"Rumble rumble rumble rumble"
High in the sky, Murong Mingtian and the Ethereal Fairy were locked in battle.
Two sixth-tier Martial Kings, each wielding a King's Weapon, clashed back and forth, unleashing formidable martial techniques and launching ferocious assaults. The sheer force of their combat was so overwhelming that the allied armies of the Immortal Slaying Archipelago had no choice but to retreat, fearing they would be swept up by the violent shockwaves and lose their lives.
Although Murong Mingtian's intervention had spared the Immortal Slaying Archipelago's forces from being massacred by the Ethereal Fairy, every last one of them now wore a deeply furrowed brow.
The battle between two sixth-tier Martial Kings was earth-shattering. Both in speed and power, it was far beyond what ordinary people could comprehend. Most onlookers couldn't even follow their movements — they could only see the violent shockwaves erupting and soaring into the sky.
But they were no fools. After a period of exchange, they had come to realize that, just as Jiang Qisha had said, Murong Mingtian truly was no match for the Ethereal Fairy.
Almost from the very first moment they clashed, the Ethereal Fairy had seized the initiative, suppressing Murong Mingtian relentlessly — and this suppression was growing more apparent by the second. Now, Murong Mingtian was clearly on the verge of being overwhelmed.
The sight of this filled everyone with terror and dread. Murong Mingtian was the only one among them capable of contending with the Ethereal Fairy. If something happened to him, they could well imagine what their fate would be — especially after witnessing the horrifying bird the Ethereal Fairy had summoned earlier.
Against a powerhouse like the Ethereal Fairy, numbers meant nothing. No matter how many of them there were, in her eyes they were nothing more than ants — easy to slaughter at will.
Fear permeated every heart, anxiety etched on every face. The Ethereal Fairy's power had surpassed anything they had ever imagined.
Back when the Demonic Cult still ruled the Eastern Sea, the Cult Master had been feared throughout the world, virtually unbeatable.
But even then, there had been those who claimed the Ethereal Fairy was someone who could stand against the Cult Master. Many had refused to believe it — but today, they believed.
"Boom."
"Boom."
"Boom."
At that moment, continuous booms rang out once more. Layer upon layer of violent shockwaves swept outward. Although the shockwaves themselves couldn't reach them due to the distance, the hurricanes they stirred up were already barreling toward them with terrifying force.
Rushing forward with overwhelming momentum, like a raging gale tearing across the sky, the winds crashed toward the assembled armies.
"Watch out!" At that instant, Murong Nie Kong and the three great demon tribe leaders' expressions changed simultaneously as they sensed the danger. They hastily erected barriers and deployed defensive measures to hold back the onslaught.
"Whooooo-aaaaah~~~~~~~~~~~~~" But the hurricanes were simply too fast. Before their defenses could be fully established, the winds had already crashed through.
The hurricanes were so ferocious that virtually no one below the Martial King realm could withstand them. Tens of millions of troops were tossed about like small fish slapped by a great wave, tumbling and scattering in all directions amid waves of screams.
In mere moments, the millions of elite cultivators assembled by the Immortal Slaying Archipelago and the three great demon tribes had been reduced to a routed mess.
"Heavens, this..."
But when Murong Nie Kong and the others turned their gazes toward the battlefield where Murong Mingtian and the Ethereal Fairy clashed, the anxiety already on their faces gave way to outright panic.
Because at that moment, the raging shockwaves had finally dissipated. In the distant sky, they could make out two figures entangled in combat.
The white silk ribbons flowing from the Ethereal Fairy's sleeves blanketed the sky like an endless sea of clouds, or like a colossal white dragon surging across the heavens — not only terrifying in force, but utterly horrifying in presence.
As for Murong Mingtian, he still gripped his three-foot blade and his aura remained fierce, but vivid bloodstains now stained his golden robes. Even his aged face and the hands clutching his King's Weapon bore horrifying wounds. He had been injured.
"Lord Jiang Qisha, please lend our ancestor a hand!" Seeing that things had taken a dire turn, Murong Nie Kong directed his pleading gaze toward Jiang Qisha.
At Murong Nie Kong's words, the three demon tribe leaders were initially puzzled. But seeing the earnestness in his expression, they caught on to what he was thinking.
In the Eastern Sea, Chu Feng had already demonstrated heaven-defying combat prowess, earning the title of an unrivaled genius — one who could fight across realms, even defeating opponents three full tiers above him.
If such a monster could exist in the Eastern Sea, then in the miraculous land of the Martial Sacred Ground, there must be many similar prodigies. Perhaps this Jiang Qisha was exactly that kind of genius.
Especially considering that earlier, when Jiang Qisha had set up his formation, he hadn't even needed the Martial King-level experts to contribute — he had used only the vital forces of Martial Lord-level cultivators to breach what had been deemed an impregnable grand protective formation. This only reinforced their belief that this young man called Jiang Qisha was no ordinary individual.
Perhaps he truly could be the key to their salvation.
"If I save your ancestor, what's in it for me?" Rather than acting immediately upon hearing Murong Nie Kong's words, Jiang Qisha smiled meaningfully and posed the question. The smile carried a hidden depth — he was genuinely demanding compensation.
"What do you mean by that? We are allies! Your intervention is only natural — why demand benefits? Could it be that after using our strength to break through the grand protective formation, you've decided we're no longer useful and want to burn the bridge behind you?" At this, the Fifth Immortal of the Immortal Slaying Archipelago could endure no more. He could no longer tolerate Jiang Qisha's arrogant attitude.
"Silence." Murong Nie Kong quickly reprimanded the Fifth Immortal, terrified that he would offend Jiang Qisha.
"He's quite right, actually. I do think you're no longer useful to me, and I do intend to burn the bridge after crossing it. What are you going to do about it?" But what no one had expected was for Jiang Qisha to actually agree with what the Fifth Immortal had said.
Moreover, as he spoke, his narrowed gaze swept across the assembly, and within those half-lidded eyes, a cold glint flashed once more.
At that moment, every face in the crowd fell. They involuntarily retreated a step, maintaining distance from Jiang Qisha, while secretly circulating their martial force, priming themselves into optimal combat condition.
Now, it wasn't just Murong Nie Kong — even the three demon tribe leaders wore grim expressions, their eyes flickering with a volatile mix of fury and fear.
With the other party's intentions laid so bare, no one could remain calm. Especially considering that Jiang Qisha hailed from an extraordinary background, with both connections and strength that were formidable. If he truly intended to discard them after using them, kill them to silence all witnesses, and seize every last benefit for himself — then they would truly be facing catastrophe.