"Boom..."
In that instant, the Moon Essence Wheel erupted with power far beyond the Daluo Realm.
At that moment, the Golden Crow Formation Chen Yang had condensed collapsed.
The Firmament Palm condensed through the Five Elements Formation also crumbled.
At that moment, Chen Yang sensed the shockwave and was blasted backward, smashing through several mountains.
"Pfft..." Chen Yang spat blood, his arms trembling faintly. The World in the Palm he had condensed earlier had now collapsed.
Chen Yang felt the divine ability world he had condensed shatter, his arms quivering slightly, yet he still clenched his fists and looked into the distance. "Xihe, the Moon Essence Wheel..."
Chen Yang murmured. Within the Moon Essence Wheel floated a figure.
That figure possessed peerless elegance and boundless charm; a single glance was enough to lure men into madness.
As she stepped out, moonlight cascaded down, adorning her long dress and forming stairs beneath her feet. She put away the Moon Essence Wheel, emanating a serene yet icy aura as she looked toward Chang'e in the distance.
Yue Chan restrained her aura and, disregarding her injuries, bowed to the figure before her. "Yue Chan pays respects to the Heavenly Empress. On this journey, I found Wangshu's reincarnation, but Jie Sect disciples obstructed us. I..."
Upon hearing this, Xihe, Heavenly Empress of the Demon Race, said nothing. Her deep eyes merely fixed upon Chang'e. It was as though her gaze could see only Chang'e; looking at anyone else would sully her eyes.
Xihe took a step, and stars formed around her. "Wangshu... my sister, it has been a long time."
Chang'e's eyes were filled with complicated emotions, though her expression remained cold. "The moment I escaped imprisonment, I severed all ties with you. The present Wangshu is merely Chang'e of the Human Clan. She has not the slightest connection to you, Demon Empress."
"Oh... you intend to abandon the past? But some things cannot be abandoned simply because you wish to abandon them," Xihe said coolly.
"Then I must try," Chang'e replied coldly.
"Try? Wangshu, you have yet to recover your peak strength. You have only just embarked upon cultivation—how could you resist me? Even if I am merely an incarnation formed through the Moon Essence Wheel, I am not someone you can oppose," Xihe said indifferently.
"I would rather die than submit," Chang'e said resolutely.
"You have no choice!" Xihe said coldly, reaching out to seize Chang'e.
Seeing this, Chang'e's aura surged as if she wished to resist. Yet she was ultimately too weak at present, utterly unable to contend against Xihe.
With a sweep of her sleeve, Xihe brought forth Lunar Star energy, which transformed into a giant hand of stars and grabbed at Chang'e.
"Sever..." Chen Yang's eyes turned cold as he unleashed Sword Qi. Relying on the sharpness of the Slaying Immortals Sword and the Immortal-Execution Sword, he slashed out a thousand streaks of Sword Qi and severed the stellar hand.
After cutting it apart, Chen Yang stepped forward and stood before everyone, glaring at Xihe like a tiger eyeing its prey.
Seeing this, excitement surfaced on Chang'e's face. "Master..."
Hearing this, Xihe's incarnation could not help but glance at Chen Yang before saying, "A Jie Sect disciple, Chang'e's master? Chang'e... you actually took a third-generation Jie Sect disciple as your master. How laughable..."
Chang'e pondered briefly, then looked at Chen Yang, her expression carrying a trace of determination. "Those who have attained the Dao may be teachers. Why can I not take a master? Though Master's cultivation is lacking, he possesses great wisdom. He taught me the Dao, so he is my master."
Chen Yang looked at Chang'e's earnest expression and said, "Chang'e... are you certain you wish to sever all ties with your previous life and become only a member of the Human Clan?"
Chang'e's expression was solemn as she nodded. "Chang'e can swear an oath to sever all ties with her previous life. From this day onward, I shall belong only to the Human Clan. Even if I reincarnate through ten thousand lifetimes, this will never change!"
Hearing this, Chen Yang looked at Chang'e's expression and her oath, his own gaze filled with resolve. "Since you are of the Human Clan, I will protect you today no matter what."
"Jie Sect disciple... you are courting death..." Xihe's incarnation said coldly.
"Courting death? No, I absolutely will not die..." Chen Yang roared.
With Chen Yang's low roar, the Slaying Immortals Sword and Immortal-Execution Sword rang together, stirring up slaughterous Sword Qi as they prepared to kill Xihe's incarnation.
Xihe's incarnation's expression changed slightly as coldness radiated from her. "The Slaying Immortals Sword, the Immortal-Execution Sword... Tongtian truly treats you well. But you still lack the qualifications to become my enemy."
"Enemies? The Human Clan and Demon Race were enemies to begin with. The hatred between humans and demons has seeped into the marrow, hidden within the soul; even reincarnation can scarcely wear it away," Chen Yang shouted, his killing intent piercing the heavens.
"Hatred? As the Human Clan's master, it is only natural that you hate the Demon Race. But ants are ultimately ants. To resent gods is merely to wait for death!" Xihe's incarnation was supremely arrogant and utterly cold.
"Ants? Then try the killing intent of an ant!" Chen Yang flew into a rage, Sword Qi soaring into the sky with a vast hum.
Chen Yang could no longer suppress the killing intent in his heart. Since returning to the Eastern Sea Coast and witnessing countless humans slaughtered, witnessing ruins after ruins, the fury in his heart had long since transformed into ultimate killing intent.
Even if Xihe stood before him, the Heavenly Empress of the Demon Court, Chen Yang still dared to kill her.
With a "clang," the killing swords boiled over.
At that moment, the Slaying Immortals Sword and the Immortal-Execution Sword floated high in the heavens. Sensing the killing intent in Chen Yang's heart, they too revealed vast murderous intent.
The two killing swords had now turned dark crimson along with that killing intent.
In an instant, the formations within Chen Yang's body began to operate as he controlled the Flower of Qi he had condensed. "Slaying Immortals Sword Formation, Slaughter Immortals Sword Formation..."
The sword formations within Chen Yang's body also began to revolve. Together with the external sword formations, they formed a colossal sword formation. "The sword formation bars the way—slay demons and vanquish evil!"
Chen Yang roared. The sword formation's power was terrifying as it unleashed world-shaking sword radiance.
At that moment, the sword radiance struck toward Xihe, spanning ten thousand zhang and terrifying beyond compare, as though it would cleave heaven and earth apart.
Seeing such a sword formation and such Sword Qi, Xihe's incarnation was somewhat surprised. "You can evolve sword formations so easily—have you taken the path of formations? No wonder Tongtian entrusted the Slaying Immortals Sword and Immortal-Execution Sword to this disciple. But the gap in strength cannot be bridged by a sword formation. Moon Essence Wheel..."
Xihe was the Heavenly Empress of the Demon Court and an expert among the Demon Race. She herself had been formed from the Star Origin of the Lunar Star, and in terms of talent and innate foundation, she stood on equal footing with Dijun. Thus, although Xihe's current cultivation could not compare with Dijun's, the gap would not be great. Even this mere phantom of hers was exceedingly terrifying.
What was more, she controlled the Moon Essence Wheel.
"Buzz..."
The Moon Essence Wheel boiled over as Lunar Star energy intertwined and formed a terrifying storm. Within that storm evolved endless Lunar blades, as though they could sever stars and even cut through space and time.
Even though Xihe wielded the Moon Essence Wheel through only a phantom, she was still far stronger than Yue Chan had been before.
Now, the divine radiance of the Moon Essence Wheel evolved into star after star, which in turn transformed into blades—terrifying beyond measure and utterly shocking.
In an instant, the stellar blades collided with the Sword Qi, setting off a world-shaking shockwave.
"..."
"Boom..."
Within that thunderous explosion, rolling shockwaves surged with terrifying force.
Under those shockwaves, the Eastern Sea Coast trembled as countless mountains and rivers were destroyed.
The scattered slaughterous Sword Qi turned into streams of light and surged toward the East Sea. Everywhere it passed, whether vast oceans or anything else, was instantly destroyed.
The scattered stellar blades also tore through the void and plunged into the earth, severing countless mountains and leaving behind innumerable Abysses.
A single exchange had created such a terrifying scene.
Yet this was only the beginning. Chen Yang felt his body hum as the sword formations within and outside his body fused together.
As the sword formations merged, Chen Yang felt as though he had comprehended heaven and earth, as though he controlled heaven and earth. Within that sword formation, Chen Yang was like the Heavenly Dao itself, capable of destroying heaven and earth.
Feeling the aura of Destruction brew within his body, Chen Yang roared, "Kill..."
At that moment, Sword Qi hummed and slaughtered the firmament.
Endless Sword Qi seemed to tear apart the Nine Heavens as it charged toward Xihe's incarnation.
Xihe's incarnation's expression shifted slightly as she too drove the Moon Essence Wheel to resist.
In an instant, destructive power surged once more. Blades formed from Lunar Star energy tore through the Nine Heavens, while dark crimson killing swords shattered the firmament.
Chen Yang and Xihe's incarnation fought their way into the East Sea, into the vast ocean. Beneath the overwhelming aura of destruction, who knew how many islands were annihilated.
Many humans along the Eastern Sea Coast felt the battle and became deeply unsettled, their nerves stretched to the limit.
Within the East Sea, quite a few Rogue Cultivators and Jie Sect disciples were also astonished.
Within the East Sea lay Golden Ao Island.
Duobao, who had been cultivating, suddenly awakened. Sensing the battle along the Eastern Sea Coast, his expression changed. "Master..."
Tongtian's expression did not change. With a light sweep of his sleeve, he cast the divine ability Mystic Light Mirror, within which appeared the scene of Chen Yang fighting Xihe's incarnation.
Duobao watched the battle within it. "Xihe... why has Chen Yang begun fighting Xihe? This..."
"Hiss... When did Junior Nephew Chen Yang become so powerful? How long has he even cultivated? He is actually fighting the Demon Court's Demon Empress Xihe to a standstill." Turtle-Spirit Holy Mother showed a trace of astonishment.
"No, something is wrong. This is not Xihe's true body, only an incarnation she lodged within the Moon Essence Wheel. Yet even one incarnation surpasses Daluo Golden Immortals by far. I never expected Junior Nephew Chen Yang to be able to contend with one of Xihe's incarnations," Golden-Spirit Holy Mother said as well.
After making calculations, Tongtian said, "So that is how it is... the Demon Race has once again created karmic slaughter. It is time to give the Demon Race a warning. Immortal-Trapping Sword, Immortal-Severing Sword... go seek your future master."
As Tongtian spoke, the two killing swords hanging within Biyou Palace shot outward, flying toward Chen Yang amid the fierce battle.
Seeing this, Duobao's expression changed. "Master, you..."
"It is nothing. This time, the Demon Race broke the rules. We must give the Demon Race a warning, so let Xihe become Chen Yang's stepping stone," Tongtian said calmly.
"Master... Chen Yang's cultivation is only at the Daluo Realm. Though Xihe possesses only an incarnation, she is truly powerful and also has the Moon Essence Wheel. Can Chen Yang deal with her?" Duobao was deeply worried.
Tongtian merely smiled. "Duobao... concern has clouded your judgment. I believe Chen Yang can handle it!"
Hearing this, what else could Duobao say? He could only nod.
At this very moment, over the East Sea, Chen Yang, who was controlling the sword formations in battle, gradually felt the limits being transmitted from within his body.
The path of formations was indeed powerful. However, Chen Yang had forged formations with his body; while gaining the formation's enhancement, he also had to endure the burden that enhancement brought.
Thus, Chen Yang felt his body gradually sustain damage. He knew clearly that he could not hold out much longer, so he had to end this quickly.
With that thought, Chen Yang once again unleashed fierce and sinister Sword Qi, terrifying beyond compare.
In the distance, Xihe's incarnation controlled the Moon Essence Wheel, releasing countless Lunar blades. They collided with Chen Yang's Sword Qi and stirred up another wave of turbulence.
Yet amid that turbulence, two killing swords suddenly sliced through it.
Two world-shaking killing swords shot toward Chen Yang amid the battle.
At that moment, the Slaying Immortals Sword and Immortal-Execution Sword, linked to Chen Yang's mind, transmitted emotions of delight.
Chen Yang's expression changed slightly as he looked at the additional two killing swords descending before him.
"The Immortal-Trapping Sword, the Immortal-Severing Sword..." Chen Yang instantly recognized the two killing swords.
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