Chapter 636 - 635: A Dying Strike

An unknown amount of time passed.

The Netherworld Erosion Demon Venerable’s miserable screams, curses, and pleas for mercy gradually subsided, growing weaker and weaker until there was no sound at all.

’He’s dead?’

Yang Xiao considered this, but he wasn’t convinced. Instead, he applied another Array Pattern to the creature—the Ten Thousand Ants Devouring Heart Array.

Sure enough, the Netherworld Erosion Demon Venerable began to scream again.

"Damn human brat, you’ll regret torturing a noble Dark Night Demon God like this! Venerable Demon Emperor above, please hear the prayer of your humble subject..."

Immediately after, the Netherworld Erosion Demon Venerable stopped wailing and instead began to chant words that Yang Xiao couldn’t understand at all.

Yang Xiao’s expression changed slightly.

He couldn’t understand the words, but he clearly sensed the creature drawing a terrifying aura out from the void and marking him with it.

His Thousand Mechanism Eye also reacted.

But it didn’t throb.

Nor did any visions appear.

Clearly, a crisis was upon him.

’But what kind of crisis?’

It seemed even the Thousand Mechanism Eye was unable to perceive it.

"Haha, you’re a dead man! I’ve sacrificed my own lifespan to inform the Venerable Demon Emperor of your Divine-Demon Body. Soon, Lord Demon Emperor will know you exist. When he does, your death is certain! Haha..."

At these words,

Yang Xiao’s expression turned incredibly grim.

’The Demon Emperor!’

An existence comparable to a Saint Emperor, and likely even stronger than an ordinary one. Otherwise, these Dark Night Demon Gods wouldn’t precede his title with the word ’Venerable’.

If such an entity truly set its sights on him...

The mere thought of it...

sent a chill down Yang Xiao’s spine.

’Damn it! That twisted bastard! Scheming against me even in death. Dying ten thousand times wouldn’t be enough for him!’

Yang Xiao raged internally.

With a flick of his finger,

one Array Pattern after another appeared in his hand and merged into the orb before him.

In an instant, the Netherworld Erosion Demon Venerable—who had somehow found a way to resist the pain of being refined—began to howl in agony once more.

At first, the sound was deafening, but it soon began to fade, growing weaker and weaker, until finally, it vanished into nothingness once more.

This time, no matter how many new Arrays Yang Xiao applied to amplify its consciousness, he heard nothing more.

Only then did the anger in Yang Xiao’s heart subside.

’It seems this bastard is finally dead. As for that so-called Venerable Demon Emperor...’

Yang Xiao gazed at the black orb before him. His grim expression soon smoothed into calmness.

A Saint Emperor Level entity was indeed a source of immense pressure.

But...

’It’s not like I haven’t made enemies at that level before. The Lord of Immortal Dao is hardly any weaker than the Venerable Demon Emperor. I’m not afraid of him, so why would I fear this so-called Venerable Demon Emperor!’

A sharp glint flashed in Yang Xiao’s eyes.

It was a look of self-assurance.

He would not fear any opponent, no matter how powerful.

Besides, the Dark Night Demon Gods were the sworn enemies of all Martial Cultivators.

Yang Xiao refused to believe...

that the Demon Emperor would disregard all risks and act personally.

And as long as the Emperor didn’t act personally, the danger would be significantly lower.

’But the Profound Sun Continent is too remote. The appearance of a Dark Night Demon God here won’t cause much of a stir. If I remain, that Emperor might actually make a move. Even if he doesn’t come himself, sending a Demon Venerable just a bit stronger than the one I just killed would be more than the Profound Sun Continent could handle. It would lead to absolute carnage!’

The entire Human Race on the Profound Sun Continent was now his people.

Yang Xiao couldn’t bear for anything to happen to them.

Furthermore...

’I promised Nangong Tianling I’d go to the Star God Continent within a year, and that deadline is fast approaching. Besides, in my current state, the only way for me to obtain the complete Star Secret Pattern and advance my cultivation and strength is to go there.’

Though Yang Xiao was currently powerful, that power stemmed either from his Emperor’s True Body or from external items like the Divine General Talisman and the Bloodthirsty Divine Sword.

His personal cultivation, however, hadn’t improved in a long time. Even though his current combat power—based on raw physical strength alone, setting aside all else—was comparable to the Demigod Level.

But to the current Yang Xiao, being a mere Demigod was far too weak.

The Tier Seven Divine Marquis Level power of his Emperor’s True Body, or the recently acquired Divine General Talisman, which could unleash the power of a cultivator at the Peak of Fifth Tier Divine General—

both were vastly superior to his own true combat power, which was merely at the Demigod Level.

However, the Emperor’s True Body had severe limitations. The moment he left the Profound Sun Continent, Yang Xiao’s strength would plummet, and replenishment would be difficult. If he went to the Star God Continent...

it would likely be depleted in no time, becoming a useless shell with no deterrent power at all.

The same was true for the Divine General Talisman.

Once its energy was depleted, it too would be useless. However, unlike the Emperor’s True Body, Yang Xiao could find ways to recharge it. The Emperor’s True Body could only be replenished with the Power of the Emperor. Unless he became a supreme Saint Prince on the Star God Continent, it would be impossible to empower it again.

And aside from his agreement with Nangong Tianling,

many other matters also compelled Yang Xiao to venture out and improve his cultivation.

For example, the task Elder Long had given him.

He had to journey to the Void Dark Realm to search for an ancestral artifact. His Emperor’s True Body couldn’t survive there, so Yang Xiao would have to rely on his own power. Therefore, he had to raise his personal cultivation.

Likewise, there was the matter of finding the reincarnation of his Junior Brother Xuan Yang.

Yang Xiao had already scoured the Profound Sun Continent, but there were no signs of his rebirth.

Therefore, Yang Xiao had to venture out and search elsewhere.

The most likely places...

were the surrounding continents. The others were manageable, but on the Holy Celestial Continent, he had offended the Daughter of the Divine King. Without sufficient strength, infiltrating it would be impossible.

’No matter the reason, I have to leave.’

He sighed internally.

Yang Xiao reflected for a moment and found he wasn’t particularly reluctant to leave.

After all, not many of the people he cared about remained on the Profound Sun Continent.

Other than his father Yang Zhentian, Lu Fangliang, and Yang Lin, the rest—Yang Ziling, Bing Xin, Yang Tian, Zhang Mengfei, Xue Yi, Yun’Er...

had all already left.

Since that was the case...

it was time to leave.

’But before I go, there are still some matters to attend to. Right, that girl Ye Wanyu is still in the Inner Realm; I need to sort that out. I also need to say my goodbyes to Elder Long and the others. I can’t just leave without a word, can I?’

He smiled faintly.

Yang Xiao deactivated the Divine General Talisman, and his consciousness returned to his physical body.

The first thing he saw was Elder Long’s concerned face, still pale from the ordeal.