The moment the black spear, wreathed in a demon qi beam, struck, the air seemed to turn pitch-black. Even the scorching heat from the magma pool was partially frozen by this sinister aura.
The demon general's body suddenly swelled half an inch beneath his black robe. The demon patterns on the robe wriggled wildly like living creatures, and dozens of tiny demon snakes emerged from the patterns, coiling up along the demon qi beam—this was the demon cultivator's "Bone-Corroding Spear Art: Demon Snake Heart Devour." Not only was the spearhead lethal, but the surrounding demon qi could also transform into soul-devouring poison. A pungent stench filled the air as soon as it approached, making the spiritual plant clansmen retch uncontrollably.
"Let me block him!"
Before Yuan Hao's roar faded, he had already leaped into the air with his innate stone staff.
Earth-element spiritual energy condensed into three thick stone shields beneath his feet, their surfaces wrapped in spiritual plant essence temporarily channeled by Elder Qingmang. He thought this would block the attack, but as soon as the demon qi beam touched the shields, the outer layer sizzled, instantly corroding into gray-black powder.
With a deafening clang, the stone staff collided with the spearhead. Black-red demon qi spread wildly along the staff, staining its originally white surface pitch-black. Tiny demon patterns even wriggled along the staff, as if trying to burrow into Yuan Hao's palm!
"Whoa! This spear is more poisonous than that roc's claws!" Yuan Hao gritted his teeth, gripping the staff tightly, his arm veins bulging. Earth-element spiritual energy surged into the staff like a tide, deadlocking with the demon qi three inches from the staff's tip. But the demon general's strength far exceeded his expectations. With a sudden push of the spear, Yuan Hao was sent stumbling backward, his feet plowing two deep grooves into the rocks at the edge of the magma pool. Scorching magma splashed onto his trousers, instantly burning black holes.
Seeing Yuan Hao struggling, the Nanming Golden Metal flames around Cang Lie flared into ten-zhang-tall fire. He transformed into a silver-white stream of light, his golden metal long sword slashing toward the demon general's spear-wielding wrist with the power to burn the sky—this strike condensed the origin power of the Western Wasteland's golden metal spiritual veins. Wherever the sword light passed, even the demon qi in the air sizzled and dissipated. The faint golden flames on the sword were originally the bane of demon qi.
But the demon general reacted swiftly, flipping his wrist abruptly. The spear shaft coiled around the sword like a spirit snake, and demon qi spread along the shaft, condensing into a layer of black ice on the sword, attempting to freeze the golden metal flames!
"Daring to flaunt Nanming Golden Metal in front of me!" The demon general's grim laughter echoed through the cave. A left hand covered in demon patterns suddenly emerged from beneath his robe, and a black-red demon flame condensed in his palm, slamming toward Cang Lie's chest.
Cang Lie's pupils contracted sharply. He had no choice but to abandon his sword and retreat in haste. The demon flame grazed his battle armor, instantly blackening the White Tiger patterns on it. Burning pain seeped through the armor into his skin, drawing a muffled groan from him as a trickle of blood escaped the corner of his mouth.
"Don't hurt him!"
Ao Xuan's voice boomed with dragon prestige, and the Innate Dragon Pearl suddenly lit up in mid-air.
Cyan-gold spiritual light transformed into dozens of water chains, coiling around the demon general's limbs like spirit snakes. The Pangu Merit Golden Light on the chains sizzled as it touched the demon qi, purifying it. But the demon general's demon qi was far denser than the previous Demonized Golden-Winged Roc's. The Merit Golden Light could only barely suppress it. The demon general felt his limbs grow heavy, yet he forcefully channeled the remaining power of his demon core. All the demon patterns beneath his robe lit up, straining the water chains slightly. Black-red demon qi counterattacked along the chains, attempting to contaminate Ao Xuan's spiritual light!
"I'll hold off those Bone-Corroding Vultures!"
Elder Qingmang's voice was urgent. He held the Spiritual Plant Pearl high, and faint green spiritual light surged. The Guiding Vines on the ground suddenly grew wildly, like green whips, instantly entangling the wings of three Bone-Corroding Vultures.
But this time, the Bone-Corroding Vultures reacted far more ferociously than before. The carrion on their wings suddenly exploded, spraying black blood mist that quickly corroded the vines. One vulture broke free, its sharp beak glowing with demon qi, pecking straight for Elder Qingmang's Spiritual Plant Pearl—the lifeline of the spiritual plant tribe. If seized, their spiritual plant essence would dissipate!
Seeing this, two spiritual plant clansmen rushed forward without hesitation, using their bodies to block the vulture's attack. Demon qi contaminated their bodies instantly. The two let out shrill screams as their bodies withered at a visible speed, yet they still clung tightly to the vulture's neck, buying time for Elder Qingmang.
Elder Qingmang gritted his teeth, and the Spiritual Plant Pearl blazed brighter. Countless tiny vines emerged from the ground, like fine needles, stabbing precisely into the vulture's eye sockets, finally subduing it.
"Useless fools!"
Seeing his subordinates defeated one after another, a hint of cruelty flashed in the demon general's eyes. He suddenly bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of black-red blood essence. The blood essence landed on the spear, and the spear shaft instantly glowed with an eerie red light. The surrounding demon qi surged toward the spearhead like a tide, condensing into a ten-zhang-tall "Demon Wolf Phantom."
This phantom was more solid than the previous blood sacrifice demon shadow, its claws wrapped in golden metal shards from the Demon Gold Cave. When it opened its bloodthirsty maw, it even tore the air, and the magma in the magma pool was sucked upward—this was the demon cultivator's "Blood Sacrifice Demon Wolf: Golden Metal Devour," fusing the golden metal power of the Demon Gold Formation to devour both soul and body!
"Be careful! This demon wolf phantom can channel golden metal shards to break through defenses!"
Cang Lie shouted a warning, leaping in front of Ao Xuan. His remaining right hand condensed Nanming Golden Metal, attempting to burn the phantom with flames. But the demon wolf phantom was formed from the demon general's blood essence and golden metal demon qi, not a physical entity. The flames passed straight through it without causing any damage. The phantom did not hesitate, its claws filled with golden metal shards, striking straight for Ao Xuan's Innate Dragon Pearl—the demon general knew that destroying the pearl would drastically weaken Ao Xuan's water fortune power, leaving the others easy to deal with!
Ao Xuan's expression remained calm. Faint blue-gold Merit Golden Light emanated from his fingertips, slowly pouring into the Innate Dragon Pearl. The pearl suddenly expanded to ten zhang in size, the dragon patterns on its surface wriggling like living creatures, spinning rapidly around the pearl to form a cyan-gold "Dragon Soul Light Shield."
As soon as the shield took shape, the demon wolf phantom slammed into it. The golden metal shards on the phantom's claws collided with the shield, letting out crisp clangs and leaving tiny scratches. But the Merit Golden Light in the shield surged forth like a tide. The demon wolf phantom let out a shrill howl, the golden metal shards on its claws purified into ashes by the golden light. The phantom melted away rapidly like snow under the sun, leaving not a trace of demon qi.
"Impossible! Merit Golden Light!"
The demon general's eyes were filled with disbelief. He had cultivated for thousands of years and had never seen Merit Power capable of purifying a Blood Sacrifice Demon Wolf so easily. In his moment of distraction, Yuan Hao had already rushed to his front—by now, the earth-element spiritual energy and spiritual plant essence on the stone staff had intertwined, condensing a layer of faint green light armor at the staff's tip. Seizing the demon general's distraction, Yuan Hao swung the staff with immense force, slamming it into the demon general's chest.
"Boom!" The staff struck the demon general's black robe solidly. The sound of breaking bones echoed beneath the robe. The demon general spat out a mouthful of black blood, flying backward and crashing heavily into a golden metal rock pillar, cracking it into several pieces. Black demon qi gushed from his mouth, yet he still struggled to stand, gathering demon qi in his spear—clearly refusing to give up.
"Still trying to run?"
Cang Lie chased after him, picking up his golden metal long sword with his remaining left hand. Faint golden flames blazed again, the sword light pointing straight for the demon general's neck. But the demon general suddenly let out a grim smile, slamming his left hand into the ground. The golden metal rock pillars in the Demon Gold Cave trembled violently, and countless black golden metal shards flew out from the pillars, shooting toward Cang Lie like a rainstorm.
Cang Lie was forced to retreat. The demon general took the opportunity to turn around, fleeing toward the cave entrance, trying to summon reinforcements from the outside demon cultivators!
"Stop him!"
Ao Xuan's voice rang out. The spiritual light of the Innate Dragon Pearl suddenly transformed into a cyan-gold dragon shape, flying toward the demon general. The dragon-shaped spiritual light, wreathed in Merit Golden Light, instantly wrapped around the demon general's ankle. The demon general stumbled and fell, yet he quickly turned around, stabbing his spear into the ground. Demon qi surged wildly around him. "Even if I self-destruct, I'll take you down with me!"
Just as the demon general's demon core was about to explode, Yuan Hao leaped into the air, slamming his stone staff into the demon general's head. Earth-element spiritual energy surged into the staff, shattering the demon general's spiritual sea instantly. At the same time, Cang Lie's golden metal long sword struck, slicing through the demon general's demon core and shattering it completely. Black-red demon qi gushed out from the broken core, only to be fully purified by Ao Xuan's Merit Golden Light. The demon general's body collapsed softly, motionless.
Seeing their leader fall, the demon cultivators outside the cave were terrified out of their wits. Some tried to flee into the demon qi, only to be set ablaze one by one by Cang Lie's golden metal flames, turning into piles of black ash. Others knelt and begged for mercy, but were knocked unconscious by Yuan Hao's stone staff, then taken away by the spiritual plant clansmen for interrogation later.
After cleaning up the battlefield, peace finally returned to the Demon Gold Cave. Yuan Hao shook his numb arm—the demon patterns on the stone staff had been purified by the Merit Golden Light, yet faint scorch marks remained. "This demon general was ten times harder to deal with than that roc! If we hadn't worked together, we would have really messed up today!"
Cang Lie wiped the demon qi from his golden metal long sword, the black marks on his armor still lingering. "This demon general must be a commander under Luo Hu. His spear is connected to the Demon Gold Formation, allowing him to channel golden metal demon qi. When we encounter demon cultivators in the future, we must first destroy their formation hubs."
Ao Xuan walked over to the demon general's body, his fingertips glowing with spiritual light as he examined the black robe—a small demon pattern was embroidered on the hem, the symbol of Luo Hu's Demon Palace. He looked up at everyone, his eyes filled with solemnity. "This is just the beginning. Luo Hu's demon cultivator forces are far stronger than we imagined, and the demon formations in the Western Wasteland have not yet been cleared. The road ahead will likely be even more difficult."
Elder Qingmang held the Spiritual Plant Sacred Fire, walking up to Ao Xuan with gratitude in his eyes. "Lord Dragon King, Lord White Tiger, if not for you, the spiritual plant tribe would not only have failed to recover the Sacred Fire but would have long since become nourishment for the demon cultivators. From now on, the spiritual plant tribe is willing to obey your orders, uniting with all clans of the Western Wasteland to resist the demon cultivators!"
Ao Xuan nodded, channeling the spiritual light of the Innate Dragon Pearl into the golden metal spiritual veins. "In that case, we'll proceed in two steps. First, Cang Lie, you lead the Black Armored Stone People and spiritual plant clansmen to purify the Demon Gold Cave and surrounding spiritual veins, repairing the defenses of the Golden Metal Altar. Second, Yuan Hao and I will head to Burning Gold Valley to investigate the remaining demon cultivator strongholds and search for survivors of the golden metal clan. Once everything is settled, we'll regroup to discuss our strategy against Luo Hu."