171: Chapter 171 Bloodshed at the Nascent Soul Stage! The Demon Emperor's Defeat, the Opportunity for the Golden Core Breakthrough!

A crack extends from the top to the bottom. Demon Emperor Lietian steps out of the wreckage of the light screen.

The left shoulder of his silver cloak is torn, revealing the silver-scaled shoulder underneath.

There is a new sword mark on the silver scales, and demon blood—silver blood—seeps out from the sword mark.

He lowers his head to look at the wound, then raises his right hand.

He clenches his five fingers, and the silver blood is forced to stop by his demon power. The silver scales at the edge of the wound curl up, two pieces shatter and fall into the clouds.

Daoist Xuantian is suspended three hundred zhang opposite him. His gray greatsword is held horizontally in front of him, with a new silvery-white scorch mark on the blade.

His left sleeve has disappeared from the elbow down, and the skin of his exposed forearm is charred black, revealing the Meridians beneath through which gray-white Spiritual Qi flows.

The two stare at each other.

Soul Transformation Late Stage against Soul Transformation Late Stage.

Demon Emperor Lietian turns his right palm over, and the silver patterns on his palm light up again.

"Xuantian, your sword edge is sharp enough."

Daoist Xuantian does not respond. He pushes the gray greatsword forward by an inch.

You lean against the crenellations of the city tower, kneeling on one knee while leaning on your sword, looking upwards. The two Spiritual Pressures shatter all the clouds within a five-mile radius, exposing the sky.

Demon Emperor Lietian makes the first move.

"Lietian · Three Phases."

He pushes both palms forward, and three silver beams of light shoot out side by side. The spacing between the three beams is extremely narrow, with less than a zhang of gap left in between.

Wherever the beams sweep, space distorts. The air at the ends of the beams is compressed to the extreme, emitting a sharp whistling sound.

Daoist Xuantian raises his hand, and the gray greatsword splits into three. Each of the three gray swords meets one beam of light.

Collision. Three thunderous sounds overlap. Cracks appear in space at the six collision points, and a Spiritual Qi storm pours in from the gaps.

Hall Master Chi Yang, supported by Huo Quji, stands next to the crenellations. He looks at the six cracks in the sky, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"Space cracks... cutting open six of them."

Huo Quji steadies him.

"Immortal Master, please don't move."

Hall Master Chi Yang ignores him, his attention entirely on the sky.

The three gray swords block the three beams of light, their sharpness undiminished. Daoist Xuantian forms a seal with his left hand.

"Xuantian · Sword Burial Style."

The three gray swords explode simultaneously. The gray-white fragments wrap around the residual energy of the silver beams and push back toward Demon Emperor Lietian.

The gray-white fragments approach at high speed. Demon Emperor Lietian dodges sideways, his left shoulder grazed by the fragments again. Three silver scales shatter.

He pauses his steps and clenches his right hand into a fist. Silver demon power surges from his knuckles, condensing into a three-zhang-long silver spear.

"Lietian · Sun Piercer."

The silver spear leaves his hand, breaking through all the residual Spiritual Qi waves in front of it, aiming straight for Daoist Xuantian's chest and abdomen.

Daoist Xuantian beckons with his right hand, and the gray greatsword re-condenses in front of him, blocking horizontally.

The silver spear hits the blade. The greatsword is pushed back ten zhang. A second crack appears on the spine of the sword. Gray-white Spiritual Qi leaks out from the crack.

Daoist Xuantian grinds two deep grooves in the Void Realm with his feet. He stabilizes his figure, lifts the greatsword, and flicks the silver spear away.

The silver spear changes direction, falling obliquely toward the ground. It smashes into a hill five miles north of the city.

The hill breaks in the middle. The upper half slides off, kicking up a dust screen that obscures the sky.

Chu Feng stands on the other side of the crenellations. He has finished scouring the battlefield and retrieved a spare Formation Plate, hugging it to his chest. Seeing the hill break, the Formation Plate in his hands almost slips.

"A spear breaks a mountain."

He turns his head to look at you.

You do not answer him, your gaze never leaving the sky.

High in the sky, the silver scales on Demon Emperor Lietian's left shoulder peel off continuously. The Spiritual Qi leaking from Daoist Xuantian's left arm becomes increasingly chaotic.

Daoist Xuantian makes the first change in tactics.

The gray greatsword shrinks as a whole and sinks into the palm of his right hand.

He presses his palms together. Gray-white Spiritual Qi surges from his Meridians throughout his body, gathering between his palms.

"Xuantian · Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin."

He separates his palms. A gray ray of light is pulled out between his palms. The ray expands and splits into thousands of thin lines.

Each thin line condenses into a gray small sword about a foot long. The small swords fill the sky within a hundred zhang around him.

A thousand swords hang suspended. The tips of the swords all point toward Demon Emperor Lietian.

Demon Emperor Lietian crosses his arms, his silver cloak billowing.

"Lietian · Silver Armor."

Silvery-white demon power seeps out from his silver scales, condensing into a thick layer of silver armor outside his body. The silver armor covers him from his head to his ankles, revealing only a pair of heterochromatic slit pupils.

A thousand swords are launched simultaneously.

The gray sword rain covers the sky and earth, shooting from all directions toward the silver-armored Demon Emperor Lietian.

The dense sound of impacts merges into one. Countless dents are beaten into the surface of the silver armor by the sword rain. The demon power is consumed rapidly.

Each small sword detonates after embedding into the silver armor, and the gray-white Spiritual Qi drills into the gaps of the armor, corroding the inner layer of silver scales.

Demon Emperor Lietian braves the sword rain. The silver armor is stripped away layer by layer, and fragments fall downward.

The thousand swords are exhausted. Only a thin layer of the silver armor remains. Demon Emperor Lietian lowers his arms from their crossed position.

The inner layer of the silver armor shatters. The silver scales on his chest are exposed, four of which are broken, and silver blood seeps from the fractures.

Daoist Xuantian lowers his hands, his chest heaving. The flow of gray-white Spiritual Qi slows down. Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin drained nearly half of his Spiritual Qi.

Demon Emperor Lietian takes a step forward. The Void Realm under his feet is stepped on until spiderweb cracks appear.

"It's my turn."

He opens his mouth.

A silver sound wave sprays out from his mouth, spreading forward in a fan shape. Where the sound wave passes, the air folds and deforms.

"Lietian · Demon Roar."

The sound wave covers Daoist Xuantian head-on. His gray protective Spiritual Qi is shattered by three layers by the sound wave.

Daoist Xuantian retreats six steps. With every step back, a piece of the Void Realm under his feet shatters. He steps into empty air on the sixth step, and his figure stabilizes after falling two zhang.

New cracks appear on the charred skin of his left arm. Spiritual Qi leaks uncontrollably from the cracks.

You tighten your grip on the sword hilt. Your Protective Aura of the Golden Core Late Stage cracks inch by inch under the Spiritual Pressure. You struggle to observe the battle.

Daoist Xuantian's left arm, from which Spiritual Qi is leaking, has become the most obvious weak point.

But after Daoist Xuantian retracted the greatsword, his right hand has not moved.

Following the Demon Roar, Demon Emperor Lietian condenses a second silver spear in his right hand.

"Lietian · Sun Piercer!"

The silver spear shoots out. Daoist Xuantian pushes his right palm forward. A gray light flashes in his palm.

The gray greatsword flies out from his palm to meet the silver spear. This time he does not block it head-on.

The greatsword uses its spine to stick to the side of the silver spear, sliding along the shaft, shifting the trajectory of the silver spear three zhang to the left.

The silver spear grazes past his right shoulder. The right shoulder of his gray Daoist robe is torn open by the air wave, revealing a bleeding wound on his shoulder.

At the same time, the greatsword rotates with the force of the silver spear and slashes toward Demon Emperor Lietian's face.

Demon Emperor Lietian tilts his head. The edge of the sword grazes his right ear. Silver blood splatters.

A piece of his right ear is missing.

The two brush past each other. Each retreats a hundred zhang.

The vacuum zone in the center of the sky has doubled in size. Cracks crisscross, and Spiritual Qi storms rage.

Daoist Xuantian is bleeding from his right shoulder. Demon Emperor Lietian's right ear is damaged, and four silver scales on his chest are broken.

The two face each other again.

Pause for three breaths.

Demon Emperor Lietian raises his hand to wipe away the silver blood on his right ear.

"Xuantian. A hundred years ago in the Central Plains, you cut off one of my tails. Today you've sliced off one of my ears again."

Daoist Xuantian holds his gray greatsword horizontally in front of him. There are already three cracks on the blade.

"You killed four Elders of my Xuantian Holy Sect. This debt is far more than just a tail and an ear."

Demon Emperor Lietian clasps his palms together. Silver demon power compresses between his palms. The volume shrinks, and the density soars.

"Lietian · Final Style—"

Daoist Xuantian forms a seal simultaneously. Gray-white Spiritual Qi condenses into a translucent phantom in front of him. The phantom overlaps with him, and his Spiritual Qi doubles.

Both make their move at the same time.

The silver ball of light leaves his hand. The gray phantom slashes forward with a sword.

The space at the point of collision is completely shattered. A dark hole with a diameter of thirty zhang appears between them.

The hole persists for five breaths. Within five breaths, all Spiritual Qi within a ten-mile radius is sucked into the hole. The residual Spiritual Qi of the city-protecting array on the tower is also pulled.

After five breaths, the hole collapses on its own. The Spiritual Qi storm sprays outward from the collapse point.

Both are knocked back by the storm at the same time.

Demon Emperor Lietian retreats five hundred zhang. His silver cloak shatters into strips of cloth. Most of the silver scales on his chest are broken. His left arm hangs down, with the elbow joint bent backward. Silver blood gushes out from his lips, nasal cavity, and ear canal simultaneously.

Daoist Xuantian retreats three hundred zhang. The gray greatsword breaks into two. The front of his gray cloth Daoist robe is shredded by the Spiritual Qi storm, and a wound deep enough to see bone runs across his chest from left to right. Gray-white Spiritual Qi protects the wound to stop the bleeding, but the flow rate slows down.

The two remain suspended in their respective positions. Eight hundred zhang apart.

Demon Emperor Lietian supports his backward-bent left arm with his right hand. Silver demon power pours into the elbow joint, forcing the bone back into place. The sound of the bone resetting travels to your ears across eight hundred zhang.

He stares at Daoist Xuantian.

"I will remember today's grudge. The day I recover from my injuries, I will trample your Xuantian Holy Sect and every Human Race city in the Eastern Region one by one."

Daoist Xuantian stands up straight. The gray greatsword, broken into two pieces, flies back into his palm and merges into one, but it is covered in cracks.

"You are welcome to come. As long as I am still standing, the Eastern Region will not be your hunting ground."

Demon Emperor Lietian snorts coldly. Silver light wraps around his body, turning into a silver line, and shoots toward the northern horizon.

Three breaths later, the silver line disappears at the end of the horizon.

The aura of flames also retreats from outside the city at the same time.

The Yao Race retreats along the entire line.

You lean against the crenellations, looking at the silver line disappearing to the north, and let out a long breath.

Daoist Xuantian descends from high altitude. He lands in the center of the city tower.

When his feet touch the ground, his left leg wobbles. His body leans slightly forward, and he stabilizes himself by supporting his knee with his right hand.

The wound on his chest is still seeping blood. Gray-white Spiritual Qi seals the main Meridians, but the minor wounds have not yet healed.

Hall Master Chi Yang breaks free from Huo Quji's support and bows, offering a salute.

"Daoist Brother Xuantian!"

Daoist Xuantian raises his hand to stop him.

"Our injuries are not light, spare the empty formalities."

He scans everyone on the tower. His gaze lingers on you for two breaths.

"Shen Ji?"

"Present." You stand up while supporting yourself with your sword.

"Supreme Sword Bone, to be able to come back alive from Demon Emperor Lietian's hands without being broken, you have good luck."

He says no more. He turns to Hall Master Chi Yang.

"Battle situation."

Hall Master Chi Yang recounts the collapse process of the three-city defense line in the briefest words. Ningbian City has fallen, Beishun City is captured, and Yunzhong City is the only stronghold that held out.

After Daoist Xuantian finishes listening, he does not reply.

"Demon Emperor Lietian's injuries are heavier than mine."

He lets go of his right hand supporting his knee and stands straight.

"In that final move, the elbow bone of his left arm was shattered. The silver scales on his chest are his core defensive organs, and most of them were shattered. Coupled with the injury to his left shoulder from my Sword Qi earlier, his demon power has suffered heavy losses."

Hall Master Chi Yang continues.

"Then in the short term—"

"He has no spare energy to launch a second large-scale attack." Daoist Xuantian nods.

"Five to ten years. This is the approximate time he will need to recover. The regeneration of silver scales requires a large amount of Yao Beast core essence; it is not something that can be solved by eating a few Medicinal Pills."

He looks at you.

"Shen Ji, what are your thoughts on the defense of the Eastern Region?"

Everyone's gaze on the tower turns to you. Elder Wen Huaian stands in the corner, his severed arm hanging in a sling on his chest. Pei Yuan leans against the city wall with his sword, his face pale.

Chu Feng is about to open his mouth, but after a glance from Hall Master Chi Yang, he closes it.

You speak.

"The Yao Race garrison in Ningbian City and Beishun City is at most at the Nascent Soul Early Stage. After Demon Emperor Lietian retreated, these garrisons lost their core combat power support."

"Take advantage of the Demon Emperor's recovery to reclaim the two cities first. The sooner the better."

Daoist Xuantian gives a hum.

"Elder Wen Huaian."

Elder Wen Huaian walks out from the corner.

"Lead Pei Yuan and the Tianyan Disciples to reclaim Ningbian City."

Elder Wen Huaian nods to accept the order.

Daoist Xuantian turns to Hall Master Chi Yang.

"Your people go to Beishun City."

Hall Master Chi Yang pats the bandage on his right shoulder.

"This arm of mine—"

"Let Shen Ji lead the team." Daoist Xuantian interrupts him, "You stay in Yunzhong City to oversee."

Hall Master Chi Yang gives you a look.

"Go." Hall Master Chi Yang says only one word.

You bow and accept.

Thirty-eight years old, November 12th. You lead the Demon-Slaying Squad and arrive at Beishun City.

The city gates are wide open. The Yao Race flags on the city walls have already been torn down.

The Yao Race garrison withdrew two hours before you arrived. Leaving behind a city full of wreckage and bloodstains.

Huo Quji kicks away a Yao Beast corpse at the city gate.

"Ran away?"

"Demon Emperor Lietian retreated due to injury, they have no reason to hold on to the death."

Ling Qingmeng leaps down from the city wall.

"Search complete, no ambush."

You walk into Beishun City. Thirty percent of the houses on both sides of the street are destroyed. Elder Han's remains have already been buried in the west of the city.

Fragments of Su Wanqing's ice-element Magical Artifact are scattered at the breach in the city wall.

Ma Chengen squats down, picks up a fragment, and tucks it into his chest.

The communication Jade Slip vibrates. Elder Wen Huaian's frequency.

"Ningbian City has been reclaimed. The Yao Race abandoned the city and left without putting up any resistance."

You reply with one word: "Received."

Thirty-eight years old, November 15th. Yunzhong City, Council Hall.

Daoist Xuantian sits in the main seat. The wound on his chest is sealed with gray-white Spiritual Qi, and his aura is steadier than it was three days ago.

Hall Master Chi Yang sits on the left. His right shoulder is wrapped in thick bandages.

Elder Wen Huaian sits on the right. A new splint has been replaced on his severed arm.

You stand in the hall. The members of the Demon-Slaying Squad are lined up on both sides. Pei Yuan leads the Tianyan Disciples and stands on the other side.

Daoist Xuantian speaks.

"All three cities have been reclaimed. The defenses of Ningbian City and Beishun City need to be rebuilt, which will take two months."

He pauses.

"Demon Emperor Lietian will not make a move in the short term. His injuries are no lighter than mine. Shattered silver scales, reset left arm, lost demon power—if he doesn't honestly heal his wounds, I can take his life the next time we fight."

Hall Master Chi Yang interjects.

"Then how do we defend the Eastern Region during this period?"

"You defend it yourselves. If he sends his subordinate great Yaos, you are capable of handling them." Daoist Xuantian's tone leaves no room for negotiation.

"I must return to the Central Plains. This injury needs to be treated back there."

Hall Master Chi Yang does not ask again.

Daoist Xuantian stands up and looks around.

"The Eastern Region defense line will be coordinated by Hall Master Chi Yang. The garrison commanders of each city will follow his dispatch. Handle small-scale Yao Race harassment on your own; if any Yao Race combat power above the Nascent Soul Late Stage appears, send a message to me."

He walks up to you.

"Shen Ji."

"Present."

"It is time for your Golden Core to have a Breakthrough."

He says no more. He turns and walks out of the Council Hall.