The Demonic Domain was eerily silent tonight, yet it was not the tranquility of peace, but the stillness of death. Above, thick black clouds twisted together like colossal pythons, devouring the moonlight. Demonic energy surged and condensed like dark waves, filling the air, making it heavy and difficult to breathe.
At the heart of that deep abyss, a magnificent yet somber palace stood tall, its roof tiles as black as ink, its walls carved with malevolent runes. From the cracks of the stone walls, a chilling cold seeped out, threatening to freeze the very soul. The scent of fresh blood mixed with the smell of sulfur and death was so potent that every breath felt like inhaling demise itself.
Inside the grand hall, the faint green light of torches flickered, casting the shadows of towering stone pillars. On the ancient stone floor lay countless corpses—both righteous cultivators and demonic beasts—their fresh blood having soaked deep into the cracks, forming dark crimson stains.
Seated on a throne forged from countless human skulls, a woman wore a pitch-black battle robe, her long hair as sleek as a black silk ribbon falling down. She slightly curved her thin lips, her gaze sweeping over the five outstanding youths standing opposite her.
The aura from their spiritual artifacts glowed brilliantly but trembled like a candle flame in the wind, being swallowed by the darkness bit by bit. The Demon Empress's eyes looked at them, holding no good or evil, only the disdain mixed with the fascination of a predator facing its prey.
Her gaze passed over each person, like a thin, cold blade sliding across skin, leaving a feeling of dread. In her deep red eyes, there was no good or evil, only the contempt mixed with the curiosity of a hunter.
"The likes of you… it's quite interesting that you've made it this far." Her voice echoed throughout the hall, low and deep, yet each word pressed down on the listener's heart. "The Righteous Path has sent five naive brats to kill me? Or perhaps… you wish to die together?"
An invisible pressure surged out, heavy enough to make every breath difficult. Cold sweat trickled down Lin Yuer's forehead. She tightly gripped the jade bottle in her hand, her nails almost digging into her skin. The smell of blood made her feel nauseous.
Bai Li Qingfeng stepped forward, his handsome face as cold as ice, but his eyes blazed with a fire of hatred. He drew the jade sword from his back, its body vibrating slightly, as if responding to its owner's killing intent.
"Demon Empress! No matter how powerful you are, today will be the day your sins come to an end!"
Beside him, Tu Mo turned his hand, and dozens of floating talismans shone with dazzling light, ready to detonate.
Jin Yu snorted, tightening his grip on his battle axe; every vein on his arms bulged like taut bowstrings, his breathing rapid but his eyes burning with fighting spirit.
Bai Zichen remained silent, a slight curve on his lips. In his darkened eyes, a flash of an unpredictable light flickered—as if he had been waiting for this moment for a very long time.
The Demon Empress tilted her head slightly, her thin lips curving into a deadly line.
"Sins come to an end?" Her smile deepened, revealing sharp white teeth. "Let's see then… who will put an end to whom."
Demonic energy swirled, and the grand hall trembled. The clanging of metal echoed, tearing through the silent space. Wave after wave of demonic energy surged like a raging tide, sweeping across, cracking the bricks and stones, causing pillars to crumble and the dome to shake as if about to shatter.
The Demon Empress stood at the center of the chaos, her black battle robe swaying in the thick air. With each step she took, she shortened a distance of hundreds of feet in the blink of an eye. She lightly stomped her foot, and the stone floor cracked open like a spiderweb. A slender, cicada-wing-like longsword was drawn from the void, its blade coated in a thick layer of black light.
Jin Yu roared first:
— "Thunderstorm Smash!"
The battle axe descended, lightning transforming into a hundred-meter-long silver dragon, roaring and tearing through the night. Thunder boomed, the stone walls were ripped apart, and large chunks of rock rained down.
The Demon Empress merely tilted her head, her black sword drawing a slender curve. The silver dragon exploded, turning into countless specks of scattered light. She raised a finger, and a black stream of demonic energy formed a claw shadow that plunged directly into Jin Yu's shoulder, forcing him to retreat in a hurry, his axe digging into the ground to prevent him from falling.
"Jin Yu!" Lin Yuer cried out. "Purifying Light Demonic Break!"
A pure white light exploded, tearing through the dark demonic energy, revealing the Demon Empress's pale skin and cold face. She frowned slightly, twisting the demonic energy into a vortex that swallowed the light, making it vanish as if it had never existed.
From the left, Bai Li Qingfeng rushed forward, the longsword in his hand emitting a sword qi like silver mist. His voice was low and cold:
"Azure Cloud—Wind and Rain Slash!"
A single sword stroke cut down, its momentum like a raging storm, the blade pulling along dozens of sword shadows to envelop the Demon Empress. She only spun around, the cicada-wing-like longsword appearing in her hand, parrying the attack and flicking it back, sending Qingfeng flying far away.
Tu Mo at this moment had finished setting up a massive circle of talismanic runes. He let out a low shout, blood from his fingertip shooting into the array:
— "Seven Fiend Talisman Array—Sky Lock!"
The array exploded, nine pillars of golden light rising up like nine heavenly pillars, locking the space around the Demon Empress. The sealing force pressed down, restraining the demonic energy.
The Demon Empress raised her eyebrows slightly, a cold glint in her eyes, showing no struggle, but only a smirk:
— "Impressive… but is that all?"
As soon as her words fell, a pair of demonic blood wings grew from her back. The gigantic wings flapped powerfully, the space reverberated, and the nine light pillars instantly exploded, their talisman fragments scattering like ashes. Tu Mo coughed up blood, his body staggering.
Jin Yu charged forward again, swinging his battle axe horizontally, the force crushing everything in its path. The Demon Empress met it with her longsword, then twisted her wrist to counter, the screech of metal so harsh it made him kneel and cough up blood. All four were forced back, leaving only Bai Zichen standing still, like a ghost in the dark corner. His fingers moved slightly, and the invisible threads of sword qi had almost completely closed in.
The Demon Empress glanced at him, smiling as if seeing through everything:
— "You are the one I wanted to see the most."
She charged, her black shadow descending like a falling meteor. But at that exact moment, Lin Yuer managed to get up, and the white light exploded once more, forcing the Demon Empress's speed to halt for a split second.
That brief moment… was the opening that Zichen had been waiting for.
He opened his eyes, which now held only endless killing intent. His voice was like a death sentence:
— "Absolute Slaughter—Judgment Sword!"
Space tore open, and the blade of death descended, combining with the remaining purifying light and sword shadows, all striking the Demon Empress's body at once…
The unexpected blow, combined with the purifying light, shattered her layer of demonic energy and struck her body directly. A low, hoarse screech echoed, and her form dissolved into countless specks of black dust, which were swept into the void by the wind.
The grand hall sank into silence. The demonic energy faded, the air became lighter, but the cold lingered like a haunting presence. The group sighed in relief, but Bai Li Qingfeng's eyes narrowed slightly—where the dust had vanished, there was no blood or flesh...