Chapter 117: The Next Phase of the Plan

The demonic beasts were simply too many. Gu Yuan cut down one after another, yet no matter how many fell, their numbers seemed endless.

Then, as his movements drew attention, the stronger demonic beasts began converging on him. Some abandoned their original targets and charged toward him, while others pounced the moment they spotted an opening, hoping to overwhelm him with their superior strength.

Gu Yuan didn’t retreat.

The Ninefold Shadow Swords swept through the weaker demonic beasts, while he met the stronger opponents with the Heavenfall Saber, relying on his formidable physical strength and precise movements to bring them down.

He moved through the battlefield like a killing machine, never lingering on a single opponent longer than necessary.

No corpses accumulated around Gu Yuan. Every demonic beast he killed disappeared into the Orb of Creation, making it difficult for anyone to estimate the true number of his kills. Yet the impact of his efforts was becoming impossible to ignore.

Those who had been struggling against three demonic beasts found themselves facing only two. Others, who had barely managed to hold their ground against a pair, suddenly had only one opponent left to worry about. Some were even given the unexpected chance to catch their breath when the demonic beast they had been fighting fell before their eyes, cut down by a distant flash of blades.

Those who found themselves with no enemies left didn’t waste the opportunity. They immediately moved to assist their fellow disciples, easing the pressure on the surrounding battle lines.

The change was gradual, but unmistakable. The demonic beasts still outnumbered the cultivators by a considerable margin, and the most dangerous fights remained unresolved. Nevertheless, the Black Desolation Sect was no longer being overwhelmed as before.

Gu Yuan was making a difference.

"Is the Twin-Star Consort really that strong? I thought his reputation was mostly because of his appearance."

"Well, to be fair, he’s not necessarily the most handsome man in the world," another disciple remarked, watching Gu Yuan cut down a charging demonic beast. "There are probably a few people who could compete with him in that regard."

"Senior Brother, what are you talking about? Not the most handsome? Look at him! He’s covered in blood, fighting in the middle of a battlefield, and still looks that good! Is there really anyone more handsome, more attractive, or more... sexy than him?"

The female disciple’s emphatic defense left her senior brother momentarily speechless. He looked at her, then at Gu Yuan, who was currently cleaving through another demonic beast, and decided that arguing with her would be a waste of time.

"Putting his appearance aside, I have to admit I misjudged him," another cultivator said. "His cultivation speed is already extraordinary, but I thought he might have relied too heavily on his wives’ reputation. Looking at him now, it’s clear he’s more than capable of standing on his own."

"Of course, he’s strong. But that still doesn’t mean he’s worthy of the Heavenly Twin Stars."

The muttered objection came from a disciple who had never been particularly pleased with the Heavenly Twin Stars’ marriage.

"Then why don’t you go down there and show us what a worthy husband looks like?" someone nearby shot back. "I’m sure the demonic beasts would be delighted to give you the opportunity."

A few nearby disciples snickered. The man flushed but kept his mouth shut. Whatever his opinion of Gu Yuan, he wasn’t foolish enough to volunteer for a fight he had no chance of winning.

Yet the discussion around Gu Yuan continued, even as the sounds of battle filled the air. For those who had only heard rumors about the Twin-Star Consort, watching him fight was an entirely different experience.

He wasn’t simply killing demonic beasts. He was relieving the pressure on the entire battlefield.

Gu Yuan didn’t hear any of their words.

His attention had narrowed until the surrounding battle seemed to fade into the background. The roars of demonic beasts, the shouts of cultivators, and the clash of weapons became distant noises that barely registered in his mind.

Something was within reach.

He couldn’t explain what it was, nor could he identify the exact moment he had begun to sense it. He only knew that as he continued fighting, his movements were becoming increasingly natural. Each swing of his saber seemed to flow into the next, and each step carried him into precisely the position he needed.

All of his concentration was focused on that elusive feeling. Even as enemies rushed toward him, he continued to fight while pursuing the faintest trace of understanding, unwilling to let the sensation slip away.

To the inexperienced disciples and elders, Gu Yuan merely seemed unusually focused. Some even wondered whether the intensity of the battle had finally forced him to fight with everything he had.

Those watching from the sky, however, noticed something else.

The six powerful figures facing Ji Yan could see that the air around Gu Yuan seemed to have changed. It wasn’t an obvious display of power, nor was there any sudden surge in his cultivation. Yet there was a distinct quality to his presence that hadn’t been there before.

They recognized the signs.

When fierce will, strong soul, and sufficient fortune converged, a cultivator could enter a precipice state.

It wasn’t an epiphany. But, in some circumstances, it could even be more valuable.

Had the man below been one of their own, they might have watched with some admiration. Unfortunately, he was human... and the demonic beasts he was cutting down without mercy belonged to them.

The five Demon Kings turned toward Cang Kui almost simultaneously.

The Stormfang Wolf and several other powerful demonic beasts were still holding the front, but Gu Yuan’s continued slaughter was steadily eroding their advantage. If they allowed him to continue, the situation would only grow worse.

Yet Cang Kui remained where he was, his gaze fixed on the red-haired woman hovering nearby.

Ji Yan was grinning.

She appeared to be only at the Void Realm. When their attacks had first clashed, Cang Kui had blocked her punch without feeling particularly threatened. He was confident he could hold her off, even if doing so would require his full attention.

Defeating her, however, was another matter entirely.

He couldn’t explain why, but something told him that even if he fought with everything he had, victory would remain beyond his grasp.

The realization left him deeply wary. He had known from the beginning that the Heavenly Twin Stars would be troublesome opponents. That was precisely why he had came here instead of someone less capable. Yet the twins seemed even more monstrous than the reports had suggested.

Cang Kui had two choices. He could leave the battle below to the demonic beasts and focus on keeping Ji Yan occupied, or risk a decisive confrontation with her before joining the fight against the sect.

Neither option inspired confidence.

He was still weighing his choices when his eyes suddenly widened.

His gaze snapped past Ji Yan, toward the depths of the Black Desolation Sect, where a vast and majestic aura had begun to rise from.

Cang Kui was not the only one who felt it. Across the entire battlefield, cultivators and demonic beasts alike paused and turned toward the source of the aura.

Only Gu Yuan remained oblivious, his entire attention still absorbed by the faint understanding he was struggling to grasp.

The Demon Lord’s expression hardened.

"Advance to the next phase of the plan!"

He moved before the words had fully left his mouth.

His humanoid body swelled as he rapidly reverted to his original form, transforming into a massive Black Mountain Ape. He surged forward, his enormous fist descending toward Ji Yan with enough force to distort the surrounding air.

The first punch was followed by another, then another, until a storm of overlapping fists filled her vision. Each strike carrying a crushing might.

Ji Yan met the assault head-on, but the playful edge vanished from her expression. Rather than relying on her bare hands, she summoned two short swords, flames coiling around their blades. She began cutting through the incoming barrage with sharp, economical strikes, abandoning her usual preference for relentless punches.

For the first time in the battle, she looked fully serious.

She had just begun to shape her counterattack when the five Demon Kings moved as one.

Each took a position in a different direction, forming the points of a five-pointed star around her. A flag appeared in each Demon King’s hand. They raised the flags together, pouring their demonic energy into them.

The five flags lit up.

Ji Yan’s expression hardened. She immediately tried to break out of the encirclement, but Cang Kui was already upon her again. His next strike crashed down before she could escape the formation’s range, forcing her to turn and defend herself.

That brief delay was enough.

The five flags resonated with one another, and a vast formation sprang into existence. Lines of light joined the five points, enclosing the space around Ji Yan before she could force her way out.

She struck at the forming barrier, but the impact only sent ripples across its surface. The formation continued to close, its power converging on her from every direction.

This was not only an Array Formation. The five flags formed a half-Immortal treasure, and the power they unleashed served a single purpose: to seal and imprison.

The demonic beasts had long known they might not be able to kill the twins outright. So they had chosen another path.

Seal them.