Time passed with relative safety and ease for most. Shen Yue having made great strides in his recovery.
On the 5th floor, the Demon Lord had just sat down to cultivate. Feeling a threat of overwhelming bloodlust, he looked up. Duan Jian and the Officers went right at him. Their cultivation was no longer hidden as they exerted pressure on him directly.
The weight of several focused was to much even for the self reincarnating cultivator. Especially with his Fate not forming yet. Having spent so much time recovering from the assault on Glory City failing.
"I feel so honored!" He took them to lightly. Countless years of reincarnation and the Supreme Physique body made him look down on so many in the Tiny World. "You insects don't know who you are messing with!"
*Schlick!* A halberd cut right through his supreme body. The 2nd officer was channeling everything she had right out the gate. Two swords cut along the Demon Lords' back, injecting him with poison combinations from two different dimensions.
"Tch!" With a brief circulation, it was taken care of he thought. Designed to react to stimulated spiritual energy by going dormant for a few seconds. "Not to bad for insects!" He was feeling the pressure as Duan Jian attacked him from behind. Fist covered in Law energy almost broke the spine on impact. "Ugh!"
Partially transformed, each blow causing a disruption in the Demon Lord that lasted a second. Confusing his brain and disrupting the Soul. The negatives of the Constellation technique were used against him.
The poison he was hit with earlier caused bone problems from the signature triggering. With the injection of certain laws, it advanced rapidly. Causing the Demon Lord to fight back on two fronts.
*Bzzt!* Several arcs of lightning shot out hitting him from each direction.
No longer arrogant against so many opponents, he started to merge with his demon spirit.
*Wooooo!* A Sound blast cut through and rammed right into him. The Demon Lord was forced to his knees for a brief moment.
*Woosh!* Several ropes were thrown out by the Officers. The strongest was the one around the neck that pulled him back up a little. Inside the rope, secretions of neurotoxins tried to enter the cuts in the body. But the body was still to strong currently.
The ropes churning at high speed helped dig into the flesh. Embedded in the rope was also steel wire. Thin as piano wire, but stronger than it. Cutting the top layer of the flesh just enough for more poison to seep in.
"WHAT THE HELL!?" The Demon Lord never thought this would happen to him here. Feeling his soul realm invaded, he fought back with everything he had. "YOU THINK YOU CAN KILL ME!" His mouth was forced open as thermite was poured into it.
The Officers trained hard to take someone like him down. He was after all the template to be used against future body cultivators like this.
*Schlick!* Hooks were stabbed forcefully through his physique as the Officers spread out in the room. Anchoring it down to the floor, a quick drawn Array was activated. The floor shaking from all the spirit energy used.
Duan Jian started to remove the Law energy from him. Attempted to anyway. Sikong Hongyue had to assist with a few of the Officers to cause disruptions. Ye Ziyun had made it up when called over. She joined in manning the Array, increasing the restrictions more.
Ye Hong started chanting. The Law of what they considered "Snow Wind" engulfing the area. Powered by the bloodline technique from their actual family, the blood of the Demon Lord started to freeze visibly.
*Sching!* Freezing Swords started to appear around Ye Hong as he pushed his cultivation to the limit. The swords stabbing into the Demon Lord forcefully. The 2nd Officer continued to pour liquid thermite into him.
"Yes, we can kill you." Shen Yue whispered directly to his ears. His Astral Sense kept assaulting the Demon Lord's mind to keep him offset. The flickering glow around the man, made him make sure to have the others keep applying pressure and weakening him. "Now!"
The gold aura around finally disappeared. The power of his natural "Fate" inside him finally ran out. He was no longer protected by what Destiny laid out for him. Which meant he could be killed here and now.
*FWWWOOOSSHHH!* The body was lit up like a beacon. The ropes that zapped his strength caught fire. The location they were tied to, activated the inscription placed on them. A Soul Killing Array that bombarded his soul ruthlessly.
The wire inside wiggled under the flesh. His flesh started to peel away like skinning vegetables.
*Schlick!* The 1st officer chopped off the limbs one by one. The 2nd officer was activating the next array. Hands made of Ice Law burrowed inside. Grabbing on after rampaging inside the Soul Realm. The Soul of the Demon Lord was pulled out.
*EEEEHHHHH!!!* It let out a painful scream that shook the tower. The soul did not want to go willingly of course. Not only this floor felt it, but the lower ones as well.
"Ugh!" The Officers were not ready for the attack on their souls. Blood started coming out of the orifices as they forced themselves to hold on. Damaging their cultivation a little in the process.
"You will be fine." Shen Yue directed his Star Energy to heal them. His hands moving in patterns as he activated the Soul Sealing Technique. But not kindly on the Demon Lord. "Almost over, you abomination!"
*Rip!* The soul was ripped apart and sealed into Glass fragments. A few participants made it up and saw what was going on after hearing the soul scream. However, they knew better than to interfere. It was a good way to die really.
"Seal!" Shen Yue smacked his hands togethor engulfing the glass pieces around in Death Energy. Black inscriptions appeared on the surface. "2nd seal!" Lightning Energy wrapped around the surface next as his hands changed in direction speeding up. "3rd seal!" Clear outlines formed up next, as a Thunderous Sound boomed in the tower. "Kuff!"
Shen Yue's blood touched the floor, burning a hole into it. Fire erupted around his body as he pushed his Fire Aspect to the limit. The dense Fire "Law" warped the terrain around him. The heat was to intense for everyone besides Yang Yu to remain nearby.
"Now die!" Shen Yue bathed the area in flames then placed the pieces into the Flame Vortex Core. 'Refine him into nothingness!' The Flame Vortex Core spun fast under his will.
So many of the refined souls he consumed were dealt a bad hand by him. The infants sacrificed were also a part of the processing. The good news, the Demon Lord was like a baptism for his Flame Vortex Core.
The outside cracks were all healed up with the inside needing the rest to finish up. The Flame Vortex Star Dragon growled loudly. It received a large boost in recovery rate. With so much inside to refine, he couldn't wait to he was all better.
'Ugh, that took a lot!' Shen Yue was standing on wobbly legs as half his spirit energy was used during these brief moments.
*Bzzt!* Annihilation Lighting entered the area briefly. Going right through the tower hitting him directly in the chest.
The Deity that presided over the Dimension struck him a blow for killing such a person. He could not be killed by the Deity outright but it could strike him an offensive blow to his soul to show its distaste. But in response, the offended Deity would have to deal with the fact "Destiny" would not organize a replacement.
Leaving the Dimension to fill the role naturally more. Sometimes the rules helped out a lot.
This released more of the Fate that would force so many in a certain direction. Making changes easier and the souls of those in the Dimension to become stronger overall. A sort of "inspiration" to try and do different things.
Which helped to protect Shen Yue from the Unending Army and creating energy Destiny used on the natural death of those who do.
The runic lines all across his body flared up. Law energy swirling around him. His cultivation throbbing as the God Towers activated. Purple energy leaving from there into the Flame Vortex Core.
'Resentment? Pft whatever!' Shen Yue scoffed mentally. A figure had formed trying to attack his soul. It was that of Ye Xinghe. He forgot he killed him in the tower back then. Well, shot him int the back delivering a critical wound. 'Can't believe I missed that in my sweep. Unless he came through another way?'
Something to look at later. His people were just to injured the same as himself. But the Flame Vortex Core was still recovering and churning away to refine the bodies inside it.
"We will head back." The 2nd Officer said reluctantly. But most of their injuries were really bad and military law dictated they do so. Especially the backlash to the souls being the biggest taboo. "Take care Patriarch!" The Officers activated the escape runes they had. Vansighing from the spot but actually disappearing into the Internal Space.
They moved to the garden to recuperate faster. Most just fainting on the spot. A barrier formed out around that area. The Medicine Aspect moving energy to heal them slowly.
Shen Yue then went to go to the upper areas. Yu Yan following along a few minutes later. They started to take in the flames extremely quickly.
Shen Yue recovering quickly as well as Comprehending the Profound State of Mind that existed in the place.
It took only 3 minutes to do so. Those in his Internal Space understanding as the Connection allowed him to flow it into them. It was a slow process, but they deserved it for the hard work lately.
On the 6th floor, the soul of Kong Yan attacked. Trying to enter Shen Yue just scorched the soul brutally and made him flee afterward. He then went to Yu Yan but the runes on the Ruby in her heart, attacked him. Then her Flames of Life burned him for the third time.
Kong Yan was worse off than he was before. He tried to escape but the Shadow Demon left Shen Yue and chased him down. Wrapping the troublesome soul up, it was sealed with the Soul Technique on the spot.
The Shadow Demon looked at the Flame Vortex Core and shivered. It was not wanting to end up in there. Self-preservation made it act. Swallowing the sealed Kong Yan, it would keep him locked away until needed.
Moving on, the duo stopped on the 7th flower next. Shen Yue opened his mouth wide sucking in all the energy he could. Channeling it to recover the damage to his soul and replenish his reserves.
"I could feel some hatred coming from you for some reason." Yu Yan muttered. She didn't want to say anything at first, but she felt she had to speak up. "Never expected you wanted some dead so much."
"It is practice for others I must kill." Shen Yue still kept his disguised voice of course. "Certain body types give an advantage beyond comprehension. I have trained my body from the ground up with terrible techniques and I could the moment I laid eyes on him that it was already at a level to match my own."
Yu Yan remained quiet. She didn't know how strong his body was considering it was remade from exploding not to long ago. If he would have fought the Demon Lord before the last reforming himself, that meant she would have witnessed him fighting differently.
'The use of Soul techniques he used were so forceful and done so expertly. Who did he learn them from?' Having seen them before in the past, she wanted to know who taught him. 'Maybe I should ask Duan Jian to see?'
"I am glad my people have grown so strong." Shen Yue smiled. The thought of what they can accomplish in the future warmed his heart. "So much to look forward to."
As the two contemplated and talked a little, those downstairs were having a talk of their own. A few cultivators staring at the injured.
"Perfect time to take them out." A Wugui family cultivator said. Everyone near him moved far away from the fool. "My family was ruined by those people!" He was indignant but the family brought it on themselves.
"To have done all that to kill the Demon Lord utterly, I do not know if I could have prepared for that." Nie Li stated. He turned to Xiao Ninger who guarded the others that helped. "So he knew that was the Dark Guild's Master?"
"Yes." Xiao Ninger pulled away from the recovering Ye Ziyun and company. "Part of an agreement, take out the biggest threat to Glory City."
"I can see why Ye Ziyun made the agreement. But to think that was the Demon Lord this entire time. IS she knew, why didn't she say anything?" Du Ze frowned.
"That.. I don't know." Nie Li frowned as well. The intensity of the fight reminding him how desperately they fought to put the Demon Lord down. Fear and determination on their faces to end him before he changed into his Demon Spirit. "None of them used a Demon Spirit themselves."
The reason for that was simple. The ropes that used a poison was specifically designed to damage the Demon Spirit. Which would then react in a violent way for about 5 seconds when the transformation takes place.