The Black-Robed Demon King’s wings spanned nearly a zhang, each golden feather as sharp as a sword. With one flap, it closed the distance, and with another, it entered the attack range.
This speed wasn’t even flight—it was simply breathtaking!
“My Void-Stepping Technique probably won’t reach this level until reaching the peak of the Outer Scenery!” Meng Qi thought in alarm. He had barely recovered a bit of strength; he couldn’t even use his Dharma Body techniques yet, let alone fight normally. The demon had come too fast!
Originally, he thought the commotion here would take some time before the demon could arrive, giving him enough time to partially restore his battle strength. But unexpectedly, this demon’s specialty was speed. Though its power was only at the level of a newly entered Master, it could “glide” so fast!
Surveying the entire Journey to the West, Meng Qi immediately thought of only one demon—the Golden-Winged Great Peng Bird of Lion-Camel Ridge!
Could it be its descendant?
Trouble was coming, and whoever came with goodwill wouldn’t be trouble. As Meng Qi struggled to recover, Ruan Yushu had already taken out an ancient bronze mirror. Its bluish mirror surface shimmered toward the Great Peng Demon King.
This demon king exuded terrifying aura, equal to a Master-level cultivator. After losing Meng Qi, their main fighting force, hiding strength now would be tantamount to suicide. Thus, Ruan Yushu decisively summoned the Mirror of Revealing Demons!
The black-robed figure with wings appeared within the mirror. Instantly, the demon king stopped, frozen in place, maintaining its previous posture.
An opportunity! Jiang Zhiwei’s face was bright and pure, her eyes calm and resolute. Her sword leapt forth, first emitting a dazzling, clear sword beam. Then it split into two, then four, then eight, transforming into a sky full of sword lights attacking the black-robed demon king from every angle. Each beam was equally pure, sharp, and piercing, indifferent to “sentiments.”
After comprehending the “Transmission of the Cosmos,” she had integrated her insights into this move, “Detachment of the Supreme Sage.” She no longer needed to use qi to guide or build momentum—she could use it directly!
Puh-puh-puh! Blood holes appeared all over the demon king’s body. Its eyes shattered, its nose collapsed, and its forehead bore a mark, with tiny streams of blood spurting from its flesh.
“Ahhh!”
It screamed in pain but was still alive. The physical strength of a Master-level demon was indeed formidable. Moreover, it showed signs of breaking free from the Mirror of Revealing Demons’ influence!
At the same time, Qi Zhengyan’s sword also slashed from afar. A dazzling purple star river cascaded down, each star drilling into the demon king’s wounds, scouring its internal organs.
Like the Milky Way falling from the heavens!
Zhao Heng’s sword spun, turning into a terrifying whirlwind howling forward, likewise drilling into the wounds, tearing at the flesh.
“Ahhh!”
The Black-Robed Demon King screamed again. Its golden wings, riddled with sword wounds, flapped violently, instantly teleporting dozens of zhang away, escaping Jiang Zhiwei’s follow-up attack.
Its eyes were blind, its ears deaf, its injuries so severe it could barely maintain its humanoid form. It was in a pitiful state, only seeking a quick escape.
“Had my ancestor not been trapped at Vulture Peak without leaving any magic treasure behind, I wouldn’t be suffering this disaster today!” It lamented bitterly, not even having had the chance to wield its own treasure weapon yet.
Meng Qi had slightly recovered and was about to use the Void-Stepping Technique to chase the Black-Robed Demon King and kill it on the spot.
This mission wasn’t a death mission. Besides the unexpected heavenly soldiers, there were at most two Master-level demons. Killing one would make the remaining easier to handle!
Just then, Meng Qi’s spiritual awareness rippled, and his heart quivered. Instinctively, he looked toward the ruined palace complex. Demon qi surged, forming dark clouds. Most were Supreme-level, but one aura felt mysteriously dangerous. They were approaching swiftly, obviously drawn by the commotion here and no longer fearing the strange remnants of the heavenly realm.
“Retreat!” Without hesitation, Meng Qi turned and ran toward the Milky Way Bridge.
At his speed, he could catch up with the Great Peng Demon King before the other demons arrived and kill it. However, this would waste considerable time, making him vulnerable to pursuit. His strength had recovered less than two-tenths, Jiang Zhiwei and Ruan Yushu had exhausted much of their energy, and the Mirror of Revealing Demons had only one use left. If surrounded, they would be in grave danger, unable even to use the main divine weapon unless he unleashed the “Heavenly Heart, My Will” technique.
However, such an explosive move would be difficult to recover from using current medicinal pills like the Master Healer’s Heart Pill, leaving him incapacitated for some time. If more Supreme-level demons arrived later, they would have no choice but to retreat.
Suppressing greed and bloodlust, Meng Qi turned and fled, both escaping and recovering. Once his strength returned, he could counterattack, aiming to eliminate the Master-level demons. Afterward, he would be able to handle things with his own power.
Jiang Zhiwei, Qi Zhengyan, and the others grasped the gravity of the situation and remained silent. They picked up their damaged halberds and turned toward the White Cloud Bridge, intending to cross the Milky Way first.
Jiang Zhiwei led the way, with Ruan Yushu, Qi Zhengyan, and Zhao Heng in the center, and Meng Qi covering the rear. They sprinted across the bridge, too preoccupied to admire the shimmering landscapes on both sides or the brilliant stars within the illusory Milky Way.
The Milky Way was extremely wide; from one side, the opposite bank was invisible. It was said that even a cultivator with nine openings would need a full day to cross. Mythical tales even claimed, “One day in heaven equals a year on earth!”
Fortunately, Meng Qi and the others were no longer ordinary beings. Though they sprinted, they also used flight techniques, though they couldn’t truly fly. Moreover, Meng Qi deliberately slowed his pace to cover the rear.
On this side of the Milky Way, the tiger demon Yin General and others arrived, seeing the pitiful Great Peng Demon King fleeing. Once mighty, the ruler who had dominated the other six cave demon kings was now fragile, weaker than even a vanguard or lieutenant, yet still possessing astonishing speed!
“What happened?” Yin General, an old demon who had survived by killing other demons and humans to accumulate treasures and pills, narrowed his eyes and urgently asked.
“Accursed humans, relying solely on magical treasures!” The Great Peng Demon King’s soul seethed with fury as it cursed, then turned away to avoid a direct clash with these demon kings.
Seeing this, Yin General laughed heartily. His mouth opened, summoning eerie winds that dragged the Great Peng Demon King toward him:
“This Great King is just one step away from being a Master-level ghost!”
Among the Seven Cave Demon Kings near Five-Finger Mountain, he and the Great Peng had always been dominant, often clashing. How could he miss such an opportunity?
To be honest, even without prior conflicts, how could General Yin resist encountering such a high-quality “ghostly accomplice”?
“Mountain Cat! You dare kill me? Aren’t you afraid my ancestor will return?” The Great Peng Demon King was both shocked and furious.
The other demon kings had long resented its arrogance. Though somewhat sympathetic, they chose to watch indifferently.
The Great Peng Demon King had few treasures, and now it lacked the strength to use them. As it neared being consumed by Yin General, it felt despair, its grand ambitions crumbling.
Suddenly, a hand appeared, blocking the Great Peng Demon King and resisting the Yin Wind suction.
This hand was grayish-white, with blackish nails and dark, decaying spots, emitting a faint stench.
“You!” Yin General glared at the old ancestor of the Silver Serpent King, Dangshan Jun, who had intervened!
“Its elders have old ties with me. Please let it go,” Dangshan Jun rasped.
Yin General intended to rage but noticed the red glow in Dangshan Jun’s eyes hidden beneath its black hood, cold and sinister, like a venomous snake piercing his heart.
Click-click-click! Even with Yin General’s human Master-level strength, his teeth chattered involuntarily.
How terrifying! He suppressed his chill, respectfully bowing:
“Yes!”
Dangshan Jun withdrew his gaze, falling silent again. Yin General regained composure, no longer daring to look directly at him.
Was it a true ancient great demon or nearing that level?
But why not directly crush and subdue us? Could it be restricted or in a weakened state?
Yin General had lived long enough to sense the anomaly.
The Great Peng Demon King thanked Dangshan Jun, dared not linger, and hurried toward the ruined palace, planning to leave the heavenly fragment and retreat to heal.
This delay meant they reached the Milky Way Bridge’s edge too late, finding no trace of Meng Qi and the others, only distant misty haze.
“Ahhh…”
Suddenly, a piercing scream drifted from afar—it was the Great Peng Demon King’s voice, abruptly cut off as if someone had clamped its throat.
Dangshan Jun abruptly turned, his eyes shooting out one chi of red light like a snake’s flickering tongue, staring toward the sound.
“What happened to it?” Xiongshan Jun blurted.
“It was killed…” Dangshan Jun’s red light receded, his voice hoarse, revealing no emotion.
Yin General was shocked and doubtful: “Another demon king arrived?”
Then encountering the vulnerable Great Peng Demon King, a swift strike?
Dangshan Jun shook his head: “No other living beings seen.”
“Then how did the Great Peng die?” Yin General pressed.
Dangshan Jun paused: “No corpse, only residual death aura.”
Suddenly, all present demon kings felt a chill, except for the preceding humans. What else lurked within the heavenly fragment?
“No need to worry. What coward hiding its head and exposing its tail deserves fear?” Dangshan Jun rasped, stepping toward the bridge.
“Grandfather is right! Only daring to strike a wounded Great Peng, what’s there to fear?” The Silver Serpent King followed closely.
Other demon kings exchanged glances, feeling the logic, overcoming inner fear, and advancing.
Coming to the heavenly fragment, how could they return without some immortal elixirs or treasures?
…
Not knowing how long they ran, Meng Qi absorbed heavenly and earthly qi, gradually restoring about seventy to eighty percent of his strength. At this moment, ahead on the bridge appeared a giant island floating on the illusory river, with the Milky Way still wide behind it.
Seeing this island resembling a checkpoint, Meng Qi and others instinctively slowed their pace.
“A military camp…” Zhao Heng frowned.
Meng Qi inhaled sharply: “Could it be one of the Milky Way soldiers’ camps?”
Thinking of the bridge-guarding heavenly soldiers and imagining thousands of similar powerful beings, even the weakest being top experts, perhaps even heavenly generals, sent chills down his spine.
“If there are heavenly soldiers and generals inside, and they awaken…” Ruan Yushu clearly thought the same.
Jiang Zhiwei exhaled: “Approach slowly, stay vigilant. If anything happens, retreat immediately!”
Thousands of heavenly soldiers and generals charging out—except for a Dharma Body cultivator, there would be no other choice!
Seeing no demon kings pursuing from behind, Meng Qi overtook Ruan Yushu and others, walking ahead.
Before nearing the island, Meng Qi saw the camp’s interior—there were truly heavenly soldiers inside!
Just what was visible numbered over a hundred!
Clad in silver armor, the heavenly soldiers sat or stood, some tilting their heads to drink, others conversing with comrades, but all were frozen in their original postures like statues. The entire still scene resembled a vivid painting, eerily strange!
Meng Qi surveyed the surroundings and spotted a shattered boundary marker lying amidst the white clouds ahead of the camp, on which four remaining seal script characters were still visible.
“Marshal Tianpeng!”
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