Great Peng Arrives at the City, Trapped in Despair; River of Blood and Qi Proves the Immortal Path

The cheers of Clear Wind City had yet to fade when a sharp cry suddenly echoed from the sky. The sound pierced the clouds, carrying a heart-palpitating pressure that seemed to freeze the very air of the entire city. Chen Fan looked up and saw a golden figure dive down from the clouds. Its wings, when spread, spanned dozens of feet, and its golden feathers shimmered with a metallic luster in the sunlight. Its sharp talons were like curved hooks. It was none other than the Golden-Winged Great Peng King, third among the ten great demon kings of the Demon Race—a peak expert in the late Nascent Soul stage!

"Black Scale is actually dead? What a bunch of trash!" The Golden-Winged Great Peng King landed on a hill outside Clear Wind City. Its gaze swept over the corpse of the Black Scale Demon King on the ground, its eyes filled with killing intent. "Human cultivators dare to kill a demon king of my race? Today, I will flatten Clear Wind City and make you all pay with your lives for Black Scale!"

Before its words even finished, the Golden-Winged Great Peng King flapped its wings, and countless golden feathers shot towards Clear Wind City like arrows. The feathers contained terrifying penetrating power. The defensive formations on the city walls were instantly shattered, bricks and stones flying everywhere. Many human cultivators, unable to dodge in time, were pierced through by the feathers and fell in pools of blood.

"This is bad! It's the Golden-Winged Great Peng King!" Elder Li's face turned ashen. "Its speed is unmatched among the Demon Race, and its attack power far surpasses that of the Black Scale Demon King. We are no match for it!"

Chen Fan's brow furrowed. He could clearly feel the pressure emanating from the Golden-Winged Great Peng King, several times stronger than that of the Black Scale Demon King. With its late Nascent Soul stage strength, combined with the innate speed and power of the Golden-Winged Great Peng clan, this was undoubtedly the strongest opponent he had faced since breaking through to the Martial Saint realm.

"Xiaohu, take the citizens and the wounded to the valley behind the city. Leave this place to Elder Li and me!" Chen Fan said in a deep voice. He knew this battle was too dangerous to let Lin Xiaohu stay in the city.

"Brother Fan, I'm not leaving! I'll fight with you!" Lin Xiaohu's eyes were filled with determination. He was no longer the child who used to hide behind Chen Fan.

"Listen to me!" Chen Fan's tone carried an irrefutable authority. "Protecting the citizens is the greatest help you can give me! Once I defeat the Golden-Winged Great Peng King, I'll come find you!"

Lin Xiaohu gritted his teeth and finally nodded. "Brother Fan, you must be careful!" With that, he turned to organize the citizens and the wounded to retreat.

Elder Li looked at Chen Fan, his eyes filled with admiration. "Mr. Chen, don't worry, I will do my best to help you! Even if I die, I will hold back the Golden-Winged Great Peng King!"

Chen Fan nodded, raising the Evil Slaying Sword in his hand again. The pale golden True Qi around his body circulated to its limit. "Elder Li, you handle the distraction, and I'll look for an opportunity to attack its weakness!"

"Alright!" Elder Li responded, swinging his long sword. Sword Qi crisscrossed the air, shooting towards the Golden-Winged Great Peng King.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng King let out a cold laugh. It flapped its wings, easily dodging the sword Qi, and then swooped down, its sharp talons reaching for Elder Li. Elder Li quickly used his movement technique to evade, but was still grazed on the shoulder by the talons, his clothes instantly stained red with blood.

"Is this all you've got? You dare to fight me?" the Golden-Winged Great Peng King said disdainfully. It flapped its wings again and charged towards Chen Fan. Its speed was incredible, leaving behind streaks of golden afterimages in the air as it instantly appeared before Chen Fan, its talons aiming for his head.

Chen Fan's eyes narrowed. He slashed at the talons with the Evil Slaying Sword. Sword and claw collided, emitting a thunderous roar. Chen Fan was forced back repeatedly by the immense force, his arm numb, and blood even seeping from his tiger's mouth.

"Your Martial Saint realm physique is indeed much stronger than ordinary humans." A hint of surprise flashed in the Golden-Winged Great Peng King's eyes, followed by disdain. "But before me, it's still not enough!"

It attacked again, its wings flapping incessantly, golden feathers shooting out like a torrential downpour. At the same time, its talons and beak continuously struck at Chen Fan. Chen Fan, relying on his agile footwork and the defense of the Evil Slaying Sword, barely managed to withstand the assault. However, he still sustained several wounds from the feathers, and blood flowed continuously.

Elder Li wanted to rush forward to help but was constantly occupied by the Golden-Winged Great Peng King's afterimages, unable to get close. He watched Chen Fan get injured repeatedly, his heart filled with anxiety but also helplessness.

Chen Fan could feel his stamina and True Energy rapidly depleting. If this continued, he would eventually be killed by the Golden-Winged Great Peng King. He took a deep breath, and the record of the "River of Blood and Qi" from Zhao Lie's inheritance flashed through his mind—at the peak of the Martial Saint realm, if one could mobilize their internal Blood Essence to form a river, they could break through the limitations of their physical body and achieve the Human Immortal realm!

"It seems I have no choice but to take a risk!" Chen Fan made up his mind. He stopped defending against the Golden-Winged Great Peng King's attacks and instead poured all the True Energy within him into his Blood Essence. Simultaneously, he circulated the techniques of the Burning Heaven Art and the Blazing Spear Art, guiding his Blood Essence to surge within his body.

"Are you crazy? You're not even defending?" The Golden-Winged Great Peng King's eyes were filled with confusion at Chen Fan's actions, then it became excited. "Since you wish to die, I shall grant you your wish!"

It suddenly swooped down, its talons aiming for Chen Fan's chest, intending to kill him with a single blow.

Just as the talons were about to strike Chen Fan, a terrifying aura erupted from within him. Pale red Blood Essence surged out from his body, condensing into a colossal river in the air—the River of Blood and Qi!

The River of Blood and Qi emanated a boundless aura, forcing the Golden-Winged Great Peng King to retreat repeatedly. Within the river, countless spear and fist shadows condensed from Blood Essence flickered, containing terrifying power.

"This is... the River of Blood and Qi? You're actually breaking through to the Human Immortal realm?" The Golden-Winged Great Peng King's eyes were filled with disbelief. It hadn't expected Chen Fan to dare to break through realms during a battle, let alone to the Human Immortal realm!

Chen Fan did not speak. He closed his eyes, fully immersing himself in the breakthrough. Under his control, the River of Blood and Qi continuously surged towards the Golden-Winged Great Peng King. The spear and fist shadows within the river struck the Golden-Winged Great Peng King like waves, one after another.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng King's expression changed drastically. It hurriedly mobilized its demonic energy to form a shield, while simultaneously flapping its wings. Golden feathers and talons continuously blocked the attacks of the River of Blood and Qi. However, the power of the River of Blood and Qi was too terrifying. The shield quickly became covered in cracks, the golden feathers were continuously shattered, and its body was also struck by the Blood Essence, blood constantly seeping from its wounds.

"No! This is impossible! How could you break through to the Human Immortal realm during battle?" the Golden-Winged Great Peng King roared with unwillingness. It could not accept being suppressed by a human while breaking through realms.

It poured all its demonic energy into its body, condensing it into a massive golden light claw, aiming for the core of the River of Blood and Qi—Chen Fan. It wanted to kill Chen Fan before his breakthrough was complete.

Just as the light claw was about to hit Chen Fan, the River of Blood and Qi suddenly erupted. Countless strands of Blood Essence condensed into a colossal Blazing Spear, which shot towards the light claw.

"Blazing Spear Art? Burning Heaven!"

Chen Fan's voice rang out, carrying the majesty of the Human Immortal realm. The Blazing Spear collided with the light claw, emitting a world-shattering roar. The light claw was instantly shattered, and the Blazing Spear, with its momentum undiminished, shot towards the Golden-Winged Great Peng King.

"Ah—!"

The Golden-Winged Great Peng King let out a shrill scream. The Blazing Spear pierced its body, and golden blood flowed continuously. Its body fell from the sky, crashing heavily onto the ground, never to move again.

With the death of the Golden-Winged Great Peng King, the River of Blood and Qi within Chen Fan gradually receded, merging back into his body. He slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them. A Human Immortal realm pressure emanated from him—he had successfully broken through to the Human Immortal realm!

Elder Li and the surviving human cultivators in the city looked at the pressure surrounding Chen Fan, their eyes filled with shock and admiration. They had never imagined that Chen Fan could break through to the Human Immortal realm in such a desperate situation and kill the late Nascent Soul stage Golden-Winged Great Peng King!

"Human Immortal... Mr. Chen has actually achieved the Human Immortal realm!" Elder Li said excitedly, his voice trembling.

"Human Immortal Chen Fan! Human Immortal Chen Fan!"

The human cultivators in the city cheered one after another, their voices echoing through the heavens. Chen Fan stood on the city wall, looking at the cheering crowd below, his eyes filled with determination. He knew that achieving the Human Immortal realm was just a new beginning. The war of ten thousand races was not over, and the conspiracy of the cultivation world had yet to be uncovered. But he now possessed enough strength to face future challenges, to protect the human homeland, to break the shackles of "Spiritual Roots and Heavenly Mandate," and to let the light of the Martial Path illuminate the entire world!

At this moment, a thousand miles away in the sacred land of the Demon Race, an old man in a purple robe (Great Sage of the Demon Race, Void Refinement Realm) sensed the death of the Golden-Winged Great Peng King. A cold killing intent flashed in his eyes. "A Human Immortal has appeared among humans... It seems this war of ten thousand races is about to become more interesting." He raised his hand, and a purple Communication Talisman flew into the distance. "Notify the other demon kings to accelerate their offensive. Ensure all their sects are trampled before the human cultivators can grow stronger!"

A greater storm was quietly brewing. And Chen Fan, this newly ascended Human Immortal, would become humanity's hope against the Demon Race, and also the key to breaking the conspiracy of the cultivation world.