Chen Nianzhi's pupils contracted sharply. His hand brushed against the Azure Leaf Sword, silently awakening the weapon's spirit as he prepared to strike at any moment.
He moved forward with measured caution, gliding through the ruined outskirts of the town.It didn't take long before he found them—a squad of ten Black-Armored Riders, lying lifeless on the ground.
Their eyes were wide open, filled with disbelief, as though death had claimed them before they even understood what had happened.
"Not beasts," Chen Nianzhi thought grimly.
The Chen Clan's Black-Armored Riders were elite warriors, each trained in heavy combat arts and encased in spirit-forged armor.Ten working together could hold off a low-grade first-rank demon beast.
For them to be slain without resistance—and with no bite marks or signs of feeding—there was only one explanation.
"Demonic cultivators."
His gaze turned cold, a thread of killing intent flickering in his eyes.
"Three years since the patriarch was injured… and already, the vultures can't wait to feed."
He drew a slow breath, suppressing his rage.The defensive array protecting Pingyuan Town had clearly been broken.If so, the garrisoned cultivator and remaining Black Riders were likely all dead.
He hesitated briefly, torn between caution and duty—then heard it.
A faint, desperate cry from within the town.
"There are survivors…"
Without another thought, he surged forward, crossing the shattered barrier and entering Pingyuan Town.
The Slaughter at Pingyuan
The stench of blood and burnt flesh filled the air.Everywhere he looked lay the corpses of townsfolk, their foreheads blackened and hollow—their souls devoured.
By the time he reached the town square, the faint restraint he'd held onto finally snapped.
"You… beast."
His killing intent surged like a tidal wave.
Before him, the drill grounds were piled high with the bones of the Chen bloodline,their remains still faintly glowing with spiritual residue.
Atop the high platform stood a black-robed old man,his skeletal fingers clutching a dark banner wreathed in ghostly flames.Seven wailing phantom heads circled it, devouring the souls of thousands of fallen mortals.
"Hahaha! My Seven-Soul Evil Ghost Banner—""At last, it's nearly complete!"
The old man's laughter was shrill and triumphant, echoing through the ruined square.
The Seven-Soul Evil Ghost Banner—a notoriously vile demonic artifact.It could nurture seven sentient ghosts, each growing stronger by consuming human souls.Once complete, it would rank among the most powerful first-rank artifacts,each ghost boasting strength equal to a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator.
In the hands of this late-stage demon cultivator, such a treasure would make him nearly unstoppable—even a ninth-layer cultivator like Chen Nianzhi might not stand a chance.
"If he completes that artifact," Chen Nianzhi thought coldly,"he'll be a plague upon the entire region."
Without hesitation, he struck.
The Battle Begins
The Azure Leaf Sword erupted into motion,a streak of jade light splitting through the air toward the demonic old man.
Caught off guard, the elder instinctively activated his defense—a green shield,which flared with light just in time to block the sword strike.
He snarled, his face twisting in surprise and contempt.
"Who dares—?"
His eyes locked onto Chen Nianzhi.Recognition flickered.
"Ah… the Chen Clan sends a child?" he sneered."So the great Chen bloodline has truly fallen this low."
He flicked his sleeve, releasing a black shuttle-shaped artifact that shot forward like lightning.
Chen Nianzhi's gaze hardened. He raised his hand, summoning another weapon—the Golden Light Blade, a top-grade first-rank flying sword gifted to him by the patriarch when he broke through the seventh layer.
Though slower than the Azure Leaf Sword, it struck far heavier.
With a flick of his fingers, the Golden Light Blade smashed into the black shuttle, sending it tumbling through the air.
For the first time, the old demon's sneer faltered.
Chen Nianzhi pressed the assault, commanding both swords at once—one swift as wind, the other fierce as thunder.Twin streams of swordlight converged upon the demonic cultivator, driving him back step by step.
Despite his arrogance, the old man's cultivation was only seventh-layer Qi Refinement,and his only true defense—the green shield—was beginning to crack under the strain.
Sweat rolled down his temples.He bit his tongue and spat blood essence onto his banner.
The Seven-Soul Ghost Banner screamed to life,unleashing its seven spectral fiends.Two of them bore the strength of late-stage Qi Refinement; the others, mid-stage.
Their howls filled the air as they rushed toward Chen Nianzhi.