On the mountain gate plaza, the tragic counterattack was like a boulder thrown into black stagnant water, stirring violent waves. The platinum-white flame arrowhead had torn a gap in the demonic tide, with remaining Qingxu Temple disciples following closely, erupting combat power far beyond normal, actually pushing the battle line back dozens of zhang! Demonic creatures annihilated in waves under the purifying flames, demonic cultivators retreated step by step before desperate swords and spells.
The flame of hope seemed to rekindle on this bloody scorched earth.
High in the sky, Palace Master Xuan Xuan True Person sensed the morale reversal below, his spirit greatly encouraged. The earth-yellow spiritual light became solid and heavy again, actually slightly turning the tide, fighting the Faceless Elder to a standstill.
However, at this critical moment when the situation seemed to turn--
An indescribable cold, as if from the deepest ninth hell, descended without warning.
Not substantial cold air, but a direct action on the soul level. In the sky, the scene originally divided by demonic energy and spiritual light began to warp and rotate eerily, like a massive vortex. At the vortex's center, thick demonic energy gathered madly, not condensing into form but transforming into pure darkness that constantly writhed and changed.
From within that darkness, a vague shadow, yet radiating terrifying aura that made souls tremble, slowly emerged.
It had no fixed form--sometimes like a twisted human silhouette, sometimes like a ferocious beast, sometimes like an aggregate of countless wailing suffering faces. The only clear thing was those eyes, seemingly condensed from the deepest sins, like two holes leading to endless abyss, coldly overlooking the ant-like slaughter below.
It was the Demon--the ancient demonic entity once sealed, now not fully manifested but its remnant soul will had descended!
It did not even glance at the intense battle above, nor at the ants' counterattack below. Its gaze, like substantial chains, instantly pierced through space, ignoring the burning platinum-white flames, firmly locking onto Tang Xiaoqi charging at the very front!
Then, a voice sounded directly in the minds of every living being on the battlefield.
That voice did not propagate through air. It was deep and hoarse, carrying an ancient charm and direct-to-heart eerie allure, as if able to arouse the deepest desires and fears. It was unhurried yet carried undeniable authority, momentarily overwhelming all the sounds of battle and explosions on the field, even interfering with spiritual power circulation and soul thinking to some extent.
Pathetic... and pitiful insects.
The voice carried a lazy mockery, as if commenting on a drama unrelated to itself.
For the so-called sect, the so-called righteousness, burning your lives, struggling in vain... is it worth it?
Look around you. Bodies carpet the ground, fellow disciples wither away. What you protect is merely scorched earth about to become ruins, a past destined for annihilation.
The so-called sacrifice is merely pointless consumption, proof of stupidity.
This voice was like black magic. Every word seemed to dismantle the morale Qingxu Temple disciples had just gathered. Some disciples with weaker willpower began to show confusion in their eyes, movements slowing involuntarily, uncontrollable visions of fallen comrades' miserable deaths and the desperate future of sect annihilation emerging in their minds. The power from grief and fury, under this direct soul-level interrogation, seemed to begin wavering.
Surrender.
The voice suddenly became full of temptation, like a lover's whisper, or guidance to paradise.
Put down your meaningless resistance, embrace true power and eternity. Shadow Snake Pavilion will grant you new life, grant you power beyond the mortal, grant you... immortality!
Look at your so-called Palace Master, how long can he hold on? Look at the ground beneath your feet, how many more souls can it bear? Resistance only brings more pain and destruction.
The Demon's whisper precisely gripped everyone's weakest points, constantly amplifying despair, depicting the beauty after surrender.
However, its main target was not these ordinary disciples.
That invisible, cold gaze like the sharpest needles concentrated on Tang Xiaoqi.
As for you... the Xu family's remnant, the vessel of Purification Origin.
The voice suddenly became clear and cold, carrying a commanding inspection and certainty.
Your struggle, in This One's eyes, is merely beast's desperate struggle, adding only laughter.
The power within you does not belong to you in the first place. It is the key, the bridge, the cornerstone to a higher realm. Unfortunately, in your weak vessel's hands, a pearl covered by dust.
Give up. Step forward willingly, offer everything. This One promises to spare these pitiful companions of yours, even... give your master who just became starlight a chance to reform his scattered soul.
Otherwise...
The voice paused. That oppressive aura covering the battlefield suddenly intensified severalfold, like an invisible mountain pressing down on every Qingxu Temple disciple's heart, making many gasp, nearly about to kneel.
When This One personally acts, crushing this final barrier... then Qingxu Temple, humans and animals alike, none survive! Your master will never be reborn! And you will endure suffering ten thousand times worse than death, watching everyone you care about, before your eyes... soul-scattered!
The Demon's whisper was full of bare-faced threats and temptation. It tried to use sect survival, Master's remnant soul, and all companions' lives as bargaining chips to force Xiao Qi to submit. It wanted to extinguish this just-lit counterattack flame, along with Qingxu Temple's last hope, in the budding stage!
All eyes involuntarily focused again on that figure wrapped in platinum-white flames.
Pressure, like fathomless deep sea, descended instantly.