The demonic projection, carryingtowering resentment and unwillingness, receded like an ebbing tide, disappearing behind the lead-gray sky curtain. Thatsuffocating terrifying pressure also dissipated. However, the Northwest wasteland did not immediately return to tranquility.
Tang Xiao Qi knelt on one knee, his aura wilted, spitting two mouthfuls of blood, staining the scorched black earth before him. The frontal confrontation with the demonic projection had nearly exhausted his mind and core power. His Green Lotus Golden Core glowed dimly, rotating slowly. His meridians felt as if burned by fierce fire. Had it not been for his solid foundation and firm Dao heart, he would have likely been annihilated in that beyond-realm confrontation of wills.
"True Lord!"
"Fellow Cultivator Tang!"
Ao Zhan, Ling Shuang, Shadow, and others rushed forward first, surrounding him in protection. Their faces were full of worry andlingering fear. Su Zhi immediately took out the best healing pills and without asking stuffed them into Xiao Qi's mouth, using pure healing spiritual power to help him absorb the medicine's effects.
"Nothing serious... merely exhausted..." Xiao Qi waved his hand, his voice hoarse and weak, but his eyes were clear and sharp. He forced himself to raise his head and look toward where the demonic shadow disappeared, his brow furrowed.
The demonic projection had retreated, but its impact was far from over.
In the sky, those space cracks torn by demonic might had not immediately healed. Like ugly scars, they retained chaotic energy fluctuations, with faint void windsseeped out. On the earth, with the seal formation eye as the center, the ground for dozens of li had collapsed and cracked,devastation everywhere. More importantly, the extreme evil thoughts and fear emitted when the projection descended had, like an invisible plague, deeply branded into the hearts of all survivors at this place.
Many lower-grade cultivators still lay limp on the ground, their eyes hollow, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. Clearly their minds had suffered huge impacts, leaving indelible shadows. Even Ao Zhan, Ling Shuang, and other Golden Core cultivators, recalling that terrifying scene of the demonic claw pressing down, felt lingering fears, their Dao hearts clouded.
The entire battlefield, though demonic beasts had been cleared and the demonic energy source stemmed,filled with a sense of survival after disaster'sdeathly silenceand oppression. Morale had dropped to its lowest point.
"Amitabha..." The monk Hui Ren softly recited the Buddha's name, Buddhist light circulated around his body, trying to dispel residual negative emotions in the air, but the effect was minimal. The demonic projection's hierarchy was too high; itsleave behind'sspiritual contamination could not be easily purified by ordinary Buddhist methods.
The three Situ elders also gathered around now. Their faces were pale. Merely being at the edge had beenshook until his qi and blood surged by the demonic might remnants. The leading white-haired elder looked at Xiao Qi, his eyes filled with admiration and worry: "Lord Tang True Lord, just now... what kind of existence was that? Its might was simply... unprecedented!"
Xiao Qi swallowed medicine and adjusted his breath. Feeling his internal boiling qi and bloodslightly calmed, he slowly opened his mouth, his voice still carrying exhaustion: "That was... a projection of the sealed demonic entity's true body."
"A projection?!" Everyone hearing this gasped! Merely a projection yet possessing such devastating might? Then its true body, how terrifying must it be?
A deeper,heavily'sdespairfeeling shrouded everyone's hearts. The demonic beasts and demonic energy they had fought before were likelike fireflies compared to the bright moon compared to this demonic entity's true body!
Xiao Qi observed everyone's reactions. He knew he had to stabilize morale immediately. He forced himself to stand, though his form swayed a bit, his spine remained straight.
"Everyone!" His gaze swept across faces filled with fear, confusion, or despair. His voice was not loud yet clearly entered each person's ears. "Although the demonic entity is powerful, its true body is still sealed! What allowed us to repel its projection just now was this heaven and earth's righteous energy, the sealing power left by ancient sages, and more importantly, our belief in protecting our homeland and refusing to surrender!"
He pointed to that nail deeply embedded in the formation eye, still emitting stable divine light: "Look! The seal has been reinforced, the demonic energy source has been stemmed! This proves the demonic entity is not invincible! The more it rages, the more urgently it projects power, the more it fears! Fears the seal being repaired, fears us finding methods to completely destroy it!"
His words carried undeniable firmness and power, like a torch lit in darkness, graduallydispelling from everyone's hearts'sgloom.
"True Lord speaks rightly!" Ao Zhan grabbed his fist, dragon eyes rekindling with battle intent. "Merely a projection, what is there to fear! When we cultivate further, we shall charge into that demonic lair and crush that demonic entity's true body into ten thousand pieces!"
"Indeed! Evil cannot triumph over righteousness!" Ling Shuang coldly agreed, sword energyfaintly visible.
Inspired by Xiao Qi and several core figures, surviving cultivators gradually came back from their fear. Light re-concentrated in their eyes. Yes, they had won. They had held the defense line and reinforced the seal! However powerful the demonic entity, had they not repelled it?
Seeing morale somewhat stabilized, Xiao Qi felt relieved. He turned to the Situ elders and Shi Yi: "This place has unstable space and lingering demonic thoughts. We must immediately arrange purification and stabilization formations to prevent demonic energy from rekindling and help injured fellow cultivators recover their spirits."
"We shall immediately attend to it!" The Situ elders and Shi Yi accepted orders andbringing people began busy work.
He then looked at Su Zhi and Hui Ren: "May I trouble the two of you tofully treating the wounded and soothe those whose minds were wounded."
After arranging these matters, Xiao Qi finally felt a strong sense of weaknessstruck, his vision swimming. He knew his injuries were not light and urgently needed secluded meditation for recovery.
"Ao Zhan and Ling Shuang will be responsible foralert for now. I need to meditate and recover." Xiao Qi instructed the two.
"True Lord, rest assured!" The twosolemnly agreed.
Xiao Qi said no more. Under everyone's protection, he carved out a simple cave dwelling beneath a relatively intact rock wall, set up restrictions, and beganfully using cultivation to heal.
Outside the cave, everyone performed their duties, repairing the battlefield, treating companions, arranging formations. The wind on the wasteland still whimpered, but thatmade onedespair'soppressive atmosphere was beingdispelling bit by bit.
Inside the cave, Xiao Qi sat cross-legged, guiding the medicine's power and Green Lotus Origin to repair his damaged meridians and Golden Core. His mind replayed every moment of the confrontation with the demonic projection. That pure evil and destructive will gave him a deeper understanding of the demonic entity's terror.
"A projection is already so powerful... the true body..." His heart was heavy, but more so was a sense of urgency and stronger determination.
He must increase his strength faster! He must find methods to completely destroy the demonic entity! This war was far more difficult than he imagined, but therefore, even more impossible to retreat from!
The demonic shadow had scattered, the aftermath remained unsettled. The road ahead remained long anddangerous.