The moment the white-robed scholar was forced out, the black-and-red blade light slashing down in the distance was greatly affected as well. After a flicker, the eerie black-red glow dimmed considerably, actually allowing the big-headed freak's giant sword and silver flying fork to halt the descent of the massive blade.
The freak's figure swayed, and he seized the chance to shoot sideways, finally escaping the range of the giant blade's slash.
"Seventh Uncle, where do you think you can run? The Black Blood Blade is the Ye family's inherited treasure and a relic used to execute traitors. Since you've allied yourself with this ancient demon's holy ancestor and cast the Ye family aside, don't blame your nephew for being discourteous. This Eight Spirit Ruler is something the Ye family must obtain. If you want to hand it over to that demon, then hand over your life first!" The white-robed scholar ignored the wound on his chest and fixed the distant freak with a cold, stern gaze.
Hearing the scholar's words, the big-headed freak's expression flickered between red and white, but he let out a cold snort, a look of complete indifference settling on his face — not the slightest intention to explain himself.
Seeing the freak's nonchalant expression, killing intent flashed across the scholar's face. His eyebrows gradually slanted upward, and his entire bearing turned savage in an instant — a stark departure from the refined demeanor he had maintained until now.
The black-robed woman had already been somewhat surprised that her first strike hadn't killed the scholar. Now, seeing the murderous aura erupting from him, she furrowed her brow. Without a word, she reached out and grasped at the void.
Her movement was light and effortless, utterly devoid of ferocity.
But immediately a sharp hissing sound split the air.
Five crystalline claw-rays, each half a foot long, shot from her hand. They vanished in a flicker and materialized before the scholar in the blink of an eye — their speed rivaled teleportation.
The white-robed scholar's pupils contracted sharply. Yet, oddly, he showed no intention of dodging. Instead, he opened his mouth and spat out a circular, fire-red treasure. It spun once, and ten thousand rays of crimson light erupted, engulfing his entire figure within.
However, the five claw-rays never struck this treasure — because a large white hand materialized before the scholar and seized them with lightning speed. The five fingers clamped down, and the crystalline claws crumbled into nothing.
The black-robed woman's gaze flickered at the sight, her expression turning grave.
At that moment, Long Meng's cold laughter drifted from within the palace:
"Yuansha, if you can command humans to retrieve treasures for you, then I too can join forces with human cultivators. Don't think you can easily break the seals on the Eight Spirit Ruler. I'm rather curious — after being suppressed for so many countless years, just how much of the demonic arts you once used to dominate the human realm can you still unleash against a Buddhist spirit treasure? Even if you somehow manage to break the Eight Spirit Ruler, I wonder how much demonic energy will remain when you face this consort in the end, especially after siphoning power from outside sources."
The black-robed woman's expression shifted slightly at these words, her gaze turning icy, but her voice remained flat:
"No matter how much demonic energy I have left, dealing with a disembodied remnant soul like you is well within my capability. Besides, with so many spirit pills and medicines here, what does it matter if I expend a bit of demonic energy?"
"Spirit pills and medicines? Old demon, you're thinking—" Long Meng's voice paused, and then, as if remembering something, it changed abruptly.
But before she could finish, the black-robed woman smiled eerily and flicked her finger at the black wind flag hanging in the air.
A green talisman light shot out and struck the spirit treasure, sinking into it.
The pitch-black giant flag, which had been perfectly still, shuddered. Its tip dipped, black light erupted across its surface, and a pillar of jet-black light blasted forth.
The pillar vanished the instant it left the flag, only to reappear directly before the square-faced cultivator in the distance.
Then it detonated.
After motes of black spiritual light scattered in all directions, a towering pillar of black wind erupted on the spot, catching the square-faced cultivator — who had no time to react — within its vortex.
Piercing howls rose from within the wind column as countless eerie black wind-blades materialized, spinning violently like ten thousand razors slicing toward the center.
The square-faced cultivator was horrified. He frantically channeled every ounce of spiritual power into the bone ring around him.
Phantoms flickered across the bone ring, and a blinding yellow barrier formed, wrapping the cultivator in a tight defensive shell.
But there were too many wind-blades, far too dense, and they seemed to carry some unique supernatural property — each blade that struck the barrier vanished with a flash rather than exploding on impact.
Yet moments later, palm-sized gashes began appearing across the barrier's surface, dense and numerous, as if portions had simply ceased to exist.
Under this bizarre assault, the yellow barrier — however solid and resilient — disintegrated in an instant. Then, before the square-faced cultivator's disbelieving eyes, the black tempest's rotation surged violently, the barrier shattered amid a flurry of black light, and the bone ring itself began cracking apart inch by inch.
The square-faced cultivator's face drained of all color. Gritting his teeth, he opened his mouth and spat out a cyan flying sword. With a low roar, he fused with the sword into one and shot away as a streak of cyan rainbow, abandoning the clearly doomed Infinite Sky Bracelet behind.
He understood perfectly well that staying any longer meant certain death — his only chance was a desperate gamble.
"Don't!" The white-robed scholar's face changed dramatically when he saw the square-faced cultivator's action, and he shouted in alarm.