Ambush

He didn't dare delay, flying at full speed the entire way. Xuanqing flew to the edge of the Demon Race's territory, planning to take a detour.

The last thing he wanted was to clash with the Demon Race at this critical moment.

But as luck would have it, what he feared came to pass.

Just as he flew over a stretch of wild mountains, the clouds ahead suddenly exploded.

"Halt!"

A sharp shout rang out.

Dozens of armored Demon Soldiers burst from the clouds, surrounding Xuanqing on all sides.

Xuanqing stopped midair and swept his gaze over them.

Every single Demon Soldier was at the Xuan Immortal realm, gripping standard-issue spears.

The leading Demon General had already reached Xuan Immortal Peak.

"Fellow Daoists of the Demon Race, I'm merely passing through," Xuanqing said politely, cupping his hands.

The Demon General sneered: "Passing through? I think you're a spy for the Witch Clan!"

Xuanqing was a bit speechless. With his ethereal immortal aura, how could he possibly resemble those muscle-bound brutes of the Witch Clan?

"I am Xuanqing, a disciple of Yuanshi Tianzun of Kunlun Mountain."

Not wanting to stir up unnecessary trouble, Xuanqing simply announced his name, hoping the other party would be sensible.

But to his surprise, the Demon General's eyes lit up at the name "Xuanqing."

"You're the one we're looking for! Seize him!"

Without a word, the dozens of Demon Soldiers thrust their spears forward.

Xuanqing's heart sank. This was wrong.

They had clearly come prepared, and even his master's name meant nothing.

"Looks like someone wants to invite me for tea," Xuanqing muttered coldly, no longer hesitating.

With a thought, the Mysterious Yellow Merit Robe on his body burst into ten thousand rays of golden light.

The spears struck the light with clanging sounds, unable to break through at all.

"Heaven-Covering Seal, go!"

Xuanqing summoned a square seal.

The Heaven-Covering Seal grew with the wind, swelling to the size of a small hill, and slammed heavily into the Demon Soldiers.

"Boom!"

The ground shook violently, and several Demon Soldiers who couldn't dodge in time were crushed into mashed meat.

Xuanqing then activated the Calm Mind Jade Pendant, sending out ripples of cool, soothing light.

The charging Demon Soldiers instantly slowed, their gazes turning dazed.

"You think a few small fry like you can stop me?"

Though Xuanqing taunted aloud, he remained highly alert inside.

He was certain that a stronger expert was lying in ambush nearby.

These Xuan Immortal-level Demon Soldiers were just cannon fodder meant to drain his mana.

As he fought back, Xuanqing scanned his surroundings and carefully recalled.

Outside the Purple Cloud Palace, Baize's gaze toward him had already seemed off.

"These guys sure work fast," Xuanqing muttered.

He struck back with a palm, sending the leading Demon General flying.

Not wanting to prolong the fight, he found an opening and prepared to break out.

Just then, a sinister voice echoed from the void.

"Daoist Xuanqing, why the rush to leave?"

A white-robed man stepped out slowly, a feather fan in hand—it was Baize.

Baize wore a gentle smile, but his eyes were ice-cold.

Xuanqing stopped and stared at him coldly.

"Daoist Baize, is this how your Demon Race treats guests?"

Baize shook his head: "You misunderstand, Daoist. My lord Dijun merely wishes to invite you to our domain for a visit."

"Your life, Daoist, would greatly benefit our Demon Race's fortune."

Xuanqing sneered inwardly, already guessing the gist of it.

"And if I refuse?"

Baize sighed. "Then I'm afraid I'll have to wrong you, Daoist."

The moment the words fell, several more powerful auras appeared behind Baize.

All of them were Demon Generals at the Great Yi Mysterious Immortal level!

Xuanqing clenched his fists, his spiritual power surging wildly within him.

He knew that today's battle would not be easily settled.

Meanwhile, far away in the Demon Clan's Main Hall.

Dijun sat in the high seat, idly playing with two Fusang Fruits in his hands.

"How long has Baize been gone?" Dijun asked indifferently.

A Demon Commander beside him replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, Lord Baize has just reached the border."

Dijun nodded. "That Xuanqing is Yuanshi's beloved disciple, thick with merit and virtue."

"If we can capture him, when our Demon Clan establishes itself, we will surely gain more recognition from the Heavenly Dao."

The Commander looked worried. "Your Majesty, if Yuanshi takes offense..."

Dijun snorted coldly. "Yuanshi may be strong, but the Heavenly Dao is not yet settled."

"As long as we do it cleanly, Yuanshi will have no excuse."

"Besides, Baize assured me he has a hundred ways to subdue that brat."

Dijun gazed into the void beyond the Main Hall, his eyes brimming with ambition.

On the battlefield, Xuanqing was already surrounded.

But there was little panic on his face—instead, a trace of excitement.

"Perfect, I'll use you lot to temper my bottleneck at the Golden Immortal Realm."

Xuanqing let out a long breath, pushing the Myriad Qi Returning to Yuan Purification Technique to its limit.

His eyes turned pale gold, and his entire body radiated a sacred aura.

"Baize, do you really think you've got me?"

Xuanqing's voice echoed over Wild Mountain, carrying an inexplicable pressure.

Baize froze for a moment, sensing Xuanqing's aura growing stronger.

The speed of that increase was completely beyond his expectations.

"Finish this quickly! Take him down!" Baize dropped his smile and barked the order.

Several Demon Generals at the Great Yi Mysterious Immortal level struck simultaneously, their various divine abilities blotting out the sky.

Xuanqing did not retreat; instead, he charged headlong into the storm of techniques.

"Open up for me!"

Xuanqing threw a punch, and pure merit-infused spiritual power shattered the phantom of a Demon General.

He was like a golden bolt of lightning, rampaging through the demon ranks.

Every Demon Soldier that stood in his way was shattered by that terrifying force.

Xuanqing realized that in the heat of battle, the membrane blocking the Golden Immortal Realm was loosening.

"Again!"

He laughed loudly, summoning the Heaven-Covering Seal once more, sending a Great Yi Mysterious Immortal Demon Marshal staggering back several steps.

Baize's face turned extremely ugly. He hadn't expected this brat's combat power to be so ferocious.

"A bunch of useless trash!" Baize stepped in personally.

He waved his Feather Fan, and countless Azure Wind Blades howled forth.

These wind blades were razor-sharp, even tearing gashes through space itself.

Xuanqing felt immense pressure.

The gap between the Golden Immortal Realm and the Great Yi Mysterious Immortal was indeed not so easily bridged.

But he wasn't panicked.

He still had a trump card to play.

"Baize, since you want to play, I'll play big!"

Xuanqing pulled a bead radiating five-colored light from his bosom.

It was the Five Elements Chaos Pearl—a life-saving treasure Yuanshi Tianzun had given him before leaving after the second sermon.

Though only a replica, its power was enough to threaten the Golden Immortal Realm.

When Baize saw the bead, his eyelids twitched violently.

"No good! Fall back!"

But it was already too late.

Xuanqing directly detonated the Five Elements Force within the bead.

"BOOM—"

A colossal mushroom cloud rose at the Demon Race border.

The violent energy swept across several hundred li in every direction.

Those Mysterious Immortal Demon Soldiers didn't even have time to scream before they turned to ash.

Several Great Yi Mysterious Immortal Demon Race members were blasted back, spitting blood from the shockwave.

Baize relied on a defensive Magic Treasure and, though unharmed, looked utterly disheveled.

The dust and smoke dispersed.

Xuanqing stood in place, his aura somewhat unsteady, but his eyes were frighteningly bright.

Crack.

He heard a crisp sound from within his body.

That Golden Immortal bottleneck that had troubled him for so long—it was actually loosening here!

In the sky, dark clouds gathered.

A Golden Immortal Tribulation?!

Xuanqing looked at the thunderclouds above, then at Baize in the distance.

The corner of his mouth curled up.

"Baize, This Humble One truly must thank you."

"Now, it's my turn."

Baize stared at the tribulation clouds in the sky, his expression grim beyond measure.

He never imagined that Xuanqing would break through at a time like this.

Making a move outside the tribulation's range—that was courting death.