88: Iron Sword Awakens, Wounds Blood and Bones, Rescue Arrives (Large Chapter)

“Cough cough…cough…”

Inside the stone house, a faint but clear cough, like a stone thrown into stagnant water, instantly broke the suffocating silence.

Zhao Tieshan, who was guarding the stone bed and carefully wiping Lord Iron Sword’s withered arm with a wet cloth, suddenly stiffened. The cloth in his hand fell to the ground with a “thud.” He abruptly looked up, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the pale, wrinkled face on the stone bed.

Lord Iron Sword’s eyelids, which had been tightly shut for an unknown number of days, were now trembling slightly. A few breaths later, those heavy eyelids struggled to open a slit, revealing his eyes beneath—muddy yet still as sharp as ever! His gaze, carrying the daze of just waking up, swept across the simple stone house, then across Zhao Tieshan’s face, distorted by ecstasy, and finally landed in the corner of the stone house—there, Lin Feng was sitting cross-legged, with faint spiritual power fluctuations around him, clearly seizing every moment to regulate his breath.

“Junior Martial Uncle Tie…Iron Sword! You…you’re awake?!” Zhao Tieshan’s voice trembled with disbelief, the immense joy almost rendering him speechless. He lunged towards the bed, yet feared disturbing the other party, freezing there in a fluster.

“Grandmaster is awake?! Really awake?!”

“Heaven has eyes! Senior Iron Sword is awake!”

“We’re saved! We’re saved!”

Outside the stone house, several core Cultivators who had been anxiously waiting, along with the two Purple Mansion Cultivators brought by Zhao Yuanchen, rushed in at the sound of the commotion. The small stone house was instantly filled with excited figures. Every face was filled with the ecstasy of surviving a disaster, and their long-dimmed eyes rekindled with the light of hope. The despair and fear that had been suppressed for too long transformed into a great clamor at this moment.

“Silence!” Lin Feng had opened his eyes at some point, his low voice, though not loud, carried an undeniable power that instantly quelled the noise in the room. He got up and walked quickly to the bedside, his gaze calmly meeting Lord Iron Sword’s eyes, which were gradually regaining clarity.

Lord Iron Sword’s gaze slowly focused, finally landing on Lin Feng. His cracked lips moved a few times, emitting a hoarse sound like sandpaper rubbing: “…How long has it been? Outside…how is it?”

Zhao Tieshan quickly interjected, “Junior Martial Uncle! You’ve been unconscious for a full seven days! Outside…outside, the demonic brats are still going crazy! Blood Bone and Lord Erosion Bone, those two old Devil Heads, are leading dozens of their minions, constantly bombarding the ‘Water Mist Maze Formation’ day and night! The Formation…the Formation is about to collapse!” By the end of his words, Zhao Tieshan’s voice was tearful and filled with unconcealed fear.

As if to confirm his words, at that very moment—

Boom!!!

A dull, thunderous roar, like a giant hammer striking everyone’s chests, suddenly came from the edge of the island! The entire stone house trembled violently, and dust sifted down!

Buzz…buzz…buzz…

Following that was a rapid, weakening hum, like the buzzing of dying bees! The source of the sound was the grayish-white stone disk controlling the Formation that Lin Feng had placed on the stone table! The stone disk was trembling frantically, and the water ripple runes carved on its surface flickered violently, dimming and brightening, emitting a dazzling, blood-red light! A new, hideous, centipede-like crack was clearly visible on the disk’s body!

Through the blurred perception transmitted by the stone disk, everyone seemed to “see” that the grayish-white mist barrier enveloping the island’s core area was now like a tattered sail in a storm, being frantically torn and struck by waves of violent, filthy power! Each impact caused the mist to churn violently and thin out a bit! The light barrier that had protected them for seven days was already as thin as a cicada’s wing, on the verge of collapse!

“Here they come again! These damned demonic brats!” A hot-tempered Cultivator, his eyes red, punched the rough stone wall, making a dull thud. The atmosphere in the room instantly plummeted from ecstasy to freezing, and despair once again spread like a cold tide.

Lord Iron Sword’s muddy eyes instantly sharpened like a blade! He struggled to sit up, but it aggravated his severe internal injuries, and he let out a muffled groan, a trickle of dark red blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

“Junior Martial Uncle, no!” Zhao Tieshan hastily supported him.

“It’s fine!” Lord Iron Sword raised a hand to stop him, took a deep breath, and forcibly suppressed the surging Qi and blood. He closed his eyes, his withered fingers resting on his pulse. A moment later, his tightly furrowed brows actually relaxed slightly, and a hint of imperceptible surprise and…a faint glimmer of light flashed in his muddy eyes.

“Seventy percent…” He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the faces in the room, each filled with hope and fear, finally settling on Lin Feng. His voice was hoarse but carried a strange certainty, “My Origin was damaged, and my Divine Soul severely injured, making recovery impossible in a short time. But the remaining spiritual power in this body, thanks to…some strange nourishment, has actually forcibly condensed and recovered about seventy percent.”

Seventy percent!

These two words were like a thunderclap, stunning everyone, followed by even more surging ecstasy!

“Seventy percent?! Junior Martial Uncle Iron Sword was at the Peak of the Purple Mansion Late Stage in his prime! Seventy percent of his power…is enough to rival an ordinary Purple Mansion Middle Stage Cultivator!” Zhao Tieshan’s voice was so excited it changed pitch.

“Heaven bless us! Heaven bless Black Reef Island!” Everyone was so excited they almost shed tears, like drowning people grabbing onto a last piece of driftwood.

Only Lin Feng understood. That “strange nourishment” was likely the faint energy passively fed back by the Demon Slayer Divine Ability after he killed the rogue Cultivator that night, inadvertently seeping a trace into the unconscious Lord Iron Sword. This unintentional act of planting a willow had become a glimmer of hope in this desperate situation! He remained calm on the surface, merely nodding slightly.

“Don’t rejoice too soon!” Lord Iron Sword’s voice suddenly turned sharp, carrying a metallic clang, instantly extinguishing the warmth in everyone’s hearts. “The Water Mist Maze Formation, a Tier 1 Mid-grade Formation, has limited defense to begin with, relying entirely on the Sword Essence I injected earlier. Now that the Sword Essence is depleted and the Formation base is damaged, and those two old Devil Heads outside are attacking relentlessly, this Formation…can only last for half a day at most!”

Half a day!

It was like a basin of ice water poured over their heads! The hope that had just risen was instantly replaced by a huge sense of urgency. After half a day, the Formation would break, the Demonic Cultivators would pour in, and a bloody massacre would await them!

“Half a day…” Lin Feng repeated softly, his eyes sharp as an eagle, looking directly at Lord Iron Sword. “Senior, the Demonic Path is rampant, and waiting for death is not a good strategy. The enemy is in the open, we are in the dark. Do they…know you’ve recovered seventy percent?”

A sharp gleam flashed in Lord Iron Sword’s muddy eyes; he instantly understood Lin Feng’s meaning! He slowly shook his head, a cold arc forming on his lips: “My remnant Soul has been dormant for seven days, my Aura as faint as a candle in the wind. Those two old Devil Heads outside probably think I’ve long since become Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, and this Formation is merely a spent force, just waiting for it to collapse on its own! They…will never expect that I can still wield a sword!”

“Good!” Lin Feng said decisively, a sharp edge suddenly rising from him, reflecting the seasoned sharpness in Lord Iron Sword’s eyes. “The enemy is arrogant, we are enraged. The enemy is in the open, we are in the dark! Rather than waiting for death, why not…take a gamble! Catch them off guard, launch a proactive attack! First, sever one of their arms!”

“Target?” Lord Iron Sword was concise, his gaze like a torch.

“Old Devil Blood Bone!” Lin Feng spoke very quickly, his thoughts clear. “This person was previously fortunate enough to have his Origin damaged by this Junior. Although he has recovered somewhat through the nourishment of Demonic Qi, there must be a delay in his movements, making him the weakest link! If we can strike him with a thunderous blow, severely injuring or even killing him, Old Devil Erosion Bone will be unable to stand alone, and our pressure will sharply decrease, perhaps allowing us to hold out until reinforcements arrive!”

“Blood Bone…is indeed the best target.” Lord Iron Sword slowly nodded, his eyes filled with killing intent. “That fellow Erosion Bone has the highest cultivation, his Demonic Technique is bizarre, and he has the blessing of a Demonic Formation, making it extremely difficult to succeed with a single blow. Blood Bone…is feasible! Boy, what do you intend to do?”

Their gazes collided in the air, a silent communication transcending words. Lord Iron Sword saw the calmness and decisiveness in Lin Feng’s eyes that surpassed his Realm, and he also felt the natural restraining Aura against evil demons on Lin Feng’s body that made him faintly tremble! Lin Feng, on the other hand, saw the tragic Sword Intent burning with Lord Iron Sword’s last fighting spirit, willing to perish together!

“This Junior has a secret technique that has miraculous effects against demonic creatures, capable of breaking their demonic body’s defense and disrupting the circulation of their demonic essence! But it requires close combat and has only one strike’s worth of power!” Lin Feng said in a deep voice, not revealing the Demon Slayer Divine Ability, but clarifying the key point. “Please, Senior, feign an attack from the front to attract his attention and create a momentary opening! This Junior will seize the opportunity and attack his vital point with the secret technique! At that time, Senior will then deliver a thunderous killing blow!”

“Using yourself as bait, luring the enemy deep…then delivering a killing blow?” Lord Iron Sword looked deeply at Lin Feng, his gaze seemingly wanting to penetrate his Soul. “Boy, do you know that facing a Purple Mansion Cultivator, a slight mistake can lead to your Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering?”

“If we don’t fight, it’s also a death trap!” Lin Feng’s eyes showed no wavering, only a cold determination. “If we fight, there’s a glimmer of hope!”

“Good! What a ‘fight, then there’s a glimmer of hope’!” Lord Iron Sword suddenly let out a low roar, and a tragic, resolute Aura erupted from his gaunt body. “This old bone of mine, I’ll gamble this one with you! Old Devil Blood Bone’s head, I’m claiming it!”

The plan was instantly decided! There were no grand words, only cold killing intent and a determination to perish together. Lin Feng immediately maximized the remaining control of the “Water Mist Maze Formation,” using the Formation’s remaining mist to plan the most concealed assault path closest to Lord Blood Bone’s position for the two of them.

The atmosphere in the stone house was extremely tense. Everyone held their breath, watching the old and young, like peerless fierce swords about to be unsheathed, silently making their final preparations. Lin Feng closed his eyes to regulate his breath, adjusting his state to its Peak, the Demon Slayer fruit in his Sea of Consciousness ready to be unleashed. Lord Iron Sword sat cross-legged, his withered fingers stroking the mottled iron sword’s blade, silently reciting obscure sword incantations. A tragic, pure, and extremely condensed Sword Intent, like a dormant volcano, slowly revived and accumulated within him!

Time, in the suffocating wait and the continuous bombardment from outside, passed by minute by minute, second by second.

Finally!

“Now!” Lin Feng suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp gleam like lightning in them! He sensed Lord Blood Bone once again activating his blood skull to bombard a node of the Formation, a position closest to their planned assault point!

"Go!" Lord Iron Sword roared, like an eagle preying on a rabbit. His figure transformed into a faint gray sword light, silently merging into the swirling mist outside the stone house. His speed was so fast that he only left an afterimage behind! Lin Feng followed closely, using Treading Wave Step combined with the natural suppression of Demonic Qi from the passive Demon Slayer, his figure like a ghost blending into the mist, trailing right behind!

The two of them were like two death lines merged into the shadows, moving with astonishing speed towards the northeast corner of the island where Blood Bone Shaman was located, under the cover of the jagged reefs and the remaining Formation mist!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The closer they got, the louder the booming sound of Demonic Qi striking the Formation became, and the violent Demonic Qi fluctuations were like a tangible tide, pounding at one's mind. The air was filled with a strong smell of blood and the stench of sulfur.

Through the last wisp of thin mist, Lin Feng clearly saw his target!

On a reef beach dyed dark red by Demonic Qi, Blood Bone Shaman's iconic blood robe fluttered wildly in the wind. Half of his body still appeared exceptionally horrifying; although the wounds corroded by Demon Slayer Sword Qi were covered by dense blood light and no longer oozed foul blood, the exposed white bones and twisting, writhing flesh were still shocking to behold. His movements were clearly stiff and sluggish. Every time he swung his arm, controlling the three massive, constantly spewing foul blood and demonic light skull heads in front of him to bombard the Formation, that half of his skeletal body would tremble slightly, and his eyes flickered with a light intertwined with pain and ferocity.

Not far behind him, Lord Erosion Bone floated in mid-air, Demonic Qi swirling around him, impatiently urging, "Blood Bone! Hurry up! This broken Formation is at its last gasp. Put in more effort and break it in one go! This Senior can't wait to taste the blood food inside! Especially that little bastard named Lin Feng, this Senior will definitely pull out his tendons, peel his skin, and refine him into a Demonic Puppet!"

"Old Ghost Erosion Bone! Stop your incessant chattering!" Blood Bone Shaman roared irritably, his voice hoarse like a broken gong, "This damned Sword Qi... it's like a maggot in the bone! When this Senior breaks the Formation, I will personally crush every single bone of that little beast!" All of his attention was focused on bombarding the Formation, and his complaints about Lord Erosion Bone and hatred for Lin Feng made his vigilance on his side drop to its lowest.

This was the moment!

Lord Iron Sword's eyes burst with fierce light! His Aura, which had been suppressed to the extreme, erupted with a roar! The seemingly ordinary iron sword let out an earth-shattering sword cry, and a dazzling white light illuminated its blade. A tragic, resolute, and seemingly all-consuming majestic Sword Intent tore through the mist, soaring straight into the sky!

"Old Devil Blood Bone! Come and die!" Lord Iron Sword's hair stood on end, his roar like thunder. His entire being transformed into a pale white sword rainbow tearing through the sky, carrying an Aura of mutual destruction, directly piercing towards Blood Bone Shaman's back! The might of the sword and its speed caused the air to emit a piercing screech! He feigned a full-power burst, attracting all attention!

"What?!" "Old Fart Iron Sword?! You're not dead?!" Blood Bone and Lord Erosion Bone simultaneously let out screams of extreme horror!

Blood Bone Shaman looked back in horror, seeing that familiar yet terrifying sword light, his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering! He had no time to ponder why Lord Iron Sword wasn't dead and had recovered his combat power; his instinct for survival made him desperately activate his protective Demonic Technique! The blood light around him instantly boiled, condensing into a thick blood shield composed of countless painful wailing faces, blocking behind him! At the same time, the three huge blood skulls in front of him also shrieked as they moved to defend!

Lord Erosion Bone was also filled with shock and anger, instinctively moving to help! Lord Iron Sword's sudden eruption completely disrupted his rhythm!

It was in this flash of lightning, this instant when everyone's attention was drawn by Lord Iron Sword's earth-shattering sword strike!

Lin Feng, who had been lurking like a shadow in the shadows of the reefs, moved!

He had been waiting for this moment!

The passive Demon Slayer power was unleashed to its absolute limit without reservation! A sharp Aura that absolutely suppressed the Origin of demonic creatures, like an invisible storm, instantly enveloped Blood Bone Shaman! The appearance of this Aura caused Blood Bone Shaman's boiling blood light and Demonic Qi to suddenly stagnate, as if encountering a natural enemy, its operation delayed by one ten-thousandth of a second!

It was this insignificant one ten-thousandth of a second!

Lin Feng's figure shot out from the shadows like a ghost! He abandoned all defense, gripping Qingfeng Thorn tightly with both hands, raising it high! His consciousness sank into his Sea of Consciousness, and all his thoughts transformed into an invisible blade, fiercely striking the Demon Slayer fruit, which symbolized absolute killing!

Demon Slayer! Active!

Divine Power -1!

The faint light representing Divine Power in his Sea of Consciousness suddenly extinguished! A huge sense of weakness instantly swept through Lin Feng's entire body!

However, just as this feeling of exhaustion surged forth—

Buzz—!!!

Qingfeng Thorn emitted a terrifying sword cry capable of tearing apart the Divine Soul! On the dark blue sword body, dazzling dark golden light erupted like a volcano that had been suppressed for ten thousand years! A terrifyingly sharp Aura, surpassing Qi Refining, surpassing Purple Mansion, and reaching the Foundation Establishment, descended upon the world, carrying the majestic heavenly might to eradicate all evil demonic Auras!

The sword was no longer just a sword! It had transformed into a Blade of Judgment!

Giant Sword Art!

Slash!

No frills whatsoever!

A dark golden sword light, pure to the extreme and condensed to the extreme, like lightning piercing through an eternal night, ignored the spatial distance, striking later but arriving first, precisely slashing towards Blood Bone Shaman's vital neck, covered in white bone and decaying flesh, which was exposed when he turned back in horror!

The speed of this sword was even faster than Lord Iron Sword's grand and pale sword rainbow!

"No—!!!" Blood Bone Shaman felt the terrifying power contained within that dark golden sword light, a power capable of annihilating his Demonic Soul Origin! It was a more pure and more deadly counter than Lord Iron Sword's Sword Intent!

He let out a desperate, ultimate roar, desperately trying to mobilize Demonic Qi for defense, but under the absolute suppression of the active Demon Slayer Divine Ability, the Demonic Yuan within his body was like frozen, its circulation delayed to the extreme! The returning blood skull, upon being struck by the scattered Aura of the dark golden sword light, let out a painful shriek, and its demonic light instantly dimmed!

Chii—!

A faint but chilling sound!

The dark golden sword light, like a hot knife cutting through solidified grease, effortlessly swept across Blood Bone Shaman's neck!

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Blood Bone Shaman's horror, fear, despair... all expressions instantly froze. He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to utter a final curse, but no sound came out. A fine line, as thin as a hair, yet emitting a destructive dark golden Aura, appeared on his neck, which was covered in decaying flesh.

The next moment.

Boom!!!

Lord Iron Sword's tragic and resolute white sword rainbow had just fiercely struck the blood shield that Blood Bone Shaman had hastily condensed! The blood shield shattered like paper, and the sword rainbow's momentum remained undiminished, fiercely piercing through Blood Bone Shaman's back, emerging from his chest!

Puff!!!

The dark golden destructive sword light and the pale white killing Sword Qi erupted violently within Blood Bone Shaman's body!

Blood Bone Shaman's massive body inflated suddenly like an overfilled balloon, and then, under everyone's horrified gazes, it exploded with a roar! Foul, stinking black blood mixed with shattered bones, flesh, and internal organs sprayed out like the most defiled rain! Even his remaining Divine Soul, amidst the destructive energy intertwined with dark gold and pale white, let out a silent, mournful shriek, instantly annihilated completely!

Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering!

A Purple Mansion Middle Stage Demonic Path magnate had fallen!

"Blood Bone—!!!"

Lord Erosion Bone let out a heart-wrenching roar, filled with endless resentment, shock, and anger! He watched with wide eyes as Blood Bone was jointly slain by two "ants" before him, especially the terrifying Aura contained within that dark golden sword light, which made him feel a tremor and fear originating from the depths of his Soul!

"Little bastard! Old Fart Iron Sword! This Senior will tear you to pieces! Grind your bones to dust!" Lord Erosion Bone was completely insane! Demonic Qi erupted around him like a tsunami, covering the sky and obscuring the sun! A huge demonic claw, covered in dark scales and wreathed in dark red demonic flames, with a shriek that tore through space, ignored Lord Iron Sword, who had just erupted, and Lin Feng, who was falling from exhaustion, fiercely slammed towards the tottering Water Mist Maze Formation!

Boom—Crack—Snap—!!!

This impact was ten times more terrifying than any before! The Formation core stone disk, already covered in cracks, let out a groan of unbearable strain in everyone's desperate gazes, and then exploded into countless fragments!

The last wisp of grayish-white mist covering the island, like a bubble in the sunlight, instantly vanished without a trace!

The core of Black Reef Island was now fully exposed under Lord Erosion Bone's overwhelming demonic might!

Blood Bone Shaman's exploded foul blood and broken flesh splattered down like sticky raindrops, pattering onto the charred reefs and surging waves. The air was filled with a nauseating stench of blood and the burnt smell of burning Demonic Qi.

"Ugh..." Lin Feng heavily fell onto the cold, slippery reef beach, his entire body aching as if his bones had come apart. A tearing, empty pain came from the depths of his Sea of Consciousness, and the immense weakness from his depleted Divine Power engulfed him like a tide.

He struggled to get up, but it was incredibly difficult even to lift a finger. He could only watch helplessly as Lord Erosion Bone's world-destroying claw completely tore apart the last barrier protecting the island—the Water Mist Maze Formation!

The fragments of the Formation core stone disk scattered like tears of despair.

"Pfft!" The backlash from Lord Iron Sword forcibly activating his secret technique and erupting instantly struck. He spat out a large mouthful of dark red clotted blood, his face instantly turning ashen, like gold leaf. He staggered backward, barely able to stand by propping himself up with the cracked iron sword in his hand.

That earth-shattering sword strike earlier had almost exhausted seventy percent of the spiritual power he had forcibly condensed. Now, his Origin injuries erupted, and his Aura once again plummeted to rock bottom, even more withered than before he fell unconscious! But his cloudy eyes were fixed on Lord Erosion Bone, who was like a madman amidst the bloody rain, without the slightest fear, only cold determination.

"Junior Martial Uncle!"

"Senior Iron Sword!"

"Fellow Daoist Lin Feng!"