Chapter 561: The Great Demon of the Heaven Realm

Chapter 561: The Great Demon of the Heaven Realm

Beyond the towering pillar.

The Sect Master of the Mountain Moving Sect, Yan Chongzhang, and a group of elders personally saw them off.

"To be honest, I thought he looked similar before, but now I don't think so anymore."

Luo Changchun stood on the exquisite Treasure Ship, staring at the ink-colored robe fluttering slightly in the front, and whispered to Lin You.

Although the Sect Master Shen in front of them bore some resemblance to the mysterious young cultivator who had suddenly attacked during the Long Fei's longevity banquet, their personalities were worlds apart.

The person at the longevity banquet was clearly violent and brutal, unlike this young Sect Master, who appeared restrained and gentle, exuding a sense of humble refinement.

No wonder these Daoists felt so close to him.

"If there's anything that requires the help of the Mountain Moving Sect, a simple message will suffice."

Huang Zongzhu cupped his hands, his cheerful face concealing a hint of complexity that others couldn't detect.

It was likely that even the founding ancestor of the Mountain Moving Sect wouldn't have imagined that their sect would one day face off against the Boundless Dao Emperor Sect.

There was no other option now but to place their hopes on this Sect Master Shen.

"Farewell."

Shen Yi nodded and waved his hand, piloting the Clear Moon Treasure Ship towards the agreed-upon direction.

As they embarked on their journey back, the numerous Daoists remained silent, filled with mixed emotions. This trip to Western Hong had broadened their horizons, exposing them to various powers and the so-called Dao Soldier Register, things that Southern Hong cultivators rarely encountered.

However, the short duration of their stay meant they could only be observers, unable to actively participate, which was somewhat regrettable.

The Cloud River Sect cultivators, on the other hand, were curious and looked ahead.

For them, Southern Hong seemed more like a place that existed only in rumors. Everyone had heard of it, but few had actually been there.

They also found it hard to imagine that there was an immortal sect that could single-handedly rival a dragon palace, and that the Southern Dragon Palace had to seek help from the Western Dragon Palace to suppress the Southern Flood Seven Sons.

Everyone's thoughts varied, and the Clear Moon Treasure Ship hovered in the sky, steadily sailing towards the border between the two Hongs.

Creee—

Suddenly, two long and lingering phoenix cries rang out in the surroundings and quickly dissipated.

Several Southern Hong Daoists looked around in confusion, while Luo Changchun and the others' faces changed slightly: "Crystal Azure Phoenix? What are they doing here?"

It was well-known that although this group of Green Phoenixes was powerful, they had stayed away from the Western Dragon Palace for years, residing in remote peaks far from the waters and rarely involving themselves in Western Hong affairs.

"Could it be that the Southern Dragon Palace invited them?"

Several Cloud River Sect elders exchanged glances, their greatest concern being this very situation. Originally, it was just a confrontation between the two major powers of the south, where both sides would show off their strength and compare notes.

However, with more and more factions getting involved, many of whom had deep-seated grudges, the situation would only become more chaotic. What started as a manageable conflict might escalate into a life-and-death struggle, even evolving into a killing calamity that engulfed both the Southern and Western Hong waters.

Hence, the Cloud River Sect Master wanted to request the mediation of the White Dragon with the White Beard.

"It seems like they're just passing by."

As the phoenix cries faded, Luo Changchun slowly heaved a sigh of relief and smiled at Lin You: "They probably won't. The Dragon Palace naturally dislikes this group of Green Phoenixes, so it's already good enough that they don't cause trouble. Why would they ask for their help?"

Lin You managed a weak smile, but her expression gradually grew solemn.

It wasn't because she sensed any aura.

Instead, she had been staring at the Sect Master Shen's back, comparing him to the person she had seen at the longevity banquet.

And at the moment the phoenix cries faded, she noticed the pale hand extending from the ink-colored sleeve, slowly clenching into a fist.

The next moment, the entire treasure ship seemed to freeze in the sky, as if trapped in an invisible quagmire, unable to move an inch.

A faint scent of blood wafted through the air, tinting the surrounding white clouds a dark red.

It was clearly midday, but the glaring sunlight was gradually obscured by the accumulating red clouds. Through the gaps in the cloud cover, moonlight shone down, casting a silvery shimmer on the darkly rippling water.

"..."

Shen Yi lowered her gaze towards a cluster of floating islands below, where all the changes were occurring. On one of the islands, a colossal and lazy figure had suddenly appeared, its entire body covered in sleek, snow-white fur, with black patterns twisting along its muscles.

A tiger in its prime, brimming with explosive power, slowly opened its eyes, its vertical pupils scanning the sky.

In an instant, the numerous cultivators on the ship felt a suffocating sense of oppression.

"An, An Tingfeng!"

Compared to the Crystal Azure Phoenix clan, it was clear that this tiger was more intimidating to the Cloud River Sect cultivators.

It wasn't because the Moonlight Frost Tiger was stronger, but because they were domineering and had a better relationship with the Dragon Palace.

Of course, the most important reason was that they had made an enemy of this great demon clan during the longevity banquet!

Surely, a minor verbal dispute didn't warrant the personal involvement of the infamous clan leader?

"Senior An..."

Several Cloud River Sect elders sensed the bloody aura at the tip of their noses, clearly indicating that this tiger had come with ill intentions.

Upon hearing the name An Tingfeng, the Southern Hong Daoists also reacted in unison, even though they had only been there for a short time. They couldn't help but be aware of the news regarding the Moonlight Frost Tiger clan.

This was a great demon comparable to the Earthly Realm Perfection!

However, the tiger shouldn't have any dealings with the Southern Flood Seven Sons, so why did it suddenly appear to intercept them, as if it had been planned in advance?

Could he really dare to take action?

After all, the Nanyang Sect's Deng Shushi was on his way here. Even if he couldn't save them, he could still perceive the residual aura and trace the identity of the true culprit.

An Tingfeng wasn't some lonely and isolated person. He was risking the lives of his entire clan to deal with a few people who had nothing to do with him and had no conflicts of interest with the Southern Flood's Daozi.

Don't talk about receiving orders from the Western Dragon Palace. Just the Western Dragon Palace alone couldn't guarantee the safety of his Moonlight Frost Tiger Clan.

One must understand the implications of wiping out all the Southern Flood's seven Daozis in one go. It was akin to cutting off someone's descendants, an act that could drive even a Fusion Dao Realm grandmaster insane.

"Sect Master Shen."

Wei Yuanzhou took slow steps forward and approached Shen Yi from behind. "Deng Shushi will be here soon. We can stall this ferocious tiger for a while, or reveal our identities to intimidate him."

"..."

Shen Yi and the pair of tiger eyes below quietly stared at each other, both seeing the murderous intent in the other's eyes.

Intimidation was useless against a madman.

Moreover, this madman was almost like a lonely and isolated person, without any worries about his back, so what could he use to intimidate?

Furthermore, the demonic aura emanating from this tiger was several times more potent than the last time they met.

It even led Shen Yi to a heart-pounding speculation.

A Heaven Realm demon.

With this thought, he withdrew his aura and handed over the control of the Clear Moon Treasure Ship to Wei Yuanzhou, speaking softly, "Take them and leave first."

Upon hearing this, not only Wei Yuanzhou, who was closest, but also the few people standing on the ship's body, looked at him in astonishment.

Sect Master Shen's intention was to block this great demon alone?

What a joke!

But when it came to matters concerning the Fusion Dao Realm, they, as a group of juniors, couldn't come up with any ideas.

Just then, the tiger below finally stood up slowly and transformed into a majestic human form. The familiar Mystic White Cloak billowed once again.

"It's truly wonderful to see you again."

An Tingfeng adjusted his sleeves, slowly raising his head with a smile, "Where is that despicable creature? Where did you hide her? Or do you no longer need her protection, and you're confident you can keep your life safe from my hands?"

With just that one address, the petite figure on the throne of the Western Hall of Ten Thousand Demons slowly opened her eyes.

She gazed at An Tingfeng through Shen Yi's sea of consciousness, pursing her lips.

In her moist eyes, the pupils stood slightly erect, and the entire Western Hall was filled with a sudden dark wind, exuding a sinister and murderous aura.

She didn't care about this man's opinion of her.

What An Yi cared about was that he said she was hiding... She wasn't hiding, and right now, she really wanted to pierce this man's chest with her own hands!

"Stay calm and quiet."

Shen Yi conveyed his thoughts with a faint, non-negotiable tone.

When faced with a genuine life-and-death crisis, he didn't hesitate to withdraw the rare favor he had shown to An Yi, for a stone was a stone and must obey orders without question.

"Keep our lives safe?"

Wei Yuanzhou and Su Hongxiu keenly caught the information in An Tingfeng's words.

Their expressions changed.

In other words, Sect Master Shen had already interacted with this ferocious tiger, who had reached Earthly Realm Perfection, without the Southern Flood's seven Daozis having any knowledge of it.

And he had managed to keep his life safe?!

"I'll do my best to contact Deng Shushi."

Wei Yuanzhou no longer hesitated and took control of the Clear Moon Treasure Ship.

Since Sect Master Shen was aware of this tiger's strength and had made such arrangements, there must be a reason for it.

The other Daozis remained silent, standing in their original spots. Meanwhile, the Cloud River Sect cultivators, like Luo Changchun, swallowed hard. They were most concerned about these people putting on a show of sharing life and death together. With the addition of the White Jade City cultivators, it was like adding a few more snacks for a demon at the Earthly Realm Perfection.

Spreading the news was the most important!

"Leave?"

"Did you let my people go earlier?"

An Tingfeng seemed to have heard a joke and chuckled twice. You must know that all the clansmen he sent out who had contact with this young cultivator were dead, without a single survivor.

When it came to ruthlessness, An Tingfeng was no less than anyone.

In an instant, the Mystic White Cloak billowed, and the ferocious tiger suddenly disappeared from its original spot.

The sky, filled with red clouds, instantly dispersed, and a gigantic tiger palm descended from above, covering the sky and blocking out the sun. Its claws seemed like five sharp mountain peaks, attempting to completely envelop the tiny Clear Moon Treasure Ship.

The powerful demonic energy and aura crashed down, causing the entire body of water to strangely sink! Under this claw, the White Jade City cultivators couldn't even lift their arms or perform the simple action of placing their fingertips on their foreheads. They were frozen, their eyes fixed, and their bodies were suppressed like stiff wood.

In the moment An Tingfeng made his move, Shen Yi finally confirmed his speculation.

As the tiger's claw descended, he took a step forward, leaving the Clear Moon Treasure Ship. In a distance of less than two feet, the figure beneath the ink-colored robe seemed to have transformed into a different person.

The previous gentleness and composure disappeared, replaced by intense ferocity! The ink-colored light flowed like stars soaring into the sky.

Shen Yi didn't dodge or yield, instead charging straight towards the giant palm. As he raised his arm, it seemed like the entire sky responded in unison! The sleeves of his robe rolled up, and his right arm, like jade, carried the aura of suppressing the heavens, slamming his fist onto the tiger's palm!

Boom—

A thunderous explosion reverberated, shaking the Clear Moon Treasure Ship and causing the many cultivators on it to feel like their divine souls and bodies were about to shatter.

As the onlookers watched in shock, two figures on the Azure Sky above made contact and immediately retreated.

The towering figure of An Tingfeng stumbled back over a hundred zhang, while Sect Master Shen was sent flying backwards, crashing onto the edge of the Clear Moon Treasure Ship with a loud boom. Under this immense force, the entire treasure ship surged forward, only stopping when the floating island had become a minuscule dot.

Having escaped the control of this ferocious tiger, the numerous cultivators seemed to have regained their senses.

"Ca...caught it?"

Bai Wu jumped up from the ship, letting out an instinctive cry.

Wei Yuanzhou, with his quick reflexes, maneuvered the Clear Moon Treasure Ship towards the direction of Southern Hong, while also taking out a jade slip to urgently contact Elder Deng.

However, his mind was still reverberating with the shocking scene that had just unfolded.

Without relying on any external objects, Sect Master Shen had surged forward and, with a solid punch, repelled a fully matured Earthly Realm demon!

For those who knew Shen Yi, it was like a fantastical tale.

"Heh! Heh!"

Su Hongxiu propped herself up, staring intently at the direction of the ship's head. Looking at the empty ship's head, she suddenly muttered, "He's not here..."

As she spoke, she abruptly turned and grabbed Bai Wu's collar, "Quickly report to Master Ji! Hurry!"

Although Su Hongxiu's cultivation was also insignificant in the face of the Fusion Dao Realm, her perception of auras was sharper than others.

For some reason, she had a feeling that even Elder Deng might not be able to defeat this demon.

It was common knowledge that Elder Deng, despite his limited talent, had never been able to enter the Heaven Realm due to his lack of qualifications. He was far behind the Sect Masters of the Heaven Sword, Clear Moon, and Spirit Mountain Sects. After so many years, he had been left far behind, but during his time in the Earthly Realm, he had trained in Hongze, pushing his abilities to their limits.

In theory, within the realm of the Earthly Realm, if not to the point of overwhelming, he should at least be able to engage in a battle.

"Okay, I'll report to Master Ji right now," said Bai Wu, who also understood the seriousness of the situation. She quickly took out a treasure specifically used to contact her master.

"It's him... it's really him..." Luo Changchun trembled as he stood up and came to Lin You's side. "Did you see him when he made his move just now? Last time..."

That familiar, ruthless, and decisive aura, especially when faced with a powerful existence like An Tingfeng, was something he had rarely seen in other young cultivators.

"Now is not the time for that," Lin You said, lying on the edge of the ship, anxiously looking into the distance.

In the previous location, the entire world seemed to have been separated, and the desolate azure sky above the red clouds appeared to have gained consciousness!

"This shouldn't be possible," An Tingfeng said, steadying himself and curiously looking at his right palm. He then clenched and unclenched it a few times.

After confirming that he had regained his precious essence blood, he indeed had stepped into a new level.

"However, your transformation seems even greater than mine."

An Tingfeng raised his head and looked at the youth in front of him. At the moment Shen Yi made his move, the aura of the Earthly Realm Perfection and beyond finally burst forth.

It was truly at the limit, perhaps even beyond the reach of all the cultivators in Hongze... the true upper limit of the Earthly Realm!

He seemed to be just one step away from the Heaven Realm, and with a slight lift of his foot, he could easily cross over.

"What the hell are you?"

The ferocious tiger finally let out a long sigh. After exhausting all his efforts to achieve his goals, setting up the Precious Moon Grand Tomb and forcing his clansmen to accompany him for years, he had made no substantial progress. Yet, Shen Yi had effortlessly accomplished it and even helped An Yi directly ascend to a level comparable to the Fusion Dao Realm.

In just a short time, Shen Yi had transformed from a White Jade Capital cultivator to a powerful Earthly Realm Perfection expert.

Not only An Tingfeng, but even if someone spoke of such unbelievable words, perhaps even an Immortal would be perplexed upon hearing them.

"But it's fortunate that after suffering for a lifetime, I've finally been favored by the heavens and caught you at this moment," An Tingfeng said, his eyes cold and his lips curling into a sinister smile. The stark contrast of emotions on his face made him appear even more sinister.

What use was being just one step away? Today, he would ensure that his opponent would never have the chance to take that final step.

"..."

Shen Yi gently waved his sleeve, and the black armor enveloped his body, tightly wrapping around his physique.

As his hand fell, the golden engraved long sword emitted a cold light.

Next was the Yin-Yang Black Jade Pendant.

He slightly opened his mouth and swallowed the Phoenix Essence Pill, and his already pale face suddenly took on a few more sickly shades. The heart fire burning within him also stimulated the murderous intent in his heart.

The previous hard clash of fists, aside from protecting the Clear Moon Treasure Ship, had another crucial reason.

Shen Yi wanted to test the distance between himself and the Heaven Realm after receiving the Immortal Technique's empowerment, especially with An Tingfeng, who had just broken through to the Heaven Realm.

If the gap was too wide, he would find a way to escape and preserve his life.

But from what he had seen so far...

Shen Yi exhaled a scorching breath, and his eyes revealed unconcealed greed and cruelty.

The Divine Mountain Suppressing Azure Sky, this Immortal Technique, borrowed strength by transforming the body into a divine mountain, suppressing a portion of the sky, and then borrowing strength from the heavens.

Although he had only just begun to learn it and was far from mastering the suppression technique, he could already coexist with this piece of the azure sky and utilize a portion of the heaven's spiritual energy to empower himself.

Shen Yi slightly raised his eyes, his thin lips parting, and his voice carried a hint of mockery, "You're talking so much, are you trying to stall for time and prolong your life?"

"Huh?"

The sound of this word reached An Tingfeng's ears, causing the majestic middle-aged man to unconsciously stiffen.

He even suspected that his ears might have deceived him.

But in that brief moment of distraction, An Tingfeng's vision was obscured by the surging dark clouds that suddenly appeared, as if a giant roc had spread its wings, its wings howling as they swept towards him!

"Little thief!"

A powerful demon who had risen through slaughter and plunder would not easily lose their composure, even if they were momentarily distracted, let alone one with a higher cultivation level.

An Tingfeng was slightly enraged, but at this level, he rarely encountered such despicable opponents who used petty tricks to gain the upper hand before taking action.

Wait a moment—

Moonlight shone in An Tingfeng's eyes, almost turning them into a bright white, yet he still couldn't see through the dark clouds!

This bizarre phenomenon made him inexplicably think of a certain secret skill of a Northern Flood great clan. Could this young man have a connection with Yue Jialin?

"Die, you little brat!"

Realizing the situation was beyond his control, An Tingfeng reacted swiftly. Given the young man's previous actions, he was certain that his opponent would launch a sneak attack from behind!

With this thought, he turned around and slapped his palm towards the back of his neck, unleashing his ferocious demonic power to disperse the rolling dark clouds, as if tearing the sky itself!

But his palm struck nothing but air.

Under the remaining dark clouds, a pair of deep eyes glinted with a cold light.

The sharp black-armored boots stomped viciously on An Tingfeng's calf, causing him to instinctively bend down. The golden engravings on the long sword shimmered like flowing water, extending a hundred zhang of mystic golden blade aura that carried an invisible yet roaring heart flame, and viciously slashed at the joint between his calf and thigh.

Chi—

The mystic golden light entered An Tingfeng's body, instantly turning into a line of blood that split open with a 'puchi' sound.

Shen Yi didn't have complete confidence in killing this fierce tiger, so he first aimed to disable the opponent's legs to make his escape easier if he couldn't win.

Even so, the effect wasn't very good.

The line of blood turned into a deep gash, but the blade was blocked by the bones.

This Dao Armament, which surpassed the Primordial Heaven Armament and was entirely condensed from golden light, was actually blocked by the body of a demon.

Perhaps this was why they were considered comparable to the Heaven Realm.

"Heh!"

An Tingfeng never imagined that he would be at a disadvantage first.

He staggered a few steps, bent down, and covered his wound with his hand, feeling the wet scarlet blood sticking to his fingertips, and the heart flame searing his bones, causing excruciating pain.

Under this intense pain, a surge of fury rose from his chest.

An Tingfeng suddenly turned around to look, but he couldn't see Shen Yi, who had disappeared into the dark clouds at some point, like a ghost, leaving no trace.

Within the dense dark clouds, it seemed that hidden killing intent lurked everywhere.

"You're just a distraction, come out and face me!"

An Tingfeng opened his mouth wide, and a thick tiger's roar rolled out, enveloping the dark clouds.

This was the innate divine ability of the Moonlit Frost Tiger Clan.

An Yi had used this move to easily crush the Ten Thousand Phenomena Pavilion Sect Master.

"Sir!"

In the Western Hall, An Yi knew the power of this move all too well. Moreover, An Tingfeng was lucky to have guessed Shen Yi's position correctly, but she looked at him in a daze, seeing that he was calm and had no intention of dodging.

"Let... let An Yi go..."

In the next moment, the figure covered in black armor was enveloped by the mighty tiger's roar.

The Yin-Yang Black Jade Pendant instantly changed, the white jade expanding to cover the entire surface of the pendant.

Crack! Crack! Amidst the tiger's roar, the jade pendant quietly cracked and turned into golden light, returning to the Nanyang Sacred Land.

But even the residual power caused Shen Yi's pupils to slightly dilate, yet he had already exerted all his strength to drive his heart flame, burning the Dao Embryo's five viscera to stay awake.

"Shut up."

Under the golden-engraved crown, his hair was slightly disheveled.

Shen Yi's originally handsome face now carried a hint of ferocity. He clenched his teeth tightly, and blood oozed from between his neat, white teeth, but his hands, which gripped the long sword, were steadier than ever.

When it came to slaying demons, he trusted only his judgment.

"Heh—"

In his fury, An Tingfeng exerted his full strength to use his divine ability, but still, he gained nothing.

He glared at the rolling dark clouds in front of him, not daring to be careless anymore. Finally, he turned around to guard against other areas, mocking, "Where's your composure from before? Or are you planning to stall until the Southern Flood cultivators arrive? With your cultivation, are you sure you want to compare endurance with me?"

Although he mocked, his eyes were filled with moonlight, not missing any changes within the dark clouds.

Before he finished speaking,

A figure in black armor stepped out from the clouds behind the fierce tiger.

The youth approached silently and swiftly.

In his indifferent gaze, only An Tingfeng's unprotected back of the neck remained.

In an instant, the entire azure sky seemed to dim.

The strands of light gathered at the tip of the blade.

Shen Yi held the sword with both palms, and the remaining dark clouds on his body seemed like a large cloak, floating in the air like a black aura, as he swiftly stabbed the long sword forward!

Puchi—

With the power of the azure sky, the straight blade specifically avoided the vertebra and fiercely pierced through An Tingfeng's neck, the sharp blade protruding from his throat.

In an instant, blood splattered, wetting An Tingfeng's clothes and the palms he raised in surprise.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end