Chapter 101: The Formidable Demon Emperor

Under that overwhelming force, Lan Lian-shuang was sent flying, immediately spitting out a mouthful of blood. She steadied herself, clutching her chest, her body covered in wounds. Her pale, delicate face was stained with grime and blood, making her appear utterly disheveled. Her power had originally been derived from a seal within her; now, having endured a strike from the Demon Emperor, that seal had been triggered, causing a backlash of agony. She teetered on the brink of unconsciousness several times, yet she fought to keep her mind clear, knowing that if she fell now, everyone would be doomed.

"Hahaha! Lan Lian-shuang, today you shall surely die. Once I seize your godhead, I will be able to transcend these accursed rules of heaven and earth! Hahaha!" The Demon Emperor seized the opportunity to strike, laughing boisterously. He thrust his Demon Dragon Spear downward, and instantly, a thousand spectral spear images enveloped her.

"Miss Lan, watch out!" Seeing this, Lin Ying was gripped with anxiety. He slammed his palm forward, manifesting a giant hand that struck out toward the Demon Emperor.

"Old fool, you cannot save her! She will die today, hahaha!" Facing the giant hand, the Demon Emperor felt no fear. He let out a laugh, swung his Demon Dragon Spear, and shattered the giant hand with a single stroke.

Witnessing this, Lin Ying’s expression grew grave. The Demon Emperor’s strength far exceeded his expectations. He had assumed that after reaching the peak of the Dao Extreme Realm, even if he couldn't defeat the Demon Emperor, he would at least be able to hold his own. Now, it was clear he had underestimated the monster's power.

Beneath the barrage of a thousand spears, Lan Lian-shuang was in critical danger; the spears descended as if to pierce her body through.

Yet, at that very moment, a figure appeared before her: it was Jiang Xiaofei. He struck out with his palm, manifesting a massive flame seal that blocked the thousand spears.

"You're here." Looking at the man standing before her to shield her from the storm, Lan Lian-shuang offered a smile, though it was pale and weary.

Jiang Xiaofei turned to her. "Don't speak. Let me heal you."

"It's useless," Lan Lian-shuang said, shaking her head. "My wounds are beyond repair; don't waste your spiritual power on me."

"No. As long as I am here, no one shall take your life." Jiang Xiaofei shook his head firmly, then moved his hand, channeling vast spiritual power into her body.

Seeing Jiang Xiaofei appear and neutralize his attack, the Demon Emperor was shocked. "No, this is impossible! How can you possibly be at the peak of the Dao Extreme Realm?"

Jiang Xiaofei ignored him, his gaze fixed as he continued to treat Lan Lian-shuang. Lin Ying was equally stunned by the aura Jiang Xiaofei displayed. Despite his shock, he quickly composed himself and laughed heartily. "Hahaha! Demon Emperor, we are now two warriors at the peak of the Dao Extreme Realm. How will you fight us? You are destined to lose this battle!"

"You..." The Demon Emperor’s face darkened. "Even if you have two at the peak of the Dao Extreme Realm, so what? Who wins and who loses in this battle is not yet decided."

"Is that so?" Lin Ying laughed. Feeling Jiang Xiaofei’s aura, his own spirit had shifted, and a burning desire for battle ignited within him. With a wave of his hand, a giant palm appeared, descending to shroud the Demon Emperor.

The giant palm descended with terrifying momentum, overturning the very void in that region. Facing this, the Demon Emperor felt the pressure. He narrowed his eyes and met the attack head-on with his Demon Dragon Spear. A thunderous roar shook the heavens, and the terrifying force of the impact rippled in all directions.

Below, Jiang Xiaofei labored to heal Lan Lian-shuang, his face grave, sweat beading on his forehead. Her injuries were severe; she had already suffered a backlash from her seal once at Fengtai Mountain, and now, having been forced to unseal her power a second time, combined with the recurrence of old wounds, her condition was dire. It was a compounding tragedy that even Jiang Xiaofei found exceptionally difficult to manage.

Fortunately, the magical power of the black and white energies temporarily suppressed the cold poison in her body, though the situation remained grim. Effectively, Lan Lian-shuang had lost her cultivation and would not recover for at least a year or more.

Lan Lian-shuang opened her eyes, whispering weakly, "Thank you for saving me again."

"It's nothing," Jiang Xiaofei replied, wiping the sweat from his brow, dismissing the matter.

Just then, Su Muhe approached. "Young Master Fei, that old man is about to reach his limit. Do you want Master Meng and me to step in?"

"If you go up there, you'll just be throwing your lives away. Let me handle it." Jiang Xiaofei shook his head, then turned to Lan Lian-shuang. "You two, take good care of her for me."

"Understood." Su Muhe and Meng Feixue nodded and immediately sat down beside Lan Lian-shuang.

Seeing them sit down, Lan Lian-shuang looked at Jiang Xiaofei with curiosity. "Who are these two?"

Jiang Xiaofei smiled. "They are my attendants; they just arrived to assist me."

"Just attendants?" A trace of imperceptible jealousy flickered in Lan Lian-shuang's eyes.

Jiang Xiaofei said no more. He rose and looked upward, where Lin Ying was locked in fierce combat with the Demon Emperor, though the Demon Emperor was steadily gaining the upper hand. Under the relentless assault, Lin Ying was forced into a constant retreat. Seeing this, Jiang Xiaofei flashed into existence beside him.

Seeing Jiang Xiaofei, Lin Ying let out a sigh of relief and smiled bitterly. "I am old and useless; I cannot even defeat the Demon Emperor and must rely on Brother Xiaofei’s help."

"It's fine. Leave the rest to me," Jiang Xiaofei said with a smile, then turned a cold, sharp gaze toward the Demon Emperor.

The Demon Emperor felt a tremor of fear under Jiang Xiaofei's stare. He sensed a familiar aura from him—one he recognized yet could not place, leaving him unable to believe it. He steadied his nerves and laughed. "Even if you are a master at the peak of the Dao Extreme Realm, that is far from enough to defeat me."

"Is that so?" Jiang Xiaofei sneered. He moved his palm, and a ball of Phoenix True Fire surged forth.

Seeing the flame in Jiang Xiaofei's hand, the Demon Emperor was aghast. "This is Phoenix True Fire! How could you possess it? Did you kill the Demon Star? This is impossible! This cannot be real; you must be trying to deceive me so I will retreat!"

"Heh! Then open your eyes wide and see if this is real Phoenix True Fire!" Jiang Xiaofei sneered, striking his palm forward. The fire transformed into a fireball, hurtling toward the Demon Emperor. The projectile felt like a scorching meteor, causing the very space it passed through to burn and distort.

Feeling the momentum carried by the fireball, the Demon Emperor’s expression turned grim, his disbelief deepening. "This is truly Phoenix True Fire! But how? How could you have killed the Demon Star?"

"Hahaha!" Jiang Xiaofei laughed. "Now, beneath the heaven-burning power of the Phoenix True Fire, you are doomed! Surrender now, and perhaps I shall spare your life."

"Hmph!" The Demon Emperor steeled himself. "Don't think that possessing Phoenix True Fire means you can defeat me. Since I was able to fight the Demon Star to a mutual destruction, I have ways to deal with you as well."

Hearing this, Jiang Xiaofei’s expression shifted. The Demon Emperor was indeed immensely powerful, and he had only obtained the Phoenix True Fire with the help of King Xiao. While he had temporarily reached the peak of the Dao Extreme Realm by borrowing the power of the Little Phoenix, he still lagged significantly behind the Demon Emperor, a master who had long since mastered that realm. The Demon Emperor’s hidden reserves were vast, far surpassing those of the Ghost Emperor. If he were pushed into a corner, there was no telling what trump cards he might reveal. Jiang Xiaofei had considered this; although he held no deep-seated hatred for the Demon Emperor, leaving him alive was a lingering threat.

"It seems I must use the power of the Heaven-Sealing Divine Talisman." Thinking this, Jiang Xiaofei prepared to summon the artifact. While exposing such a trump card would invite unnecessary trouble, it was the only power capable of subduing the Demon Emperor now.

However, at that moment, Lin Ying laughed. "Demon Emperor, it seems you have forgotten—you still have me to deal with!"