After meeting with Ying Long and his wife, Qiao San’s interest in the mortal realm grew significantly. He decided not to summon the phoenix bird anymore and instead rode slowly on the back of an earth horse at low altitude, leisurely approaching Xuan Feng Mountain while admiring the scenery of the mortal realm.
Day after day, after more than ten days of travel, Qiao San indeed broadened his horizons. Unfortunately, he never again encountered a spirit as generous as Ying Long. He did see a few beautiful female demons, but none left an impression as deep as that of Ying Long’s wife.
On this day, the leisurely traveler finally arrived at the foot of Xuan Feng Mountain.
Gazing at the gloomy, continuous mountain peaks, he couldn’t help but take a deep breath. Then, dismounting from the horse, he rose into the clouds and flew toward the highest peak.
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“Ahhh—”
Dust filled the air, and cries of anguish echoed. In the dense forests of the mountains, a fierce battle was underway amidst a storm of blood and violence.
“Madam, retreat quickly! Let’s go back and summon reinforcements to save the General!”
“No! That three-colored Demon King is mad. If we don’t rescue the General now, his life will surely be in danger!”
Amidst the flashing blades and clashing swords, a female warrior clad in armor appeared. The scene momentarily froze, revealing none other than the heroic Ying Madam, radiant and valiant.
Facing over a hundred rogue demons not under the jurisdiction of the demon court of the mortal realm, Ying Madam raised her hand and summoned her treasure—a brilliantly glowing peony flower. As the petals scattered, several leading demons were instantly sent back to the cycle of reincarnation.
Unfortunately, several powerful beams of light immediately blocked the rotation of the “petals.” Then, the peony flower was knocked to the ground. Ying Madam, whose life was bound to the treasure, spat out a mouthful of blood and fell heavily from the air, her full and graceful body crashing down in a cloud of dust.
A flash of cold light swept through, and not a single one of Ying Madam’s subordinates remained alive around her.
“The King has ordered that no one shall escape! Whoever brings back the woman’s head will be rewarded with an immortal herb!”
From among the scattered demons, a wave of wild howls erupted. The demons shouted and charged toward Ying Madam, even the injured ones scrambling forward eagerly.
The cold blade had already sliced through the strands of hair at her neck. Surrounded and cornered, Ying Madam felt her heart sink. Resigned to her fate, she closed her eyes and quietly awaited death in despair.
Hope always appears in the darkest moments. A furious roar tore through the sky, arriving before its owner did. A powerful shockwave instantly sent several leading demons flying backward.
“Madam, it’s me! Don’t be afraid!” A shadow, almost ethereal, descended from the sky and scooped up the fallen peony beauty.
At the very moment Qiao San appeared riding the phoenix, the scattered demons fled in all directions. “Ah! The ancient divine bird! Hurry back and report to the King!”
“Qiao Brother…” Ying Madam gasped for breath, then gritted her teeth against the pain and urgently gripped Qiao San’s arm. “Quick! Save my husband!”
Before she could finish speaking, a surge of heat rose in her throat, and a large mouthful of blood erupted into the air. The blood mist, illuminated by the dim sunlight, dyed the heavens and earth a deep red, adding to the scene’s brutality.
“Madam, what exactly happened? With Brother Ying’s skills, how could he be captured?!”
Qiao San raised his palm and firmly pressed it against Ying Madam’s back. Although a soft and delicate sensation passed through his palm, at this moment, Qiao San had no time to dwell on the warmth and softness. A torrent of ten-sun energy surged into her body, rapidly healing the young woman’s grave injuries.
After a short while, the miraculous ten-sun energy finally pulled the beautiful mortal woman back from the brink of death. Barely escaping death, Ying Madam finally revealed the truth in a solemn tone.
More than half a year ago, a powerful female ghost suddenly appeared from somewhere unknown, seized Xuan Feng Mountain as her hideout, and proclaimed herself the “Three-colored Demon King.” She also took possession of the precious herbs and treasures vital for cultivation in the mortal realm. Ying Long had been ordered by the Jiuyou Palace to subdue or eliminate this demon.
According to Ying Madam’s original plan, she had wanted to bring a large army along. However, the battle-obsessed Ying Long wished to test the Three-colored Demon King’s skills and only brought a small contingent of personal guards.
Although the Three-colored Demon King possessed great power, she was not yet a match for Ying Long. However, the Demon King somehow obtained a celestial treasure from the Void—the Xuan Feng Cauldron—which instantly sucked Ying Long inside.
Ying Madam paused briefly before continuing, pointing toward a nearby demon cave. “Brother, that’s the Three-colored Demon King’s lair. Be extremely cautious of that treasure. Oh, and from now on, just call me Nü Mei!”
“Nü Mei? What a beautiful name, Mei Sister!” Qiao San’s tone became more familiar, as shared hardship indeed proved to be the best way to bridge the gap between people.
“Don’t worry, I will definitely rescue Brother Ying and bring him back safely.”
As Qiao San’s bold words still echoed in the air, Nü Mei suddenly cried out in alarm, staring behind him. “Look out—”
“Whoosh—”
A sharp shriek tore through the space as a three-colored shadow shot toward them like an arrow. Black was the first to enter Qiao San’s vision, followed by green, bringing with it a terrifying killing intent. Then came a streak of red light that suffocated the space around them.
A tremor ran through Qiao San’s heart. The familiar sensation from the same source caused him to halt the incantation to summon the ancient divine bird. As he swiftly turned around, he silently questioned himself: Why does this feel so familiar? Could it be…?
Before Qiao San could resolve his myriad doubts or ask for clarification, the three-colored shadow had already leaped forward, transforming in an instant into a terrifying demon with fangs and claws.
The demon’s fingernails flicked out, becoming ten three-foot-long blades. A sinister white light stirred the swirling black mist, instantly covering a ten-zhang radius around Qiao San.
Within the black mist, the deadly finger-blades, straight, curved, or hooked, surrounded Qiao San from ten directions. Each carried the wailing sound of ghosts and easily pierced through Qiao San’s protective barrier.
“Tsk!” A heavy sigh rose in the rogue’s heart. No wonder this demon could dominate the region—she was indeed formidable. Although she might not rival the likes of Long Mu or Yu Shan, both Celestials or mighty demons, she was still powerful enough to wreak havoc across the Three Realms.
The attack was too fast, too sudden. By the time the ten finger-blades pierced through Qiao San’s clothes, Nü Mei’s cry of alarm had barely fully escaped her lips.
A dull impact exploded in the void. Sparks flew, and a ray of golden light broke through the black mist. A low groan changed the tide of battle.
Amid the surging winds, several broken fingernails flew into the air, and the entire Fangzhang Mountain suddenly fell into a deathly silence.
The King has lost! Oh no, the King actually lost to an unknown nobody!
The arrogant confidence of the lesser demons plummeted into despair. They looked around nervously at the powerful enemy hovering in the sky.
Golden light swirling around him, Qiao San, unscathed, stood proudly in the sky, his mortal body now as solid as a wall of copper thanks to the Tai Xu Divine Armor.
With a press of his cloud, Qiao San dove toward the fallen Three-colored Demon King. Before the lightning dancing at his fingertips could be released, the furious figure suddenly turned pale, his eyes wide with shock, nearly falling from the sky.
“Ahhh! Gui Ji! It’s really you!”
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