Demon God Da Mo could feel the Black Heart Flame slowly devouring his Demon Soul. But, weak as he was, he was still a 9th-grade Reborn Demon. Seals implanted by Cao Yun's 'Soul Chains' exploded within him. Demon God Da Mo felt shivers throughout his soul. All around him, and even within him, he could feel powerful emotions. Hatred and resentment were overwhelming. It was as if all those he had killed were judging him. Demon God Da Mo could literally hear their voices calling him, he could remember their pleas, how they begged and were ignored. He saw their eyes staring at him. He heard their voices cursing him. He felt their cold blood running over his skin. Even though Demon God Da Mo was now only a Demon Soul, he felt everything as if he were flesh and blood.
The sensations were disturbing. However, Demon God Da Mo had absolutely no remorse. Those were mere annoyances. All those he had killed, tortured, abused, tormented, either humans or demons, were all inferior beings. They were barely superior to cattle or beasts. Would he feel guilty for slaughtering a pig? Then, why would he ever feel guilty for crushing those pathetic creatures?!
Demon God Da Mo's Demon Soul was slowly being consumed by the Death Energy of Cao Yun's Black Heart Flame. But without Cao Yun to fully control it, it was getting weaker and weaker. Above the falling carcass of Demon God Da Mo, the Demon Soul had taken the shape of a large demon with ten wings and horns. It was exactly the figure Cao Yun had seen. Most of his body was covered in tongues of black flames licking his flesh, trying to consume him. However, the flames were getting smaller and smaller.
The humans down below realized that Demon God Da Mo would escape. Cao Yun had given everything he had, three Sages, the most powerful humans of this entire Forsaken Dao Era, had given their lives. And this wouldn't be enough. They were frustrated and desperate at the same time. Would fate stop crushing mankind? Why did the Hongchen Kingdom have to suffer so much?
In the distance, a young man was slowly walking back to the battlefield. It was Sun Liao. Exhausted, it took him some time to come back. Despite his fatigue, his senses were still very good. As such, he saw what was happening in the sky. But he also saw his brother. As if Demon God Da Mo didn't exist above him, Sun Liao walked straight toward his fallen brother. Cultivators moved out of his way. The chief elders looked at Sun Liao, expecting orders. His silence caused everyone to be paralyzed.
The humans were looking at each other. Doubt and confusion spread throughout the cultivators. Thankfully, most of them were disciples of the Wubei Sect. Thus, they trusted Sun Liao and the chief elders. The disciples endured until Sun Liao got to Cao Yun's body. Immediately, Sun Liao made sure that his brother was alive and well. Despite many injuries, Cao Yun was indeed fine, he simply seemed unconscious. Cao Yun was unable to move or react at all but he was still aware of everything. Sun Liao had no doubt that he would recover in a matter of months. Considering his Soul Embryo, it would take him decades, maybe even an entire century, to fully recover, of course. But his body would be healed before the end of the year, this was a given.
Now that his brother's fate was known to him, Sun Liao turned toward a few chief elders with a smile on his face.
"Why are you so somber? We have won! Mankind has triumphed! Now, we just have to admire the show!"
Hearing his words, several chief elders understood. They knew where he had gone, so it all made sense. Sun Liao had used a communication array formation in order to contact Silver Wolf General Long Cheng. After explaining the situation to the Silver Wolf General, Sun Liao asked him to disobey Cao Yun and to come to the battlefield immediately. However, Long Cheng had proposed a different idea. Instead of abandoning his post, Long Cheng had deliberately allowed himself to fail. He let Shanyin Guan cross the border while keeping the rest of the demonic forces out. Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan and his Six Fangs Generals flew as fast as they could, while the Silver Wolf General kept on protecting the border. This had been a gamble, but apparently, it had worked. After all, Shanyin Guan had looked at Demon God Da Mo's body die without interfering.
A few chief elders were worried. There was a huge difference between doing nothing to help and actively killing someone. Right now, they needed Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan to actually kill Demon God Da Mo. This was their last chance. Even array formations wouldn't be very useful because they were all exhausted, Sun Liao above all else. At the moment, it was clear that no one but the seven Accomplished Demons in the sky could end Demon God Da Mo's existence.
The Six Fangs Generals were all looking at their marshal. Before their eyes, they had not seen the Empyrean Asura being killed, they had seen their literal god die in such a miserable way. From their point of view, their Demon God had been slain by a mere boy. Of course, they knew the terror of this boy. But it was still their god. Although the Six Fangs Generals didn't believe everything in the Heavenly Demon God Faith, they all believed that Demon God Da Mo was a form of deity. Even for the few Six Fangs Generals who were followers of the Sutra Faith of Buddha Cangjing, this was a heavy blow. After all, Demon God Da Mo was the progenitor of their entire species.
Now, they knew why their marshal had always feared the Empyrean Asura. He had never been a demon. From the beginning, he had been Demon God Da Mo's Demon Soul within a demon he had possessed. Obviously, even Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan had been terrified of such an entity.
At this very moment, everyone was looking at Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan. This was the man who would decide the fate of everyone here. If Demon God Da Mo survived, the war wouldn't stop. Mankind had lost many great warriors. Besides, Cao Yun had used every trick he had. They couldn't replicate what had just happened. After all, they couldn't sacrifice three more Sages. Moreover, Demon God Da Mo wouldn't easily fall into another trap of this kind. In other words, Demon God Da Mo would probably win the next battle. Even if Cao Yun had fully healed before such a battle occurred, mankind would most likely lose the war. Of course, it was difficult to accurately gauge how true this feeling was. However, this was exactly how everyone felt. This war could be ended here with a swing of a sword. Only Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan could do it, though.
Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan took out his 'Marshal's Vanguard' double-ended spear. His aura became massive as he suddenly circulated all of his cultivation. With no warning whatsoever, he immediately poured his entire being into his martial arts, 'Virtues of the Bound General'. Everyone present, even his own generals, and Demon God Da Mo, felt an intense pressure. They were seeing a tyrannical being. At this moment, he was the most influential man in the entire Piaolu planet. His next actions would determine the life of every man, woman, and child on this planet.
In one way or another, he would end the war at this very moment.
Demon God Da Mo projected his voice toward Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan.
"Marshal, slay this vermin down below. This august Demon God will gift you with your entire Langyin Region. Your people will be free. Your Langyin Region won't even need to kneel before me, only you and your people will have this honor. Slay the bastard!"
Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan heard ecstasy in his god's voice. But he also heard panic and fear. Not only was Demon God Da Mo afraid of Cao Yun, but he also feared Silver Wolf Marshal's decision. Through his words, the Silver Wolf Marshal could hear the deception. He had never once believed his words. However, Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan was thinking about something else. If this human survived, he might wage war against the demons as retaliation. Such an enemy was a dire threat. On the other hand, killing him would obviously prompt the Hongchen Kingdom to go to war even more.
Demon God Da Mo's fate was already sealed. Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan wondered about Cao Yun's fate alone. Today, he would break his word, he would betray his own principles and his duty. Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan had one value above everything else. He only wanted to protect his people. Even if he had to be mocked, insulted, and cursed by all, he would always follow the same path. Unfortunately, it was sometimes difficult to know what was the best course of action for his people.
Finally, Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan made a decision.
In the sky, the Five Gates of Virtue appeared. As soon as people saw them, the doors opened suddenly. An intense pressure crushed everyone and everything around Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan. He was the arbiter of virtue and morality. At this moment, Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan was the most virtuous man in existence. His aura almost made everyone willing to kneel before him. One word from him could convert the most wretched criminal into a virtuous scholar. Disobeying his edicts was akin to committing the worst atrocity imaginable, to slaughtering one's own family.
Even Demon God Da Mo was affected by this powerful aura. He and the Six Fangs Generals could tell that Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan was going all-out. He wasn't holding back at all. As such, the Six Fangs Generals were worried. And they were right. The next words they heard froze their blood.
"One Root, plucked out.
Two Ways, lost.
Three Bonds, untied.
Four Sprouts, withered.
Five Virtues, shattered.
All Severed.
No Return."
"Severance of Oaths"!
This was the ultimate technique of the 'Virtues of the Bound General' martial art. Such a technique was so powerful and devastating that it would damage and even scar the user. In the worst cases, this technique could actually kill the martial artist who used it. Hopefully, Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan used it while he was in his best condition, so he wouldn't be hurt too badly. On the other hand, it also meant that he was able to put more strength behind it, which would make it even more powerful and dangerous for himself.
'Marshal's Vanguard' literally shattered in his hands. His double-ended spear became two different spears. All Five Gates of Virtue exploded into thousands upon thousands of shards. For an instant, it felt as if all consideration of morality or virtue had disappeared. It wasn't even that evil was permissible. It was that evil and good didn't exist. No one could tell what felt wrong or what felt right anymore. This was a deep feeling of loss.
With the two spears in hand, Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan stabbed forward. All the shards from the Five Gates of Virtue gathered around him. They formed a giant spear in the sky. It was perfectly vertical and right above the Silver Wolf Marshal's target. Demon God Da Mo felt the pressure of all the broken virtues of the world above his head. Every vow that had been discarded, every alliance that had been betrayed, every virtue that had been soiled. Everything was above him, ready to impale him.
Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan's movement was precise and elegant. His soul was poured into his spear as it stabbed toward his enemy. Demon God Da Mo had no way of avoiding the attack at this point. He was too weak. Besides, this attack was targeting his soul directly. This wasn't just a physical attack. Otherwise, Demon God Da Mo would have been fine. At the moment, he could tell that his Demon Soul was about to die. This was the final instant of his life.
Despite this realization, nothing extraordinary happened. Demon God Da Mo didn't relive his life, he didn't suddenly think back to a crucial event, he didn't even regret anything at all. The only thing on his mind was that he wanted to live. This was too humiliating! He couldn't die like that! He had survived through it all, and he would be killed by his own ally. The word ally sounded hollow, but it didn't matter.
Demon God Da Mo couldn't even tell whether his actions were bad or good. He really couldn't. As such, he had absolutely no regret. In fact, under other circumstances, he would have felt that his actions were all righteous and justified. His word was the arbiter of truth itself. But Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan had shattered all of that.
The spear reached Demon God Da Mo and pierced his very heart, at least the location where his heart was. After all, Demon God Da Mo was merely a physical manifestation of his Demon Soul at the moment. He had already lost his body to Cao Yun's spear. And now he lost his soul to Silver Wolf Marshal's spear.
Two spears had ended him. He had no last words or final thoughts. When the spear pierced him, the giant spear from above fell on him. Millions of shards completely eviscerated his Demon Soul. In an instant, he was wiped out of existence. Nothing remained of him. Total obliteration!
As he had finished his attack, Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan had shattered one half of his spear. With the other half, he pointed at Cao Yun. There was doubt in his eyes. Using his momentum, he could completely kill Cao Yun and everyone down below. However, he stopped himself. It wasn't even that he had given his word to Silver Wolf General Long Cheng, or that it was dishonorable. No, Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan simply decided that Cao Yun's survival was better for his own people's future.
The Silver Wolf Marshal stayed his hand. Suddenly, a terrifying pain pierced his very mind and soul. This was the backlash of his technique. In fact, it was similar to someone breaking an oath sworn on one's Dao Heart.