Though the cultivators above the imperial city had been freed from the suppression, lingering fear still gripped their hearts. As they watched Xu Changqing and Kong Ling face off, hushed discussions quietly arose.
"That fellow Daoist may be strong, but that's the Demon Emperor across from him!"
"Exactly, exactly! He's a descendant of a Demon God. How could he possibly be a match?"
"Rather than having both sides suffer, why not tell this fellow Daoist to stop struggling?"
Someone even gathered the courage to shout, "As long as it lets us live, what's wrong with sacrificing him to save everyone?"
The moment those words came out, many people showed hesitation, and some even vaguely voiced their agreement.
"Bastards!"
Li Lingbi's fury surged to the heavens. He abruptly turned around, his sharp gaze sweeping over the person who had spoken, and bellowed, "Changqing risked his life to protect us, to protect the imperial city, yet you dare utter such cowardly filth? You're worse than pigs and dogs!"
The man was cowed by Li Lingbi's imposing presence, yet he still refused to give up, muttering, "But we can't defeat the Demon Emperor at all. If we don't sacrifice him, everyone will..."
Before he could finish, Li Lingbi once again unleashed the divine ability River-Splitting Water-Dividing, snarling, "People who cling to life, fear death, and repay kindness with betrayal are disasters if left alive!"
With a muffled thud, the man fell to the ground and died on the spot.
Seeing this, the other cultivators no longer dared say another word, their faces filled with awe and fear.
Elsewhere, Kong Ling launched the first attack.
Its tail feathers swept fiercely, and those imitation eyes lit up once more. Strange red light surged out again, attempting to suppress Xu Changqing and the Chaos