"I don't know the reason, but I cannot let them have their way so easily!"
Feeling the unease in his heart, Qi Ping knew he had to do everything in his power to stop this. As a possessor of four Druid professions, he possessed an incredible spiritual intuition that had been proven correct countless times in the past. This feeling was not without cause!
He had to stop it!
The people of the Star-Sea had sacrificed too much to reach this point. Even a rare True Demon cultivator had nearly perished. Qi Ping felt that no matter what, he could not let those sacrifices be in vain. He had to push himself to the absolute limit. Otherwise, he would never forgive himself.
"Kill!"
His killing intent boiling, Qi Ping transformed into a streak of light, crossing the void at incredible speed toward the distance.
After a period of flight, he soon spotted a Saint-grade demon that resembled a cricket. Facing such an enemy, Qi Ping unhesitatingly struck.
Spatial Blade! Heaven-Cleaving Demonic Blade!
Because the blade had been enhanced several times, its power was already staggering. Combined with the late-stage Unity power provided by his armor, Qi Ping easily hacked the demon into fragments, giving it no chance to resist or escape. The blade's tentacles instantly swept up the remains, frantically devouring its essence.
Qi Ping gave the scene only a glance before continuing toward the direction the demons were heading. He simultaneously absorbed and refined the calamity-energy of the battlefield to replenish his strength. The advantages of the Druid and the Five Elements Dao were fully displayed; after a period of adaptation, Qi Ping was capable of absorbing the majority of the disaster energy.
Moving in this manner, he quickly recovered his strength while traveling. Soon, he encountered two more Saint-grade demons! One was at the mid-stage of Unity, and the other was at the Consummate level!
The mid-stage demon was easily dealt with, but the Consummate-level demon posed massive trouble. It was a horrific Saint-Ape born from devouring the bloodlines of a Divine Ape and a Golden Dragon. Its physical body was powerful beyond belief!
Wielding a world-destroying club forged from an unknown metal, every strike it delivered carried the power to shatter the heavens and earth. Even more terrifying was its incredible agility and speed, which exceeded that of the humanoid demon from before. Its physical defense was equally horrific.
It seemed to have anticipated Qi Ping. The Saint-Ape erupted with its strongest innate ability from the start. A single strike shattered a section of Qi Ping's armor, and the residual shockwave reduced nearly half of his body to dust. Its combat power was the absolute peak!
In terms of base combat strength, this Saint-Ape could crush Qi Ping!
It was only when Qi Ping unleashed his Sovereign Dao Slash that the Saint-Ape was frozen mid-air. It didn't seem to possess the ability to break free from the absolute paralysis, as if it had met its perfect counter.
Qi Ping felt fortunate that he had chosen this skill. Otherwise, he would have learned exactly what death felt like today.
Even with the Saint-Ape paralyzed, Qi Ping's full-strength strike only barely managed to break its skin. When that gold-black blood fell onto the earth, it caused the world to shake and triggered horrific earth-explosions! A single drop of its blood was a weight the earth could not bear.
Fortunately, the Heaven-Cleaving Demonic Blade possessed a powerful demon-devouring trait. Even when Qi Ping was struggling to deal damage, the blade's ability to devour remained unaffected. The Ape's strength did not slow down the speed at which it was being consumed.
Furthermore, the paralysis from the Sovereign Dao Slash lasted longer this time, allowing the blade to devour nearly twenty percent of the Ape's body in a single strike!
Qi Ping then unleashed two more Sovereign Dao Slashes. After three strikes, the blade had devoured nearly seventy percent of the Saint-Ape's body!
But by this point, the power of the Sovereign Dao Slash was nearly exhausted! It was almost impossible for him to use it again.
Fortunately, at this stage, the remaining thirty percent of the Saint-Ape's strength was severely diminished. Qi Ping, relying on the enhanced demonic blade, was finally able to take it down.
As the Saint-Ape gave its final roar and its last piece of flesh was swallowed by the blade, Qi Ping finally exhaled.
Too terrifying!
Even with a skill that perfectly countered it, he had to use every ounce of his strength to barely slay the creature. He had been forced to use one of his near-death recoveries, and his Sovereign Dao Slash was nearly drained! It would take a long time for the spiritual essence of his subjects to gather and replenish it. Even the Sovereign Dao Protection only had one recovery left.
Recalling the pain of his body being reduced to dust, Qi Ping felt a lingering fear. This was the first Consummate-level Saint-grade demon he had encountered, and its power was staggering. If not for the Sovereign Dao Slash and the blade's devouring ability, he would have been killed within a few exchanges.
If one Consummate-level demon was this powerful, how horrific would it be if the remaining demons gathered together? And what were they trying to accomplish?
That would be a power far exceeding this Saint-Ape! Qi Ping did not believe these demons were capable of only this much.
Yet, he felt no fear. Instead, his determination to move forward grew even firmer. No matter the result, he would not allow this bizarre gathering to proceed smoothly!
Sensing his determination, the Heaven-Cleaving Demonic Blade sent him a horrific obsession for slaughter. It would stand by him!
Looking at the brilliant light emanating from the blade after devouring the Saint-Ape, Qi Ping smiled with relief. At least he was not fighting alone!
In that same moment, a look of surprise covered his face.
"The Heaven-Cleaving Demonic Blade is about to reach the Consummate level?"
Sensing the surging aura and the information coming from the blade, Qi Ping laughed heartily toward the sky. Having devoured so many powerful demons—especially that horrific Saint-Ape with dragon and ape bloodlines—it was finally time for its advancement.
"Old friend, whether the next part of our journey goes smoothly will depend on what level you can reach!"
Sensing that it would take a bit of time for the blade to finish its advancement, Qi Ping continued his journey. Time waited for no one!
The demonic blade let out a world-shaking hum in response, as if saying: 'Don't worry, I won't let you down!'
The road ahead... I will fight to the death alongside you!