Three Months Later

Just as Jinchenzi was plotting how to "deal with" Ji An and seize the treasure—

Ji An, who had been maintaining the three-zhang-tall divine and demonic true form of the "Law of Heaven and Earth," suddenly turned icy cold.

A flash of light appeared in his palm, and the Universe Sword was already in his hand, its blade gleaming with a chilling light.

"Heaven and Earth and Earth, Without Distance!"

With Ji An, Ji An instantly activated the True Meaning of the "Heaven and Earth and Earth" Grand Dao!

Space, at this moment, completely lost its meaning.

One moment he was dozens of feet away from Jinchenzi, the next he appeared in front of Jinchenzi without warning, the two of them facing each other with their breaths mingling.

The speed was so fast that Jinchenzi didn't even have time to react. Before his gaze could even leave the corpse of the Azure-Scaled King, the figure, shrouded in the aura of death, had already descended.

"Sharp Metal! Slash!"

Ji An roared, his voice filled with an undeniable, chilling killing intent.

As his thoughts shifted, the incomparably sharp "Sharp Metal" Dao Domain, capable of cutting through everything, was instantly compressed and fully enhanced onto the Universe Sword in his hand!

Buzz! Buzz!

The Universe Sword instantly transformed into a pure, solidified, and dazzling Golden Light. Wherever the sword's edge pointed, the air was silently sliced apart. A terrifying sharpness that could cut through anything locked onto Jinchenzi.

Only then did Jinchenzi finally snap out of his daze.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a sharp golden light that filled his entire field of vision, and Ji An's cold, emotionless eyes—those eyes were no longer those of a naive young man; they were clearly those of a killing god looking down on ants!

"No! You—you broke your promise—" Jinchenzi was horrified, his voice trembling.

He was just about to recall the nine icy flying swords hovering beside him to parry.

However, it was too late!

In front of Ji An, who had comprehended the True Meaning of "Heaven and Earth," at such close range, the reaction speed and physical strength of a pure late-stage Qi Refining Myriad Phenomena were utterly inadequate.

Sizzle--!

The Universe Sword, empowered by the "Sharp Metal" Dao Domain, carrying the terrifying power of the "Law of Heaven and Earth," transformed into a thin golden thread that flashed past Jinchenzi's neck!

Time seemed to freeze in that instant.

The look of shock and disbelief on Jinchenzi's face froze on that moment.

The next moment, poof!

A head flew high into the air, and blood splattered several feet!

Jinchenzi's headless body fell limply to the ground.

Even in death, this late- Myriad Phenomena cultivator couldn't understand: he hadn't revealed any murderous intent, so why did Ji An suddenly attack? Why could he appear beside him instantly, defying common sense? And why was a Violet Palace Mansion Realm god-demon so powerful?

He wanted to use Ji An, but little did he know that he was Ji An's prey from beginning to end.

Meanwhile, far away in the quiet room of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion on Heavenly Treasure Mountain in Anchan City, Venerable Profound Fire was sitting cross-legged, closing his eyes and regulating his breathing.

Suddenly, a snap!

A crisp cracking sound rang out from his waist without warning.

Venerable Profound Fire awoke instantly, a chill running from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head!

He suddenly looked down and saw that the jade pendant at his waist was now covered with spiderweb-like cracks. Under his gaze, it shattered into powder with a soft "bang".

The room was deathly silent.

Venerable Profound Fire's eyes widened as he stared intently at the pile of jade powder, his body seemingly frozen in ice.

"Broken... broken?"

It should be known that in most sects, cultivators at the Myriad Phenomena level would leave behind their natal jade tablets. Back then, he and his junior brother Jinchenzi were expelled from the sect and could only rely on each other for survival, so they left each other's natal jade tablets. Now, Jinchenzi's jade tablet has been shattered!

He muttered to himself, his voice filled with disbelief. "Jinchenzi —dead?! How is that possible? Junior Brother was at the late stage of the Myriad Phenomena, proficient in the True Meaning of ice, and even had the Minor Teleportation Talisman I gave him!"

"Was it that kid—that Ji An, the early-stage Violet Palace Godfiend Body Refinement kid—how could he possibly kill my junior brother? Or—"

He couldn't think of any other reason besides this possibility—after all, the probability of an accident happening to a late-stage Myriad Phenomena Realm expert was extremely low.

Venerable Profound Fire's face turned deathly pale instantly, cold sweat poured down his forehead, and a strong sense of fear filled his heart.

"Thank goodness, thank goodness he doesn't know it was me."

Then, a wave of lingering fear washed over me.

Fortunately, after he and Jinchenzi arrived in Anchan City, they deliberately kept their distance, so that person probably wouldn't have guessed that he was the mastermind.

He recalled the greed he had shown towards Ji An in the quiet room, and the decision to send Jinchenzi to intercept and kill him—if only he had gone himself then—

Thinking of this, Venerable Profound Fire couldn't help but shiver, a chill spreading from the depths of his heart. Looking at the pile of shattered jade powder, he felt a deep fear for the boy named Ji An for the first time.

In the Prison Mountain Great Marsh, Ji An coldly stared at Jinchenzi's corpse. The enormous divine and demonic form slowly shrank, returning to normal.

With a wave of his hand, Jinchenzi's storage magic treasure and the nine high-quality ice flying swords all fell into his grasp.

"Pleasure doing business with you." Ji An said calmly to the headless corpse, his tone completely indifferent.

Then, his own light fell on the enormous demon body of the Azure-Scaled King not far away, as well as on the demon soldiers and generals who had been terrified and scattered after their leader's death.

"Now, it's time to get down to business." Ji An moved swiftly, heading towards the head of the Azure-Scaled King.

With the head of a late-stage Myriad Phenomena Great Demon, plus Jinchenzi's spoils, his Yinglong Guard trial has been completed. Next, he will lie low in the Great Wilderness Marsh for three months, and when the time is up, he will hand over the demon's head to complete the trial.

Three months later.

Deep within the Prison Mountain Great Marsh, in a dark valley shrouded in highly poisonous miasma, three powerful auras resided within a massive nest constructed of stark white bones.

Three Demon Kings at the Myriad Phenomena Manifestations Realm sat around a campfire, roasting unknown beast meat over the flames. The oil dripped and sizzled, filling the air with a strong, pungent odor.

"Brother Blackfang, any new information about the whereabouts of that Void Sword Demon?" The one who spoke was a lean Demon King with arms like a mantis, his voice sharp and filled with barely concealed anxiety—he was none other than the "Green Blade King," a mid-stage Myriad Phenomena cultivator.

The Demon King known as "Blackfang," whose true form was a gigantic black-furred demon bear, now bared its fangs and radiated its most powerful aura, clearly at the late stage of the Myriad Phenomena, responded in a gruff voice, "No! That fellow wielded a strange, boat-like magical artifact, appearing and disappearing unpredictably, making him impossible to track. Hmph, if it weren't for the three of us staying close together and looking after each other for the past three months, we probably would have followed in the footsteps of 'Poison Marsh' and 'Crimson Serpent' long ago!"

Mentioning those names, along with three or four other Demon Kings who had fallen in the past month, instantly chilled the atmosphere inside the lair.

In the past three months, five or six powerful demons at the Myriad Phenomena level from nearby Demon Race forces have been killed. Although most were at the early or mid-stages, it was still terrifying enough to alarm even Demon Kings at the Primordial Spirit level. Yet, even with the intervention of the Cold Moon Demon King, he was unable to capture the "Void Sword Demon."

"Damn it!" Another demon king with three blood-red eyes, the "Blood-Eyed Demon King," gulped down a mouthful of wine and roared, "This Void Sword Demon," is he really just Violet Palace Demon God? The methods he used to kill the Azure-Scaled King and other Demon Kings are simply terrifying! He has become our Demon Race's nightmare! He comes and goes without a trace. If it weren't for the three of us sticking together for warmth, and Brother Blackfang's formidable strength, I'm afraid—"

"The Void Sword Demon —heh, that's quite fitting." Blackfang King sneered, his eyes filled with deep dread. "He relies on that strange magical artifact, specifically targeting those who are alone or weaker. In the past three months, five or six of his comrades have died by his sword. The news has spread, and now Myriad Phenomena in the entire outer perimeter of the Great Wilderness Swamp is on edge, seeing threats everywhere. But as long as the three of us are together, if he dares to come, we'll make sure he doesn't leave alive!"

Green Blade King nervously rubbed his arms together, making a harsh "crackling" sound, "Brother Blackfang, do you think—could his next target be—"

"Silence!" The Blood-Eyed Demon King's three eyes widened suddenly, and he shouted sharply, seemingly sensing that the Green Blade King's words would bring misfortune.

Blackfang King said in a deep voice, "This place is protected by my array, and we three Myriad Phenomena Demon Kings are also here to oversee it. That Void Sword Demon Strangulation Demon" is better off not coming; but if he does come—as long as the three of us demons work together, we will kill him without a chance to escape!

Before he finished speaking—

The space around me, which had been as calm as still water, suddenly rippled without warning.

The next moment!

A figure appeared out of thin air, less than three feet away from the Green Blade King!

It was Ji An!

His eyes remained icy cold, and the Universe Sword in his hand had transformed into a dazzling Golden Light that had been condensed to its fullest extent!

Heaven and Earth and Earth, without distance!

Extreme speed, beyond the reach of Divine Sense!

The Azure Blade Master didn't even have time to react.

Sizzle--!

A golden thread, with unparalleled power, flashed past the Green Blade King's neck without any hindrance.

Fast! It's incredibly fast!

Just as the Blood-Eyed Demon King's three blood-red eyes caught the golden flash, and just as the Blackfang King's powerful Divine Sense, at the late stage of the Myriad Phenomena, locked onto the sudden spatial anomaly.

Time seemed to freeze for a moment.

The look of horror on Green Blade King's face froze.

Puff!

A head covered in blue scales was tossed high into the air, its scalding blood instantly staining the stark white bones in the nest crimson.

The headless Demon King's body remained seated before crashing to the ground with a dull thud.

"--Huh?!" The Blood-Eyed Demon King's three eyes instantly shrank to pinpoints, his divine power erupted, and he instinctively retreated!

"Void Sword Demon!" Blackfang King roared furiously, his eyes wide with rage!

His enormous bear paw slammed into the ground, unleashing terrifying late-stage Myriad Phenomena Divine Power that erupted like a volcano, instantly shattering the white bone throne beneath him, sending fragments flying everywhere.

That's right, Ji An is the "Void Sword Demon" who strikes fear into the hearts of the Demon Race. In the past three months, he has not only gained a massive amount of resources by hunting down Demon Kings, but his cultivation level has also improved rapidly in actual combat. His "Crimsonbright Nine Heavens Diagram" is already approaching the eighth level, and his combat power far surpasses that of his peers.

The remaining two Demon Kings were about to intervene.

However, it was still too late!

After beheading the enemy with a single sword strike, Ji An did not linger for a moment.

Without even glancing at the two berserk Demon Kings, he flipped his wrist and pocketed the Green Blade King's storage magic item and corpse—the whole process was incredibly fast, completed in just a few breaths.

Immediately, Ji An's figure blurred and merged back into the void. His voice clearly reached the ears of Blackfang King and Blood-Eyed Demon King, carrying a hint of mockery. "You two, see you next time."

The Void-Escaping Boat sped through the clouds and mist.

With the three-month trial period coming to an end, Ji An stopped hunting Demon Kings and began to organize his gains from the trip.

He was taking inventory of the Green Blade King's storage treasures, a slight smile playing on his lips, "I didn't expect this guy to have some wealth."

Despite being beheaded by him with a single sword strike, the Green Blade King was actually quite powerful. Among the Demon Kings he hunted, the Green Blade King's combat strength was among the top. Although it was only at the mid-stage of Myriad Phenomena Manifestations realm, it had cultivated a secret technique whose attack strength was comparable to that of Myriad Phenomena late-stage Myriad Manifestations realm. If it hadn't encountered Ji An, who was proficient in the True Meaning "Heaven and Earth" and whose speed was unmatched, it would never have died so quickly.

"The gains from this trial are probably enough for me to cultivate to the mid-stage of the Myriad Phenomena," Ji An to himself.

In the past three months, he has killed eight powerful beings at the Myriad Phenomena level, including the Demon Kings and Jinchenzi. Jinchenzi alone contributed ten Earth Rank magic treasures (nine flying swords as a set, plus one protective magic treasure), and his net worth was as high as two Essence Liquid. Although the individual net worth of the Demon Kings at the Myriad Phenomena level was not as high as that of Jinchenzi, their combined net worth was three thousand five hundred Essence Liquid, enough to support his breakthrough to the Myriad Phenomena level.

After taking stock of the spoils, Ji An turned the Void-Escaping Boat) around and headed back towards the Yinglong Guard's garrison.

"Arrive."

The Void-Escaping Boat flew through the clouds high in the sky. Ji An stood inside the cabin, gazing at the distant land. Soon, a familiar mountain peak appeared in the distance—the very trial base of the Yinglong Guard.

The Void-Escaping Boat swooped down without anyone stopping it. Ji An flew straight to the mountain peak of the encampment and landed on the open ground next to the teleportation array. He immediately saw the two familiar figures - the fat old man and the thin old man guarding the teleportation array.

"Another one has returned alive." The fat old man grinned, looking Ji An up and down, his tone tinged with surprise. "You're Ji An? I didn't expect you to come back alive and even complete your mission?"

When he first heard that a Violet Palace God-Demon at the Seventh Layer the Crimsonbright Nine Heavens Diagram was participating in the trial, he thought the other party was bound to die, but unexpectedly he actually walked out of the Prison Mountain Great Marsh.

"You're lucky," Ji An replied with a smile.

"It's good that you're back alive." The fat old man shook his head and sighed. "Go and rest over there. Wait a little longer; there are still more than ten cultivators whose time limit hasn't expired."

Ji An looked into the distance and saw a dozen or so cultivators, some sitting and meditating, others standing and chatting. Including himself, there were only eleven of them.

"I didn't expect the survival rate to be so low this year, far worse than Ji Ning's year in the original story," Ji An sighed inwardly.

It's worth noting that when Ji Ning returned in the original story, nearly twenty people had already arrived, and only a little over thirty ultimately failed to return. But this year, only eleven people have arrived so far, and only a dozen or so have yet to arrive – clearly, most of the cultivators have perished in the perils of the Prison Mountain Great Marsh.