79: Tianjian Mountain

Recovering true essence out of thin air only costs five years of Demon cultivation.

These 136 instances of recovering true essence out of thin air cost a total of only 680 years of Demon cultivation.

It didn't even reach 1,000 years, yet the Demon cultivation harvested exceeded 20,000 years.

It was very cost-effective.

At this moment, black mist swept past, and the Demon Kingdom emitted a special force field. As it engulfed the Flood Dragon's body, an invisible soul-capturing power was released.

A Demon core shot out from the remains, with a miniature soul of the Demon Flood Dragon King floating above it. As soon as it left the body, it fled at high speed.

"Can you escape..."

Li Jiangchen clenched his five fingers, and the soul-devouring intensity of the Demon Kingdom suddenly increased. The black mist surged, swallowing the soul of the Demon Flood Dragon King.

A few breaths later, an old man in black robes walked out from within the Demon Kingdom. Mysterious black patterns were etched onto his face, as if he were about to melt into the shadows.

"Greetings, Master." The Demon Flood Dragon King knelt on one knee.

'Is this his form after taking human shape...' Li Jiangchen was not surprised. Once the Yao Race steps into the rank of Demon King, they can shed their Demon bodies and take on a human form.

This is not a transformation technique, but a complete metamorphosis.

"Why did you attack me, and what method did you use to know I was here?" Li Jiangchen asked, puzzled.

Especially regarding the latter question. After leaving the Imperial City, he had used the Five Elements Escape Heaven Divine Light to leave quickly; no human should have known he had come to the Inverted Mountain.

"Replying to Master. Your subordinate was previously suppressed by the Human Race when a fox Demon approached me. Holding a Saint-Grade Talisman, he offered to help me escape in exchange for me launching one surprise attack on you.

As for how I knew Master's location, it is because I possess a tracking Divine Ability. Even if separated by ten thousand miles, I can locate the position of an aura based on a single wisp of it," the Demon Flood Dragon King explained, word by word.

"A fox Demon... a Saint-Grade Talisman..." Li Jiangchen frowned slightly, then asked, "Do you have any clues about the origin of that fox Demon?"

The Demon Flood Dragon King pondered for a moment and speculated, "That fox Demon's abilities were mediocre, but the Yao Race power capable of producing a Saint-Grade Talisman, combined with the fox clan identity, is nine times out of ten the Qingqiu Fox Clan."

The Qingqiu Fox Clan is skilled in Artifact Refining, Formation, and Talisman...

Legend has it that Qingqiu once gave birth to an Old Ancestor at the Saint-Grade level; they are a super power among the Yao Race.

"The Qingqiu Fox Clan... troublesome." Li Jiangchen's expression turned somewhat grave. "If the first assassination fails, I fear there will be a second."

"Currently, the safest method is to return to the Imperial City. Once I achieve a Breakthrough to the God Observation Realm, I can control a Dharma Form, rivaling a Martial Saint, and everything will be worry-free."

"However, to contemplate the Heavenly Sword, I must go to Heavenly Sword Mountain."

After some deliberation, Li Jiangchen still planned to head to Heavenly Sword Mountain.

He had now subdued the Demon Flood Dragon King, a Great Demon King. Although only its soul remained, even with the support of the Demon Kingdom, its strength was only three or four tenths of its original state.

But it was still a top-tier Great Demon King; a starved camel is still bigger than a horse.

If he encountered another assassination by the Yao Race, he could just run again.

Heavenly Sword Mountain must be visited.

"Furthermore, according to the Demon Flood Dragon King, as soon as I left the Imperial City, that fox Demon sent a message from ten thousand miles away using a communication jade pendant. It seems the Qingqiu Fox Clan has already infiltrated the Imperial City."

"I must write a letter to let Senior Brother Wu clean up the Demon in the Imperial City."

A moment later, a Flying Sword Magical Artifact tore through the air and left.

Li Jiangchen looked at the Suspended Mountain beneath him and shook his head. "It is a pity; having only refined it initially, I cannot shrink it at will to take it with me."

"It can only be left here for now. I will return to collect this item when my cultivation is sufficient in the future."

At this moment.

At the roots of the Imperial City.

A young man in white stared at the broken dragon-shaped jade pendant in his palm, his brows furrowed. The wisp of the Demon Flood Dragon King's aura contained within it was rapidly dissipating.

"Failed? The Demon Flood Dragon King actually fell. I can only let my clan sister think of another way."

He quickly arrived at a secret spot in the Imperial City and sprinkled some powder. A gray-white mouse crawled out from a hole, swallowed a finger-sized jade pendant from the young man's hand, and then quickly darted into the Imperial City.

The gray-white mouse passed through layers of city wall barriers and finally appeared in a bedchamber inside the Imperial City.

Squeak, squeak.

The gray-white mouse leaped down from the rafters, landing in the arms of a charming, beautiful woman in palace attire. It opened its mouth and spat, and the jade pendant landed in the woman's jade-like hand.

The woman in palace attire took the jade pendant and pressed it against her forehead. Her expression gradually turned gloomy. "Trash."

At this moment, the voice of a palace maid came from outside the door.

"Your Highness, the Emperor has chosen the tablet of the Kunning Palace again today."

"I will go there immediately," the woman replied coldly.

She pondered for a moment, then tossed a jade pendant for the gray-white mouse to swallow. In the blink of an eye, the mouse disappeared.

"Just let the clan handle this matter. Right now, the most important thing is to plunder the Luck of the Imperial City..."

Several days later.

The outskirts of Heavenly Sword Mountain.

A giant sword pierced straight into the clouds, faintly emitting a strong and pure Sword Intent.

"That is the Heavenly Sword..." Li Jiangchen took a breath, and a wisp of the Heavenly Sword's aura was drawn into his body. Immediately, the sword soul in his Soul Sea trembled slightly.

"It is worthy of being the Holy Land for Sword Cultivator of the past. Merely absorbing a wisp of pure Sword Intent can allow my third-rank sword soul to have a slight improvement."

"It is a pity that this place was polluted. Back then, all living beings within a radius of one hundred thousand miles were turned into Sword Demon, and the human Dao of the sword suddenly turned from prosperity to decline."

Li Jiangchen shook his head, secretly feeling pity.

Suddenly, his expression froze. He looked toward the southwest, where the Sword Intent was towering, mixed with Demonic Qi, and the aftermath of a battle was constantly spreading.

And within this chaotic aura, he actually detected a wisp of an old acquaintance's aura.

"Interesting."

Li Jiangchen smiled slightly and disappeared from where he stood.

On the other side.

"Damn it, there is actually another Six-Armed Sword Demon." Chen Yanran, dressed in white, fled at high speed. Surrounded by protective Sword Qi, she tore through the air.

Behind her, the Sword Demon were vast and mighty. They had different forms, some humanoid, some beast-like, all growing sword-shaped arms and emitting Sword Qi from their bodies.

At this moment, the overwhelming Sword Qi swept over, instantly sealing off the path in front of Chen Yanran.

At this time, among the group of Sword Demon, a Six-Armed Sword Demon suddenly broke through the air. It opened its mouth and spat; a rusted Flying Sword swallowed the surrounding Sword Qi, and its aura surged steadily.

Clang—

The Flying Sword slashed out, piercing toward Chen Yanran's heart.

"Oh no!"

Under the lock of the killing intent, Chen Yanran felt that no matter which direction she fled, she could not avoid this sword.

Just as the Sword Light was three feet from her heart, a fair hand suddenly reached out and grabbed the mottled Flying Sword.

"Even the Flying Sword used for refining has been polluted..." Li Jiangchen held the mottled Flying Sword, and no matter how it erupted with Sword Qi, it still could not escape his control.

He looked toward the Six-Armed Sword Demon, which was still draped in tattered blue and white Sect attire, with cloud patterns embroidered on the cuffs.

This Sect attire came from the Liuyun Sword Sect, which had been prosperous three hundred years ago.

"Tragic, to be alienated into such an existence even after death."

Li Jiangchen exerted force suddenly, and the mottled Flying Sword shattered into pieces. With their minds connected, a look of pain immediately appeared on the face of the Six-Armed Sword Demon in the distance.

"Go."

Power erupted, and the fragments of the broken Flying Sword flew backward, turning into several blades that pierced through the chest of the Six-Armed Sword Demon, crushing the Sword Qi core within its body.

Its body quickly dissipated, leaving behind a gray crystal the size of a hen's egg, covered in sword patterns and emitting a unique fluctuation of Sword Intent.

Li Jiangchen's palm exerted a suction force, and the gray crystal landed in his hand.

'A specialty of Heavenly Sword Mountain. After killing a Sword Demon, a sword heart stone will drop from its body. By infiltrating it with Spiritual Sense, one can absorb the true meaning of the Dao of the sword condensed by the Sword Demon, which has the effect of assisting cultivation. At the same time, it is also the currency for trading within Heavenly Sword Mountain.' Li Jiangchen rubbed the gray crystal, recalling the intelligence on Heavenly Sword Mountain.

At this moment, a voice came from behind.

"Thank you, Senior, for your help."

Chen Yanran bowed respectfully. As soon as she looked up, she immediately saw a familiar face.

"It's you?!"