Chapter 431

Chapter 431: Despicable and Shameless

Seeing this, Ao Jianzi and snow swordsman instantly turned pale. Their earlier success had been solely due to using Semi-Immortal refined disposable treasures, each as precious as a top-grade Seventh-rank treasure.

These treasures were not only priceless but nearly impossible to acquire. Even with their influential backgrounds, they owned few. Snow swordsman possessed only one, while Ao Jianzi—whose grandfather was a Semi-Immortal—had at most three or five.

With limited treasures but endless Silver Horn Demon Kings, even fools knew prolonged combat was impossible.

Defeat inevitable, they faced two choices: await death or flee. Both ruthless and self-serving, they chose flight.

Simultaneously, they veered toward their allies’ backs.

Ao Jianzi shot across a hundred miles on his flying sword, appearing behind a Great Thunder Sound Temple monk before the man could react.

The Silver Horn Demon Kings, drawn by True Demon Blood’s scent, pursued Ao Jianzi relentlessly. By hiding behind the temple’s Buddha Mountain, Ao Jianzi redirected hundreds of Silver Horn Demon Kings and tens of thousands of demons toward it like a tsunami.

Viewing the mountain as an obstacle, the demons unleashed divine skills without hesitation—demonic cloud swords, black flames, curses, and poisons.

Hundreds of attacks rivaling Fire Tribulation Immortal strikes bombarded the mountain. Despite its top-grade Seventh-rank defenses, Buddhist light dimmed, shields cracked, and statues crumbled.

The temple disciple realized he’d been sacrificed. Unable to counterattack, he roared, "Ao Jianzi! Buddha will remember this treachery!"

As his shout faded, another demonic assault shattered the mountain completely. The disciple perished instantly.

Hundreds of Silver Horn Demon Kings—each matching a Fire Tribulation Immortal—overwhelmed even late-stage Thunder Tribulation experts.

Seizing the chaos, Ao Jianzi targeted another cultivator. But the victim, having witnessed the temple’s fate, dodged too slowly. Trapped in the demons’ range, he fell after a futile struggle.

These cultivators held modest sect positions, lacking Semi-Immortal treasures. They died without resistance.

Ao Jianzi earned his second death-curse but pressed onward. Others now fled, abandoning defenses.

Undeterred, Ao Jianzi charged toward Mo Lanyun, Fang Lie, and Ming Yue—the last trio holding ground.

Meanwhile, snow swordsman mirrored this betrayal. Darting behind Demonic Path cultivators on his flying sword, he let pursuing demons slaughter two practitioners and destroy their large treasure weapons.

He noted only Fang Lie’s group remained, stubbornly defending their position.

Then the lad let out a vicious chuckle and lunged forward without warning.

Ao Jianzi and snow swordsman, both petty and vindictive, seethed: "Why must we become scapegoats while you play heroes? If we perish, we’ll drag you three down with us!"

Their scheming actions were witnessed by numerous powerful observers.

Common sense dictated cooperation during missions – at minimum, avoiding sabotage. Yet these two shattered all unspoken rules, crossing every line of decency.

Their betrayal of allies particularly enraged the crowd.

Bai Lian Chan Master from Great Thunder Sound Temple turned livid, sneering: "What magnificent ‘Pride of Heaven Divine Sword’! Marvelous trick – redirecting calamity and slaughtering through proxies! Where’s your famed nobility? All I see is shameless villainy!"

"Exactly!" spat another Elder who’d lost disciples. "Look at his flea-bitten retreat! Rename him the Fleeing Cur, not Proud Heaven Sword!"

Normally none dared insult Sword God’s bloodline openly. Today, fury overrode caution.

Bai Lian Chan Master’s position teetered dangerously after Fang Lie slaughtered two senior disciples. His last hope rested on a Core Inner Gate Disciple – technically the sect’s second seat, but also Bai Lian’s grand-disciple.

Neutral Elders tolerated Bai Lian only because this promising youth might restore his lineage. Now Ao Jianzi’s actions destroyed even this.

Even if revived, the disciple’s potential would diminish, costing his vice seat position. With no worthy successors left, Bai Lian’s faction faced collapse.

This impending doom drove Bai Lian Chan Master to openly curse Sword God, who could only silently rage at Ao Jianzi:

"That imbecile! Better to die honorably than scheme meaninglessly! You gained nothing but future enemies! Where’s your pride? Pure idiocy! Must my bloodline produce such fools?"

The righteous sects maintained decorum despite anger. Not so the Demonic Path.

"Treacherous curs!" roared wronged Elders. "Our Agreement meant nothing?"

"Great Snow Mountain rats – I’ll slaughter you all!"

"Snow swordsman! I’ll flay you alive for my grandson’s death!"

Great Snow Mountain Elders endured the abuse shamefacedly.

On the battlefield, Fang Lie’s trio paled as Ao Jianzi and snow swordsman led swarms of high-level demons toward them.

Mo Lanyun blurted: "Senior Brother, your orders?"

Young Taoist Ming Yue trembled: "They’re too many! What do we do?"

Fang Lie’s eyes narrowed murderously. "Junior Sister: Semi-Immortal treasure on the demon army. Ming Yue: Kill snow swordsman, take his storage item – he’s luring them somehow."

He charged toward Ao Jianzi without hesitation.

Mo Lanyun obeyed instantly, knowing Fang Lie’s ruthless efficiency from his hardscrabble origins.

The Dragon Turtle surged forward, water swirling around it as it barreled into snow swordsman’s demon army. From miles away, Mo Lanyun flicked a leaf-shaped spirit talisman.

The innocuous leaf detonated at the army’s forefront, unleashing blinding sword rays. Silver Horn Demon Kings and their forces disintegrated instantly, bone fragments raining down to blacken the earth with demonic blood.

Young Taoist Ming Yue guided Blue Lotus toward snow swordsman, who tried fleeing sideways from the Xuan Sect disciple. No escape came – pure moonlight erupted, pinning the traitor in silvery radiance.