So many sound waves struck the void, bursting apart like raging waves, and the already distorted sky instantly erupted with a deafening roar.
In the next moment, several long white streaks appeared out of thin air on the demonic rift. Then, under the relentless assault of the sound waves, another crisp sound, like shattering glass, rang out.
The white streaks instantly transformed into countless white threads, rapidly spreading in all directions. Soon after, the entire sky shattered completely.
Dark demonic energy, like floodwaters released from a broken dam, surged down from the sky in an instant, forming a vast black sea of demons that spread outward at an unimaginable speed.
Dense swarms of enormous demonic bats rushed down amidst the chaos, emitting sharp screeches.
Their bodies shimmered with bloody light, and from a distance, it looked as though countless blood-red flames had appeared in the demonic sea, shooting outward in all directions.
Even more terrifyingly, from the depths of the now-gigantic black hole-like rift, faint but horrifying growls could be heard, suggesting that even more demonic beasts were about to flood into the Spirit Realm.
“Disaster! The demons have confirmed their invasion of the Spirit Realm. Our mission is complete—begin the teleportation and retreat immediately!” The golden-armored man in the distance finally snapped out of his daze at the sight of the shattered rift and shouted in panic to the old man.
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“Teleport now! Return at once!” The short old man, though equally horrified, gave the order without hesitation. He immediately began forming hand seals, sending a series of incantations into a small formation beneath his feet.
The black-armored guards behind him hurriedly moved to his side, assisting with the spellcasting.
A low hum immediately rose from beneath the golden flying boat, and hundreds of runes appeared below, swirling into a milky-white formation.
The other flying boat had already activated its teleportation even earlier.
The entire vessel shimmered with light, emitting dazzling golden radiance, ready to vanish at any moment.
Seeing this, the golden-armored man on the boat exhaled deeply, his expression finally relaxing.
But at that moment, a sharp voice suddenly rang out from above the hidden forest where they were concealed:
“Seems luck is on my side. Just entering the Spirit Realm, and I’ve already found two Void Refinement cultivators. Perfect for a warm-up!”
Hearing this, both the man and the old man were startled and turned toward the source of the voice.
Hovering in the air just over thirty zhang above the two golden boats was a black-skinned, grotesquely ugly youth with a pair of bat wings on his back.
The youth had a ferocious face, glowing green eyes, and bat wings that were even larger than his body, making him resemble the blood-colored demonic bats—except his aura was hundreds, if not thousands, of times stronger.
“Disaster! A high-ranking demon!”
The two Heavenly Guards instantly recognized the youth’s identity, their faces paling in horror.
They had been focused on the shocking changes at the rift and hadn’t sensed the demon’s approach at all.
But as Void Refinement cultivators, they reacted almost simultaneously, launching their attacks without hesitation.
One slapped his forehead, releasing over a dozen silver flying swords that transformed into streaks of silver light, slashing toward the demon.
The other flicked his wrist, sending out a five-colored ring that expanded into countless ring-shaped shadows, enveloping both golden boats in a protective barrier.
One attacked, the other defended—their coordination was seamless, clearly the result of countless battles together.
They had no illusions about defeating the high-ranking demon; they only hoped to delay him long enough to escape.
But the bat-winged youth in the air merely grinned, revealing rows of tiny, sharp teeth. Facing the incoming silver streaks, he didn’t dodge—instead, he opened his mouth and exhaled a golden sound wave.
The wave expanded, swallowing all the sword lights in an instant.
A shocking sight unfolded!
The silver lights let out mournful cries as their radiance dimmed, reverting to their original sword forms before tumbling helplessly from the sky.
The golden-armored man’s face turned deathly pale.
He had just lost connection with all his painstakingly cultivated lifebound treasures. But before he could attempt to regain control, the grotesque youth flapped his wings.
A roar of wind and thunder!
The youth’s figure blurred before vanishing from sight, only to reappear right above the two golden boats in the next instant. Without hesitation, he threw two punches at the ring-shaped shadows.
**Boom! Boom!**
Two fists, glowing faintly with bloody light, shattered the dense barrier of rings in an instant.
With another flap of his wings, the youth appeared behind the golden-armored man in a flash. His hand blurred as it pierced straight through the man’s back.
The supposedly indestructible golden armor offered no resistance whatsoever.
“Ah—!”
The other black-armored guards on the same boat were terrified out of their wits. Without a second thought, they scattered in all directions, fleeing for their lives.
But the grotesque youth didn’t even turn his head. He simply flicked one of his wings backward, releasing a black blade of light over a hundred zhang long.
It was so fast—gone in a flash!
The black-armored guards let out agonized screams as their bodies exploded into bloody rain, their nascent souls obliterated in the same strike.
The youth then blurred again, transforming into a bloody mist that enveloped the remaining cultivators on the other golden boat.
Before he even landed, the stench of blood filled the air.
The short old man had no time to react, his face drained of color.
Whether by coincidence or not, the teleportation formation beneath the boat suddenly flashed white, and the entire vessel vanished in an instant.
The bloody mist struck empty air before dissipating, revealing the youth’s humanoid form once more.
He glared at the remnants of the teleportation formation, irritation flashing across his face. With a flick of his wing, a gust of wind scattered the remnants into nothingness.
“Hahaha! Bat Lie, you couldn’t even keep two measly Void Refinement humans? And here I was, hoping to watch a good show!” A rough, mocking laugh suddenly rang out from behind a nearby giant tree.
“Meng Man! You! When did you get here? The Thunder Bull Tribe was supposed to enter the Spirit Realm in the second wave!” The grotesque youth snarled, his gaze snapping toward the tree.
The seemingly ordinary tree twisted slightly before transforming into a towering, green-skinned giant over five zhang tall.
The giant had a pair of black curved horns, a face covered in yellow fur, and wore black leather armor. Strapped to his back were two golden axes, and he was looking at the youth with undisguised mockery.
But seeing the youth’s furious glare, the giant merely grinned and replied lazily, “Our tribe recently received a decree from the Sacred Ancestor. We’re entering the Spirit Realm in the first wave alongside your Blood Bat Tribe. My kin have already begun crossing over.”
As he spoke, the bull-headed demon casually pointed toward the distant sky.
“What?!” The bat-winged youth whirled around in shock.
From the black hole in the sky, amidst the rolling demonic energy, not only were there massive bats wreathed in bloody flames, but now also enormous green bulls, each over ten zhang long.
These bulls were covered in strange silver patterns, giving them an eerie, mystical aura.
“Hmph! If it’s the Sacred Ancestor’s order, then fine. But this venerable one won’t be teaming up with slow-moving brutes like you. With our Blood Bat Tribe’s speed, we’ll clear out all the human cultivators in the area within days, paving the way for the Sacred Ancestor’s city!” the youth said, though his tone was grudging.
“Oh? That’s exactly what I wanted to say. Against low-level humans, your Blood Bats might sweep through easily. But if you run into any real resistance, your kind will just be cannon fodder. How could you compare to our Thunder Bull Tribe?” the giant sneered.
“Is that so? Then let’s make a bet! In three days, we’ll see which tribe kills more human cultivators!” the youth snapped.
“Fine! Meng agrees. The losing tribe will hand over thirty percent of their future spoils in the Spirit Realm to the winner,” the bull-headed giant said coldly.
“Seal it with a strike!” The grotesque youth’s eyebrows shot up as he flapped his wings, appearing right in front of the giant. He raised a blood-red palm.
The giant smirked, uncrossing his arms and meeting the strike with his own massive hand.
**Boom! Boom! Boom!**
Three muffled explosions rang out as their palms collided, sending out alternating waves of green and red light. Both figures staggered back as if stung by a viper.
“Five Bats, come forth!” The youth steadied himself mid-air and barked an order.
“At your command, Great Commander!”
Space rippled around them as five enormous bats, far larger than the ordinary ones, materialized like a gust of wind.
Their wings stretched over ten zhang wide—truly monstrous in size.
“Go! Capture some human mortals first!” the youth commanded.
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