2. Jian Hong's Clever Plan

"But how can I do it?" Just as Jian Hong was pondering how to deal with the demon, a sect member was thrown far away. Fortunately, a few demon souls that had been trapped within the formation were locked in place until the formation dissipated.

"Elder!" Seeing Wu Hao hurtling toward the ruins of the sect's gate, Jian Hong quickly dashed forward, shielding the old man's body with his own.

Jian Hong let his back crash against the gate, sustaining injuries and coughing up blood. Despite his own pain, his concern for Wu Hao, who appeared gravely weakened, remained paramount. "Elder, I'll take you back to the sect. Your wounds need treatment."

But as Jian Hong tried to help Wu Hao up, the elder refused. "If I leave, who will drive them away? As an elder, I won't let our sect be destroyed so easily."

"But your strength is almost depleted. You used so much cultivation energy to create that formation. Even though some powerful demons couldn't be sealed, at least it reduced their numbers," Jian Hong argued, his voice trembling with worry.

The elderly man, his hair completely white and his face etched with wrinkles, was known for his sternness toward Jian Hong. Yet without Wu Hao's guidance, Jian Hong was certain he wouldn't have reached his current level of skill.

Despite Jian Hong's pleas, Wu Hao remained resolute. With Jian Hong's support, he stood once again. Closing his eyes, Wu Hao extended both arms as a golden light enveloped his body. A divine golden pagoda then emerged from his chest.

Seeing the artifact up close for the first time, Jian Hong furrowed his brows. "Elder, is that the Divine Golden Tower?"

"Indeed. I've never found a reason to use this before, but given our dire situation, I have no other choice. This pagoda will accelerate my recovery and its divine energy will suppress the dark power of the demons," Wu Hao explained, his gaze fixed on the demons wreaking havoc among the sect members.

"The Divine Golden Tower consumes even more cultivation energy than the Tri-Seal Soul Formation. Elder, in your current state, please don't push yourself," Jian Hong pleaded.

"I have no choice," Wu Hao replied curtly before glaring at Jian Hong. "Or would you rather wait until every single sect member is dead?"

Jian Hong shook his head, panic creeping into his expression. But he also knew that resolving one crisis by inviting another was not a solution. "Elder, I've been observing their movements during the fight. From what I've seen, we can defeat them without the Divine Golden Tower. But I need your help."

Wu Hao looked at Jian Hong skeptically. "Do you think your plan is more effective than my Divine Golden Tower?"

"I don't know, but it's worth a try," Jian Hong said with conviction, his eyes filled with determination. He silently prayed that Wu Hao would trust him.

"Fool! Why are you standing here while the others are fighting the demons?" came a sharp voice. It was Han Feng, an 18-year-old known for his luxurious and flamboyant appearance. He had been standing atop the sect's rooftop earlier.

Rather than taking offense, Jian Hong turned to him. "You're here just in time. I'll need your help."

Han Feng smirked arrogantly, crossing his arms. "Help? If I'm going to assist the sect, I'll do it alone and claim the glory as its hero."

"I don't care who gets the glory, but it's crucial that we save the Tian Ba Sect. I know you don't like me, but there are still many people in the sect that you care about," Jian Hong responded calmly.

---

Jian Hong sprinted with all his might, placing himself between his senior brother and a fire demon about to strike. He confronted Kulou Emo head-on. "Your fight is with me! You will not harm my senior, nor destroy our sect!"

Without waiting, Jian Hong swung his sword toward the demon's head. But the demon dodged effortlessly and let out a mocking laugh. "I thought you were dead. So, you want to die at my hands after all? Fine, consider it an honor."

The demon inhaled deeply, releasing a fiery blast from its mouth. Jian Hong deflected the attack with his sword, redirecting the flames. "I may not be able to cultivate, but that doesn't mean I can't defeat an enemy," he said confidently.

With a swift move, Jian Hong leapt forward and kicked the demon hard in the chest, sending it staggering back. Enraged at being humiliated, the demon roared, its voice echoing through the forest and scattering the birds perched in the trees.

Although Tian Ba hovered in the sky, it was surrounded by dense forests. These verdant woods, rarely visited by humans, were harmonious with nature and teeming with life—something Jian Hong was determined to protect.

"You dare challenge me, a demon with millennia of cultivation? I'll show you the true power of darkness!" roared the demon.

As the demon charged toward him, Jian Hong turned and ran. He darted through the forest, forcing Kulou Emo to unleash fire along the way. "Where do you think you're going, weakling? Even if you hide in a mole's burrow, I'll find you!" the demon bellowed, its fiery breath scorching the terrain.

Jian Hong deftly avoided the flames, even as a blazing boulder rolled toward him. He leapt onto a tree, allowing the boulder to pass beneath. It wasn't until he noticed smoke on his left arm that he realized the flames had grazed him.

"Dammit! At this rate, the demon will catch up before I reach the spring. I need to think of something," Jian Hong muttered.

With a sharp swing of his sword, he felled a large tree, letting it crash down on the demon. The tree burst into flames almost instantly, consumed by the demon's fiery aura.

"I hate to harm nature, but I have no choice," Jian Hong lamented as he watched the flames spread through the forest. "Every living thing has a soul, even plants. But this demon must be stopped."

The demon's agonized scream broke through Jian Hong's thoughts, the sound reverberating across the battlefield. Sect members, wounded and weary, paused their fights to glance toward the forest, where smoke rose ominously.

"Look at that smoke! Is another demon attacking?" one of them asked.

Before the skull-headed demon could escape the flames, Jian Hong sprinted toward the spring. Leaping from tree to tree, he pushed his body to its limits. "I don't use inner strength. Everything I've done so far relies purely on my physical ability. But I can't stop until this is over," he told himself.

His legs felt like they could give out at any moment, but Jian Hong pressed on. Using his sword, he cleared through dense foliage and overgrown roots. Minutes later, he reached the edge of a cliff, where a magnificent waterfall cascaded into a clear river below. Legends spoke of this river being formed from the tears of the Rain God's daughter.

Jian Hong stood mesmerized by the breathtaking scene. "Another piece of nature's beauty that I'll have to defile. Forgive me, Goddess, for tainting your sacred site. But I hope you'll understand my reason."

The ground began to tremble, the demon's heavy footsteps drawing nearer. When Jian Hong turned, the furious Kulou Emo was already glaring at him. "Done playing games, weakling?" the demon snarled.

"Playing games?" Jian Hong smirked. "I'm just getting started." With a serious expression, he yelled, "Now!"

A gentle breeze swept through the stones embedded in the demon's body. Moments later, the demon erupted in laughter. "Is this your plan? A mere breeze to stop me? Foolish boy, you'll learn what it means to face a real demon."

Unperturbed, Jian Hong crossed his arms and replied calmly, "Just wait and feel it for yourself."

Seconds later, the demon's laughter turned to confusion as heat built up within its body. It began writhing, its movements erratic. "What's happening? Why does it feel like my own fire is burning me from within?"

"It's not something leaving your body," Jian Hong said, his voice steely. "It's something that's about to explode."

In an instant, the demon's body detonated, sending shards of stone flying in all directions. A protective formation shielded Jian Hong from the debris. When he opened his eyes, he saw Han Feng standing before him, a folding fan in his left hand.

Jian Hong smiled faintly. "Thank you, Senior Han."

Han Feng scoffed, waving his fan nonchalantly. "I wouldn't let anyone harm a member of my sect—not if it ruins my heroic image."

Jian Hong nodded, accustomed to Han Feng's conceited demeanor. However, the flaming essence of the demon began to coalesce nearby. It snarled weakly, "How did you manage this? How can mere wind destroy millennia of cultivation?"

Han Feng smirked again. "You think it was just ordinary wind? Well, it actually was. But credit where it's due—Jian Hong had already planted a Sky Lightning Flower in you earlier. When activated by the wind from my Seven-Pattern Fan, it became an unstoppable force."