The moment they burst into the dark passage, the sounds of Third Senior Sister, Zhao Tiezhu's fierce battle with the demons, and the faint energy fluctuations from Second Senior Brother setting up explosives seemed cut off by an invisible barrier, rapidly becoming blurry and distant. Within the passage, only suffocating silence remained, along with the substantive terrifying pressure of the Demon Lord's source power that rushed at them like a physical force.
This passage was wider than any they had passed through before. The demonic patterns on the fleshy walls no longer simply flickered but writhed and intertwined like living things, emitting whispers that confused the mind. The dim red glow became even denser, as if the entire passage was composed of solidified blood.
Xiao Qi and Mu Xue pushed their speed to the limit, streaking through the darkness like two beams of light, racing downward along the passage. They could feel they were getting closer to the Demon Lord's core resting place.
However, the Demon Lord clearly would not let them reach the endpoint so easily.
At a nearly ninety-degree sharp turn in the passage, the space ahead suddenly opened up, forming a round platform like a sacrificial altar. At the platform's center, thick ink-like demonic energy churned and condensed violently!
A powerful, violent, yet somehow hauntingly familiar aura erupted like an awakening volcano!
The demonic energy quickly condensed into form, taking the shape of a three-zhang tall figure. It wore a black cloak woven from countless painfully wailing resentful souls. Beneath the cloak was not a physical body but constantly twisting, rolling shadows. Its face was a chaotic blur, with only two scarlet blood-like points of light as eyes, burning with pure desire for destruction. In its hand it grasped a massive scythe constructed from bones and demonic crystals. Where the blade edge passed, space itself twisted slightly.
Most importantly for Xiao Qi to note: this demon's source aura bore seven or eight tenths similarity to the aura of his father Xu Zhan after his demonic corruption! But it was purer, more violent, lacking that struggle and pain, leaving only absolute obedience and the will to destroy.
This was a newborn Demon Marshal! Born directly from the Demon Lord's essence blood and massive resentful thoughts, manifested specifically to intercept them!
"Intruders... Stop... By the Lord Master's command... I grant you eternal slumber!" The Demon Marshal emitted a hoarse, overlapping mental vibration seemingly fused from countless voices. Its bone scythe slowly lifted, locking onto Xiao Qi who charged at the front.
That cold killing intent pierced Xiao Qi's consciousness like countless steel needles.
"Mu Xue, provide cover!" Xiao Qi shouted low, his footsteps not stopping but suddenly accelerating, actively charging toward the terrifying Demon Marshal! He knew this level of enemy must be faced head-on by him.
"Ant... dare to face destruction?" A trace of mockery flickered in the Demon Marshal's scarlet eyes. The bone scythe carried a soul-tearing shriek. It seemed slow, yet instantly arrived above Xiao Qi's head! Where the scythe passed, it left behind a black spatial fissure that lingered for a long time.
This strike carried the laws of death and extinction, far beyond what any previous demons could muster!
"Guardian's sword is not only for defense!" Xiao Qi's gaze was sharp. Faced with this certain-kill strike, he didn't retreat but advanced. His right hand formed a phantom grip. Within his body, the Green Lotus Origin, chaotic power, and the guardian sword heart tempered through worldly experiences highly condensed. A sword phantom, not physical yet seeming composed of countless beings' prayers and light of hope, formed instantly in his grasp!
He didn't choose to clash head-on with that scythe containing the law of extinction. Instead, he guided the sword tip, drawing a mysterious arc. The sword intent was like soft water, yet carrying undeniable resolve, gently touching the scythe's weakest point where old force transitioned to new force!
"Turn!"
HUM!
At the moment the green sword phantom contacted the bone scythe, there was no earth-shattering explosion. That extinction force sufficient to destroy stars was actually deflected slightly by this seemingly gentle strike. It grazed Xiao Qi's side and fiercely cut into the adjacent flesh wall!
SIZZLE!
The flesh wall was cleaved open a bottomless fissure. Viscous demonic fluid sprayed out like a waterfall, emitting sizzling corrosion sounds. The Demon Marshal's seemingly certain-kill strike was easily deflected by Xiao Qi's clever use of force!
"What?!" A trace of disbelief flashed in the Demon Marshal's scarlet eyes. This newborn body, though not reaching Xu Zhan's peak, possessed some of the Demon Lord's source characteristics. Its law level exceeded ordinary cultivators. Yet this enemy so casually resolved its attack?
In that moment of its shock, Mu Xue struck!
She didn't directly attack the Demon Marshal's body but formed seals with both hands. In her cool eyes, ice-blue light blazed intensely.
"Absolute Zero·Temporal Shackles!"
A chill far purer and more extreme than before descended instantly. It was not directed at the Demon Marshal's physical body—it had no fixed form—but directly on the space and energy flow surrounding it! The Demon Marshal's rolling shadow body visibly became sluggish, its movements slowed several times. Even those two scarlet gazes flickered like slow motion!
How could Xiao Qi miss this perfect opportunity? The instant Mu Xue's ice technique took effect, he moved!
The Swimming Dragon Nine Turns Body Technique operated to its extreme. His form like a ghost, he appeared behind the Demon Marshal's flank. That sword phantom condensed from belief and purifying power erupted in brilliant light, striking directly toward the shadow core most concentrated at the Demon Marshal's back heart!
"Purify!"
Feeling the fatal threat, the Demon Marshal roared in rage. It forcibly twisted its slowed body, the bone scythe sweeping back in an attempt to parry. Simultaneously, the shadows around it boiled. Countless resentful soul faces emerged, emitting ear-piercing shrieks, forming a powerful spiritual impact rushing toward Xiao Qi's consciousness!
Xiao Qi's gaze was ice-cold. Within his consciousness, the Green Lotus swayed, purifying aura circulated, completely resisting and eliminating that spiritual impact. His sword momentum unchanged, even more resolute!
SPLATTER!
The green sword phantom struck first, accurately piercing the shadow core at the Demon Marshal's back heart!
"AAARGH!!!"
The Demon Marshal emitted a tragic mental scream. That shadow core melted and purified like ice thrown into the scorching sun! Its massive body convulsed and twisted violently. The resentful souls composing the cloak broke free one after another, wailing as they dissipated. The bone scythe in its hand shattered inch by inch, becoming pure demonic energy that scattered.
"The Lord Master... will not... forgive..." The Demon Marshal's scarlet gaze locked onto Xiao Qi, filled with hatred and unwillingness. Finally, as the core completely purified, its body utterly collapsed, dispersing into wisps of black smoke that vanished on that altar-like platform.
A powerful Demon Marshal comparable to early Soul Transformation stage was rapidly slain through the tacit coordination between Xiao Qi and Mu Xue!
Xiao Qi breathed slightly, dispersing the sword phantom. That demon's slaying seemed effortless, but the consumption was enormous. Especially when resisting its law-level attacks and spiritual impacts, the mental strain was particularly severe.
Mu Xue came to his side. Her face was also somewhat pale. Continuously casting high-level ice techniques was equally taxing on her.
"Its power... shares the same source as Uncle Xu." Mu Xue said softly, her eyes carrying a trace of complexity.
Xiao Qi silently nodded, gazing toward the darkness deeper in the passage, his expression more resolute. "Exactly because of that, we must completely end this."
The two took brief rest, not daring to linger longer. Once again transforming into beams of light, they raced toward the source of that final and most terrifying pressure.
The reunion with an old foe was merely the appetizer. The true final confrontation was about to arrive.