Hell Emperor.

Chapter 578 Xiangliu - Demonic Power
"A sacred beast... Could he be referring to the Black Tortoise, the guardian of the north?"

Upon hearing the name of the sacred beast from Zhao Gongming, Ye Jie couldn't help but frown.

There are many kinds of mythical beasts in the world. Any rare demon beast that has attained enlightenment can call itself a mythical beast, but only one in each continent can be revered as a sacred beast.

The guardian beast of Beiju Luzhou was none other than the Xuanwu that Ye Jie had seen before. The tragic roar that came from the horizon also meant that the Xuanwu was likely to be in grave danger.

Not long ago, Ye Jie still vividly remembered the overwhelming power of Xuanwu. It was virtually invincible across the entire continent. But now, even Xuanwu has fallen. What exactly happened?
The mournful cries from the horizon signaled to all the immortals that a great calamity was about to befall them. Even the immortal soldiers and ghost soldiers fighting on the battlefield stopped fighting and awaited further orders.

At this moment, the jade pendants under the robes of Shen Qingge, Li Feie, Su Miao, and others vibrated repeatedly, and the information they conveyed caused their expressions to change drastically.

Shen Qingge's expression was solemn, and her thin lips parted slightly:

"Ancestor Luoxing is summoning all the disciples of Xuan Nu. The Demon God Xiang Liu has returned. It slaughtered Xuanwu in an instant. The situation is out of control. If it is allowed to slaughter indiscriminately, no one in the entire continent will be spared!"

"What?" Ye Jie was slightly taken aback. "Even the Lord of the Ten Thousand Serpent Cave was killed by us. Wasn't the conspiracy to resurrect the Demon God thwarted long ago? How come Xiang Liu has still been resurrected now?"

Li Fei'e also realized that the situation was not good: "Ancestor Luoxing did not say more, but Xiangliu's resurrection is a foregone conclusion. It is the responsibility and mission of the Xuan Nu's successor to stop it from destroying the continent! Several ancestors have already arrived at the battlefield, and we must hurry there as well!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Jie understood the gravity of the situation and turned to Zhao Gongming: "Do we still want to fight? While we are fighting, the Demon God is about to destroy the entire continent."

Zhao Gongming pondered for a moment, then finally loosened his grip on the black whip: "Consider yourself lucky. I received a message from the Heavenly King Duowen that I will immediately lead troops to provide support. I'll let you go this time, but once the demon god is vanquished, you won't be so lucky next time we meet!"

After making the decision, he issued the order without hesitation. The celestial soldiers sounded the retreat, boarded the huge celestial ship, and set off into the distance at an unimaginable speed.

With Zhao Gongming's order, the gods of wealth, though unwilling, could only glare at Ye Jie a few times before leaving with the group. Faced with the crisis of destroying the continent, their struggle with Ye Jie had to be temporarily put aside.

After the enemy retreated, Ye Jie collected the remaining ghost soldiers into the Crossing Yin Banner, leaving only the Golden Crow Ghost Soldiers outside.

Li Fei'e said impatiently, "Let's set off quickly! I wonder just how powerful the legendary demon god really is..."

Shen Qingge glanced at her and instructed, "You go back to Lonely Phoenix Peak, disperse the sect members, and take them to a safe place. The rest of us will go and assist Ancestor Falling Star in fighting Xiang Liu."

"What?" Li Feie was astonished, unable to believe that her master would make such a decision. "As a successor of the Mysterious Maiden, how can I abandon you all and desert in the face of battle, returning to the Mysterious Maiden Sect alone? I must also go and confront Xiang Liu!"

Shen Qingge simply shook her head: "Fighting against the Demon God is no child's play. According to Ancestor Luoxing, Xiangliu's strength is far greater than it was hundreds of years ago. Even the sacred beast Xuanwu was killed by it in a single breath. With your strength, even if you went, you would only be a burden to the others. Or do you think you can match Xuanwu?"

“But…” Li Fei’e insisted, “How can I abandon you and run away? If anything happens to you, I will be heartbroken for the rest of my life!”

Ye Jie then spoke up: "Calm down, everyone. We are in imminent danger. With so many patriarchs in the Xuan Nu Sect, I believe they have already evacuated the sect's members. We don't need to worry about them. Let E'er stay with us."

Li Feie was delighted to hear this: "That's right. No matter what, my current realm is at the peak of the sixth level, which ranks among the top among the ancestors of all time. Even if I don't confront Xiang Liu head-on, I can still play a role by assisting other immortals around me!"

Shen Qingge was slightly worried. It wasn't that she really disliked Li Feie for being a burden, but rather that she was afraid that Li Feie might get hurt. In front of the Demon God Xiang Liu, death was just a matter of a blink of an eye. To stop the Demon God, one needed to be prepared to sacrifice at any time. Shen Qingge was too busy taking care of herself to be willing to let Li Feie take the risk as well.

However, since everyone had said so, she couldn't refuse and had no choice but to agree.

"According to the message from Ancestor Luoxing, the Demon God Xiangliu is moving towards the center of the continent. Towns along the way are being destroyed, rivers are being polluted, and the earth is turning into lifeless pools of blood. At this speed, it will pass Qingdi City in just a few hours!"

After carefully sensing the information within the jade tablet, Su Miao quickly revealed a piece of information that shocked everyone.

"not good……"

Upon learning of Xiang Liu's location, even Ye Jie felt a sense of unease.

His companions and family are still in Qingdi City. If things continue like this, it may be too late if Xiang Liu is not stopped in time!

Ye Jie became nervous. No matter what, he had to stop Xiang Liu!

Without delay, Ye Jie and his group set off immediately. Instead of choosing to fly on swords or ride the lightning, they stood behind the Golden Crow Ghost Soldiers.

The golden crow that once scorched the earth and dried up the ocean, after transforming into a ghost soldier, still retains its former characteristics. Once it spreads its wings and takes flight, it can travel thousands of miles in an instant. Whether traveling in the human world or crossing the void, the golden crow can accomplish it all with its power.

A fierce whirlwind rose like a flowing stream. As the Golden Crow Ghost Soldiers flew at full speed, the surrounding scenery rushed by. Following the information given by Ancestor Falling Star, the group quickly headed to Xiang Liu's location.

Meanwhile, Zhao Gongming's team, which had arrived earlier in their celestial boat, had already begun setting up defensive fortifications.

"As instructed by the Heavenly King of the Vaishravana, we are to set a trap here to ambush and kill the approaching Xiangliu. This matter concerns the safety of hundreds of millions of lives on the continent. If we fail, no one will be able to stop it."

Under his command, the elite troops cooperated closely and acted swiftly. Each of the high-level immortal soldiers aimed their most skilled immortal techniques at the ground beneath their feet. With the combined efforts of all the immortals, they quickly built an impenetrable wall ten thousand feet high, determined to intercept Xiang Liu here.

"coming!"

In the distance, the magnificent and vast demonic energy stirred the hearts of countless celestial soldiers. Before Xiang Liu even arrived, the overwhelming stench descended, and it was unknown how many people perished in the jaws of the demon god.

"It's now!"

A dark shadow swept past, and Xiang Liu's ferocious nine-headed serpent body appeared before everyone. With Zhao Gongming's command, the celestial soldiers moved in unison, some unleashing sharp and powerful magical weapons, others unleashing dazzling celestial techniques, bombarding the demon god without reservation, bursting forth with dazzling light. The earth-shattering power of their combined attack greatly boosted the morale of everyone present.

However, when the light faded, Xiang Liu's revealed figure stunned everyone.

After being bombarded by numerous celestial soldiers, Xiang Liu's demonic body remained intact. It should be noted that among the celestial soldiers were many immortals at the sixth level, whose mere breath exuded a vast heavenly might. The magical treasures they used were all rare in the world, and the worst were only slightly inferior to divine artifacts, being fourth-grade magical artifacts.

Unfortunately, all of this seemed so insignificant in front of Xiang Liu. The special skills that the immortal soldiers relied on to make them famous were like tickling him. In Xiang Liu's bright golden and red demonic eyes, there seemed to be a hint of human mockery and ridicule.

"careful!"

Zhao Gongming sensed something and cried out in alarm, but he was a beat too late.

With a deafening roar, the towering wall that the immortals had painstakingly built was smashed open by Xiang Liu. Countless immortal soldiers who couldn't dodge in time were crushed into mincemeat. Even the traps set up around the wall were rendered useless, like toys in a child's hand, unable to harm Xiang Liu in the slightest.

Seeing his soldiers being injured, Zhao Gongming was furious. These celestial soldiers were not heavenly soldiers serving in the Heavenly Court, but rather a team he had carefully selected and assembled at great expense. How could they be so easily lost? His steel whip gleamed with a mysterious light, and he was about to charge forward when he suddenly heard an angry shout from ahead.

"Subdue the demon!"

But then a golden light lit up the sky, its power like a falling star, even the space itself seemed to groan in despair.

Vaisravana brandished his three-pronged vajra, on which flowed profound and ancient characters. Taking advantage of the moment when Xiangliu crashed through the high wall and sensed the obstruction, he launched a fatal attack from the sky!
boom!
The moment it landed, the earth within a radius of a hundred miles seemed to be struck by an invisible giant hand, sinking a hundred feet deep. Rocks crumbled and dust flew everywhere. The Heavenly King's full-force attack instantly ignited the morale of everyone, and cheers erupted continuously.

"As expected of Vaisravana, the Heavenly King!"

"Before Vaisravana, even demons and gods are nothing more than this!"

"Thanks to the Heavenly King's intervention, we were able to escape disaster..."

But soon, the cheers subsided as they saw the solemn expression on Vaisravana's face and the almost undamaged demon body where the vajra had struck.

Xiangliu let out a series of low roars. Even the Heavenly King's attack could not break through the demon god's defense. Even though the Heavenly King Duowen had unfolded his thousand-foot-long Dharma body, Xiangliu's snake head alone was more than a thousand feet long. In front of it, the Heavenly King seemed like a child who had just learned to walk.

The snake coiled around him, and the Heavenly King Duowen quickly pulled away. If he were entangled by Xiangliu, even he would have difficulty escaping. But how could Xiangliu let him go so easily?
The filthy black blood gushed down, and wherever it passed, nothing could stop it. Even the Heavenly King's Dharma body was corroded and dissolved. The black blood continued to invade and spread along the Dharma body, like a malignant tumor that could not be shaken off. It would not stop until it was completely eroded.

Due to this erosion, even the Heavenly King of the Vaisravana could no longer maintain his Dharma body form, as that would only waste his immortal essence. He immediately dispersed his Dharma body and his physical form returned to normal.

"Protect the King!"

With a shout, a group of dark blue-green yakshas with two horns on their heads and wielding sharp forks rushed forward to fight alongside the Heavenly King, repelling the attack of one of Xiang Liu's horns.

On the horizon, Fairy Falling Star looked up and said slowly, "King Duowen has already led his Yakshas to attack. We, the successors of the Mysterious Maiden, cannot stand idly by. Xuan Sha, go and help them."

The one she summoned was a fairy in a white dress with beautiful features and a graceful demeanor.

She bowed slightly, then flew down, holding a scroll in her left hand and a brush in her right. With a flourish of her brush, she created images, and one after another, powerful demons with different appearances and fierce expressions leaped out from the scroll she held. Their auras were no less than those of ordinary sixth-level immortals, and they all joined the battle.

In the distance, the Demon-Slaying Celestial Venerable also instructed, "We can't let the credit be stolen by others. How is the team's assembly going?"

Beside him, the Jia Shen Divine General, clad in silver armor, hurriedly replied, "Reporting to the Heavenly Venerable, the matter occurred suddenly. Only eight of the twelve Divine Generals have arrived; the rest are on their way. Furthermore, there is still no news of the Jia Yin and Ding Chou Divine Generals..."

"Is that so... I remember the last order was for the two of them to retrieve the Seven Mysterious Mirrors. It seems they've run into trouble. Have the others form a formation and attack!"

Holding the Seven Star Divine Sword, the Demon-Slaying Celestial Venerable moved first, before the others could form a formation.

The divine sword pierced through, silencing all sound. Even Xiang Liu could not withstand the might of the Heavenly Venerable. The sword's edge pierced into one of the snake heads, causing Xiang Liu to let out an angry cry of pain.

Having landed a successful blow, the Celestial Venerable immediately sheathed his sword. He had witnessed firsthand the terrifying power of Xiang Liu's blood.

In just a short while, the precious light surrounding the Seven Star Sword had been completely eroded by the demonic blood and dimmed. If it were to soak in the demonic blood for too long, even the divine artifact would be completely melted.

As the divine sword was drawn, the wounds that had been painstakingly inflicted on Xiang Liu were completely healed in an instant. Although the Seven Star Sword was powerful, it was insignificant compared to Xiang Liu's massive size. The full-force attack of the Demon-Slaying Celestial Venerable had not even left a superficial injury.

"If I were to go all out, I could suppress one of its heads, but it clearly has nine heads, and the aura emanating from each head is no less than that of the peak of the seventh level. I'm afraid only the return of a saint could kill it... Hundreds of years ago, it clearly did not have such strength."

Feeling Xiang Liu's troublesome nature, the Demon-Slaying Celestial Venerable's face turned ashen. Hundreds of years ago, Xiang Liu did not have those eerie scarlet markings on its body, and he could have killed it by himself. He wondered what those people in the Ten Thousand Serpent Cave had fed it. Its meritorious demon-slaying achievement had now become a deadly threat.

Xiangliu had nine heads in total. One head was held back by the Demon-Subduing Heavenly Venerable, another was blocked by the Heavenly King of the Nation, but the remaining seven heads began to slaughter the nearby immortals as if they were in an empty land.

A dark, demonic shadow swept across the land, leaving Zhao Gongming's elite troops with heavy casualties, only vast wreckage behind. Even the aura of harmony surrounding the God of Wealth was shattered. Above, the Fairy Xuan Sha, who was continuously painting a great demon, was careless and was swallowed by a snake's head, leaving no trace of her body except for her paintbrush lying on the ground.

Blood was everywhere, and wails filled the air. The situation was developing in the most unfavorable direction. The defensive line composed of many immortals was easily torn apart by Xiang Liu. Wherever the snake's head passed, corpses littered the ground. Facing the once infamous demon god, no matter what their usual status was, the immortals' only fate was to die without a complete corpse.

A chilling roar enveloped the entire arena, the violent sound waves almost tangible, bringing with them a demonic power capable of overturning the heavens. It was unclear which of Xiang Liu's hairs emanated from it, but the oppressive force contained within it plunged all the immortals into utter despair!

(End of this chapter)