The Fourth Prince Xu Lang, the First Prince Xu Aing, and the Third Prince Xu Bing stormed out of the Immortal Hall, their figures cutting through the air like lightning. As soon as they landed, the entire horde of Black-Death Demons halted in unison. Their leader, Chang Xu, smirked darkly, his eyes glimmering with arrogance.
"I did not expect you three to regain consciousness this quickly," he drawled, his voice dripping with mockery. "It seems my tea was not to your liking." His words were followed by the cruel laughter of the other demons, echoing like twisted bells in the blackened air.
Xu Bing shouted with burning rage, "Enough of your tricks! We will show you what it means to mock us!"
Without hesitation, the three princes charged into battle. Steel clashed against black claws, the sky trembled with the sound of roars, and the ground was drenched in blood. Corpses littered the battlefield; the stench of death mixed with the suffocating aura of darkness. Still, despite their might, only a handful of demons remained standing before the relentless princes.
But Chang Xu's smirk deepened. "Do you three even realize what comes next?"
As Xu Aing, Xu Bing, and Xu Lang surged forward to finish the fight, the demon leader raised his hand. The remaining demons hurled down an eerie snowfall, each flake black as ink. The ground turned obsidian, and suddenly the three princes staggered. Blood spilled from their mouths, their knees trembling.
Chang Xu's laughter thundered. "Of course, I knew how powerful you are. That is why we had another plan prepared. This is no ordinary snow—it is **Black Poison Snow**. It weakens any immortal, no matter how strong, and even demons themselves cannot withstand it for long."
The poison gnawed at their bodies. Xu Lang coughed blood, his strength crumbling. Xu Aing's vision darkened, his sight flickering into nothingness, while Xu Bing's nose bled uncontrollably, his breathing shallow.
Chang Xu pointed his sword at them. "Within two hours, if you do not receive the antidote, you will all die."
He tilted his head with cruel delight. "Why prolong your suffering? Perhaps I should end your pain here and now."
Xu Bing roared back, his voice raw, "Coward! Give me the antidote, just once! I will show you your true place—" but his words broke as a heavy burst of blood poured from his lips.
Enraged, Chang Xu slashed his blade across Xu Bing's shoulder. Flesh tore, blood gushed violently, and his brother staggered backward. Xu Lang tried to rise in fury, but collapsed again, his mouth flooding crimson.
Chang Xu's grin widened. "Prepare yourselves for death!"
Shen Min, watching in horror, clenched her fists. *If I do nothing, they will die here. I cannot let that happen.* Desperately, she searched the chamber, her mind racing. Then she remembered—*the pill!*
She sprinted toward Master Han Jio, slipped the pill into his mouth, and prayed. Moments later, his eyes opened weakly. She hurriedly explained everything, her words tumbling over each other. The master's expression hardened. Summoning his last strength, he broke the seal, though the effort forced blood from his lips.
"Stay here," he whispered hoarsely, his body trembling with weakness.
But Shen Min's gaze shifted in terror—the demon leader's blade was aimed straight at Xu Lang. Without thinking, she dashed forward and threw herself in front of him.
The sword struck her chest. Blood poured from her lips as she collapsed into Xu Lang's arms. For the first time in his life, tears burned in Xu Lang's eyes. He gently laid her on the ground, his trembling fingers removing the pin from her hair.
A storm exploded. Winds howled, the earth trembled, and demons staggered back in shock.
With a furious roar, Xu Lang unleashed a surge of power that hurled the demons across the battlefield. His body rose into the air, shrouded in overwhelming dark energy. The moon vanished, swallowed by the sinister aura. From a distance, a cloaked figure watched, a black sword in hand, its mark glowing red. The stranger smirked.
"I knew it… Xu Lang, you are the one," he whispered before vanishing into the void.
Xu Lang floated in midair, one eye glowing blood-red, the other consumed with pitch-black energy. He summoned a black sword that pulsed with both shadow and crimson light, its aura so fierce it blanketed the heavens.
The death-demon leader's bravado shattered. "N-No… this… this is Xi himself!"
But before he could retreat, Xu Lang's blade descended. In a single strike, the demon leader was torn into countless pieces, his body exploding like a ruptured vessel, blood raining down. The other demons fell to their knees, trembling, their foreheads pressed to the ground.
"Please… spare us!" they begged.
Xu Lang only smirked coldly. "You awakened me. Now you will face your fate."
He sealed Xu Aing, Xu Bing, and Shen Min aside for safety, then conjured a black vortex that sucked the remaining demon soldiers together. With one devastating slash, he obliterated them all. Blood painted the ground, black energy filled the air, and silence drowned the battlefield.
Exhausted, Xu Lang coughed blood, hastily pinning his hair back. He poured his energy into healing Xu Aing and Xu Bing, just as the others arrived.
Gasps filled the hall. "Wh-What… happened here?" one soldier stammered, staring at the sea of corpses. "So many death demons… even their leader… what nightmare unfolded in this place?"
Xu Lang stood drenched in blood, his robes torn and stained, his hands trembling.
Master Han Jio, weakened, ordered the immortal soldiers, "Take the wounded demons alive. Secure everything."
Meanwhile, Shen Min awoke in a quiet chamber. She sat up abruptly, her hands running across her body. No scars. No wounds. She rushed to the mirror and whispered in disbelief, "I'm alive… but I saw the sword strike me. How am I here?"
Tears stung her eyes. She slapped her own cheek, muttering, "Why did I act so recklessly? What if I had died? Foolish, foolish!"
The door creaked open. Shen Min panicked, leapt back onto the bed, and feigned weakness. "Ouch… so much pain…" she groaned dramatically.
Xu Aing entered with Xu Bing behind him. Xu Bing frowned. "What happened? You've been asleep for two days."
Shen Min's eyes widened. "Two days? But… yesterday the demons attacked! Don't you remember?" She explained everything rapidly, but Xu Bing shook his head.
"You must be imagining things. Nothing like that happened."
At that moment, Xu Lang entered. Shen Min rushed to him, grabbing his hand. He stared at her silently, making her flush with embarrassment. She quickly pulled back. "You're alive… I mean—I didn't think you'd survive."
Xu Lang's expression remained cold. "Nothing happened. You've been unconscious for two days. It seems you enjoy making up stories."
Shen Min protested, "But… your wounds! Your hands—" She grasped his wrist, searching for proof, but found none.
Xu Lang leaned close, his lips brushing near her ear, his voice low. "Perhaps the truth is simpler… You've fallen for me. That's why you always find excuses to touch me."He smirked..