Chapter 494 : Confrontation on the Treasure Ship

Nevertheless, as a figure who had attained the True Lord [a title for a powerful cultivator who has reached the Nascent Soul realm] realm, he naturally harbored no fear towards the three Demonic Path [practitioners who follow dark, unorthodox cultivation methods] True Lord. His gaze turned grim as he spoke, "By blocking my Zhang Clan Treasure Boat [a large, enchanted vessel used for travel and transport], do you three intend to detain me here?"

"Heh—"

The Bloodbone Elder Demon let out a cold sneer, his eyes icy. "Hand over the treasure boat and all the valuables on board," he stated flatly, "and we will naturally let you depart."

"So there is no room for negotiation."

With those words from Daoist Daoxuan, the Enlightened Sage, he raised a hand in command. Instantly, the Defensive Formation [a complex magical array designed for protection] mounted upon the treasure ship flared to life.

One by one, Golden Core Cultivator [practitioners who have formed a solidified core of spiritual power within their bodies] manned the Demon-Hunting Crossbow [large, enchanted ballistae designed to target powerful demonic beasts] and Demon-Slaying Cannon [massive magical cannons capable of unleashing devastating blasts], their weapons trained upon the several Demonic Cultivator [cultivators who have embraced demonic arts] True Lord.

This vessel was armed with forty-nine Demon-Hunting Crossbow, each one of Fourth Rank High Grade [a classification denoting a very high level of power and refinement]. Their projectiles packed a force comparable to a full-power strike from a Golden Core Great Perfection [a cultivator at the absolute peak of the Golden Core realm] expert.

The Demon-Slaying Cannon were even more formidable. Rated at Fifth Rank Low Grade [a rank signifying power suitable for threatening Nascent Soul realm beings], a full-powered blast from one was potent enough to seriously injure a Nascent Soul True Lord [a cultivator whose spirit has ascended to form an independent Nascent Soul, a major milestone].

Alas, the exorbitant cost of forging Demon-Slaying Cannon meant the ship carried only three of them—a number that felt somewhat insufficient.

These Demon-Slaying Cannon were ill-suited for tracking agile Nascent Soul True Lord; they were far more effective for bombarding stationary Spirit Mountain [mountains imbued with concentrated spiritual energy] or Demonic Monsters [powerful, often malevolent, beasts that have cultivated demonic power] strongholds. Against the three demons, they served primarily as a deterrent. Experience the full epic at audio-novel .c om.

Yet even so, the three elder demons revealed wary expressions, weaving through the void as streaks of demonic radiance, unwilling to let the Demon-Slaying Cannon [a powerful cannon designed to slay demonic beings] lock onto their forms.

The Whitebone Elder Demon transformed into a rainbow-like streak, his voice a chilling wave that swept across the void: "Having traversed hundreds of millions of Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] through the void, I wonder how much spiritual energy remains on your treasure ship to fire that cannon a few more times?"

"You are welcome to test it!"

Daoist Daoxuan, the Enlightened Sage sneered coldly even as he ordered the treasure ship to press forward. If he could avoid a fight, he was still unwilling to clash with these three fiends.

After two days of relentless pursuit, the Blackbone Elder Demon finally lost patience. His form shot forth like a crimson comet, closing to within several thousand Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] before unleashing a blood-red demonic blade in a devastating slash.

"The Blood-Transmuting Demon Blade!"

A cold glint flashed in Daoist Daoxuan, the Enlightened Sage's eyes. With a flick of his sleeve, he summoned forth a deep azure immortal sword to meet the attack.

The immortal sword was inlaid with seven dazzling treasure pearls, their radiant patterns of Dao runes [mystical symbols representing fundamental cosmic principles] erupting with prismatic light. Astonishingly, it forced the infamous Blood-Transmuting Demon Blade [a demonic blade that corrupts and transmutes the blood of its victims], a weapon of great renown among Demonic Cultivators [practitioners who use malevolent and corrupting energies to cultivate power], onto the defensive.

"It's the Seven Stars Demon-Refining Sword [a sword imbued with the power of seven stars, specifically designed to refine and destroy demonic essence]!"

Eldrin Chen's gaze sharpened. Daoist Daoxuan, the Enlightened Sage's Seven Stars Demon-Refining Sword possessed formidable power; it was a rare and potent Demon-Subduing Immortal Sword [a class of immortal swords specifically forged to suppress and vanquish demonic forces].

Almost simultaneously, Bloodbone Elder Demon and Whitebone Elder Demon struck in unison, surging towards the treasure boat to breach its Defensive Formation [a protective energy barrier].

Whitebone Elder Demon was intercepted by Daoist Daoxuan, the Enlightened Sage, who unleashed the Thousand-Demon Slaying Sword [a sword artifact renowned for vanquishing demons]. Meanwhile, Bloodbone Elder Demon continued its relentless assault.

"We cannot let it get any closer!"

The Human Race cultivators aboard the vessel were alarmed. If a Nascent Soul Demonic Cultivator [a powerful demonic practitioner at the Nascent Soul stage] closed in, the spiritual energy reserves powering the boat's defenses would not last long.

Immediately, they all sprang into action, activating the Demon-Hunting Crossbow [a massive crossbow designed to target demonic beasts] and firing the Demon-Slaying Cannon [a cannon that fires concentrated blasts of energy to destroy demons].

Yet, the Bloodbone Elder Demon twisted and weaved with uncanny agility, evading the barrage of attacks in the blink of an eye.

The first shot from the Demon-Slaying Cannon missed its mark!

The second blast from the Demon-Slaying Cannon also flew wide!

A third projectile from the Demon-Slaying Cannon soared through the air, seemingly on target to strike the Bloodbone Elder Demon, but it merely shattered a clump of bloody bones left in its wake.

"It used the Bloodbone Substitution Art [a sinister technique that allows the user to evade fatal blows by sacrificing a pre-prepared bone construct]!"

"Disaster!"

As the Bloodbone Elder Demon closed in, a collective dread settled in the hearts of the group.

At that moment, Eldrin Chen and Lyra Jiang exchanged a glance, finally abandoning all pretense of concealment.

In a flash, Lyra Jiang made her move. She summoned the Heaven's Ruin Immortal-Slaying Sword and sent it soaring through the air, its blade aimed directly at the Bloodbone Elder Demon.

"Beware! It's the Demon-Subduing Immortal Sword [a legendary sword forged specifically to vanquish demonic entities]!"

The Bloodbone Elder Demon's eyes widened in alarm. His form jerked to a halt, narrowly evading the lethal strike. Your portal to cultivation novels: audio-novel*com.

Yet, Eldrin Chen struck simultaneously, unleashing the Triad Divine Thunder [a devastating lightning technique that harnesses the power of Heaven, Earth, and Man] against the foe.

Cornered and with no room to maneuver, the Bloodbone Elder Demon had no time to dodge. In an instant, he raised a hand, summoning a crimson Demonic Banner. From its depths, countless blood-red phantoms surged forth to meet the attack.

This Demonic Banner was the Bloodbone Elder Demon's Lifebound Demonic Treasure [a demonic artifact bound to its wielder's very soul and life force]. Known as the Blood Malignancy Demonic Banner, it was a particularly vile Demonic Treasure.

Crafted from human skin and tempered with the blood of countless members of the Human Race, this artifact had now ascended to the Fifth Rank Realm. One could only imagine the ocean of carnage and suffering required to forge such a thing.

"Audacious Demonic Monsters [malevolent creatures born of demonic energy]!"

The moment he saw that Demonic Banner [a sinister flag imbued with demonic power], Eldrin Chen's gaze erupted with killing intent. He immediately channeled more Mana [the spiritual energy cultivated and wielded by practitioners], splitting the Triad Divine Thunder [a divine ability that conjures three simultaneous heavenly thunderbolts] into three thousand bolts of divine lightning that cascaded down.

Three thousand thunderbolts transformed into a sea of lightning, inundating everything in a sky-blotting deluge, reducing the countless blood phantoms to ashes of calamity.

This Pure Yang Divine Thunder [a divine thunder technique of pure yang energy, supremely effective against darkness] Great Divine Ability [a powerful, signature supernatural technique] was the ultimate counter to such Demonic Treasure [an artifact forged and empowered by demonic arts]. With a single devastating strike, it grievously wounded Bloodbone Elder Demon's Demonic Banner, refining and purging the majority of its blood phantoms.

"Ah! My Demonic Treasure!"

Witnessing his blood phantom banner crippled, Bloodbone Elder Demon let out a shrill cry. He immediately unleashed a barrage of Divine Ability [supernatural techniques powered by profound cultivation] attacks, desperate to breach the Formation [a structured arrangement of energy nodes and patterns used for defense, attack, or cultivation] and slay Eldrin Chen.

However, Lyra Jiang had long been prepared. With another swift sword stroke, she summoned forth the Golden Rhino Immortal Sword [a legendary immortal-grade sword], its blade finding its mark on Bloodbone Elder Demon in that very instant.

Yet, the Bloodbone Elder Demon proved formidable indeed. In a flash, his form dissolved into a swirling mass of blood and bone, rematerializing a distance away.

"Bloodbone Substitution Art [a forbidden demonic technique that uses a prepared bone and blood construct to take a fatal blow in the user's place]?"

Lyra Jiang's eyes narrowed. She summoned the Twofold Divine Radiance [a divine ability that manifests two beams of binding, purifying light] to ensnare him, then channeled the Ethereal Void Five Calamities Radiance [a devastating divine light technique that embodies five distinct cosmic calamities] and launched it forward. "Let us see how many substitutes you have left!" she declared, her voice sharp as a honed blade.

The vast and mighty Great Divine Ability descended once more, shattering Bloodbone Elder Demon into fragments. Yet, in the next instant, he reappeared deep within the void.

Seeing this demon could not be slain, Daoist Daoxuan, the Enlightened Sage cautioned, "Though his combat prowess ranks last among the three fiends, his ability to preserve his life is arguably the greatest."

"If the void cannot be sealed, we are merely wasting our Mana [the spiritual energy cultivated and wielded by practitioners]. We will never be able to truly slay him."

"Oh?"

Eldrin Chen's eyes snapped open with sudden clarity. He immediately summoned the Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void. A beam of mirror-light shot forth, firmly pinning Bloodbone Elder Demon in place within the void.

"Now!"

In that very moment, Lyra Jiang struck again. She unleashed the Heaven's Ruin Immortal-Slaying Sword, its blade sweeping down to cleave Bloodbone Elder Demon in two.

As the immortal sword descended upon him, Bloodbone Elder Demon felt a wave of mortal peril surge through his being. He desperately tried to channel his Mana and activate a Divine Ability [a profound supernatural power cultivated through esoteric arts] to flee. Yet, he found the very void around him had congealed, rendering him momentarily immobile.

In his panic, he cried out, "Senior Brother, save me!"

"Hmph—"

In that fleeting instant, the Whitebone Elder Demon finally made his move.

His eyes snapped open with sudden focus. Suppressing Daoist Daoxuan, the Enlightened Sage, he then turned his aid towards Bloodbone Elder Demon.

Contrary to all expectations, the treasure he summoned was not the Skeletal Demon Skull that Eldrin Chen had anticipated, but a sword of pure, dazzling white—an Immortal Sword.

The blade shimmered with an aura of Virtuous Righteousness Qi [a righteous and pure energy cultivated by virtuous practitioners]. With a resonant *clang*, it effortlessly parried the Heaven's Ruin Immortal-Slaying Sword.

"That is... the Hundred Spirit Immortal-Slaying Sword!"

Eldrin Chen's pupils contracted slightly in recognition, understanding the sword's formidable lineage in that single glance.

The Hundred Spirit Immortal-Slaying Sword and the Thousand-Demon Slaying Sword were a pair, one born of sinister craft, the other of demonic fury. In the past, Eldrin Chen had obtained the methods to forge both. To slay the Demonic Tribe, he had crafted the Thousand-Demon Slaying Sword, yet he had never attempted to refine its counterpart, the Hundred Spirit Immortal-Slaying Sword. The complete novel can be found at audio‑novel.com.