Chapter 559: Chapter 559

"The Heaven-Sundering True Demon" occupied Master Jinyang’s body for rebirth through possession, a change that truly shocked Zhouyang.

He had sensed that the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" would not be so easily exterminated, but never expected the foe to escape in such a manner.

It wasn’t just him; at this moment, looking at the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" shrouded in overwhelming demonic aura, Lu Xuanji, a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul "Half-Step True Immortal", was also utterly shocked, his eyes filled with sorrow.

Master Jinyang, among the Nascent Soul Stage cultivators of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, was considered relatively "young", having cultivated for merely over two thousand years, with a great chance of advancing to the Late-Stage Nascent Soul in the future.

Earlier, for the sake of eliminating the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon", the Profound Sun Immortal Sect had already lost a Late-Stage Nascent Soul Master Baiyang. Now another Fifth-Layer Nascent Soul Master Jinyang had fallen, how could this not enrage Lu Xuanji, the Supreme Grand Elder of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect.

Besides the anger over Master Jinyang’s demise, what frightened Lu Xuanji even more was the fact that the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" had broken free.

Although its meticulously honed True Magical Body had been destroyed, the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" was now greatly diminished in strength, less than a tenth of its peak.

Yet its realm at the Tribulation Crossing Stage remained.

At this moment, after possessing Master Jinyang, with a physical body as a host, the aura it exuded alone faintly surpassed Lu Xuanji, the Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul "Half-Step True Immortal", showing its terrifying power.

"Fellow Daoist Yin, Fellow Daoist Zhu, at this critical moment of life and death, I hope you both will join forces with this old man to eliminate this fiend. We must not let it escape the Dome Heaven Immortal Realm, or else it will be an enormous catastrophe!"

Lu Xuanji took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger and fear in his heart, addressing Yin Hanguang and Zhu Zizhen with a serious face and a salute, hoping to join forces with this human and demon to annihilate the escaped "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" within the Dome Heaven Immortal Realm.

As long as they could eliminate the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon", the fall of the two Nascent Soul cultivators of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect would be worthwhile.

Otherwise, if the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" escaped the Dome Heaven Immortal Realm, not only would the deaths of the two Nascent Soul cultivators of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect be in vain, but the subsequent repercussions would be unimaginable.

If other sects learn that the Profound Sun Immortal Sect let the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" escape, causing chaos in the Cultivation Realm, it’s likely that the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, with its thousands of years of inheritance, might face extinction!

Being the Guardian and highest authority of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, Lu Xuanji certainly wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen.

He was not without a chance!

Although the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" looked imposing, after just breaking free, its current might was only due to having just devoured Master Jinyang’s Nascent Soul to replenish some magical power.

And this place is the Dome Heaven Immortal Realm, rich with Spiritual Qi. In fighting with them, any magical power the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" expends cannot be replenished, whereas they can easily absorb the abundant Spiritual Qi here to restore their magical power.

Moreover, although their power is not as great as the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon", it is impossible for the demon to defeat them as easily as it did Master Jinyang.

Lu Xuanji was quite confident about this.

He himself was a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul "Half-Step True Immortal", and he had a Tier Seven Immortal Artifact, capable of sparring a few rounds even with a fully restored Tribulation Crossing True Immortal.

Although Fellow Daoist Yin’s cultivation was slightly lower, he wielded the inheritance Immortal Artifact "Eye of Light" from the Great Brightness Immortal Palace. His strength was not weaker than that of any ordinary Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator, and when dealing with a demon like the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon", the power of the "Eye of Light" would be far more effective than any other same-tier Immortal Artifacts.

As for Zhu Zizhen, although unlike the two human cultivators who had Tier Seven Immortal Artifacts, as a True Saint Vermilion Bird Descendant, if willing to risk it all, he could burn the "True Vermilion Bird Blood" within him to unleash the famous True Spirit Transformation of the Demon Race, transforming into the Vermilion Bird Divine Bird, also wielding the power to rival a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator.

Moreover, if transformed into the Vermilion Bird Divine Bird, Zhu Zizhen’s "Vermilion Bird True Flame" would be more effective against a demon like the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" than any magical artifact or divine technique.

But all these were premised on the willingness of Yin Hanguang and Zhu Zizhen to risk their lives to assist!

No matter how convincing Lu Xuanji’s words sounded, speaking of an enormous catastrophe, for Yin Hanguang and Zhu Zizhen, who were not directly involved, nothing was more important than their own lives.

They, two individuals, one a human and the other a demon, came from the Westernmost Cultivation Realm thousands of miles away from the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm and from the Wilderness Jungle as the Demon King.

Even if the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" broke free and caused chaos in the Cultivation Realm, the chances of threatening them were very slim.

Couldn’t they just escape if they couldn’t defeat the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon"?

Besides, it wasn’t the Ancient Times. The "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" had lost its True Magical Body. Even if it broke free and caused chaos in a Cultivation Realm, in the eyes of Yin Hanguang and Zhu Zizhen, it would eventually be defeated and sealed by Tribulation Crossing True Immortals or Tier Seven True Spirits who would hear the news and arrive.

Of course, before that happened, with the strength of the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon", it would undoubtedly devastate the entire Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm. Countless sects could be destroyed, and countless cultivators could fall victim to its demon maw!

Lu Xuanji wasn’t wrong in calling it a catastrophe.

In conclusion, hearing Lu Xuanji’s words at this moment, both Yin Hanguang and Zhu Zizhen flickered their eyes, not responding immediately.

In fact, if it weren’t for Lu Xuanji holding the token to leave the Dome Heaven Immortal Realm, these two, a human and a demon, would have fled a long time ago, instead of listening to Lu Xuanji talk about demon extermination.

While they hesitated, the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" seemed to hear a joke, laughing out loud:

"Ha ha ha, if I want to leave, how can a mere Grotto Heaven Secret Realm trap me?"

"But you ignorant humans destroyed my True Magical Body. How can I not swallow you whole, skin and all, to quench my hatred?"

"Today, none of you shall leave. All of you die!"

Before the laughter ended, its body suddenly swelled, quickly transforming from Master Jinyang’s appearance into a sinister monster with a pitch-black singular horn on its head, covered in pitch-black scale armor, hands like beast claws, feet turned into cow hooves, a mouth full of sharp teeth bared.

Once the monster transformed, it opened its mouth with a furious roar.

From a thousand zhang away, Zhouyang’s soul was suddenly struck as if hit by lightning, instantly seized and he fell unconscious.

Lu Xuanji had mentioned that the roar of the Taowu Race had a soul-seizing effect, and indeed it was no mere exaggeration.

This was even after the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" had lost its original true magical body. Had its true magical body been present, with just one roar, Zhouyang might have not just fainted; his soul could have been shaken out of his body and devoured.

As for Lu Xuanji and others, although not as overcome as Zhouyang, their faces were contorted, enduring immense pain.

The roar that seizes the soul was followed swiftly by the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon’s" continued attack.

Its demon claw swung, slicing at Yin Hanguang with its hand like a knife, as a terrifying pitch-black blade light cleaved through the air toward him.

At the same time, its other demon claw pointed at Lu Xuanji, transforming the "Celestial Dragon Soul-Sealing Seal," now tainted and refined by its demonic power, into a silver True Dragon lunging at Lu Xuanji.

This series of attacks was completed in the blink of an eye, arriving before Lu Xuanji and Yin Hanguang before they could fully recover from the soul-seizing roar.

Fortunately, both were seasoned warriors who had survived countless battles, and despite their shock, they promptly executed the correct responses.

Lu Xuanji took a step forward, instantly vanishing from his original position, reappearing hundreds of zhang away.

Then, with a low shout, his crimson gold short spear transformed into a scarlet rainbow, piercing the silver True Dragon and halting its subsequent attacks. Read full story at novel fire.net

Yin Hanguang didn’t have it as easy.

Though the black blade light was less powerful than the silver True Dragon transformed from the "Celestial Dragon Soul-Sealing Seal," it was faster, too fast for him to dodge.

Since he couldn’t dodge, he had no choice but to withstand it.

The "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" didn’t expect that Yin Hanguang, with his mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivation, would possess a Tier Seven Spiritual Artifact.

So when the white light surged from Yin Hanguang’s eyes, intercepting the blade light, it was taken aback.

Sensing the opportunity, Yin Hanguang wasn’t content to stop there.

After dispersing the blade light directed at him, he traced his brows with two fingers, and two white beams shot from his eyes, straight towards the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon."

"Interesting! A rare light attribute immortal artifact, could it be from that scoundrel Yang Guangming?"

A black flash crackled atop its single horn, splitting into two black lightning bolts that shattered the incoming white beams, as the dark red demon eyes of the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" briefly flashed with surprise.

The Yang Guangming it referred to was none other than the founder of the Great Brightness Immortal Palace—True Monarch Guangming, a legendary figure who dominated the "Spirit Realm" during ancient times and was the most powerful cultivator in its history.

During the invasion of the True Demon Realm into the "Spirit Realm," several true demons of the Demon Race perished at the hands of this "True Monarch Guangming."

Even the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon," had it possessed its true magical body then, would likely have fallen to the "True Monarch Guangming."

"Impudent demon, how dare you directly name the Ancestor Master!"

Yin Hanguang, his face stern and eyes brimming with unrestrained anger, glared at the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" and shouted furiously.

Legends of the "True Monarch Guangming" abounded, and every disciple of the Great Brightness Immortal Palace grew up listening to the stories of this Ancestor Master.

He was especially revered for selflessly refining his immortal body into an immortal artifact for future generations, rather than ascending alongside other true immortals from the lower realm.

Yin Hanguang, despite being a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, was visibly angry upon hearing the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" disrespectfully call the name of his sect’s ancestor, forgetting previous thoughts of self-preservation and openly expressing his indignation.

Lu Xuanji promptly seized the moment to exclaim loudly, "Fellow Daoist Yin, if I survive this ordeal, I vow to help you ascend to the position of Palace Master of the Great Brightness Immortal Palace with all my might!"

Then, turning his gaze to Zhu Zizhen, who had not yet taken action, he added, "And Fellow Daoist Zhu, if you will assist us with all your strength, I will reveal to you the entrance to the Vermilion Bird Secret Realm!"

Upon hearing this, before Yin Hanguang could respond, Zhu Zizhen, already brimming with excitement, replied loudly, "Agreed, but first tell me the location of the entrance!"

Lu Xuanji’s lips moved slightly, and he immediately conveyed the entrance location to Zhu Zizhen via transmission method.

This "Vermilion Bird Secret Realm" was evidently of great significance to Zhu Zizhen.

Upon receiving Lu Xuanji’s transmission, Zhu Zizhen, after a brief contemplation, nodded slightly at Lu Xuanji and revealed her true form.

With a clear and melodious bird cry echoing, a crimson firebird with a wingspan of six to seventy zhang appeared in midair, revealing Zhu Zizhen’s Vermilion Feather Crane form.

As the crimson firebird materialized, it opened its mouth and expelled a crimson fire pillar toward the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon."

Simultaneously, as if in concert, Yin Hanguang closed his eyes and reopened them, sending two brilliant white treasure pearls from his eyes, merging in the air into a white blazing sun.

Light! Brightness! Limitless!

A resonant voice emanated from Yin Hanguang, and endless white brilliance burst forth from the white blazing sun in the sky, instantly transforming the entire underground space into a realm of light.

This was the power of the "Eye of Light!"

This was the power of a complete immortal artifact!

Compared to the complete Immortal Artifact like the "Eye of Light," Zhouyang’s "Qianyang Treasure Pearl" was not even worth mentioning.

One could see that the relaxed expression on the face of the "Heaven-Splitting True Demon" had somehow already disappeared, replaced by an unprecedented look of seriousness.

Evidently, the true strength of Lu Xuanji, Yin Hanguang, and Zhu Zizhen, two humans and one demon, had completely exceeded its expectations.

A fierce battle erupted.

The "Heaven-Splitting True Demon" was fighting one against three, showing no sign of being at a disadvantage.

Thanks to the underground space being specially reinforced, it hadn’t been destroyed in the combat between both parties.

But even so, when Zhouyang woke up, stones began to fall from the ground, and the entire underground space started to sway as if it might collapse.

Perhaps realizing this situation, not wanting to truly destroy this place, under Lu Xuanji’s signal, Yin Hanguang and Zhu Zizhen quickly flew out of the underground space with him.

The "Heaven-Splitting True Demon" naturally wouldn’t let them leave easily, hastily chasing after them, and soon the entire battle vanished from Zhouyang’s senses.

From beginning to end, no one paid any attention to him, the Golden Core Stage junior cultivator with a shattered dantian and meridians.

"It’s good not to care, if you don’t care about me, I can heal my wounds in peace!"

A fleeting smile appeared on Zhouyang’s face as he tried to struggle to his feet, only to trigger his injuries, causing him to grimace in pain and fall back to the ground.

So he simply gave up the idea of standing up and lay directly on the ground, enduring the pain of torn meridians, slowly channeling his remaining magical power into an indistinct seven-colored phoenix tattoo on his back.

After an unknown amount of time, a clear phoenix call suddenly sounded from within Zhouyang, and then a surge of seven-colored flames emerged from his body, quickly forming a cocoon of flames that enveloped him entirely.

Half an hour later, the fiery cocoon dissipated silently, revealing Zhouyang inside, legs curled up, as naked as a newborn baby.

At this moment, Zhouyang’s injuries had completely disappeared, and his previously nearly irreparable dantian and meridians were fully restored, even his magical power had returned to its perfect state.

"So this is Nirvana? Truly miraculous and awe-inspiring!"

Zhouyang stretched his legs, rose to his feet, and waved his hands with a face full of wonder, letting out a sigh of amazement.

Phoenix Nirvana, reborn from the flames!

As a pureblood human being, Zhouyang naturally had to thank Jiang Fengxian, with whom he once had a relationship, for allowing him to experience this "Nirvana" divine technique.

Back in the Kunxu Realm, after dual-cultivating with Jiang Fengxian, before parting, Jiang Fengxian used a secret technique of the Phoenix Race to leave a "Nirvana Imprint" on him by extracting her own "Phoenix True Blood."

The "Nirvana Imprint" is an exclusive secret technique of the Phoenix Race, usually granted only to outsiders who have a life-saving grace with a member of the Phoenix Race.

It is evident that Jiang Fengxian must have deeply loved Zhouyang to be willing to harm her own cultivation to leave him such a life-saving trump card.

With this "Nirvana Imprint," Zhouyang could activate the imprint to employ the Phoenix Race’s signature divine technique "Nirvana" to recover from severe injuries.

However, a single "Nirvana Imprint" could only allow him to use the "Nirvana" divine technique once.

To leave him with this "Nirvana Imprint," Jiang Fengxian extracted about one-fifth of her own "Phoenix True Blood."

Even though the extracted "Phoenix True Blood" can gradually recover through long years of cultivation, the time span is almost counted in centuries.

So in the short term, even if Zhouyang were to meet Jiang Fengxian again, he couldn’t expect her to provide him with such a life-saving trump card anew.

"Fengxian, oh Fengxian, you’ve saved my life once again!"

"A debt of life-saving grace can never be repaid in this life, seems I can only offer my life in return!"

Zhouyang’s face blossomed into a smile, thinking of the beloved whose whereabouts were unknown, his eyes filled with longing.

However, it wasn’t long before his eyes of longing turned into panic due to the trembling of the ground above.

Reality was cruel, the trembling of the ground conveyed a very bad signal to Zhouyang—the battle between the "Heaven-Splitting True Demon" and Lu Xuanji and others hadn’t ended, and was moving closer to this direction.

"What to do? What should I do?"

He anxiously paced in circles, his face full of anxiety.

He couldn’t help but be anxious.

As the old saying goes, when the city gate catches fire, the pond fish suffers, and right now, he was that pond fish.

In the battle between the "Heaven-Splitting True Demon" and Lu Xuanji and others, with his mere First-Layer Golden Core stage cultivation, even the aftershocks could kill him.

Earlier, he had narrowly escaped death by pure chance and dared not hope for such luck to continue.

After pacing in anxiety for a while, his gaze suddenly fixed, looking towards the altar that had previously trapped the "Heaven-Splitting True Demon."

Since the "Heaven-Splitting True Demon’s" true magical body was destroyed, the "Celestial Spirit Demon Suppression Array" seemed to have lost its effect, those silver chains, while still present, no longer had a target, nor exhibited any of the miraculous phenomena from before.

"We can only fight it out!"

Zhouyang gritted his teeth and suddenly ran towards the altar.

He remembered Lu Xuanji introducing the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" earlier, mentioning that the "Celestial Spirit Demon Suppression Array" was only effective against the Demon Race and Demon Cultivators, and had no reaction to cultivators.

And earlier, when they teamed up to refine the True Magical Body of the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon," those silver lights and silver thunders actively opened a path to allow the purple-gold Fiery Flame to fall onto the True Magical Body, seemingly verifying Lu Xuanji’s words from a different angle.

At this moment, this array that had suppressed the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" for tens of thousands of years had already become Zhouyang’s last hope for survival.

Fortunately, he won the gamble!

He safely reached the altar without encountering any attacks.

Before long, the hideous demon body of the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" appeared in Zhouyang’s line of sight.

At this time, the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" had already lost its previous might. The demon body it had mutated into after possessing Master Jinyang’s body was severely scarred in the fierce battle, even having a portion of the single horn on its head severed by some sharp weapon.

This was ultimately not its well-honed True Magical Body, but merely a demon body resulting from the mutation of a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator’s physical body. Although resilient, it was not indestructible.

"Huh! This little thing is still alive!"

When the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" revealed its form and saw Zhouyang on the altar, it let out a surprised exclamation, full of astonishment.

Although it had never given Zhouyang a second glance from start to finish, it could see Zhouyang’s miserable state at a glance earlier.

Now seeing Zhouyang, whom it thought beyond saving, standing there unharmed, how could it not be surprised?

However, it was just a moment of surprise. After all, Zhouyang was nothing but a minor Golden Core Stage cultivator, whether injured or not, of no concern to it.

Zhouyang, however, dared not relax in the slightest.

He certainly hoped that the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" would ignore his existence, but he also had to guard against this demon suddenly lashing out.

Clearly, his worry was not misplaced.

Because although the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" did not regard him as important, it did not mind casually crushing him like a "small insect."

With a wave of its demon claw, it sent a wisp of demonic qi transforming into a pitch-black poisonous snake, lunging towards Zhouyang on the altar.

The sound of metal clashing rang out, and the originally lifeless silver chains on the altar suddenly acted like an awakened giant python, fiercely whipping towards the pitch-black poisonous snake transformed from the wisp of demonic qi.

At the moment these silver chains moved, Zhouyang felt a powerful force of imprisonment descend upon him, rendering him completely immobile as he watched the silver chains whip towards him.

After an explosion, Zhouyang and the pitch-black poisonous snake transformed from the wisp of demonic qi turned into ashes together.

Then the silver chains returned to their lifeless state.

At this time, Zhouyang, who had turned to ashes, suddenly reappeared on the altar, leaving only a shattered green wooden token in the original place.

The "Wood Replacement Life Token" obtained from the Kunxu Realm saved his life at a critical moment.

"Hmm? Still not dead."

The "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" narrowed its eyes, completely surprised that this insignificant "small insect" Zhouyang could survive its attack.

With a flash of anger in its eyes, it was ready to strike again.

But just then, Lu Xuanji and others finally appeared outside the altar.

"Demon, your death is imminent!"

Lu Xuanji’s gaze swept across the altar and showed a trace of surprise upon seeing Zhouyang standing there unharmed, but when his eyes landed on the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon," they turned into rage, shouting furiously.

It was unclear what additional evil deeds the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" had done to make him so angry.

Moreover, Zhouyang noticed that not only Lu Xuanji, but even Yin Hanguang and the revealed true form Zhu Zizhen gazed at the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" as if they had an irreconcilable grudge against it.

"Could it be? It really..."

Zhouyang’s expression changed suddenly, as if he had thought of something, and his face turned extremely grim.

As expected, the subsequent words of the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon" confirmed his guess.

"Hehehe, now that the teleportation array is destroyed, you ignorant humans can rot here until the end of time, I’m not staying here to play with you!"

The wicked laughter of the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon," along with its words, made Zhouyang’s heart sink to the bottom!