C985 Decisive and Resolute

Sword light after sword light cascaded, forming a desolate sea of deathly stillness that faintly shrouded the three massive yellow tigers.

These mountainous beasts began to wither and shrivel rapidly.

The "Drought" Sword Dao essence within the sword light feasted upon the flesh and blood of the tigers, sapping the strength of the three Demon Gods that had been tainted by the Great Demon God Grec.

Simultaneously, four other yellow tigers, still in possession of their wits, rushed to the scene.

They tore at and dragged their own clones, once part of them, towards the totem pillars of the Demon Race.

The pillars, etched with ancient and mystical tiger patterns, exuded a calming influence on the soul and purged the malevolent spirits, swiftly expelling Grec's corrupting force.

"Junior sister!"

Xi Quan, having returned, clutched the bone-crafted Withered Sword and fixed Ji Ningshuang with a frustrated glare, chastising her, "Is he really worth all this trouble for just another faithless man?"

She was the first to detect the anomaly in Shi Yuxuan, discerning the unease of the sword soul, and the first to recognize the presence of a new, formidable guest.

She anticipated that this newcomer was a fearsome entity, on par with the inhabitants of the Boundless Land, the Primordial Spirits, and the Demon Gods.

Such a high-caliber extraterrestrial visitor was beyond her current means to contend with, as well as those within the sanctuary. To avoid collateral damage, they had no choice but to flee using their escape techniques.

She dared not venture towards the Rainier Empire or the Jade Peak Mountains, so her retreat was directed towards the Silvermoon Empire.

But just as she was about to distance herself from this land of strife and discovered that Shi Yuxuan's primary target was Yu Yuan, a sense of foreboding washed over her.

No one understood her stubborn, obsessive junior sister better than she did.

Concerned, she paused her departure, opting to observe a moment longer.

And sure enough, as Yu Yuan neared the clutches of the Great Demon God, a familiar, dazzling sword light burst forth from the Jade Peak Mountains.

Then, another sword light appeared abruptly.

Van Heqing, the Great Sword Immortal known as the Shattering Sword, stood flanking Ji Ningshuang, his brow furrowed in concern, he admonished, "You should not have drawn your sword."

Puff! Puff! Puff!

Ji Ningshuang's arms were still being devoured by grotesque insects, while the cold crystal sword light she had honed was relentlessly crushed.

As Xi Quan and Van Heqing conversed, they too unsheathed their swords in swift succession.

Beams of stark white and resplendent sword light, imbued with the power to rend the heavens and the earth, merged with her cold crystal sword light, aiding her in the painstaking removal of the residual blood essence sent by the Great Demon God Grec.

The three Great Sword Immortals, collaborating to extract Grec's exquisite blood, were struck by a dreadful sense of confronting the myriad beings from beyond their realm.

The bizarre insects, born from Ji Ningshuang's blood, seemingly wielded the innate talents of the Dark Elfkind, Asura Clan, Silver Scale Clan, Star Race, and even the mighty demons, each possessing wisdom and a will of its own.

Their decay, their disintegration, and the frosty gleam of the Star Frost Sword, each insect they eradicated bore distinct traits.

They were akin to Seventh Level alien warriors and great demons of equivalent stature.

These insects, congealed from droplets of Ji Ningshuang's blood, had become so vicious with just a fraction of Grec's power infused from afar.

Was the chieftain of the Blood Devil Clan, the Great Demon God Grec, truly so formidable?

The visages of the three Great Sword Immortals from the Sword Sect, all at the Unrestrained Stage, were grim as they finally cleared the swarm.

"You're well aware of his past struggles."

Unaware that her arms were now skeletal, stripped of skin and flesh, Ji Ningshuang exhaled a sigh of relief once Grec's aberrant blood was neutralized and immediately turned her gaze to Yu Yuan.

It was then that she overheard Grec's taunting remarks.

"So many powerful allies, people who know you, who care for and protect you, yet you remain unmoved. But this one, barely scratched, and you're already on edge..."

Grec's voice, as if traversing through time and space, wafted towards Yu Yuan.

This was due to the multitude of spatial obstructions between Grec and Yu Yuan, the numerous barriers and walls erected from the Dragon Slash Platform.

Consequently, Grec's words echoed erratically, reaching the ears of those in various locations of the sanctuary at different times.

And Ji Ningshuang had only just caught them...

Her expression stalled, and the usual indifference in her icy gaze gave way to an immense, uncharacteristic turbulence. Her jaw, once sculpted with a cold, sharp edge, now softened subtly.

For hundreds of years, her heart, frozen like a lake under ice, seemed to thaw under the heat of a fervent flame.

"Did you... did you hear that?" she asked, a hint of shyness in her voice as she lowered her head and murmured to Xi Quan, the "Withered Sword."

"After three hundred years, you're still this naive!" Xi Quan rolled her eyes, wishing she could knock her senseless and pull her from the battlefield. "That faithless man is using you! When he went to the Nether Abyss to capture the Cold Dragon, to the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea, he was using you at every turn! You don't even register in his eyes. He's only focused on completing his reincarnation!"

"No, it's not like that," Ji Ningshuang protested, shaking her head. "Even if it's for reincarnation, he still wants to be with me..."

Her eyes shone as she spoke, a glimmer of happiness breaking through.

Before Xi Quan or Van Heqing could respond, she fused with the "Starfrost Sword," her body, soul, and blade becoming one, transforming into a dazzling frosty river of stars.

A silver river, trailing the bright, icy flow of the Starfrost Sword, merged with the Nether Abyss and a distant stellar galaxy.

"Heh," chuckled Greco, the Great Demon God.

The Raven Lord from the Demon Palace, three Eighth Level Great Demons of equal rank, and a silver wolf, born from the dark alchemy of the Grey Wolf King's blood, growled as they charged the magnificent "Celestial River."

Boom! Boom! Boom! The explosions were relentless.

The Raven, along with the four Eighth Level Great Demons and the silver wolf, perished in the splendor of the Milky Way, which was shattered into segments.

The remnants of the Milky Way, now seven or eight pieces, reassembled on the ground, reforming into the bloodied figure of Ji Ningshuang.

The Great Sword Immortal, ranked fourth in the Sword Sect, had initially sustained only minor wounds. Now, however, not only were her arms stripped of flesh, but her own sword's light had turned against her, ravaging her body with grievous injuries.

His internal organs, meridians, and lumbar bones were all injured to varying degrees.

"Raven!"

The roar of the Golden Elephant Ancient God and the Peacock King thundered, shaking the earth with a deep rumble.

Yu Yuan sighed silently to himself.

He was suddenly reminded of the time in the Ember Waters, in the Absence Relic, when Raven from the Demon Palace had extended his support.

It was for this reason that when Raven had recklessly burst in, Yu Yuan had instructed Beru and the others to show him some leniency, refraining from immediately besieging him. As a result, Raven had remained unscathed until now.

Unexpectedly, it was Greco's tainted blood that had sealed Raven's fate.

As he observed Ji Ningshuang's wounds, he met Xi Quan's furious glare and Van Heqing's eyes filled with reproach...

"Take the Dragon Slash Platform and attempt to access the Realm passageway."

At that moment, a voice echoed in Yu Yuan's mind, "The president is on his way, but even he is no match for the Great Demon God Greco. The president is also unaware if there are other beings of Greco's caliber on the other side, or within, the Realm passageway."

"For now, there is no safe haven for you in this world. Believe me, until the situation becomes clear, neither the Desolate Swamp nor the Horror Land will offer you refuge."

"Use the Dragon Slash Platform to seek shelter in an uncharted space, a place hidden from others, to avoid the imminent danger."

He paused briefly.

Then he added, "That is, if you wish to prevent more lives from being lost on your account."

​