308 - Elasia Saga
Boom! With a tremendous impact, the entire cave finally collapsed, but that faintly glowing shield outside remained firmly enveloping the surroundings. Naturally, Fu Yan and her companions were unaffected. As the Demon Lord tore through space and arrived, the whole cavern filled with overwhelming demonic energy. Her and Fang Yu's figures flitted rapidly within, moving so swiftly that the situation was impossible to discern. It wasn't long before the Demon Lord's aura weakened. As Fang Yu raised his hand, bolts of Nine Heavens Thunder flashed through the thick demonic energy. "Demon Lord?" Fang Yu, recognizing her form, paused slightly, seemingly quite astonished. He distinctly remembered that the Demon Lord should have perished in that heavenly tribulation. Yet here she was, alive and before him, indeed a surprise for Fang Yu. However, he quickly composed himself, his expression still filled with a mocking smile. Raising his eyes to meet the Demon Lord's gaze, he remarked, "I was careless. I didn't expect you to return." "But..." continuing with disinterest, he said, "What does revival matter? You still can't break free from my binds." As he spoke, amidst the demonic energy, the Demon Lord's eyes appeared devoid of warmth, like stagnant water, showing no ripple of emotion. Without hesitation, she unleashed all her power, launching a direct attack. Seeing this, Fang Yu chuckled softly, dodging her attack with ease. However, the strike brushed past and then abruptly turned back. Crash— In the next moment, another figure erupted from Fang Yu's body and met the Demon Lord's formidable assault head-on. The ensuing battle was fierce, yet Fang Yu seemed completely unconcerned. With a slight gesture, another bolt of Nine Heavens Thunder struck out, aiming directly at the Demon Lord. A black whip instantly formed in the Demon Lord's hand. With thunder rolling through the surrounding demonic aura, she swung it out violently. A power of obliteration surged forth. Screech— With a piercing sound, the black demonic whip clashed with the Nine Heavens Thunder, unleashing a massive vortex of power. In moments, the Demon Lord's attack was drawn in and shredded. With a crack, the Nine Heavens Thunder plunged into the Demon Lord’s body, but her strength could withstand such bolts, allowing her to prolong the battle. At this moment, Fu Yan needed to forge a realm of laws to sever Fang Yu's connection with the heavens and earth. Only then could they hope for victory. Seeing the Demon Lord still stable, Fang Yu was unsurprised. He recalled that during the tribulation, a total of eighty-one bolts of Nine Heavens Thunder barely brought her down. One had to admit, the Demon Lord was indeed a challenging adversary. Even so, Fang Yu's demeanor showed no hint of emotional fluctuation, as slowly grinding the opponent underfoot was truly the more amusing endeavor. Meanwhile, the figure behind him had neutralized the Demon Lord's attack, then remerged with his true form. As Fang Yu opened his eyes, a sharp light sparkled within them. Boom! The entire demonic atmosphere was soon awash with deafening thunder, and before anyone could react, torrents of Nine Heavens Thunder roared toward the Demon Lord again. The lightning in her pupils enlarged, unavoidable. She immediately raised her hand to block as a dark aura formed a screen before her. But when the bolts descended, not even a breath passed before she heard her power shatter. In the blink of an eye, all oncoming Nine Heavens Thunder forcibly hit her body. ... While the battle raged fiercely, those on the ground slowly sat up. After Fu Yan entered meditation, the Zhu Shen Jian sat cross-legged, seemingly preparing to swiftly restore her power. In essence, Zhu Shen Jian's true power was at least equal to the Demon Lord's, if not greater. However, because of prolonged sealing and the torment from the undead sect over this decade, much of her strength had dwindled. Therefore, Zhu Shen Jian appeared unusually weakened. Nearby, Bai Yueli merely swallowed some restorative elixirs, observing the fight between the Demon Lord and Fang Yu while occasionally glancing at Fu Yan. Her gaze calm and unwavering, Bai Yueli watched Fu Yan's face, her heart carrying no fear but rather intense determination. Amidst the momentous combat surrounding them, with blasts resonating frequently, Fu Yan found tranquility within. It was as if nothing around could disturb Fu Yan's meditation. Time slowly ebbed away, yet the surrounding environment remained still. The power of the laws shimmered quietly, as though just an ordinary force. No one could tell how much time passed, but as another wave of thunder rolled in the distance, the Demon Lord swiftly emerged from the demonic miasma, crashing towards the outer shield. At the final moment, she flipped, transforming into a shadow, reappearing to land firmly, rather than being cast out embarrassingly. Bai Yueli, always attentive to the battle, noticed first and quickly glanced up to see the Demon Lord’s unstable aura, her once strong opponent now bearing blood at the corner of her lips. It was the first time Bai Yueli saw the Demon Lord injured, apart from the previous tribulation. Meanwhile, Zhu Shen Jian remained in recovery, her brows furrowed. Zhao Ping, filled with anxiety, looked at Fang Yu like he was gazing at a demon from hell, "What to do, my master barely broke the seal, she can't die here again." Only the Zhu Shen Jian could hear Zhao Ping's lament. Amidst the chaos, Fang Yu slowly emerged from the pervasive demonic aura, looking at the four before him with a sense of humor. "Even if I release the bonds of heaven and earth, you're all still too weak to break through again." No one replied as his words fell silent. Unfazed, Fang Yu lifted his hand, eyeing them with a smirk, "It's time to end this." Rustle— Just then, before he could unleash another bout of Nine Heavens Thunder, a subtle vibration filled the space, causing those around to momentarily pause. Seconds later, strands of golden light appeared midair. "This is…" Bai Yueli halted, glanced around at the phenomena, her mind realizing something as she swiftly turned her gaze to Fu Yan beside her. The golden threads emerged, rapidly spreading. In an instant, everyone could clearly see the beams converging. In moments, the golden threads began interlocking, forming a golden cubical realm within the cave, expanding ever larger. Quickly, the entire cavern lay encompassed within. As Fang Yu reacted, the collapsed walls vanished, replaced by glimmering golden panels enclosing everyone. Suddenly, Fang Yu realized, the Nine Heavens Thunder that should've been in his hands—gone. He paused, eyes widening slightly. Before he could process, the thunder vanished without a trace. Moreover, he felt disconnected, unable to sense the aura of Tongxuan Continent. In that moment, it seemed he'd stepped into an alternate dimensional space. "Is this…the realm of laws?" Fang Yu lifted his gaze to the golden glowing beams, immediately understanding. While surprise flared among them, Fu Yan finished her meditation, opening her eyes, Bai Yueli’s form the first to meet her gaze. "Senior Sister?" Fu Yan paused, then hastily inquired, "Did I succeed?" Fu Yan was unsure if her realm of laws had truly manifested, her question blurted out as she saw Bai Yueli's moved expression. The next moment, Bai Yueli slowly broke into a smile, gently touching Fu Yan's face, her voice catching with emotion as she spoke, "It's... successful." Upon hearing that, Fu Yan lifted her eyes to take in the surrounding space filled with the power of laws, and finally, she smiled widely, embracing Bai Yueli in excitement. "Impossible..." Amidst the newly formed realm of laws, Fang Yu's voice rang out in disbelief. He quickly turned his gaze toward Fu Yan, surprise etched in his expression. "You're not even an embodiment of the laws, how can you create a realm of laws?" Upon his words, Fu Yan and Bai Yueli snapped back to attention, immediately rising from the ground with no hesitation. Fu Yan's gaze bore into Fang Yu intently, "Indeed, everything should end. The Tongxuan Continent belongs to all cultivators, not your private dominion." Meanwhile, Zhu Shen Jian finally opened her eyes, standing and looking towards Fang Yu with a sudden smile. "See, things are getting interesting." Within the vast realm of laws, Fu Yan and her companions stood steadfast on one side. Their eyes collectively focused on Fang Yu, their expressions sharp and determined, power seeming to simmer within them, ready to erupt at any moment. A profound silence enveloped the space. Facing them, Fang Yu gathered his composure, yet displayed no panic. Instead, his gaze sharpened as he smirked, "You all are still so persistent. Even in the realm of laws, what can you do?" As he spoke, a milky white light flashed in his eyes, and suddenly, multiple figures split from his body. Seeing this, the Demon Lord furrowed her brows slightly. She had remained silent all along, and now, her form moved first, releasing a surge of overwhelming demonic energy. In an instant, she lunged toward Fang Yu. Simultaneously, Fu Yan and Bai Yueli exchanged a quick glance, nodded, and without hesitation, unleashed their most formidable powers, charging toward Fang Yu. Chaos enveloped the scene as the battle resumed fiercely. Swish! Swish! The Demon Lord led the charge, her immense power bearing down ferociously. Fang Yu widened his eyes but wasted no words, raising his hand as a torrent of attacks erupted. At that moment, another of Fang Yu's figures darted from the right, launching a direct attack at Fu Yan and Bai Yueli. They quickly sidestepped, establishing a safe distance, allowing Fang Yu's attack to slice between them harmlessly. Despite this, Fu Yan and Bai Yueli chose to face all of Fang Yu's figures together rather than alone. In mid-air, Fu Yan stabilized herself. With the realm of laws now formed, she couldn't leverage its power further, but this didn't bother her. Instead, she retrieved her celestial bow. She tossed it upwards, letting Bai Xiong control it. The spirit within the bow, Bai Xiong, opened its eyes, seeing the identical images of Fang Yu below. It couldn't help but protest, "Why him again? And with so many clones, my attacks are useless against him!" Reluctant to admit its lack of battle prowess, Bai Xiong blamed the situation on Fang Yu's tenacity. Fu Yan, not bothering to even crack a smile, didn't spare Bai Xiong a glance. Instead, she gripped her celestial sword tightly, instructing through their connection, "Wait for the right moment to strike, catch him off guard." Fu Yan knew Fang Yu didn't fear the celestial bow's attacks, but in such intense combat, he would eventually reveal a vulnerability, offering Bai Xiong opportunities for surprise strikes. After that, Fu Yan focused elsewhere. She leaped into the air, the surrounding temperature plummeting. In moments, sharp ice shards formed, and locking eyes on Fang Yu below, she ordered, "Go!" With a downwards motion of her hand, the ice shards shot forth, imbued with formidable sword intent, descending upon Fang Yu. Fang Yu quickly responded, raising his hand to conjure a barrier. Before Fu Yan could retract her move, another Fang Yu emerged behind her, striking directly at her back. But in an instant, Bai Yueli appeared behind Fu Yan, intercepting the attack with a wave of potent demonic energy, cascading like a tidal wave. Boom! Boom! The entire realm of laws echoed with resonant blasts from clashing energies. Seemingly anticipating Bai Yueli's intervention, Fu Yan didn't look back. As soon as she recalled her power, she focused on her celestial sword, sending it spinning rapidly. Simultaneously, both women somersaulted, one diving up and the other down, neatly bypassing each other in mid-air. Sword shadows circled around Fu Yan, as she fixed her gaze on the Fang Yu behind her, transforming into a sword herself, striking swiftly toward him. Swish! In a flash, Fu Yan cut through Fang Yu's form, sending it tumbling. Concurrently, Bai Yueli, extending her hand, transformed the thick demonic aura around into a titanic serpent, its jaws wide as it lunged at Fang Yu below. After the successful strike, Bai Yueli didn't linger, flipping back into the air. Whoosh! A light arrow flew out, aiming straight at a Fang Yu below. Within the dense demon aura, the sword's glow flared. This forced a Fang Yu image back several meters, where it seemed somewhat disheveled. However, this was just a promising start. Nothing overly exciting yet, as Fu Yan and Bai Yueli went all out but still couldn't destroy Fang Yu's clones completely. Yet, compared to the previous despair in the cave, the situation seemed less dire now. In mid-air, the duo lacked time to catch their breath, with Fang Yu's other forms closing in, prompting another aerial melee. Meanwhile, Zhu Shen Jian and the Demon Lord battled fiercely against Fang Yu. Without the Nine Heavens Thunder, they held their ground, even gaining an upper hand. Within the entire realm of laws, even Bai Xiong was busy, leaving only Zhao Ping unseen in the chaos. Boom! Soon enough, the Demon Lord landed a heavy blow on Fang Yu, sending him flying, blood spilling. Coughing violently on the ground, Fang Yu clutched his chest, looking at the Demon Lord and the chaotic conflict with bitter laughter. He flipped to his feet, releasing a massive suction force from within himself. Hum— Instantly, the air trembled. All his clones widened their eyes, dissolving into beams of light returning to Fang Yu. Furthermore, Fu Yan and her companions felt their power being pulled, as if about to be siphoned by Fang Yu. Fortunately, they resisted, overcoming the sensation through sheer will. Yet the next moment, an overwhelming power exploded from Fang Yu, rippling outwards like waves. Whoosh! Whoosh! Sensing this immense force, the four retreated, but the force swept over them too quickly to react, forcing them into defensive positions. The disparity in power was too great; in a blink, the four were flung from the air to the ground. At the same time, Fang Yu's eyes began radiating a destructive power. The Demon Lord glanced sideways at Zhu Shen Jian, commanding firmly, "Return immediately!" The cryptic words left Fu Yan and Bai Yueli puzzled, causing them to look over instinctively. "I..." Zhu Shen Jian hesitated, seemingly conflicted. But in the next breath, a shadowy figure emerged from the Demon Lord, landing before Zhu Shen Jian, casually lifting her with a remark, "Is there another option now?" Then, the Demon Lord's power tightened, her gaze sharp, adding deliberately, "Or I can do this the hard way." Zhu Shen Jian remained silent. Fu Yan and Bai Yueli internally questioned the odd phrasing. As the Demon Lord's words trailed off, Zhu Shen Jian finally pushed her away, her gaze narrowed with a hint of anger. "Let go, I understand." Clang— In the next moment, Zhu Shen Jian shot up into the sky, transforming once more into a radiant red spirit sword, the entire realm resonating with the sound of its hum. Seeing this, the Demon Lord and her copy didn't hesitate for a second, appearing on either side of Fang Yu. With a lift of her gaze, the Demon Lord's two figures moved their hands, causing the surrounding demonic energy to vibrate intensely, swiftly turning into massive black chains. In an instant, they wrapped around Fang Yu's limbs. Simultaneously, the Demon Lord glanced toward Fu Yan and Bai Yueli on the ground. Noting the red glow emanating from Zhu Shen Jian above, the two instantly understood. "Senior Sister," Fu Yan called sharply. In a flash, both leaped up, landing behind Zhu Shen Jian without hesitation. They channeled all their power into the task. By her side, Bai Yueli did the same. The contrasting black and white energies tightly controlled the spirit sword, casting a magnificent red light. The two gritted their teeth, forcing their energies downward. Whoosh! With a powerful sword cry, Zhu Shen Jian shot forward. Below, the demonic chains restrained Fang Yu, preventing his full power from unleashing. A streak of red pierced straight through him. Buzz— In an instant, a terrifying vortex of power appeared within Fang Yu, consuming him entirely in the blink of an eye.