Below the realm passage, beside the Evergreen Divine Tree, the Demon Saint Mo Duo suddenly appeared, extinguishing the sliver of hope that had just kindled among the Barbarians. Against a Saint, unless the Evergreen Divine Tree took action itself, no one could stand against one — not even Yang Kai.
But Qing had no strength left to fight a Demon Saint. He had devoted every ounce of his power to growth, sealing off all perception of the outside world. Now Qing was burning the life essence he had accumulated over tens of thousands of years, attempting to seal the two-realm passage in the sky with his power alone.
"I'm only a Witch King. Does Lord Mo Duo truly insist on bullying those beneath him, picking on the weak with his strength?"
"Heh heh..."
Mo Duo chuckled softly, his smile harmless and innocent — anyone ignorant of his identity would have found the man warm and amiable, radiant as sunlight, utterly unlike the Demon Race with their suffocating demonic aura and sinister chill. "You are anything but weak."
Yang Kai curled his lip. "But I can't be stronger than you, can I? You have your battlefield, I have mine. Everyone plays their own game — can't we just leave each other alone?"
Mo Duo adopted a troubled expression. "I'm afraid that won't do. That big tree of yours is rather peculiar. If I let it continue growing, we may lose our connection to the Demon Realm entirely. So I have no choice but to destroy it. I really am sorry about that."
Hearing those words, Yang Kai kept his face composed, but inwardly he was elighted.
Because the intelligence Mo Duo had let slip inadvertently confirmed that Qing truly did possess the ability to seal the realm passage — provided someone could create enough time for him to keep growing.
"Sigh!" Yang Kai let out a long, weary breath, his face a portrait of helplessness. "I understand what you mean, my lord."
Mo Duo continued to smile and nodded. "Ready to die, are you?" He paused, then added, "Actually, you could always defect to my side. That way we wouldn't have to fight at all."
Yang Kai straightened and spoke with solemn dignity. "Your lordship flatters me, and the Wu Niu Tribe is grateful — but I was born a man of the Barbarians and I shall die a ghost of the Barbarians. There is no question of me ever joining the Demon Race."
Hearing this from below, the members of the Wu Niu Tribe swelled with pride, their reverence for Yang Kai deepening visibly.
Mo Duo shrugged. "Then there's nothing to be done. Well, enough talk. I'm going to kill you now."
His tone was light and carefree, as though a butcher were addressing a lamb.
The moment those words left his lips, he reached out and grabbed toward Yang Kai.
The strike appeared utterly unremarkable, yet this simple grab sent tremors through the laws of heaven and earth. Yang Kai was struck by the inexplicable sensation that the space around him had been sealed — as though he had been plunged into a swamp, struggling only drove him deeper.
Demon Saints and Witch Saints were existences on par with Great Emperors. At this level, every gesture aligned with the supreme truths of heaven and earth and the grand dao of natural law. The more unassuming the attack, the deeper the mysteries it concealed.
Around Yang Kai, the power of Space Laws surged. His body faltered for a bare instant before vanishing entirely from where he stood.
From the spot where he had been standing came a soft thud, as though something had been torn apart. After that quiet sound, everyone clearly saw the void there cave in with visible marks of collapse.
Mo Duo tilted his head and peered to the other side, a flicker of genuine interest in his eyes. "Space Abilities, truly impressive. I find myself even more reluctant to kill you now. If the Great Demon God had your help, breaking open the realm passages of other Great Worlds would be far easier. He might even be able to descend in his complete form."
"Well, if you're reluctant to kill me, then don't!" Yang Kai wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and forced a smile. "We could just stand here and chat. Let everyone else sort out the battlefield."
Mo Duo shook his head. "My orders are to kill you or capture you. I'm afraid I can't continue this conversation."
As he spoke, he flicked a finger, and a bolt of pitch-black energy shot toward Yang Kai without warning.
Yang Kai met it with his Moon Blade. The two attacks collided in midair and annihilated each other into nothing.
Yang Kai raised an eyebrow. "My lord, something seems off about your strength. Are you going easy on me?"
"Heh heh..." Mo Duo smiled, his hands never pausing. With a surge of demonic energy, a colossal blade of black qi slashed down toward Yang Kai — utterly without warning — as he spoke at the same time. "This is all the power I have right now. There is no holding back."
Yang Kai furrowed his brow. Instinct told him not to believe it, yet he had the nagging sense that Mo Duo was not lying. The strength on display now was formidable, but in Yang Kai's estimation, it had not yet reached an insurmountable level.
The power Mo Duo currently wielded was roughly equivalent to what he had possessed when he first descended upon this world.
Two years ago, when Mo Duo had arrived, the cost of passing through the realm passage had severely diminished his strength, allowing Yang Kai to escape his grasp using Space Abilities.
Two years should have been more than enough time for Mo Duo to recover to his peak. Yet in truth, his performance was little different from two years ago — the only distinction was that the previous sense of weakness was gone.
A Demon Saint's power should be far beyond this. Yang Kai quietly took note.
He cast Instant Transmission again, evading Mo Duo's attack.
But at that very moment, Mo Duo's eyes suddenly gleamed with sharp light as he stared into the infinite void.