"No wonder they couldn't conquer Crimson Flame Mountain."
Elian's heart stirred slightly. The combined combat power of eight Purple Mansion Flame Spirit Demons was formidable.
The two late-stage demons, in particular, were exceptionally strong. Together, their strength alone was enough to render Qingci helpless.
Even an average false Golden Core cultivator would struggle to gain the upper hand here if facing them alone.
Qingci glanced at the Purple Mansion Flame Spirit Demons, his expression solemn as he said, "Qingyan's mana is insufficient, and Fairy Yu's strength is limited. It will be difficult for them to hold off multiple demons."
"Brother Wei, you and I will join forces to deal with the four strongest demons. The remaining Purple Mansion demons can be restrained by Fairy Yu and my wife. How does that sound?"
"Agreed."
Elian nodded and immediately flew forward.
He summoned the Heavenly Dual Swords, which transformed into two sword rays that streaked toward the demons. The Fiery Void Sword aimed directly at one late-stage Purple Mansion demon, while the Heavenly River Sword encircled a mid-stage demon. (Heavenly River Sword is the Heavenly River Deep Water Sword, just shorter)
The others launched their attacks simultaneously, unleashing magical treasures and divine abilities at the Flame Spirit Demons.
The Flame Abyss was home turf for the Flame Spirit Demons. The moment the cultivators attacked, the demons detected their presence. The eight Purple Mansion Flame Spirit Demons reacted instantly, launching a barrage of fiery spells and magical treasures.
Elian faced two mid-to-late-stage demons alone. Wielding the Heavenly Dual Swords with fluidity, he fought fiercely without yielding any ground.
"Such remarkable swords and profound mana!"
Seeing Elian display his prowess, Qingci's eyes gleamed with admiration.
As a fellow sword cultivator, he felt a surge of competitive spirit.
Not to be outdone, he raised his left hand and summoned his life-bound treasure, the "Clear Wind Moon Sword," to engage a late-stage demon.
With his right hand, he summoned another life-bound sword, the "Morning Song Sword," to confront a mid-stage demon.
These two swords were Qingci's signature weapons, known collectively as the "Qingci Twin Swords,".
After reaching the Purple Mansion stage, Qingci spent not just months breaking through but also upgrading these swords.
The Qingci Twin Swords had been refined to the upper third grade through the infusion of elemental essence, which had drained the couple's savings. They even borrowed additional resources from Fairy Yu, leaving them strapped for cash.
Despite their impoverished state, the upgraded Qingci Twin Swords were formidable third-grade celestial swords. While not as refined as the Heavenly Dual Swords, they still ranked highly among third-grade magical treasures.
With the twin swords in hand, Qingci fought valiantly, managing to hold his own against two Purple Mansion demons.
Meanwhile, the four early-stage Flame Spirit Demons charged forward, only to be intercepted by Fairy Qingyan and Fairy Yu.
Fairy Yu, being at the mid-Purple Mansion stage, and Fairy Qingyan together managed to hold their ground.
"Clang—"
Amidst the fierce battle, Elian's eyes scanned the area, narrowing as he noticed something.
More second-tier Flame Spirit Demons were beginning to gather from the surrounding mountains, seemingly intent on joining the fray.
Elian was not adept at fighting large groups, unlike some of his clan's specialists. The escalating numbers made the situation increasingly challenging.
"There may be hundreds of second-tier demons nearby."
"We can't afford to drag this out."
With this resolve, Elian's eyes turned icy.
He raised his hand, summoning bolts of Metal and Fire Divine Thunder toward the mid-stage demon. Then, with the Grand Plough Celestial Sword in hand, he attacked ferociously.
Seeing his intent to eliminate the mid-stage demon, the late-stage demon quickly intervened. It summoned a third-grade magical treasure, the Crimson Flame Bracelet, along with a defensive technique and its innate fire abilities to block Elian's attacks.
The mid-stage demon also unleashed its own defensive spells and treasures to protect itself.
But in a flash, an invisible sword light streaked through the air.
The sword pierced the late-stage demon's defenses, slicing it cleanly in two before it could even react.
"Formless Sword!"
Qingci exclaimed in astonishment. The Formless Sword was incredibly powerful, especially against defensive spells and treasures.
Although the late-stage Flame Spirit Demon was formidable, it stood no chance against the stealthy attack. Its defensive measures were shattered in an instant, and its life was ended in a single stroke.
With the late-stage demon slain, the remaining demons went into a frenzy, desperately trying to turn the tide.
But it was too late. Elian wielded the Heavenly Dual Swords, weaving through the battlefield with unmatched precision.
Blue and golden sword energies slashed toward the mid-stage demon. Despite its considerable strength, the demon was no match for Elian.
After just nine strikes, Elian found an opening and used the Formless Sword to cleave the demon in half.
Having lost two of their strongest warriors, the remaining Flame Spirit Demons finally lost their resolve and fled in all directions.
Qingci, however, was emboldened. Blocking the escape of another late-stage demon, he engaged in a fierce exchange of ten moves before unleashing his ultimate technique.
The Qingci Twin Swords merged into one, forming a single radiant blade. Though not as powerful as Elian's Heavenly Dual Swords, the combined Qingci Sword's strength surged by seventy to eighty percent.
With a resonant sword hum, the fused Qingci Sword turned into a stream of light, striking the late-stage demon with incredible force and pinning it to the ground.
Elian's eyes flickered with admiration. The Qingci Twin Swords were indeed impressive. With this pair of life-bound weapons, Qingci's strength was comparable to a ninth-layer Purple Mansion cultivator. When fused, the swords could even pose a threat to false Golden Core cultivators.
Although the combined attack was limited to a single strike, it was undeniably formidable.
With the Flame Spirit Demons scattered or slain, the group finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Qingci turned to the protective formation ahead with a grave expression.
"The fleeing demons may return with reinforcements. Let's break the formation, claim the treasures, and leave quickly."
"Agreed."
Elian nodded as they began working to dismantle the formation.
The protective array had been greatly weakened by the Flame Spirit Demons over the years.
Both Elian and Fairy Yu were skilled third-grade formation masters, so dismantling the array was not overly difficult, though it required some time.
Elian spent a day analyzing the spiritual vein with his Jade Spirit Eyes before identifying a weak point.
"There! Focus your attacks on this point!"
Following his lead, the group targeted the specified node, unleashing relentless strikes for half a day until the formation finally collapsed.
"It's done."
With joy evident on their faces, they rushed into the spiritual vein.
As they entered, Elian noticed a burly middle-aged man sitting cross-legged in the center of the spiritual pool.
...
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I need POWAAA! Gimme Power Stones :D