Go Test Their Mettle

The moment he landed, Xiao Ruobai's gaze passed over the chaotic battlefield and the heart-quailing pressure of a Quasi-Emperor, settling on the devastating scene before him.

His eyes then swept past a phantom image of a demonic ape, and he narrowed them slightly at the sight of the former Demon Emperor of the Southern Domain.

At this moment, the Demon Emperor was covered in blood. Brilliant golden Demon Emperor blood dripped continuously from his body, his matted fur clinging to him in disarray. The Heaven-Piercing Rod in his hand was covered in spiderweb-like cracks.

Even his ten-thousand-foot Dharma Manifestation flickered dimly. There was not a trace left of the arrogance and overbearing presence he had once displayed outside the Great Emperor's Tomb, when he had ridden upon a Nine-Dragon Chariot and held the Demon Emperor Bell, looking upon all living beings as though they were mere ants.

Back then, in order to force Mo Yu to return to the Southern Domain, the Demon Emperor had unleashed his pressure upon them.

Now, seeing him driven into such a wretched predicament by the Ancient Demon Court, with nearly all his pride shattered, Xiao Ruobai could not help but feel a faint, inexplicable sense of satisfaction at the turning of karma.

Meanwhile, Mo Yu had barely steadied himself. Before he could even feel the terrifying pressure of the Quasi-Emperor—

his crimson-gold eyes were already sweeping frantically across every corner of the battlefield, like searchlights driven by desperation.

From the wounded soldiers struggling and groaning upon the scorched earth, to the makeshift shelters behind the collapsed defensive line, and then to the deep ravines piled high with corpses...

His nostrils flared rapidly as he tried to catch that familiar, distinctive bloodline aura of the Qilin clan amid the suffocating stench of blood and charred flesh.

But there was nothing. Nothing at all.

"Master!"

Mo Yu's voice trembled with extreme fear and worry.

"No... I can't see anyone from the clan! I can't sense their auras either!"

At last, his gaze locked onto the direction where the left flank had completely collapsed. That had once been the ancestral territory of the Qilin clan, where they had lived for generations under the protection of the Azure Ancient Trees.

Now, all that met his eyes was a scorched wasteland still burning fiercely.

Those towering Azure Ancient Trees, once so distinctive and tall enough to pierce the clouds, had long since been reduced to charcoal. Not even the faintest trace of that familiar, warm bloodline aura remained.

A dreadful premonition coiled around Mo Yu's heart like an icy venomous serpent.

Sensing that Mo Yu was on the verge of losing control, Xiao Ruobai said in a deep voice,

"Calm down. The battlefield is in chaos, and auras are being blocked. It may not be bad news. Right now, we need to stabilize the defensive line."

His voice was not loud, yet it carried a peculiar calming force that allowed the frantic Mo Yu to forcibly regain a measure of composure.

"Enough nonsense, old bastard! Take this hoof!"

On the other side, Lao Huang glared furiously, clearly too impatient for any more words. His hundred-zhang true form rose onto its hind legs.

A massive hoof, like a heavenly pillar collapsing from above, came crashing down toward the Golden-Robed Quasi-Emperor's head!

"Impudent!"

A cold light flared in the Golden-Robed Quasi-Emperor's eyes. His opponent actually dared to strike first!

Demonic qi surged around him as he thrust out a palm. The palm strike instantly transformed into a dark-golden colossal claw that blotted out the sky, its talons tearing through the void as it met the attack head-on!

"BOOM—!!!"

Before hoof and claw could truly collide, their respective domains of law were already grinding madly against one another, unleashing a devastating torrent of chaotic energy!

The mountains and rivers across ten thousand li below trembled violently, as though the very land were about to sink beneath the waves!

The Golden-Robed Quasi-Emperor’s expression shifted slightly. This bull’s brute strength far exceeded his expectations. If they fought with full force here, this entire region would likely be reduced to ruins, and the armies below would suffer as well.

“Brute Bull! Do you dare fight me beyond the heavens?!”

The Golden-Robed Quasi-Emperor shouted sharply. His body transformed into a streak of golden light, shooting into the sky. In an instant, he broke through the world’s barrier and vanished into the cold, lifeless chaos of the cosmic void.

“As if I’d be afraid of you! Perfect—I’ll tear apart those old bones of yours!”

Lao Huang burst into laughter. His four hooves shattered the void as he turned into a violent streak of azure light and gave chase!

The two Quasi-Emperors vanished from the skies in the blink of an eye.

Almost the instant they departed—

“BOOM!!!!!!!”

A deafening explosion, as though heaven and earth themselves had been split apart, thundered down from beyond the nine heavens!

Every being above the Saint Realm clearly felt the terrifying force contained in that collision overhead!

Then came a faint, muffled groan, laced with both shock and fury!

It seemed that the Golden-Robed Quasi-Emperor had suffered a slight loss in their first direct clash!

The battle between Quasi-Emperors had erupted beyond the heavens!

And on the ground, the departure of the two Quasi-Emperors also took with it that suffocating pressure.

After a brief, deathly silence, the flames of war reignited with even greater ferocity!

“Kill! Take this chance and crush them!”

The Bone-Armored Great Sage of the Ancient Demon Court was the first to react. Roaring, he swung his massive axe and led the ancient demon army in an even more frenzied assault.

“My warriors! Hold the line!”

Suppressing his injuries, the Demon Emperor brandished his enormous staff and fought back with all his strength.

Lao Huang’s arrival, along with the commotion echoing from beyond the heavens, had given him a glimmer of hope.

The battlefield instantly descended into an even more brutal melee!

On the cliff, Xiao Ruobai withdrew his gaze from the heavens and made a swift decision.

“The defenses here are stable for now. Mo Yu is worried about his clan. Let’s head to the Qilin ancestral grounds on the left flank and see what’s happening.”

“Yes!”

Mo Yu had long been frantic with worry.

Xiao Ruobai moved first, heading directly toward the Qilin ancestral grounds on the left wing, now reduced to scorched earth.

Fang Hanyu, Ling Xi, and Fatty Wang followed close behind.

With a low growl, Mo Yu transformed into a crimson-gold streak of light and remained tightly at Xiao Ruobai’s side, his scarlet pupils fixed unwaveringly on the path ahead.

Any ancient demons that attacked them along the way were effortlessly slain by the group.

Like an unstoppable spearhead, this small squad tore a path through the chaotic battlefield, rapidly pushing deeper into the left flank.

Their movements—especially the effortless, overwhelming efficiency with which they swept aside all opposition—immediately drew the attention of both sides.

“Is that Qilinzi Mo Yu, along with Battle Asura and the others?”

Some of the present-day demons recognized them and could not help exclaiming in surprise.

“They actually came?”

Even the Demon Emperor, locked in a bitter struggle, was drawn by the disturbance and could not help casting a glance in their direction.

“Hm?”

High above the battlefield, the Ancient Imperial Prince, surrounded by several powerful prodigies and calmly observing the battle below, slowly shifted his golden gaze. At last, it settled upon Xiao Ruobai and the others.

For the first time, a faint trace of surprise flickered in his eyes.

“These people are not demons. Their auras are pure and powerful. Where did they come from?”

He murmured softly, his voice carrying a note of curiosity.

On such a brutal battlefield, the sudden appearance of several human cultivators—calm and composed, yet immensely powerful—who were clearly making for the heart of the enemy territory was bound to draw attention.

Behind him, several prodigies of the ancient demon court, each with a formidable aura and of varying sexes, also noticed the scene.

One of them, a breathtakingly beautiful woman clad in seven-colored feathered robes, her gaze cold and sharp, gave a soft cry of surprise.

“Your Highness, those people have exceptionally strong foundations. Their auras are so refined that even I find them difficult to see through.”

Another, a burly young man standing over ten feet tall and covered in dark-gold scales, grinned, revealing a row of gleaming white teeth.

“Who cares where they came from? Since they dare interfere, they are enemies! Your Highness, allow this subordinate to test them. I shall take their heads and present them to you!”

The Ancient Imperial Prince’s gaze lingered for a moment on Xiao Ruobai and Fang Hanyu. A flicker of interest passed through his eyes.

On a battlefield as savage as this one, the appearance of several human prodigies with such profound foundations and extraordinary bearing was indeed suspicious.

“Very well.”

The Ancient Imperial Prince spoke indifferently. “Ling Yue, Azure Flood Dragon, go and test their mettle.”

“By your command!”

The woman in the seven-colored feathered robes and the scaled young man bowed at once, battle-hungry light flashing in their eyes.

Their figures blurred, transforming into two streaks of light. Like twin blades, they tore through the chaotic battlefield and shot directly toward Xiao Ruobai’s group, intent on cutting them off and killing them!