying sword was called Liuxu (Willow Catkin). In her childhood, when Little Jiu'er was in school, she had suffered a lot from willow catkins, which were everywhere. This third flying sword was naturally flexible and possessed a domain of willow catkins. Thus, the twelfth realm great demon in the water was held by Liuxu in the wind, unable to move, his face filled with shock. To think such an unreasonable sword cultivator existed in this world!
"Let's kill one first!" Su Qingjiu's sword unleashed dozens of sword energies, attacking Ning Yuansheng and the others. Simultaneously, the flying sword Baiyu and flying sword Qingyu attacked the great demon in the air, who was restrained by Liuxu. Lin Wanhua raised her hand and pointed. Feihua, Xinhua, and Libie, three life-bound flying swords, flew out together. The great demon watched, dumbfounded. For the sake of killing mere him, were two great sword immortals making such a grand display?