Chapter 335: Severing an Arm

Chapter 335: Severing an Arm

January 30, 2025

"An Imperial-grade artifact!"

"This must be the ultimate treasure of Emperor Feng Lei!"

"It's a pity, if Emperor Feng Lei were to reappear, I might have some reservations, but you alone are not enough!"

Hananhai Demon Emperor let out a disdainful smile, and with a snap of his fingers, the sky shattered, and all the wind and thunder forces in front of him seemed to become feeble.

Seeing his full-power attack being effortlessly neutralized by Hananhai Demon Emperor, Divine Feather Great Saint's face turned grim.

"Everyone, this Demon Emperor is extremely powerful, so don't hold back!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the group led by Nan Gongs Sheng, including many Saints, did not hesitate and immediately summoned their ultimate treasures.

"Boom!"

Nan Gongs Sheng held the Immortal Demon Banner, infusing it with terrifying power, fully unleashing the might of this Imperial-grade artifact.

In an instant, a heavenly gale wind appeared, as if celestial demons were descending from the nine heavens.

One majestic shadow after another emerged from the Immortal Demon Banner, rushing towards Hananhai Demon Emperor to pacify and kill him.

These shadows in the Immortal Demon Banner were traces of the strongest beings captured by the Imperial-grade artifact during the Tai Xuan Empire's observation of the heavenly Dao, their exploration of the past and future, and their eventual fusion into the ultimate treasure.

As the cultivators activated the Immortal Demon Banner, they could awaken the shadows of these mighty beings.

In their lifetimes, these powerful beings had transcended the realm of mortals, reaching a level akin to both saints and demons.

Hence, the Immortal Demon Banner was named as such.

However, the saintly and demonic shadows within the Immortal Demon Banner also depended on the cultivator's cultivation.

If a cultivator at the Imperial-grade realm were to wield it, they could even elevate these shadows to the Imperial-grade level.

Unfortunately, with Nan Gongs Sheng's current cultivation, he was naturally unable to summon Imperial-grade saints.

But with his relentless effort, the power of the Immortal Demon Banner was mostly restored.

The emerging shadows were uniformly at the Saint King level.

Boom! Boom!!!

As the powerful cultivators unleashed their might, a torrent of terrifying energy pierced through the heavens and the void, instantly engulfing Hananhai Demon Emperor.

At this sight, Divine Feather Great Saint and the others' expressions turned solemn, devoid of any joy.

They were well aware that since Hananhai Demon Emperor was comparable to an Imperial-grade existence, he would not be an easy opponent.

As expected, the moment Hananhai Demon Emperor was submerged in the torrent of power, the void trembled, and a colossal oceanic shadow abruptly appeared from the sky.

"Boom—"

This oceanic shadow seemed to cover the entire world, with Hananhai Demon Emperor standing in its midst, resembling a sovereign of the sea. Behind him, a hideous and terrifying ape shadow materialized.

Hananhai Demon Emperor clenched his right hand, and in that instant, the heavens and earth shattered.

All the torrents of power disintegrated and vanished.

"It's time to end this!"

Hananhai Demon Emperor's expression remained indifferent, and then, with a thought, the oceanic shadow rose, transforming into a colossal divine spear that dominated the nine layers of the sky, hurtling towards the multitude of human experts below.

The divine spear shattered the heavens and earth, its power terrifying enough to blot out the sun.

Divine Feather Great Saint and the other powerful cultivators gazed at this strike, their faces filled with despair.

An Imperial-grade existence!

This was the might of a being comparable to the Imperial-grade realm! Even with their Imperial-grade artifacts, they appeared so feeble before a true Imperial-grade cultivator.

At that moment, many cultivators' eyes flashed with determination, ready to burn their blood and soul for a final, desperate battle.

Suddenly, a figure shattered space and appeared, blocking the divine spear's path. A punch was thrown, and the terrifying force instantly tore through everything.

Even the divine spear, imbued with the power of an Imperial-grade strike, seemed unable to withstand the force of this punch.

"Boom!!"

The heavens trembled.

The entire Eastern Domain seemed to shake.

Then, the divine spear shattered inch by inch, eventually dissipating.

This sudden turn of events caused Divine Feather Great Saint and the others' expressions to change.

"Gu Qingfeng—"

When they saw the figure in the green robe, a name flashed into their minds.

Gu Qingfeng, the head of the Gu family! The Eastern Domain's powerful cultivators were no strangers to this figure.

Based on his achievements over the past decade, he was undoubtedly a cultivator on par with the Saint King level.

However, a Saint King could never so effortlessly block an Imperial-grade strike.

In other words, Gu Qingfeng, the head of the Gu family, had never been a Saint King but an Imperial-grade cultivator from the start.

"An Imperial-grade cultivator!"

Tai Xuan Dao Lord took a deep breath, and a smile immediately appeared on his face.

He hadn't forgotten that Tai Xu Holy Land and the Divine Martial Empire were allies.

Moreover, among the Nine Sons of Tai Xu, one was Gu Qingfeng's offspring.

At this moment, the head of the Gu family was a Quasi-Emperor, and for Tai Xu Holy Land, it could only bring benefits and no harm.

On the other side, Han Hai Demon Emperor looked at the suddenly appearing Gu Qingfeng, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Are you the human powerhouse who destroyed Ku Mountain Sanctuary and killed Ku Mountain Demon King?"

"Is Your Excellency seeking revenge for Ku Mountain Sanctuary?"

Gu Qingfeng stood in the void with his hands behind his back, facing Han Hai Demon Emperor without the slightest fear.

Han Hai Demon Emperor was indeed powerful.

But Gu Qingfeng also had his own trump card.

With the cultivation of Grand Saint 9th Heaven, his actual combat strength had already reached the level of Saint King 7th Heaven.

The Three Heavenly Veins emerged simultaneously.

Furthermore, he could break through the Saint King barrier and truly step into the Quasi-Emperor realm.

If he were to use an Imperial-grade artifact in battle, even a High-ranked Demon Emperor, or even a Top Demon Emperor, Gu Qingfeng would have the confidence to fight.

"The destruction of Ku Mountain Sanctuary only proves their weakness. My intervention was to gauge the strength of you humans!"

Han Hai Demon Emperor shook his head slightly, but his gaze had been fixed on Gu Qingfeng from the start.

The latter gave him a strange feeling.

He seemed like a Grand Saint!

Yet, he also seemed like a Quasi-Emperor!

It was as if Gu Qingfeng's cultivation level was fluctuating, always on the verge of changing.

However, there was no doubt.

After seeing Gu Qingfeng easily dissipate that strike, Han Hai Demon Emperor considered him to be on par with a Quasi-Emperor.

"If you wish to gauge the strength of humans, I will oblige!"

A cold light flashed in Gu Qingfeng's eyes, and the Evil-Cursing Blade suddenly appeared, instantly unleashing a slash that caused the heavens and earth to change color.

The Three Heavenly Veins!

An Imperial-grade artifact!

The combination of the two.

Made Gu Qingfeng's strike as powerful as a Top Demon Emperor.

The original calmness on Han Hai Demon Emperor's face turned solemn, and the monkey shadow behind him became more solid, with black fur gradually growing on his human-like body.

"Fight!"

Han Hai Demon Emperor roared, and with a grasp in the void, a black divine spear appeared. Terrifying power erupted, causing the starry river to sway and stars to fade.

Unlike his battle with Shen Yu Great Saint.

Facing a powerhouse like Gu Qingfeng, Han Hai Demon Emperor held nothing back.

From the very beginning.

He gave it his all.

The might of a High-ranked Demon Emperor's pressure alone made it difficult for even Saint-level beings to move.

"Boom!"

"Boom! Boom!"

The two clashed in the void, colliding millions of times in a single breath. Shockwaves of destruction rippled out from them, spreading in all directions.

Layer upon layer of space shattered and collapsed, as if the vast heavens and earth were returning to chaos. The elements of earth, water, fire, and wind emerged, and the terrifying might made onlookers tremble in fear.

"This is the power of a Quasi-Emperor, truly terrifying!"

"Han Hai Demon Emperor's strength is terrifying, and only a Quasi-Emperor can match him. If it weren't for the intervention of the Gu family's master, we might have been completely annihilated!"

Many of the human powerhouses on their side wore bitter smiles.

They had thought that even if they exhausted all their resources, they might not be able to suppress Han Hai Demon Emperor, but stopping him wouldn't be a problem.

But until now.

They truly understood.

Just how vast the gap was between them and a Quasi-Emperor.

A powerhouse of this caliber, even with a Quasi-Emperor artifact, was not a match for them.

Forget about a Quasi-Emperor.

Even an Imperial-grade artifact.

Not a single one could threaten a High-ranked Demon Emperor.

After all—

No matter how powerful a treasure is.

It depends on who wields it.

Without the corresponding cultivation, one cannot truly unleash the full power of a supreme treasure.

Moreover.

A High-ranked Demon Emperor is already infinitely close to the Great Emperor realm.

Such a level of powerhouse is far more formidable than an ordinary Quasi-Emperor.

Shen Yu Great Saint's expression turned solemn, "I heard that the Gu family's master is only at the Saint King realm, but now it seems that this might be his true strength!"

At this point.

He turned to look at Tai Xuan Dao Lord beside him.

"Tai Xuan Dao Lord, you're lucky. Tai Xu Holy Land's alliance with the Divine Martial Empire is like leaning on a towering mountain!"

Shen Yu Great Saint was truly envious.

According to what he knew.

Yuhua Holy Land had some grudges with the Divine Martial Empire, but they weren't significant.

Previously, Shen Yu Great Saint hadn't taken these grudges to heart.

But now.

After witnessing Gu Qingfeng's strength, Shen Yu Great Saint's original thoughts had changed.

Perhaps.

Yuhua Holy Land should also find a way to improve their relationship with the Divine Martial Empire.

After all, a Quasi-Emperor as powerful as Gu Qingfeng would surely become a Great Emperor in the future.

If the Gu family produces a Great Emperor, then for the next ten thousand years, the Primeval Ancient World will belong to the Divine Martial Empire.

This was no empty boast.

The reason why the Great Emperor was called the Great Emperor was that the Emperor could suppress all under the heavens.

Even though some Empire Aspirants could also claim the title of Great Emperor, compared to a true Great Emperor, they were nothing.

"Lingyun's vision is indeed remarkable!"

Tai Xuan Dao Lord gave a slight smile, and then his expression turned solemn.

"But now is not the time to talk about this. Hananhai Demon Emperor is extremely powerful. Whether or not the Gu family head can suppress such a peerless Demon, is still a question! If the Gu family head loses, I'm afraid the entire Eastern Domain will suffer!"

Upon hearing Tai Xuan Dao Lord's words, the others also fell silent.

Given Hananhai Demon Emperor's terrifying strength, they naturally understood the importance of this battle's outcome.

Unfortunately, a battle of this level was not something they could interfere with.

Not only could they not interfere, but even if they wanted to step into it, there was no possibility.

This was because the place where Gu Qingfeng and Hananhai Demon Emperor were fighting had already transformed into a domain, and even a Saint King realm existence might not have the qualifications to truly enter it.

Therefore, Divine Feather Great Saint and the others could only stand by and watch, while also keeping an eye on the Jieyu Channel to see if any other Demons emerged.

...

Boom! Boom!

After an unknown duration of battle, a painful cry suddenly came from Hananhai Demon Emperor.

Immediately after, blood splattered.

A severed arm covered in black hair fell from the void.

Hananhai Demon Emperor grabbed the severed arm and then, without turning back, fled into the Jieyu Channel.

"He's fast enough to escape!"

Looking at the Jieyu Channel before him, which seemed like an abyss, Gu Qingfeng did not rashly step into it.

Although Hananhai Demon Emperor had lost an arm to Gu Qingfeng, he had not suffered a severe injury.

If a high-ranked Demon Emperor were to fight with his back against the wall, Gu Qingfeng would not have the confidence to escape unscathed.

After all, Gu Qingfeng was not truly at the Empire Aspirant realm. He was only able to match the Empire Aspirant realm by utilizing the power of the Three Celestial Veins.

The longer he drove the Three Celestial Veins, the greater the burden on his body.

By now, when Gu Qingfeng dispersed the power of the Three Celestial Veins, his physical body showed signs of cracking, but these injuries quickly disappeared.

"We have met the Gu family head!"

"We have met the Gu senior!"

At this moment, led by Divine Feather Great Saint, numerous powerful human experts stepped forward and respectfully bowed to Gu Qingfeng.

Even someone as powerful as Divine Feather Great Saint had a face filled with reverence, completely devoid of the demeanor of an elder expert.

Gu Qingfeng slightly nodded, "You're too kind!"

"This time, the Gu family head severed Hananhai Demon Emperor's arm and thoroughly repelled him, saving the human race of the Eastern Domain from a dire situation. We are eternally grateful!"

Tai Xuan Dao Lord also spoke, his words filled with praise.

Of course, this was not entirely empty flattery.

Not to mention anything else, just the news that Gu Qingfeng had severed Hananhai Demon Emperor's arm would be enough to shock the world.

Severing an Empire Aspirant's arm—only an Empire Aspirant could achieve such a feat.

A powerhouse of this caliber, in any era, would be able to stand at the pinnacle.

It was rare for a Great Emperor to appear.

Not to mention ten thousand years, even a hundred thousand years might not produce a Great Emperor.

In an era without a Great Emperor, the Empire Aspirant was the strongest.

But in fact, not only was it rare for a Great Emperor to appear, but it was also rare for an Empire Aspirant to emerge.

Taking the previous era as an example, the strongest expert of that time had barely stepped into the Saint King realm and had not even reached the threshold of the Empire Aspirant realm.

Therefore, from all aspects, the strength of the Gu family head standing before them was unquestionable.

At this moment, Gu Qingfeng looked at the Jieyu Channel and asked in a deep voice, "Is there a way to destroy this channel that connects to the Demon Realm?"

The reason he asked this was that Gu Qingfeng could sense the stability of the Jieyu Channel.

Even when he and Hananhai Demon Emperor had clashed earlier, they had not been able to shake or destroy the Jieyu Channel.

Evidently, the difficulty of dismantling such a channel was immense.

As his words fell, Divine Feather Great Saint was the first to speak.

"Once a Jieyu Channel is opened, it is supported by the heavenly laws of both worlds, and only a Great Emperor can destroy it!"

"Even the top Empire Aspirant of this era would find it extremely difficult to destroy a Jieyu Channel!"

"Now that the Jieyu Channel is open, we can only have powerful experts guard it to prevent the Demon Clan from invading through it. There's no other way!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end