Chapter 112: Little Dou

The initial battle raged for four to five days, with hordes of demons and monsters swarming like locusts devouring everything in their path, relentlessly pressing forward. Countless formations were shattered at a stroke, and the elder demons proved formidable as well. The Ancient Patriarch of the Azure Lotus gathered a handful of palm strikes, causing hundreds of lotus flowers to bloom in the surrounding void. With a single wave, the petals scattered, swirling through the air and transforming into the Azure Lotus Golden Sword Fury—unparalleled in sharpness. This Sword Fury was one of the six supreme sword techniques of the Sword Immortals, and the elder demon had further refined it with dark arts, causing demonic energy to surge skyward. Instantly, countless small rifts were sliced into the void, and nearby monsters were inadvertently slain by the sword light. The surrounding space resembled a human face covered in black pimples—terrifying beyond measure. Once unleashed, the Sword Fury shattered two formations within moments, slaying dozens of Sword Immortals. Their blood, flesh, and souls were absorbed by the lotus flowers as nourishment. The originally pristine Azure Lotus gradually stained red with blood, exuding a sinister aura.

The Poison Dragon Daoist transformed his body into a thousand-foot-long poisonous dragon, armored with scales and plates. Opening his mouth, he spewed forth a thousand sun-leaf water thunderbolts, blasting a vast emptiness. His demonic aura surged wildly; even surrounded by lesser monsters, he was recognized as a great demon lord. Originally a millennia-old flood dragon incarnate, he served as a guardian spirit beast of the mid-tier Demon Sect.

He launched a core the size of a water jar, instantly shattering the corporeal body of a Fire Island Spirit Master, though the spirit itself was captured by a small black vial. He roared repeatedly in fury, “Empress Lü! How dare you steal from this old dragon!”

“Respected one, please don’t be angry. Let grandma refine it into the Celestial Infant Pill, and we can each have half, how about that?” came a coquettish voice.

“Celestial Infant Pill? That immortal elixir that can increase ten years of cultivation at once? No! This old dragon wants more than half!”

From a swirl of peach-colored clouds came laughter dripping with seduction, igniting desire in listeners. Within the misty pink fog danced countless ghostly princesses and enchanting beauties, scantily clad, their lascivious voices delighting both ears and eyes. Countless demonic spirits surged into the cloud, which expanded to cover about ten miles. If even a single Sword Immortal of the righteous path lost their resolve, they would be entangled by the Five Desires, their true Yang energy draining away, their cultivation destroyed. They would fall into the Realm of Desire, unable to extricate themselves. Though no weapons were involved, countless lives were lost invisibly.

More terrifying still was that once trapped in the Realm of Desire, one would become its servant, turning against their own sect members. A disciple of the Demon Sect, his eyes bloodshot, blood seeping from his ears, mouth, and eyes, was about to move when a green-furred monstrous hand tore off his arm. Immediately, he regained clarity and fell to his knees, trembling.

“Lü Qingyan, you flaunting seduction against the righteous path! Don’t dare direct that at the Old Demon Sect’s disciples!” A strange figure with a green face, protruding teeth, and a waist hung with gourd-shaped bottles bellowed. Around him stood only a dozen disciples; the space was otherwise empty, for countless poisonous insects, demon snakes, and strange creatures swarmed there. The cloud of insects and serpents had devoured all Sword Immortals, demons, and monsters within miles. This old monster was neither fully righteous nor evil, the Poison Ancestor of Sesame Valley on Mt. Dian Cang, a heretic sect member. With his unique art of nurturing and refining vermin, he stood alone among the Sword Immortals. Why he had been summoned this time was unknown.

Such great demons and colossal monsters numbered in the dozens, each possessing astonishing magical abilities and techniques. Black clouds of smoke and mist rolled over miles, shaking the region with their might. They surrounded the formations of the Seven Great Sects once more, launching relentless assaults.

“How boring. I wonder what those old ghosts of the righteous path are scheming? Playing cowardly hide-and-seek?” one voice sneered.

“They are not unwilling to move, but dare not. If they leave, the young sect leader’s great formation loses its restraint. Within days, it will be perfected. Then the divine formation’s power will burst forth, and the righteous path will be wiped out in an instant,” came a hoarse voice from the Shadow Crow.

“When that time comes, will they also wipe out us little demons and monsters too?” The Seven Emotions Disciple, stark naked, was crouched over a captured female Sword Immortal, abusing her. Hearing the question, he paused with a sly grin. He had been a disciple abandoned by the Lianshan Sect, defected to the Demon Sect, mastering eerie dark arts. Known for his lustful depravity, even many in the demonic path despised his nature.

Four or five fellow disciples could no longer bear it and sent sword light flying out of the formation to sever his flesh. The Seven Emotions Patriarch, with an unnatural smile on his face, blocked the half-naked female Sword Immortal with his body, causing the sword light to change course. Scornful curses such as “despicable” rang out.

“You’ve been tricked~” The Seven Emotions Patriarch pressed his fingers in rapid succession, causing the sword light to falter. No matter how the Sword Immortals tried to control it, it was ineffective. Looking closely, fine silk threads wound around the swords and their wielders.

“Don’t struggle. The Patriarch’s Six Desires Seven Emotions Web was born from your own love and hate. It’s not the Patriarch trapping you, but you imprisoning your own heart. Since you refuse to grant the Patriarch pleasure, how about I let you take this chance instead?” With that, a thread of passion flickered. Clothes flew off, and the naked woman was drawn into the web. The Seven Emotions Disciple yielded his body, and under the terrified gaze of the woman, the fellow disciples involuntarily coupled with him. The Seven Emotions Disciple laughed heartily, then suddenly turned his head, beckoning: “Senior Brother, you seem quite concerned for this junior sister. Why not join in?”

At once, shrill screams and roars of demons filled the air—

“Filthy beast, you seek death!” A fiery red sword light shot out from the Azure Cloud Sword Formation, a hundred feet long, flames raging as it transformed into various illusions. It was clear that a Spirit Master was controlling the sword. The Seven Emotions Disciple’s expression turned serious. Raising both hands, countless passion threads appeared, even the Spirit Master could not touch them. The sword light transformed into a fiery tiger, ten or so feet in size, lunging and roaring with fiery breath. It destroyed hundreds of threads but was increasingly entangled and trapped in the web.

A figure suddenly shot out from the flames, appearing within the Seven Emotions Disciple’s escape light. Two deeply skilled practitioners exchanged a palm strike, fire and demonic energy erupting. Seizing the chance, the righteous master waved his sleeve, covering several people, and broke through to escape.

“Can you really escape? Fire Daoist Tian Wen of Qingcheng Sect?” the Seven Emotions Disciple chuckled. Before he finished speaking, four or five waves of demonic energy surged, and the shadow thunder demon sword appeared before him.

Tian Wen knew she was surrounded by demons; if she did not break free quickly, even her great skill would not save her life. She formed a sword finger seal, causing the fiery tiger to explode, sending rolling waves of flame covering a thousand feet. The giant sword wailed and shot back, blocking many demonic lights and shadow thunder. Yet three waves of demonic energy pressed on, unfazed by the flames: the thousand-foot poisonous dragon formed by the Poison Dragon Daoist, a withered sword light, and a shadow crow demon—all deeply skilled.

Without a moment’s delay, she drove sword light backward into the formation and scattered a handful of thunder pills—earth-fire divine thunder she had cultivated from lava fissures below. Instantly, behind her, the earth erupted like a volcano, spewing magma floods. The Poison Dragon’s momentum was fierce, charging in, but it howled in pain as the molten lava burned its huge body. Its scales glowed red-hot, and it ceased the pursuit.

Yet the Shadow Crow seemed to tear through the void itself. Its giant black beak pecked at her back, forcing the Fire Daoist to spit a mouthful of essence blood. Twisting her body, she transformed into endless firelight. A hundred feet ahead, she returned to human form, narrowly evading the withered sword light and retreating into the formation, drawing cheers.

Many demonic masters observed the duel with interest, surprised by Tian Wen’s transformation.

“Haha, Old Withered Wood is a proud man; now he’s embarrassed!”

“Tian Wen really has some skill! She actually managed to escape!”

“This change feels strangely familiar!”

“The law holds true spirit, fire virtue true body. Tian Wen’s cultivation progress these years is truly astonishing!” The Seven Emotions Disciple mused, then suddenly smiled wickedly, “Ha! You’ve forgotten something!”

He clapped his hands, his face flushing scarlet with satisfaction. At that moment, those rescued by Fire Daoist Tian Wen instantly disintegrated to dust, their flesh and bones destroyed.

The Fire Daoist was shocked, thinking, “I already used true fire to burn through their passion threads; why can I still not save their lives?”

At the same time, the red sun in the sky gradually became wrapped in black energy. The battle between demonic energy and solar energy raged fiercely, the two forces vying endlessly. The entire world flickered between light and shadow, plunging into panic.

“Esteemed immortals, Lu Mingzi is about to succeed. We should retreat slightly to let our disciples set formations. The Seven Great Sects will have no choice but to intervene!” The Ghost Matron stroked the Shadow Crow’s feathers, her hoarse, strange voice reaching the ears of the old monsters and demons alike.