Chapter 429

Chapter 429: Unexpected Event

The Demonic Realm frequently invaded other worlds, existing in perpetual warfare. Thus, their Higher-ups were all seasoned battle commanders, exceptionally skilled in military strategy.

They knew conquering this Small Thousand World required breaking through the Cultivators’ encirclement. The optimal strategy involved targeting weak points to breach defenses, allowing their vanguard to flank enemy forces. Coordinated frontal and rear assaults would ensure total victory regardless of the Cultivators’ abilities.

This tactic proved sound – with seventeen Cultivators concentrating efforts against the frontal Demon Army assault, a rear attack would guarantee their collapse.

By designating Fang Lie as their breakthrough target, the battlefield’s decisive point shifted to his position. Should he falter under pressure and let the Demonic Realm forces penetrate, the mission of Suppressing a Small Demon Cave would end in failure.

Yet Fang Lie remained formidable. Though weakest in personal strength, his mighty treasures compensated adequately.

The Eighth-rank Great Earth General puppet synergized perfectly with the Earth’s Magnetic Force Warship, unleashing fearsome power rivaling any ally’s combat strength. This justified Mo Qianxun’s confidence in deploying him.

Unbeknownst to the demons, the Eighth-rank puppet remained concealed within the warship. Though Divine Earth’s Magnetic Force Light suppressed them, its gentle erosion compared poorly to Sword Energy’s sharpness, creating the illusion of Fang Lie being vulnerable.

Their full assault met brutal resistance. The Earth’s Magnetic Force Warship, commanding million magnetic puppets under the Great Earth General’s leadership, unleashed terrifying combat strength that halted the demonic advance.

Eighty percent of demon forces now focused on Fang Lie while remaining troops distracted other Cultivators from reinforcing him.

Reinforcements proved unnecessary. The warship alone nearly held the line, and with Fang Lie’s personal involvement, the defense solidified.

Seated upon the altar, Fang Lie finally unleashed his accumulated Fire Bird Technique. Having refined over thirty walnut-sized Fire Birds through continuous preparation, he deployed them in controlled groups of ten.

Each tiny Fire Bird contained Magic equivalent to Fang Lie’s full power – devastating energy compressed into lethal projectiles. With a gesture, ten fiery streaks pierced demonic ranks. Their supposedly durable scales offered no resistance, demons screaming as flames consumed them into ash.

The ten avian flames danced destructively, at peak moments igniting nearly a thousand flaming figures simultaneously. After fifteen minutes of carnage, the exhausted Fire Birds returned dimly to the altar, immediately replaced by fresh replacements.

Fang Lie’s meticulous planning maintained constant aerial onslaught – each Fire Bird group operated for fifteen minutes, recovering fully within thirty. This sustained assault matched the killing efficiency of Wind Tribulation Immortals.

Merely his initial efforts produced such devastation. Mastery could summon millions of Fire Birds, enabling single-handed suppression of the Little Demon Chamber.

The Blazing Dragon Cannon complemented this destruction. Empowered by the altar, its shells now recharged within breaths rather than hours. Each earth-shaking explosion cleared mile-wide swathes of demonic forces, disrupting their tactical advances.

While Divine Earth’s Magnetic Force Light softened attacks, the cannon’s concussive blasts shattered disciplined demon formations, repeatedly driving back their vanguard. This brutal combination of erosion and explosive force made Fang Lie’s position impregnable.

Although they quickly regrouped again, they had already lost the hard-won space gained through sacrifices and were forced to spill more blood to carve their path forward.

Fang Lie wasn’t fighting alone. Noticing his situation, both Ming Yue and Mo Lanyun instinctively moved closer to him. Originally responsible for defending roughly a hundred miles each, they now covered an additional ten miles apiece, reducing Fang Lie’s defensive range to eighty miles. This significantly lightened his burden.

With this advantage, Fang Lie fought without fear, his kill count surpassing all others! If this continued until the end, the majority of the merit in this Small Thousand World would belong to Fang Lie, leaving others mere scraps.

Naturally, such an outcome infuriated the proud elites. How could this brat claim all the rewards after their collective efforts?

Thus, sinister plots began brewing.

Ao Jianzi of East Kunlun smirked coldly, secretly producing a longan-sized crystal ball shimmering with faint rainbow hues. Three layers of talisman-sealed Divine Light encircled its surface. With a malicious chuckle, he cast a secret technique to quietly loosen one layer of the seal before hastily stowing the orb away.

Two nearly imperceptible ripples instantly radiated outward, traveling vast distances.

A bizarre scene unfolded: every demon on the battlefield abruptly unleashed horrific shrieks before swarming en masse toward Ao Jianzi and the Great Snow Mountain’s snow swordsman! Ignoring all other attacking cultivators, the demons charged with frenzied hatred, targeting only these two.

Ao Jianzi froze. "This… this isn’t what Grandfather described! The scale’s larger, and why are there two ripples instead of one? One seems to come from…" He whipped his head around—only to lock eyes with the equally bewildered snow swordsman, who appeared to be searching for answers too.

Their mutual glare sparked instant understanding. "Damn you!" they roared in unison. "You used it too? We’re doomed!"

Their faces drained of color, cold sweat drenching their brows. Though terrified, retreat was impossible—they could only brace themselves against the demonic onslaught. Despite the horde’s ferocity, their formidable strength held the line… for now.

Outside the battlefield, chaos erupted among the observing powerhouses.

"Demon Blood Essence! This reeks of Demon Blood Essence!"

"Didn’t we swear no faction would use that cursed stuff? Who dared break the Agreement?"

"Fools! Have we forgotten past lessons? If my disciples perish here, blood will answer blood!"

Mo Qianxun seethed most fiercely—he’d sent both his beloved granddaughter and prized disciple into this chaos. Any losses would cripple him. He rounded on the Great Snow Mountain’s Elder. "Explain this rule-breaking!"

The Elder grimaced. Though Sword God’s faction had also transgressed, Mo Qianxun only targeted him—typical bullying of the weak. Still, he dared not protest. "Our pact forbade Demon Blood Essence," he wheedled, "not True Demon Blood. We merely exploited a loophole. The real violators are the righteous sects!"

The crowd erupted in curses before shifting their glare to Sword God. Flushing red, the swordsman admitted lightly, "My grandson also used True Demon Blood."

Mo Qianxun’s composure shattered. "Are you trying to slaughter every disciple here?!"

Long ago, someone had used Great Demon Blood Essence—harvested from Golden Horned Demons (Thunder Tribulation Immortal equivalents)—to bait demons. This substance drives all extramundane demons mad with desire, promising instant power boosts.

During a prior Suppressing a Small Demon Cave operation, a disciple’s reckless use allowed the essence’s aura to leak into the Demonic Realm. Silver Horned Demons (Fire Tribulation Immortal-tier) breached the Small Thousand World’s restrictions at great cost, slaughtering all eighteen Qi Sea cultivators present.

Henceforth, both righteous and demonic paths swore never to employ Demon Blood Essence during such operations—a vow now shattered.