Chapter 562: Both Cleared

Chapter 562: Both Cleared

Gurgle, gurgle.

A low growl mixed with blood, trembling with rage, expressed the fury of this Celestial Realm demon.

An Tingfeng had once been at a similar cultivation level to this young cultivator, but in the face of the Celestial Realm's Jade Mountain Dragon Consort, he was powerless to resist. He could only be easily choked by her, his life hanging by a thread at her mercy.

Now, having reached the Celestial Realm himself, he faced an Earth Realm cultivator.

He should have been like a cat toying with a mouse, looking down indifferently as the cultivator struggled to escape his palm. After playing with him enough, he would cruelly end his life, chewing and swallowing him along with An Yi.

However, even using his innate divine ability, An Tingfeng couldn't even touch the corner of the young man's clothes. Instead, he was pierced through the throat by the youth's saber.

The difference between this scene and what he had imagined was so vast that he couldn't accept it.

"Last time, that despicable creature was protected by you... This time, you're protecting that despicable creature..."

An Tingfeng covered his throat, letting out an indistinct laugh. In an instant, he turned his head, his face contorting with rage, his eyes filled with scarlet fury. "Can you protect her?!"

With this movement, his towering figure instantly transformed into a robust demonic body covered in fur. The terrifying tiger's arm muscles bulged, and its sharp claws tore through the dark clouds, slamming into Shen Yi's body!

Among the five Dao armaments, the Black Armor and Phoenix Essence were the weakest due to the gap in power between the Hall Master and the Northern Hall of Ten Thousand Demons.

The Black Armor was slightly better, as it was still supported by the Earthly Yin Marsh in the Northern Hall, but it couldn't escape the level of the Primordial Heaven Armament.

Now, even with the support of the Nanyang Sacred Land, facing the palm strike of a Celestial Realm demon, the Black Armor, shimmering with a cold light, shattered like dry wood.

The dark golden hair crown crumbled like fragile jade.

Shen Yi's hair was in disarray.

The entire sky trembled violently, as if the strike hadn't landed on his body but was about to cause the azure sky to collapse!

The power of the Divine Mountain Suppressing Azure Sky reached its peak at this moment.

The nameless mountain within Shen Yi seemed to awaken slightly, and a mighty aura instantly infused his limbs and bones.

Under the shattered Black Armor, within the ink-black sleeves of his robe, his palms had already released the hilt of the saber. His sturdy arms, like white jade spears, thrust forward, carrying the power of the Azure Sky, and with a 'puchi' sound, pierced the body of this peerless ferocious demon.

After revealing his true form, An Tingfeng's single fingertip was larger than Shen Yi's entire body, let alone the tiny wound caused by just two arms. The mystic golden blade aura extending from his gaping neck was far more terrifying.

However, as a chill filled Shen Yi's eyes, his ten fingers clenched An Tingfeng's muscles tightly.

Standing on the celestial edge, his feet seemed to be on the ethereal clouds, but he was like an invincible mountain between heaven and earth. In the next moment, a vast force surged from his arms, and he forcefully lifted the tiger demon that blocked the sky!

"Roar!"

An Tingfeng never expected such a change. He roared, trying to break free from the other's grip, but as he struggled, an indescribable sharp pain emanated from his chest.

The sleek, oily fur, like thick fabric, tore with a 'zhi zhi' sound, and the flesh beneath it was chaotically separated by the immense force.

Boom—

Shen Yi ruthlessly slammed An Tingfeng towards the ground below!

The ferocious tiger raised its head, its neck unable to bend due to the mystic golden blade aura, so it fell like a falling star, howling as it plummeted through the cloud layer.

It stared fixedly at the slender figure, finally catching a glimpse of obvious exhaustion on Shen Yi's face.

Under the stimulation of intense pain, An Tingfeng let out a muffled, frenzied laugh. "Heh! Heh!"

Even though he was already severely injured, he still had the strength to fight for his life.

"It's my turn! It's finally my turn! When my family is reunited, I should also leave a place for you!"

"Huff."

Shen Yi's breathing was chaotic, and the dark night-like sky reflected his current state.

He squatted slightly, his scarlet arm resting on his knee, and the five fingers hanging loosely trembled slightly.

Under his hair, his pitch-black eyes calmly stared at the ferocious tiger, capturing its full attention.

An Tingfeng's words were like the wind in his ears.

This was because, in the direction where the ferocious tiger was falling, a stone statue, already filled with killing intent but forcibly suppressed by Shen Yi, finally, at the right moment, was summoned to the position where it should have appeared.

"..."

An Yi desperately wanted to breathe rapidly, but her entire body was as still as a real stone.

She suppressed all her emotions, only to hide herself better.

Family reunion? It didn't necessarily have to be inside this man's stomach.

Perhaps she had a better way.

In an instant, the similarly black horse-faced skirt fluttered.

An Yi's eyes turned into vertical pupils, and her petite figure soared into the sky. She slammed into the falling ferocious tiger, precisely piercing its torn chest.

Like an arrow shooting out, she fiercely impaled An Tingfeng's heart! The ferocious tiger's expression instantly froze.

The body of a Celestial Realm demon was incredibly powerful, especially within his body, where surging demon power and scorching flesh were almost capable of crushing everything.

An Yi had already reached the peak of the Earth Realm.

However, in the face of the raging demon power like an ocean, her stone-like body still couldn't stop shattering, even causing cracks to appear on her delicate face.

But in her vertical pupils, only the heart, full of life, remained.

"Despicable creature! Get out of my way!"

An Tingfeng roared, thrusting his two front claws into his chest, trying to grab the tiny yet deadly figure.

He didn't understand why he owed this ungrateful thing so much that it was willing to risk mutual destruction to display such ferocity in exchange for his life.

"Huff—"

An Yi finally exhaled, then raised her palms, her fingertips extending sharp claws that viciously pierced into the heart. In an instant, her demonic power erupted, unleashing its full might!

Boom!

Accompanied by a muffled sound of flesh and blood exploding, the robust demonic power surged through the heart, flooding An Tingfeng's organs with blood like a torrential downpour. His muscular demonic body slammed powerlessly onto the floating island.

His eyes widened as he stared into the void, his front claws twitching a few times. Even in his final moments, he seemed to still want to grasp something.

After a long while, a petite figure, drenched in blood, stumbled and rose from the mangled remains.

An Yi stood motionless, staring at the corpse beneath her feet, confirming that its temperature was rapidly fading. She staggered out from the corpse, then lifted her blood-red face, covered in cracks, and stared blankly at the celestial edge, her vertical pupils regaining their lively and rounded appearance, accompanied by a hint of bewilderment.

"..."

Shen Yi had no interest in discussing the meaning of life with a young girl who had avenged her father but whose enemy was her own father. She had no intention of guiding her towards a future path.

The Stone of Tranquility only needed to follow her lead, striking wherever she pointed, and there was no need for these flashy things.

She retracted her arm and slowly stood up, slightly fatigued, and said, "We're even now."

Upon hearing this, An Yi remained silent for a long time before bowing and saying softly, "Thank you, Mr. Shen."

"It's time to change how we address each other."

Now that they were even, Shen Yi didn't need to be polite to her anymore. She stepped onto the floating island and began examining her gains.

In front of the massive tiger corpse, two figures, one tall and one short, both dressed in black ink robes and horse-faced skirts, were soaked in blood, an intimidating sight.

"Huff."

Shen Yi sat cross-legged, her gaze fixed on An Yi.

She had initially been worried that even with the full power of her clan, she might not be able to help her, the Western Hall Master, break through to the Heaven Realm. Now, it seemed like she had overestimated the difficulty.

This time's harvest might be the most useful thing she had obtained during her trip to Western Hong.

A Heaven Realm Stone of Tranquility, although perhaps not as powerful as an Immortal Technique, could still significantly impact the situation in Southern Hong.

[Slayed a Moonlit Frost Tiger of the Heaven Realm, total lifespan of 670,000 years, remaining lifespan of 460,000 years, absorption complete]



[Remaining Demon Lifespan: 920,000 years]



Looking at the prompt on the panel, Shen Yi raised her eyebrows.

Tsk, according to the lifespans of the demons and monsters she had slain before, this Frost Tiger Clan Leader was actually considered a young generation.

The longer the demon's lifespan, the better.

Divine Mountain Suppressing Azure Sky had just barely entered the door, and the Immortal Technique she obtained from Yue Tianji the last time hadn't even been cultivated yet. These cultivation methods were notorious for consuming lifespans, and even those who seriously cultivated to the Dao Fusion Realm might not be able to master them all.

Aside from cultivation methods, the previous breakthrough to the Dao Fusion Realm required a significant amount of demon lifespan to support the Ten Thousand Demons Hall's envelopment of the Southern Dragon Palace.

There was also the temporarily missing Grand Seal, which might be related to this matter as well.

However, as her strength increased, Shen Yi found that killing these Dao Fusion Realm demons and absorbing their lifespans was much faster than before.

"Come."

Shen Yi nodded slightly and gestured to An Yi.

Except for Wu Jun, who wasn't present, the remaining three Hall Masters all had different thoughts as they looked outside.

Among them, Yue Tianji, the new addition, listened to Ke Shisan and Yu Lan's conversation and was even more bewildered... What did they mean? Could breaking through to the Heaven Realm from the Earth Realm be achieved with just a few casual words? He had spent many years in Northern Hong, and although he had tasted the immortal pills and brews bestowed by the immortals, he had never heard of such an odd occurrence.

He felt like he was the one who seemed like a country bumpkin in front of these colleagues from Western Hong and Southern Hong.

The next moment, Shen Yi's mind moved slightly, and the massive tiger corpse swiftly transformed into a sea of blood, enveloping An Yi.

The cracks on her body were instantly repaired, and her skin became increasingly delicate. Her originally bloodless lips gradually turned red.

It was as if the blood energy had become so dense that she couldn't digest it.

Only when the sea of blood completely seeped into her stone body did these changes quietly cease.

An Yi stood quietly in her original spot, her flushed face returning to its former paleness. Compared to before, there weren't any significant changes, except for her black hair, which had grown slightly longer.

However, the aura emanating from her body was even more stable than An Tingfeng's had been earlier.

"Hiss." Yue Tianji had occasionally wondered if he was the strongest among the several Hall Masters, but when he sensed this aura, he instantly retracted his gaze, feeling uncertain as he sat on the throne.

"It's not—"

After digesting the shock in his heart for a while, he turned to the other two Hall Masters and asked, "Why is it always her who absorbs the lifespans?"

Upon hearing this, Ke Shisan raised his eyebrows and reassured him, "Don't worry, your Yue family is also a great clan, and you've offended our master. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future, so there's no need to be anxious."

"It sounds strange." Yue Tianji's face had just shown anticipation, but then he felt that something was amiss. He sat on the throne, deep in thought.

The Hall Masters chatted among themselves.

Shen Yi briefly observed An Yi's current strength and was about to condense the demon's origin when she suddenly blinked.

She paused for a moment, "How do you feel?"

"A little uncomfortable... but it's fine." An Yi closed her eyes to experience it, then replied seriously.

"..."

Hearing these familiar words, Shen Yi directly turned off the panel.

She finally understood that the "uncomfortable" mentioned by the Western Hall Master had a completely different meaning from the other Hall Masters. It was most likely that she wasn't accustomed to this unfamiliar power, rather than her demon soul being unable to withstand the Stone of Tranquility's realm.

The Eastern Dragon Palace was indeed generous with their actions, nurturing a remnant soul to such an extent.

They probably had the intention of drawing An Tingfeng to their side.

"Go and slaughter those Green Phoenixes. While you're at it, find out what exactly happened."

Shen Yi hadn't forgotten how An Tingfeng had found them. Since he had already come, he might as well stay.

"Yes, sir."

An Yi briefly familiarized herself with her new body, and her figure slowly dissipated from her original spot.

Shen Yi sat where he was, beginning to regulate his breathing and take the opportunity to further refine his two Immortal Techniques.

...

At the border of Western Hong.

A man with a neat appearance, even the creases on his sleeves were perfectly symmetrical, arrived riding on a cloud.

It was the master of the Wuduang Sect, who, after the Seven Sons Gathering, had meticulously arranged numerous pebbles under a large tree.

Deng Xiangjun headed towards the agreed-upon location.

Suddenly, he slightly raised his gaze, keenly sensing a familiar aura.

His expression immediately turned solemn. He lifted his palm, and the clouds beneath his feet rolled violently. In just a few breaths, he landed on a dilapidated treasure ship.

"Weren't you supposed to wait for me in Western Hong? Why did you come here on your own?"

Deng Xiangjun furrowed his brows and glanced at the ship. He saw his group of disciples, all looking agitated, even Wei Yuanzhou and Zhong Xiu had lost their usual composure, their breathing rapid and chaotic.

He quickly realized something was amiss: "Where's Shen Yi?!"

Su Hongxiu's lips were parched, and she finally released Bai Wu. The worry on her face didn't lessen upon seeing Deng Xiangjun: "Deng Shushi, on our way here, we were intercepted by the Moonlight Frost Tiger Clan led by An Tingfeng. Shen Zongzhu stayed behind to hold them off, and we've already sent a message to Ji Shushi. Please go and support us quickly!"

The group of disciples remained silent.

But anyone could see the thoughts in their hearts.

So much time had passed; it was less about support and more about going there...

"There's still time!"

Su Hongxiu, rarely raising her voice, roared: "Before we left, I saw with my own eyes that Shen Zongzhu and An Tingfeng exchanged palms, and he didn't fall behind!"

This sounded like a fantastical tale.

But Deng Xiangjun didn't ask further. He casually took control of the treasure ship, sending the disciples and the Cloud River Sect members below. The aura of the Fusion Dao Realm filled the ship.

As the ship sped away, Su Hongxiu gritted her teeth and tried to catch up, holding something in her hand.

Deng Xiangjun sighed, bringing her aboard, and then disappeared from sight.

"This is the treasure Bai Wu used to contact Ji Shushi. It's been nurtured with aura for many years and is even more effective than a Dao talisman." Su Hongxiu panted, handing over the jade token.

"Is that tiger so ferocious?"

Deng Xiangjun casually put away the token, his gaze fixed forward.

Given Su Hongxiu's intelligence, she should know that these few people were somewhat different from ordinary Earth Realm cultivators.

Even so, they still felt that this matter required Ji Jingxi's involvement to be truly secure.

"My premonitions... are usually very accurate." Su Hongxiu stood by her opinion.

"If I remember correctly, you just said that Shen Zongzhu and he exchanged palms?" Deng Xiangjun glanced sideways, perhaps too flustered to notice the terrifying implication in her words.

Upon hearing this, Su Hongxiu froze in her spot.

In her instinctive reaction, she already felt that Shen Yi's strength surpassed Deng Shushi.

"Let's go and see."

Deng Xiangjun retracted his gaze, his pupils gleaming with a hint of ferocity.

Shen Yi... was a loss that the Southern Flood Seven Sons could never bear.

They had even offended the Northern Flood Yue Family without hesitation because of him!

With the aura of the Fusion Dao Realm giant supporting them, the treasure ship burst forth with unprecedented speed. The already damaged ship showed signs of complete destruction.

However, as they approached the agreed-upon location, the entire ship suddenly stopped.

Su Hongxiu looked up in confusion.

She saw Deng Shushi, his brows furrowed, standing at the bow of the ship, looking down, then at her, seemingly perplexed.

"..."

Su Hongxiu quickly took a few steps to his side, but when she saw the situation below, she stood there, stunned as if struck by lightning.

On the floating island, there was only one figure, quietly seated in a meditative posture.

The white-robed figure, stained with blood, emanated a terrifying murderous aura.

There wasn't a single living being around, nor was there an Earthly Realm Perfected Great Demon. Only the dried, reddish-black bloodstains on the ground proved that a battle had taken place here not long ago.

"Are you sure the person you encountered was An Tingfeng?" Deng Xiangjun raised his eyebrows helplessly.

Judging by the distance from here to where they had encountered the group and the dryness of the bloodstains, this battle hadn't even lasted a stick of incense's worth of time.

Calling it a one-sided slaughter wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Su Hongxiu stood frozen at the bow of the ship. As one of the first disciples to know Shen Yi, she had witnessed his transformations firsthand.

And it was precisely because of this familiarity that she now felt this Shen Zongzhu was so unfamiliar... It might sound strange, but it was Su Hongxiu's most genuine thought; she was finding it harder and harder to understand him.

"It's fine. Shen Yi is safe."

Deng Xiangjun took out the jade token and sent a message to Ji Jingxi.

It sounded a bit perfunctory.

But he wasn't quite sure what was going on either, so he couldn't explain it more clearly.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end