Chapter 463 78: Respectfully Welcoming the Demon Lord

Inside the Feather Divine Soldiers.

Fang Cheng looked at the Dark Gold Fruit hanging from the crimson Spirit Tree before him and couldn't help but marvel inwardly. 'What astonishing Spiritual Power!'

The fruit contained an immense amount of Spiritual Power, far beyond imagination. If he could refine it, it would be of tremendous help in advancing his Cultivation.

Although he didn't know the name of this Spirit Tree, he knew that these three fruits could definitely serve as the primary ingredient for refining a Tier Four Elixir, and there would be more than enough.

The effect would be even better than taking the Spirit Pills refined by Qinghao Wanderer.

'No wonder the Celestial Desire Demon Monarch had her eyes on this tree. These three Spirit Fruits could probably save her three hundred years of ascetic cultivation.'

After making a quick assessment, Fang Cheng carefully stored the Spirit Tree away.

He would plant this tree on the Primordial Qi Celestial Island upon his return. He would save the fruit to consume after he broke through to the Dharma Aspect realm.

But that was a matter for another time.

He sensed something and turned his head to look toward the Demon-Exorcising Platform where the Celestial Desire Demon Monarch was.

Perhaps because the Celestial Desire Demon Monarch's Lifebound Flying Sword had been shattered, her aura had suddenly plummeted, revealing numerous openings. Eight columns of Demonic Light shot out from the cracks in the Cloud Light Tower Shadow Formation, heading straight for her.

It was eight Tier Four Mid Stage Celestial Demons!

Within the Demonic Light, the eight enormous, ferocious Celestial Demons each used their Divine Techniques. Black smoke and Demon Flames pressed down on the Celestial Desire Demon Monarch, attempting to break through the encirclement in one fell swoop.

The Celestial Desire Demon Monarch's delicate brows furrowed as fury appeared on her face. With a flicker of her body, she transformed into a peerlessly brilliant streak of sword light that slashed across the sky.

The vast sky was split in two.

The sword light was incomparably swift. With an unbelievably fierce momentum, it slashed at two of the Celestial Demons, dicing them into four pieces with a single strike.

At the same time, Fang Cheng saw an emerald divine light, like a world-shaking rainbow, descend from the sky and intercept the other four Celestial Demons.

The moment the Demonic Light on those four Celestial Demons touched this emerald divine light, most of it was instantly extinguished.

Then, the divine light swept out. The four Celestial Demons' flesh and blood withered, turning into endless dust that scattered onto the sea below.

'Void Divine Light!'

Three words surfaced in everyone's minds.

It was the ultimate technique of the Nine Truths Tower, its power bizarre, potent, and impossible to measure by conventional means.

The way Yang Tianhua displayed it today was truly soul-stirring and left no room for underestimation.

The remaining two Tier Four Celestial Demons were intercepted and slain by Master Jingxuan of the Thousand Buddha Sect and Qiushui Yue of Miaoxiang Tower, respectively.

In an instant, the crisis on the Celestial Desire Demon Monarch's side was resolved.

Light flowed across the Celestial Desire Demon Monarch's Cyan-Black Profound Armor. Like an invisible whale, it greedily devoured the Demonic Qi scattering across the sky.

In a flash, the Celestial Desire Demon Monarch's aura was restored to its original state, and the cold killing intent in her eyes grew even sharper than before.

She brandished another Tier Three Flying Sword, and a sky full of sword light surged forward, blanketing a section of the horizon as it relentlessly reaped the lives of the Celestial Demons.

From this moment on, the Demon Tide's assault grew even more ferocious.

Large numbers of Tier Four Celestial Demons appeared frequently, rampaging wildly as they tried to break through the defensive formation set up by the nine Demon-Exorcising Platforms.

Fang Cheng also activated his sword light, manifesting a sea of chilling lightning and swords. His Sword Intent was continuous and unending, covering a fifty-kilometer radius around his Demon-Exorcising Platform and preventing a single Celestial Demon from slipping past.

During this time, he continuously collected Tier Four Celestial Demon Relics. He also gathered any extraterritorial objects that some of the Celestial Demons occasionally carried with them.

His haul was so great that it truly made the trip worthwhile.

After a full day, even with the profound Cultivation of the nine cultivators, they inevitably felt some fatigue. Many had even taken elixirs multiple times to replenish their expended Magical Power.

The only exception was the Celestial Desire Demon Monarch.

Relying solely on her Demon Armor to devour Demonic Qi and convert it into Spiritual Power to replenish her Cultivation, the woman fought without rest. Her sword techniques became even more profound and swift.

Sustaining her war with war, using the Celestial Demons to temper her Sword Technique—she was worthy of her title as the number one Sword Cultivator in the Jin Country.

「When 7 p.m. arrived again.」

The number of Celestial Demons pouring from the crack in the Grand Array gradually decreased. Just as everyone thought the Demon Tide was about to end, a sudden change occurred!

On a Demon-Exorcising Platform to the west, a dark shadow suddenly appeared. A colossal skeleton sat within the shadow, its skull bowed low.

The skeleton was wrapped in countless dense chains. Its arm and leg bones were each formed from nine bones covered in strange patterns, twisted together like rope, exuding a sense of power.

Clusters of Demon Fire floated around the skeleton like clouds of mist, burning endlessly. The pure black flames emitted a profound, dark light that surged in endless layers.

Fang Cheng's heart sank. He had been keeping an eye on Shengshou Scholar, but he never expected the man to directly release a Resentment Celestial Demon from that Ancient Bronze Book!

And it was at the Perfect Realm of the Tier Four Late Stage, no less.

The others couldn't help but look over, only to feel a violent, tyrannical aura full of demonic nature spreading out.

Shengshou Scholar stood on the Resentment Celestial Demon's shoulder and shot Fang Cheng a deliberate, yet seemingly casual glance, a playful look on his face.

「The next moment.」

The Resentment Celestial Demon slowly raised its head, its empty eye sockets gazing at the giant azure Talisman in the Secret Realm's sky.

A streak of pure black fire, carrying endless Flame Runes, shot toward the sky and slammed viciously into the azure Talisman.

Yang Tianhua's face paled in shock. He roared, "Shengshou Scholar, what is the meaning of this?!"

The power of the Li Hen Demon Light was immense and terrifying. The azure Talisman was instantly tainted as if by ink, ignited by a layer of black Demon Fire that blazed fiercely.

At that moment, Fang Cheng was almost certain: Shengshou Scholar was an heir of the Hidden Demon Sect!

Once the azure Talisman was ignited by the Demonic Light, the power of the entire Cloud Light Tower Shadow Formation plummeted.

Yang Tianhua had no time to rebuke Shengshou Scholar. From the crack in the Grand Array below, a large horde of Tier Four Celestial Demons suddenly surged out, rushing toward the eight cultivators.

The eight of them moved to intercept and kill the demons, with no time to spare for anything else.

Shengshou Scholar, however, calmly took out a fist-sized, deep-blue Demon Bead and tossed it downward.

The Demon Bead fell into the crack of the Cloud Light Tower Shadow Formation and vanished.

Shengshou Scholar began to chant a Spell, his expression pious and solemn.

Gradually, an ancient, timeworn demonic consciousness awakened, emerging from the depths of the Grand Array.

"Who... am... I?"

A low whisper echoed throughout the entire Secret Realm.

Shengshou Scholar knelt and kowtowed, his voice deep. "I respectfully welcome the Demon Lord's presence!"

After a long silence from the depths of the Grand Array, a bitter laugh and a sigh emerged. "Heh, I am but a wisp of my main self's soul. I am not worthy of such a grand ceremony."

As he spoke, a young-looking, white-robed boy walked out from the crack in the Cloud Light Tower Shadow Formation.

The boy did not look old, yet he possessed a graceful bearing, as if he held the lives of countless beings in his hands.

He walked among the thousands of Celestial Demons, a hint of melancholy in his eyes. He scanned his surroundings with a timeworn gaze that finally landed on Shengshou Scholar. "Not bad," he said lightly. "You've gone to great pains to find such an incarnation for this seat."

Shengshou Scholar said respectfully, "It is merely what this junior ought to do."

The white-robed boy's aura was faint, almost non-existent, making him seem ordinary. Yet, he exuded a heart-pounding sense of danger.

Yang Tianhua activated his Void Divine Light to sweep away the pouncing Demon Tide, a look of confusion and terror on his face. "Shengshou," he demanded, "who is this? Why did you release him?"

Shengshou Scholar ignored him, instead continuing to address the white-robed boy. "Demon Lord, this junior has prepared eight sacrifices for you. Please, enjoy them, so that you may recover your strength sooner."

The white-robed boy nodded slightly. He took a step forward and, as if traversing the void, appeared instantly before Yang Tianhua.

He reached out a hand, ignoring Yang Tianhua's profound and tyrannical Void Divine Light, and gently passed through his Protective Spiritual Light to touch his body.

A look of terror and ferocity twisted Yang Tianhua's face. He could only watch as he was enveloped by a layer of Demon Fog, his entire body collapsing into a black pill the size of a longan fruit, spinning erratically.

The white-robed boy picked up the black pill and swallowed it, a look of nostalgia and enjoyment instantly appearing on his face.

Yang Tianhua's life force vanished completely!

A generation's Nine Truths Tower Master had fallen, devoured by a peerless demon.

The remaining seven were utterly horrified, and the urge to flee instantly rose within them.

Unfortunately, they were still besieged by numerous Tier Four Celestial Demons. With more than ten surrounding each of them, they could barely cope even when fighting with all their might. Escaping this Grotto Heaven Secret Realm, however, would be extremely difficult.

"Fellow Daoist Fang, flee now!"

Elder Yingya took out the Mountain and River Diagram and activated it, sending a telepathic message to Fang Cheng at the same time.

A hundred-zhang-long scroll slowly unfurled in the air. Within it were magnificent mountains and rivers under a vast, clear sky, faintly revealing the scenery outside Immortal Tower Mountain.

He had actually used this Tier Five Fragmented Artifact to open a path to survival.

As numerous Celestial Demons lunged at him, Elder Yingya's body transformed, becoming a golden lamp that flowed with five colors and shone with a magnificent light!

His Lifebound Magical Artifact, the Qian Flame Golden Lamp.

The lamplight was like multifaceted glass, blending illusion and reality. The ferocious Celestial Demons pounced, only to pass through it as if it were a phantom.

With a flicker, the lamp escaped into the Mountain and River Diagram and promptly vanished.

Fang Cheng was no slouch either. A flash of Thunder Light erupted from the Feather Divine Soldiers as it abruptly shrank to the size of a normal person.

Beside him, a Gu Insect glowing with brilliant white light silently appeared.

The next instant, a heaven-shaking ball of fire emerged!

The Divine Fire roiled like boiling water, its hundred-zhang-tall flames resembling a scorching sun.

Every wisp of flame radiated a heat so intense it could burn mountains to ash.

A large area of the surrounding Celestial Demons was instantly cleared out by the Great Sun True Fire.

The Feather Divine Soldiers flapped its wings and followed Elder Yingya's golden lamp into the Mountain and River Diagram.

"Hmph!"

Shengshou Scholar snorted coldly, displeasure on his face. He transformed into a streak of Demonic Light and shot off, also flying out of the Secret Realm through the Mountain and River Diagram.

Seeing this, the others also unleashed their life-saving techniques to force back the surrounding Celestial Demons and fly toward the Mountain and River Diagram.

But then a massive Demon Light Hand swept gently past. Before the others could reach it, they saw the Mountain and River Diagram slowly closing.

Only a single, incomparably fast streak of sword light, flashing like a shooting star, escaped into the Mountain and River Diagram at the very last moment.

It was the Celestial Desire Demon Monarch.

The white-robed boy looked at the four people remaining in the Secret Realm—Li Guanding, Luo Kaishan, Qiushui Yue, and Master Jingxuan—as if they were food. Without another word, he flickered and appeared beside the graceful Qiushui Yue.

Qiushui Yue let out a sorrowful cry, despair on her face. With grim determination, she detonated the Fourth-rank Magical Artifact in her hand, attempting to take him down with her.

But unexpectedly, the white-robed boy simply pointed a finger. A giant Celestial Demon opened its massive maw and swallowed the blinding light that was about to explode.

BOOM!

The Tier Four Celestial Demon was subsequently obliterated, leaving not even dust behind.

The white-robed boy slammed a palm onto Qiushui Yue's fair, smooth forehead. Endless black fog erupted, instantly enveloping her graceful body.

Then, the black fog collapsed and condensed, forming a pill the size of a longan fruit that landed in the white-robed boy's hand.

Swallowing the pill, he then walked toward Li Guanding of the Holy Spirit Sect.

...