But what truly drove him mad was the fact that Song Wanníng was using him as target practice.
Unforgivable.
The Demon Sovereign's expression turned numb. He was so furious that his face went blank, overcome by a wave of helplessness.
That little bastard Mo Yuan had sided with an outsider against him, turning a guaranteed victory into this humiliating mess.
And worst of all, he had no way out.
The Demon Sovereign clenched his jaw, glaring at Song Wanníng across the battlefield, his gaze fierce and unyielding.
Then, out of nowhere, he opened his mouth and said, "Mo Yuan, how about we talk this out?"
"Help me ascend, and the title of Demon Sovereign will be yours."
Even as he spoke, he quietly gathered his strength, ready to strike again at any moment.
Behind the shimmering barrier, Mo Yuan had followed Song Wanníng's instructions to the letter, never once showing himself. Hearing the Demon Sovereign's words now, he rolled his eyes with open disdain.
"You think I'm stupid, or are you the fool here?"
Did this guy really think he was brainless?
"I'm offering you a deal," the Demon Sovereign insisted. "You know what the smart choice is."
He licked the blood from the corner of his mouth and spat out another mouthful, the crimson droplets gleaming darkly.
"Join forces with me, kill this woman, and the Demon Sovereign's mantle will be yours."
"Cut the crap. I know you're stalling."
Mo Yuan snapped, clearly growing impatient. The Demon Sovereign was already exhausted, making it the perfect time to act.
"Senior, don't worry. I'll bring in the demonic beasts to lend you a hand."
With that, he began transmitting again. Within the span of a few blinks, more than ten demonic beasts appeared beside them. They were only fourth-rank beasts, but they were enough to harass the Demon Sovereign in his current state and open up more opportunities for Song Wanníng to strike.
Seeing this, Song Wanníng's lips curled in satisfaction. She swallowed the blood rising in her throat. The short rest had allowed her to recover some spiritual energy. Without hesitation, she moved in to attack again. She soared into the sky and drove her longsword down toward the ground with a fierce thrust.
The instant the sword tip struck earth, a ring of light burst forth from the point of impact. Centered around her blade, it pulsed with a mysterious aura, rippling outward in every direction.
The Demon Sovereign's brows knit tightly. He raised his staff once more, summoning chains wreathed in demonic energy that raced toward Song Wanníng like ghostly serpents.
But in the next moment, the ring of light rose into the air and transformed into a glowing barrier that closed in around him.
The chains struck the barrier with thunderous crashes, but a powerful force erupted and sent the Demon Sovereign flying once again. He skidded back more than ten meters before he could stop.
A heavy weight settled in his heart. Gone was the arrogance and certainty he had displayed at the beginning of the fight.
But would he surrender?
No. He couldn't afford to lose.
After all these years of cultivation, he was just one step away from ascension. There was no way he'd give it all up now.
Either he died, or that woman did.
There was no third option.
With hatred boiling in his chest, the Demon Sovereign launched himself at Song Wanníng once more, only to be intercepted by several demonic beasts. He roared and swept his palm forward, flinging the beasts away with a blast of force. But by then, the sword of light had already closed in again.
The overwhelming pressure of the Sword Dao's true domain wrapped around him once more. Though he eventually broke free, it took a long struggle, and he could barely stay on his feet. One knee dropped to the ground.
Song Wanníng didn't let up. Seizing the moment, she slashed again, hurling him back through the air.
But the Demon Sovereign was nothing if not tenacious. He rose once more, eyes glazed with madness. Every counterattack came with a frenzied intensity that made it hard to breathe.
This is taking too long.
Song Wanníng frowned. Her spiritual energy was draining fast, and there wasn't much left. If this dragged on any longer, her recovery time would give the Demon Sovereign an opening. Everything they had gained might be lost. Her thoughts spun rapidly, trying to find a way to finish it with one decisive blow.
But even a dying camel is bigger than a horse. The Demon Sovereign was a peak Divine Transformation cultivator, a step away from ascension. To defeat someone like that in one strike was a fool's dream.
As she considered her options, they clashed several more times.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up. She thought of something.
The Taiji pattern within her dantian.
Half demonic energy, half spiritual power. A strange and mysterious fusion. She had tested it before. The Taiji could harm others.
But could it hurt someone like the Demon Sovereign?
She pressed her lips together.
Time to find out.
A pulse ran through her body, and from her dantian, the Taiji light burst forth and flew toward the Demon Sovereign.
He stiffened at the sight. The energy was strange, unfamiliar yet disturbingly familiar, stirring unease in his chest. He responded with even greater caution, summoning the Heavenly Suppression Seal and slamming it down on the Taiji.
The massive demonic mountain crashed down with terrifying force, pinning the Taiji beneath it.
But the next second, the Taiji split into streams of spiritual and demonic energy, flowing from all directions, then merging again.
No matter how he tried to destroy it, it kept reforming.
His unease deepened. He dared not stop attacking, but with Song Wanníng and the demonic beasts closing in, he found himself overwhelmed.
Before long, the Demon Sovereign was knocked to the ground once more. Even after swallowing a pill, he didn't rise immediately. He was completely drained. Not even the pill could take effect right away. It was like tossing a stone into the sea, vanishing without a ripple.
It worked.
Song Wanníng's eyes gleamed. Her mind began to race again. She looked at the Demon Sovereign, then suddenly sprang forward. Her longsword drove into the ground once more.
This time, the Taiji and the sword seemed to merge.
A new Taiji pattern surged forth, surrounded by a mysterious aura, and rushed straight toward the Demon Sovereign.
His pupils shrank. He didn't even have time to counter before the Taiji light ring slammed into him.
In that instant, he was dragged back into the Sword Dao's domain. A familiar place. But now, it brimmed with a completely foreign power that made his scalp prickle. Panic rising, he looked up—and saw a gray mist spreading through the sky.
Then the world descended into chaos.
Thunder crashed down in torrents.
The earth split. The sky tore open. Mountains and trees shattered into dust.
Heaven and earth collapsing. That was what stood before him.
Run.
The Demon Sovereign wanted to run. To break free.
But his body wouldn't move.
"No—!"
His eyes widened as the lightning tribulation came down from the sky and struck him directly.
Boom.
The first bolt hit.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
One after another, the lightning strikes rained down. The Demon Sovereign convulsed, blood gushing from his mouth in torrents.
His mind screamed silently. He couldn't believe he had fallen to this point. The strange illusion before him left him shaken to the core.
What was this thing?
That bitch.
What the hell had she done?