Streaks of sword light, each over ten meters long, descended like a dense, whistling storm, aiming straight for Luo Zhen.
"Host, the Afterimage Talisman, now!" the System shouted in his mind. "These are Half-step Demon King attacks, Luo Zhen! You won't survive this barrage!"
Luo Zhen didn't need the prompt; the Afterimage Talisman was already active.
In the blink of an eye, his body blurred into a ghostly afterimage, effortlessly weaving through the lethal onslaught of sword light.
"That Golden Snake is too fast!"
The square-faced martial artist exclaimed in shock, but then he quickly organized the others to unleash another fierce wave of sword strikes. Though the attacks hammered down relentlessly, Luo Zhen was untouched. His incredible speed allowed him to dart and dodge through the chaos of the ruined warehouse, the sword light unable to pin him down.
While Luo Zhen remained unharmed, the warehouse—the target of the sword formation—was pulverized. The massive structure was completely shattered into rubble. The other Demon Generals were caught in the crossfire: Hong Yu and the Sand Scorpion Demon General sustained minor wounds, but the Earth Rat Demon General lost an arm, cleanly severed by a stray strike. The Lizard Demon General was the unluckiest, cut in half and killed instantly.
Watching Luo Zhen continue to evade as an afterimage within the danger zone, the Sand Scorpion Demon General screamed, "You slimy, damned worm! You dragged us all into your suicide run!"
Luo Zhen merely narrowed his snake eyes. He abruptly changed course and darted toward the Sand Scorpion Demon General.
"What are you doing?!" the Sand Scorpion cried out in alarm. "Stay away! Stay away from me!"
The change in direction meant that a dozen massive sword strikes that had been following Luo Zhen now descended upon the Sand Scorpion's position. Luo Zhen's inhuman speed allowed him to shoot past just in time. The Sand Scorpion Demon General wasn't so fortunate.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The coordinated strikes impacted the ground where the Demon General stood. When the smoke cleared, the Sand Scorpion Demon General was gone, reduced to a pile of minced flesh.
Luo Zhen continued his chaotic dance of evasion, but mid-run, the System's voice cut in again:
"Host, this is bad! The Ant Queen has woken up!"
"What?" Luo Zhen froze, but before he could react, a sphere of violent, pink Demonic Energy blasted in from the distant sky, smashing directly into the sword formation's light barrier.
A deafening explosion was followed by a chilling, glass-like crack-crack-crack sound.
The Big Dipper Sword Formation shattered!
Seeing his tormentor destroyed, Luo Zhen was ecstatic. He shot out of the collapsing formation as a streak of light, followed closely by Hong Yu and the injured Earth Rat Demon General.
Once free, Luo Zhen looked up. Half the sky had turned a vibrant pink. High above, the air shimmered, and a stunning woman, a picture of mature grace and power, stood mid-air. Clad in a form-fitting white palace gown that showcased her flawless, long, snow-white legs, she was a devastating beauty—and she radiated the terrifying, unmistakable aura of a Demon King!
"Is that the Ant Queen?" Luo Zhen whispered in dread.
"Yes," the System confirmed. "Host, you need to be careful. She's at the Peak Demon King Realm, just one step from Demon Emperor!"
"I thought she was in closed-door cultivation! Why is she out? And can the humans' sword formation handle her?"
"I don't know why she stopped cultivating, but it's likely because of the noise you made," the System replied. "As for the sword formation, it might handle an early-stage Demon King, but she's Peak Realm. The formation is useless."
"What's the plan, then?" Luo Zhen pressed.
"The Ant Queen will definitely deal with the seven martial artists first, as the formation is the biggest threat. When they clash, you run, and don't look back," the System instructed.
The seven martial artists had recovered from their shock. The square-faced leader examined the breathtakingly figured woman. "You must be the Ant Queen of the Blazing Fire Poison Ants."
"Correct," the long-legged woman replied coolly.
"Heh, I didn't think you could break our formation," the leader said. "But that was us being careless. If we use our full power, we can slay even a Demon King like you!"
One of the other martial artists cut in, "Big Brother, hold on. Don't be so quick to kill her."
"What do you mean?" the leader frowned.
"Heh, forget killing her right away. She's smoking hot!" The speaker greedily licked his lips. "Especially those long, pale legs. I could use those for a year and not get bored."
"We should have our fun before we kill her! Hand her over!"
The others immediately chimed in, roaring with lewd laughter.
On the opposing side, the Ant Queen's beautiful eyes turned cold and savage as she absorbed the vulgar human words.
The next moment, both sides struck. The Ant Queen unleashed a volley of Demonic Energy spheres, while the martial artists hastily redeployed the sword formation. Soon, deafening explosions ripped through the sky.
"Now!" Luo Zhen hissed, twisting his body and shooting away from the battle as an afterimage. As long as his Demonic Power held, the talisman would keep working. Hong Yu and the one-armed Earth Rat Demon General knew this was their only chance and desperately ran with him.
Just then, a few scattered, broken sword strikes descended from the sky, slamming directly into the Earth Rat Demon General.
"Ah!"
The Demon General cried out and died instantly. Hong Yu shivered at the sight and pushed her speed to its limit, fleeing for her life. Of the five demon beasts who had come for the Poison Crystal, only Luo Zhen and Hong Yu remained.
Luo Zhen sped through the black desert in a blur. Before long, he sensed Hong Yu's aura getting closer. He glanced over and saw her approaching rapidly, also moving like an afterimage.
"How is Hong Yu so fast?" Luo Zhen wondered in surprise.
"She has a Secret Art," the System explained. "Her speed is comparable to yours."
Hong Yu caught up to him almost instantly.
"Brother Luo, you're fast!" she said, panting as they ran side-by-side.
"Heh, a talisman helps me along," Luo Zhen replied with a quick laugh.
The System's voice cut in again: "Host, bad news. The Ant Queen finished off the human martial artists. She's chasing you now."
"What?" Luo Zhen's face went white.
"Brother Luo, what is it?" Hong Yu asked, noticing his sudden terror.
"The Ant Queen dealt with the martial artists," Luo Zhen said in a low, grim voice. "She's coming for us!"
"What?!" Hong Yu's face twisted in horror.
Luo Zhen and Hong Yu buried their heads and ran for their lives, but the Ant Queen, however, was in a different league entirely. Within moments, the horizon behind them turned completely pink, and she was gaining at a terrifying, impossible speed.
A minute later, she was upon them.
Under the crushing pressure of the Demon King Realm's terrifying aura, both Luo Zhen and Hong Yu began to tremble violently. For Luo Zhen, who was only in the Sky Profound Realm, the difference in power was astronomical.
At the same time, the pervasive pink mist surrounding the Ant Queen entered their bodies. This mist, her unique poison, was designed to paralyze opponents. Luo Zhen's already low Demonic Power was instantly drained, and his entire body went limp, unable to move a muscle. Hong Yu suffered the same fate, falling motionless onto the sand.
"System, why is my body powerless!?" Luo Zhen demanded in his mind.
"You've been hit by the Ant Queen's signature poison gas," the System said. "It rapidly consumes your Demonic Power and causes full-body paralysis."
"Can you neutralize it?" Luo Zhen asked.
"Yes. There is an Antidote Pill in the Mall. You can exchange points for it," the System said, then paused. "But honestly, I don't think you'll escape in the end..."
"I don't care about the end! Just neutralize the poison!" Luo Zhen hurriedly opened the Mall and exchanged his points for the Antidote Pill.
Just then, a graceful figure, highlighted by the rosy mist, slowly descended from the sky.
"You two little snakes certainly ran fast," the stunning Ant Queen chuckled, looking down at Luo Zhen and Hong Yu. She began to walk towards them.
Luo Zhen quickly and secretly swallowed the pill. The Antidote Pill's power was astonishing. In moments, his mobility was restored. Watching the Ant Queen approach, he concentrated and activated Stealth.
Luo Zhen vanished into thin air. He wasn't just invisible; he extended his wings and shot into the sky. Stealth was broken by attacking, but flying wasn't considered an attack, so he remained concealed.
Hong Yu, lying paralyzed nearby, stared in shock as the eighty-meter-long snake suddenly blinked out of existence. The Ant Queen was momentarily startled and began scanning the air.
"I see you," the Ant Queen said, smiling at the sky. She extended a single finger and gently pointed upward.
A pillar of pink light shot from her fingertip toward Luo Zhen. He dodged, only to find the beam was homing in on him, freely curving to pursue his every turn.
Three seconds later, KABOOM!
Luo Zhen was struck. His figure was instantly revealed, and he plummeted from the sky. He slammed heavily onto the sand, hissing in pain. The pink beam had grazed his body, leaving a gash from which rich snake blood flowed.
"You are a truly surprising little Golden Snake. Flight and invisibility," the Ant Queen said, continuing her slow, confident walk toward him on her flawless white legs. "What other tricks are you hiding? Show them all!"
Luo Zhen flicked his tongue, coiled his body, and spat out every wisp of his Skeleton Ghost Fire. Concurrently, he triggered his Summoning skill: Demon Shadow Descent!
A terrifying, boundless phantom of a nine-headed giant snake materialized behind him. The serpent's nine heads opened, spitting a river of golden, magma-like fire. This combination—the Ghost Fire and the Nine-Infant Demon Shadow—was Luo Zhen's ultimate move. If it couldn't kill her, it should at least wound her.
But what happened next stunned Luo Zhen to his core.
The Ant Queen was enveloped in a protective layer of pink mist. Luo Zhen's attacks, upon hitting the mist, simply vanished as if they were dissolved. They weren't vanishing; they were being decomposed. Luo Zhen, horrified, quickly recalled his remaining Ghost Fire. Even so, he had lost nearly a third of his stored fire.
While he was reeling, the time limit for Demon Shadow Descent expired, and the Nine-Infant Demon Shadow dissolved into nothingness.
Across from him, the devastatingly beautiful Ant Queen approached slowly, a gentle smile playing on her lips as she strode forward. Though she was stunning, Luo Zhen felt a bone-deep chill. This woman wasn't a beauty; she was a harbinger of death.
"System, what now!?" Luo Zhen pleaded anxiously. "Any other options?"
"Yes. The only remaining option is for me to take over your body. It will cause severe damage to your physical form," the System stated. "Crucially, even with the damage, I have no certainty of defeating this Ant Queen. But it is the only way."
"Then do it. It's a do-or-die situation!" Luo Zhen's expression turned grim. He relinquished control, allowing the System to fully take over his physical form.
A wave of dizzying sensation washed over Luo Zhen before his consciousness faded into a deep sleep. Simultaneously, his body erupted with a terrifying, unfamiliar aura.
The approaching Ant Queen paused, looking slightly surprised. She let out a small, appreciative gasp. "That's... interesting. But that level of power still won't be enough to defeat me."
The ground erupted as the System-controlled Luo Zhen and the Ant Queen engaged in a fierce, brutal battle.
Ten minutes later, Luo Zhen was defeated again. The Ant Queen was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, her clothes clinging to her body. Though she had won, the effort was immense.
"What a formidable little snake," the Ant Queen said, catching her breath. "To explode with such a fighting capability, despite being only Sky Profound Realm!"
Luo Zhen's mouth spoke, controlled by the System: "I concede you are strong, but do not push me too far. If you enrage me, I will detonate this body, and you will not escape without severe injury!"
"Detonate?" The Ant Queen was momentarily taken aback, then burst into laughter. "That's the most amusing threat I've heard! Go on, then! Detonate!"
"You think I won't?" the System-voice challenged. "Don't assume I only have one life! Even if I die, I can be reborn! All it means is starting over and evolving again!"
"You don't need to detonate. I'll just kill you now!" The Ant Queen's face turned vicious. She raised her palm, preparing a strike, but then suddenly froze, her eyes widening.
She stared at the fresh snake blood on Luo Zhen's body. "Such dense Spirit Blood! What species are you, snake?"
"A Supreme Variant Spirit Seed. Why do you ask?" the System-voice replied flatly.
"Supreme Variant Spirit Seed? Truly?" The Ant Queen looked suspicious. She extended her hand, drew some of the snake blood closer, and tasted it with her tongue.
"It is! It's Supreme Spirit Blood!" The Ant Queen's expression shifted to fervent excitement. "You are a Supreme Spirit Seed!"
"Spirit Snake, how about we make a deal?!" she exclaimed.
"What kind of deal?"
"I will not kill you. I won't harm you at all. Furthermore, I will personally help raise your cultivation realm!" the Ant Queen offered. "In exchange, you must agree to one condition."
"What is the condition?"
"You will be my consort. I need to consume the spiritual essence of your Supreme Spirit Seed to break through my current realm."
Luo Zhen's voice, now controlled by the System, was flat and devoid of emotion: "Done. I accept."