120: Chapter 120: A Single Man Breaks Through the Formation and Slays a King Beyond His Rank! Today, with the help of the Demon King, I pay tribute to the life and death of the entire city!

[At the top of the precipice, thunderous light flared.]

[Ling Qingmeng's voice crashed down, carried by the roar of thunder.]

[The silver thunder net covering the entire canyon suddenly contracted.]

[Demon King Gu Sha's massive body froze.]

[Countless thunderous threads strangled into its protective demonic qi.]

[Dense cracking sounds rang out one after another.]

[The dark red blood patterns on its surface flickered frantically as it struggled to hold on.]

[The sound of rushing air rose.]

[At the canyon entrance, several figures came stumbling in pursuit.]

[It was First Senior Brother Xiao Yunfei and the other three, their spiritual power exhausted.]

["Junior Brother! We're coming to—"]

[Second Senior Brother Huo Feng's eyes were red as he prepared to charge in with his empty spiritual veins.]

[A bunch of defeated soldiers; what mess are they trying to add to?]

["Qingmeng, stop them."]

[You didn't even turn your head.]

[Atop the precipice, Ling Qingmeng didn't even look down.]

[She pressed her fair hand down into thin air.]

[A pillar of lightning as thick as a bucket struck down.]

[It carved a scorched deep trench right in front of the four's feet.]

["Get back to the city! Don't come here to die!"]

[The violent thunderous prestige shook First Senior Brother Xiao Yunfei and the others so hard their blood surged.]

[They stopped in their tracks, their gazes sweeping over the thunder net in the valley, then falling to the sword array rapidly forming beneath your feet.]

["Withdraw! Back to the city to defend!"]

[First Senior Brother Xiao Yunfei gritted his teeth and grabbed Second Senior Brother Huo Feng's shoulder, forcibly dragging him away.]

[The burdens were cleared; there were no more concerns.]

[Four breaths. The time had come.]

[You turned around abruptly.]

["Army-Breaking Explosive Killing Array—Rise!"]

[Twelve red-gold array patterns exploded beneath your feet.]

[The astral qi surged backward, all of it wrapping around the Qiankun Yin-Yang Sword.]

[[Phantom Raid]!]

[Not even an afterimage remained where you stood.]

[You appeared right behind Demon King Gu Sha's face.]

[[Thirteen Gale Strikes]!]

[You slashed violently with your sword, your attack speed stacking with each strike.]

[In a short time, black and white sword glows carrying Army-Breaking astral qi struck down thirteen times in succession.]

[The sword speed soared all the way, climbing to the peak of what your body could endure.]

[Thirteen strikes, all hitting the same inch of bone at the center of Demon King Gu Sha's back.]

[Crack.]

[Demon King Gu Sha's White Bone Heavenly Astral Armor was covered in cracks by the seventh strike and completely shattered by the eleventh.]

[The thirteenth strike drove straight in.]

[The sword's edge shredded the spine, piercing through from the back and emerging from the chest.]

["Roar—!"]

[The demonic power inside Demon King Gu Sha spiraled out of control as it struggled desperately.]

[It forcibly snapped three Thunder-Binding Locks and swung its bone spear in a blind sweep as it turned.]

[You had already retracted your sword and retreated thirty meters away.]

[Demon King Gu Sha stumbled as it turned around.]

[A transparent bloody hole had appeared in the center of its sternum.]

[Dark red organs gushed out along with demonic blood.]

[Beneath that skeletal face mask, its soul fire flickered violently, revealing terror.]

[It mobilized its remaining demonic power, turning into a pale rainbow as it forcibly took to the sky.]

[Ling Qingmeng stepped onto the precipice as the Thousand-Thread Thunder Net fell a second time, covering it from above.]

[The thunder net smashed Demon King Gu Sha's escape light from mid-air back to the ground.]

[This half-breath delay in mid-air allowed the killing blow to arrive.]

[You flipped your palm, and [Lingxi Finger] was activated.]

[The spiritual power of your entire body was forcibly drained.]

[It compressed into a blinding golden bead at the tip of your right index finger.]

[One finger pointed out.]

[Golden light spanned thirty meters, piercing through Demon King Gu Sha's lower abdomen dantian at the blind spot of its fall.]

[Demon King Gu Sha's entire body trembled as its demonic power stagnated.]

[The Qiankun Yin-Yang Sword slashed down.]

["You severed an arm from the Sect Leader; today, I take one of yours in return."]

[The sword edge cut horizontally.]

[Crack.]

[That right arm, along with that bone spear, was thrown clear from the root and fell to the bottom of the valley.]

[A miserable howl echoed through the clouds.]

[Demon King Gu Sha risked damaging its natal demonic core to transform into a streak of bloody light, fleeing toward the eastern base.]

[You did not pursue.]

[In the eastern sky, dark red demonic clouds were rolling with startling speed.]

[Two terrifying pressures, one of ice and one of fire, were already approaching.]

[Mystic Ice Demon King Han Ji.]

[Scarlet Flame Demon King Lie Yan.]

[You sheathed your sword with a backhand motion.]

[[Greased Soles] activated, white light covering your feet.]

[You and Ling Qingmeng simultaneously turned into thunder and afterimages, disappearing at the end of the canyon.]

[—]

[Tianyang City, Northern City Wall.]

[The wild wind carried the smell of scorched earth.]

[You and Ling Qingmeng landed side by side.]

[Before the battlements.]

[First Senior Brother Xiao Yunfei and the other three were slumped on the ground.]

[Seeing the two of you step onto the city wall.]

[First Senior Brother Xiao Yunfei and the others scrambled to their feet, their lips trembling.]

[Adept Chiyang stood by the war drum.]

[His empty right sleeve fluttered in the cold wind.]

[The two of you were separated by a dozen steps.]

["Shen Ji." His voice was raspy. "It has been seventeen years."]

["Hall Master." You raised your hands in a cupped-fist salute.]

[Daoist Qingxu approached while clutching his bleeding shoulder, sizing you up three times from head to toe.]

["...Freak."]

[Adept Chiyang stepped forward, his left hand clapping heavily onto your shoulder armor.]

["The debt for Quji and Yun Xi—you have collected it."]

["Half of it." You didn't bother with pleasantries.]

[Adept Chiyang stared at you for a few breaths before nodding forcefully.]

[—]

[City Lord's Mansion, Underground Storehouse Side Hall.]

[Four plates of pickles and a large pot of coarse rice porridge.]

[Adept Chiyang sat at the head of the table.]

[First Senior Brother Xiao Yunfei and the other three sat below him, their wounds crudely bandaged.]

[No one touched the food on the table.]

[Everyone's eyes were pinned on you.]

[First Senior Brother Xiao Yunfei stood up while bracing himself against the table edge, raising a bowl of shaojiu with both hands.]

[He bowed deeply.]

["Junior Brother Shen, if not for you today, we would have all perished outside the city. This cup is to honor you for saving our lives."]

[Second Senior Brother Huo Feng and Disciple Nangong Yue followed suit, raising their large bowls.]

["Thank you for severing Demon King Gu Sha's arm. Junior Brother Quji's grudge can be considered settled now." Second Senior Brother Huo Feng's eyes were red.]

[You sat steadily, not rising.]

[You simply picked up the bowl of shaojiu in front of you and tapped it heavily against the solid wood tabletop.]

["Three Senior Brothers and Senior Sister, if it were any other fellow disciples, I would have made the same strike."]

["Even if it were a rogue cultivator from the Eastern Region whom I didn't know, if they didn't retreat before the array, I would still save them."]

[You scanned their faces.]

["Enough people have died in the Eastern Region. Every one that lives, counts."]

[After speaking, you tilted your head back and drained the wine.]

[First Senior Brother Xiao Yunfei and the other two said no more, tilting their heads back to pour the strong liquor down their throats.]

[Mo Yunfeng sat huddled opposite you, holding half a bowl of porridge, his head almost buried in his chest.]

[He glanced at Ling Qingmeng diagonally across from him.]

["Senior Sister Qingmeng... I completely lost face for Fenglei Hall today. My lightning arts were a joke against Demon King Lei Yuan."]

[Ling Qingmeng held her bamboo chopsticks, picking apart a piece of diced pickle.]

["He is a Nascent Soul, and you are a Golden Core. Being able to trade a few blows and still sit here drinking porridge means you're lucky to be alive."]

[She didn't look at Mo Yunfeng.]

["As long as your life remains, your lightning arts remain. Heal your wounds and continue striking tomorrow."]

[Mo Yunfeng gripped his porridge bowl tightly and nodded heavily.]

[Adept Chiyang set his empty bowl on the table with a light thud.]

["Demon King Gu Sha's arm is severed and its origin is damaged; it won't be able to cause trouble for a short while. Today's venting of frustration was satisfying."]

["But the deadly ones are Han Ji and Lie Yan." Daoist Qingxu chimed in from the side, his brow furrowed.]

["Their combined Ice and Fire Same-Origin attack is something even the Sect Leader's Great Perfection cultivation couldn't withstand. It's entirely suppressed by rules, regardless of the depth of one's spiritual power."]

[Ling Qingmeng put down her chopsticks.]

["Then disrupt them."]

[Adept Chiyang gave a bitter smile and shook his head.]

["How can they be separated? Those two are life-bound Dao companions; they never stray more than ten feet from each other on the battlefield."]

["Unless..."]

[He stopped.]

[Everyone looked up at the same time, their gazes converging on you.]

[Unless someone could open a separate path and forcibly drag one of them away.]

[And they must pose a fatal threat, forcing the other to return for defense.]

[A Mid Golden Core Stage going to solo a full-status Nascent Soul Demon King?]

[You lifted the wine jar from the table and poured yourself a second bowl.]

[You raised it.]

[You drained it.]

[The coarse porcelain wine bowl slammed down, settling on the wooden table.]