Liaozhai: Immortality Begins with Becoming Yan Chixia's Apprentice

Chapter 186 Only a Fight to the Death

He had only one thought in his mind.

Faster, faster.

Master is still there, Han Wei is still there, and the people of Qingfeng City are still there.

He couldn't let them face the Heavenly Demon alone.

He arrived at Qingfeng City in no time.

But the sight before him made his heart sink.

Most of the city wall of Qingfeng City has collapsed, with rubble scattered all over the ground.

Many houses in the city were also destroyed, and there were ruins everywhere.

The air was thick with the stench of blood, which mingled with the putrid smell of the demons, making one want to vomit.

On the city wall, the guards of the Demon Suppression Division lay scattered on the ground, some already dead, others still groaning.

The people huddled in their dilapidated houses, shivering, while their children were held tightly in their mothers' arms, afraid to make a sound.

Han Wei stood at the city gate, holding a long sword in his hand. His body was covered in wounds, and the sleeve of his left arm was torn, revealing bruises and blood dripping from it.

Behind him, there were less than a hundred guards who could still stand, each of them wounded, their eyes filled with exhaustion and despair.

But he still stood at the very front, his gaze fixed firmly on the north.

"Lord Han!" Zhou Ning rushed to his side.

When Han Wei saw him, a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes.

"Young Master Zhou, you've finally arrived. Immortal Yan is at the seal in the north of the city... he's about to collapse."

Zhou Ning nodded and headed north of the city.

In the wasteland north of the city, the seal has completely collapsed.

The massive black light shield shattered into countless fragments, scattering across the ground, from which black mist continuously poured out.

In the mist, countless dark shadows wriggled and emitted sharp hisses.

They were more dense and more frenzied than before, surging towards Qingfeng City like a tidal wave.

One could vaguely see that deep within the crack, a huge cloud of black mist was slowly rising.

Within that mist, there seemed to be a pair of scarlet eyes, gleaming eerily in the darkness, as if they were the source of everything.

Yan Chixia sat cross-legged in front of the crack, his hands forming a mudra, channeling his true essence into the remnants of the seal at the edge of the crack.

His face was as pale as paper, beads of sweat the size of soybeans seeped from his forehead, a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and his robes were covered with tears and bloodstains.

His longsword was stuck in the ground beside him, its blade riddled with cracks, as if it might shatter at any moment.

But he gritted his teeth and didn't give up.

"Master!" Zhou Ning rushed to his side.

Yan Chixia opened her eyes, glanced at him, and spoke in a weak but still steady voice.

"You've finally arrived. The true form of the extraterrestrial demon is about to emerge; I can't hold out much longer."

Zhou Ning sat down cross-legged beside him, placed his hands on the remnants of the seal, and poured his Dao-merging power into them.

The purple-gold light intertwined with the golden light, and the cracks on the sealed remains began to slowly heal.

However, the black mist in the crack was too dense, and the healing speed could not keep up with the diffusion speed.

"Master, this can't go on," Zhou Ning said through gritted teeth.

"The seal has now collapsed and is in a state that is completely beyond repair. The only option now is to fight to the death."

Yan Chixia was silent for a moment, then said, "Then we have no choice but to fight it out."

He stood up, pulled the longsword stuck in the ground, and the cracks on the blade shone with a golden light as he poured in his true energy. Although the light was dim, it was still sharp.

"Zhou Ning, are you ready?"

Zhou Ning also stood up and drew his Heavenly Fox Sword.

The runes on the sword shone with a dazzling blue light, and from the blue gem on the hilt, the white fox stood up and howled to the sky.

He infused the sword with the power of Dao, and the blue and purple-gold light intertwined, enveloping his entire body in a dazzling light.

"Disciple is ready."

The massive black mist finally emerged from the crack.

It coalesced into a gigantic black shadow, about a hundred feet tall, entirely black, with no facial features, only a pair of blood-red eyes that gleamed eerily in the darkness.

In its hand, it held a black greatsword, its blade covered with eerie runes and emanating a dense aura of death.

It exuded a suffocating aura, as if the entire world was under its control.

The true form of the Heavenly Demon has finally descended.

"Yan Chixia, Zhou Ning."

The Heavenly Demon's voice was deep and hoarse, as if it came from the depths of the netherworld.

"You think this will stop me?"

It raised its giant sword and slashed down.

A black sword aura shot out from the tip of the sword, like a black dragon, heading straight for Qingfeng City.

Yan Chixia's expression changed, and he slashed out with his sword.

The golden sword energy met it head-on.

"boom!"

The two forces collided, producing a deafening explosion.

Yan Chixia was blasted away and crashed into the city wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

His longsword broke in two, and the sword spirit let out a mournful cry before dissipating into the air.

"Master!" Zhou Ning's eyes reddened.

He rushed forward, stood in front of Yan Chixia, raised the Heavenly Fox Sword, and slashed out.

A purplish-gold sword aura shot out from the sword tip, colliding with the black sword aura.

"boom--!"

The deafening roar shook the heavens and the earth, tearing up the land of the wasteland, sending rocks flying and dust billowing everywhere.

Zhou Ning was forced back several steps, his hands went numb, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

But he gritted his teeth and didn't back down an inch.

A hint of surprise flashed in the Heavenly Demon's eyes: "Your strength has actually increased a bit more, but unfortunately, this time, you're not so lucky."

Zhou Ning did not answer, but concentrated all his Dao-merging power at the tip of his sword and unleashed the "Heavenly Fox Demon-Slaying Technique".

A dazzling blue light shone on the Heavenly Fox Sword.

The light grew stronger and brighter, dispelling all the surrounding darkness.

The celestial fox spirit within the sword let out a long howl, merging with him.

Man and sword become one, unleashing their full power.

"cut!"

A massive blue-gold sword aura shot out from the sword tip, heading straight for the Heavenly Demon's head.

The Heavenly Demon raised his giant sword to block.

"boom--!"

The sword energy struck the giant sword, unleashing a deafening roar.

A fine crack appeared on the giant sword, and the Heavenly Demon was forced back several steps, a look of shock flashing in his eyes.

"How is this possible... The Heavenly Fox Sword? You actually obtained the Heavenly Fox Sword!"

Zhou Ning gave it no chance to breathe and unleashed another sword strike.

The second sword strike was even more ferocious than the first, its blue-gold sword energy resembling a giant blue-gold dragon, carrying a world-destroying power as it hurtled straight toward the Heavenly Demon's chest.

The Heavenly Demon dared not be negligent, gripping the giant sword with both hands and condensing a black light shield in front of him.

The runes on the sword glowed with an eerie black light, which grew stronger and brighter, turning the entire wasteland black.

Countless distorted faces appeared on the light shield, struggling in agony and emitting sharp screechs.

"boom--!"

The sword energy struck the light shield, unleashing a deafening roar.