The Heaven Severing Sword, stained with blood, cleaved against the pitch-black God Slaying Crossbow.
In that instant, Demonic Energy surged like churning seawater, rushing toward the crowd. The earth shattered like a broken mirror, fissures spreading in all directions.
The surrounding vegetation turned to dust, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Thunder rumbled across the sky, forcing even Xie Ying to take a step back as she stared in shock.
The Heaven Severing Sword had actually clashed with the God Slaying Crossbow!
Chongyu swiftly produced Resonant Qin Music, shielding Su Su and the others.
Su Su lowered her arm and looked up at the sky.
Gongye Jiewu, who had been enveloped in terrifying Demonic Energy moments before, was violently thrown back several meters the instant the Heaven Severing Sword struck the God Slaying Crossbow, blood spurting from his mouth.
Gongye Jiewu plummeted from the sky.
The youth in white coldly raised the God Slaying Crossbow toward him.
"You dare wield the Heaven Severing Sword?"
Gongye Jiewu looked up. Tantai Jin was now shrouded in Demonic Energy, the God Slaying Crossbow having attached itself to his right arm at some unknown moment.
The shattered sky served as his backdrop.
Though the youth in white had once possessed an immaculate aura, he now radiated overwhelming malevolence.
The God Slaying Crossbow didn't normally fire arrows, but as Tantai Jin raised it, three pitch-black arrows imbued with terrifying killing intent shot forth from the crossbow.
The dark arrows spiraled through the air, multiplying into hundreds of projectiles.
Like phantom claws, they descended upon Gongye Jiewu with chilling murderous intent.
How could this be...? Gongye Jiewu's icy Demonic Pupils flickered erratically. Having become a Demonic Cultivator, his instincts were now dominated by battlelust and bloodshed.
No, he couldn't possibly lose!
He possessed half the power of Hanba and Jingmie, and the Heaven Severing Sword now answered to his command. How could he lose to this man?
With a twist of his wrist, Gongye Jiewu unleashed the Heaven Severing Sword's arrogant sword energy, dissolving the God Slaying Crossbow's arrows.
Moving like a phantom, his fighting spirit ignited: "Demonic Beasts of all directions, heed my command!"
Beneath the Heaven Severing Sword, countless Chimei shadows emerged from the darkness.
The youth in white tilted his head slightly, Tantai Jin's black pupils faintly glowing with bloody light.
He opened his hand, and the God Slaying Crossbow hovered in the air.
He laughed arrogantly: "Demonic Beasts of all directions, hmm?"
Tantai Jin's white Carefree Sect robes fluttered wildly amidst the Demonic Energy. Watching the countless shadows emerging from the darkness, he excitedly licked his lips.
"Kongtong and Diancang, all fears shall perish."
The God Slaying Crossbow trembled violently, the dark arrows gathering like flowing light, ready to strike.
The flowing light descended like falling stars, piercing through the Chimei shadows.
Tantai Jin spread his palms as the God Slaying Crossbow spun before him. The shadows transformed into streams of Demonic Energy that flowed through the crossbow and surged into his palm.
Xie Ying's eyes flashed with both fear and fanaticism.
"He can... actually absorb the power of the Heaven Severing Sword!"
Chongyu whispered urgently to Su Su: "This is bad, very bad! Tantai Jin is going to seize the Heaven Severing Sword!"
The Heaven Severing Sword had originally acknowledged Gongye Jiewu as its master, granting him command over all Demonic Beasts. But now, Tantai Jin was converting the sword's power into reverse demonic arrows, all being absorbed by the God Slaying Crossbow.
As that Demonic Energy entered his body, it all transformed into his power. It wouldn't be long before the Heaven Severing Sword, which bowed only to the strong, would break free from Gongye Jiewu's control and submit to Tantai Jin's command.
Though Chongyu hadn't participated in the War of Gods and Demons ten thousand years ago, he had heard tales of it.
"Su Su, we must stop him. If he seizes the Heaven Severing Sword and becomes master of two Demonic Artifacts, he'll lose control to bloodlust and become a Demonic Cultivator who has abandoned his true self."
Su Su naturally understood the consequences.
The Demonic Artifacts absolutely must not fall into Tantai Jin's hands. No one understood better than her - he was originally their true master.The two figures in the sky clashed fiercely.
Amidst the interweaving of navy blue and white, under the influence of the Demonic Artifact, both were consumed by the desire to kill the other.
Tantai Jin wielded the crossbow directly as a weapon, confronting Gongye Jiewu's Heaven Severing Sword with unbridled ferocity.
Gongye Jiewu grunted, forced to one knee under the overwhelming pressure.
Demonic Energy scattered across the ground, accompanied by sounds resembling Ghostly Wails.
Tantai Jin tightened his grip on the God Slaying Crossbow, which had absorbed sufficient Demonic Energy to faintly manifest the form of the ferocious beast "Taotie."
His pupils gradually turned crimson.
A voice echoed in his mind: Kill him. Yes, kill him!
The God Slaying Crossbow condensed a sharp arrow, emitting a sinister whistling sound as it aimed at Gongye Jiewu.
Yaoguang cried out in panic, "Stop!"
Just as Tantai Jin was about to strike, a radiant, ice-blue zither collided with the arrow. Tantai Jin pressed his lips together, coldly glaring at the newcomer.
Su Su spread her arms wide. "You cannot do this!"
"Step aside!" His red eyes burned with menace. "Or I will kill you too!"
Chongyu landed in Su Su's hands. She stood her ground, unwavering, prepared to confront him in battle.
The God Slaying Crossbow roared in Tantai Jin's grasp.
The atmosphere grew taut, poised to erupt at any moment.
The resonant notes of the zither dispersed the surrounding Demonic Energy. Amid the swirling darkness, Su Su saw the young man's eyes—clearly wounded yet stubbornly maintaining a cold facade.
Tantai Jin stared intently at her, his grip on the God Slaying Crossbow tightening imperceptibly. "Why? How could you treat me like this!" I am protecting you!
The God Slaying Crossbow, sensing his turmoil, seethed with malevolent energy.
"I will kill you all." Tantai Jin's blood-red eyes fixed on Su Su, uncertain whether they would shed tears or blood in the next moment. "Kill you all!"
The Taotie form on the God Slaying Crossbow roared as the arrow shot forth.
Su Su gritted her teeth, refusing to retreat.
Born with the Evil Bone—had it truly come to this? Her fingers rested on Chongyu, white Spiritual Energy gathering at her fingertips. With a downward strum, a torrent of Spiritual Energy surged toward Tantai Jin.
The demonic arrow and feather-like Spiritual Energy intertwined mid-air.
For a moment, time seemed to slow to a standstill.
Su Su braced for the backlash, but instead, the Spiritual Energy transformed into white feathers, piercing Tantai Jin's chest.
The demonic arrow aimed at her was caught mere inches from her shoulder.
She lifted her gaze to meet a pair of vulnerable red eyes, startlingly close.
Her eyes drifted downward, where Tantai Jin's pale hand clutched the demonic arrow he had fired.
"I've lost," he murmured, his expression caught between laughter and tears.
The wind fell silent. The dark demonic arrow crumbled to dust in his grasp, dissipating into the air.
Seeing his expression, Su Su felt as if a hand had clenched her heart. Her fingers trembled slightly on Chongyu, leaving her speechless.
Why... didn't you dodge?
Xie Ying observed the scene, her eyes shifting thoughtfully. On the ground, Gongye Jiewu's expression turned icy as he suddenly raised the fallen Heaven Severing Sword.
"Su Su, be careful!" Yaoguang shouted.
Chongyu left Su Su's hand, meeting the Heaven Severing Sword from behind.
But how could a Divine Artifact without its master's guidance compare to a Demonic Artifact driven by powerful Cultivation?
With a sharp "clang," Chongyu was deflected.
The ice-blue glow dimmed, retreating back into Su Su.
The Heaven Severing Sword was about to pierce her body.
Yaoguang closed her eyes, unable to watch. The sky darkened, and a blinding flash of light erupted.When she lowered her sleeve again, the space before her was empty, leaving only a cracked expanse of land. Tantai Jin was gone, Su Su was gone, and the scent of blood lingered in the air.
Yaoguang murmured, "They've disappeared."
The crimson moon in the sky faded away.
For the Demonic Beasts, Moon Worship Night had also come to an end.
Xie Ying took a few steps forward in pursuit, then seemed to recall something and glanced at a serene white Immortal Aura in the sky. A subtle expression crossed her face as she helped the severely injured Gongye Jiewu to his feet.
"Let's go!"
The white aura at the horizon transformed into a streak of light and landed beside Yaoguang. Recognizing the newcomer, Yaoguang nearly burst into tears.
"Sect Leader! Master!"
Qu Xuanzi stood with the elders of the Hengyang Sect behind him. He gazed worriedly at the spiderweb-like cracks on the ground, his brow tightly furrowed.
In the cramped space, Tantai Jin's white robes were soaked through with blood.
The God Slaying Crossbow hovered ominously, aimed at the unconscious girl in his embrace. While he remained unconscious, it attempted to eliminate Su Su—this unpredictable variable.
Yet as it drew near her, a force repelled it.
The young man held the woman in his arms tightly, their robes intertwined.
The God Slaying Crossbow was repelled by the Ruthless Divine Path emanating from Su Su, its sharp shrieks growing noticeably weaker.
Tantai Jin was gravely wounded.
He had borne the brunt of the Heaven Severing Sword's power. Anyone else would have been utterly annihilated.
Without its master's control, the God Slaying Crossbow slowly spun, its Demonic Energy continuously flowing toward Tantai Jin, mending his wounds. The Demonic Energy around him grew increasingly dense.
The God Slaying Crossbow hadn't been this powerful before—not until it absorbed the energy of countless Demonic Beasts.
But absorption was one thing; complete assimilation was another.
Now, in this confined space, it released these Demonic Beasts, driven by the Demonic Artifact's instinct to hunt and slaughter them.
The God Slaying Crossbow was inherently greedy for Demonic Energy. Unaware of how long it had been trapped in this cramped space, Tantai Jin slowly opened his eyes.
Demonic Beasts fled in chaos around him. This was a cold, desolate world, yet warmth radiated from the girl in his arms.
Tantai Jin lowered his gaze sluggishly. Reflected in his indifferent pupils was the delicate face of the young woman.
The pleas and cries of the Demonic Beasts filled the air, a cacophony in his ears.
His last memory was of fleeing to this cramped space with Su Su.
He hadn't seized the Heaven Severing Sword. He had defeated Gongye Jiewu, and his prize... was the person in his arms.
Tantai Jin lowered his head, pressing his cold cheek against the warm one of the girl in his embrace.
Her breathing was even, sleeping peacefully in his arms.
It had been a long time since he'd experienced such tranquility.
His limbs coiled around her tightly, like a sickly, neurotic dodder vine. His dark pupils watched her intently, his thoughts unreadable.
Tantai Jin knew there was no going back. From the moment he summoned the God Slaying Crossbow, he could never explain himself clearly.
Even he didn't understand why such a sinister Demonic Artifact had attached itself to him. Would the immortal realm still tolerate him after this?
The red in his eyes gradually faded. Rarely had he felt so lost. Like a rat in a sewer, hiding in this dark, filthy place, the only light he had was clutched tightly in his arms.
Su Su had also endured part of the Heaven Severing Sword's power and hadn't awakened. Sensing her nearing consciousness, Tantai Jin pressed a finger to her forehead, and she fell back into a deep slumber.
He held her tightly, numb.
Don't think about leaving. You're... all I have left.
Pleas for mercy continued to reach his ears—some Demonic Beasts hadn't been fully devoured by the God Slaying Crossbow.
"Demon Lord, spare me."
"Demon Lord, I beg you..."
Tantai Jin paid them no heed. He wasn't their Demon Lord. They had mistaken him for someone else.A pearl rolled out from his embrace, illuminating the small patch of darkness. Tantai Jin frowned, about to destroy it when a broken voice spoke intermittently: "The Illusion Face Pearl... Tantai Jin, spare me, and I can help you create dreams."
Tantai Jin's eyes shifted, glancing at the terrified demonic beast cowering in the corner.
Unfamiliar.
"It's me, I am the nightmare demon!" The nightmare demon dodged the God Slaying Crossbow, trembling as it said, "Five hundred years ago, you took my inner core!"
The nightmare demon's tone grew urgent: "Spare me, give me the Illusion Face Pearl, and I will create a beautiful dream for you! Let you be together."
He showed not a trace of emotion, his eyes icy cold.
"Please, I beg you..."
Tantai Jin buried his face in Su Su's neck, his voice hoarse as he gripped the slender neck of the young girl: "Impossible."
He had already reached a dead end—why had she driven him to such despair?
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