The Celestial Sky Sword, radiating unparalleled sharpness, transformed into a brilliant sword light and slashed toward the Golden Core elders of the Demon Lair.
But at that moment, a surge of extraordinarily potent malevolent energy emerged from the Nether Spring within the Demon Lair, binding the sword in place and temporarily neutralizing its power.
The Demon Lair was indeed a forbidden stronghold for demonic cultivators. The might of the Nether Spring was so formidable that even a demon-slaying treasure could not immediately break free.
"This is bad."
Seeing both treasures restrained, everyone felt a sinking dread.
At that moment, the Demon Lair Lord and the other demonic elders sneered as they led their forces in an all-out assault.
A fierce battle erupted instantly. Master Zhang, despite his injuries, faced off against the Demon Lair Lord. Both were grievously wounded but managed to stabilize the situation.
Jiang Linglong, wielding her celestial sword, soared into the air and attacked the traitorous Daoist Taicang, while Fairy Lingji engaged the Blood Robe Elder.
Amidst the chaos, the Demon Yan seized the opportunity to target Fairy Lingji.
"This cannot be allowed!"
Elian's expression darkened. Fairy Lingji had only recently ascended to the Golden Core stage, with her cultivation at just the second layer. In the environment of the Demon Lair, being surrounded posed a significant risk of death.
Determined, he glanced at his companions and said solemnly, "We must act immediately to stop that demon."
Without hesitation, Elian unleashed his Fiery Void Sword against Demon Yan.
Demon Yan, however, sneered, summoning three crimson apparitions—the Blood Devil Clones using the Blood Demon Art.
"Be careful!"
Elian's expression shifted as he engaged the blood shadows, realizing that each clone possessed the strength of a False Golden Core cultivator.
In an instant, Elian, along with Fairy Mu Jin and Lin Qianshu, were locked in battle against the Blood Devil Clones.
Seeing Fairy Lingji in peril, the Patriarch of the Chen family, Chen Changxuan, intercepted one of Elian's opponents. "Go and assist Fairy Lingji!"
Elian nodded, directing the Fiery Void Sword toward Demon Yan.
Demon Yan, a master of the Blood Demon Art, was unparalleled in his survivability. However, his breakthrough to the Golden Core stage was recent, and without the assistance of his clones, he was forced to take Elian seriously.
Raising his hand, Demon Yan summoned his lifebound treasure, releasing seven demonic heads from his Seven Souls Demon Banner.
Each of these demonic heads possessed strength equivalent to a late-stage Purple Mansion cultivator. Even a False Golden Core cultivator would be at risk of soul devouring if besieged by all seven.
Elian, undaunted, activated the Solar True Aura technique as the demonic heads approached.
"Boom!"
In an instant, Elian was enveloped in a golden radiance, resembling a brilliant golden sun. Its divine and majestic light illuminated a hundred-mile radius, vaporizing the pervasive malevolent energy into wisps of smoke.
"Pure Yang technique!"
Demon Yan cried out in alarm, attempting to retract his treasure, but it was too late.
The seven demonic heads, lacking physical bodies, were exceptionally vulnerable to Pure Yang techniques. In mere moments, three were annihilated, while three others suffered devastating injuries, their agonized screams echoing through the battlefield. Only one managed to escape with minor damage.
"My treasure!"
Demon Yan cried out in anguish as his lifebound treasure was crippled. In desperation, he unleashed a mid-tier four-level demonic sword to strike back.
At that moment, Chen Family allies Xu Qianyang and Fang Patriarch arrived with their own four-tier treasures, joining forces against Demon Yan.
The three joined forces, managing to hold their ground against the formidable demonic elder.
After half an hour of fierce combat, the Patriarch consumed a restorative pill, realizing that prolonged battle within the Demon Lair risked utter defeat.
He resolutely deployed the Whiteblade Star Pearls, trapping the three Blood Devil Clones in an array.
"I will hold these clones. You assist Elian in defeating Demon Yan."
Lin Qianshu and Mu Jin hesitated briefly, seeing the Patriarch's solemn resolve, but quickly shifted focus, attacking Demon Yan with their four-tier treasures.
Against the combined assault of five False Golden Core cultivators wielding six four-tier treasures, Demon Yan finally began to falter. His lifebound treasure was half-destroyed, his clones restrained by the Patriarch, leaving him with only his four-tier demonic sword for defense.
Although some demonic cultivators attempted to intervene, they were held off by Chen Nianchuan, Chen Xianye, and other Purple Mansion cultivators.
The battle raged for a moment longer before Elian seized an opportunity, deploying the Red Sun Void-Searing Furnace to engulf Demon Yan's demonic sword in flames.
He then used the Magnetic Treasure Mirror to immobilize the sword, effectively neutralizing Demon Yan's second lifebound treasure.
With both treasures neutralized, Demon Yan began contemplating retreat.
However, the group pressed their advantage. Lin Qianshu's Ink Snow Sword, Xu Qianyang's Azure Sun Demon Vanquishing Spear, and Mu Jin's Golden Sun Heart Lantern struck in unison, shattering Demon Yan's protective energy barrier and leaving him gravely wounded.
Seizing the moment, Elian unleashed the Fiery Void Sword, decapitating Demon Yan in a single strike.
Even after decapitation, Demon Yan's Golden Core emerged, attempting to escape.
Elian, prepared, activated the Formless Sword, slicing the Golden Core into two.
"Boom!"
Simultaneously, the array of Whiteblade Star Pearls exploded, sending the Patriarch flying and spilling blood.
Demon Yan's consciousness fled into one of his Blood Devil Clones, glaring hatefully at Elian before retreating into the distance.
"You coward! Resorting to sneak attacks with an Formless Sword—what kind of sword cultivator are you?" Demon Yan spat venomously as he fled.
"Next time, I'll cut you down!"
Elian's expression remained cold.
"Next time we meet, I'll kill you with one strike."
He did not pursue. Demon Yan's Blood Devil Transference technique was astonishingly resilient. Completely eliminating him would be a daunting task.
However, Demon Yan's Golden Core was destroyed, it would take him at least a cycle of sixty years to recover his strength.
Elian caught the falling Patriarch, realizing the extent of his injuries. Chen Changxuan had nearly exhausted his life essence, and demonic energy had invaded his body.
"Cough, cough—"
Feeding the Patriarch a pill, Elian stabilized his condition.
"I'm fine," the Patriarch wheezed weakly.
"I'm not dying just yet."
The damage he had sustained would require decades to heal, even with the Solar Flame Sutra that excelled in purging demonic energy.
Though heartbroken, Elian had no time to dwell. Handing the Patriarch over to Chen Nianchuan, he turned, eyes blazing with fury, charging toward the Blood Robe Elder.
...
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