The Biggest Trouble

A halo of light swirled, several interlocking formations ensnaring all four Heavenly Demons at once.

Chu Xingchen's expression finally relaxed a fraction, his gaze turning towards Xu Linglong.

These Heavenly Demons had, after all, only temporarily donned human skins.

Their current forms, each different and monstrous, were their true faces.

However... this was just the beginning.

Two more Tribulation Transcension cultivators arrived from due west, two blindingly bright arcs of light crashing into the barrier.

They immediately engaged the demons in combat.

For now, this was the total number of Tribulation Transcension experts who had made it here.

The Heavenly Demons had nearly saturated Yuzhou City with their presence. These Tribulation Transcension cultivators had used the Tianyan Sect's exclusive secret arts to conceal their identities and infiltrate.

But even this had its limits.

More Tribulation Transcension cultivators hadn't actually entered the vicinity of Yuzhou City; they remained in areas somewhat farther away.

Any more, and the probability of discovery would skyrocket.

At this moment, Chu Xingchen truly had to hold out against the four Heavenly Demons until the numerous Tribulation Transcension cultivators could rush to his aid.

Furthermore, the formation set up here had no suppressive effect. Instead, it isolated the space, preventing the Heavenly Demons from using any means to tear through the void and escape.

So, in a sense, this barrier was somewhat fragile and might not withstand many strikes from the four Heavenly Demons.

Yet, this was the best possible method. In all of Yuzhou City, only this location had a passable spiritual vein that could support it.

Any other place would have been even harder to sustain.

The barrier was a means, but to truly keep them here...

Chu Xingchen's expression turned solemn as Wanbian transformed into a sword in his hand—he would have to use his own life as bait.

I am staking my life. Do you dare answer the challenge?

Xu Linglong drew her longbow to its full extent. Even before releasing the arrow, a black torrent shot forth.

"Fine courage. But do you truly believe you can leave today?"

Xu Linglong's voice, carrying a note of praise, rang out. Her bewitching, amethyst eyes fixed on Chu Xingchen:

"Back then, forcing the Heavenly Dao to intervene wasn't a sign of your strength, but of your incompetence. And now you think you have us cornered?"

Bai Xuanling swung his sword, blocking the pursuing energy from Xu Linglong.

The pure white radiance of spiritual power illuminated Chu Xingchen's face, his smile unwavering:

"If only you were truly united. It's a pity..."

Chu Xingchen left the sentence unfinished, but Xu Linglong understood perfectly well what he meant.

Among the Eight Great Heavenly Demons, someone was selling them out.

Before, no matter what Chu Xingchen said, Xu Linglong hadn't taken it completely to heart.

At most, she had let suspicion fall on the Buddhist Heavenly Demon to stir up trouble in the Western Aparagodaniya Continent.

This world was too vast to tolerate those willing to play second fiddle.

Moreover, how could one who was content being subordinate ever become a Heavenly Demon?

So Xu Linglong was merely suspicious and hadn't pushed the Buddhist Heavenly Demon to the brink.

But what she was doing here was of the highest secrecy.

Chu Xingchen turning his attention back to investigate her was something Xu Linglong had long prepared for, so it came as no surprise.

This operation had also been carried out with caution. Chu Xingchen had spent a considerable amount of time stirring up storms in the Central Continent, clearly unable to track her movements or whereabouts.

Then, suddenly, at a certain point, the activity in the Central Continent diminished significantly.

Initially, Xu Linglong thought that after failing to find her for so long, Chu Xingchen was trying a different approach.

But seeing the current setup—this grand formation with no oppressive force yet capable of severing space—it was clearly a prepared move.

The plan was to wipe out her entire group in one fell swoop.

The situation in the Central Continent was so unclear, and the mess in the Western Aparagodaniya Continent wasn't fully settled.

Without concrete information, how would Chu Xingchen dare to summon so many people here?

Those with access to this level of information were few.

Even among the demons deployed here, aside from trusted aides, hardly anyone knew other Heavenly Demons were present.

Although Xu Linglong knew Chu Xingchen's words might still be a ploy to sow discord, could all the events that had transpired truly be explained away as mere coincidence?

However, no matter how many coincidences there were, that was a matter for the future.

Xu Linglong's gaze bore into Chu Xingchen. The choice now was—fight or retreat.

Since Chu Xingchen had information and had made so many arrangements, this was bound to be a tough battle. Cutting losses and retreating might be the best course of action.

At least, reason told Xu Linglong so.

If they struck this barrier with full force, how could it truly hold them?

Chu Xingchen, as if seeing through Xu Linglong's moment of hesitation, chuckled softly:

"You know running is the right choice. Go on, run."

Xu Linglong suddenly laughed aloud.

Such an obvious provocation.

But...

If you dare stake your life, what have I to fear?

Xu Linglong's figure no longer hesitated. The longbow in her hand transformed into a pair of black daggers.

Under the moonlight, her form became a streak of black light.

In the blink of an eye, she was upon Bai Xuanling.

Zhong Su, fighting one against three, stretched out a hand to block the two newly arrived Tribulation Transcension cultivators. A tide of darkness surged around him as he unleashed a world-obliterating strike.

Bai Bo released his transformed state, and Huang Miao could no longer suppress him as completely as before.

Chi Guo took a direct hit from his opposing cultivator, sacrificing his body to charge at Chu Xingchen.

Bai Xuanling's gaze swept over Chi Guo, then towards Xu Linglong's direction:

"Call for me if you can't handle it. Don't let pride get you killed."

"When have I ever cared about pride?" Chu Xingchen replied with a laugh.

Bai Xuanling turned his back, seemingly letting out a derisive snort before his figure likewise vanished.

The next moment.

Two terrifying forces clashed.

Bai Xuanling pressed down on Xu Linglong with a single sword.

Aura pressure swept out, spiritual power detonated, destroying the surroundings.

Chu Xingchen exhaled heavily, tightening his grip on Wanbian. He glanced sideways at Chi Guo, who, despite severe injuries, charged relentlessly towards him.

In Chu Xingchen's vision, an extreme, ominous black force writhed from Chi Guo's body like a sea.

Distortion!

Chu Xingchen's eyes widened. A clear, ethereal energy, undetectable by the vision or spiritual sense of others, descended from the heavens.

It was a subtle, pure energy, so fine it could scatter with the slightest breath of spiritual power, yet it slammed directly into the boiling, expanding black energy around Chi Guo.

The next instant, that clear energy actually scattered Chi Guo's black energy.

A swirling vortex erupted, churning it violently.

Chi Guo's movements noticeably faltered. The strange, broadsword-like weapon in his hand also lost a significant amount of its oppressive force.

The Primordial Qi truly possessed an exceptionally high rank.

Chu Xingchen's body rapidly retreated. With a slight lift of his hand, turbid energy from the earth surged upwards, smashing towards Chi Guo.

With space reinforced and sealed, and Tribulation Transcension cultivators unable to harness spatial forces, their speed dropped to a level Chu Xingchen could react to.

Chi Guo clearly failed to detect the slightly slower-moving turbid energy. But just as it was about to strike him,

his body twisted in an extremely bizarre manner, barely dodging it. Then he turned his head with a strange look in his eyes, but couldn't see anything amiss.

Seeing this, Chu Xingchen promptly mocked:

"Are you doing dog rolls to amuse me?"

"With so many people here, I'm almost embarrassed. Save it for when we're in private."

Chi Guo roared in fury, his form once again closing in on Chu Xingchen.

But the pursuing Tribulation Transcension cultivator from the Tianyan Sect had also arrived.

Chu Xingchen gripped Wanbian tightly, his body only evading, launching no attacks. His gaze merely flicked towards Xu Linglong's direction.

The clear energy swirled, then smashed towards Xu Linglong's black energy.

In a clash between top-tier cultivators, the slightest anomaly could be a fatal opening.

As it happened, Bai Xuanling was precisely one such top-tier cultivator.

Xu Linglong immediately suffered a grievous wound, deep enough to reveal bone.

Her gaze swept across the distance, fixing directly on Chu Xingchen.

Indeed, he was the greatest trouble.

Those strange methods undetectable by spiritual sense...