"Kill!"
The group charged up Jiaoyang Mountain, catching the demon clan off guard.
Elian leaped into the fray, his Heavenly River Sword expanding in the wind to form a hundred-foot-long blade of energy that slashed toward the nearest Purple Mansion beast.
The beast's scalp tingled at the sight of the massive energy blade. With no choice but to retreat, it unleashed its divine abilities in an attempt to block the attack.
The others also sprang into action, intercepting the numerous Foundation Establishment and Purple Mansion beasts in the air.
In an instant, a brutal battle broke out, with over fifty Purple Mansion cultivators and nearly eight hundred Foundation Establishment combatants clashing in the skies.
"This isn't good."
The Azure Mane Lion King felt a pang of alarm and an immediate sense of danger. Aware of Jiang Linglong's overwhelming power, which it had heard of long ago, it was unwilling to face her alone.
With a single thought, it summoned a massive battle blade, sending it soaring as a streak of green light.
"Not so fast!"
Jiang Linglong's eyes sharpened as she merged with her sword, transforming into a radiant streak of sword light in pursuit.
As the two Golden Core-level opponents vanished from the battlefield, Elian remained unperturbed. Jiang Linglong, now in the second layer of the Golden Core stage, possessed power comparable to that of a fifth-layer Golden Core cultivator among ordinary lower-tier Golden Core practitioners.
The Azure Mane Lion King, though advanced, had only recently reached the second layer of the Golden Core stage after decades of cultivation. It was no match for her.
Even as these thoughts flickered through his mind, Elian's actions did not waver. He wielded his Heavenly Twin Swords with precision, driving a mid-stage Purple Mansion beast into retreat.
Just as Elian was about to slay his opponent, a streak of green sword energy surged toward him.
"A superior celestial sword."
Elian's expression hardened as he quickly summoned his Purple Blood Tower to block the strike.
A deafening explosion rang out as he was forced back several feet. The protective glow of the Purple Blood Tower dimmed significantly.
Raising his gaze, Elian identified the attacker as a green-furred demon hound.
"It's the Green Lion Hound."
Elian's eyes narrowed as he recognized its origins.
The Green Lion Hound was one of the trusted lieutenants of the Dire Lion King. Like the Golden Lion Hound, it was a unique variation within the demon hound lineage, akin to a human with a Unique Spirit Root. These creatures had a 20% higher chance of advancing to the Golden Core stage compared to ordinary beasts.
Decades ago, Elian and Wei Xuyuan had encountered this beast while searching for treasures in Ink Ridge, eventually being chased to Jiaoyang Mountain by it.
Now, over seventy years later, the Green Lion Hound had grown considerably stronger, having consumed the lives of millions of mortals in Jiaoyang Moutain. It had even reached the False Golden Core stage.
In the brief chaos of battle, the Green Lion Hound had already slain a Purple Mansion cultivator from the Tianxu Alliance.
"Be cautious!"
Seeing the beast's ferocity, Patriarch Fang and Xu Qianyang immediately moved to assist Elian.
Elian, showing no fear, faced the Green Lion Hound head-on, while Nianchuan and Qinghao took over his previous opponent.
The three Purple Mansion cultivators, each formidable in their own right, coordinated their assault.
Xu Qianyang, having reached the eighth layer of the Purple Mansion stage after decades of cultivation, wielded three family heirloom treasures. He activated his defensive artifact and deployed his Natal Artifact alongside the Flaming Goldfire Dragon Shears to engage the Green Lion Hound, forcing it to fight seriously.
Patriarch Fang, who had recently reached the ninth layer of the Purple Mansion stage, possessed even greater power than Xu Qianyang.
However, the most advanced cultivator in the Tianxu Alliance was Patriarch Qian. Having failed his second attempt at the Golden Core stage, he had entered the False Golden Core stage.
But at 497 years old, even with life-extending methods, his remaining days were numbered. His weakened body left him unable to participate in the battle, relegating him to awaiting his end in peace.
The three Purple Mansion cultivators relentlessly assaulted the Green Lion Hound, exchanging over fifty moves. Despite the coordinated attacks, the beast, a formidable False Golden Core demon, held its ground.
Meanwhile, the other Purple Mansion beasts began to falter. Human Purple Mansion cultivators were already slightly stronger than their demon beasts counterparts, and with ten more human combatants than demons beasts, the tide turned against the beasts.
One by one, Purple Mansion-level beasts fell under the relentless assault.
The patriarch, displaying his prowess as a late-stage Purple Mansion cultivator, unleashed his Whiteblade Star Orbs. The seven orbs swirled with yin and yang energy, culminating in the divine ability, "Yin-Yang Annihilation Vase Energy."
Streams of yin and yang energy surged forth, pinning down five or six Purple Mansion beasts. The cultivators seized the opportunity to eliminate them, further crippling the demon forces.
With numerous Purple Mansion beasts slain and several fleeing, the demon ranks collapsed.
"Roar!"
Furious at its army's defeat, the Green Lion Hound let out an enraged roar.
Its eyes glinted coldly as it prepared to flee. But Elian seized the moment, deploying the Heavenly Twin Swords and several divine thunderbolts to drive it back.
Seeing the demon's desperation, Xu Qianyang sternly declared, "We can let others go, but not the Green Lion Hound."
The cultivators responded swiftly, surrounding the beast and cutting off its escape.
Such a unique demon posed too great a threat. Given a few more decades or centuries, it might break through to the Golden Core stage, becoming a dire menace to humanity. Compared to this one threat, allowing the other minor demons to escape was a minor concern.
Surrounded by dozens of high-level cultivators, the Green Lion Hound began to panic. Even a Golden Core beast would struggle against such odds, let alone a False Golden Core demon.
Desperate, the Green Lion Hound spat out a mouthful of essence blood to fuel an escape technique.
However, the human cultivators were prepared. Lin Qianshu was the first to act, deploying the divine ability Frozen Jade Radiance Curse. The spell struck the demon's light trail, significantly reducing its speed.
Seizing the opening, Xu Qianyang and Patriarch Fang unleashed Earth Element Divine Thunder and Wood Elemental Divine Light, shattering the demon's escape spell.
Forced to fight, the Green Lion Hound wielded several top-tier third-rank artifacts, attempting to hold its ground. Yet against the combined might of thirty Purple Mansion cultivators, its resistance began to waver.
...
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