Chapter 1356: Righteous and Demonic Encirclement
Chapter 1355: Righteous and Demonic Encirclement
All the Dao Court elders wore icy expressions and shouted angrily, “A pack of vile beasts, seeking death!”
The Demonic Flood Dragon Mountain Lord transformed into a gust of sinister wind and charged toward the crowd.
Elder Xuanyuan, at peak-stage Golden Core, activated the Xuanyuan Sword Art, condensing streams of sword radiance to meet him head-on.
Soon after, the Silver Corpse Elder, Ghost Child Wanderer, and Madam Rui also made their moves—contorting corpses, commanding ghosts, and beguiling hearts with beauty—as they began their killing strikes.
The Blood Banner of the Blood Refining Sect once again released baleful mist.
The demonic swords of the Demonic Sword Sect condensed sinister sword qi.
On the Dao Court’s side, the great clans and numerous sect Golden Cores elders each employed their own methods, unleashing sword arts and Dao techniques of different traditions as they clashed with the demonic path.
Outside the Dragon Hall, righteous and demonic forces fought to a standstill.
Meanwhile, the prodigies of both sides retreated to the sidelines to observe.
This level of Golden Core battlefield was not yet something they could interfere with.
Once drawn into the battlefield, whether righteous elders or demonic overlords, all would prioritize killing these opposing prodigies.
Regardless of righteous or demonic alignment, every prodigy represented vast cultivation resources and limitless future potential.
The future titans of the righteous path—or patriarchs of the demonic path—would very likely emerge from among this group before them. Anyone could become one of them; even those less dazzling could not be underestimated.
After all, who can know the future?
Those who appear brilliant now may fade into obscurity or perish midway, their Great Dao cut short.
Those who seem ordinary may, through chance encounters, soar to the heavens and become powers unto themselves.
Since these prodigies were qualified to compete for Core formation at the Dragon Pool and contend for this destiny, their talent was unquestionably formidable.
To kill them now would be to strangle future risks in the cradle.
Whoever was killed, it was a bloody profit.
Both righteous and demonic sides understood this perfectly. Everyone exerted their utmost effort to kill the opposing prodigies, while simultaneously doing everything possible to prevent their own from being slain.
The Golden Core elders of both sides fought so fiercely they nearly smashed each other’s brains apart, unleashing every righteous and demonic technique in a brutal struggle.
Golden Core elders and demonic overlords were continually gravely wounded… or fell.
Mo Hua stood at a distance, silently watching, unable to help drifting into thought.
Demonic swords… blood banners… beast cultivators…
These things were not unfamiliar to him. Yet seeing them gathered together now gave him a powerful sense of déjà vu.
It was as if memories long buried were slowly awakening.
He thought back to when his master had been besieged by the demonic path at Five Elements Sect in Lizhou City.
At that time, too, a demonic sword with eyes hung in the sky.
A blood banner stirred a boundless sea of blood, sealing the Five Elements Sect inescapably.
Back then, he had been only a small Qi-Refining cultivator, utterly powerless, able only to flee the demonic blockade, leaving his master alone within the sect’s grand formation.
And now…
Mo Hua looked down at his palm, clenched his fist, his gaze dark and obscure.
“Still… not the time…”
He then lifted his head and released his divine sense, committing to memory the techniques, inheritances, and combat habits of the demonic sects in the melee—the Myriad Demon Mountains, Yin Corpse Valley, Joyous-Union Sect, Skull Cave, Blood Refining Sect, Demonic Sword Sect, and others—transforming them into his own cultivation understanding and combat experience.
Bai Zisheng glanced at Mo Hua, seeming to sense the heavy grief and suppressed fury within him, and sighed softly.
While Mo Hua watched the Golden Core demonic cultivators battle, someone in the distance was also watching him.
The Saint Son of Yin Corpse Valley, Young Master Shi, stared at Mo Hua with a gloomy expression, thoughts unknown.
Meanwhile, the Joyous-Union Sect’s saintess—jade-like in appearance, with autumn-water eyes brimming with allure and a graceful, slender waist—let her gaze linger briefly on the handsome and upright Bai Zisheng before shifting to Mo Hua, puzzled.
“Just now, Elder Rui of the Desire School of Joyous-Union Sect seemed moved when she looked at that youth? How strange…”
“This boy is not imposing, his vitality is weak. Though his looks are beautiful, his bone structure is frail. No matter how one looks at it, he doesn’t resemble a superior furnace vessel. What exactly did Elder Rui… see in him?”
“If the chance arises, I must have a taste… to see what he is made of…”
The saintess licked her lips, her eyes rippling with allure.
This subtle gesture did not escape the notice of many demonic prodigies; thus, resentful gazes began to converge upon Mo Hua.
At the same time, the prodigies of both righteous and demonic paths covertly sized each other up.
They all understood that in the coming decades—perhaps centuries—the prodigies standing opposite them would likely become their future rivals… even lifelong mortal enemies.
Under countless encounters and circumstances, they would struggle endlessly, fighting to the death.
Such was the fate of the righteous and demonic paths.
At this very moment, they engraved the faces of these future “sworn enemies” deep within their hearts.
…
Elsewhere, the Golden Core elders continued fighting without cease, casualties mounting.
After prolonged slaughter, Elder Xuanyuan suddenly sensed something amiss. He immediately unleashed sword qi, forcing back the Demonic Flood Dragon Mountain Lord with a single strike, and shouted:
“Stop!”
The Mountain Lord sneered but did not pursue further.
The other Golden Cores on both sides also halted.
Elder Xuanyuan’s face darkened. “You demonic beasts, do you truly intend to fight to the death here? What did you come for?”
A vicious glint flashed in the Mountain Lord’s green-brown eyes as he gradually calmed.
Such was the nature of Demon Beast cultivators: once they began killing and smelled blood, their minds sank into frenzy, craving only slaughter.
Only when the killing intent subsided could they think clearly.
Now he too realized—they had not come merely to kill. There were greater matters at hand.
If these righteous lackeys could be slain and devoured, all the better, but if they could not be quickly eliminated, entangling themselves here would ruin greater plans.
The Mountain Lord looked at Elder Xuanyuan.
“What, you want to call a truce?”
Elder Xuanyuan’s gaze was cold. “Since ancient times, righteous and demonic cannot coexist—either you die or I live. But you should understand that the greater situation does not lie in these petty clashes.”
The Mountain Lord laughed.
“If I kill you all, I can naturally enter the Dragon Pool.”
Elder Xuanyuan sneered.
“I am not belittling you, but do you truly know what kind of monster lurks within this Dragon Hall?”
He looked around grimly.
“Not just you, even if all of you demonic wretches attack together, you would likely be nothing more than its bait.”
The Mountain Lord mocked him.
“That only proves the righteous path is incompetent, unable to deal with even a single fiend.”
“I have no interest in trading words,” Elder Xuanyuan replied coldly. “You’ll know the truth yourself.”
The Mountain Lord’s heart sank slightly.
Though these righteous elders were hypocrites and lapdogs, their cultivation and Dao arts were far from weak.
Yet after delaying for so long, they still could not subdue the creature in the Dragon Hall… that was indeed unexpected.
After thinking for a moment, he pointed at a Golden Core beast cultivator from Myriad Demon Mountain.
“You. Go inside and take a look.”
The beast cultivator clasped his fists. “Yes, Mountain Lord.”
He then walked toward the Dragon Hall.
Elder Xuanyuan and the others did not stop him.
The moment the beast cultivator stepped inside, a scream erupted, mixed with the sound of flesh being devoured, and then nothing remained.
The Mountain Lord’s expression darkened immediately.
The demonic Golden Core cultivators’ faces also turned grim.
He died too quickly. Too naturally. There was not even a trace of struggle.
That meant the thing inside the Dragon Hall possessed crushing strength.
And the one who died was a Golden Core beast cultivator famed for his powerful physique…
A chill spread through the crowd.
The Silver Corpse Elder frowned.
“That fiend inside the Dragon Hall is this vicious…”
Madam Rui whispered,
“Do not forget… this is something left behind by that… Daoist.”
At those words, the demonic leaders all felt a jolt of fear.
Ghost-Child Wanderer sneered.
“We’re all people of the demonic path, he left something to block his own people?”
The Demonic Sword Sect elder replied gloomily,
“Who’s ‘his own’? The demonic path recognizes no kin. Where would ‘one’s own people’ come from?”
“Not just you. back then, Poison Venerable of the Feathered Ascension Realm, Lady Miao, the Black Arhat, and a hall full of Golden Core demonic cultivators all died to the last. Only the Xuan Demon Ancestor survived in miserable retreat…”
“Have you ever seen that man show the slightest mercy?”
“Whether righteous or demonic… who can survive his hand? Has he ever spared anyone under heaven?”
The demonic Golden Core cultivators felt both anger and fear. Clearly, that Daoist’s name was a terrifying taboo to them.
And the greatest obstacle on this journey was likely not the righteous elders before them, but the fiend left behind by that Daoist inside the Dragon Hall.
Like a chasm lying before the Dragon Pool.
Even if they slaughtered every Dao Court elder here, they might still fail to cross the Dragon Hall and reach the Dragon pool.
The Mountain Lord looked at Elder Xuanyuan.
“What do you propose?”
Elder Xuanyuan remained silent for a long time before finally saying:
“For now, we join forces… and kill Shentu Ao.”
These were words he had never wished to utter.
Sure enough, before the Mountain Lord could respond, the other Dao Court elders erupted in outrage:
“How can we consort with demonic beasts?!”
“Absolutely not!”
“Righteous and demonic cannot coexist! Even if we fail to destroy the Great Wilderness, we must never sully our righteous reputation by joining them!”
“Elder Xuanyuan, do not be foolish!”
…
Elder Xuanyuan frowned.
He knew this proposal should never be spoken openly.
He had a more tactful suggestion: a temporary ceasefire, then taking turns fighting Shentu Ao, whoever won could enter the Dragon Pool.
But such an agreement was meaningless. Neither side would honor it.
The greatest problem was the prodigies.
To fight Shentu Ao required full strength.
If the Dao Court elders went all out while leaving their prodigies outside, the demonic Golden Core cultivators would slaughter the righteous prodigies without hesitation.
And the reverse was equally true.
If the demonic Golden Core cultivators fought Shentu Ao, the Dao Court elders would exterminate their prodigies to eliminate future threats.
But if they continued to stall, missing the moment and failing to conquer the Great Wilderness Royal court or exterminate its royal clan, the blame would fall upon him, the Xuanyuan elder leading the expedition.
Thus, the only solution was for both sides to cooperate: kill Shentu Ao and destroy the royal clan.
“Kill Shentu Ao, destroy the Great Wilderness. Let both sides’ disciples enter the Dragon Pool. Afterward, the elders of righteous and demonic paths can settle life and death between themselves.”
Elder Xuanyuan clenched his teeth.
“Righteous and demonic cannot coexist, this is not abandoning the killing. It is preserving the greater objective: destroy the Great Wilderness first, then decide life and death.”
“This is the only way. Otherwise, if the Great Wilderness is not destroyed and the royal clan not eradicated, your prodigies will fail to form their Cores, and neither you nor I can answer to the Dao Court or our clans.”
His words plunged the Dao Court elders into silence.
The divide between righteous and demonic was iron law, yet there truly was no better option.
None of them were fools; they understood the stakes.
Shentu Ao was too powerful, too terrifying. Without cooperation, the Dragon Hall could not be crossed.
If they ruined the grand plan and the future of their clans’ prodigies, none could bear that responsibility.
At last an elder said,
“In that case… we follow Elder Xuanyuan. Join forces first, then settle the righteous–demonic divide in blood.”
Others echoed agreement.
Elder Xuanyuan’s brow twitched, but he did not deny it.
If he wished to claim merit and benefits, he could not avoid risk and infamy.
An elder willing to bear blame for the greater cause and secure benefits for his clan might face punishment, but the ancestors above would know the truth and not treat him unfairly.
The righteous side reached a decision.
The demonic side naturally had no objections.
They were demonic cultivators, they would gladly see the entire righteous path cooperate with them, devour flesh and drink blood together, grind bones and suck marrow, treat the masses as livestock, and turn the Dao Court into a new Demonic Hall where all distinction vanished and the world sank into depravity.
With the agreement set, the cultivators of both paths began planning the campaign against Shentu Ao, dividing roles while secretly guarding against and calculating against one another.
Their prodigies could only watch from the sidelines.
This was not a game they were qualified to join.
Their task was simply to wait… to let the Golden Core elders clear the obstacles so they could enter the Dragon Pool and form their Golden Cores.
Half an hour later, the final siege against the last Royal descendant of the Great Wilderness—Shentu Ao—began anew.
Unlike before, both righteous and demonic forces struck together.
The number of experts besieging him had doubled.
Even outside the Dragon Hall, unable to see the battle, Mo Hua could sense from the fluctuations of qi that Shentu Ao’s aura was being completely suppressed.
No matter how strong he was, he was only one man. Facing the combined peak-stage Golden Core power of both sides, he was at a severe disadvantage.
Seizing the opportunity, Mo Hua continued deducing the Strange Dao Dragon diagram on Shentu Ao’s body.
Time passed slowly.
Just as Mo Hua thought the situation would stabilize and Shentu Ao would be completely subdued, an even stronger surge of Strange demonic qi erupted from within the Dragon Hall.
Shentu Ao’s aura exploded in an instant. A ferocious dragon’s roar shook the entire hall, deafening, even causing the blood-red sky to tremble.
Mo Hua frowned and sighed deeply.
Not long after, the Golden Core cultivators of both sides were forced to retreat from the Dragon Hall.
Several more Golden Core cultivators died at Shentu Ao’s hands, devoured alive.
Both sides immediately began blaming each other again.
The demonic path cursed the righteous for incompetence, unable to withstand Shentu Ao’s dragon might.
The righteous path accused the demonic cultivators of treachery, scheming even while allied.
After a long exchange of accusations, the conflict finally subsided.
Elder Xuanyuan suppressed his temper and renegotiated with the demonic leaders on how to kill Shentu Ao:
“This setback is not due to lack of strength. Shentu Ao has already been suppressed. It is because we were not united that he seized the opportunity, devoured people, and restored his demonic energy.”
“If life-and-death grievances must be settled, we can fight later. The urgent priority is to work together to kill Shentu Ao. No more divided intentions.”
His expression remained displeased.
Though the demonic Golden Cores sneered coldly, they did not object.
Both sides then reentered the Dragon Hall and resumed their assault.
At the start, things again went smoothly. But midway through, another mishap occurred: several righteous cultivators were accidentally struck by the Joyous-Union Sect’s techniques. Overwhelmed by surging lust and losing their reason, they fell to Shentu Ao’s hands.
This campaign ended in failure.
The third encirclement began.
This time, the demonic side blundered. A few beast cultivators succumbed to bloodlust, abandoning reason and charging at Shentu Ao recklessly. They were smashed to death in succession and devoured.
Another failure.
Everyone could only suppress their irritation, reflect and reassess, and begin yet another siege.
As the brutal fighting continued and casualties mounted, both righteous and demonic cultivators came to deeply understand how troublesome and terrifying this demonic entity Shentu Ao truly was.
They no longer dared harbor ulterior motives. Every shred of focus was devoted to suppressing and killing Shentu Ao.
But Mo Hua knew… it was already too late.
From outside the Dragon Hall, by deducing the changes in the formation diagram, he could keenly perceive that amid the savage slaughter, Shentu Ao was still “evolving”…
…Or rather, the Four Symbols Strange Dao Dragon Diagram on Shentu Ao’s body was evolving.
The formation diagram left behind by Martial Uncle was not as profound as the original Azure Dragon diagram, but it possessed an eerie variation:
…it could grow.
The more killing he committed and the more injuries he suffered, the more stimulation the Strange-Dao dragon diagram received.
Each reconstruction of his damaged flesh caused the diagram to self-correct and optimize its formation patterns.
All the deathly qi, baleful qi, and the flesh and blood he devoured became nourishment, providing energy for the diagram’s iterative evolution.
This “iteration” steadily strengthened Shentu Ao.
For the righteous and demonic cultivators, this was a slow-boiling death trap.
At first, they might not even realize it, because they did not truly understand Shentu Ao’s real strength.
By the time they realized it, everything would already be too late.
According to the diagram’s strange pattern transformations, the ever-evolving Shentu Ao would, at a certain instant, undergo a complete mutation, unleashing ferocious combat power and slaughtering everyone present.
And once he killed large numbers of Golden Cores, devoured more flesh, and accumulated sufficient killing experience, the Strange Dao Dragon diagram could evolve even further.
By then, what form the diagram would take—and what monstrous shape Shentu Ao himself would become—no one could predict…
From the very beginning, Martial Uncle never intended for anyone to survive.
Anyone who entered the Dragon Hall—righteous or demonic alike—was doomed to die.
Mo Hua let out a deep sigh, helpless.
“Forming a Golden Core… is truly difficult.”
Relying on these people alone was simply not enough to pave his path.
And so, when the fifth joint siege against Shentu Ao failed, and the Golden Core elders from both factions gathered outside the Dragon Hall with dark expressions, trading accusations and curses…
Mo Hua finally could not hold back.
He let out a seemingly low-key, yet in truth arrogantly cold laugh:
“A bunch of Golden Cores, and you can’t even kill one Shentu Ao… how laughable.”