Gu Zhong was unwilling to elaborate too much, fearing that Ling Yan would discover the hardships involved, so he could only give a brief and impatient answer.
···
The two stood facing each other in silence for a long time.
Shouts of battle echoed from the battlefield between immortals and demons not far away, and the mountains and forests were terrified by the entanglement of magical combat.
The two tribes are fighting tooth and nail for their own future and survival.
Gu Zhong glanced in the direction of the battlefield; now was clearly not a good time for reminiscing or engaging in romantic conversation.
"Would you like to return to Star Luo Gate with me?"
Sensing Gu Zhong's desire to leave, even though she knew there was little hope, Ling Yan couldn't help but ask.
"What's the point of me replying now or not?"
Gu Zhong asked a question in return, leaving Ling Yan speechless.
Indeed, aside from soothing one's own troubled emotions, what difference does it make whether one cares about Xingluomen or not?
Moreover, with the battle raging, Gu Zhong and she will have to stay at Blood Phoenix Mountain for many more days.
After the matter of the Demon King was resolved and the situation eased for a moment, there was finally room to express many things.
“Ah Chong…”
It seemed as if there were a thousand words hidden in his heart to say, but in the end, they all came down to a single piece of advice.
"be safe."
"Thank you for your concern, Xingxuan-jun. You too..."
With a heavy heart, Gu Zhong left a thank you and hurriedly ran towards the battlefield she had intended to go to, as if he were fleeing in panic, as if something was chasing him.
Watching Gu Zhong's fleeing figure, Ling Yan sighed softly, pondered for a moment, and then headed in another direction.
—Manpower is needed everywhere. Before the Demon King fully awakens, the various sects of the immortals need to suppress the demon race as much as possible.
That night, Xia Xiange used astrology to predict that the Demon King would be born within five days.
For a moment, an atmosphere of solemnity and panic permeated the entire Blood Phoenix Mountain.
The demon race fought desperately to protect their demon king, sparing no effort, and prevented the immortal sects from stepping even a single step into the Blood Phoenix Mountain.
Even though the cultivators organized a fearless army to cover their exploration deeper into the land, they suffered heavy casualties and still failed to obtain any useful information, let alone find the location where the Demon King descended.
The Demon King was born, and his cultivation was comparable to that of a mortal immortal.
However, now that the immortal veins of the cultivation world have been severed, the highest level of cultivation is no more than the Tribulation Transcendence. Even if all the Tribulation Transcendence experts in the cultivation world were gathered together, there would be no guarantee that they could kill the Demon King.
The shadow of impending disaster hangs over the heads of the immortal sects at all times. If they cannot prevent the Demon King from descending to earth, then all will be lost.
The stalemate seemed unsolvable, and as time ticked by, death drew ever closer, making it appear as if the outcome of the battle was already predetermined.
Many cultivators with weak wills even joined the demon race early on, willingly becoming lackeys, wielding their blades against their own kind, enduring the scorn of thousands, just to eke out a living for who knows how long.
Fortunately, the wait did not last long. One day, as the immortals and demons were fighting fiercely as usual, dense dark clouds gathered towards Blood Phoenix Mountain, obscuring the clear sky for thousands of miles.
The sky darkened instantly, as if the sun had been swallowed by a celestial dog, leaving no trace of light, and the entire Kyushu was plunged into darkness.
The dark, heavy clouds not only pressed down on the sky, but also on everyone's heart.
When the first bolt of heavenly lightning struck Blood Phoenix Mountain, they all knew that the Demon King was about to be born.
Whether they were powerful demons as intelligent as humans or lesser demons who had not yet gained sentience, they all seemed to be summoned by something. They no longer cared about the battle situation, nor about their wounds or lives. As if bewitched and controlled, they rushed into the mountains with red eyes.
The heavenly lightning pointed them to the location of the Demon King, and the demonic tide that had been blocking them receded. Now was their last and only chance to kill the Demon King.
The cultivators set off one after another, determined to succeed or die trying, heading towards the deepest part of the mountain, the place where the heavenly lightning struck.
Although Lingyan was worried about Gu Zhong, whom she hadn't seen since that day, she still spared a bit of attention to Xia Xiange, who remained motionless beside her.
Throughout the entire process, this person never showed any signs of panic or solemnity.
It was as if she already knew the ending, so she didn't care at all.
"Elder Xia doesn't seem worried?"
Thinking this, Lingyan asked.
"The world is not yet doomed, so the Demon King will not be the source of destruction. Therefore, there is no need to worry."
Xia Xiange dutifully played the role of a charlatan who followed the prophecies of Heaven.
If Lingyan hadn't known Xuanhu's cunning and scheming nature, she would have been deceived by her compassionate and devout appearance.
"Why hasn't Elder Xia informed the various immortal sects about this matter?"
Lingyan questioned her explanation, arguing that if she hadn't consistently misled the current demonic calamity as the source of the world's destruction, the various immortal sects wouldn't have been fighting so desperately.
"If they had told them, they wouldn't have been so dedicated. The future is influenced by the present, and who can say for sure what will happen then?"
Furthermore, the young sect leader should consider the well-being of the Star Luo Sect.
There were valid points to Xia Xiange's arguments on both sides, and Ling Yan understood her unspoken meaning, so she didn't bother arguing with her anymore.
"Since Elder Xia is sitting here calmly, I will take my leave first."
Since Xia Xiange had foreseen this, Ling Yan had a feeling that things were not so simple. However, staying here would not yield any answers, so she might as well go straight to the Demon King's location to find out what tricks she had up her sleeve.
When Lingyan followed the demon tide and cultivators to the mountainside where the demon king was located, she was truly shocked by the scene before her.
Countless monstrous beasts fearlessly leaped into the cave that emitted an ominous red light, instantly turning into a blood mist, adding an even more eerie touch to the surrounding bewitching red.
This demon king descended to earth using a blood sacrifice method!
The cultivators felt their scalps tingle and dared not step forward, unsure how to stop the demon race's irrational sacrifice.
Not to mention that there were several powerful demons on the periphery, baring their fangs and waiting for an opportunity to devour them.
The blood mist grew thicker, and the air nearby was filled with a stench. Bolts of lightning struck the Demon King's cave with increasing ferocity, while more and more demonic beasts jumped in.
Heaven has its own laws, and the clouds of calamity will eventually dissipate.
As the last thunderclap faded, a deep rumble echoed from the depths of the mountains, carrying a bloodthirsty excitement.
The monsters seemed to have been struck a heavy blow to their souls, and they all prostrated themselves on the ground, trembling involuntarily.
The cultivators looked solemn; in the end, they had failed to prevent the Demon King from descending to earth.
"retreat!"
Someone gave the order to retreat.
The Demon King is about to emerge and will surely wreak havoc; there is no need to make any more pointless sacrifices now.
Only by preserving their limited strength can they engage in a protracted struggle with the demon race in the coming world of demonic calamity. This is the only hope for the survival of the immortal sects.
However, the Demon King arrived much faster than they had imagined.
Before they could leave the Blood Phoenix Mountain area, plumes of dust rose up, and the entire mountain completely collapsed. A giant blood-red bird soared into the sky, creating a huge hurricane that shattered the cultivators who had not had time to protect themselves.
—The Demon King Blood Phoenix.
The overwhelming blood feathers swirled like sharp blades in the wind, moving at incredible speed and covering the entire mountain range. Unless one used teleportation, almost no one could escape this mass attack.
Lingyan summoned the Star Chart and used star power as a shield, so she was safe. The Demon King's attack was not as strong as the Thunder Sea of the Heavenly Thunder Realm back then.
Looking left and right, Lingyan couldn't figure out what tricks Xia Xiange had played on the Demon King. She could only see that if things continued like this, all the cultivators present would be wiped out.
Amidst the crimson hues, a black streak flew against the wind towards the enormous red bird circling low in the sky.
After examining her carefully for a moment, Ling Yanxin was lifted into the air.
—It is due to consideration.
It's unclear where she got the courage and confidence to go and confront the Blood Phoenix, who possessed the abilities of a mortal immortal, when everyone else chose to retreat.
A silvery-white light shimmered from the black-clad woman facing the wind, attracting the attention of the Demon King and all the surviving cultivators.
"Huh? It's her?"
In a secluded corner where no one paid attention, someone murmured something under their breath with excitement.
Chapter 87 Astrologers and Defiant Ones (Sixteen)
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"Is she insane?"
This was the thought of most people present; anyone who would rush towards the Demon King at such a time would be committing suicide.
Lingyan knew that Gu Zhong was not such a reckless and impulsive hero; he must have had the confidence to win to make her do such a thing. However, she did not consider the risks involved.
Ling Yan immediately disregarded her own safety and manipulated the star chart to fly towards Gu Zhong, causing everyone present to gasp in shock once again.
The nameless silver-white light emanating from Gu Zhong grew stronger and stronger, enveloping her entirely.
Its flight speed increased rapidly, like a shooting star, hurtling headlong towards the Demon King.
A hint of malicious amusement flickered in Blood Phoenix's crimson eyes, and its breath carried a disdainful undertone.
It opened its enormous beak, which reeked of blood and rotting flesh, and after a moment of brewing red flame within it, it spat it out toward the silvery-white ball of light.
Gu Zhong didn't even try to dodge; he maintained his charging stance, inching closer to Blood Phoenix.
As expected, she ran into the flames; no one thought she could survive the Demon King's fiery breath.
However, Gu Zhong once again defied their expectations. The flame was silently swallowed by the silvery-white light, which did not even slow down her momentum.
Seeing this, Lingyan loosened her grip on Yanyun's hand slightly. The fine sweat on her palm clung to the sword hilt, causing Yanyun to whimper in dissatisfaction.
Gu Zhong's aura and fighting spirit rose steadily, and his cultivation aura inevitably leaked out. Only then did Ling Yan realize that she was only at the Great Ascension Perfection stage.
Fighting a demon king of a higher level should have been a hopeless endeavor, but given the inexplicable scene just now, no one dares to make that assertion now.
Blood Phoenix withdrew the playfulness from her eyes, and her expression turned serious and earnest.
The person in front of me seems different from those little bugs; he might be a bit tricky.
As Gu Zhong drew closer, even knowing the strength of a demon's body, the Demon King dared not be careless after witnessing the strangeness of the silvery-white light.
It retracted its original form, which blotted out the sky, and transformed into a three-zhang-tall bird-headed, human-bodied monster, still holding two curved swords in its bird claws.