The Encirclement

As the sun set and dusk fell, two crescent moons, one purple and one blue, rose from the sea, reflecting on the water and appearing as if four enormous halos were shimmering between heaven and earth. At this moment, Dao Breath surged, water vapor rose, and demonic power, like smoke and mist, billowed into the air, enveloping everything in a scorching killing intent.

With both moons in a void and true energy abundant, this is the perfect time for demon wielders to unleash their skills and fight to the death.

Tens of thousands of demon soldiers and generals gathered from all directions, like a tsunami rising from the ground, carrying rolling demonic winds like raging waves, and approaching the pair of demonic dragons that were circling low above the sea!

Li Fan sat cross-legged on the Dragon Head with his eyes closed, his four hands gripping the dragon's tendons and intestines behind his back. He simply sat quietly and regulated his breathing, exhaling a three-foot-long Dao Breath of Daoist energy from his mouth and nose, as if the demons and monsters surrounding him were merely bubbles in water or mirages.

"You scoundrel! You'd better release the young prince right now! Or you'll be torn to pieces!"

Seeing that he had no reaction, eight more Nascent Soul Stage demon generals flew out from the demons who were layered upon each other, blocking the sea and sky. They surrounded Li Fan, roaring and cursing, howling and wailing as they approached.

Li Fan, however, did not open his eyes, but simply sat in meditation.

The demonic dragon Meng Bing, who was sitting atop his head, had lost face in front of the demons and was filled with rage. He gritted his teeth in hatred, but could only endure the excruciating pain in his stomach and say, "Your Excellency has no other choice but to release me. I swear to Heaven that I will never dare to retaliate."

The Chi Jiao also advised, "Why must you make an enemy of my Spirit Race, Your Excellency? You can still escape by fleeing to the northwest now, but once the Divine Lord arrives, you won't be able to leave."

Li Fan didn't say anything, but with a quick twist of his hand, he tied a knot in the white sheep's intestines, causing it to scream in pain. The Red Sheep immediately shut up.

Upon seeing the screams of the Ling King's grandson, the eight demon generals were momentarily stunned, fearing that if they pushed too far, the other side would turn on them and kill them.

On the contrary, Li Fan was not flustered at all. Anyway, he had so many pills to consume. He could tear up the ticket and force his way out. If all else failed, he could go to Moon Worship to hide. There was more than one escape route.

The Ling King's army has already been exposed, and with so many troops tied up here, there's no point in expecting any help from the small fry cultivators of the South China Sea. It's better to take advantage of this opportunity to escape with your family. At least you've left them a way out. If they're still reluctant to give up their family fortune and surrender to the enemy like the Yang Family, don't blame him for being ruthless when they meet on the battlefield.

"The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'Boy, three Nascent Soul Stage have slithered down from underwater. Let's fight.'"

Ha, to deal with a Golden Core, they actually sent eleven Nascent Soul Stage. They really think highly of him. Alright! Let's get started!

Li Fan tilted his head back and swallowed the Dragon Fetus Feathering Pill he was holding in his mouth. The medicinal power erupted instantly, and the surging Dao Breath burst forth from his pores like flames. His whole body seemed to be enveloped in white flames and spontaneously combusted.

Then he flung away the 'reins,' retrieved the massive prosthetic leg, and rose with the wind, standing beneath the twin moons, between the sea and the sky.

The demons were all startled by his sudden surge in power, wondering what trick he was up to, and each of them gathered their qi to defend themselves. The Red Sheep and white sheep were also confused, and having been through so much trouble, they were already lucky to be alive, so they dared not rashly escape under Li Fan's nose.

Ignoring them, Li Fan opened his eyes wide, lightning flashing in them. A bright moon appeared in his mind's eye, and he spread his hands, holding a pair of magical swords, Golden Dragon White Star, between his index and middle fingers. One pointed to the sky, the other to the sea, his tongue crackling with white thunder, and his sword energy soaring into the sky!

"Taiyin Haoguang Sword Technique!"

The Golden Dragon White Star emitted a golden hum like the fluttering of wild bees' wings. Within that buzzing sword chant, Sword Light that pierced the heavens and the earth, wrapped in lightning, erupted! Descending from the sky, the dazzling white lightning sword fire split from the tips of these two magical swords, splitting into three that cleaved the starry sky! Three that shattered the moon and water! These six sword lightning bolts roared and turned the night sky into daylight!

This sword technique almost blinded the demons in an instant, startling the surrounding Nascent Soul Stage demons so much that they flew back dozens of feet before regaining their footing. When they looked around again, they found that only five of them had managed to retreat unscathed!

Three charred corpses, instantly turned to charcoal by Sword Light and lightning, fell stiffly from the clouds, transforming into the forms of giant beasts in mid-air before crashing into the sea with a deafening roar, creating enormous waves. The sea, struck by the lightning and sword intent, was also steamed with billowing heat, almost boiling over, churning up large amounts of blood.

' The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, one of the underwater ones escaped, but for a first time, it's not bad. How does it feel?'

I feel like I've been completely drained...

Li Fan landed back on top of Aries' head. The two of them were so frightened by the unparalleled Sword Light that they were as docile as sheep, and didn't even realize that Li Fan had exhausted his strength.

This <Taiyin Haoguang Sword Technique> is indeed powerful. It was because Profound Heaven Sword Intent saw that Li Fan was being chased by many monsters and that his Heaven-Slaying and Ghost-Slaying Sword was severely injured, and that constantly using two magic swords to stab people was not a good idea, that he remembered it and passed on this killing sword technique to Li Fan. He also instructed him not to become overly obsessed with using the power of the sword seal and sword technique and go astray.

However, it must be said that this move is incredibly powerful, far more impressive than threading a needle.

Moreover, it can be used in conjunction with the Five Luo Sword Ghosts to split a single Sword Light into six beams to strike people, achieving remarkable results. Three Nascent Soul Stage demons were killed on the spot in the sky, and two were killed and one was seriously injured in the water. No wonder Profound Heaven Sword Intent was so eager to have this sword technique, preparing his Cultivation Method to match it from the Foundation Establishment stage.

However, the Taiyin Sword Art was far too domineering. First of all, it consumed a huge amount of energy, even among sword techniques of the Nascent Soul Realm Dragon Fetus Feathering Pill.

Secondly, such a sword technique is too fierce, and the Sword Light will inevitably remain in the body, causing hidden injuries. Li Fan also clearly felt that there were six sword marks remaining in his divine court. If they accumulated too much, they would affect his visualization and practice, and might even damage his meridians. Moreover, it would require Taiyin True Essence to remove them. Therefore, Profound Heaven Sword Intent had been hesitant about whether to pass on this ultimate technique to him.

However, now that the wondrous uses of the Tai Su transformation have been discovered, and the transformed Dao body can also be used for cultivation, Li Fan can transform into another Dao body in the future to cultivate Tai Yin True Essence specifically to resolve the residue of Tai Sword Light, thus eliminating the hidden danger.

As for the issue of mana consumption, that's not a problem at all. There are plenty of Xuanpin Golden Core Pills, and six Dragon Fetus Feathering Pills left. It's estimated that I can still kill or injure thirty-six Nascent Soul Stage Great Demons. This time, I've wiped out almost half of the Ling King's cadres. Heh, I'm very happy.

"Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'Do you think they're fools, lining up to be killed by you? They were just underestimating your Golden Core cultivation level and were caught off guard.'"

Having witnessed the power of this move, don't these beasts know how to dodge? Save your strength for when the Demon King himself comes; then prepare to escape.

Just as Profound Heaven Sword Intent had predicted, the demons were greatly frightened by the power of the Taiyin Sword Art and immediately retreated, not daring to approach. No matter how precious the life of the Ling King's grandson was, it was not as important as his own. If he couldn't be saved, he would avenge it.

Li Fan also seized the opportunity to regulate his breathing and took another Dragon Fetus Feathering Pill to ensure he was in peak condition in case of unforeseen circumstances.

These past few days of continuous drug use have put a tremendous strain on Li Fan's body, and he can vaguely sense the signs of aging. The drug's potency is still too strong; even with the numerous Dao Body attributes he has acquired through the transformation of Tai Su, his body is struggling to keep up. He fears that one more pill will be his limit, and it seems that this is the best he can do.

So Li Fan made up his mind to fight a little longer, then dig out the dragon's gall and escape. But instead of the monsters retaliating, a female demon in the Golden Core Stage wearing human skin flew over and came to negotiate tremblingly.

"Master, we are willing to exchange the remaining members of the Shi Family for the grandson of the Ling King, is that alright?"

Li Fan acted decisively, blasting the female demon into a bloody pulp with a single palm strike, and roared, "Very well! Come on! Let's change!"

Aries is overjoyed, then experiences a period of anxiety and uncertainty.

Red Sheep immediately cried out in anguish, "Master, no! The Divine Lord himself ordered the slaughter of the entire Shi Family as a warning to others. How could any family members be left alive? There must be a conspiracy here; we must not fall for it!"

Aries was shocked and furious. "Red Slave, have you gone mad?!"

Red Sheep roared, "I can still be a sheep now, but when I get back to the Ling King, he'll definitely tear me to pieces and use me to forge weapons, so I'll never be reincarnated! I'd rather die early and be reborn quickly!"

Aries screamed, "You treacherous, ungrateful slave!"

"Shut up, all of you!"

Li Fan dragged the two demonic dragons down to the sea. In the distance, he saw a boat being released from the demonic army formation. He could sense that there were still some living people on the boat. They might not be members of the Shi Family, but perhaps sea people who had recently fallen into the hands of demons.

"The Profound Heaven Sword Intent says, 'How many can you take with you? You can save them temporarily, but not forever.'"

It's better to save them for now; after all, I can carry some with me in my Heaven and Earth Sleeve!

Li Fan immediately leaped onto the ship and glared at the demon soldiers guarding the key points of the restriction array on the deck. What he saw almost made him furious. The people guarding the ship were all wearing Demon Race armor!

The leading soldier roared as if he were going all out, "Release Ling King first!"

"I'll shove your head!"

Li Fan shattered the traitor into pieces with a single palm strike. The traitor's entire body twisted like a wrung towel, his flesh and blood scattered everywhere, his death incredibly gruesome. The surrounding demon soldiers were so terrified they fell backward, no longer daring to disobey the fierce god before them. They quickly released the ship's array restrictions, revealing the hostages on the deck.

This is probably the fate of the Human Race who refused to surrender to the Ling King. None of the hostages left here had all their limbs intact; dozens of them looked like they had been gnawed by dogs, with only some medicine hastily applied to stop the bleeding. It's likely that those demons knew the Ling King's grandson had been kidnapped, so they tore off a few leftovers from the dinner table and used them as hostages in exchange.

The surrendered soldiers, seeing Li Fan's fierce expression and murderous aura, immediately jumped ship and fled.

Li Fan ignored them, looked down and checked the pulse of the one who was still breathing. He was beyond saving; the man was also poisoned, probably just given to him. Were they trying to use the hostage exchange to ambush him? Heh, such cunning schemes are probably beyond the comprehension of the Demon Race ...

"Hehe, hehe, hehehe, great, very good!"

Li Fan flicked his hand, using his Heaven and Earth Sleeve to envelop everyone on the deck.

I wonder where these heroes came from. If we can fight our way out, let's take these righteous men to E Shenyu and bury them there...

Turning his head again, he saw Aries flying desperately into the demon army formation. Red Sheep, on the other hand, waited patiently by the ship, seemingly resigned to his fate. Interestingly, none of the Nascent Soul Stage demons came to meet the prince. They clearly didn't care about the life or death of Aries, a mere burden, and kept their distance to guard against the Sword Light. Indeed, those who could cultivate into human form weren't particularly foolish.

Li Fan ignored the white ram and coldly asked the Red Sheep, "How many people in the South Sea have pledged allegiance to the Ling King?"

Red Sheep timidly replied, " Of the Ten Continents and Seven Islands, only E Shenyu has refused to surrender. The other island lords have all sent hostages to serve as slaves."

Li Fan took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and said, "Then what are you all doing lying in ambush?"

Red Sheep swallowed hard and said tremblingly, "I heard from the King... White Sheep that the Xuanmen suddenly sent people to raid the Lü Family. Meng Guangshen... Demon Lord is worried that things have changed, that these traitors have become disloyal, and that the schemes sent by the Ling King have changed over time and he can't afford to take responsibility."

So when the Xuanmen returned north and Lei Marsh was opened, exhausting the energy of the South Sea cultivators, the Demon Lord ordered a sneak attack on E Shenyu. He used the Shi Family as bait and ordered the island lords to send their pledges of allegiance one by one, luring in those stubborn people who were probably unwilling to submit to the Ling King and annihilating them all. He also ransacked the island and exterminated their families to prevent future troubles... Several waves of people have already been killed in recent days..."

Is the South China Sea already in the hands of the Heavenly Ling King...?

As they were talking, Aries had already escaped to safety. Demon Race from all directions had formed ranks and surrounded them, with swords and spears like a forest, demonic clouds crashing down on the city, and the sounds of battle shaking the heavens!

Li Fan suddenly opened his eyes. His purple eyes, one black and one silver, were filled with killing intent from his fine, sword-blade-like beastly pupils. Although the Sword Qi was condensing on the Golden Dragon White Star he held between his fingers, and white lightning flashed between the sword imprint runes, indicating that it was time to activate, Li Fan did not use the Taiyin Sword Art.

This time, however, the ones who rushed up were merely Golden Core Stage demon soldiers, mixed with many demons, sea beasts, and scum of the human world who had defected to the Ling King. The Nascent Soul Stage demon generals surrounded him from a distance, seemingly determined to use the miscellaneous soldiers to deplete his true energy.

So Li Fan gripped the two swords in his arms, unleashed Zhu Hong burst of vermilion energy, and flew on his swords. At the same time, six arms sprouted, and with a wave of his hand, he unleashed a barrage of Qiankun Flying Dragon Sword Storms, sweeping across the battlefield and mercilessly turning the demons that surrounded him into minced meat.

In no time at all, he launched a fierce attack, sweeping up a pile of seafood on the water's surface, which boosted my mood by over a hundred points.

Although these demon soldiers are physically stronger than ordinary people, they do not seem to have any special skills. Their armor is completely powerless against the Qiankun Flying Dragon Sword of the Nascent Soul Stage level. They are just numerous, but their individual combat strength is not even as good as the monsters in the mountains.

However, these sea monsters had a strength: they obeyed commands and recognized formations. After being swept by Li Fan's Qiankun Sword Qi for a while, they actually sounded the retreat, stopped the collapsing formation from regrouping, and then, with the resounding beat of drums, summoned another wave of demon soldiers to fight against Li Fan. The entire formation was like layers of huge waves, with endless troops surging up, as if to drown the flashing Sword Light amidst the waves!

Tsk, there are just too many weaklings around. It's a waste to use the Taiyin Sword Light... These cowards will only hide in the back...

"Roar--!" Suddenly, a dragon's roar rang out. It was the Red Sheep that swung its tail and charged, sweeping away a group of shrimp and crabs around it. It smashed through a battle formation and said to Li Fan, who was deeply involved in the battle and Sword Light was clashing Fourth Department, "Aren't you leaving, Master?"

Li Fan paused for a moment, then flew down onto the Red Sheep's head, letting it carry him through the sea of battle formations. While unleashing sword storms to sweep away the enemies in his path, he asked, "What's wrong with you, you bastard? Do you really want to die? Do you want me to give you a quick death?"

Red Sheep dragged Li Fan away, weaving through gaps in the dense killing formation, and hesitantly asked, "Is the Venerable One truly the Mu Long Boy of Ink Bamboo Mountain? If there's Mu Long Boy, then the mountain raises dragons?"

Li Fan raised an eyebrow, flicked his wrist, and pulled out the Golden Dragon White Star, which flashed brightly, scaring away the two Nascent Soul Stage demon generals who wanted to launch a sneak attack. "What? You've heard of Ink Bamboo Mountain?"

Red Sheep opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke, "This humble general... I was originally a vanguard under Meng Guang the Demon. A month ago, before Lei Marsh Swamp closed, I was ordered to lead troops to patrol the sea, ambush and kill lone rogue cultivators, and seal off the mouth of Lei Marsh Swamp."

One day I encountered a toad that appeared to be at the Divine Lord level, but was severely injured and being hunted. So I recruited it for the Ling King... and even accepted its magical treasure as a bribe to intercept its pursuers...

Then a chubby, white man chased after them, claiming to be from Ink Bamboo Mountain, but his sword moved too fast, and before they could even hear his name, he was killed...

Li Fan understood, and couldn't help but look at him with newfound respect, "... You actually survived?!"

Red Sheep pointed to his neck, where there was indeed a large, relatively new-looking scale. "... The little one was originally a born mutant with two heads, so even after being split in two, he could still survive. He only managed to escape by playing dead."

My ten thousand elite soldiers were all eaten by them, and since no one could testify on my behalf, I was stripped of my command and made a slave to that white sheep... That scoundrel is petty and narrow-minded. Seeing his groveling and begging for mercy, I knew I would have no chance of survival when I got back...

"I am well aware of the military tactics of the Tianyi Divine Palace, and I am willing to abandon darkness and embrace the light. I only beg you, Your Excellency, to spare my life!"

Li Fan was momentarily surprised. "How many people came to Ink Bamboo Mountain? Where are they now?"

Red Sheep hesitated, then turned and looked to the northwest.

Li Fan looked up and saw that this guy was really good at military strategy. Just now, Li Fan was surrounded by the army in the core, but he broke out of the encirclement in an instant!

Then all that could be seen was a dark cloud rising from the northwest sea. In an instant, it covered everything in front of us, like a curtain drawn over our heads, obscuring the bright purple-blue full moon in the sky and on the sea.

Red Sheep stared in astonishment as over forty golden streaks flew out from the dark clouds, like a shower of falling stars, their light flashing overhead. He uttered a weak, trembling voice, "They're still here... What did that toad do to offend you all...?"