The Old Demon King's eyes widened in disbelief. "Qi Refining stage? Already? Humans really cultivate that fast?"
From afar, Wen Qingya silently nodded in approval.
Even Mìyuè's round little face mirrored the Old Demon King's astonishment as she stared at Xin Xiaoqi.
Dian Huihui momentarily froze, marveling aloud, "Impressive... You'd think he's slow, but his cultivation speed is ridiculous!"
The Old Demon King gazed at Xin Xiaoqi, now tightly restrained once again, and muttered, "That makes it even more necessary to kill you. Don't blame me for being ruthless."
With that, he swung his axe mercilessly toward Xin Xiaoqi.
From the distance, Mìyuè gasped and whispered to Dian Huihui, "If you don't do something, Xiaoqi's done for!"
Dian Huihui grinned mischievously. "No rush."
With a flick of her delicate wrist, a flash of golden light streaked through the air—a golden spear shot like a meteor toward the Old Demon King's back.
Since first assessing the three, the Old Demon King had remained wary, sensing depths to their power. As expected, Dian Huihui had finally made her move.
With a cold snort, the Old Demon King swung his massive axe to meet the oncoming golden spear.
A thunderous clang echoed through the forest, rippling out in all directions.
The golden spear was knocked back, but the Old Demon King felt a jarring numbness run through his hands.
In the sky, Dian Huihui's blue eyes sparkled. Her long legs strode forward gracefully, golden armor shimmering as it tightly wrapped her curvaceous figure. She floated into the air like a celestial being.
Holding the long spear firmly, a relaxed expression played across her face. The spear followed her momentum and thundered down again toward the Old Demon King.
Seeing the fearsome attack, the Old Demon King dared not take it head-on. He twisted his axe, redirecting the force from the spear's tip with finesse.
But Dian Huihui twisted her wrists sharply. The spear suddenly coiled like a whip, BANG!—it struck the handle of the demon's axe, catching him off guard and sending him stumbling back several steps.
Without pause, Dian Huihui advanced with another fierce thrust.
The Old Demon King, unsteady, had no choice but to brace and counter with raw strength. His axe clashed again with her gleaming spear.
Boom! Another deafening crash.
Dian Huihui stood firm, unmoved. The Old Demon King, on the other hand, was knocked backward seven paces.
From afar, Wen Qingya gave a small approving nod.
The Old Demon King's heart trembled. "This woman's power... her battle experience... she's no pushover. I need to go all out."
But Dian Huihui didn't give him time to breathe. She spun her spear and unleashed a dazzling flurry of strikes.
The Old Demon King gritted his teeth. "Again?!" He met her blow with a desperate counter.
Clang! His hands went numb. He stumbled back again.
Yet again, she came at him with a piercing thrust.
This time, he dared not meet it head-on. With a wave of his hand, he unleashed a domain of power, attempting to trap Dian Huihui in place.
Her body froze midair—she seemed momentarily suspended in his realm.
"Finally caught you," the Old Demon King muttered, panting.
Without delay, he raised his axe and charged to strike.
But Dian Huihui's eyes gleamed. Her golden spear began spinning rapidly like a drill, emitting a shrill, piercing whine.
Boom! With a burst of force, her spear shattered the demon's domain and barreled toward him.
Startled, the Old Demon King twisted away in midair, fleeing instead of facing the blow.
But Dian Huihui didn't let him escape. She gave chase immediately.
Freed from the domain's suppression, Xin Xiaoqi leapt to his feet, stunned by her power. Still, he couldn't resist taunting, "Hey, bull-head! Don't run—let's fight for three hundred rounds!"
The shout nearly made the Old Demon King cough blood in rage. He hesitated, and Dian Huihui seized the moment to close in.
Panicking, the Old Demon King stomped his foot and roared, "Domain—form!"
A new micro-world formed within a five-meter radius. "Seal!"
But Dian Huihui, clad in her radiant golden armor, didn't flinch. Raising her hand, she shouted—and the demon's miniature world instantly crumbled.
The Old Demon King was dumbstruck.
Without missing a beat, Dian Huihui thrust her spear forward. Whoosh! The tip pierced his right arm, drawing a spray of blood.
The Old Demon King reeled—shocked by her strength, terrified of the two others who still sat idly nearby, staring at him like predators.
He no longer dared to fight. With a desperate shout, he retreated into the herd of demon bulls. "Don't get cocky! When Senior Brother Dongshan from the Wild Sect arrives, you'll all be finished!"
He waved his hand. The demon bulls surged toward Dian Huihui like a tidal wave.
Far away, in front of the Wild Sect's Mirror of Desolation, Dongshan looked on. Elder Bai Ze closed his eyes, uninterested. Dongshan's jaw clenched, veins bulging as fury overtook him.
Back at the battlefield, Dian Huihui faced the oncoming demon bull herd with glee, not fear.
Having recovered, Xin Xiaoqi ran up to her excitedly. "Don't worry, Huihui, I'll protect you!"
She winked at him playfully. "Sure."
Her flirtatious gaze made Xin Xiaoqi's heart nearly leap out of his chest. "Watch this!"
Without waiting for a reply, he charged into the herd, slashing at the leading bull's head.
To his shock, the strike bounced off. Boom! Two giant horns flung him back to Dian Huihui's side.
She laughed. "Did you think demon bull hide was just for show? You need to use your true essence."
Blushing with embarrassment, Xin Xiaoqi gathered his energy. His qi, divine sense, and blood surged.
He launched into the fray with a precise combination: "Subtle Motion, Dust Evasion, Bridge Strike"—thirty-six piercing blows.
Finally, he took down one bull.
Turning back, he saw Dian Huihui like a golden goddess of war—her spear blazing like a dragon, every move graceful and deadly. Bulls fell left and right.
Mesmerized, Xin Xiaoqi stood frozen.
Dian Huihui noticed his dazed stare. Her beautiful blue eyes sparkled as she winked again, bewitching as a spring breeze.
With a loud battle cry, she turned her gaze toward the distant Old Demon King and launched into the air once more.
Xin Xiaoqi was shaken from his trance—and realized her shout had actually shaken the bull herd too.