Volume 2 - Chapter 25: The Pinnacle Battle
The young man in a purple robe raised an eyebrow slightly, a faintly playful arc forming at the corner of his lips as he lifted his hand to receive it.
Boom!
He clenched the chess piece that had previously suppressed grandmasters across the world.
The brilliant radiance, as dazzling as the sun, was extinguished in his grasp, as if the sun itself had been snuffed out!
The crowd collectively turned pale at the sight, but in the next instant, a sudden cracking noise erupted from the purple-robed young man’s palm, as if a thunderbolt had gone off. A thin wisp of grayish-white smoke seeped through the gaps in his fingers, resembling powdered stone.
The previously calm and smiling expression on the purple-robed young man’s face froze momentarily. He opened his fingers, revealing a palm mangled with blood and torn flesh, as if shredded by countless blades.
He was injured!
The gathered grandmasters were stunned. They had all crossed paths with Li Hao’s chess pieces before and understood how terrifying the martial arts essence imbued within them was. When they saw this great demon nonchalantly crush it moments ago, they had felt a chill of despair. But now, even a Three Immortals Realm great demon had been wounded?
Seeing their young master injured, the gray-robed elder behind the purple-robed youth darkened his expression and took a slow step forward.
The heavens and earth seemed to dim, as if dark clouds were sweeping across the skies.
Everyone present felt their heartbeats slow by half a beat, an oppressive sensation constricting their breathing.
Yet, the purple-robed young man raised his hand to stop the elder. He rubbed the remaining powder between his fingers lightly, and the wounds on his palm began healing at a visible pace.
Lifting his head, he gazed at the composed youth seated among the crowd. His eyes, as deep as a starry night sky, glimmered with interest as he smiled.
“Interesting.”
“You’re the Young Demon King of Myriad Mountains!”
At that moment, a voice filled with shock rang out—it was none other than Tianji Hermit.
He had finally recognized the origins of these two great demons, his face filled with disbelief. The individuals before him were none other than the sole son of the Myriad Mountains Demon King beyond the Tianmen Pass!
This Young Demon King was rumored to possess unparalleled talent, having been meticulously nurtured by his father. After just a few centuries of cultivation, he had reached the pinnacle of the Three Immortals Realm!
Moreover, there were records of him devouring several Three Immortals generals stationed at the border. Decades ago, this Young Demon King had frequently appeared across the Liang Province border, launching attacks on multiple border cities—a ferocious and unruly demon whose name instilled fear!
...
“H-He’s the Young Demon King of Myriad Mountains?!”
Hearing Tianji Hermit’s words, the dozen or so grandmasters from the Liang Province all turned pale, their faces filled with terror and dread.
This Young Demon King was infamous for his boldness and rampant destruction. His repeated assaults along the border had already become notorious, and his cultivation level was well known.
If he had only reached the Undying Realm, they could have banded together to defeat him.
But the Unbreakable Realm was an entirely different matter. The gap was insurmountable, rendering even swarm tactics ineffective due to his indestructible strength.
“Why is this demon here? Damn it, could they be targeting us?”
“I’ve heard he’s a bloodthirsty fiend with a massive appetite. How could such a monster slip past our defenses unnoticed?”
Panic spread among the grandmasters, their faces turning ashen. Though revered in status, they were nothing but delectable prey in the face of such a great demon.
Despair gleamed in some eyes, and faint murmurs of retreat began to spread.
If the protective formation of the city were still intact, they could have used its power to fend off such a terrifying foe.
But the formation had been broken, and even the Lord of Dayue City had fallen in battle. Their only hope now lay with the Three Immortals of Boundless Mountain—Wen Tian'en.
...
With this realization, many of the grandmasters’ gazes fell on Wen Tian'en and Tianji Hermit. The two of them were the final pillars of Dayue City.
However, before them stood three great demons, including the distant Bull Demon.
Setting aside their cultivation levels, the sheer numerical advantage was already overwhelming.
And outside the city walls, the surging tide of demons kept advancing, clearly intending to surround the city and slaughter its entire populace.
“Everyone, we must fight to the death!”
Not all the grandmasters pinned their hopes on others. One among them stepped forward, and after a moment of stunned despair, his eyes burned with a determined will to fight.
“Running will only lead to death. Before the demon tide reaches us, we must carve a bloody path out!”
“If even one person escapes and calls for reinforcements, there’s still hope to prevent the city’s complete annihilation!”
“Exactly! Cowardice will only bring a swifter death!”
As someone took the lead, more grandmasters calmed their panicked minds, regaining their composure from shock and fury. They were, after all, grandmasters. Though the battle ahead was daunting and undoubtedly tragic, what choice did they have?
To flee?
If they scattered in all directions like frightened beasts, they would only be slaughtered and hunted down by these great demons!
They were not mere cattle or dogs, nor ants who would scatter in terror under intimidation.
The surging waves of the Long River roared and crashed against the banks outside the Dao Discussion Platform, as if echoing their fury.
Grandmasters began stepping forward, their eyes filled with unwavering resolve.
Zhou Haitang raised a hand, shielding his daughter and two disciples behind him. He took a deep breath. Though he had only reached the Bao Xiang Stage in the Grandmaster Realm and was far from being a Great Grandmaster, and even in normal circumstances, he would flee at the sight of a typical Three Immortals great demon, how could he run now?
Behind him were his daughter and his disciples.
He resolved to use his body, honed through years of martial arts cultivation, to carve out even the faintest path of survival for them with his blood and life!
“Brother Bai, it seems our duel will have to wait for another time.”
Zhou Haitang glanced at Bai Chunhai, who was also stepping forward nearby.
The two longtime rivals exchanged a look, understanding one another in an instant. Within their heavy and determined gazes was a trace of mutual acceptance, accompanied by faint smiles.
“Perhaps there won’t need to be a next time. Let’s see who inflicts more damage on it this time, shall we?”
Bai Chunhai smiled, his hunched frame cracking audibly as his spine straightened, revealing the upright bearing of a seasoned grandmaster.
“Deal!”
A spark of brilliance and battle spirit ignited in Zhou Haitang’s eyes.
Many of the other grandmasters shared the same determination as Zhou Haitang. They had come to the Dao Discussion, never expecting to find themselves in this catastrophic situation.
Bringing along their close disciples or family members, only a few had come alone. But now, there was no escape.
Amidst the crowd, Li Wushuang’s face was pale. She had not brought any signal devices for calling reinforcements; they were in her carriage, far from this location, leaving no chance to retrieve them.
Beside her, two maidservants at the Fifteen Li level stood protectively, their eyes flickering with fury and unwavering resolve.
Having served in the military and faced many great demons, they had forged steely courage. Even in the face of death, they would protect Li Wushuang at all costs.
“Serpent Elder, entertain them for now.”
The Young Demon King of Myriad Mountains smiled faintly at the grandmasters, whose fighting spirits had begun to blaze. He remained utterly nonchalant as his gaze shifted back to Li Hao, filled with curious amusement.
“Insects at the Grandmaster level can actually wound me. You’ve piqued my curiosity.”
The gray-robed elder glanced at the human youth, who was only at the Heaven and Man Realm. In his young master’s eyes, the boy was no more than a plaything. Responding respectfully, the elder began to emanate terrifying demonic energy.
The aura condensed above his head, forming the massive figure of a Flood Dragon over a hundred zhang long. Its scales shimmered like molten iron, radiating an overwhelming presence.
At this moment, the elder revealed his full cultivation—a pinnacle of the Three Immortals Realm.
Seeing this display, the grandmasters who had just reignited their fighting spirit turned grim once more. But almost immediately, their expressions hardened with a fiercer, more desperate resolve.
“Take the Buddha’s Son and leave.”
On the Dao Discussion Platform, Wen Tian’en’s face darkened as he quickly transmitted instructions to the three elders by his side.
He glanced at the dazed Qin Wuque lying on the ground, sighing inwardly. This battle alone would likely leave indelible scars on the Buddha’s Son’s mind.
After giving his orders, Wen Tian’en soared into the air, flying to the forefront of the grandmasters. His body shone with golden Buddha light as he sought to lead the charge, drawing the attention of the two great demons.
“Don’t get in the young master’s way.”
The gray-robed elder responded coldly, raising his hand. Demonic energy surged from his palm, forming a massive dragon claw that swept through the air toward Wen Tian’en.
Wen Tian’en’s expression shifted as he tossed his prayer beads, forming a golden shield of light around him. At the same time, his solemn figure emitted a Buddha’s image, invoking one of Boundless Mountain’s supreme techniques—the Heaven Buddha Demon-Suppressing Palm!
The blazing golden palm radiated divine might and descended with the intent to suppress all demons in its path.
However, when the palm collided with the dragon claw, the latter shredded it instantly, extinguishing the golden shield around Wen Tian’en.
The terrifying force sent Wen Tian’en hurtling back toward the crowd.
Several grandmasters stepped forward, catching him mid-air, but the impact still caused seven or eight of them to stumble backward, coughing up blood before they finally steadied themselves.
These grandmasters, already injured from their earlier sparring, had exhausted much of their strength. No one had anticipated a demon attack, leaving them in poor condition and unable to recover. Despair deepened in their eyes.
The battle erupted in an instant. Shen Yunqing, Su Yehua, and others paled but maintained solemn composure. Rising to their feet, they moved to shield the disciples of the White Hall.
Had they known such a calamity would occur, they would never have attended the banquet.
But it was too late for regrets.
“There’s still time for you to escape!”
Shen Yunqing whispered to the disciples.
Most of the White Hall disciples were in the Spiritual Wandering Realm, utterly powerless against the oppressive demonic energy. Their faces were ashen, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
At that moment, Li Hao, who had been sitting calmly, rose to his feet.
His expression was icy and determined. Far away, the Bull Demon was still wreaking havoc without restraint. He had no time to delay; the battle had to be swift and decisive.
Raising his hand as if gripping an invisible sword, a sharp, dragon-like resonance echoed through the air.
A sonorous dragon’s roar erupted from Ren Qianqian’s embrace, releasing an overwhelming aura as it soared into the sky.
The Dragon Sky Sword, ranked as the foremost of the world’s ten divine swords, radiated blinding divine light. Its overwhelming sword intent and killing intent surged like an awakened primordial dragon, streaking through the air before plunging into Li Hao’s palm.
The sword was now in hand.
For a moment, the raging waves of the Long River seemed to pause.
The Young Demon King of Myriad Mountains, who had been smirking with disdain, now grew serious, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes.
The gray-robed elder, who had earlier sent Wen Tian’en flying, also turned his gaze toward the young man.
Li Hao did not hesitate. Stepping forward, he activated the 98 major meridians within his body, channeling his internal techniques sevenfold. The Seven-Star Illumination activated in his body, while the Yin-Yang Dual Meridians connected across his frame.
As his step landed, the ground beneath the Dao Discussion Platform trembled under the weight of tens of millions of pounds.
A dazzling sword light cleaved forward, splitting the earth and carving a trench in its wake. The skyward sword aura transformed into a roaring dragon, slashing toward the Young Demon King of Myriad Mountains.
The gray-robed elder’s expression darkened. He had assumed the Heaven and Man Realm youth was nothing more than a tasty morsel, but the sword aura emanated a genuine sense of threat.
“Haha…”
The Young Demon King of Myriad Mountains laughed heartily before letting out a deafening roar. His robe exploded into shreds as his body expanded, his fur thickening and his purple demonic aura surging. A mighty punch, shrouded in violet energy, blasted forth.
The sound of a collapsing sky and earth reverberated as the dragon-like sword aura shattered. The Young Demon King’s body transformed, his handsome human form replaced by a towering, four- to five-meter-tall humanoid beast.
Blood spurted from his massive fist, revealing a deep wound that split it to the bone.
“Master!”
The gray-robed elder’s face shifted as his body surged with demonic energy, revealing his Flood Dragon’s true form intertwined with his manifested aura. His gaze locked on Li Hao with killing intent.
“Leave him to me!”
The Young Demon King of Myriad Mountains snarled, his tone murderous yet laced with greed as he fixated on Li Hao. “Such a delicacy—I’ll savor you slowly!”
In response, Li Hao unleashed his second sword strike.
The blade descended, carving a trail of blossoming flowers through the air.
The sword aura appeared instantaneously before the Young Demon King of Myriad Mountains, who reflexively let out a lion-like roar to shatter the aura. His hands unleashed a surging black energy palm strike, countering the sword aura.
Their exchange was swift and overwhelming, leaving the surrounding grandmasters and even Wen Tian’en stunned as they stared in disbelief at the youth.
Moments earlier, they had seen his unparalleled martial skills as a grandmaster, believing him to be invincible among his peers. But now, he was exchanging blows with a pinnacle-level Three Immortals demon?
Even Shen Yunqing and Su Yehua, who knew Li Hao personally, were dumbfounded, their expressions filled with incredulity.
“Leave now.”
Li Hao said softly before charging directly at the Young Demon King of Myriad Mountains.
Having used only two strikes, Li Hao could already tell that this Young Demon King was far stronger than the Chi-Tiger Monarch he had slain previously. His flesh was tougher, too!
Even with the Dragon Sky Sword, he could not deal significant damage. If he had been using the Pig-tooth Sword, he would likely have barely scratched his opponent.
Despite both being in the Undying Realm, the difference between them was vast.
...
Half of the Young Demon King’s arm was split open, and the nearly hundred-meter-tall beast let out a pained grunt.
Li Hao gave him no respite, following up with another strike—this time aiming directly at his throat.