Everyone stared at that demonic figure.
Their expressions were shaken to the core.
When Rain-Born Demon had challenged the various experts of Nanjue, Ye Dingzhi had always been by his side.
Thus, everyone present recognized Ye Dingzhi.
Yet no one had ever imagined that
the one ravaging all of Nanjue during this period was actually Rain-Born Demon's disciple—Ye Dingzhi!
What shocked them even more was that
after falling into demonic cultivation, Ye Dingzhi's strength had become so terrifying.
The Qingfeng Sect Master forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart and asked,
"Ye Dingzhi, your master's death has nothing to do with us. Why must you lay hands on the entirety of Nanjue?!"
Ye Dingzhi's expression was calm as he replied indifferently,
"I merely happened to need a sword sacrifice."
At this, the crowd immediately shouted:
"He has completely fallen into demonic ways!"
"Everyone, he's just one man! Let us join forces and eradicate the demon in the name of righteousness!"
"Good! Everyone, attack together!"
As they spoke,
everyone unleashed their strongest killing techniques and charged toward Ye Dingzhi.
Ye Dingzhi watched calmly, his expression indifferent, and slowly swung his demonic sword.
A blood-black sword qi slashed forth.
Immediately after,
dozens of killing techniques collided with that blood-black sword qi.
There was no imagined thunderous explosion.
Nor did any dazzling lights erupt.
That blood-black sword qi was like a black hole,
swallowing every attack in its path.
Then, unwavering, it surged toward the crowd of Qingfeng Sect.
Those present were utterly horrified.
Those with decent cultivation hurriedly used movement techniques to evade.
As for those with weaker strength, they could only watch helplessly as the blood-black sword qi passed through their bodies,
their faces filled with deep despair.
In an instant,
seven or eight figures were split cleanly in two, blood spraying out and staining the ground of Qingfeng Sect red.
Then, the demonic sword in Ye Dingzhi's hand suddenly began to tremble violently.
The blood that had sprayed everywhere strangely surged toward the sword, being absorbed by it.
"Clang!"
A clear metallic chime rang out from the demonic sword, as if it were immensely excited.
The entire blade suddenly lit up with a blood-red glow, chilling and horrifying to behold.
Ye Dingzhi faintly sensed that
the demonic sword in his hand had grown even closer to him.
At the same time, the sword's quality had improved ever so slightly.
Watching this scene, everyone trembled uncontrollably.
"Demon!"
"Nanjue is finished!"
"We're finished too!"
The white-bearded elder and the short, stout elder both wore extremely ugly expressions.
"It seems… we must use that move."
"That move costs ten years of lifespan. At our age, if we use it, we probably won't live many more years."
"Things have come to this. We have to gamble. Otherwise, none of us will be able to leave."
As if having made up his mind, the white-bearded elder's gaze swept over the people of Qingfeng Sect.
"Do it!"
The next moment—
"Ah!!!"
"Ah!!!"
Several screams rang out abruptly.
Everyone saw the white-bearded elder and the short, stout elder plunge their hands straight into the hearts of those nearby.
In an instant, those people were drained of all their blood.
"You—!!!"
The remaining crowd stared at this scene with eyes wide open, faces filled with disbelief.
"Why are you killing your own people?!"
The white-bearded elder's expression was dark as he barked,
"Silence! I'm doing this to save you!"
"This move has too many restrictions. It can only be used with the assistance of others' vital blood."
As he spoke,
the white-bearded elder once again thrust his palm into another person's chest.
Everyone's hearts sank to the very bottom.
Dealing with Ye Dingzhi alone was already nearly impossible.
Now even the long-trusted, court-dispatched peerless experts had turned their blades on their own side.
However,
just as the white-bearded elder and the short, stout elder were about to continue,
a streak of blood-colored sword qi blocked them.
Ye Dingzhi frowned slightly.
He hadn't expected someone to compete with him for kills.
Careless for a moment, he had actually let those two old men snatch a few.
At this time,
the white-bearded elder and the short, stout elder made new moves.
"These are enough," the white-bearded elder said grimly, circulating all his cultivation. "Demon, meet your death!"
The short, stout elder was also accumulating power.
The next instant,
the two of them simultaneously released an incomparably brilliant white light.
The aura was ferocious beyond measure.
The entire gloomy sky was illuminated by this blazing white radiance.
Ye Dingzhi watched calmly, raised his demonic sword, and lightly slashed once.
In an instant,
that white light was torn open by a rift.
Then, countless rifts followed in rapid succession.
The white light was completely devoured by darkness.
"Is that all you've got?"
Ye Dingzhi had thought that after sacrificing several Xiaoyao Heaven Realm experts, the two old men would unleash some terrifying ultimate move.
In the end, it didn't even force out thirty percent of his strength.
"What?!!"
Seeing this, the white-bearded elder's eyes went wide, his expression utterly shaken.
The short, stout elder, having already expended enormous vitality and lifespan to use that move, yet achieving nothing,
was so enraged that he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"This move, when used together, is something even a Half-Step Shenyou couldn't easily take head-on."
"Could it be… Ye Dingzhi is already at the Half-Step Shenyou Realm? Or even stronger?!"
The white-bearded elder thought in disbelief.
He never could have imagined that in less than half a month,
Ye Dingzhi had advanced from the Free Earth Realm to the very pinnacle of the Xiaoyao Heaven Realm—
only one step away from entering the Shenyou Profound Realm!
The Shenyou Profound Realm was a legendary realm, where one's strength was akin to that of an immortal.
In times when the Shenyou Profound Realm did not appear,
Half-Step Shenyou represented the strongest battle power in the world.
Even in all of Nanjue,
there was only a single Half-Step Shenyou expert,
seated deep within the imperial palace, never moving lightly.
Thinking of this,
the white-bearded elder fell into complete despair.
As for the short, stout elder, he continued coughing up blood, his face deathly pale.
Clearly, the backlash was far too severe—his life would not last much longer.
Seeing this, Ye Dingzhi flashed to the short, stout elder's side and lightly swung his demonic sword.
Instantly, a head rolled to the ground like a ball.
The demonic sword greedily absorbed the elder's blood, its blade trembling without end.
The white-bearded elder's face turned ashen as he lowered his head, waiting to be executed.
However, the next moment,
Ye Dingzhi placed his palm on the white-bearded elder's forehead instead.
This elder's strength was at the Great Xiaoyao Realm—
just enough to satisfy the system's requirement.
A moment later,
the white-bearded elder opened his eyes, knelt respectfully at Ye Dingzhi's feet, and said,
"Greetings, Master!"
Ye Dingzhi said calmly,
"Capture the rest of them."
"Yes!"