Chapter 70: A Single Sword Stroke
As the horde of demons was routed, the dense cloud of demonic energy ahead dissipated in an instant.
Without a Spiritual Wandering Realm Great Demon to command them, these minor demons didn’t dare to attack the city.
The towering, imposing city walls were still a source of intense pressure for the lesser demons.
Li Hao wielded his flying sword in pursuit, cutting down the demons as he went. Out of the thousands of demons that had come, nearly half were dead or injured, and the remainder scattered into the forest, hiding in all directions.
Li Hao took a glance but didn’t spend more time on these small demons. He turned back toward the city wall, raised his hand, and with a swift motion, his sword light streaked back into his hand.
Surveying his surroundings, Li Hao asked Wei Feng, “Where’s my Uncle Fu?”
“Li Fu?”
Wei Feng quickly responded, “Li Fu asked me to look after... ahem, Li Fu went to the northern side of the city; that’s where the main force of the demon army is attacking.”
“The north?”
Li Hao turned his gaze northward, his eyes narrowing slightly.
There, the thick demonic aura, like a dark cloud, had already shrouded the northern city walls.
His expression shifted subtly as he enveloped Ren Qianqian’s sword in his Divine Soul power and swiftly sent it slicing through the air toward the north.
The entire Cangyu City was roughly square, spanning no more than fifty li in diameter. Though he was on the western side, the distance to the north was within his range for weapon manipulation.
In fact, if he utilized the special attribute from the chess manual “Flying Slash” to extend his attack range, he could increase his weapon control range even further.
As the flying sword shot forward, Li Hao’s gaze was fixed intently on the northern city.
Beside him, Li Yuanzhao, along with Yu Wei, Ren Qianqian, and others, stood there, stunned, staring at Li Hao.
None were more shocked than Li Yuanzhao.
He had never imagined that the “Hao-ge” who spent his days painting in the courtyard or fishing with his Second Uncle, who even ventured into the kitchen to bake on a whim, could be this powerful.
Fifteen Li Realm?
He felt a tightness in his chest.
My heavens!
If Auntie and the others knew about this, wouldn’t they die of excitement?
But... how did Hao-ge even train?
He had never once seen him pick up a sword!
Were it not for Li Hao’s familiar mannerisms, Li Yuanzhao might have thought this was a demon impersonating him.
Standing nearby, the young man exuded a daunting pressure. Ren Qianqian, Du Qiuyue, and the others were left speechless.
Although they were of similar age, they were still struggling within the Zhoutian Realm, yet to achieve Soul Fusion.
But Li Hao… had already surpassed them by two entire realms!
This was beyond the level of a prodigy; it was unbelievable!
Ren Qianqian remembered her father’s words, saying that though her Eight-Class Battle Body had enabled her to comprehend Sword Heart by the age of ten, making her unparalleled in swordsmanship among her peers, once she reached mastery in swordsmanship, she would stand on par with other top-tier talents… Was this standing on par?
Looking at the young man’s side profile as he raised his head, her breathing grew a bit erratic.
The image of a bright moon lingered in her heart, refusing to fade.
“Young Master…”
Yue Shuhong, who had previously witnessed Li Hao effortlessly slay the Tiger-robed Immortal, was still shocked but managed to steady himself and bowed quickly. “I’ll head to the northern wall.”
Li Hao gave a slight nod, his attention already focused on his flying sword heading north.
Yue Shuhong hastily set off toward the northern wall. At the same time, the sword light swiftly weaved through the demon horde in the north.
Arrows shot continuously from the northern wall.
Li Fu had revealed his identity and was jointly directing the defense with the commanding general.
Within the demon horde, eight fearsome figures appeared in their true forms, gathering around a yellow-robed Daoist with long red eyebrows that hung down to his chest.
“This small city has only three or four Spiritual Wandering Realm experts. We should be able to handle them.”
“But where is the True God of Great Strength? Why hasn’t he arrived yet?”
“What could the Blackwind Mountains clan be thinking?”
The demons cast glances to the east, where turmoil should have erupted by now, yet it remained eerily quiet.
“Let’s kill them first!”
A demon resembling a swooping eagle dove down toward the city, hoping to establish itself with a show of prowess to impress the Red-browed Daoist.
A sword light cut through the air atop the city wall—Song Yueyao had arrived, having missed Li Hao and decided to defend the north.
The eagle demon, though also in the Spiritual Wandering Realm, noticed the fierceness in Song Yueyao’s sword stance and promptly spat out a cloud of demonic mist, enshrouding the city wall and casting a spell.
...
With the spell hindering the archers, more demons clambered up the city walls. The archers, their targets obscured, had no choice but to draw their swords and engage the demons in hand-to-hand combat.
The other demons around the Red-browed Daoist didn’t remain idle, pressing forward in the attack.
In an instant, Song Yueyao found herself under assault from both sides by two Spiritual Wandering Realm demons. Her expression shifted as she switched from offense to defense.
Nearby, Liu Shunqing, the head of the Liu family, and the head of the Qi family, had also led their family members to aid in the battle.
Seeing the Demon Subduing Marshal encircled by demons, they immediately moved to assist him.
However, the opposing demons in the Spiritual Wandering Realm outnumbered them, and the three quickly fell at a disadvantage.
Seeing this, Li Fu immediately drew his blade to join the fray.
Having cultivated top-grade techniques to the Spiritual Wandering Realm, Li Fu possessed far greater strength than others at this level, and he quickly drove back one of the Great Demons.
The other demons, witnessing Li Fu’s ferocity, sprang forward together, three of them encircling him. With relentless ferocity, they soon had Li Fu on the defensive.
Thud!
One of the demons, a mantis-like creature with sickle-like limbs, suddenly hooked Li Fu’s arm, tearing through his back armor.
Another, a massive ape covered in coarse purple fur, swung its staff, landing a brutal blow on Li Fu’s back.
Li Fu’s vision darkened as he plummeted back to the city wall, losing consciousness on the spot.
Seeing this, the commanding general ordered immediate reinforcements.
Though he was at the peak of the Soul Fusion Realm, he hadn’t yet reached the Spiritual Wandering Realm. Just as he was about to charge to Li Fu’s aid, a massive demon suddenly landed in front of him.
This demon, resembling a giant toad with a body covered in lumps and spikes, gave a slight tremor, releasing a spray of thick, green venom from its swollen sacs.
The venom splashed on the city’s defenders, immediately corroding their armor. Screams of agony echoed as some died on the spot.
“You beast!”
The commander roared, drawing his sword, preparing for a fight to the death.
But just then, a flash of chilling light shot through the air.
Sensing something amiss, the giant toad demon turned its eyes just in time to see its skull pierced, as a spray of blood exploded from the wound. Its enormous head shattered, and its yet-unreleased Divine Soul was obliterated instantly.
The commander froze in shock, staring at the scene in disbelief.
In the sky, the Red-browed Daoist glanced at the flying sword moving through the battlefield, his previously calm expression transforming into one of alarm.
“Fifteen Li Realm?”
He squinted, scanning his surroundings. Could it be that the Xia clan had arrived?
Unfazed, he spat out a crimson flying sword, sending it slashing toward the blade of sword light.
Sensing the killing intent, the flying sword changed direction, charging straight at the Red-browed Daoist.
With a roll of his crimson sword, a low dragon-like hum emanated, as if intending to sever Li Hao’s flying sword.
In an instant, the two blades crossed paths, Li Hao’s flying sword racing straight for the Red-browed Daoist.
The Red-browed Daoist’s pupils contracted, a look of terror flashing across his face. His object manipulation technique was of an upper-grade treasure level, nearing perfection, capable of controlling objects at speeds reaching eighteen li.
Yet at this moment, his control speed and maneuverability couldn’t keep up with this flying sword.
Whoosh!
The sword shot forward almost instantly.
Panicked, the Red-browed Daoist spun around to flee, urgently recalling his crimson sword for defense—but it was already too late.
He twisted his form, his robes falling loose, and revealed his true shape—a massive flood dragon with crimson scales.
This dragon appeared to be quite old, with two long crimson eyebrows trailing from its brow.
It curled and coiled, its snakelike body shielding its head in a protective posture. However, for Li Hao’s sword to strike the dragon’s head, it would need to pierce through several layers of its curled body.
Li Hao wasn’t planning to brute-force it, especially with a sword he’d borrowed.
As the sword hovered mid-air, it shifted slightly, and then its light suddenly intensified.
Boundless Sea, Second Technique:
Severing River!
If the first technique, “Tides”, and the third technique, “Rising Moon”, were meant for sweeping attacks, “Severing River” was designed for singular, explosive strikes.
In that moment, it sounded as though the rush of a river filled the air.
It wasn’t actual river water, but rather the currents of air and energy flowing through the heavens and earth, now parting to clear the way.
With the strike of a single blade...
The crimson flood dragon let out a bloodcurdling scream, its coiled body sliced into three segments with one stroke!
Its massive head was split in half, and even its Divine Soul, which attempted to flee, was swiftly cut down by the relentless flying sword.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The flood dragon’s enormous corpse crashed down, scattering through the demonic horde below.
The scalding blood from its massive body splattered across nearby demons, startling them into a panicked frenzy.
The demon horde, which had been pressing forward like a storm, suddenly descended into chaos.
The Great Demons in the Spiritual Wandering Realm who had been fiercely battling on the northern wall with Liu Shunqing, Song Yueyao, and the others paused in shock upon hearing the Red-browed Daoist’s screams. When they turned and looked back, they were greeted with a horrifying sight.
The Red-browed Daoist had been felled by a single flying sword.