Preparing the Ultimate Skill

Lin Xuan unleashed the Raging Fire Lotus right from the start. With his cultivation now elevated, he could wield this technique effortlessly.

"It's time to settle things with the Heavenly Demon Sect."

His sword pointed forward.

As Lin Xuan advanced, the disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect began to tremble with fear. The murderous aura radiating from him was far more terrifying than before.

But they had no time to dwell on their fear. A single moment of hesitation would mean death.

So, even with terror gripping their hearts, they launched their attacks against Lin Xuan.

Having returned from the desolate wastelands, Lin Xuan had become ruthless and decisive, his techniques sharper than ever.

He struck only when necessary, and when he did, blood was sure to spill.

Moving like a dragon amidst the crowd, his agility was unmatched.

The allied sects, watching his figure charge ahead, felt their spirits rise.

"We can't afford to fall behind Lin Xuan! Let's wipe out the Heavenly Demon Sect!"

"Protect Lin Xuan—don’t let him get ambushed!"

"Push forward! The Heavenly Demon Sect is finished!"

With a surge of momentum, the allied forces broke through the gates of the Crossed Valleys and stormed inside.

Yet the real battle had only just begun.

The titled demons of the Heavenly Demon Sect had been waiting for this moment, and none of them were to be underestimated.

Adding to their advantage, this was the Heavenly Demon Sect’s territory—home ground, where their formations and defenses were strongest.

The Heavenly Demon Sect’s Grand Protective Array activated!

This array had three major functions. First, a barrier that could withstand immense external attacks.

Second, once inside, demonic techniques were amplified, their power greatly enhanced within the array’s domain.

Lastly, the array itself could attack, periodically unleashing spells against intruders.

Breaking into the Heavenly Demon Sect was only the beginning—victory was far from guaranteed.

......

In the end, the outcome would still be decided by the strongest fighters.

By now, the Right Envoy and Zhou Tingmeng, a Great Ascension cultivator, had relocated their battle elsewhere. If they fought here, the entire place would collapse.

The Demon Lords had also found opponents of equal strength and moved to separate battlegrounds.

All except the East Extreme Demon Lord, who stood beside the Left Envoy.

The Left Envoy remained motionless, seemingly unwilling to act—no one knew what he was thinking.

Liu Zhixian also held back, observing the situation. What puzzled him was why the two powerful enemies across from him weren’t moving.

But their inaction was a relief—it eased the pressure on the others, allowing them to focus on weaker foes.

Another reason Liu Zhixian hesitated was to conserve his strength for the Demon Sovereign, who had yet to appear.

Nangong Xiyun stayed idle only because she didn’t need to put on an act—Su Luo had asked her to stay back and protect him.

The Right Envoy and Zhou Tingmeng returned after exchanging hundreds of blows.

The Right Envoy couldn’t understand why the Left Envoy still hadn’t acted.

"What are you doing? Why aren’t you fighting?"

The Left Envoy glanced at him. "I’m preparing my ultimate technique."

"And the East Extreme Demon Lord?"

"She’s guarding me, ensuring I’m not interrupted."

"......I hope your technique is worth this delay."

The Right Envoy resumed his battle with Zhou Tingmeng, though doubts lingered in his mind.

Hearing that the Left Envoy was charging a devastating attack, Liu Zhixian could no longer hold back and launched his assault.

But the East Extreme Demon Lord intercepted him.

A brief exchange revealed something shocking—the East Extreme Demon Lord was also at the Great Ascension realm.

Liu Zhixian’s heart sank. The Heavenly Demon Sect’s strength was far beyond expectations.

But now that he was here, he had to see this through.

Multiple luminous rings suddenly materialized above Liu Zhixian’s head, overlapping one another.

"Flash of Heavenly Light!"

A colossal beam of energy erupted from the rings.

Nangong Xiyun clenched her fist and punched forward, dispersing the beam with sheer force.

She glanced at her hand, mildly amused. Swords were her specialty—her fists were merely passable.

But it was enough. She wasn’t here to fight seriously anyway.

Liu Zhixian prepared another strike, but the East Extreme Demon Lord appeared above him, slamming a fist downward—crushing both the rings and him in one blow.

Liu Zhixian barely blocked it, his arms straining under the force. The rings shattered.

After the brief clash, the two separated again.

Liu Zhixian knew this would be a brutal fight.

The East Extreme Demon Lord uttered her usual line: "Against you, ninety percent of my strength is enough."

Her tone was lazy, yet brimming with confidence.

Of course, she wouldn’t actually hold back—she wasn’t foolish enough to underestimate him.

"Being looked down upon, huh?" Liu Zhixian attacked again.

But moments later, he suddenly lunged at the Left Envoy.

He hadn’t forgotten about the ultimate technique. If he could disrupt it, he would.

Yet the East Extreme Demon Lord blocked him once more.

"Not bad. You almost got through."

Liu Zhixian scoffed. "Liar. You’ve been watching the Left Envoy this whole time."

"So what if I have?"

From then on, Liu Zhixian grew desperate to interrupt the Left Envoy’s technique.

But the East Extreme Demon Lord left no openings, shielding the Left Envoy flawlessly.

Then, a black-robed figure appeared beside Su Luo.

"Leave the protection to me. Focus on your fight."

It was Jiang Ningshu. With her cultivation, guarding Su Luo was effortless.

Another powerhouse. Liu Zhixian frowned—she wasn’t just strong.

Her presence inexplicably filled him with dread, though he couldn’t explain why.

Nangong Xiyun said, "How about I guard him, and you fight?"

"I might kill him if I attack."

"I don’t believe that."

Nangong Xiyun wasn’t doubting Jiang Ningshu’s strength—but doing so would reveal her true identity.

"Fight or don’t. My job is protection."

Left with no choice, Nangong Xiyun continued her battle. With Su Luo safe, she could hold back even more.

No need to go all out—just stall and play along.

Every one of Liu Zhixian’s surprise attacks was effortlessly deflected by Jiang Ningshu.

He began to waver. Should he retreat?

The Heavenly Demon Sect’s hidden power was staggering.

What unsettled him most was the Demon Sovereign’s absence. Until the Demon Sovereign appeared, he couldn’t be sure of anything.

He also noticed that if he stopped attacking and kept his distance, the East Extreme Demon Lord wouldn’t pursue him.

It seemed she truly was prioritizing the Left Envoy’s protection.

Liu Zhixian sighed. He was strong, but facing three formidable enemies at once? How was he supposed to win?

......

The situation elsewhere wasn’t favorable either. The Heavenly Demon Sect’s Grand Protective Array made the battle grueling—the deeper they pushed, the more oppressive its effects became.

It amplified demonic techniques and spawned countless traps.

Spells rained down in support of the defenders.

Lin Xuan surveyed the battlefield and knew this couldn’t continue.

"I’ll destroy the array!"

He knew the array’s core was heavily guarded—a suicide mission. But someone had to do it.

Old Flame pinpointed the critical nodes: "There, there, and there. Shatter those three cores, and the array collapses."

Enemies blocked Lin Xuan’s path, but his gaze hardened with resolve.