The next moment, countless Celestials also gave chase. Innumerable glows of Immortal Techniques blotted out half the sky as they unleashed their most adept restraining methods, attempting to drag this colossal Ferocious Beast back to the shores of the Eastern Sea.
Suddenly, it threw its head back and let out a deafening roar. The Celestials felt their vision blur—the beast vanished from sight, only to reappear moments later beyond the range of their restraining techniques. With a mighty beat of its wings, it flickered out of view once more, already soaring away from the town and darting swiftly toward the heart of the Central Land.
So fast! Despite its massive size and overwhelming Demon Qi, it moved with terrifying speed! If it were to reach the inland regions, disaster would surely follow. Even more horrifying was that, as if stirred by its surging Demon Qi, countless powerful Demonic Beasts lurking around the Eastern Sea—those that had yet to migrate—began to stir. Like a dark storm, they rose in dense swarms, following closely behind.
Their direction led straight to Yangxi City, a massive settlement teeming with mortals. Should these Ferocious Beasts and Monstrous creatures descend upon it, the entire city would be reduced to ruins in an instant—an utterly catastrophic outcome.
Shen Xiansheng barked orders to an elder of the Ocean Sect, "Leave half your forces here to maintain the defense! The rest, follow in pursuit!"
Ji Tongzhou stared in shock at the dense web of Spiritual Qi above Yangxi City. When he had left, it hadn’t been like this. In just a single day and night, the Eastern Sea seemed to have turned upside down. Distant thunderclouds loomed over the shore, dark as midnight, yet above them, the sun blazed fiercely, its glare so intense it was nearly blinding. The air was utterly still, stiflingly hot as a desert.
Beside him, Xuanshan Zi’s expression darkened. From the Eastern Sea, an overwhelming tide of Demon Qi surged inland like a tsunami. Had the Immortals stationed along the shore failed to hold them back?
The Mountain Sect Celestials stationed in Yangxi City also took to the skies, warily watching the direction of the Eastern Sea. Countless mortals resided here—there was no way to evacuate them swiftly like cultivators who could traverse thousands of miles in a day. If the horde of Demons attacked, the Spiritual Qi Net wouldn’t hold for long. The casualties would be devastating.
Several Celestials nearby had already recognized Xuanshan Zi. Given the dire circumstances, they exchanged only brief nods of acknowledgment. Some of the more impatient among them could no longer stand idle and immediately flew toward the Eastern Sea to investigate.
Xuanshan Zi was about to speak when he suddenly sensed something and slowly turned. Behind them, several elder Celestials approached on mist-borne steps. At their head was a tall, portly man with skin as pale as snow and piercing phoenix eyes that gleamed with divine sharpness—Zongquan, an elder from Long Mingzuo’s Five Zhang Mountain. Beside him stood another white-bearded elder whom Ji Tongzhou also recognized—Zongli, an elder from Long Mingzuo’s Three Zhang Mountain.
Zongli cast a glance at Ji Tongzhou before turning to Xuanshan Zi with a cupped-hand salute and a smile. "Elder Xuanshan, you’ve come as well? With the Sea Fall imminent, isn’t it unwise to bring along junior disciples?"
Ji Tongzhou’s expression turned icy. He thought of his elder brother’s graying temples and tears, of the dozens of cities and counties Yue Kingdom had lost to Wugou’s encroachment over the years. The enemy stood right before him, even engaging in casual conversation as if nothing had happened—yet all he could do was watch in silence.
Xuanshan Zi replied mildly, "Greetings to the esteemed members of Long Mingzuo. I hadn’t expected to meet you all in Yangxi City. Elder Zongli, how fare the injured disciples from your sect after the last East Sea Trial? Have they recovered?"At the mention of this, Long Mingzuo and his companions' expressions darkened immediately. The harsh words of Wuzheng Zi and his disciples still rang in their ears, and they never expected that Xuanshan Zi, known for his aloof detachment, would also come to provoke them. Zongli, being straightforward, could hardly contain his anger and was about to lash out. However, Zongquan, standing beside him, smiled and said, "Master Xuanshan is too kind. Those disciples were reckless and deserved their punishment. It's truly an honor that Master Xuanshan still remembers them. We heard earlier that Master Xuanshan was severely injured, but seeing you today, you seem even stronger than before. It seems the rumors in the world are nothing but baseless gossip."
If Zongli was a sharp blade, then Zongquan was a soft knife—his words carried hidden meanings that sent chills down one's spine. The implication was clear: they had been keeping tabs on Xuanshan Zi's injuries and cultivation all along. Their repeated provocations and encroachments against Yue Country over the years were proof of their arrogance and lack of fear.
Xuanshan Zi cast him a cold glance and said softly, "Tongzhou, let's go."
Ji Tongzhou silently followed him on his flying sword as they soared into the distance. The overwhelming demonic aura in the distance was terrifying, and the faint but increasingly urgent sounds of thunderclaps grew louder and more frequent. The windless, sweltering summer day suddenly rippled with faint disturbances, and a breeze began to stir, causing the robes of the Celestials in the sky to flutter gently.
Someone suddenly shouted, "They're coming!" The Immortals snapped out of their daze and swiftly flew toward the surging demonic aura. Xuanshan Zi said, "Tongzhou, stay close to me. Don't stray even a step!"
In the distance, a dark, cloud-like swarm of demons came shrieking and flapping their wings, only to be intercepted by the Immortals. In an instant, countless Immortal Techniques erupted, lighting up the surroundings in flashes of brilliance, the spectacle awe-inspiring. Tens of thousands of monstrous creatures clashed with the Immortals in a scene so chaotic it was impossible to discern who was fighting whom. Ji Tongzhou, a junior disciple, was like a tiny leaf in the midst of the colliding demonic and spiritual energies, ready to be torn apart by the storm at any moment. If not for Xuanshan Zi's protection, he would have been knocked down long ago.
This was the first time he had witnessed such a battle—it could hardly be called magical combat; it was a full-blown war between Immortals and demons. Amid the blinding radiance, the figures seemed insignificant, yet they unleashed Immortal Techniques capable of shaking heaven and earth, sweeping everything in their path.
Thunderclouds loomed overhead, and countless bolts of lightning struck down. The Spiritual Qi Net above Yangxi City was far denser, and when a colossal creature slammed into it, it didn't break. Instead, the beast was violently repelled. The moment the Immortals saw its form, their expressions changed. A message from Shen Xiansheng soon reached them through telepathy: "Lure that Qiongqi away!"
The ferocious beast Qiongqi—one of the Four Fiends—had only been spoken of in legends, and no one had ever truly seen it. Yet it had been lurking in the Eastern Sea all along. Its size was staggering, comparable to half of Yangxi City. If this beast went berserk during the battle, the entire city would be reduced to ashes in an instant.
The Spiritual Qi Net was immediately reinforced, and countless offensive Immortal Techniques bombarded Qiongqi's flanks. Despite its massive size, the beast moved with astonishing speed. With a single flap of its wings, it soared dozens of miles into the sky, then suddenly shrank to a fraction of its size, darting unpredictably in all directions. Not a single Immortal Technique could so much as graze it.It darted left and right within the Spiritual Qi Net, smashing through the barriers with furious roars of frustration at being unable to escape. Lightning from the thunderclouds above struck down in countless bolts, reducing numerous buildings in Yangxi City to rubble. Behind it, a multitude of Celestials used Immortal Techniques to drive it forward, while ahead, the Spiritual Qi Net continued to spread. The ferocious beast Qiongqi seemed unwilling to be herded like this, stubbornly attempting to break free from its shackles as it doggedly pressed onward toward the inland regions of the Central Land.
Xuanshan Zi focused his mind and closed his eyes, then suddenly shouted, "Come!"
The Celestial Sound Word Spirit Great Art resounded across heaven and earth, and a vast surge of spiritual energy erupted like a tidal wave. The Qiongqi, bewitched by the Word Spirit, involuntarily turned and changed direction, flapping its wings as it flew toward Xuanshan Zi.
Xuanshan Zi swiftly flew toward the Eastern Sea coast, but the Qiongqi was far faster—with just a few wingbeats, it was already upon them. Though its size had diminished significantly, it was still terrifyingly massive. Ji Tongzhou watched as this legendary ferocious beast roared toward them, its demonic aura piercing his body like blades. He shuddered involuntarily but, unwilling to back down, summoned Profound Splendor Fire, eager to fight.
Xuanshan Zi grabbed his arm, stopping his reckless impulse, and suddenly shouted again, "Eastward!"
The Spiritual Qi Net instantly shifted eastward, forcing the Qiongqi to turn toward the Eastern Sea coast. Trapped and hindered by the net, it staggered and flapped its wings as it flew away. Before the Immortals could marvel at the overwhelming power of the Celestial Sound Word Spirit, they all gave chase. Seeing the Qiongqi driven back to the Eastern Sea coast, the effect of the Word Spirit faded, and the beast thrashed violently within the net, as if sensing danger. Its body suddenly swelled to an immense size, and the overwhelming barrage of Immortal Techniques finally struck it squarely, obliterating one of its hind legs in an instant. Black demon blood sprayed out, staining the entire beach dark.
It let out an earth-shaking roar, its maw gaping wide as it spewed forth a crimson mist. A dozen Celestials, unable to dodge in time, were engulfed—before they could even scream, only their clothes remained, falling to the ground. The others watched in horror as the shattered hind leg showed signs of regeneration—was it devouring the essence and spiritual energy of the Celestials to heal itself?
As the mist thickened and spread rapidly, numerous defensive barriers were hastily erected. Yet the mist slowly corroded the spiritual energy sustaining them. The Celestials immediately took flight to evade the mist, followed by another relentless barrage of Immortal Techniques hurled into the crimson haze. The entire Eastern Sea coast trembled under the force of the battle.
Xuanshan Zi had expended a tremendous amount of spiritual energy in those two instances of controlling the Qiongqi with the Celestial Sound Word Spirit. Sweat beaded on his forehead as the bloody mist surged toward them. Ji Tongzhou, dragged along by him, retreated several miles in haste. Even he had never seen Xuanshan Zi use the Celestial Sound Word Spirit before—this foremost Mystic Art of the Star Rectitude Hall Profound School was astonishingly potent. No wonder its cultivation method was so demanding.
Just as he was about to speak, a sharp whistling sound erupted behind them, swift as a shooting star. In the blink of an eye, it was upon them—too fast to evade. At the critical moment, Xuanshan Zi flicked his sleeve, intercepting the object with sheer force. It was the skull of a monstrous creature, its horns jagged, spinning in his palm.
At the same time, Zongquan's hearty laughter rang out from behind them. "My sincerest apologies—a momentary slip of the hand. I hope Master Xuanshan won’t take offense."At this moment, hearing Elder Long Mingzuo's voice, Ji Tongzhou was suddenly gripped by a sense of foreboding. He turned around in haste, only to see the head of the Monstrous creature in Xuanshan Zi's hand open its gaping maw. From its hollow eyes and mouth burst several beams of cyan light that pierced straight through Xuanshan Zi's body.
The Celestial's face instantly turned deathly pale. With a push of his palm, he sent the Monstrous creature's head—a Mystical Treasure—flying several zhang away, where it was gently caught by another hand. Zongquan closed his palm, crushing the treasure to pieces as he said gently, "My deepest apologies, Master Xuanshan. Are you alright?"
Ji Tongzhou stared blankly as Xuanshan Zi's cyan robe gradually became stained with blood. His own heart seemed to stop beating.
What had just happened? Right before his eyes? In broad daylight?
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