Chapter 146: Slaying the Fire Phoenix Demon

Boom!

A deafening explosion shattered the ancient trees along the edge of the dense forest, reducing them to splinters.

The heavily wounded Fire Phoenix Demon, no longer able to maintain its human form, reverted to its true demonic beast form. With a ferocious roar, utterly devoid of fear, it unleashed a deafening screech.

In the next instant, its massive form flickered, leaving only a fleeting afterimage as it vanished from the barrage of lethal attacks.

This was the Fire Phoenix Demon's innate divine ability.

Whoosh!

The giant demon reappeared a hundred meters away, landing beside a youth preparing to cross the sea. Beside the youth lay the charred remains of an unidentifiable object, still smoldering.

The youth was none other than Han Yi.

Though momentarily stunned, Han Yi swiftly regained his composure.

What an unbelievable coincidence.

The instant the giant demon materialized, Han Yi's senses surged with primal alertness.

Danger.

This was a Demon Cultivator who had endured a prolonged siege. Even gravely wounded, its immense power could not be underestimated. Han Yi couldn't afford a moment's complacency.

Like the law of the dark forest, Han Yi knew the giant demon wouldn't spare him simply because he didn't attack first.

Such foolish hope would be surrendering his fate to another's mercy.

The only correct course—indeed, the only way to survive—was to kill it, to pour every ounce of his strength into slaying it without reservation.

Kill or be killed.

Xue He's carelessness had cost him his life, and Han Yi wasn't about to make the same mistake, even with less than ten breaths passed.

His reaction was instantaneous.

The Green Ripple Sword, barely sheathed, leaped forth again, its dark cyan light flashing so quickly that the blade became almost invisible.

At the same moment, a second Top-Grade Magic Artifact materialized in Han Yi's hand: the Golden Light Shuttle.

A golden beam swept forth, carving a radiant golden rainbow across the shore, arcing straight from Han Yi's palm toward the Fire Phoenix Demon.

But that wasn't all.

Two Spirit Talismans appeared in his grasp—a Divine Annihilation Talisman and a Yin Thunder Talisman. As they ignited simultaneously, a wave of mystical energy surged from Han Yi's fingertips, sweeping forward.

In that instant, Han Yi unleashed his full power, far surpassing even his peak in the mysterious realm. His current strength dwarfed even what he had displayed moments before when killing Xue He.

Meanwhile, the Fire Phoenix Demon hadn't chosen its landing spot randomly after activating its Innate Divine Ability. It had deliberately targeted the isolated human cultivator by the shore, sensing that his aura was significantly weaker than those of the approaching group.

Killing him would be effortless.

Why not add another human to the kill count in the blink of an eye? The Fire Phoenix Demon eagerly seized the opportunity.

The Fire Phoenix Demon didn't even bother turning his head. A fiery red, blood-stained tail lashed out, tearing through the air with a deafening sonic boom.

He expected the strike to pulverize these fragile human cultivators, just as it always had. Most of the blood staining his fur came from those he had bitten, crushed, or whipped to death.

But...

In the next instant,

A golden light flashed in the corner of his eye. It moved with incredible speed, already beneath his eyelid by the time he noticed it. Startled, the Fire Phoenix Demon darted forward.

Boom!

The golden light sliced through the air, severing a portion of the giant demon's tail.

A sharp pain shot through his tail. The Fire Phoenix Demon knew his formidable Demon Body had been wounded.

Rage surged through him. He whirled around, ready to unleash a roar powerful enough to shatter the cultivator's skull with its sonic force.

But at that moment, an invisible wave targeting his Divine Soul swept through his mind. Even with his evolved Demon Sense, the pain was excruciating, but he suppressed it instantly.

Normally, this wouldn't have mattered. But now, it proved fatal.

The void cracked open with a thunderous boom. Lightning erupted from thin air, crashing down on the giant demon as chaotic arcs of electricity danced across his form.

However, the Fire Phoenix Demon, now a Demon Cultivator, merely staggered under the Yin Thunder Talisman's devastating strike. A few bloodstains appeared on its fur, but the attack was far from fatal.

Roar!!

The Fire Phoenix Demon roared skyward in pain under the Divine Annihilation Talisman. The Yin Thunder Talisman caused a momentary numbness throughout its body, lasting less than a kshana.

But that fleeting instant was all Han Yi needed.

At that precise moment, a sliver of cyan-black light flashed into the Giant Demon's copper bell-like eyes. The light streaked downward, and before the creature could register more than a slight itch on its eyelid, its skull erupted in a violent tremor.

A beam of sword light pierced through its lower jaw, plunged over three meters into the earth, and finally halted its descent upon striking a massive boulder.

Han Yi gasped for breath as he retreated ten meters in an instant, his momentum carrying him further backward.

As he retreated, he casually beckoned. The Green Ripple Sword shattered a section of the boulder, creating a fissure, then shot upward from the ground with a whoosh and returned to its sheath on his back.

To recap:

From the moment the Giant Demon unleashed its Innate Divine Ability and fled over a hundred meters from the pursuing Legendary Cultivators, until it arrived at Han Yi's side...

As the Giant Demon lashed out again, Han Yi unleashed his full power. The Golden Light Shuttle, Divine Annihilation Talisman, and Yin Thunder Talisman activated in quick succession. The Giant Demon dodged the Golden Light Shuttle but was struck head-on by two First-Tier High-Grade Spirit Talismans. Writhing in pain, it roared skyward as its Demon Body went numb.

The Green Ripple Sword descended from the heavens, piercing through the Giant Demon's eye and shattering its brain. It emerged from its jaw, plunging straight into the earth.

This entire sequence took only three finger snaps. In that brief time, the pursuing Legendary Qi Refining cultivators had closed the hundred-meter gap, their killing blows poised to rain down on the Giant Demon. Yet they abruptly halted their attacks.

Slaying a fallen Demon Cultivator would hardly earn them any glory.

Han Yi's rapid retreat served two purposes: to guard against the Giant Demon's potential resurgence and to avoid being caught in the crossfire when the other Legendary Qi Refining cultivators launched their assaults.

Then, at that moment, a phantom figure materialized from the Giant Demon's head wound—a miniature version of the demon itself. This Demon Soul materialized instantly, spreading its malevolent aura before twisting its face into a ferocious grimace as it lunged toward Han Yi.

"The Fire Phoenix Demon's Demon Soul—now that's a valuable prize."

A voice echoed from the heavens. The lunging Demon Soul froze mid-air, as if tethered by an invisible force, then vanished upward as if sucked into the sky.

A figure clad in cyan robes descended slowly from the heavens, his overwhelming presence causing the hearts of all cultivators on the beach to tremble.

This was a Nascent Soul Stage True Monarch.

Han Yi stopped and bowed respectfully, as did the others. Even a Sword Immortal who had been soaring through the air on his sword landed to show his reverence.

"Greetings, True Monarch Gu Xi," Su Wanqing and another Legendary Cultivator from the Myriad Stars Sea said in unison, bowing deeply.

True Monarch Gu Xi nodded, his gaze sweeping across the crowd before settling on the corpse of the Fire Phoenix Demon and then on Han Yi, who had retreated further than the rest.

"Which sect's disciple are you?"

Han Yi looked up. "Reporting to the True Monarch, I am Han Yi of the Profound Pill Sect."

"The Profound Pill Sect of Shu Prefecture," True Monarch Gu Xi murmured, nodding in approval. "Impressive strength. This feat will be recorded as a major merit for you."

Without lingering, True Monarch Gu Xi soared back into the sky and vanished swiftly.

As soon as he departed, the Legendary Cultivators cast lingering glances at Han Yi, as if trying to etch his image into their minds, before dispersing.

Only the youthful cultivator carrying a massive blade approached. "I am Shen Yuan of the Grand Void Sect, Fellow Daoist Han. Your strength warrants my friendship. Should you ever visit the Grand Void Sect, I'll treat you to fine wine."

Without waiting for Han Yi's response, Shen Yuan hurled his massive blade into the sea, leaped onto it, and used it as a surfboard. He carved through the water faster than the waves themselves, streaking across the surface like a low-flying cannonball, churning the sea into roiling foam on either side.

In less than three breaths, the beach, once ravaged by turbulent Spirit Energy, regained its calm.

On the shore lay the colossal corpse of a Demon Beast. Nearby was a patch of charred black material, the remains of something recently burned to ash. Han Yi stood silently about fifty meters away.

On the opposite end of the beach, the Golden Light Shuttle had crashed into the edge of the dense forest, carving a three-meter-deep crater into the sand. Sand and pebbles cascaded down, burying the shuttle's nose, leaving only its golden tailfin gleaming in the sun.

Han Yi swiftly retrieved the Golden Light Shuttle, storing it in his Storage Pouch, before returning to the Giant Demon's corpse to ponder how to dispose of it.

Suddenly, an idea struck him.

!

His heart leaped with realization, and his face lit up with excitement.

"A Demon Core! Any Demon who has truly embarked on the path of Demon Cultivation must possess a Demon Core within their body!"

Han Yi resisted the urge to immediately extract the Demon Core from the Fire Phoenix Demon. The recent battle, coupled with his killing of Xue He from the Blood God Sect, made lingering unwise.

He emptied his primary Storage Pouch completely, finally making enough room to store the entire Demon Beast.

Next, Han Yi swept the area, repeatedly washing away the ashes of Xue He's remains with seawater. Without a meticulous search, no trace would remain.

Then, wielding the Green Ripple Sword, he crossed the sea. Midway, he discarded Xue He's Jade Ring into the waves.

Half a day later, Han Yi reached Island No. 18. Venturing into the forest, he found a secure tree hollow, activated the Jade Ring's tracking function, and finally settled into a meditative posture, exhaling in relief.

He began reviewing the day's events, from his first encounter with Su Wanqing to the appearance of the Sword Immortal, followed by Shen Yuan, Xue He, the Giant Demon, and finally the True Monarch.

The events on the beach of Island No. 19 had unfolded with astonishing speed, leaving Han Yi no other choice.

When Xue He tried to kill him, Han Yi had no choice but to strike first.

When the Giant Demon attempted to crush him, Han Yi had to fight with all his might, even using the Golden Light Shuttle and two First-Tier High-Grade Spirit Talismans.

Killing Xue He had been relatively easy, but facing the Fire Phoenix Demon, now a Demon Cultivator who had broken through to a higher realm, Han Yi fought with all his might, his heart pounding with anxiety.

After all, this was a Demon Cultivator with an Innate Divine Ability, and a speed-type one at that. If not for the temporary delay provided by the two Spirit Talismans, his Green Ripple Sword would never have been able to slay it.

Moreover, the Demon Soul that emerged from the Giant Demon's corpse proved equally troublesome. At that moment, Han Yi had no defensive measures prepared.

His Divine Sense was only at the Advanced Ninth Layer, far too weak to withstand a direct assault from the Demon Soul. If it had entered his body, it would have been fatal.

Fortunately, True Monarch Gu Xi, whose Daoist name was Gu Xi, arrived in time, effortlessly neutralizing the crisis.

"A Qi Refining Stage cultivator's Divine Soul is still too fragile," Han Yi mused. "After death, a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator can temporarily detach their Divine Soul from their body and even attempt soul-seizing secret arts. From now on, even when facing Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators I can kill, I must remain vigilant against this possibility."

"Upon returning to the Sect, I need to find an opportunity to practice a Divine Soul Secret Technique to ensure I won't be at a disadvantage in future Divine Soul battles with Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators."

"Aside from the Divine Soul, were there any other oversights in this battle?"

Han Yi repeatedly replayed the encounter in his mind, confirming that his responses had been optimal and thorough. Satisfied, he withdrew his thoughts.

No further incidents occurred.

Seven days later, the Jade Ring emitted a cyan light. Han Yi stood up and swiftly dashed out of the forest. Sure enough, a colossal Immortal Boat hovered in the void above.

Several cultivators who had arrived earlier were already waiting for the Immortal Boat. When Han Yi emerged from the forest, they glanced at him, but none approached. Han Yi found a quiet spot and settled in to wait.

Over the next hour, more cultivators emerged from the woodland. Fifteen minutes later, a Golden Core True Person descended on an Immortal Boat and ushered them aboard. The Immortal Boat transformed into a beam of light and soared toward another island.

Three days later, after collecting all the survivors, the Immortal Boat returned to the Myriad Stars Sea.

Onboard, the Qi Refining Stage disciples from the Profound Pill Sect who had participated in the Demon Slaying Assembly regrouped. Though there had been five of them on the journey here, only three remained: Han Yi, Zhao Ruida, and Shi Lengyan. They exchanged silent glances, their faces pale with dread.

There was no doubt: Fei Qing and Su Yan, who had gone missing, were likely dead, either slain by Demon Beasts or by other cultivators.

A forty percent casualty rate was appalling. No wonder Sect Leader Yuan Shun and Supreme Elder Zhuge Wuyou of the Profound Pill Sect had warned them of the mission's inherent dangers.

As Han Yi and his companions walked back to their courtyard in the Myriad Stars Sea, they encountered disciples from the Blood God Sect.

The Blood God Sect had sent eight Qi Refining Stage disciples to the Demon Slaying Assembly, including two Legendary Qi Refining cultivators. Yet when Han Yi saw them again, none were present. Among the missing was Zeng Zixuan, one of the Legendary Qi Refining cultivators.

The members of the two sects exchanged glances, their killing intent subtly concealed beneath a veneer of restraint. They refrained from immediate action, mindful of the delicate balance within the Myriad Stars Sea. Open aggression here would be seen as a blatant disregard for the sea's authority, a diplomatic faux pas neither sect could afford to make.

"Strange, Xue He is missing. Could he be dead?" Zhao Ruida raised an eyebrow, his initial puzzlement quickly morphing into a cold smirk. "Good riddance. The Blood God Sect only has two Legendary Qi Refining cultivators in this generation. Losing one would be a crippling blow."

Shi Lengyan frowned, her expression puzzled. "But who could possibly kill Xue He? Rumor has it he's even stronger than Han Xuxiao, the Blood God Sect's Legendary cultivator from the previous generation. Even if other Legendary Qi Refining experts couldn't defeat him, they could easily retreat unharmed."

"The only explanation must be a run-in with a Demon Cultivator," Zhao Ruida concluded. "I heard a Fire Phoenix Demon is wreaking havoc across the islands. Xue He might have crossed paths with it."

As she spoke, Shi Lengyan's face hardened. The death of a Blood God Sect cultivator naturally pleased the members of the Profound Pill Sect.

Back at the courtyard, the three continued their discussion.

"How did your expedition go, Junior Brother Han? Your cultivation seems to have improved again. Have you reached the Advanced Ninth Layer?" Zhao Ruida asked.

Zhao Ruida turned to Han Yi, a thought striking him. "What about you, Han Yi? Did you have a good haul this time?"

Han Yi nodded. "Indeed, quite substantial, in fact."

Simply slaying the Fire Phoenix Demon would have been a considerable achievement. True Monarch Gu Xi had promised to record it as a major contribution, a prospect Han Yi found himself anticipating.

As for the potential trouble that killing the Giant Demon and revealing his full strength might bring, such concerns had vanished the moment the Giant Demon materialized beside him, when his life hung in the balance. Besides, he'd had no other choice at the time.

"I was initially assigned to Island No. 7," Zhao Ruida recounted. "After slaying five Ninth-Tier Demon Beasts, the island was completely scoured. I had to move on to Island No. 8... By the end, I'd taken down thirty-seven Ninth-Tier beasts in total."

Shi Lengyan meticulously tallied her own kills. "I started on Island No. 36, where I eliminated three Demon Beasts, one of which possessed an Innate Divine Ability. Then, I traversed seven or eight nearby islands, slaying twenty-three more. Once, I encountered a beast on the verge of molting. Unable to defeat it, I fled—fortunately, I ran into a Legendary Disciple from the Scarlet Cloud Sword Sect. The Legendary battled the creature fiercely and ultimately struck it down with his sword."

After Shi Lengyan and Zhao Ruida finished speaking, they both turned to Han Yi.

Han Yi paused for a moment before replying, "I started on Island No. 19, where I killed three Ninth-Tier Demon Beasts. That gave me some insights, so I found a hollow tree and went into secluded cultivation. After a year and a half, I emerged and traveled to Island No. 18 before returning here."

"Just three Ninth-Tier beasts?" Zhao Ruida asked, surprised.

Han Yi nodded. The Fire Phoenix Demon didn't technically count as a Ninth-Tier Demon Beast; it had already reached the level of a Demon Cultivator. So, technically, his statement was accurate.

However, he didn't want word spreading that he could kill Demon Cultivators. Besides, claiming he had slain the Fire Phoenix Demon was only half the truth. The demon soul's final attack had been intercepted by a Nascent Soul True Monarch; otherwise, the outcome would have been uncertain.

Shi Lengyan glanced at Han Yi with a peculiar expression but said nothing.

After exchanging a few more words, the three returned to their respective courtyards to rest and recuperate.

Two weeks later, the cultivators who had ventured into the deep sea returned. Zhuge Wuyou led five Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators to greet them, but when they returned, only four of the Foundation Establishment cultivators remained.