"Scum!"
Chen Feng slowly raised his head. What he saw in his eyes was not Huang Tingyu's physical body, but a sky-dog exuding monstrous demonic energy. The sky-dog opened its maw, spewing out an incredibly blazing peak sword energy. This instantly ignited Chen Feng's fury. Why would a peak sword cultivator of the demon race serve humans?
Ultimately, Chen Feng was the direct disciple of the Kun Peng Demon Ancestor of Wuwang Mountain. He had never thought of himself as having any divine bloodline. His origin as a mere goshawk had always made his position in Wuwang Mountain somewhat awkward. Fortunately, he was wholeheartedly devoted to the pursuit of the sword path, which eventually caught the eye of the Kun Peng Demon Ancestor, who accepted him as a direct disciple.
Therefore, when this thirteenth-realm demon king saw a traitor to his race like Huang Tingyu, hatred surged within him.
In an instant, a golden Dharma image erupted from the top of Chen Feng's head, transforming into a giant goshawk with outstretched wings, its sharp talons gripping the sky-dog's head. Its sword swept horizontally, its sword intent solid and incomparably blazing. This sword collided with Huang Tingyu's.
Amidst the thunderous roar, countless dense sword energies raged and clashed. The two thirteenth-realm peak sword cultivators, with just one strike, had already intensely compressed the very atmosphere of Wuwang Mountain.
For a short time, they could not determine a victor. However, as time wore on, Huang Tingyu was bound to lose. After all, Chen Feng was a demon king meticulously nurtured by the Kun Peng Demon Ancestor. His demonic energy was more concentrated than Huang Tingyu's, and his cultivation foundation was also slightly superior.
Moreover, the demons of Wuwang Mountain had never considered dragging the battle into a state of equilibrium.
In the distance, powerful auras swept over. More and more great demons flew in a swirling arc from the mountain to its base. Among them were many twelfth and thirteenth-realm cultivators, and even some fourteenth-realm ones!
In the wind, a colossal figure slithered; it was a black dragon, its dual horns emitting a dense golden radiance, its aura already quite resembling a true dragon. Accompanied by a trace of water fortune, it soared into the sky, transforming into an elder in a green robe wielding a long sword.
The fourteenth-realm great demon of Wuwang Mountain, Cang Lan, like Ji An, was a fourteenth-realm demon whose Great Dao was close to water.
"Break!"
Great demon Cang Lan swept his sword. Although not a sword cultivator, his sword light was filled with dense water fortune. With a mighty roar, he tore open a corner of Gu Lingyu's defense. Instantly, Gu Lingyu's Dharma body let out a sigh, its power already in rapid decline.
Furthermore, three other thirteenth-realm demon kings lunged forward!
"Xiao Jiu'er!"
Lin Zhao swung his sword, the Immortal Slayer, to delay the three opponents while shouting, "Hold them back!"
"Alright!"
Su Qingjiu transformed into a streak of sword light and swept forward, the Xun Lu Sword in her hand humming. She was enveloped by an extremely heavy killing intent, and golden patterns rippled along the middle of the sword's body – this was Su Qingjiu's Sword Heart Connected to the Divine.
"Bang!"
Su Qingjiu's long sword swept past, and instantly a thirteenth-realm great demon was struck on its vital artifact, its body spinning backward, blood already oozing from its lips. Su Qingjiu was simply too powerful at this moment. Her thirteenth realm was already the pinnacle of a Flying Ascent realm sword cultivator, coupled with her Sword Heart Connected to the Divine and the divine sword Xun Lu in her hand. Ordinary thirteenth-realm cultivators were no match for her.
To put it bluntly, ordinary thirteenth-realm cultivators would be in danger of being killed within ten moves under Su Qingjiu's sword.
Therefore, Lin Zhao asking Su Qingjiu to fight three opponents was not an act of overconfidence!
At the base of the mountain, Wu Zhi, Tang Guangjun, and Lin Zhujie unleashed their swords with all their might. Streaks of sword light struck the mountain's roots, slowing Wuwang Mountain's descent. Additionally, Chen Ben's punches became increasingly potent and fierce. His eyes were even covered with a faint golden glow, and the War God's Gallbladder within him had long since begun to hum.
...
"It's time."
At the villa on the mountain peak, Bing Xian Han Xin, standing on a stone peak, looked up at the sky. His golden eyes could see what mortals could not. He suddenly raised his long sword and activated the second formation hidden within the mountain – the Mud Ox Entering the Sea Formation.
Instantly, a ribbon of starlight appeared in the sky. Under Han Xin's military aura, countless stars in the starry sky were connected one by one. Then, Han Xin stepped into the air. This step seemed to cover an immeasurable distance, and in a blink, he stood in the cosmos. His sword light swept down, cleaving the ribbon towards Wuwang Mountain.
"Hum!"
The entire Wuwang Mountain seemed to have collided with something, and its descent began to slow continuously. The starlight across the sky gradually dimmed, as if the stellar energy had been severely depleted.
"Meddling with other people's business!"
At the peak of Wuwang Mountain, the Kun Peng Demon Ancestor's eyes shone with golden light. With a flick of his sleeve, a golden wing split the void and flew towards Bing Xian Han Xin in the starry night.
"Huh?"
Han Xin soared upwards, meeting the attack with his sword. With a loud crash, he shattered the Kun Peng Demon Ancestor's wing. But the moment he shattered it, a second wing shot towards him – it was a vital wing, forcing Han Xin to raise his long sword in defense.
With a deafening roar, Han Xin's body plummeted backward, his face slightly pale. Indeed, as Bing Xian, his strengths lay in strategy, formations, and troop command. In terms of a one-on-one fight, it still fell to Ding Muchén.
Therefore, he did not hesitate. He turned and vanished into the air as a ripple of military energy. His task was done. The rest was up to Lin Zhao and the others.
"You think that's all!?"
At the peak of Wuwang Mountain, the Kun Peng Demon Ancestor's eyes surged with dense golden light. He chuckled, "Han Xin, do you really think your plan can escape my notice?"
Saying this, the Kun Peng Demon Ancestor spread his arms, and dozens more vital wings shot across the sky, heading towards a certain direction in the cosmos.
"Not good!"
Han Xin's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly ascended again, raising his iron fist to the sky. His fist was covered with dozens of defensive formations, but it was still too late. The Kun Peng Demon Ancestor's vital wings pierced through, shattering dozens of Han Xin's formations. The last wing smashed into the cosmos, erupting in a fierce flame.
A talisman stone, placed in the starry sky, was thus destroyed.
Moreover, this was a crucial talisman stone. Without it, Han Xin's Stellar Shifting Formation could no longer maintain its precise lock on their aura.
"Lin Zhao!"
Han Xin retreated rapidly and said in a deep voice, "A core of the Stellar Shifting Formation has been destroyed. Bring everyone back immediately, or you might not make it back at all. I will now activate the return talisman. The return formation will be a gentle breeze. I will infuse a wisp of your vital imprint into the location of this breeze. You must be decisive and lead everyone back, and do not let the demons discover our location. Otherwise, if the demons descend upon the Snow Domain Celestial Pool now, it will be unimaginable!"
"Got it!"
Lin Zhao nodded lightly. The next moment, a 'ding' sounded in his mind. When he opened the minimap, he had already discovered the location of the gentle breeze Han Xin had mentioned. He immediately said in his heart to Su Qingjiu and the others, "The plan has changed. Follow me, we're retreating, or none of us will make it back!"
"Alright!"
Su Qingjiu pushed out a golden ripple of sword energy, forcing back the three great demons. At the same time, she sent out a diagonal sword strike, forcing back the great demon Chen Feng and relieving Huang Tingyu. Tang Guangjun, filled with dense military killing intent, swept his long sword, wounding several twelfth-realm great demons, then swept over. Gu Lingyu's book scrolls flew from his hands, setting up formations in the air. "Everyone retreat quickly, I'll cover the rear!"
"Lingyu!"
Lin Zhao said anxiously, "Hurry up too."
"Don't worry, little uncle!"
Gu Lingyu smiled slightly, his formation-setting speed increasing.
Wu Zhi swept his long sword, finally sending a solid strike towards Wuwang Mountain. He then twisted and retreated, not forgetting to send out two sword strikes to resolve the crisis for the entangled Lin Zhujie.
The group sped away.
Lin Zhao saw clearly, the last to leave was Chen Ben. The prodigious young martial artist glanced back towards Gu Lingyu's direction and thought to himself, "Brother Lin Zhao, will Dean Gu be able to return?"
"Naturally."
Lin Zhao had to believe in Gu Lingyu, after all, not everyone could die here.
"Hurry!"
He rushed towards the orange circle marked on the map at the fastest speed and said, "It's over there, charge in!"
Lin Zhujie and Tang Guangjun were the first to rush through. Instantly, their bodies seemed to seep into water ripples and were immediately sent back to the villa on the mountain peak. Wu Zhi, Huang Tingyu, and Chen Ben, intending to support Gu Lingyu, turned back with their long swords, but at their location, Cang Lan, Ji An, and Chen Feng, the great demons, had broken through the Confucian barrier and were all attacking.
"Lingyu!"
Lin Zhao was anxious, "Hurry and go!"
"Coming, you go first!"
Gu Lingyu waved his long sleeves. This thirteenth-realm Confucian sage's temperament was elegant and gentle, a stark contrast to his formidable combat power. As his sleeves waved, Confucian scrolls swirled around him, making him appear like a swimming fish.
"Go!"
Lin Zhao turned and said in a deep voice, "All of you, go!"
"Yes!"
Huang Tingyu and Wu Zhi stepped into the gentle breeze together, their bodies being teleported away.
"Brother Lin Zhao, you go first. I'll cover the rear and support Gu Lingyu," Su Qingjiu said solemnly, holding the Xun Lu Sword.
"Mhm, Chen Ben, keep up, quickly!"
Lin Zhao did not dally. He swept away and was also teleported back to the villa on the mountain peak. Looking up, he saw Han Xin's condensed Water Moon Observing Heaven, still able to see the battle on Wuwang Mountain.
...
"Su Qingjiu!"
The thirteenth-realm peak great demon Chen Feng cleaved through the void with a sword strike.
"Hm?"
Su Qingjiu's gaze flickered, "Just you?"
The Xun Lu Sword, laden with heavy killing intent, swung out. In an instant, the great demon Chen Feng's body was repelled dozens of feet by a single sword strike. His eyes were filled with astonishment. Su Qingjiu and he were both thirteenth-realm cultivators, how could she be such a monstrous talent?
Just as Su Qingjiu repelled her enemy with a single sword strike, ripples appeared in the void. Three golden vital wings shot out from the void, all techniques of the Kun Peng Demon Ancestor. Instantly, Su Qingjiu hurriedly conjured a powerful sword intent, forming a barrier of sword dao in front of her chest.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The continuous loud bangs were, after all, the offensive power of the Wuwang Mountain Supreme being unleashed through his vital wings. Although Su Qingjiu managed to block it, her body was shaken by the immense force and she was forced to retreat continuously. The next moment, she was somewhat surprised. Her body was involuntarily enveloped by a gentle breeze and in a blink, she was teleported away.
Just as Su Qingjiu was being sent away, she saw a sharp vital wing descending from the sky in the distance.
"Pfft!"
Gu Lingyu's body trembled. His chest was pierced by the wing, and he immediately spat blood continuously.
"Dean Gu!"
The only one remaining, Chen Ben, hurriedly turned around, his eyes filled with despair. Gu Lingyu was the best scholar in the small town and a person who deeply respected Lin Zhao. Chen Ben knew that Brother Lin Zhao actually liked this junior of his very much and had high hopes for him.
The next moment, he could no longer think of anything else. His entire body erupted with fist intent, and he soared into the air, delivering a punch towards the sky. He collided with the Kun Peng Demon Ancestor's second vital wing that was attacking Gu Lingyu!
...
"Alas..."
Bing Xian Han Xin let out a sigh. In his eyes, streams of colorful threads of fate were wrapped around Chen Ben. Each thread was connected to a person in the distance, making it impossible for Chen Ben to leave, not to mention that he didn't want to.
In fact, from the moment Lin Zhao first met Chen Ben in the mountains, this child's fate had been sealed.