Fall of the Fiends

The moment Qin Sang activated the Linglong Treasure Pagoda, the mist along the edges of the stele space halted its expansion. Like a surging tide, the mist rolled back on itself, receding even faster than it had spread, thinning by the breath! Some cataclysmic upheaval was brewing. Inside the space, no clear abnormality could yet be seen. However, clustered before the Linglong Treasure Pagoda, the demons and fiends could feel the pagoda's transformation even through the golden light barrier. Those blessed with sharp spiritual sense halted their attacks, fraught with suspicion and uncertainty as ominous forebodings welled up in their hearts. Every demon had watched Qin Sang and Liuli step through the light barrier holding the stupa pagoda. They had made all manner of guesses regarding the stupa pagoda's function, yet how could they resign themselves to defeat before the very end? Even if Qin Sang became the master of the Linglong Treasure Pagoda, it would be impossible for him to vanquish so many masters with a single treasure. As long as they breached the golden light barrier and broke inside, they would have every chance of turning the tables and seizing the supreme treasure. Yet it seemed their thinking had been far too simple... The halo radiating from the Linglong Treasure Pagoda grew increasingly brilliant. Though the golden light barrier masked most of its radiance, it still painted the surrounding clouds and mist in a vibrant array of colors, coating the fiends in a shimmering sheen of rainbow light. Stirred by an instinctive premonition, the demons and fiends raised their heads toward the gem atop the Linglong Treasure Pagoda. The rainbow light scintillated as the halo sent an unknown ripple pulsing outward. The creeping sense of danger stemmed from this very ripple. Formless and incorporeal, the ripple swept straight through the golden light barrier, expanding outward until it thoroughly merged into the entire stele space. The space itself showed no physical change, and those on the outside remained oblivious. Yet the demons and fiends could clearly sense that the Linglong Treasure Pagoda had changed! At this moment, the Linglong Treasure Pagoda seemed to become one with the surrounding space, inseparable and indistinguishable. The Linglong Treasure Pagoda was the stele space, and the stele space lay within the Linglong Treasure Pagoda! The sensation was utterly absurd—so preposterous that the fiends wondered if it was merely an illusion. Yet glancing around, they saw the exact same stupefaction mirrored on every face. Meanwhile, the momentum of the Linglong Treasure Pagoda soared relentlessly. The modest pagoda seemed to swell without end in their eyes, growing ever more majestic and monumental until it loomed above them like a towering mountain they could only revere! "This is..." Bright light burst from Great Sage Tianpeng's eyes as his complexion changed drastically. "Stop him, quickly!" Understanding his urgency, the fiends held nothing back. They brought forth every trump card in their arsenal, battering the golden light barrier like madmen. In an instant, the golden light and the iridescent halos shattered, turning the area before the Linglong Treasure Pagoda into a horrifying battlefield. Great Sage Tianpeng unleashed his golden peng once more. Bi Fang reignited its secret blood-flame art. General Gui's true body remained farther out, a thin black thread extending from between his brows to connect to a puppet. The puppet was a spitting image of General Gui. Casting some unknown wicked art, it threw its entire body against the golden light barrier, as though trying to fuse itself directly into the light. ... Secret techniques, divine abilities, magic treasures, and arcane items unleashed a clash of dazzling multi-colored lights. Yet they canceled each other out in bizarre unison, plunging the surrounding area into absolute darkness. Within that darkness, the silhouettes of the fiends vanished, veiling a terrifying lethal peril. Assailed by the darkness, the golden light barrier teetered, yet it was not something that could be breached in a mere breath. The Linglong Treasure Pagoda would not wait for them. In a brief moment, it transformed from an unreachable high mountain into the firmament itself, blanketing the four quarters, suffocating the demons, and instilling endless dread. The transformation came too swiftly. They had managed only a single unified strike before matters deteriorated to this point. When they looked toward the Linglong Treasure Pagoda again, their eyes held sheer terror. Xiaoxiangzi had laid myriad preparations precisely to prevent the demon lord from sensing the trap ahead of time and fleeing before the spiritual formation erupted. In truth, the spiritual formation did not take long to activate; what Xiaoxiangzi had deemed 'slow' was only in comparison to himself and the demon lord. Finally, a demon broke under the pressure, unwilling to gamble his life on breaking the barrier before doom fell. With a ferocious roar, he pulled back and fled without looking back, bolting out of the valley. His retreat served as a wake-up call and a catalyst for the rest. In an instant, several figures vanished into the mist, and more and more chose to abandon the effort. Though Great Sage Tianpeng flew into a fury, bellowing curses over and over, he was powerless to reverse the tide and was forced to give up as well. Before departing, Great Sage Tianpeng cast a somber, icy glare at the Linglong Treasure Pagoda, burning the faces of Qin Sang and Liuli into his memory. Within the deep valley, demons and fiends displayed their respective divine abilities to flee at top speed. The swiftest among them burst from the valley, only for their expressions to warp in horror at what lay before them. They could barely recognize the stele space now. Rainbow light filled the sky above, within which a blurry phantom could be made out. Only upon closer inspection did they realize it was the phantom of a colossal pagoda. The pagoda was unfathomably vast, towering into the heavens, encompassing the entire stele space within its body. *So it wasn't an illusion before!* The same thought surfaced in the minds of the fiends simultaneously. At the same time, they finally understood the true purpose of the Linglong Treasure Pagoda—it was going to sweep them all into its net! *Boom!* *Boom!* Two massive tremors sounded in succession. One came from behind. Without turning around, they knew it came from the Linglong Treasure Pagoda. A beam of rainbow light pierced the clouds and mist, tore free of its chains, and surged into the heavens, swiftly merging with the pagoda's phantom. The other blast resonated from the left side of the deep valley. That place was believed to be the core of the stele space, the home of the most majestic and mysterious pavilions in the entire realm—Yong'an Pavilion! All indications had suggested Yong'an Pavilion was where the master of the stele space had cultivated, and thus the place most likely to house treasures. Upon first entering the stele space, the demons had been drawn to Yong'an Pavilion. Though well-traveled and experienced, they had felt a wave of shock upon seeing that palace complex that rivaled an immortal domain, making it their natural first choice to explore. There were still demons lingering within Yong'an Pavilion, but they would never come out again. For Yong'an Pavilion had been the focal point of Xiaoxiangzi's trap! The original plan had been to trigger the spiritual formation the moment the demon lord entered Yong'an Pavilion. It was indeed the core—the core of a snare. In that instant, the sprawling pavilions seemed to come alive, acting as components of the grand formation itself as they converged and pressed inward, casting blurred, shifting shadows. The Linglong Treasure Pagoda engaged the spiritual formation, suppressing everything within. Yong'an Pavilion bore the brunt of the force, yet the entire space could not escape. The demons felt as though a great mountain had been strapped to their backs, making every step within the stele space an agonizing struggle. Near the edge of the stele space. Several figures were fleeing outward in panic, their Nascent Soul faces marked by rare shock and urgency. They were the Xuantian Palace cultivators, including Tong Lingyu. After receiving Liuli's warning, the others had been doubtful and hesitant, but Tong Lingyu and Hall Master Jiang had overridden all objections. Now, they felt only sheer relief. Only after breaking free of the stele space did they dare look back. Through the rapidly thinning mist, the spectacle before them left them awestruck. Within the stele space, the mountains and rivers shuddered violently. Beams of profound light soared into the sky, the brightest radiating from Yong'an Pavilion. Rainbow radiance erupted overhead, spreading outward and touching every corner. The Linglong Treasure Pagoda expanded at a speed visible to the naked eye, descending upon the realm with earth-shattering pressure. Judging by its momentum, it was going to suppress the entire space! Everyone held their breath, rooted to the spot in dazed silence. "Where are Liuli and the others?" Elder Mei's eyes swept quickly across their surroundings. Hall Master Jiang's face was grim. They had only foreseen the danger thanks to Liuli's warning. Why had the couple who had discovered the danger first vanished without a trace? Tong Lingyu's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she searched all over the stele space. Just then, someone beside them caught sight of something. His face shifted, and pointing into the distance, he yelled, "Look over there!" From the direction he pointed, streaks of escape light burst out one after another. One among them darted forward like a golden arrow—who else could it be but Great Sage Tianpeng? More and more escape lights broke out. All were renowned demons of the North Sea. Fiends who usually held sway over entire regions and flaunted immense power now bore no trace of their former majesty, their panic-stricken faces indistinguishable from crawling vermin clinging to life. Even an apex powerhouse like Great Sage Tianpeng lost his habitual composure as he watched the colossal pagoda descend swiftly above. With a long cry, the golden peng circling Great Sage Tianpeng shattered, its essence absorbed by the feathers on his body. His speed exploded, soon surpassing everyone else. Given the descending speed of the Linglong Treasure Pagoda, only the handful with the fastest escape arts had any hope of fleeing. The demons trailing behind could only curse their inferior techniques, their faces etched with despair. One demonic cultivator abandoned his physical body, attempting to use his Nascent Soul's teleportation ability. Yet the moment the Nascent Soul emerged, it was struck by an inexplicable shockwave, freezing in midair as the teleportation was forcefully disrupted. Witnessing this, Tong Lingyu and the others exchanged glances, knowing what had to be done without exchanging a word. Xuantian Palace was in a precarious state, making this a heaven-sent opportunity to eliminate their greatest enemies. If they let this chance slip by, all their years of cultivation would have been in vain. They promptly summoned their magic treasures in secret, lying in wait. *Rumble!* The space quaked violently; the Linglong Treasure Pagoda was already right upon them. Its shadow enveloped every demon. The base of the pagoda was almost close enough to graze their heads. Great Sage Tianpeng's speed was pushed to the absolute extreme, tearing through the void like a bolt of golden lightning, accompanied by a thunderous roar. "Strike!" Tong Lingyu barked, and the Xuantian Palace cultivators burst from the shadows. A brilliant emerald sword light slashed through the air—the Qingxiao Sword had been unleashed! The others' magic treasures followed immediately, most sharing the same target as Tong Lingyu. Great Sage Tianpeng! Great Sage Tianpeng's eyes flushed crimson in an instant. "I will slaughter your entire sect!" He bellowed like thunder, his gaze sharp as blades, radiating bone-deep hatred and murderous intent. Tong Lingyu sneered, unintimidated and without a shred of hesitation. The Qingxiao Sword blazed with blinding brilliance, its sword momentum shaking the sky, pushing its variations to the absolute peak. Had it been the Qingxiao Sword alone, Great Sage Tianpeng might have possessed a slim thread of survival, but there were no ifs. The attacks from the others arrived on its heels, cutting off every route of escape. "Curse you all!" Great Sage Tianpeng screamed shrilly. He was destined to rule the North Sea, yet he was about to perish here without even knowing why; how could he resign himself to this? Shaking his body, he ignited his blood essence. Innumerable feathers and golden rays detached from his flesh, blazing outward like a radiant sun. The Qingxiao Sword's light was momentarily eclipsed. Tong Lingyu was slightly inferior in cultivation, yet she had no shortage of allies, and the others' attacks clamped down instantly. Though the magic treasures of the Xuantian Palace cultivators varied, almost all followed the Dao of mystic ice. Their combined assault surged like a pale blue river of ice, sweeping forward in a torrential wave and drowning the golden light in no time. Even as formidable as he was, Great Sage Tianpeng could not withstand an ambush planned so meticulously. He was battered backward, unable to advance an inch, his hope of survival thoroughly severed! Sharing Great Sage Tianpeng's fate were Bi Fang and other beasts. Bi Fang used a self-mutilation secret art to flee. Having escaped from Qin Sang before, its speed was naturally extraordinary. Yet after throwing its lot in with Great Sage Tianpeng, it had been forced to exert itself, and Xuantian Palace had long marked it. Bi Fang's vision blurred as Hall Master Jiang's icy jade cauldron smashed straight toward it. Mid-cast of its overdrawn secret art, it had no time to shift course. With a loud crash, it was sent flying backward, leaving behind a desperate screech. ... Even while obstructing the demons, Tong Lingyu and the others did not forget to look for Qin Sang and Liuli, yet they found nothing. Suddenly, Tong Lingyu's expression shifted slightly. Raising her right hand, a hexagonal mirror slid down from her sleeve. The mirror was only half the size of a palm, with a slightly convex circular reflective surface at its center. Tong Lingyu aimed the mirror into the distance, and its reflection revealed a figure hidden in the void. It was none other than Old Man Hunmo! Before the Linglong Treasure Pagoda, after being heavily injured by Qin Sang, the old fiend had felt danger at his back. Having made countless enemies, he had worried someone might take advantage of his vulnerability. He had retreated early to tend to his wounds, intending to seek another opportunity once his injuries were suppressed, only for this misfortune to turn into an unexpected blessing. Given his current condition, had he not retreated in advance, he never would have made it this far. He had intended to slip away while Xuantian Palace was besieging Great Sage Tianpeng, but he had still been discovered. Tong Lingyu's face darkened slightly. Without hesitation, she redirected the Qingxiao Sword, abandoning her original target to lock onto Old Man Hunmo. Xuantian Palace was at its weakest; the fewer great cultivators remained outside, the better. What was more, Old Man Hunmo was the chief culprit behind this invasion of the Sacred Ground. Alarmed, Old Man Hunmo hurriedly raised his black bamboo staff and pointed it at the Qingxiao Sword, unleashing a burst of demonic light. *Clang!* The emerald sword light stabbed into the demonic radiance. Holding the black bamboo staff, black qi roiled across Old Man Hunmo's wrinkled face. The staff trembled and flew from his grip, transforming into a towering pillar that smashed downward with savage force. Meanwhile, his figure flickered repeatedly as he prepared to seize the chance to flee. Yet Elder Mei had already received word. Abandoning her opponent, she moved to support Tong Lingyu against Old Man Hunmo. *Crack, crack, crack...* Ice crystals condensed at breakneck speed, forming a thick wall of ice before Old Man Hunmo in the blink of an eye. Others closed in from the flanks. Having lost his ghost spirit, Old Man Hunmo finally understood what it felt like to be at the end of his rope. ... Amidst shrieks filled with despair and defiance, the Linglong Treasure Pagoda crashed down with a deafening roar! Clouds and mist billowed like plumes of smoke. Old Man Hunmo, Great Sage Tianpeng, and the entire host of fiends were pinned beneath the pagoda's base! Tong Lingyu and the others kept their eyes locked on those core threats. To guarantee total success, a few stragglers were bound to slip through, but the demons that escaped were exceedingly few. None dared look back, terrified of being cornered and slaughtered by Xuantian Palace. They plunged straight into the turbulent void currents, among them Old Man Hunmo's eldest disciple. He had chosen not to save his master, choosing instead to flee for his own life. At the final moment before the Linglong Treasure Pagoda crushed down, Old Man Hunmo's eyes had stiffened, swiftly coated in a layer of pale ash. At that exact instant, a dark shadow appeared within the eldest disciple's black pupils, bearing a striking resemblance to Old Man Hunmo. The eldest disciple's expression stiffened for a breath before returning to life. He let out a cold sneer. "I thank Master for your profound affection, but this disciple fears he cannot bear such a blessing." As he spoke, a tear rolled from the corner of his eye like a peeling film, consolidating into a teardrop—it was an exotic treasure. The crystal-clear teardrop contained a tiny figure sealed within, madly battering against the walls and letting out soundless howls. With a look of relief, the eldest disciple flipped his palm and stowed the teardrop away.