"What kind of demonic art is this Great Collapse Technique? How can it shatter a treasure artifact in a single strike?" Seizing a brief opening, Fang Han dove deep into the ocean, shaken to the core. Terror churned in him at the sheer force of the Demon Marshal's power—just one pointing finger, and everything crumbled. Nothing stood firm, nothing resisted, nothing survived.
"This is one of the highest-level demonic arts of the Dark Sect—extremely difficult to master. But once perfected, it collapses all things. Any qi, any magic, crumbles at a touch. Legend says the Primordial Heavenly Demon used it to shatter the void and destroy worlds. At its peak, it can break a spacetime apart and rebuild the four elements into a new world. The Demon Marshal isn't at that level… and who knows about his father, Ying Xiantian. But we can't stay—if he gets a chance to hit me with that thing, we're finished. Even if the Five-Prisons King Cauldron isn't destroyed, our mana will scatter, and we'll fall straight into his hands."
Yan's voice rang sharply in Fang Han's mind.
"Didn't the Yellow Springs Emperor claim to be the First Demon Emperor? Would he know this technique?"
"Of course he did. He mastered ninety-nine great divine abilities and countless minor ones. I only inherited thirty-six. The Great Collapse isn't among them. I only know a weaker version—Shattering Demon Art."
"With something that powerful, the consumption must be enormous…"
"Naturally. Each use drains massive mana and even costs lifespan. Even with that Demon Marshal's long life and deep reserves, using it repeatedly isn't easy."
"No time to think. Let's get out. Let them fight to the death—best case, both sides are crippled."
Their spiritual conversation ended in a flash. Fang Han activated the Spatial-Transfer Formation and slipped out from the seabed, fleeing far from the battlefield.
Behind him, the clash between the Demon Marshal and the three Taiyi Sect elites—Yao Dian, Yu Fen, and Xia You—had erupted into full-scale annihilation. Qi storms howled. Treasures collided. Shockwaves turned dozens of miles of ocean into a chaotic maelstrom.
Seeing the Demon Marshal unleash the Great Collapse Technique, the three had already wanted to flee. Instead, they charged forward with everything they had left.
"Taiyi Thunder Seeds!"
Three purple, bean-sized pellets flew from their hands. Quiet, unremarkable… until they ignited.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOOOM!
The blasts tore heaven and sea apart. Millions of pounds of ocean water erupted skyward, mushrooming into burning purple clouds. Fish, sharks, sea serpents—entire ecosystems—were blasted skyward before raining down as shredded remains. Even an island would've been erased.
Had Fang Han still been in the center, even the cauldron wouldn't have saved him from being knocked unconscious.
"You actually brought Taiyi Thunder Seeds."
The Demon Marshal's angry voice echoed from the explosion. A massive force pushed the flames and steam aside. The white-bone lotus under him cracked. His innate bone-qi shield was split with fractures.
He had indeed been drained.
"Go!"
The three disciples compressed their qi, linked it together, and shot away like a single streak of light—faster than sound, vanishing in moments.
"Trying to run? Heaven and Earth Collapse!"
The Demon Marshal merely pointed.
Their defensive treasures shattered mid-flight. Their robes' protective light dimmed then collapsed. Even their spirit swords turned to powder.
All three spat blood and fell toward the sea.
But just before they hit the water, golden talisman-light burst from their bodies—reviving them instantly, flooding them with qi. They streaked away at full speed and vanished beyond the Demon Marshal's reach.
"A Revival Talisman… Taiyi Sect does have some tricks. But that thing burns lifespan and drains essence. They took Mad-Demon Life-Burning Pills, got hit by my Collapse Technique, then burned a Revival Talisman. Even if they escape, they're ruined. Hardly worth chasing."
With a soft laugh, the Demon Marshal turned into a beam of white light and vanished.
Over half an hour later, far across the sea, golden light descended on a desolate island. The three battered disciples appeared, collapsing instantly.
"Ugh—!"
Yao Dian vomited blood and slumped to the ground.
Xia You and Yu Fen were pale as death, nearly fainting.
"He won't chase us… right?"
"No chance. We used the Heaven-Evasion Talismans, set up decoys, flew at full speed. And even if he caught up, we're Taiyi disciples—he won't risk killing us openly."
"Send the Heavenly Mandate Edict!" Yao Dian snarled. "Write it in blood! Say the Demon Marshal ambushed us with the Great Collapse Technique. Summon every Taiyi disciple on the sea—have them hunt him down!"
Yu Fen pulled out a shimmering golden decree and wrote with his blood.
"Do we call people to hunt down those three Yuhua disciples?"
"No. We're seriously injured—too shameful. We'll report that only the Demon Marshal attacked us. Those three from Yuhua Sect? Don't mention them. Pretend they never existed. When we recover, we'll slowly torture them to death. And Fang Qingxue too. Those people will all fall into demonic corruption—they must be killed for the good of the world."
He swallowed pills, forcing his qi into motion.
Yu Fen finished writing, then shouted:
"By Heaven's command!
Taiyi's decree: disciples Yu Fen, Yao Dian, and Xia You were ambushed by the Demon Marshal and gravely injured. All Taiyi disciples within ten thousand miles are commanded to assist. All allied immortal sects: encircle and kill the Demon Marshal!"
The decree ignited. Burning characters shot into the sky and dissolved into the world.
Each Taiyi true disciple owned only one Heavenly Mandate Edict in their lifetime—used only in moments of true life-or-death desperation.
"Well, thanks to that Fang Han—damned dog—we were forced to waste ours."
When Yu Fen finally recovered a sliver of strength, his voice dripped venom.
"Exactly! We'll make him pay. When reinforcements come, we'll be safe." Xia You's face twisted with hatred. "Those Yuhua brats deserve to die a hundred times!"
"Is that so? You want me dead a hundred times?"
A calm voice drifted up from the sea.
A blue figure floated onto the island.
Fang Han.
"Fang Han—you!"
Yao Dian's face contorted. "How did you follow us?"
"I practice demonic arts. Tracking is easy." Fang Han stepped forward, qi surging. "You're running on fumes. How will you kill me a hundred times now?"
"You wouldn't dare!" Yu Fen shouted. "We're Taiyi disciples! Strike us down and you'll be condemned forever—"
"Oh, so I should wait until you recover and come torture me? Luckily your decree didn't mention me. Once I kill you, everything will be blamed on the Demon Marshal."
He continued advancing.
"You dare!" Xia You leapt up instinctively. "We're Taiyi disciples—"
"Die."
Fang Han unleashed his Wood Emperor True Qi, pushed to its limit.
"Fight!"
The three struck back—but they were wounded, drained, and broken. Fang Han shattered their lion-qi defenses instantly. Their bodies flew like rag dolls.
He struck three times.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
Three heads exploded under his fists.
Fang Han grabbed the corpses and plunged into the sea, erasing every trace.
The island fell silent.