The Tiger King stretched out his hand and gave a light wave forward. The Demon Sect followers behind him instantly attacked everyone. It was an assault that swept through them like a gale through rotten wood. Demonic light blazed throughout the room, with sword light only occasionally flashing amid it.
By the time Jing Tian looked back, all the Jade Dragon Sword Sect disciples had fallen to the floor, some with their bodies already shattered. His junior sister in green lay on the ground, a long saber piercing her body. Her eyes stared fixedly at Jing Tian, still flickering with disbelief.
Suddenly, Jing Tian saw a headless body kneeling before the Tiger King and Monkey King. Its clothes looked particularly familiar. Before he could react, his vision went black, and he lost all connection with the world.
"We might have been able to make use of this one. Why did you just kill him?" the Tiger King grumbled at the Monkey King.
"The sect leader specifically ordered us to slaughter the sect and wipe out its disciples this time. Where would we find all that time to scheme and make use of him? How hard could it be for the two of us to flatten a little Jade Dragon Sword Sect?"
"True. The sect leader clearly handed this task to us to knock the council of elders down a peg. We have to get it done quickly."
Jade Dragon Mountain, five hundred li from the Demon Sect, was home to the Jade Dragon Sword Sect. As a second-tier sword sect, it had over a thousand members and disciples. Hundreds practiced their sword techniques in perfect unison on the training grounds, their momentum surging like a rainbow.
In the council hall, the sect master and several elders were discussing the year-end competition.
"Sect master, senior brother, our Jade Dragon Sword Sect has gained more and more disciples these past two years. We must offer generous rewards for this competition. That will benefit the sect's development."
The other elders voiced their agreement, and Jing Kong, sect master of the Jade Dragon Sword Sect, nodded as well. He wore a long robe and a jade hairpin, and his upright eyebrows gave him the bearing of an unsheathed sword.
A closer look revealed that he closely resembled Jing Tian. Jing Tian was his nephew, and his plan was to send Jing Tian to study at the Ten Thousand Swords Sect for a few years so that he could eventually take over the Jade Dragon Sword Sect. That way, the Jade Dragon Sword Sect would grow ever stronger and one day become one of the five great sects.
Someone outside scrambled toward the hall, shouting as he ran.
"Sect master, something terrible has happened! Something terrible has happened!"
"Stop shouting. What has you so flustered?"
"Sect master, Senior Brother Jing Tian's jade token shattered!"
"What? How is that possible? Weren't they only operating on the fringes of the Demon Sect's territory?"
With a boom, the entirety of Jade Dragon Mountain shook.
"Sect master, this is terrible! The Demon Sect has sent people to attack the mountain!"
Disbelief instantly appeared on everyone's faces. The Demon Sect's last formal attack on the righteous sects had been five years ago. Its new sect leader had only just taken power. How could they be attacking a mountain so soon?
They immediately left the hall. Outside, the disciples practicing their swordsmanship had stopped and gathered in twos and threes. Many had only joined within the past two years and knew nothing of the Demon Sect's terror. Only some of the older disciples looked pale. They had lived through the war between the righteous and demonic factions.
As soon as the elders left the hall, they saw that demonic soldiers had surrounded all of Jade Dragon Mountain. Two figures stood in the sky, one broad-backed and burly, the other sharp-mouthed and monkey-cheeked, their imposing presence pressing down upon everyone.
"Sect master, senior brother, this is disastrous! The Demon Tiger King and Demon Monkey King of the Twelve Demon Kings have come in person!"
"Junior brother, send word to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect at once. Tell them the Demon Sect is attacking the mountain."
Jing Kong walked into the sky and gazed at the demonic soldiers blanketing the mountains and fields outside, his face filled with righteousness. Below, the disciples breathed sighs of relief when they saw their sect master appear.
"Might I ask what brings the Tiger King and Monkey King to our Jade Dragon Mountain?"
"By order of the sect leader, we are here to slaughter the sect and wipe out its disciples." The Tiger King and Monkey King cupped their hands toward Heavenly Demon Mountain.
"Does your Demon Sect intend to provoke another war between the righteous and demonic factions?" Jing Kong asked, his face livid.
"And what if we do? What does our Demon Sect have to fear? Monkey King, make your move," the Tiger King said proudly.
A terrifying presence emanated from the Monkey King as his body gradually swelled. The image of an enormous demonic ape appeared in the sky, massive as a mountain. Even Jade Dragon Mountain only reached its waist. Black hair covered its entire body, and it looked as though it had walked out of the abyss.
The Monkey King roared, "Demon Ape Tramples the Heavens!" The demonic ape in the sky raised its right foot and stamped down toward Jade Dragon Mountain.
"This is bad! Activate the mountain-protecting formation at full power!" Jing Kong hurriedly shouted from midair. A golden barrier instantly rose over Jade Dragon Mountain.
This barrier had been established by the Jade Dragon Sword Sect's founding patriarch. Even an ordinary Martial Emperor Realm expert would have found it difficult to break.
The demonic ape's right foot struck the barrier. It immediately shook violently, a mass of cracks appearing across its surface, and all of Jade Dragon Mountain shook with it.
"Sect master, senior brother, the Ten Thousand Swords Sect has replied! They said they've already sent people and told us to hold out for an hour."
Jing Kong looked up at the ever-growing cracks in the barrier and silently sighed. He had no confidence that they could hold out for an hour either. He could only hope their barrier would pull through.
"Hey, monkey, can you manage or not? If you can't, let me do it." Beside him in the sky, the Tiger King mocked him with glee.
"I was only testing my strength just now." With one foot planted on Jade Dragon Mountain's barrier, the demonic ape in the sky roared toward the heavens. It clenched its fists and pounded its chest repeatedly.
"Demon Ape Hammers the Heavens! Break!"
The demonic ape's two enormous fists smashed down toward Jade Dragon Mountain.
"This is bad!"
The barrier shattered at the impact. More than half of Jade Dragon Mountain instantly collapsed, and countless disciples were killed or wounded.
"All disciples, form sword formations and resist the demons!" Jing Kong shouted.
"Lads, wipe out Jade Dragon Mountain!" The Monkey King laughed loudly and swung a palm at Jing Kong.
"You vile demon, meet your death! Sword Commands the Flying Dragon!"
An enormous sword instantly appeared in the sky and repeatedly thrust at the demonic ape. The ape dodged again and again, trampling the surrounding peaks and rivers. From time to time, it stretched out a palm and slapped the enormous sword away. Every time it did, Jing Kong spat out a mouthful of blood. He was clearly at a disadvantage.
Jing Kong was only a high-stage Martial King, while the Demon Monkey King was a peak Martial King, and no ordinary Martial King at that.
"Sect master, senior brother, we'll help you!" Seeing Jing Kong at a disadvantage, the elders hurriedly flew over on their swords to assist him.
Unfortunately, before they could reach Jing Kong, a tiger claw in the sky swatted them away. Left with no choice, the elders could only attack the Tiger King first and hope their sect master could hold on.
"Sword Opens the Lotus Flower! Demon, surrender your life!"
"Sword Commands All Things to Open! Demon, surrender your life!"
"Demon-Slaying Sword! Demon, surrender your life!"
The elders attacked the Demon Tiger King relentlessly, but the gap between their realms was simply too great. The elders were all in the Martial Marquis Realm, while the Tiger King was in the Martial King Realm-a peak Martial King, no less. The difference was like a vast chasm. They could only be swatted away like balls, again and again.
"Aah-aah-aah!"
While resisting the demonic ape with all his strength, Jing Kong suddenly heard several screams. He looked back, his eyes nearly splitting with fury. The Demon Tiger King had killed all the elders, their bodies smashed into several pieces, not one left whole in death. More than half the disciples below had also been killed or wounded.
"You dare get distracted while fighting me? Die!" The demonic ape swung a fist into the enormous sword, sending it flying dozens of meters before it shattered in midair. Jing Kong vomited blood without stopping and sank to his knees on the ground.