Elder Ying Takes Action

Less than half an incense stick's time after Zhao Lie escorted the Prison Cart away, the light above the valley suddenly dimmed. It wasn't that the spiritual mist had risen again, but rather that a thick, ink-like shadow had arisen from the void, spreading rapidly like an overturned inkstone, dyeing the azure sky a deathly gray-black. The air instantly became icy cold, even the flowing Spiritual Qi seemed to be frozen into ice shards, colliding and making a soft, rustling sound as it fell; a thin layer of frost appeared on the surface of the Spirit Spring water in the valley, and the Spirit Fish that had been swimming happily froze in the water, their tail fins trembling slightly but unable to move forward; tiny Ice Crystals condensed between the branches and leaves of the ancient trees, and sunlight refracted through the Ice Crystals into eerie dark purple Light Spots. Only the remaining Emperor Array spiritual light around Ren Xiaoyao still emitted a faint but tenacious warmth, like a lone lamp in the cold night, steadfastly holding onto an inch of light in the boundless shadow.

"Hehehe... Ren Xiaoyao, you certainly have some skill, managing to bring that piece of trash Zixu to such a thorough demise." A hoarse, raspy voice came from the shadows, its direction indiscernible, yet carrying a chilling aura that penetrated to the bone, as if countless fine needles were piercing the soul, sending shivers down one's spine and even causing a slight disturbance in the Emperor Power within one's dantian. Before the voice finished, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows—a black elder's robe trimmed with gold, embroidered with dark purple Demonic Runes Demonic Runes that flickered in and out of the shadows like lurking venomous snakes; his face was shrouded in a distorted black mist, the mist as thick as boiling ink. Tumbling and rolling, the occasional glimpse of half a jawbone gleamed with a chilling white light, obscuring its full features. Only a pair of eyes, shimmering with an eerie green light like will-o'-the-wisps in the dark, stared intently at Ren Xiaoyao, their pupils pulsating with undisguised greed and killing intent. The aura emanating from its body was several times more powerful than Elder Zi Xu's, the pressure of Late Heavenly Immortal surging forth like a tangible wave, pressing the pebbles on the ground half an inch deeper in its wake. Interspersed within was a faint, sinister fluctuation, the putrid and chilling stench unique to demonic energy from the Demon Realm, making Ren Xiaoyao's nostrils itch. It was none other than Elder "Shadow," the Immortal Alliance's undercover agent.

Ren Xiaoyao's eyes narrowed, and his Emperor Power surged like a bonfire being lit. The Emperor Crystal in his dantian spun rapidly, and the illusory image of the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation once again floated in front of him. The purple-gold Emperor Mark flowed endlessly like living things, forming a solid defensive line that shimmered with a faint light. He twitched his fingertips slightly, feeling the heavy power transmitted from the Emperor Array, and his heart gained more confidence. "Elder Ying? It really is you. I didn't expect you to take action personally. It seems that the 'big matter' that Zixu mentioned is not only related to your status, but also a key bargaining chip for your collusion with the Demon Realm." He spoke coldly, his tone wary, but without the slightest fear—having experienced the battle with Zixu, he had a deeper control over the power of the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation, and could even use the Emperor Array to draw upon the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. Even against stronger opponents, he would have the strength to fight.

"The Profound Suppression Emperor Formation... one of the five High Antiquity Five Directions Emperor Formation, truly lives up to its name." Elder Ying's gaze was fixed on the Emperor Array, a near-mad fervor flashing in his eerie green pupils, as if he saw the hope of ascending to the top of the Immortal Realm. "As long as I obtain it, fuse it with the ' Evil-Breaking ' fragments I have secretly collected, and with the help of the Demon Realm's power, the Immortal Alliance and even the entire Immortal Realm will be mine! As for you, you are nothing but an ant who got lucky, possessing a supreme treasure but not knowing how to use it, do you even deserve to wield such an unparalleled Emperor Array?" His voice grew increasingly hoarse, filled with intense jealousy and killing intent, and the black mist around him churned even more violently due to his emotional agitation.

Before he finished speaking, Elder Ying's figure vanished abruptly, leaving only a distorted afterimage, as if he had never existed. The next second, a thick black mist silently condensed about ten feet behind Ren Xiaoyao. Within the mist were countless fine, hair-like black blades, each wreathed in pale purple demonic energy, emitting a sizzling, corrosive sound. Silent yet carrying murderous intent intent, this was Elder Ying Ying's signature secret technique, the "Shadowless Soul Devouring Blade," which could conceal its aura using shadows, penetrate most defensive magical artifacts, and specifically target the souls of cultivators. No fewer than ten Immortal Alliance cultivators had already fallen victim to this move.

Ren Xiaoyao was prepared. His Soul Perception, like a spiderweb, covered a hundred-zhang radius around him, Elder Ying's aura was detected the moment he approached. With a thought, the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation instantly spun at high speed. The purple-gold Emperor Mark seemed to come alive, dancing wildly. Fine golden arcs of electricity crackled around the edges of the Emperor Mark, transforming into a three-foot-thick ring of light that tightly enveloped the three-zhang radius around him. The runes on the light screen flickered like breathing. "Clang, clang—" Countless black blades crashed into the light screen like a torrential rain, producing a crisp sound like jade striking jade. The dense clusters of black blades formed a piercing, murderous melody. The moment the black blades touched the Emperor Mark runes, they melted away like snow meeting the blazing sun, turning into wisps of black smoke that drifted away, carrying with them the mournful cries of Demonic Soul. A wail escaped; yet the runes on the light screen not only didn't dim in the slightest, but instead shone even brighter from absorbing the demonic energy, their golden light even radiating a hint of holiness. "How is this possible!" Elder Ying's voice came from the shadows on the left, carrying a hint of shock, anger, and disbelief. His figure slowly materialized, the hem of his black robe still fluttering slightly from his high-speed movement. With a sudden swing of his right hand, more black mist gathered like a tide, condensing into a Black Great Blade over ten feet long in front of him. The blade was covered with strange Demonic Runes Demonic Runes, each one writhing as if composed of countless tiny Demonic Insects, radiating a chilling evil aura. It slashed down at Ren Xiaoyao, tearing the air apart with a hissing sound, creating a black vacuum trail.

"Zhenxuan·Yu!" Ren Xiaoyao shouted in a low voice. His voice was like the collision of gold and stone, full of power, causing the surrounding ice crystals to fall. A large amount of golden imperial power surged out from the Zhenxuan Emperor Formation. The imperial power formed rotating cyclones in the air, condensed in front of him like a rushing river, and turned into a huge golden shield five feet high and three feet wide. The shield was engraved with complex imperial patterns. , there are fine golden light spots flowing between the imperial lines, shining like stars, and in the center is a simple "Xuan" character. A faint spiritual vortex is entangled between the strokes of "Xuan", exuding an aura as thick as a mountain, as if it can withstand the force of overturning the world. "Boom!" The black giant blade collided with the golden shield, and the violent energy shock wave spread around like a tsunami. An ancient tree with a diameter of ten feet in the valley was broken at the waist, leaving traces of charred black marks on the fracture, and the tree sap was instantly evaporated by the high temperature; water splashes were thrown up several feet high in the spiritual spring, and the water splashes were mixed with broken thin ice. When they landed, shallow pits were created. The splashed water droplets fell on the light curtain and were instantly evaporated into white mist; the bluestone on the ground was shattered by the shock wave, and gravel splashed. It was embedded in the surrounding tree trunks like a hidden weapon. The magic patterns on the black giant blade kept flashing under the impact of the imperial power, making a "sizzling" cry. The patterns like magic insects began to disintegrate, but they were still unable to break through the shield defense. Instead, they were purified little by little by the imperial patterns. The blade began to become dim and transparent from the edge, and finally only the middle section was left crumbling, as if it would collapse at any time.

Elder Ying's face grew increasingly grim, like dark clouds before a storm. He hadn't expected the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation's defenses to be so impenetrable, unable to even budge his trump card. He immediately stopped holding back, his black mist surging several feet, and two completely different powers erupted from within him simultaneously—the pure Emperor Power of the Immortal Alliance cultivators and the sinister demonic energy of the Demon Realm intertwined and interwoven, forming a bizarre purplish-black energy. Wherever this energy passed, the grass on the ground withered and turned black instantly. "Immortal-Demon Body? You've fallen to such a state!" A strong sense of disgust flashed in Ren Xiaoyao's eyes. He could clearly feel the destructive and corrosive power contained within this energy, far more insidious than pure demonic energy. Clearly, Elder Ying had been on this evil path for a long time.

Elder Ying sneered, "So what if I fall into the Demonic Dao as long as I can become stronger? The hypocritical rules of the Immortal Alliance should have been shattered long ago! Today, I will show you the ultimate secret technique I've honed over twenty years by fusing Immortal and Demonic Power — the Netherworld God-Slaying Formation!" As soon as he finished speaking, purplish-black energy rapidly condensed before him, transforming into a massive black array phantom ten zhang in diameter. Nine skulls burning with demonic fire surrounded the array's edge, while countless Demonic Soul wailed and struggled in the center, stretching out withered arms to break free from the array's restraints, emanating a terrifying aura of world destruction, like a miniature Demon Realm descending upon Ren Xiaoyao, crushing him down. This array was not only incredibly powerful but could also unleash the "Netherworld Illusion," plunging opponents into endless fear, their souls devoured by Demonic Soul.

Faced with such a terrifying attack, Ren Xiaoyao's eyes sharpened. His Emperor Power surged wildly within him, and the Emperor Crystal in his dantian hummed, its surface cracking with fine fissures. For the first time, he pushed the power of the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation to its limit. "Zhenxuan·Jing!" The purple-gold Emperor Array erupted with Dazzling Light, as brilliant as the rising sun, instantly dispelling the surrounding shadows and chill. Even the gray-black sky was torn open, revealing a sliver of azure. Sunlight streamed through the opening, forming a golden pillar that fell upon the Emperor Array. Countless golden Emperor Mark Emperor Mark out from the Emperor Array, weaving together in the air into a massive golden net, every inch of which was covered with fine... The dense runes, shimmering with a faint Sandalwood Incense, rapidly purified the demonic energy in the air, releasing a fresh, grassy scent. Even the withered grass on the ground regained a hint of green. The golden net collided with the Netherworld God-Slaying Formation, the purplish-black energy and golden Emperor Power devouring and dissolving each other, emitting a violent "sizzling" sound. Countless Demonic Soul screamed in agony under the purification of the Emperor Mark, their bodies rapidly dissolving. Even as they turned to ashes, they struggled to reach out, as if trying to grasp the last vestige of darkness. The array's phantom image gradually became transparent and thinner, and the nine burning skulls extinguished one after another, turning into black powder that drifted away.

"No--! My Netherworld God-Slaying Formation!" Elder Ying let out a horrified scream. He could clearly feel his secret technique, which he had painstakingly cultivated over twenty years, rapidly crumbling. The Immortal and Demonic Power within his body was also in disarray due to the erosion of the Emperor Power, and his meridians were throbbing with pain. At that moment, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. He bit his tongue sharply, spitting out a mouthful of Essence Blood containing the origins of immortals and demons. The blood Essence Blood transformed into a twisted Black Runes in the air, emitting waves of eerie light. "Nine Ancestors of the Demon Realm, your disciple is willing to sacrifice Hundred Years Cultivation and Essence Blood. Please Incarnation and help me annihilate this fiend! If you can seize the Emperor Array, I will offer half of the immortal beings of the Immortal Realm to you!"

A violent tremor shook the void, like a giant drum struck by a heavy hammer. Ancient trees in the valley swayed, their leaves falling in a rustling sound. A massive Black Cracks, several meters long, appeared out of nowhere. Unstable spatial fluctuations flickered at its edges, like shattered glass, ready to break at any moment. Inside was a bottomless darkness, from which the faint roars of Demonic Soul could be heard. A gigantic claw covered in black scales and adorned with sharp claws emerged from the rift, radiating a world-destroying demonic aura. Wherever it passed, space was distorted into vortexes, containing tiny Space Fragments. Immediately afterward, a demonic figure, three meters tall, slowly emerged from the rift—it had two curved black horns on its head, engraved with ancient Demonic Runes Demonic Runes, from which flowed black demonic blood; its face was like that of a demon, with exposed fangs stained with dark red flesh and blood; its eyes were two black pupils. A ghostly green flame burned, reflecting Ren Xiaoyao's figure. His body was covered in thick black scales, from which black demonic blood seeped, hissing as it dripped onto the ground, corroding small pits. In his hand he held a staff crafted from white bone, its shaft riddled with holes, each containing a Demonic Pearl. At the top of the staff was a Demonic Crystal. Within the Demonic Crystal seemed to writhe countless Demonic Soul — the Incarnation of "Ancestral Demon Yougu," one of the Nine Ancestors of the Demon Realm. "Insignificant human, how dare you obstruct my and Shadow's plans! Today, I will Soul Annihilation, condemning you to eternal damnation!" the demonic shadow roared, its voice booming like thunder through the valley. The oppressive aura of Late Heavenly Immortal pressed down on Ren Xiaoyao like a mountain, causing fine cracks to appear in the bluestone beneath his feet, and his bones creaking under the weight.

Elder Ying. His sinister expression was replaced by ecstatic joy, and his wrinkles twisted with excitement. He quickly hid a few feet behind the demonic shadow and shrieked, "Ninth Ancestor, kill him quickly! This brat possesses the complete Profound Suppression Emperor Formation. Once we get our hands on it, breaking through the Boundary Sealing Gate will be a piece of cake! At that time, all the cultivators in the Immortal Realm will become your sacrifices!" The demonic shadow ignored him completely, as if he were merely an insignificant ant. With a light wave of his bone staff, the Demonic Crystal at the top of the staff erupted with a blinding ghostly light, and countless Black Demonic Flame the size of washbasins shot towards Ren Xiaoyao. Thick black smoke swirled around the surface of the demonic flames, and within the smoke, painful human faces appeared. Wherever the demonic flames passed, even the Spiritual Qi in the air was ignited, crackling and burning, and the ground was scorched. Black marks remained, from which black mist continued to seep. Ren Xiaoyao's expression was solemn, daring not to be careless in the slightest. The Profound Suppression Emperor Formation once again operated at high speed, and golden Emperor Power poured out like a waterfall, forming a golden torrent tens of feet wide. In the torrent, small fish formed from Emperor Mark swam like living creatures. The golden torrent collided with the demonic flames, "Boom! Boom! Boom!" A series of explosions rang out. The golden torrent and the Black Demonic Flame canceled each other out, and the energy released melted the surrounding rubble into magma. However, the power of the demonic shadow far exceeded that of Elder Zi Xu, and the golden torrent was gradually suppressed by the demonic flames, slowly retreating. A trace of blood seeped from the corner of Ren Xiaoyao's mouth—his Emperor Power was being consumed too quickly, and his meridians had begun to ache faintly, as if countless fine needles were piercing them.

"The Profound Suppression Emperor Formation is powerful, but your cultivation is ultimately too weak. A mere ant at the early stage of the Heavenly Immortal realm dares to try and control Primordial Emperor Formation? It's utterly delusional!" The demonic figure sneered, his voice filled with disdain and mockery. He slammed his bone staff into the ground, instantly creating countless spiderweb-like cracks. "Demon Realm Secret Technique - Myriad Demons Devouring Heart!" Countless disheveled, blue-faced, fanged Demonic Soul surged from the cracks. Some wielded broken weapons, others were engulfed in demonic flames, rushing towards Ren Xiaoyao like a tidal wave, emitting shrill roars that could pierce eardrums and erode his mind, attempting to burrow into his body and devour his soul. Ren Xiaoyao's eyes narrowed, his mind racing. He quickly devised a countermeasure. His passive defense had already depleted a significant amount of his Emperor Power, and if he continued in this manner, defeat was inevitable. Suddenly, he recalled the hidden power of the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation, which combined "purification" and "attack." He immediately changed his strategy, abandoning passive defense and instead controlling the Emperor Array to launch an active attack. "Zhenxuan - Annihilation!" he roared, his voice filled with determination. The purple-gold Emperor Array instantly transformed into a stream of light, crashing into the demonic shadow like a cannonball. Countless Emperor Mark within the Emperor Array erupted, forming a golden pillar of light about ten feet in diameter. This pillar contained a terrifying power capable of purifying all evil spirits. Wherever it passed, the air was dyed gold, and even space itself rippled.

The demonic figure's expression changed, a hint of surprise flashing in its eerie green flames. Clearly, it hadn't expected Ren Xiaoyao to dare attack first, and with such swiftness. It hurriedly swung its bone staff to defend. "Boom—!" The golden pillar of light collided violently with the bone staff, the raging energy exploding instantly into a massive energy sphere. At the sphere's center, gold and black energies clashed fiercely, the black demonic energy and golden Emperor Power intertwining and consuming each other, emitting a sizzling sound. The demonic figure was forced back by the power contained within the pillar of light. With each step, the ground beneath its feet collapsed several feet, rubble and lava mixing together, creating a scene of utter devastation. Several pieces of its black scales shattered, revealing... Below lay a stench of black flesh and blood, within which tiny Demonic Insects writhed. A mouthful of black demonic blood spurted from its mouth, spilling onto the ground and corroding small pits from which thick black smoke billowed. "Impossible! How could a Heavenly Immortal possess such power! This defies the norms of the cultivation world!" A look of disbelief and terror flashed in the demonic shadow's eyes, its voice trembling. As Incarnation the Ninth Ancestor, although it did not possess the full power of its original form, it was still far superior to an ordinary Late Heavenly Immortal. To be injured by an early-stage Heavenly Immortal was a disgrace to the Demon Realm, and if word of this were to spread, it would be a great humiliation, perhaps even subject to ridicule from other Ancestor Demon for a thousand years.

Seizing this fleeting opportunity, Ren Xiaoyao poured all the remaining Emperor Power within his body into the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation. The Emperor Crystal in his dantian even emitted a humming sound, strained under the weight. He closed his eyes, his mind completely connected to the Emperor Array Emperor Array, and once again activated its power. Golden Emperor Mark rapidly gathered and condensed in the air, transforming into a massive Golden Long Sword ten zhang long. The ancient characters "Zhenxuan" were engraved on the sword, surrounded by flowing Emperor Mark, radiating a vast and boundless Emperor's Might. The space around the blade was slightly distorted due to the excessive energy density, forming tiny Space Cracks. He suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them, and manipulated the Golden Long Sword towards... The demonic shadow slashed fiercely, the sword wind howling past, stirring up pebbles and fallen leaves, carrying World-Ending Aura. The demonic shadow had nowhere to dodge, and could only barely block with its broken bone staff. "Crack!" The bone staff broke into several pieces, and the Golden Long Sword, unstoppable, slashed down on the demonic shadow. "Ah--! I am not reconciled!" The demonic shadow let out an extremely shrill scream, its body being rapidly purified by the Emperor Mark. Black scales, foul-smelling flesh, and stark white bones melted and vaporized little by little, turning into specks of black light that dissipated into the air, leaving only a Demonic Crystal emitting a faint demonic aura, which fell to the ground with a soft "thud," creating a small crater.

Seeing the demonic shadow destroyed, Elder Ying Ying's ecstatic joy froze instantly, replaced by a deep-seated fear. His legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to his knees. Only one thought remained in his mind—escape! He knew Ren Xiaoyao would never let him go, and he turned to tear through the void to escape. Ren Xiaoyao's eyes turned cold. How could he allow him to escape? If he let the tiger return to the mountain today, it would surely become a great threat in the future! He immediately manipulated the Golden Long Sword to change direction and chase after Elder Ying. The Golden Long Sword was extremely fast, catching up with Elder Ying in an instant, as if by Teleport. "Pfft!" The longsword precisely pierced Elder Ying's left shoulder. Golden Emperor Mark surged into his body through the wound, frantically purifying his demonic energy and Immortal and Demonic Power like a leech. "Ah--! My cultivation! My Immortal-Demon Body!" Elder Ying let out a heart-wrenching howl. A searing pain shot through his left shoulder, and the Immortal and Demonic Power within him dissipated rapidly like a receding tide, his cultivation plummeting from the Late Heavenly Immortal realm to the Mid-stage Heavenly Immortal. Ignoring his injuries, he mustered his last ounce of strength to crush the Void Talisman he had treasured for many years at his waist, tearing open an unstable void rift. The edges of the rift continued to flicker and shrink. Before escaping into the rift, he turned his head, his eyes filled with resentment and madness. "Ren Xiaoyao, I will not let you go! The Demon Realm army will breach the Boundary Sealing Gate in three days, and you and the entire Immortal Realm will become sacrifices to the Demon Realm realm, forever sinking into darkness!"

Ren Xiaoyao watched the direction Elder Ying fled but did not pursue him—he knew that the trajectory of the crack formed by the Void Rune was difficult to track, and Elder Ying was already severely injured, with most of his Immortal and Demonic Power dissipated, rendering him unable to pose a threat for the time being. He put away the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation, his figure swaying as he staggered due to the excessive consumption of his Emperor Power. He steadied himself by holding onto the ancient tree beside him. The bark of the ancient tree shimmered with a golden spiritual light from his touch, quickly repairing the wounds caused by the battle. After a moment, he walked to where the Demonic Crystal had fallen and bent down to pick Demonic Crystal up. The Demonic Crystal was icy cold to the touch, still bearing the chilling aura of the Ancestral Demon Yougu, causing him to frown slightly. With a slight movement of Emperor Power at his fingertips, he purified the aura. He could feel the pure demonic energy contained within the Demonic Crystal, flowing like Black Liquid. If it were thoroughly purified by the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation, it might be able to be transformed into something needed for cultivation. The pure energy would replenish the energy depleted from the battle and even repair the cracks in the Emperor Crystal within his dantian. But at this moment, he was more concerned about Elder Ying's last words— the Demon Realm army would breach the Boundary Sealing Gate in three days. Elder Ying's escape, the Incarnation of the Nine Ancestors of the Demon Realm, the crisis at the Boundary Sealing Gate ... a series of events weighed heavily on his heart, making his breathing difficult. He looked up towards the direction of the Boundary Sealing Gate, where faint yet dense energy fluctuations emanated, like muffled thunder, clearly indicating that the battle was already extremely fierce. His gaze grew increasingly solemn, and he clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white from the force. He made a silent vow: no matter how many dangers lay ahead, even if it meant mountains of knives and seas of fire, or surging demonic tides, he had to reach the Boundary Sealing Gate within three days to stop this catastrophe, protect the billions of living beings in the Immortal Realm, and prevent Elder Ying's Curse from becoming a reality.