Clang—!
Before the hoarse warning had even faded, a blazing crimson sword light slashed through the mist, streaking straight toward the middle-aged woman.
It was Chen Nianzhi, who had already activated the formation and sent forth the Fiery Sun Sword, the array's spiritual weapon.He struck with decisive precision — targeting the weakest of the three first.
The woman, merely at the seventh layer of Qi Refining, panicked. She hastily unfurled a black silk veil, a low-grade defensive artifact, in front of her.
But the Fiery Sun Sword was powered by the essence of ten years of morning sunlight — its might far exceeded ordinary weapons.There was a deafening crack, and the silk veil was shredded to ash under the raging firelight.
The sword light continued its descent, slicing toward her brow.
At the last moment, the burly man beside her thrust forward a blood-red shield, forming a crimson barrier that just barely absorbed the strike.
The shield was an upper-grade demonic artifact, forged from the blood of countless mortals.It held firm—but only barely.Half its luster faded instantly under the assault.
Chen Nianzhi's eyes narrowed.Not giving them a chance to breathe, he summoned the sword again.
The Fiery Sun Sword, a formation weapon, could unleash only nine strikes before its stored energy was exhausted—but each strike carried enough power to slay a peak Qi Refiner outright.
The second sword beam fell.The blood shield shattered into fragments of crimson light, forcing the three demonic cultivators to scatter in panic.
"A pure yang formation weapon…"
The burly man grimaced, glancing at his now-ruined shield with pain and fury.He bit his tongue, spat a mouthful of blood essence, and pulled out a sinister talisman.
It was the Six Ghost Talisman, a single-use demonic charm containing the souls of six late-stage Qi Refining ghosts.Even Zhang the Old Demon had only a few of them—each crafted from six powerful vengeful spirits.
The talisman burned in his hand.With a screech that curdled the blood, six black phantoms burst forth, their wails echoing through the mist.
Chen Nianzhi's brows furrowed.If those ghosts were unleashed unchecked, the spirit fields, the Violet Geese, even the two children on the island would be in danger.
Without hesitation, he recalled the Fiery Sun Sword.It whirled through the air, cutting six arcs of blazing fire.
One strike per ghost.Each one burned to cinders under the pure yang flames.
"One strike left… who deserves it?"
He glanced between the three, thought for only a heartbeat, and decided.
"Better to sever one finger than to bruise ten."
"Die!"
The final sword light roared out.
It streaked through the fog toward the already-wounded woman.She was still reeling from the destruction of her artifact, and the backlash had left her blood boiling.When she saw the fiery light descend again, terror filled her eyes.
She raised a forked trident in desperation—and was split cleanly in half before she could even scream.
"Aaa—!"
The sound died halfway through.Her body hit the ground in two smoking pieces.
The other two froze in horror, pupils contracting as they stared at the remains.Then, as if by unspoken agreement, they regrouped instantly, back to back in the thinning mist.
Meanwhile, Chen Nianzhi lowered his gaze to the Fiery Sun Sword.The sword's glow was dimming—the stored sunlight fully spent.Even the protective fog conjured by the Cloud Mist Orb was beginning to fade.
"So be it," he muttered. "A fair fight, then."
He stowed away the formation disk and leapt forward.
The two surviving demons met him head-on.The thin, skeletal elder struck first, unleashing a spinning Bone Wheel that cut through the air like a buzzsaw.It was an upper-grade demonic artifact—nothing extraordinary, but deadly nonetheless.
Chen Nianzhi's eyes sharpened.He summoned the Azure Leaf Sword, meeting the strike mid-air with a ringing clash,then sent forth the Golden Light Blade, streaking straight for the old demon's head.
The golden blade moved like a falling star, too fast to track.
But the old demon had prepared for this.He activated a pitch-black bell above his head—a shimmering barrier flared to life, blocking the incoming strike with a low, humming thud.
"A defensive artifact…"
Chen Nianzhi's eyes flickered.The small bell was another upper-grade piece, far sturdier than he'd expected.He silently gave thanks he hadn't wasted the Fiery Sun Sword's last strike on this one; it might not have pierced through.Had he done so, facing a pair of late-stage demonic cultivators at once, he would've been in grave danger.
"Brat! Die!"
The burly man roared and joined the fray.Despite losing his shield, he was still formidable.He drove forward with a demonic flying sword steeped in killing qi, the blade trailing blood-colored light.
Chen Nianzhi met it without fear.A blue glow flared before him — the Azure Shield, a premium defensive artifact he had claimed from a fallen foe.Its barrier shimmered like water, easily deflecting the demonic sword's blow.
This shield had once let a weaker cultivator withstand two of Chen Nianzhi's own swords.Now powered by his ninth-layer cultivation, it shone with renewed strength, easily fivefold its former power.
Steel clashed and sparks flew.Two against one, yet Chen Nianzhi pressed forward, his movements fluid and unrelenting.His qi surged like an endless tide; with his powerful defense and relentless offense, the balance tilted in his favor.
Minutes passed.The skeletal elder's black bell flickered weakly, cracks webbing its surface.His teeth clenched.
"If this continues, we'll die here!" he snarled."Use your final card—now!"
The burly man's face twisted, cold light flashing in his eyes.
"Fine."
He flicked a golden light from his sleeve.
"Heart-Piercing Golden Needle!"
Chen Nianzhi's pupils shrank.In an instant, he expanded the Azure Shield to its full strength and activated a Golden Armor Talisman.
The needle was a rare type of piercing artifact—small, fast, and built to shred through protective barriers.The golden light streaked forward like a flash of lightning.
It tore through the shield's glow, punching a tiny hole through the azure barrier.But when it reached Chen Nianzhi's chest, it struck the layer of radiant golden armor and stopped dead.
The talisman's light held.The needle fell, its brilliance fading.
Chen Nianzhi exhaled slowly—then drew the Blood-Forging Blade Embryo, channeling his qi through the unrefined weapon.
With a harsh clang, he struck back, deflecting the needle completely and sending it skittering into the dirt, dull and powerless.
The tide of battle had turned.