Chapter 475: Clearing the Immortal Power
Li Hao glanced at Mi Xueyao, noticing the visible relief on her face. He couldn't help but feel irritated at the Ancient Demon's loose tongue. Why did he have to shout in the Human language? Who was he trying to alert? This might be too much of a giveaway…
"It seems you're not completely stupid after all."
Seeing that Li Hao trusted her, Mi Xueyao gave a faint smile.
Just as Li Hao was about to ask her to help finish off that Di Jiang Clan Ancient Demon, suddenly, from deep within the Ancient Demon Tide, a powerful aura soared toward them.
This aura was extraordinarily fierce, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, and in an instant, it revealed strength on par with the Di Jiang Clan Ancient Demon.
An ancient war spear flew out from the hand of the approaching presence, its golden spirals twisting, ripping through the space layer by layer as it aimed to impale Mi Xueyao into the void.
Mi Xueyao's expression, which had just softened, changed drastically. Her eyes were filled with horror.
She sensed the destructive aura on the war spear, and in that instant, she pushed her strength to its peak, even forgetting to hide it. Her arms swung like the wings of a Roc, and dark immortal energy surged from her body. Behind her, several fleshy wings appeared, and a devouring power erupted from within her.
"Life and Death Annihilation!"
As she raised her hand, her innate secret technique revealed itself—an ability exclusive to her clan. The eight fleshy wings on her back emitted both the power of life and death.
Four of the wings radiated a brilliant emerald green, embodying the immortal force of life, while the other four wings were filled with the destructive, brutal power of death. These energies intertwined, forming a grayish, sharp blade that sliced through the air.
With a loud bang, the war spear collided with the Annihilation Blade, sending a shockwave that vibrated the entire battlefield.
The divine glow on the war spear faded considerably as it was sent flying backward. A towering and menacing Ancient Demon charged out, grasping the war spear with one hand.
Mi Xueyao's face turned crimson, blood spilling from her mouth, her eyes blazing with intense anger.
"Rotational Royal Clan, you've been hiding quite well."
She hadn't expected that, as the Ancient Demon Tide was on the verge of collapse, there would still be a powerful member of the Rotational Royal Clan lying in wait, hiding in the depths of this place.
"That thing is worth more than a hundred battles like this. Hand it over, and I'll leave you with your corpse!"
The Ancient Demon, holding the war spear, had a cold, murderous look in his eyes. His aura was faintly at the level of the Ninth Stage of Immortal Lord. The immense pressure he exuded caused the intense battles across the entire battlefield to pause for a brief moment as everyone felt the threat he presented.
Mi Xueyao gritted her teeth so hard they almost broke, realizing that she was just about to kill that Di Jiang Clan Ancient Demon, gaining a trophy to prove herself and infiltrate the human race, but now the Rotational Royal Clan had caught her, forcing her to reveal her true identity.
If she tried to hide any longer, she would either die or be seriously injured, as the difference in their realms was too vast.
She was just one step away from success… She gritted her teeth and suddenly noticed a sound of something breaking through the air. Li Hao's figure flashed multiple times, quickly appearing by her side.
"Are you alright?"
Li Hao's face was grave. If Mi Xueyao lost her fighting strength, there would be no one able to stop that Ancient Demon.
Mi Xueyao froze. She had thought that the human boy, who had been with her for three months, would be shocked, but instead, she saw him approaching her with a serious expression, eyes filled with worry and concern.
She was momentarily stunned. Without thinking, she said, "You... you know who I am?"
Li Hao sighed inwardly. At this point, there was no need to pretend any longer. "Didn't I answer you just now?"
Mi Xueyao was taken aback for a moment, recalling what Li Hao had just said: "I know." So, he knew she was an Ancient Demon?
"Then, you…"
He knew her identity and still dared to be with her for three months?
Li Hao had no patience for these kinds of questions at the moment.
"Is this really the time to talk about that?" he reminded her.
Mi Xueyao immediately snapped out of her stupor. Her face slightly changed as she turned her attention back to the Rotational Royal Clan Ancient Demon. Her gaze flickered continuously, and in the end, she gritted her teeth and said,
"The other side is of the royal bloodline, their realm difference is too great. You better be prepared for what's to come. I'm leaving!"
"Can't stop him?"
Li Hao couldn't help but ask. He had thought that she might have some hidden trump card.
Mi Xueyao, hearing Li Hao's words, thought of the Buddha Heart Tower and replied, "Do you have any means to block him?"
"No," Li Hao confessed. "I've used up all my trump cards."
The Buddha Heart Tower was a gift from Old Han, and he hadn't known about such a card in advance.
Mi Xueyao nearly exploded in anger, unsure if Li Hao was telling the truth. But at this moment, she realized she needed to part ways with this human. Although Li Hao's reaction had surprised her, now that he knew her identity, she couldn't trust that he didn't have ulterior motives.
"Considering the three months of good food, I won't involve you in this."
Mi Xueyao gave Li Hao a deep look. The two exchanged a quick glance, and everything happened in the blink of an eye.
Ignoring Li Hao's surprised gaze, Mi Xueyao suddenly stepped forward, her palm revealing a dark diamond-shaped object surrounded by chaotic divine light. The diamond was incredibly deep, seeming like some kind of fragment.
Upon seeing the dark diamond, the Rotational Royal Clan Ancient Demon's expression changed immediately, his eyes sharpening with excitement.
"Hand it over!"
"Want it? Then catch me first!"
Mi Xueyao quickly concealed the object and turned, flying off. Behind her, her fleshy wings tore through the void, revealing her ability to manipulate the space origin at the Fourth Stage, allowing her to perform spatial jumps and vanish from the battlefield.
At the same time, she raised her hand and waved it, causing a blazing sea of fire to emerge from the void, cutting off their pursuit.
The fire sea burned through the heavens and earth, distorting the very space itself, igniting everything within, including celestial power and all matter.
"You won't escape this time!"
The King of the Rotating Royal Family's eyes were icy, and the golden glow on his war spear flickered once again. He suddenly took a large stride forward, swinging the spear and gathering countless sparks from the fire sea, creating a pitch-black, desolate passage.
He pursued without even sparing a glance at Li Hao.
However, as he passed by, he casually released a dark, sharp blade aimed at Li Hao, attempting to strike him in an instant.
Li Hao's expression shifted slightly, and his extreme realm exploded within him. His bones cracked loudly as he used his "Law of Heaven and Earth" technique to draw in the celestial power from the stars, pushing his ancient immortal body to its peak. He raised his hand, slicing out a sword aura to meet the incoming attack.
Boom!
The sword aura exploded, as if being devoured by the celestial law attached to the dark blade, shattering without a sound.
Yet, the dark blade was also affected, dimming slightly, before colliding with Li Hao's "Invincible Punch of Heaven and Earth."
The invincible force of the punch was annihilated by the law, and the punch was split open, with the force traveling up his arm, reaching his shoulder, before the blade's residual power finally faded away.
With just a casual strike, Li Hao nearly found himself in a life-and-death crisis. This was only because his true immortal third realm cultivation had deceived his opponent, preventing them from using their full strength.
The King of the Rotating Royal Family, at the ninth level of the Immortal Monarch realm, was far stronger than any ancient demon Li Hao had encountered before. As he watched the opponent disappear behind the fire sea, Li Hao's brows furrowed in worry, wondering if the person would be able to escape.
However, thinking about it, the opponent was also an ancient demon, so even if they died, it had nothing to do with him.
It was just that before leaving, the dark diamond shape revealed by the enemy had undoubtedly been the reason they were being pursued. The enemy had chosen to not involve him in the matter and had used him as a shield to buy time, which took Li Hao by surprise. His prejudice against her also slightly eased.
"Good luck to you..."
Li Hao murmured to himself, withdrawing his gaze and looking out across the vast battlefield on the border.
Countless celestial techniques erupted, and the ancient demons clashed fiercely with one another. The disciples from various sects were all visible in the chaotic battle.
At every moment, true immortals were falling, and Li Hao thought to himself that maybe it was time to call Elder Wang over.
With someone like Elder Wang, a celestial king, involved in this battle, things could quickly settle, reducing the casualties.
However, Elder Wang was in search of his master's former direct disciple, Shi Miao, whose reincarnation body was Ying Xiao. Li Hao didn't know how things were progressing, and calling him over recklessly might cause all his efforts to be in vain…
As he pondered, Li Hao still decided to summon him, after all, lives were at stake.
Just as he was about to speak, a violent rumble suddenly sounded above his head.
Soon after, a dark cloud poured down from the sky. The cloud lingered briefly in the high air before rapidly expanding, revealing a massive, black magical bloodstorm.
A black light shot out from the magical blood, rapidly flashing before vanishing from the battlefield, as if it were a beam of light piercing toward the distant stars, disappearing in an instant, leaving no time for anyone to react.
As the black light vanished, a towering figure descended from the sky. Behind him stood a massive法相 (fǎ xiàng), a divine manifestation, surrounded by waves of an ocean that seemed as though it could engulf the entire battlefield.
The grand figure before the法相 (fǎ xiàng) was an elderly man, his hair and beard snow-white. Despite his age, he exuded an aura that seemed to devour the world.
In his withered hand, he gripped a broken wing, staring intently at the ancient demon king who had fled. Both were at the King realm, and although there was a difference in strength, the enemy had been forced to flee for his life, making a pursuit quite difficult.
He withdrew his gaze, instead looking over the entire battlefield and quickly assessing the situation.
Hmph!
He coldly snorted, raising his hand to summon his celestial kingdom, pressing it down upon the battlefield.
Within the ancient demon tide, there was no longer a King-level demon. With his celestial kingdom descending, he could do as he wished. As the celestial kingdom suppressed the area, vast numbers of ancient demons were instantly obliterated, without even the chance to scream or resist.
The ancient demons at the Immortal Monarch realm, sensing the terrifying pressure, were all horrified, realizing the battle was lost. They began to desperately break free from their opponents and fled in a mad panic.
But their escape speed was no match for the celestial kingdom's, and they were quickly enveloped and suppressed. Only a few ancient demons at the Immortal Monarch realm, who had been on the outer edges of the battlefield, managed to escape.
The situation on the battlefield reversed in an instant, and the human forces immediately began to rally for a counterattack. The ancient demon tide fell into chaos and panic, with demons fleeing in all directions.
Seeing this favorable situation, Li Hao immediately abandoned the idea of summoning Elder Wang. He wasted no time and swiftly joined the feast of hunting the ancient demons.
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
"Don't let them escape, not even one!"
The battlefield was filled with shouts and the sounds of fighting. After months of brutal combat, it was finally coming to an end. Everyone could see that the Ancient Demon Tide had already been defeated. With the morale of the human forces soaring, the commanders of the Ancient Demon Tide, who had reached the Xianjun realm, were furious and panicked. They could only flee, terrified of being spotted by the elder high above.
Li Hao appeared behind the Ancient Demon Tide. These demons, like a flood, were retreating in a frenzy. Li Hao was like a sword cutting through the current, quickly slashing down the demons who fled in panic. He unleashed the Heavenly Law Manifestation, summoning the Taowu, revealing his towering immortal body that reached ten thousand feet high, constantly suppressing and killing the demons around him. These demons were furious and tried to fight Li Hao, but the tide had already turned against them. They had lost the will to fight and were being relentlessly chased and cut down by Li Hao. Only a few managed to escape.
Li Hao collected the corpses of the slain demons, quickly accumulating them in the Heavenly Space. His true treasure, the Immortal Sword, had become dull from constant use, and he was covered in blood, like a killing god on the battlefield. Many of the soldiers from the Tiger Lion Army, who had come to help hunt down the demons, were shocked by the speed and power with which Li Hao killed the demons. They were in awe. This was a powerhouse from some sect, and they couldn't believe how terrifying he was!
As the Ancient Demon Tide was decimated, Li Hao continued his slaughter, following the Tiger Lion Army as they chased the fleeing demons all the way to the Ruinous Stone Star Domain before stopping. Beyond that was the area where the Ancient Demons frequently appeared, and there could be hidden ambushes. The army halted and began to celebrate their victory at the boundary of the Ruinous Stone Star Domain, cheering and roaring in triumph.
"This haul should last us for several years..." Li Hao looked at the Heavenly Space, smiling with satisfaction. He then turned his attention to the fleeing remnants of the Ancient Demon Army heading toward the Ruinous Stone Star Domain. He felt a little regretful, but still chose to return and avoid further complications. Along the way, he didn't see Mi Xueyao's body and didn't know what had happened to her. Li Hao shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it.
As the army made its way back, a young man in silver hair and a black helmet, along with a woman with different-colored eyes, approached the elder.
"Tianshi, are you alright?" the woman asked with concern.
The elder raised his hand slightly to signal that he was fine. He then glanced over the battlefield and smiled lightly, saying, "This battle went smoother than I expected. That Di Qiu was heavily wounded by me. He won't recover in a few hundred years. It's a pity I couldn't capture him."
"If not for Tianshi's brilliant plan, we wouldn't have been able to force a flaw out of him. That guy was too well-hidden," the silver-haired young man said.
The elder's eyes flickered slightly as he replied, "If it weren't for an insider, I wouldn't have known he'd make a move himself. He probably wanted to launch a sneak attack to kill you all in this battle. It's a significant loss for our human race."
The battle, lasting for a hundred thousand years, was a war of attrition between the True World's various races and the Ancient Demons. They had long abandoned any hope of a decisive victory. That was an impossible feat. They could only exhaust each other, slowly wearing each other down. When the time came, they would launch a massive attack and have the final showdown.
Hearing the elder's words, the two warriors fell silent. As generals of the human race's border defense, they had trained for tens of thousands of years. Strong figures like them were cultivated with at least ten thousand years of effort, absorbing many precious resources. The losses from the years of war were immense, and each high-level Xianjun in their ranks was a pillar of the human race.
"Let's go back and tally up the casualties. The peacock army that flanked us earlier didn't suffer much damage. I'll also have an explanation for King Zhao," the elder said with a smile, his gaze sweeping over the battlefield. Despite the small number of peacock army soldiers, they were very conspicuous.
"Mm," the other two nodded and followed the elder on their way back. At this point, the battle horn sounded, signaling the retreat of the army from the Ruinous Stone Star Domain. Li Hao returned with the army, heading back to the Wildfire Military City camp. Along the way, the soldiers they encountered had different reactions. Some wept for their fallen comrades, while others were excited, calculating their gains and cheering in joy. It was clear that they had gained a lot from this battle.
When Li Hao arrived at the Wildfire Military City camp and entered the courtyard, he saw that Shi Tianjin and the others had already returned. They had apparently come back earlier and hadn't ventured as deep as Li Hao had.