"Truly unexpected… that you two managed to break through all the way here. No wonder that fellow marked you as someone to be given special attention."
A figure stepped out from the spatial rift and appeared directly before Xiao Yan and Qing Yanjing. With a soft smile, he stared at Xiao Yan and said, "But this is where your journey ends."
This figure looked markedly different from the other members of the Blade Demon Clan. His arms were surprisingly normal. His hands were long and slender, pale and delicate like a woman's. Yet, when his nails casually slid through the air, the space around them was instantly torn apart, leaving behind countless pitch-black rifts.
"Who are you?" Xiao Yan's expression grew grim. This man wasn't exuding any noticeable aura, but the moment Xiao Yan laid eyes on him, a chilling sense of danger surged up uncontrollably. That man's body emitted an intensely sharp aura—as though the entire world could be cleaved apart by him.
"I am the Patriarch of the Blade Demon Clan—Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor."
The man smiled faintly. But at the mention of his name, Qing Yanjing's pupils contracted sharply. The color drained from her face in an instant.
The Blade Demon Clan was one of the thirty-two major races of the Extraterritorial Evil Race. Each of their clan leaders possessed power comparable to late-stage Saint-grade Heavenly Sovereigns. Even within the ancient Futuo Clan, only Grand Elders at the same level—assisted by the ancestral tower—could hope to match such a foe.
They, however, were only just Immortal-grade Heavenly Sovereigns. Against a Lesser Heavenly Sovereign, perhaps they could fight back. But against a late-stage Saint-grade Heavenly Sovereign?
There was no hope at all.
"At this point, all we can do is fight our way through."
Xiao Yan took a long breath and gripped the hilt of the Heavy Xuan Ruler tightly. Even he felt a suffocating sense of oppression and despair. He had not expected that just when they were about to escape, they'd encounter a figure like the Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor—someone strong enough to crush Saint-grade foes with ease.
In a normal scenario, one Saint-grade Heavenly Sovereign could effortlessly suppress hundreds of Immortal-grade Heavenly Sovereigns. And here stood a peak-stage Saint-grade Heavenly Sovereign. The gap was astronomical. It was no different from a newly awakened Dou Qi practitioner trying to challenge a Dou Di.
Yet this was the gap Xiao Yan now had to overcome.
"Bold words. But you don't have the strength to match them."
The Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor smiled faintly. He extended a slender hand, and a grayish-white long saber floated into view. The moment Xiao Yan saw it, his pupils constricted slightly—because that blade was forged entirely from human bone!
"This bone blade was crafted from the bones of over a dozen Saint-grade Heavenly Sovereigns of your Great Thousand World. After bathing it in demonic energy for ten thousand years, I forged it with my own hands. I hope your strength won't disappoint it."
As he spoke, the Demon Emperor gently swung the bone blade. The ghostly hum that followed its arc across the air was so sharp, it made even Xiao Yan and Qing Yanjing feel as if their very souls were being torn apart.
Xiao Yan had no doubt that if that bone blade slashed toward him, even with his physical strength, he'd be cleaved in two. Although his Heavy Xuan Ruler had been reforged into a Peerless Sacred Artifact, if it directly clashed with that bone blade, it would likely be shattered in one blow.
"Man and flame as one!"
Xiao Yan exhaled slowly. Xiao Yao merged once more with the Heavy Xuan Ruler, causing it to transform into a radiant, glass-like ruler. Countless dazzling flames converged before him, condensing into an enormous fire ruler. Xiao Yan then plunged the now-glasslike Heavy Xuan Ruler into the heart of the flame ruler. The two rulers fused, erupting with terrifying power.
This technique was none other than the Ancient Flame Ruler—a move he once used against the Otherworldly Demon Emperor on the Tianxuan Continent. But this time, Xiao Yan had added an enhancement—merging the strange formation of the Flame Square with it. With this fusion, the weapon's rank had skyrocketed into the realm of Peerless Saint Artifacts.
"A fine weapon. Pity its wielder is too weak to wield it properly."
Before his words even finished, the Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor vanished. The bone blade tore through space in a blur, slashing directly at Xiao Yan's throat.
Startled, Xiao Yan immediately retreated. At the same time, his arsenal of divine artifacts emerged—the Ancestral Stone and other divine items rushed forth to construct layers of powerful defenses.
However, as the bone blade struck down, those defenses held for only a moment before being shattered. Even the spirit of the Ancestral Stone was almost annihilated from that single strike, its light dimming and body trembling in exhaustion. They never imagined that even united, they couldn't withstand a casual swing of the Demon Emperor's blade.
Even after piercing the divine artifact defenses, the bone blade's momentum remained unchecked, continuing toward Xiao Yan.
Seeing the blade about to land, Xiao Yan swung the Ancient Flame Ruler, unleashing countless ruler shadows to form a protective web of flame around him.
Boom!
The bone blade smashed into the ruler shadows. In an instant, they shattered. A flash of golden light burst forth, and Xiao Yan's body was flung backward, crashing violently into the earth. Blood spurted from his entire body.
Even though he had used every layer of defense at his disposal, he still couldn't fully block that attack.
"Hmm? You're still alive?"
The Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor looked slightly surprised. At that moment, Xiao Yan's body was covered in countless dragon scales—it was the defense of the Dragon Phoenix Ancient Armor. Combined with the Nirvana Golden Lotus's power, it had managed to block a portion of the blade's force. Otherwise, Xiao Yan would have perished on the spot.
"So this… is the strength of a Saint-grade Heavenly Sovereign… Truly formidable."
Xiao Yan lowered his head and glanced at his shattered Dragon Phoenix Ancient Armor. Inwardly, he murmured, 'This is the first time even after activating all my defenses, I've nearly been killed… and this was just a probing strike.'
If the Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor attacked seriously, he might not survive even a single blow.
"Good. At least you understand. If you surrender now, I promise you'll die quickly."
The Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor caressed the bone blade calmly. Xiao Yan's tenacity had surprised him—but it wasn't enough to change the outcome.
"Sorry, but I'm too stubborn for surrender."
Despite the dire situation, Xiao Yan let out a low laugh. At that moment, ten radiant light patterns lit up around him. In the next instant, his aura skyrocketed a hundredfold.
"Divine Spirit Technique—Heavenly Sky Ascension!"
(End of Chapter)
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