Fierce Battle Against a Peak Grand Demon King!

"So that is a late-stage Tier 3 Grand Demon King?" Streaking through the air, Luo Chen wore a grave expression. Beneath him, the flames of war were already sparse and scattered, showing that he was gradually nearing the outer periphery at the rear of the island, leaving the main battlefield behind. His speed did not slacken, but he had already put considerable distance between himself and the pursuers behind him, finally granting him a moment to reflect on the recent battle. Thinking it through carefully gave him a precise assessment of his current strength. With an eruption of his magic power, a single sword strike could slay an early-stage Tier 3 demon beast. When he unleashed his signature spells, even mid-stage Tier 3 demon beasts found it hard to resist. Yet when facing a late-stage Tier 3 Grand Demon King, his current arsenal proved rather strenuous. That Grand Demon King of the Nine-Clawed Poison King Crab clan had waited at its ease while he exhausted himself, yet Luo Chen had also successively unleashed the Blazing Fire Miasma he had cultivated for years, alongside the Three Soul Breaking Nails. With both trump cards brought to bear, more than half of the Blazing Fire Miasma was spent neutralizing the demon king's venom, and the Three Soul Breaking Nails had lost both the Armor-Piercing Nail and the Qi-Piercing Nail, leaving only the Soul Breaking Nail intact. Even so, he had merely gained a slight upper hand. If it came down to a true life-and-death struggle, he would have had to deploy even more methods. Moreover, given how corruptive the Nine-Clawed Poison King Crab clan's venom was, neither his Profound Fire Sword nor the Hunyuan Cauldron was well-suited for the clash, giving him at best a forty-sixty chance of victory. If he truly wished to secure victory beyond all doubt, perhaps his only option would be assuming his Heavenly Roc True Form! "A Grand Demon King..." Luo Chen murmured to himself with a sigh of emotion. At this realm, demons had begun to close the gap with human cultivators of the same tier; even if they were slightly inferior in some respects, the innate advantages of their racial talents made the difference negligible. With his current strength, fighting above his level without unleashing his full power was indeed a taxing endeavor. If outsiders were to learn what was going through his head, their eyes would roll to the heavens in exasperation. At a mere Golden Core fourth-layer cultivation, he had broken through the blockade of multiple Demon Kings in succession and had even briefly gained the upper hand when facing a Grand Demon King head-on. To achieve all that and still be dissatisfied was truly infuriating! After a round of analysis, Luo Chen arrived at a clear conclusion. In human form, at the fourth layer of the Golden Core realm, his abundant magic power, profound soul foundation, and versatile methods were already on par with a Tier 3 Grand Demon King. Converted to human cultivators, this matched his prior assessment precisely. Against a late Golden Core Great Cultivator, he now possessed ample strength to protect himself. With sufficient preparation, he might even contend on equal footing with a seventh-layer Golden Core Great Cultivator! And if he were to unleash the complete physique of the Desolate Ancient Tier 3, the scales of victory would tip firmly in his favor. Just as Luo Chen was lost in thought, his expression suddenly shifted. Empowered by his spiritual sight, he saw a colossal silhouette emerge from the ocean depths, clutching the lifeless carcass of an enormous Ring-Headed Turtle. The moment it broke the surface, its pair of massive pincers hoisted the turtle's corpse and hurled it straight toward him. The sight was nothing less than a mountain being cast through the air! The assault came without warning. A faint aura of demonic soul spiritual pressure even enveloped the surrounding space, sealing off all avenues of escape. His face darkening abruptly, Luo Chen retreated swiftly while tracing out profound trajectories with the Profound Fire Sword in his right hand. His left hand rapidly formed incantation seals. Finally, he thrust his sword straight toward the colossal turtle corpse, barking an incisive shout: "Landslide!" Surging magic power poured from the Profound Fire Sword, erupting brilliantly across the horizon. A deafening roar shattered the air. *Boom!* Up in the sky, the mountain-like carcass of the Ring-Headed Turtle collapsed in utter ruin. Blood rained down like molten lava, and flesh and bone burst apart like shattered rock. The already-fractured shell disintegrated under the impact of the magic power, turning into countless sharp shards that sprayed in every direction. Following that Landslide strike, the sword-light whistled shrilly. *Swoosh!* It shot straight at the enemy pouncing forward. *Clang!* In the nick of time, the sword seemed to strike an indestructible sheet of steel. Luo Chen focused his gaze, only to draw in a sharp breath of cold air. In the sky stood an island-sized behemoth, suspended across the heavens. Its pair of giant pincers gleamed like pure gold, impossibly sharp. Clamped tight between those pincers, the peerless sword-light of the Profound Fire Sword was halted in its tracks, unable to advance even an inch. With a thought, Luo Chen attempted to recall the Profound Fire Sword, but no matter how he directed it, the weapon remained completely immobilized. His heart began to sink. Looking at the behemoth, a sense of familiarity welled up within him. *It's him!* If his memory served him right, this was the very Overlord Crab that had pursued the Black King all those years ago. Back then, the creature had not revealed its true form and seemed quite ordinary; Luo Chen, unwilling to invite trouble, had even thought of letting it go. Seeing it now in its fully revealed true form, spanning fully seventy zhang across as it spanned the sky, it resembled nothing less than a floating fortress. The surging aura radiating from it was utterly terrifying. Late Tier 3, and verging on peak perfection! Luo Chen swallowed hard, the gravity in his eyes deepening. This was an existence comparable to the patriarchs of the five royal crab clans. This time, he had truly kicked an iron plate! While he sized up his opponent, Jin Ao stared back at Luo Chen with savage bloodlust. "Are you the mastermind behind Tianxuan Island?" Facing a demon beast, Luo Chen did not bother concealing the truth. Besides, the beast blocked his path and had greeted him with a full-force strike; this was no longer a situation where words could broker a compromise. "And what if this master is?" Jin Ao grinned ferociously, the layers of bone across his golden body popping with ripples of tremors. "If so, then leave your life behind!" With that, the giant pincers snapped shut. *Snap!* Before Luo Chen's very eyes, the shuddering Profound Fire Sword cracked crisply, shattering into iron fragments that plummeted toward the earth. "Ugh..." A muffled grunt escaped Luo Chen's lips as a trace of blood leaked involuntarily from the corner of his mouth. Unlike the Three Soul Breaking Nails, which had barely been refined, the Profound Fire Sword had accompanied him since his Foundation Establishment days, refined over no less than a century. Especially after his core formation, as his handiest magic treasure, he had poured immense effort into nurturing and tempering it despite its modest grade. One could say that among all the treasures on his person, its spiritual connection ranked in the top three! Second only to the Lanke Black Chess Piece, it was even more intimately linked to his soul than his natal magic treasure. Now that the treasure was destroyed, the severed spiritual bond struck Luo Chen's soul like a heavy hammer. It felt as though a piece of flesh had been torn living from his body. Luo Chen had anticipated that this sword would reach the end of its life one day; its mediocre quality simply could not withstand the overbearing and pure magic power of his mid Golden Core stage. Yet he had never imagined that the Profound Fire Sword would meet its end like this, crushed to pieces by an enemy's brute force. Those golden pincers! Luo Chen drew a deep breath, his vitality churning fiercely as azure flames began to coil around him. The blood at the corner of his mouth evaporated into nothingness. A powerful, overbearing aura erupted from him. "What makes you think you have what it takes to keep me here?" Sensing that abruptly altered presence, Jin Ao was startled for a moment. Demonic qi? No, it was human vitality, but steeped in an immense concentration of demonic qi. Moreover, that demonic qi gave him an uncanny sense of familiarity, almost as if... it belonged to his own kind? The realization sent Jin Ao into a towering fury. "Insolent bastard! You used the flesh and blood of my kin to temper your body! I'll tear you to pieces with my bare claws!" Even as he spoke, he heaved his colossal bulk forward, charging straight at Luo Chen. The charge was like a colossal beast ramming a mountain, utterly unstoppable! Facing this momentum, Luo Chen showed no fear, surging forward head-on. As he dashed forward, his form began to shift. Boundless vitality flushed through every muscle and bone in his body like a roaring waterfall. His jade-like skin ruptured and reassembled, forging a layer of outer shell that resembled both armor and beast hide. White scales blanketed the surface, deepening rapidly in shade until they turned crimson as fiery plumage. His hands transformed into indestructible talons; his eyes widened like the pupils of an ox, gleaming with an exceptionally sharp luminescence, while protective membranes formed at the corners of his eyes. *Whoosh!* The Broken Moon Wings snapped wide, casting a vast shadow that blotted out the clouds and the sun! Azure Wither-Bloom True Fire swept over his entire form like a tidal surge, enveloping him in an azure halo. At this moment, a Fire Roc descended upon the world. This was the first time Luo Chen had revealed his Heavenly Roc True Form since advancing to the late stage of Desolate Ancient Tier 3. And from the very start, he had to face a peak Overlord Crab bordering on Tier 3 perfection! The azure flames roiled, surging toward the heavens. A fierce cry echoed through the air: "Come!" In a split second, the transformation was complete. The two colossal titans collided with resolute, irreversible momentum. *Boom!* A peerless shockwave swept out in every direction. A low-lying mountain nearby shattered soundlessly under the concussive gale. The earth trembled violently as if dragons were churning beneath the soil. A contest of raw strength! It began from the very first instant of impact. And it ended just as swiftly. *Bang!* In a single exchange, the giant crab plummeted to the earth, gouging out a massive crater. The Heavenly Roc was knocked back several hundred zhang, furiously beating its wings in midair before finally steadying itself. "Again!" From deep within the earth, Jin Ao burst free and rocketed into the sky. Luo Chen's eyes hardened, and he swooped down to meet him. *Boom!* They clashed at close quarters, separated, and crashed together once more! Once, twice, thrice... By the ninth round, the two massive beasts stood apart, panting heavily. Both were severely wounded. Luo Chen looked over his own body, covered in countless wounds large and small with torn, mangled flesh that looked exceptionally gruesome. All of this had been dealt by Jin Ao's pair of giant pincers and eight crab legs during their close-quarters clashes. Looking across, Jin Ao was in no better shape. His golden carapace was riddled with various injuries. Some came from the lethal volley of fiery plumage unleashed by the Broken Moon Wings—a finishing technique he rarely used, and only deployed now after years of harmonious refinement. Where it struck the Overlord Crab, it left deep, gouging cuts like countless small blades. Beyond the feather strikes, the golden shell was pitted and corroded, as if doused in venomous acid. That was the work of the remaining Blazing Fire Miasma spreading over him, corroding him with toxic baleful qi. Among all the wounds, a five-fingered claw mark was the most striking of all; it had smashed through a weak point in the shell and penetrated deep into the bone. That was the Grand Perfection Cloud-Seeking Divine Claw, delivered with the full weight of the Heavenly Roc True Form! The fiercest physical brawl, and the deadliest exchange of injuries! Yet it was evident that Luo Chen's physical defense had not yet reached perfection, so the damage he took was far more direct. Jin Ao, on the other hand, had clearly refined both his carapace and pincers into living magic treasures, combining offense and defense into an impenetrable whole! *I underestimated him!* Luo Chen caught his breath, feeling a trace of chagrin. He rarely fought in his Heavenly Roc True Form, and he had already felt there was much room for improvement; this battle confirmed it beyond doubt. Yet in the midst of battle, there was no time to make adjustments. This physical body had been forged through painstaking cultivation and held immense potential. Even though he had not yet unlocked its full power, he had long envisioned complementary combat tactics for it. With a thought, a small cauldron was spat out from his mouth. Expanding rapidly against the wind, it instantly transformed into a terrifying vessel fifty zhang across. Luo Chen gripped one of the cauldron legs with a single claw. What a pity the Profound Fire Sword was destroyed; holding a sword in one hand and raising the cauldron in the other was the ideal combat state he had envisioned. Still, this was more than enough. He fixed a savage glare upon Jin Ao. "This time, I won't be holding back." Before his words even finished, he took a thunderous step forward. A concussive boom echoed in the void. His colossal form vanished instantly, reappearing directly above Jin Ao. Lifting the colossal cauldron, he smashed it down with crushing force! Jin Ao's eyes turned bloodshot with rage, and he swept a single giant pincer upward. A single clash! *Crack!* The giant pincer was torn clean off his body, crashing down to the earth like a fallen meteor. Luo Chen shuddered violently and was thrown back dozens of zhang, carving a distinct, hollow white trail across the sky. He could not even keep his grip on the Hunyuan Cauldron, which slipped directly from his grasp. Under such immense recoil, neither side came out unscathed. Not only that, the wounds across Luo Chen's body bled profusely, rivers of red streaming outward. *This battle cannot go on.* As he forcibly recalled the Hunyuan Cauldron, the thought flashed through Luo Chen's mind. If they kept fighting, both would surely end up crippled! Moreover, after several exchanges, he had realized that escaping would not be an issue. Bolstered by the Heavenly Roc True Form, his speed with the Ninety Thousand Li technique had broken through to another level. A "ponderous" demon crab like Jin Ao had no chance of pinning him down. Yet before leaving, Luo Chen had one more thing to do. "Do you have a name?" Jin Ao glared at Luo Chen in mad fury, raising his remaining pincer. "I am Jin Ao, the mightiest warrior of the Overlord clan! I do not slay nameless curs! State your name!" Luo Chen nodded. "Very well. Jin Ao, is it? Remember the name Qingyang!" With that, he beat his wings and shot away toward the edge of Xuanyan Island. Jin Ao was stunned for a moment before bursting into a towering rage. After fighting to this point, this human actually intended to flee! Never in his life had he suffered such humiliating disgrace—even one of his crab pincers had been severed. He had already resolved to fight to the death against this cultivator named Qingyang, yet the man simply ran. "Coward! You are not worthy of knowing my name! Stay here!!" Roaring in fury, he gave chase with thunderous strides. Yet just as he was about to pursue beyond the boundaries of Xuanyan Island, his steps abruptly ground to a halt. He whipped his head back toward the center of the battlefield. A formidable aura soared into the sky, sweeping across all directions. His expression shifted dramatically. "That is the aura of the Xuanyan Demon Emperor... Have Qihuan and Hailuo made their move?" At that very moment, five colossal demon clouds rose from the sea's surface, descending upon Xuanyan Island. A thunderous voice echoed in all directions: "All Demon Kings of the five clans, join us in slaying Hailuo! Show no mercy!" Hearing this, Jin Ao hesitated. In the end, he shot a venomous glare in the direction where Luo Chen had fled, then turned and flew toward the center of Xuanyan Island. In this war, personal grievances were trivial; the clan's interests came first!