The Demon Palace main hall had transformed into a chaotic furnace where laws collapsed and energies boiled. The duel between Tang Xiaoqi and the Demonic Lord's true form had transcended the realm of ordinary divine abilities, rising to a fierce collision at the very source of the Great Dao. The azure light of the Purification Domain flickered stubbornly against the erosion of boundless demonic energy, like a lone boat tossing in a tempest.
Xiao Qi had pushed his potential to its absolute limit. The "Nine Transformations of the Wandering Dragon" made his form swift as lightning, weaving through the dense barrage of destructive attacks; the "Vajra Demon-Subduing Divine Art" granted him the fierce fist intent to clash head-on against the demonic laws; the Chaos Pill Fire intertwined with the Southern Ming Li Fire, continuously burning and purifying the pure demonic sources that assailed him. But at the core of it all remained the weapon in his hand—the Nirvana Crimson Flame Sword, which bore his sword heart and the greater part of his power!
Crimson sword energy swept across the battlefield—sometimes transforming into a prairie fire that burned through the eight wastelands, sometimes condensing into a single point of cold starlight that pierced the void. Within his sword intent lay not only the unyielding spirit of nirvana rebirth, but also a hundred years of longing for his father, hatred for the Demonic Lord, and his complete understanding of the Way of Guardianship! Every sword strike he delivered was infused with his divine soul and conviction!
However, the Demonic Lord's power was unfathomably deep. It originated from the dark side of the universe, having existed for countless eons, and its mastery of negative energy had reached perfection. That twisted mass of shadow seemed to contain endless demonic sources, its attacks coming like an never-ending tsunami, each wave stronger than the last. Various sinister curses, foul demonic light that could erode the spiritual nature of magical treasures, spatial twisting forces that tore reality apart, demonic sounds that struck directly at the dao heart—all emerged in endless succession.
Xiao Qi's Purification Domain was compressed to a mere three zhang around his body, the azure light swaying as if it might shatter at any moment. Blood had long since soaked the front of his robes from what flowed from his nose and mouth. His spiritual power churned within him like boiling water, and his meridians sent forth needle-like waves of agony—a sign of excessive depletion of power and immense pressure on his divine soul.
"An ant remains but an ant! Your struggles will only make your death more painful!" A cold proclamation echoed from the Demonic Lord's shadow. It seemed to have grown weary of this "game" and decided to employ its true means to end everything.
At the shadow's core, two points of darkness suddenly began to spin, transforming into two bottomless vortexes! Endless demonic energy rushed from the blood pool, from the earth veins, from the Demon Palace's grand array, all pouring into the vortexes. A terrifying aura that caused the entire hall's space to begin twisting and disintegrating rapidly ascended!
In the next instant, a stream of darkness—condensed to the utmost extreme, as if it concentrated all the world's darkness and destruction—silently spurted from the center of those vortexes, aimed directly at Xiao Qi! It was like the death breath of the Nine Hells.
Where this dark stream passed, space was not torn apart but... annihilated! It left behind a pure trail of nothingness where no matter or energy existed! The laws of destruction contained within far exceeded all previous attacks!
Danger! Extreme danger!
Xiao Qi's pupils contracted sharply. Every cell in his body screamed in warning! He sensed a true death threat capable of completely erasing him from physical form to divine soul!
There was no retreat, no escape!
"ROAR—!"
He let out a beast-like roar, pouring all his remaining strength, along with his unyielding guardian sword heart, into the Nirvana Crimson Flame Sword! The dragon and phoenix patterns on the blade seemed to come alive, issuing heaven-shaking dragon roars and phoenix cries! The crimson sword energy merged perfectly with the white-hot Southern Ming Li Fire and the chaotic pill fire, transforming into a brilliant pillar of tricolor light that seemed capable of splitting heaven and earth, meeting that annihilation-bringing dark stream!
This was his all-consuming strike! The ultimate explosion of will, power, and conviction!
BOOOOOM—!!!!
An indescribable colossal sound erupted! Not merely sound, but a terrifying roar produced by the collision of laws, acting directly upon the soul level!
The tricolor light pillar and the pitch-black stream crashed together violently!
There was no energy dispersal, no rampaging shockwaves—only the purest, most essential mutual annihilation of destruction and creation, of darkness and light!
A stalemate! A brief stalemate!
Blood flowed from all seven of Xiao Qi's orifices, his face twisted in strain. The arm holding his sword trembled violently, as if bearing the weight of an entire world! The Nirvana Crimson Flame Sword issued a mournful groan of unbearable burden. Upon the blade, the crimson flowing light dimmed at a visible rate, as if its spiritual nature was being rapidly ground away!
However, the Demonic Lord's accumulated destructive strike was simply too powerful!
CRACK—!!!
A crisp, heart-shattering sound of breaking suddenly rang out!
At the very core where the tricolor light pillar and the pitch-black stream met, that sword which had grown with Xiao Qi, been reforged multiple times, and shared his very thoughts—the Nirvana Crimson Flame Sword—snapped in two from the middle!
The tip of the blade, carrying residual flames, spun away like a falling star, its spiritual light completely extinguished. The remaining hilt and half-blade trembled violently in Xiao Qi's hand, the dragon and phoenix patterns instantly fading as if they had lost their souls.
With his life-bound magical treasure destroyed, Xiao Qi—who was spiritually connected to it—felt as if struck by lightning. He spat out a large mouthful of blood, staggered backward, and his aura instantly withered to its lowest point!
But this was not the end!
Though the pitch-black stream had lost much of its power after destroying the Crimson Flame Sword, it still carried its annihilating force, rushing toward him with undiminished momentum!
In this critical moment, Xiao Qi almost instinctively sacrificed another artifact that had accompanied him for a long time—that seemingly ordinary frying pan which actually contained a universe within, and had saved him from danger countless times!
The frying pan instantly enlarged, the ancient patterns on its surface lighting up as it attempted to block the remnants of that annihilating dark stream!
SSSHHH—!
The dark stream washed over the pan's surface!
The frying pan issued a painful humming sound, its body shaking violently. The profound patterns on its surface snapped inch by inch, and the spiritual light rapidly dissipated! Spiderweb-like cracks spread across the entire pan at a visible rate! Though it did not shatter completely like the Crimson Flame Sword, its spiritual nature was largely lost. It became dim and lifeless, as if reduced to an ordinary iron pan, and fell from Xiao Qi's hand with a clang.
Losing his two most important magical treasures in succession, especially having his life-bound flying sword destroyed, Xiao Qi suffered unprecedented severe injuries! He fell to one knee, barely supporting his body with the broken half of the Crimson Flame Sword. Blood continuously gushed from his mouth, staining the ground before him.
The Purification Domain completely collapsed and dissipated due to his severe injuries.
The Demonic Lord's terrifying pressure once again bore down like a mountain.
Defeat... seemed certain.
Xiao Qi raised his head, looking at the shadow that still floated in the air, emanating endless demonic might. His eyes were filled with unwillingness and despair.
Was this... truly the end?