Emperor Dao Peak Realm: Wu Gui Demon Tide
The smoke from the battle at the Boundary Sealing Gate had not yet dissipated, and the air still lingered with the scorching heat left by the Emperor Power purifying the demonic energy—a faint smell of burnt metal mixed with the sticky, fishy stench of evaporated demonic blood, clinging to the cultivators' robes and the seams of their armor, refusing to dissipate even after three gusts of wind. Ren Xiaoyao sat cross-legged on the charred Demon Rock, its surface still bearing the dark red patterns from the Blood Sacrifice of a Continent, patterns like congealed tears of blood, his fingertips lightly... With a light touch, it crumbled and crumbled, revealing a deeper charred blackness beneath. The Concentrating Spiritual Qi Spirit Calming Pill handed to him by True Human Xuanyang melted instantly upon entering his mouth. The warm spiritual energy flowed slowly through his meridians like a spring stream, yet it could not conceal the emptiness left by the depletion of his Emperor Power. When he had just activated Emperor Descends Upon the Nine Heavens, thirty percent of his Soul Power had been scorched by raging fire. At this moment, his sea of consciousness was still faintly aching, and even his breathing was trembling slightly. With each inhale, it felt as if tiny ice needles were traveling through his lungs.
He closed his eyes and looked inward. The Star Chart of the Ancient Emperor Shadow sea of consciousness had not yet faded. The sun, moon, and stars embroidered on the Emperor Robe seemed to come alive. The Sun Disc radiated warm golden light, the moonlight flowed with cool Silver Light, and the stars, like scattered diamonds, slowly rotated. The majesty that suppressed heaven and earth when the Emperor Descends Upon the Nine Heavens was etched into the depths of his soul like a brand. In the instant that the demonic source of the Blood Fang Demon Ancestor dissolved in the Emperor Power, Ren Xiaoyao suddenly clearly perceived the dual True Intention of the Emperor Dao Laws: "Break" is the sharp edge that cuts down evil demons, tearing through the darkness like a sharp blade; "Guard" is the foundation that protects all living beings, bearing all things like the earth. The two are not opposites, but rather like... Yin and Yang Mutual Generation and indispensable. This realization exploded in his mind like a thunderclap, shattering the previously stagnant barrier of the Mid-stage Heavenly Immortal Celestial Immortal realm. His spiritual light surged dramatically, golden rays soaring into the sky and tearing a hole in the surrounding Demonic Clouds. Sunlight streamed through the hole, falling on the scorched earth and creating a sense of warmth. Then, the spiritual light quickly receded, transforming into a faint golden halo that surrounded him. The halo rose and fell like his breath, and with each Inhale and Exhale, he could draw in the pure Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth—the fragrance of grass and trees in the distant valley mixed with Spiritual Qi flowed into his body, nourishing his damaged soul along his meridians and easing his tense meridians slightly.
"To break through to the Late Heavenly Immortal at this moment, and even comprehend the True Intention of ' Emperor Dao's Heart Protection '." True Human Xuanyang stroked his silver beard, his knuckles turning slightly white with excitement, his eyes filled with astonishment, even his voice trembled slightly, "Previously, when you activated Emperor Descends Upon the Nine Heavens, your divine soul was damaged, yet you were able to turn misfortune into blessing. This kind of fortuitous opportunity would probably make even the Ancient Great Emperor take notice. Ordinary cultivators need to seclude themselves for several years and exhaust countless rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures to break through their realm, but you had an epiphany on the battlefield. This comprehension is truly one in a million."
Ren Xiaoyao slowly opened his eyes, the golden Emperor Mark in his pupils flashing like shooting stars, leaving a faint halo. He raised his hand, condensing a wisp of spiritual light. The gold at his fingertips was no longer as sharp and aggressive as before, but instead exuded a gentle and steady Guardian Power —the light fell on the scorched Demon Rock, like spring rain nourishing the earth. In just a few breaths, a tender green sprout emerged from the cracks in the rocks, the sprout topped with tiny dewdrops, trembling slightly in the sunlight, radiating tenacious vitality. "If it weren't for the Blood Fang Demon Ancestor sacrificing an entire continent, using the lives of countless beings to sound the alarm..." "Even I cannot see the full picture of the Imperial Path," he said softly, his gaze fixed on the direction of the Boundary Sealing Gate. Strands of Black Demonic Qi still seeped from the cracks, writhing like venomous snakes in the sunlight, their tongues constantly flicking. "I always thought that Emperor Power could only be destroyed, but I forgot that what makes Great Emperor Great Emperor is not only the ability to quell chaos and sweep away evil, but also the ability to protect his people and bless all living beings. However, the Boundary Sealing Gate has already developed cracks, and the leakage of demonic energy is becoming increasingly frequent. Today we can stop Blood Fang, but tomorrow we may not be able to defend against even stronger Demon Head. The days to come will likely be filled with unrest."
His words had barely faded when a shrill Demonic Roar suddenly echoed from the distant horizon—the sound was like a rusty iron saw cutting through rock, so piercing it hurt the eardrums, and even the air rippled as if shaken by the howl. Black Demonic Qi surged in from the direction of the Boundary Sealing Gate like dark clouds, obscuring half the sky in just a few breaths and turning the sunlight black. Dozens of demonic figures rushed in, riding on the demonic energy. They wore tattered Demonic Armor, the plates riddled with holes and bloodstains, clearly having just arrived from the battles of the Demon Realm; the Demon Blade in their hands gleamed with an eerie green light, the blades still covered with dried flesh, emitting a nauseating stench. These demonic figures moved with ghostly speed, bypassing the defenses set up by the Immortal Realm cultivators, and rushed straight for the Immortal Child responsible for healing the wounded—those Immortal Child were still of shallow cultivation, holding only healing Jade Bottle, and were completely powerless to resist the demonic attacks.
Ren Xiaoyao's figure shifted slightly, almost becoming a golden afterimage. His fingertip's Emperor Power instantly transformed into a massive net of light—each thread of the net contained the power of Emperor Dao's Heart Protection, enveloping the demonic shadows like a celestial canopy. Fine Emperor Mark shimmered between the meshes, radiating a gentle yet unassailable pressure. The demonic shadows sensed the danger and frantically swung their Demon Blade, attempting to sever the net. But the moment the blades touched the golden threads, they emitted a sizzling, corrosive sound; the demonic energy on the Demon Blade was instantly purified, leaving only piles of rusty scrap Scrap Iron on the ground with a clanging sound. The net of light slowly tightened, the golden light growing increasingly intense, scorching the demonic shadows' bodies like a furnace. The demonic shadows let out shrill screams, their voices filled with terror, their bodies rapidly dissolving in the Emperor Power, turning into wisps of black smoke. Finally, only a few short howls remained before they vanished without a trace, not even a trace of demonic energy remaining.
But this was only the beginning. For the next three months, the cracks in the Boundary Sealing Gate, like a dam eroded by a tide, grew larger and larger under the constant onslaught of demonic energy—from a few feet wide initially, gradually expanding to several feet. Black Demonic Qi gushed forth like a spring, forming a hundred-mile-long Demonic Fog Zone on the border of the Immortal Realm. Within this Demonic Fog Zone, the demonic energy was as thick as ink, visibility less than three feet, impenetrable even to sunlight, and countless lurking Devil Race were hidden within. Small groups of Devil Race swarmed in like locusts, sometimes including the Bone-Corroding Demon, skilled in concealment. They can blend into the shadows, approaching cultivators silently like ghosts, tearing through their protective Spiritual Qi with their venomous claws. The wounds they leave behind constantly corrode flesh, taking days to heal even with healing Pills. Sometimes they are incredibly strong Stone-Armored Demon —their bodies are as hard as ancient rocks, covered with thick black scales that even ordinary immortal swords cannot penetrate. A single punch can shatter a cultivator's bones. Many cultivators have been severely injured by Stone-Armored Demon, lying on stretchers still groaning softly.
Although the Immortal Realm cultivators could barely hold their own, they were gradually becoming exhausted. Ye Wushang's Black Iron Short Blade was covered in rust from demonic blood, and the edge of the blade was riddled with tiny chips from repeatedly slashing at the bones of the Stone-Armored Demon, almost shattering. His arm was wrapped in thick bandages, and the wound beneath was still bleeding, the red bloodstains spreading through the bandages, yet he still gripped his short blade and stood guard at the forefront of the defensive line, his eyes sharp as an eagle, fixed on the direction of the Demonic Fog Zone, not daring to relax for a moment. True Human Xuanyang's whisk had several strands of silver thread broken, and the originally snow-white silver threads were now stained with black demonic energy, turning dark. Shen Wuguang was like a piece of white jade covered in dust; his face was growing paler, and his wrinkles revealed exhaustion. Every time he activated his Spiritual Qi to cast a spell, he couldn't help but cough a few times, his chest rising and falling slightly with each cough, clearly indicating that he had exhausted much of his cultivation. Even the Immortal Alliance's reserves of Pills had been used up by more than half. The cultivators responsible for refining pills worked day and night, and the flames of the Pill Furnace never went out. The fragrance of medicine emanating from the furnaces filled the camp, but it still couldn't keep up with the needs of the wounded. Many cultivators could only grit their teeth and use their own Spiritual Qi to suppress their injuries, blood seeping from the corners of their mouths, yet they still gripped their weapons and stood in the defensive line, refusing to retreat a single step.
That evening, Ren Xiaoyao stood atop a mountain near the Boundary Sealing Gate, gazing at the busy cultivators below, his brow furrowed. The setting sun cast a long shadow of him across the scorched earth, carrying a sense of loneliness. He condensed a wisp of Emperor Power at his fingertips and gently touched the crack in the Boundary Sealing Gate —the moment the Emperor Power touched the demonic energy, a violent collision ensued. The Black Demonic Qi, as if alive, retaliated, attempting to devour the Emperor Power. The two forces collided, producing a sizzling sound, and tiny energy ripples spread through the air. "This can't go on." He withdrew his hand, the burning pain of the demonic energy still lingering in his palm, a pain like a persistent, stabbing wound. "The Devil Race are clearly testing our limits. Each Demon Head they send is stronger than the last, from the initial Bone-Corroding Demon and Stone-Armored Demon to the later Demon General. I'm afraid soon, a powerful member of their clan will personally attack."
His prediction was correct. The next morning, the demonic energy in the world suddenly became viscous, even the sunlight was tinged with a dark purple, and a suffocating sense of oppression filled the air—an oppression that weighed on the cultivators' hearts like a boulder, making it difficult for them to breathe. The distant mountain peaks trembled slightly under the demonic pressure, and the leaves of the trees withered and fell, as if swept by an autumn wind, covering the ground in moments; the mountain streams also stopped flowing, a layer of black demonic energy floating on the surface, even the fish and shrimp turned belly up, lifeless. The Boundary Sealing Gate shook violently, and several new cracks appeared on the huge Stone Gate, with broken stones falling continuously, hitting the ground with a "bang". A deafening roar, like thunder, exploded in their ears. A colossal, suffocating demonic figure slowly emerged from the crack—the figure was ten zhang tall, half a head taller than the frame of the Boundary Sealing Gate. It wore black scale armor covered in ancient Demonic Runes, each scale shimmering with a ghostly green light, seemingly capable of withstanding any attack. Gray Death Qi swirled around it; wherever this Death Qi passed, the vegetation on the ground withered instantly, turning into black powder that dissipated into the air with a gust of wind. With each step it took, black Demonic Runes sprouted from the ground, spreading like Demonic Runes. Wherever it passed, rocks began to crack, and even space itself seemed to distort slightly, as if it were about to collapse at any moment.
In his hand he held a massive bone staff—a staff pieced together from dozens of enormous demonic bones, each gleaming with a dark luster and still bearing traces of dried blood. Carved across the staff were countless patterns of agonizing, struggling Demonic Soul, so lifelike they seemed poised to leap from the staff at any moment and pounce on the cultivators before them. At the top of the staff was a fist-sized, murky Demonic Crystal Demonic Crystal, seemingly sealing countless vengeful spirits within. Upon closer inspection, one could see countless tiny phantoms struggling frantically within the Demonic Crystal, their faces contorted with pain and resentment, emanating an aura that sent chills down the spine—an aura like a cold, venomous snake burrowing into the cultivators' consciousness, causing them to tremble uncontrollably. With each flash of the Demonic Crystal, the surrounding Death Qi intensified, even causing the cultivators' souls to tremble slightly, as if they were being sucked away by the Demonic Crystal. Many cultivators instinctively clutched their chests, their faces ashen.
"The Wu Gui Demon Tribe!" True Human Xuanyang's expression changed drastically. His whisk moved without wind, the silver tips gleaming with a sharp, cold light. His voice was filled with solemnity. "The third-ranked clan in the Demon Realm Demon Head. Their demons feed on devouring souls. Those devoured are forever imprisoned in Demonic Crystal, suffering endless pain, without even a chance to reincarnate! It is said that their patriarch, the Wu Gui Demon Lord, has lived for 30,000 years, experienced three Demon Realm Great Battle, and personally killed a Late-stage Golden Immortal cultivator. His strength is comparable to Late-stage Golden Immortal, and even many Demon Head in the Demon Realm are wary of him and dare not provoke him easily!"
The Wu Gui Demon Lord slowly raised his head, his turbid Demon Eye sweeping across the battlefield—his gaze was as if looking at a group of ants, devoid of any emotion, only endless indifference and cruelty. His voice was as grating as rotten wood rubbing together, each word carrying a gray Death Qi, striking the cultivators' souls like a heavy hammer, making them dizzy. "A mere Boundary Sealing Gate, yet it has imprisoned me for three months. That piece of trash Blood Fang, couldn't even kill a single Heavenly Immortal cultivator, and even lost an entire continent's Demonic Vein, truly disgracing the Devil Race race." He lightly tapped the ground with his bone staff, and Death Qi spread like a tide, forcing the surrounding cultivators back several steps. Many cultivators were touched by the Death Qi, their robes instantly corroded with holes, and black spots appeared on their skin, sending waves of stinging pain through them. "Today I have come personally to flatten the Immortal Realm, to refine the souls of you cultivators into my nourishment, to make the entire Immortal Realm a hunting ground for the Devil Race race, and to make all living beings grovel at my feet!"
Before he finished speaking, he swung his bone staff violently, unleashing a surge of gray Death Qi like a tsunami. Wherever it passed, the air turned gray, as if even light was being swallowed. The protective Spiritual Qi of the Immortal Realm cultivators was instantly corroded like thin paper. The moment the Spiritual Qi dissipated, the cultivators felt a bone-chilling cold, not from their bodies, but from their very souls, as if their very souls were being frozen, even their thoughts becoming sluggish. Several cultivators with lower cultivation levels couldn't dodge in time; their bodies were enveloped by the Death Qi. They let out shrill screams, their voices filled with despair, trying to resist with their Spiritual Qi, only to find that their Spiritual Qi melted instantly, like ice and snow encountering a raging fire, leaving not a trace. In just a few breaths, their souls were sucked into the bone staff by the Death Qi. Even more shrill wails immediately emanated from the Demonic Crystal Demonic Crystal, its color becoming even more turbid, the phantoms within struggling more violently, as if trying to Demon-Bane crystal's constraints.
Ye Wushang roared, his eyes bloodshot, like a cheetah enraged. He transformed into a black shadow, charging towards the Wu Gui Demon Lord like an arrow released from a bow. Dense black energy condensed on his Black Iron Short Blade — the Netherworld Power he cultivated, carrying a chilling aura yet containing the power to annihilate demons. The blade sliced through the air with a sharp whistling sound, aiming straight for the Wu Gui Demon Lord Wu Gui Demon Lord's heart—the gap in its scales, its weakest point. Ye Wushang had used this countless times in previous battles... The blade had slain powerful Demon Head before. But the moment it touched the black scales, it clanged loudly, as if striking ancient black Mysterious Iron. The short blade was deflected, and a tremendous force traveled through the blade into Ye Wushang's arm. He felt a tingling numbness in his arm, as if his bones were about to shatter. His body flew backward uncontrollably, spitting out a mouthful of blood that traced a red arc in the air before crashing heavily to the ground. Even the short blade slipped from his grasp, landing on a distant Demon Rock with a clang.
"Is this all the skill you've got? You dare to be so insolent before me?" The Wu Gui Demon Lord sneered, his voice filled with disdain, as if mocking Ye Wushang's overestimation of his abilities. He swung his bone staff again, and gray Death Qi condensed in the air into dozens of sharp bone spears—each Dao Bones spear was over ten feet long, its tip shimmering with a ghostly green light, and entwined with tiny Demonic Soul. The screams of the Demonic Soul intertwined with the sound of the bone spears piercing the air, creating a chilling sound. The bone spears rained down on Ren Xiaoyao and the others, targeting not only the cultivators on the front lines but also the wounded and Immortal Child in the rear, clearly intending to shatter the Immortal Realm's defenses in one fell swoop and completely crush the cultivators' will to resist.
Ren Xiaoyao's body surged with golden spiritual light, fully unleashing the True Intention of the Emperor Dao's Heart Protection. Golden Light Shield enveloped the cultivators behind him like a celestial canopy—the shield shimmered with intricate Emperor Mark, each Emperor Mark containing protective power, like countless tiny suns radiating warm and unwavering light. The bone spear struck the light shield, emitting a sizzling corrosive sound. Gray Death Qi continuously eroded the shield, attempting to tear a gap, but the Emperor Mark on the shield flickered like living things, constantly repairing the corroded areas, like weeds that spring back to life in the spring breeze, ultimately unable to be penetrated. The cultivators and Immortal Child behind him looked at the light shield before them, their eyes filled with gratitude—if it weren't for Ren Xiaoyao's protection, they would probably have already been pierced by the bone spear, their souls becoming nourishment for the Wu Gui Demon Lord.
Ren Xiaoyao took a deep breath, and the Emperor Power within his dantian surged wildly, like a rushing river. The Emperor Dao's Heart Protection and the power of annihilation intertwined within his body, forming a completely new power—no longer simply destruction, nor purely protection, but possessing the power of both. It had the sharpness to annihilate evil and the steadfastness to Protecting All Living Beings. A Golden Long Sword gradually condensed in his palm—the sword was about three feet long, its blade as smooth as jade. It no longer only possessed pure sharpness, but was also wrapped with a faint Guardian Spirits. The aura flowed slowly like water, as if it could cut off all threats and protect the living beings behind it. An Emperor Mark was carved on the hilt, the Emperor Mark shimmering with a faint light, connected to Ren Xiaoyao's soul. With each beat, he could feel the majesty of the Emperor Dao Laws.
"Wu Gui Demon Lord, you devour souls, harm living beings, and defy the Heaven and Earth Laws. You have long since become a demon deserving of universal condemnation!" Ren Xiaoyao leaped into the air, his figure like a golden eagle, tracing a graceful arc through the sky. His Golden Long Sword cleaved through the heavens, carrying a steady, protective intent, thrusting towards the Wu Gui Demon Lord. The sword wind howled, stirring up rubble from the ground. "Today, I will use the power of the Emperor's Way to slay you, you Demon Head, restoring peace to the Immortal Realm, allowing those souls you devoured to find rest!"
A hint of disdain flashed in the eyes of the Wu Gui Demon Lord. He clearly didn't take Ren Xiaoyao seriously—in his view, a cultivator at the Late Heavenly Immortal, even with Emperor Power, was no match for him, Demon Head who had lived for thirty thousand years. The Demonic Crystal atop his bone staff erupted with intense Death Qi, Death Qi condensed in the air into a gigantic Demonic Palm —Demonic Palm about five zhang wide, its palm covered with black Demonic Runes, each finger like a thick Demonic Pillar, entwined with countless struggling Demonic Soul. With a power capable of tearing apart heaven and earth, it slammed towards the longsword, as if to crush Ren Xiaoyao along with the sword.
The instant the Demonic Palm made contact with the longsword, golden spiritual light suddenly surged. The power of the Emperor Dao's Heart Protection the heart, acted like a sturdy shield, forcefully isolating the Death Qi —that power carried the will to Protecting All Living Beings beings, like sunlight dispelling darkness, preventing the Death Qi from getting even a fraction closer. The moment the Demonic Palm touched the Golden Long Sword, it emitted a sizzling, corrosive sound. The Demonic Runes on its palm were instantly purified, turning into wisps of black smoke and dissipating. The Death Qi receded like a tide, utterly unable to withstand the pressure of the Emperor Power. The longsword pierced into the Demonic Palm, golden light continuously spreading, scorching every inch of the Demonic Palm like a furnace. The Demonic Palm rapidly disintegrated within the Emperor Power, turning into a sky full of Gray Mist Gray Mist vanished in the air without leaving a trace.
"How is this possible! Your Emperor Power can actually suppress my Death Qi?" The Wu Gui Demon Lord's expression changed, and for the first time, shock appeared in his eyes. He had lived for 30,000 years, devoured the souls of countless cultivators, and his Death Qi had suppressed countless powerful forces, but it had never been so easily suppressed before. He retreated rapidly, waving his bone staff in front of him, and countless wronged souls flew out from the Demonic Crystal. These wronged souls were all beings he had devoured. Some were Immortal Realm cultivators, still clutching their immortal swords before their deaths; some were mortals, their eyes filled with longing for their families; and some were children who had not yet reached adulthood, their souls still carrying the aura of innocence. Their souls were bound by Death Qi, unable to reincarnate, and could only endure endless pain in the Demonic Crystal. Now released, the wronged souls transformed into gray demonic shadows, carrying endless resentment and despair, rushing towards Ren Xiaoyao. Once touched by these demonic shadows, one's soul would be torn apart, and even one's consciousness would be devoured, never to be reborn.
Ren Xiaoyao frowned, his heart filled with pity and anger—these souls should have Reincarnation, yet they had been so cruelly harmed by the Wu Gui Demon Lord. He silently chanted Method Formula, the imperial Emperor Mark between his brows flashing with Dazzling Light. The power of the Emperor Dao's Heart Protection spread out like ripples, forming a massive Golden Barrier. On the barrier, the Emperor Mark seemed to come alive, constantly moving and radiating a gentle yet powerful Purifying Power. The demonic shadows frantically pounded against the barrier, letting out shrill howls filled with pain and resentment as they tried to break through it. However, they discovered that the Emperor Power on the barrier was as scorching as the sun. With each impact, a portion of their bodies was purified—the gray mist continuously dissipated, revealing the original form of their souls. Some cultivators, upon seeing the Immortal Realm realm beyond the barrier, had a flash of clarity in their eyes, as if recalling their mission in life. In just a few breaths, the demonic shadows were completely dissolved in the Emperor Power, their souls purified into pure Spiritual Qi, like starlight, slowly dissipating into the world, as if they had never been tainted by darkness, finally finding peace.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ren Xiaoyao moved with lightning speed, his Golden Long Sword aimed straight for the Wu Gui Demon Lord 'Wu Gui Demon Lord brow—the location of his Demonic Core and his weakest point. The Emperor Power on the blade, carrying the will to Protecting All Living Beings beings, formed an invisible pressure, as inviolable as a Heavenly Regulation, causing the Wu Gui Demon Lord's demonic energy to momentarily stagnate. He couldn't even mobilize his Death Qi for defense, and could only watch helplessly as the longsword drew ever closer.