The purifying sword light transformed from the Nirvana Crimson Flame Sword, crossing the void, was not simple energy impact but the materialization of Xiao Qi's lifetime cultivation, Green Lotus Origin, and complete understanding of the way of protection. Where the sword light passed, even the chaotic void currents solidified, as if time and space both bowed at this moment. The light was not glaring but carried a warm yet resolute penetrating force, like the morning star at the darkest moment before dawn, pointing directly at the core area where the Demon Lord was frantically devouring the Demon Nest to repair itself.
The Demon Lord let out a mournful cry utterly impossible for this world, one that distorted the surrounding void. The cry mixed pain, fury, and a trace of unbelievable fear. Its body, formed of the darkest demonic energy, constantly writhing and expanding, at the moment of being slashed by the sword light, was like ice thrown into fire, emitting fierce "hiss" sounds of rapid melting. The process of stably devouring the Demon Nest's energy was brutally interrupted, countless demonic energy threads connecting it to the shattered Demon Nest snapped inch by inch, counter-blow energy wildly collided within it, making its massive body intensely convulse and distort, constantly exploding puffs of filthy demonic energy clouds.
That core, condensed from most of the Demon Lord's origin, jet-black like ink, constantly rotating, at this moment clearly exposed beneath the sword light, nailed tightly by that pure purifying light! Fine cracks like spiderwebs appeared on the core's surface, pure demonic energy as dark as blood spurted out from within, quickly evaporating under the World Purifying Green Lotus's light. The Demon Lord's aura rapidly wilted at visible speed, the suffocating Nascent Soul Great Circle pressure that originally covered the entire battlefield now became chaotic and turbulent.
"We succeeded!" In the distance, Mu Xue, Third Senior Sister, and others engaged in combat with residual demon generals and shadow creatures, felt the sudden drop in the Demon Lord's aura, their hearts a jolt, a joy of finding a way out of despair rising.
However, the price paid by Xiao Qi, who launched this ultimate strike, was equally tremendous. To push the Green Lotus Origin to its limit, he had almost drained every drop of spiritual energy in his dantian, even his life origin was burning intensely. At this moment, his face was deathly pale, bloodless, the World Purifying domain surrounding him dim to the extreme, like a candle in the wind. That Nirvana Crimson Flame Sword, connected to his mind and spirit, after slashing out that strike, its spirituality also instantly depressed, letting out a weak whimper, transforming into a stream of light returning to his body for recuperation.
Exhausted, a true feeling of being at the end of one's rope overwhelmed him. He could barely maintain suspended in the air, his body swaying, his vision swimming.
At this absolute weak moment when old power was exhausted and new power had not formed, the Demon Lord's ancient ferocity was thoroughly aroused! Despite its core wounded and on the verge of collapse, the instinct to destroy drove it to make a final counterattack.
"Ant... together... perish!"
A concentrated flow of all the Demon Lord's remaining power, mixed with boundless grudges, destructive will, and the Demon Nest remnants' final violent energy, transformed into an invisible torrent of destruction, like a dying giant beast's final tail swing, disregarding spatial distance, brutally striking the unprepared Xiao Qi!
"PU—!"
Xiao Qi's body convulsed violently, a mouthful of hot blood could not be suppressed, spraying out in a shocking crimson arc. He felt his five viscera and six bowels as if crushed by an invisible giant hand, his meridians snapping inch by inch, his bones making unbearable groans. More terrifyingly, that cold, bone-piercing demonic intent, like a maggot gnawing on bone, along his meridians directly invaded his sea of consciousness, wildly impacting his Nascent Soul, weakened from excessive consumption.
The Guardian Sword Heart spontaneously protected its master, blooming a faint light, barely resisting the demonic intent's erosion, but that light, before the torrential demonic thoughts, appeared so weak.
His body, like a kite with severed string, like leaves blown by wild wind, uncontrollably flew backward, crossing the chaotic void, crashing into a massive, slowly drifting Demon Nest fragment.
"XIAO QI!!"
Witnessing this scene, Mu Xue's ice-like composure instantly shattered, crying out in alarm, her beautiful face pale. Disregarding her own exhaustion, she forcibly activated the Xuanji Ice Soul, transforming into a azure light stream, desperately rushing toward where Xiao Qi flew.
Third Senior Sister guided her sword formula, forcing back the shadow demon before her, her gaze sweeping over Xiao Qi's direction, a flash of pain and determination crossing her eyes, but she deeply knew she must block the enemies before her now, buy time for Mu Xue's rescue. She gritted her teeth, her sword technique becoming fiercer, tenaciously binding the demon general trying to pursue.
Zhao Tiezhu roared even louder, his muscles bulging, qi and blood burning, like an ancient war god, directly using his body to crash into another creature, trying to make his way toward Xiao Qi.
And Second Senior Brother's Void Piercing Shuttle was also frantically firing its remaining rune cannon fire, trying to clear a passage to Xiao Qi.
All happened in the span of a lightning flash.
"CRASH!"
Xiao Qi's body heavily struck that charred, viscous Demon Nest fragment, bounced slightly, then powerlessly slid down, collapsing on its surface. His entire aura was weak to the extreme, his life flame seemingly about to extinguish at any moment. Blood constantly flowing from his lips, staining the cold "ground" beneath him red. The demonic intent invading his body still raging, carrying on a more dangerous tug-of-war with residual Green Lotus power within him, bringing soul-tearing agony.
His vision blurred, he could only see Mu Xue's anxious face rapidly approaching, hear her cry mixed with tears, and the increasingly intense battle roars in the distance.
Under the loss of core support and suffering dual internal-external strikes, the Demon Nest's collapse sharply accelerated. Massive structures constantly disintegrated, turning into countless fragments devoured by void currents. The Demon Lord's cry had become intermittent, full of unwillingness and grudge, but the cracks on its core, under the continuous action of purifying light, kept expanding.
Was this the price... was this the price that must be paid for protection? Xiao Qi's consciousness floated in endless pain and darkness, his father's back, Master's dissipating starlight, the mountains of Qingxu Temple, his companions' smiling faces... countless images flashed rapidly through his mind.
He had wounded the demon origin, almost severed the Demon Lord's foundation, but he himself had also reached the edge of life and death.
Mu Xue finally reached his side, her cold jade-like hands trembling as she helped him up, pure ice-attributed spiritual energy mixed with tears, continuously flowing into his almost shattered body, trying to stabilize his continuously draining life force.
"Hold on... Xiao Qi, hold on..." Her voice choked, carrying unprecedented panic.
The void was collapsing, the battle was not over, yet the Three Realms' guardian, the alliance's hope, now lay dying, life hanging by a thread.