Hu Tao: "Ten thousand? My heavens... did I read that right? You have to kill that monster ten thousand times to actually end him? This isn't even a team mission. That is terrifying..."
Everyone finally understood why the mission was ranked Five Stars. It was a solo endeavor with a complexity that bordered on the impossible.
Su Han: "More than that. Youquan Blood Demon is actually two entities fused into one. Plus, the Red Corpse Demon Lord is an incredibly powerful threat. This 30th-level promotion is no joke. It is a genuine Xianxia world: cruel, lethal, and prone to devouring souls at the flick of a finger."
Rosalyne: "Even as we get stronger, a foe like this is a challenge. If it were a team raid, I'd be the first to jump in. After all, a demon lord can't be more terrifying than the depths of the Abyss, can he?"
Lisa: "With our top combatants, we'd stand a chance. That disciple, Dan Chenzi, was only possessed because he was caught off guard. If we provide the intel ahead of time, the possession shouldn't happen. Right, Su Han?"
Ningguang: "Information is the bedrock of victory. Not knowing your enemy's tricks leads to calculation errors. It is only natural."
Yae Miko: "I saw the file you uploaded. This Grandmaster Longbrow seems quite capable. If we coordinate with him and his Haotian Mirror, wouldn't that tip the scales?"
Su Han: "Er... you mean that old man who 'packed his bags and ran'? As soon as he realized he couldn't handle the monster in the Blood Spring, he just ascended to a higher plane and left everyone behind."
Xiangling: "..."
Eula: "..."
Diluc: "How shameless... to abandon his people and just flee. No wonder the Emei sect suffered such losses. This 'Longbrow' is no saint."
Zhongli: "How much power is required to directly shatter the Blood Spring?"
He didn't like being reactive. If there was a way to end the mission early, he preferred the direct approach.
Su Han: "You can't. That place is where the demon god Chiyou fell. Entering it would put you at a severe disadvantage. I suspect the focal point will be the day the Blood Demon truly emerges. But remember one thing, Mr. Zhongli..."
Zhongli: "What is it?"
Su Han: "Scavenge. Scavenge everything."
In a true cultivation world, leaving without loot was a sin.
Zhongli: "Ahem... Understood. Rest assured, if I can bring it back, I will."
[The World of Soaring Swords]
Zhongli accepted the mission, gripped the Xuanyuan Sword, and vanished in a pillar of golden light. The live stream flickered to life for the rest of the group.
On Mount Emei, the situation was dire.
Xuan Tianzong had entered a state of rebirth but had been reduced to a charred husk. The sect was leaderless, Dan Chenzi was possessed, and only a mid-level disciple named Duan Lei was left to lead the desperate defense against the Red Corpse's demonic minions.
"Damn it... the Senior Brother has fallen. What do we have left?" Duan Lei shouted. His master had fled, his allies were gone, and his Dao heart was fracturing.
"Run! I'll hold them back!"
Duan Lei lunged forward, his sword blurring into a thousand phantoms. But no matter how many times he cut the demons, they simply reformed. The gap in power was a literal chasm between heaven and earth.
Just as a demon was about to tear through Duan Lei's throat, a terrifying arc of fiery sword qi vaporized three monsters instantly. The destruction was so absolute they had no chance to regenerate.
Duan Lei looked up in ecstasy. "Eldest Senior Sister! You're here!"
Li Yingqi, the master of the Heavenly Hit Sword, landed gracefully. "Where are the others?"
"Most were killed... only a few survived. It is my fault, I couldn't protect them."
"Stay back," Li Yingqi said firmly. "I'll handle this."
She unleashed the power of the Heavenly Hit Sword. The monsters, despite their shifting forms, couldn't withstand the destructive aura of the blade and were turned to dust.
[The Observer]
On a distant peak, Zhongli watched the battle. As usual, he observed the laws of this world before intervening.
"Interesting techniques," he mused. "The speed is incredible: truly a top-tier artifact. Their 'Sword Kinesis' follows a different school than the one Su Han taught. I wonder if I can acquire their refinement manuals..."
He could see that the girl's power came 90% from the artifact itself. Without the Heavenly Hit Sword, Li Yingqi's raw cultivation was nothing special.
As Li Yingqi approached the unconscious Dan Chenzi to check on him, a foul, black miasma erupted from his forehead. The Red Corpse Demon Lord manifested.
"Hehehe... little thing. You're the one holding the Heavenly Hit Sword, aren't you? Youquan is a fool for hiding in the spring, but I? I've brought Emei to its knees! Your soul looks much tastier than this Dan Chenzi fellow's!"
Li Yingqi tried to retreat, but her body was paralyzed by the demon's spiritual pressure. As the Red Corpse reached out to pluck her soul, a golden light descended from the heavens.
The aura was so pure and holy that the Red Corpse shrieked in agony. "ARGH! What is this?!"
Zhongli descended slowly, the Xuanyuan Sword in his hand radiating a light that forced the darkness back.
"Thank you, Senior, for saving me!" Li Yingqi gasped, catching her breath.
"It was no trouble," Zhongli replied, his voice calm. "However, I have a small request. Would you permit me to browse the archives of your Emei Sect?"
Li Yingqi hesitated. Browsing secret scrolls was a major taboo. But she looked at the ruins of her home and the demon before her. "If Senior can eliminate this monster, the archives are yours to take."
Zhongli nodded. He pointed the Xuanyuan Sword toward the Red Corpse.
Demon Lord?
Against the Holy Blade of Humanity, even the resurrection of Chiyou wouldn't suffice. A single golden ripple of sword qi expanded, and the Red Corpse was erased from existence.
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