On the mountain of corpses and sea of blood, Tang Xiaoqi stood with sword planted, his form swaying as if about to collapse. The Nirvana Crimson Flame Sword's spiritual light was dim; even a tiny crack had appeared on the blade. That palm strike had not only severely wounded his body but damaged his life-bound treasure as well. The casual strike from a Nascent Soul late stage Demon Marshal had such terrifying power!
In the air, the dark purple destructive energy in the Demon Marshal Xu Zhan's palm had already condensed into form, emanating terrifying fluctuations that warped and collapsed space. His hollow gaze locked onto Xiao Qi with no hesitation. That ball of energy was about to be released, to give the stubborn ant below its final end.
At this critical moment, Xiao Qi sharply raised his head. An expression of resolve flashed in his eyes. He could not die here! At least, he could not die at the hands of his father—or rather, this shell of his father—before confirming whether his father could still be saved!
"World-Purifying Sacred Domain!"
He forcefully drew upon a breath of origin essence, ignoring the excruciating pain as if his meridians were tearing. He forced open the purification domain once more! But this time, the domain's range was only a tenth of before; the light was far less solid than before, flickering as if a dying candle in the wind. Yet he managed to open it!
Gentle white light once again enveloped the dozens of zhang around him.
That mass of dark purple energy about to be fired, upon touching this weak domain light's edge, actually paused for a fleeting instant. The demonic energy flowing on its surface emitted sizzling sounds, as if weakened by an invisible force.
The Demon Marshal Xu Zhan's hollow eyes seemed to—a trace of instinctive loathing and rejection toward purification power. He didn't retract the energy, but the firing motion experienced an almost negligible delay.
That momentary delay!
Xiao Qi pushed the "Swimming Dragon Nine Turns" movement technique to the extreme, merging with his shallow comprehension of spatial laws. His form vanished like a specter, barely avoiding that destructive energy that grazed the domain's edge.
"BOOOOOOM—!"
The energy landed on a small hill behind him. No great roar, only silent annihilation. The entire hill, along with its rocks, soil, and the few demons that couldn't escape in time, instantly turned to nothingness, leaving only a bottomless pit with smooth, mirror-like edges.
Xiao Qi appeared another hundred zhang away, his face even paler. Forcefully the movement technique had aggravated his injuries again, but he stared intently at the Demon Marshal in the air, his gaze complex beyond measure.
He had seen it! His father—or rather, this demonic body—was not completely immune to purification power; it even had instinctive resistance! This was perhaps... the only chance, the key to awakening him, or at least weakening him!
However, precisely because of this "awakening" hope, he simply could not bring himself to strike down this Demon Marshal ruthlessly. Every move he made carried hesitation, probing, that unbreakable blood kinship and slim hope.
"Father! Wake up! Look at me! I'm Xiao Qi! Xu Xiaoqi!" He desperately dodged the demonic energy blade-waves the Marshal casually slashed out—attacks sufficient to split mountains—while trying to call out with soul-infused voice.
The Demon Marshal Xu Zhan's attacks showed no pause whatsoever. If anything, because of Xiao Qi's cries, the killing intent in those hollow eyes seemed to intensify. His form moved, instantly closing distance. His armored hand reached directly for Xiao Qi's throat at extreme speed!
Xiao Qi hastily twisted aside. The Nirvana Crimson Flame Sword blocked.
"CLANG!"
Sparks flew everywhere! A tremendous force came; Xiao Qi's tiger's mouth split open; the long sword nearly flew from his grasp. His entire person was again sent flying, internal qi and blood churning like rivers.
He could have more exquisite sword techniques to counterattack, even had opportunities to trade wounds and attack possible weak points in the demonic armor. But at the moment of striking, he saw that palm's outline, saw the familiar curve that had once patted his head in memory—his heart softened; the sword intent weakened by a third, becoming purely defensive blocking.
Holding back! Afraid to act for fear of consequences!
The decisiveness and sharpness he had when fighting the Demon General completely vanished when facing this familiar shell. He was like a person with bound hands and feet, fighting a tiger. Every exchange was fraught with danger; he completely fell into passive, pummeled position.
"Ptooey!"
Another demonic energy blade grazed his ribs, taking away large chunks of flesh, deep enough to see bone. Demonic energy instantly invaded the wound; splitting pain. Xiao Qi grunted, purification power automatically operating, dispelling demonic energy, healing the wound, but this further aggravated his consumption.
He could only rely on the "World-Purifying Sacred Domain's" slight suppression of demonic energy and the "Swimming Dragon Nine Turns'" unpredictable movement technique to desperately dodge and weave under the Demon Marshal's storm-like attacks. Like a tiny boat in a typhoon, it could be torn apart at any moment.
The domain's light grew dimmer and dimmer; its range smaller and smaller. His spiritual power was rapidly depleting; injuries were continuously accumulating. Were it not for his robust foundation and the Green Lotus source's powerful vitality, he would have collapsed long ago.
On the bastion, Mu Qingfeng, Liu Yun, and others watched with worry. They could clearly feel Xiao Qi's predicament and unspeakable pain. But under the Nascent Soul late stage Demon Marshal's terrifying pressure, they couldn't even approach. They could only watch helplessly as Xiao Qi struggled at death's edge.
"This can't continue like this! Our Master... he can't bring himself to strike!" An elder beat the city wall, tears streaming down his face.
Aunt Su bit her lower lip tightly, nails deeply digging into her palms. She knew any outside interference at this moment could distract Xiao Qi, leading to graver consequences. She could only pray—pray for a miracle, pray Xiao Qi could find that thread of survival.
The Demon Marshal Xu Zhan also seemed to lose patience. Unable to defeat after so long made this slaughter weapon's irritable. He stopped his rain-like attacks, floating in the air. The dark purple demonic energy around him began converging and compressing at unprecedented speed!
An aura even more terrifying and desperate than before, like an awakening world-destroying beast, slowly descended. He slowly raised both hands, brought them together before his chest. A deep, soul-devouring dark purple energy sphere rapidly took shape!
This strike would certainly split heaven and earth! Nothing like his previous casual attacks!
Xiao Qi gazed at that condensing destructive energy sphere, felt that inescapable death aura locking onto him, then looked at the Demon Marshal's still hollow, icy eyes.
A tremendous sense of powerlessness and desolation surged in his heart.
Could there really be no way?
Must he really... swing a decisive killing sword against his father?
He gripped the Nirvana Crimson Flame Sword tightly. The blade trembled slightly—perhaps from his injuries, perhaps from that struggle reaching its extreme.
The "World-Purifying Sacred Domain" light had become like a firefly. "Swimming Dragon Nine Turns" could not escape this destructive strike's lock.
He seemed... with no path to retreat.