119: Chapter 119 Five Sons Fight the Demon General

The moment the reinforcements arrived, the situation on the battlefield shifted instantly.

The Old Taoist who swept the floors of Longhu Mountain led over three hundred Taoists, landing behind the Talisman Array. Upon landing, they immediately began drawing talismans, which flew toward the demon soldiers like snowflakes. The Talisman Array, which had been on the verge of collapse, stabilized instantly and even expanded several yards outward.

Jingchen of Shaolin brought over two hundred martial monks and landed beside Fa Ming. Without a word, the monks formed an Arhat Array, surrounding the demon soldiers who had broken through the Talisman Array. Fa Ming was carried to the rear by two Junior Brothers; he was covered in blood and still wanted to charge forward, but Jingchen held him down.

"Rest. Leave the rest to this old monk."

The Old Confucian Sweeper from Yuelu led over two hundred Confucian scholars and landed beside Li Haoran. These scholars simultaneously circulated their Noble Spirit, and streaks of faint light merged together to form a massive light barrier that protected everyone. Li Haoran's face was deathly pale, and he still tried to hold on, but the Old Confucian Sweeper patted him on the shoulder.

"Kid, you've held on long enough. Now, watch us."

The Pavilion Keeper of Qingcheng brought over a hundred swordsmen and landed beside Yue Wushuang and Jiang Yichen. Those swordsmen drew their swords simultaneously, their sword light like a rainbow as they slashed at the two newly arrived General-level Demons. Yue Wushuang still wanted to charge forward, but the Pavilion Keeper grabbed him.

"Wushuang, your Sword Heart is complete, but you only have one life. Rest for a bit; there will be more fighting for you later."

There were also Loose Cultivators arriving from all directions, some using sabers, some spears, some hammers, and some hidden weapons. They landed all over the battlefield, striking down demon soldiers and saving people wherever they saw them.

Lu Mingyuan stood there, watching all of this, his eyes welling up.

Bai Ze walked to his side.

"Don't just watch. Those three General-level ones are still there."

Lu Mingyuan nodded.

He looked toward the three General-level Demons.

Bone-Eroding stood in the middle, with the snake-shaped one on the left and the bear-shaped one on the right. They stared at the increasing reinforcements, something flickering in their eyes—was it caution? Was it wariness?

But they did not retreat.

Bone-Eroding split its mouth open and smiled.

"So... what... if... there... are... a... few... more... people..."

It raised its hand, and black mist surged.

"You... can't... kill... them... all..."

Lu Mingyuan gripped his sword tightly.

"Even if we can't kill them all, we must kill them."

He leaped up and charged toward Bone-Eroding.

Behind him, Yue Wushuang and Jiang Yichen followed at the same time.

Zhang Lingyun, Fa Ming, and Li Haoran also gritted their teeth, stood up, and followed.

Five people charged toward the three General-level Demons.

Bai Ze stared at the battlefield, ready to provide support at any moment.

Yue Wushuang faced off against the snake-shaped demon.

That demon had no limbs, only a massive mouth. Seeing Yue Wushuang charge over, it opened its mouth and let out a sharp hiss.

The hiss was like a blade, stabbing into Yue Wushuang's ears. His ears immediately began to bleed, and his vision went dark for a moment.

But he didn't stop.

He gripped shouxin tightly and slashed at that mouth.

The sword light slashed into the mouth, severing countless sharp teeth. The demon let out a miserable scream, its body twisting frantically. Its long, slender body lashed out like a whip, striking Yue Wushuang.

Yue Wushuang was sent flying back, crashing into a giant boulder and spitting out blood.

But he scrambled up and charged again.

One strike, two strikes, three strikes.

Every strike landed on that mouth.

The demon's mouth was slashed to pieces, but its body was still twisting and lashing out. Yue Wushuang was knocked back three times, hitting three different boulders and spitting blood three times.

But he did not retreat.

When he climbed up for the fourth time, his legs were shaking, his hands were shaking, and his entire body was trembling.

But he gripped shouxin tightly and charged again.

The Pavilion Keeper watched from a distance, his eyes turning red.

"That child... is crazy..."

Jiang Yichen faced off against the bear-shaped demon.

That demon had four short, thick legs, a mouth full of fangs, and a back covered in black spikes. Those black spikes seemed alive, constantly shooting toward Jiang Yichen.

Jiang Yichen gripped his broken sword and dodged desperately.

But there were too many black spikes.

One pierced his left shoulder, two pierced his right leg, and three pierced his back. He was covered in blood, but he did not stop.

He rushed in front of the demon and stabbed his sword into its eye.

The demon screamed in pain and slammed its palm against him.

He was swatted away, landing on the ground and rolling over a dozen times.

But he scrambled up and charged again.

When the broken sword broke further, he used the tip. When the tip was gone, he used the edge. When the edge was dulled, he used his fists.

He hugged the demon's leg and bit down hard.

The demon thrashed wildly in pain, flinging him away.

He landed on the ground, his mouth full of blood, unable to tell if it was his own or the demon's.

But he scrambled up and charged again.

Zhang Lingyun did not charge directly.

He knew his strength did not lie in close combat.

He stood at a distance, drawing talismans frantically.

But his talisman paper ran out, his cinnabar ran out, and even his brush for drawing talismans broke.

He looked at the three General-level Demons, watched Yue Wushuang and Jiang Yichen being knocked away and getting back up time and again, and saw Fa Ming and Li Haoran struggling to hold on in the back.

He suddenly remembered what Lu Mingyuan had said.

Heart as the Mysterious Pivot.

The pivot is the center.

He closed his eyes.

No talisman paper, no cinnabar, no brush—what else did he have?

He still had his heart.

He bit the tip of his tongue and spat a mouthful of fresh blood into his palm.

Then, using his finger dipped in blood, he began to draw in the air.

Stroke by stroke, horizontal and vertical.

Those blood-colored patterns took shape in the air, emitting a faint light.

That was a talisman.

A talisman drawn with the heart.

With a wave of both hands, that Blood Talisman flew toward the bear-shaped demon and stuck to its back.

The demon's movements instantly slowed down.

Jiang Yichen seized the opportunity, rushed up, and smashed a fist into its other eye.

The demon screamed and struggled frantically, but its movements were slower, its power halved.

Zhang Lingyun's face was deathly pale, and he spat out another mouthful of blood.

He drew another Blood Talisman and sent it toward the snake-shaped demon.

The demon's hiss instantly weakened.

Yue Wushuang seized the opportunity and slashed his sword into its mouth.

The demon's body twisted frantically, but the scale of its movements was halved.

Zhang Lingyun spat out another mouthful of blood.

He wanted to draw a third Blood Talisman, but he could no longer lift his hand.

He knelt on the ground, gasping for breath, his vision darkening in waves.

But those two General-level Demons had already been pinned down by him, Yue Wushuang, and Jiang Yichen.

Fa Ming did not charge directly.

He stood behind Yue Wushuang and Jiang Yichen, blocking the attacks of the demon soldiers for them.

But there were too many demon soldiers.

The demon soldiers trapped by the Talisman Array were desperately trying to break out. Those who did surged toward them.

Fa Ming alone could not block so many.

But he did not retreat a single step.

With every punch that landed, a demon soldier was sure to fall. With every kick, a demon soldier was sure to dissipate.

But there were too many demon soldiers.

His fists began to go soft, his legs began to tremble, and his vision began to darken.

A demon soldier charged from his side, its sharp claws reaching for him.

He did not dodge.

The claws pierced his body; he gritted his teeth and countered with a punch, shattering the demon soldier's head.

Two demon soldiers charged, and he blocked two. Three charged, and he blocked three.

He was covered in blood, unable to tell if it was his own or the demon soldiers'.

But he did not retreat.

Jingchen watched from a distance, his eyes turning red.

"That child... is just like his Master..."

Li Haoran did not charge directly either.

He stood at the very back, using his Noble Spirit to protect everyone.

But his Noble Spirit had long been exhausted.

What he was holding onto now was not Noble Spirit, but his life.

Every breath was consuming his life force.

His face was as white as paper, blood constantly seeping from the corners of his mouth, his body swaying.

But he didn't dare stop.

If he stopped, those who were fighting for their lives would be corroded by Devilish Qi.

If he stopped, Yue Wushuang and Jiang Yichen would be killed by the General-level Demons.

If he stopped, everything would be over.

He gritted his teeth and continued to hold on.

Lin Yuan rushed to his side, trying to support him.

"Mister! You can't hold on any longer!"

Li Haoran pushed him away.

"Don't worry about me. Go help them."

Lin Yuan grew anxious.

"But you'll die!"

Li Haoran looked at him and smiled.

The smile was very faint, but there was light in his eyes.

"If I die, then I die. I'll die after finishing what needs to be done."

He turned his head and continued to support that thin curtain of light.

That light barrier was as weak as a layer of mist, but it was still there.

Lu Mingyuan faced off against Bone-Eroding.

Bone-Eroding was even stronger than before.

Its body was a third larger, its movements a third faster, and its strength a third greater.

Lu Mingyuan's sword strikes on it could only leave shallow wounds. Those wounds healed instantly, as if it had never been injured.

But every one of Bone-Eroding's attacks could take his life.

That claw formed from black mist lunged at him again and again. He dodged repeatedly, but it was becoming more and more difficult.

His Wanxiang True Qi was down to only twenty percent.

But he could not retreat.

Behind him were Yue Wushuang and the others, Fa Ming and the others, Li Haoran and the others, and over four hundred people fighting for their lives.

Gritting his teeth, he delivered another sword strike.

This strike landed on Bone-Eroding's face.

Bone-Eroding took a step back and stared at him.

"You... can't... hold... on... any... longer..."

Lu Mingyuan did not answer.

He indeed couldn't hold on much longer.

His legs were shaking, his hands were shaking, and his entire body was trembling.

His vision darkened in waves, and his ears were ringing.

Bone-Eroding raised its hand and lunged at him.

He wanted to dodge, but he could no longer move.

That claw came closer and closer.

Just then, a figure rushed over and blocked the way in front of him.

It was Zhang Qingyuan.

Carrying that heart lamp, he stood before Lu Mingyuan, facing that massive claw.

His hands were shaking, his legs were shaking, and his entire body was trembling.

But he did not retreat.

He looked at that claw, at that featureless face, and at those hollow eyes.

Then, he raised the heart lamp.

"Master's lamp is lit."

He said.

That claw suddenly stopped.

Bone-Eroding stared at the lamp, something flickering in its eyes—was it confusion? Was it wariness?

The light in the lamp was very weak and small.

But that light went straight up, without a hint of scattering.

Like a thread connecting heaven and earth.

Bone-Eroding stared at that thread and suddenly took a step back.

Was it afraid?

Zhang Qingyuan was also stunned.

He didn't know what had happened.

But he knew that the lamp was still lit.

He held the lamp and stood before Lu Mingyuan, not retreating a single step.

Lu Mingyuan looked at Zhang Qingyuan's back, his eyes welling up.

He took a deep breath and struggled to stand up.

"Qingyuan, step back."

Zhang Qingyuan turned to look at him.

"Master—"

Lu Mingyuan shook his head.

"Enough. From here, I'll take over."

He stepped in front of Zhang Qingyuan and faced Bone-Eroding.

His Wanxiang True Qi was down to its last ten percent.

But that ten percent was enough.

He looked at Bone-Eroding, at those hollow eyes.

"You asked me if I could kill you."

He said.

"I'm telling you—I can."

He raised his sword.

Not to strike at Bone-Eroding, but to strike at himself.

The sword light flashed, slicing his wrist, and blood gushed out.

That blood fell onto the sword, onto his body, and onto the ground.

Wanxiang True Qi, mixed with fresh blood, burned fiercely.

His eyes shone as bright as two suns.

Seeing those eyes, Bone-Eroding was suddenly afraid.

It took one step back, then two, then three.

But Lu Mingyuan would not let it retreat.

He charged forward and slashed his sword into its chest.

That strike carried his blood, his life, and everything he had.

A deep wound was slashed into Bone-Eroding's chest.

That wound did not heal.

It looked down at the wound, its eyes full of disbelief.

"You—"

Lu Mingyuan did not answer.

He delivered another sword strike.

The second strike landed on its face.

The third strike landed on its neck.

The fourth, fifth, sixth strikes—

Every strike carried his blood, and every strike landed in the same spot.

Bone-Eroding's body began to disintegrate.

It struggled and resisted desperately, but those wounds grew deeper and larger.

Finally, it let out a piercing roar.

Its body exploded violently.

Turning into a sky full of black smoke.

Bone-Eroding was dead.

Seeing that Bone-Eroding was dead, the other two General-level Demons retreated simultaneously.

But Yue Wushuang would not let them retreat.

He charged forward and slashed his sword into the snake-shaped demon's mouth.

The demon's mouth was completely sliced open, split from head to tail.

It let out a miserable scream, its body twisted frantically, and then it exploded.

Jiang Yichen also would not let the bear-shaped demon retreat.

He charged forward and smashed a fist into its already blinded eye socket.

His fist punched through the back of its head.

The demon's body swayed and crashed to the ground.

All three General-level Demons were dead.

Without their commanders, the demon soldiers began to fall into chaos.

Some continued to charge, some retreated, and some tore at each other.

The Old Taoist raised his sword.

"Kill!"

Over a thousand people struck at once.

Half an hour later, tens of thousands of demon soldiers had all turned into black smoke.

Peace returned to the ruins.

8

Lu Mingyuan stood there, covered in blood, swaying on his feet.

He looked at the dissipating black smoke, at the cheering people, and at the heart lamp that was still lit.

Then, he smiled.

The smile was very light, but there were tears in his eyes.

Zhang Qingyuan ran to his side, carrying the lamp.

"Master! Are you okay?"

Lu Mingyuan shook his head.

"I'm fine."

He looked at the lamp.

"Is the lamp still lit?"

Zhang Qingyuan nodded.

"It's lit. It's been lit the whole time."

Lu Mingyuan nodded.

He turned and looked at the people.

Yue Wushuang lay on the ground, gasping for breath, but he was alive.

Jiang Yichen leaned against a rock, his mouth full of blood, but he was alive.

Zhang Lingyun knelt on the ground, his face deathly pale, but he was alive.

Fa Ming was supported by two martial monks, covered in injuries, but he was alive.

Li Haoran was surrounded by several Confucian scholars, his face as white as paper, but he was alive.

And those people—the ones who lived, and the ones who died.

He looked at them for a long time.

Then, he said softly:

"We won."

Bai Ze walked to his side.

"We won."

Lu Mingyuan looked at it.

"You're okay?"

Bai Ze nodded.

"I'm fine. I was just watching."

Lu Mingyuan smiled.

"That's good."

He looked at the night sky.

There were many stars, and they were very bright.

He thought of those who had died, those who were alive, and those who were still on their way.

Then, he closed his eyes.

In his ears were the sounds of cheering, the wind, and the sounds of people crying.

It was very noisy.

But he felt it was very quiet.

Because they won.

Today, they won.

Tomorrow, there would be tomorrow's matters.

But today, they won.