Chapter 2488: King versus King

It's important to note that as a cultivator's strength increases, so does their physical resilience. The War Priest, a formidable expert, had a head harder than steel. Yet, before the Lord of Slaughter's finger, it was effortlessly pierced like tofu, then instantly crushed.

The surrounding demons were greatly astonished. The War Priest was a top expert in the demon world, ranking second among the eighteen Great Demon Generals. Could he really have been instantly killed by the Lord of Slaughter in a single strike? Many demons began to secretly regret having underestimated the Lord of Slaughter's power and for taking such a risky gamble.

Only Zu'an's gaze remained calm. He had fought the War Priest to the death in the future, so he knew the demon wouldn't die that easily. As expected, the Lord of Slaughter showed no hint of joy, frowning instead. He didn't linger, casually striking several nearby demon commanders and turning them into a bloody mist.

The Ten Great Demon Generals were immensely powerful and quick to react. Seizing the opening created by the attack on the War Priest, they quickly scattered to the sides. However, the Plague Monarch was still a step too slow. Or perhaps the Lord of Slaughter deeply resented him for poisoning the Imperial Guards, which had left him in such a passive state, and so he attacked him directly.

The Plague Monarch could only barely avoid a fatal blow, but was struck on the shoulder by a punch. He let out a shriek, spitting out blood, and his entire body, like a tattered sandbag, slammed into a nearby stone sculpture, shattering it. His aura instantly weakened, and he tried to get up several times but couldn't, evidently having temporarily lost his combat ability. Meanwhile, a grayish mist lingered around the Lord of Slaughter's hand, continuously spreading up his arm. After all, the Plague Monarch was one of the eighteen top experts, and the plague poison covering his body was not to be easily dealt with.

At this moment, Ironfist Hulk, who was closest, saw this and his eyes lit up. The opponent had just killed the War Priest and severely wounded the Plague Monarch, and must be in a momentary weak period as his energy circulated. Moreover, he was now afflicted by the Plague Monarch's plague poison, making it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Thus, he swung his proud Ironfist, directly aiming it at the Lord of Slaughter's back. The punch was so fast that a sonic boom cloud appeared around his fist, simultaneously emitting multicolored light. That light was generated by the distortion of nearby space and the friction between vital energy and the air.

The Lord of Slaughter snorted, twisting his fist. The grayish-green plague poison on it was instantly forced out of his body, and he met the opponent's fist head-on. At the same time, a pained shriek and the crisp sound of bones cracking rang out. Ironfist Hulk was seen retreating rapidly, clutching his right hand as cold sweat poured down his forehead. His famous fist was now limp and dangling, as if only the outermost skin remained connected, and the bones inside were shattered.

All the demons' expressions changed. Hulk was known across many worlds for his Ironfist; his punch could not only level a mountain but also reduce an entire city to ruins. Yet, in a direct confrontation with the Lord of Slaughter, he had lost so miserably! The few others who had harbored similar intentions of seizing an opportunity quickly abandoned their thoughts and firmly retreated.

Inside the Imperial Tomb, the Lord of Slaughter's loyalists, led by the Demon of Distortion, were greatly boosted in morale. Under his leadership, they charged out and engaged in battle with the subordinates brought by the Demon Lord. Although they had fewer top-tier experts, these commanders were the elite of the elite, far stronger than ordinary demons. Coupled with the formations previously set up within the Imperial Tomb, they managed to fight the troops led by the Ten Demon Generals to a standstill.

The Lord of Slaughter remained still, staring intently at the Demon Lord not far away. He sensed that the Demon Lord had wanted to make a move several times but had never found the right opportunity, and thus dared not take another risk.

“My Lord, your divine power is truly unparalleled! You killed the War Priest in one strike and severely wounded both the Plague Monarch and Ironfist Hulk,” the Demon Lord praised, though his face was filled with apprehension.

“Hmph, the War Priest isn't that easy to kill,” the Lord of Slaughter said coldly. “Still hiding there, are you trying to find an opportunity to ambush me?”

At that moment, the light in a corner of the grand hall twisted, and the War Priest's figure gradually emerged. “Indeed, nothing escapes My Lord's discerning eyes,” he said.

The Lord of Slaughter couldn't help but praise, “To survive my full-power strike, you truly live up to your rank as second among the Eighteen Great Demon Generals.” Later, when dealing with the Plague Monarch and Ironfist Hulk, most of his attention was focused on preventing the Demon Lord from seizing an opportunity to strike. Only the initial surprise attack was executed with his full power, so the pressure faced by the three Demon Generals was actually vastly different.

The remaining Demon Generals cast admiring glances at the War Priest. This individual was truly formidable, much stronger than they had imagined. Even the Shadow Demon King, who ranked first, felt a sense of apprehension, realizing this individual was a threat to him.

“To receive My Lord's acknowledgment, this subordinate is greatly honored,” the War Priest said. While he enjoyed the admiring gazes of the other Demon Generals, he felt a secret pang of pain. He had just used a precious War Golem to save his life. This War Golem was extremely valuable, possessing almost the same strength and form as his main body, and in a way, could be considered his second life. Crucially, it could not only be used for self-preservation but also for attack. No matter who he fought, it was like two of him fighting one opponent. Even if the Shadow Demon King was stronger than him, could he truly be twice as strong? This was his greatest trump card, one he would never reveal unless it was a matter of life and death. Yet, unexpectedly, in just one encounter, it was destroyed by the Lord of Slaughter. His heart was bleeding, but he had to pretend that nothing had happened. He secretly pondered that he must find another trump card. Not long ago, he had discovered a special secret realm that might contain the legendary Water of Oblivion. The realm was originally extremely dangerous, and he had been hesitant, but now he had no choice but to venture there. Only by refining the Water of Oblivion would he be qualified to contend with the Shadow Demon King…

The Lord of Slaughter saw the fear in his eyes. With a light snort, he shifted his attention back to the Demon Lord: “You may employ many schemes and tricks, but in the end, you cannot escape a fight with me. Everything comes down to strength.”

The Demon Lord knew that the opponent's recent surprise attack had chilled the hearts of his Ten Great Demon Generals, and they would certainly no longer take the lead. So he smiled and said, “You are far too arrogant. Do you really think you are invincible?”

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure darted towards the opponent like lightning, with a speed no less than the Lord of Slaughter's recent assault. Only a very few individuals in the entire grand hall could clearly see his movements. A red pattern constantly flashed and spun in his eyes. Black mist billowed from one hand, while green mist permeated the other. He directly attacked an empty spot beside the Lord of Slaughter. The Shadow Demon King and the War Priest both froze in surprise. Why was he attacking empty space? Wouldn't that expose his vulnerable flank to the Lord of Slaughter?

Only Zu'an clearly understood what was happening. Indeed, almost instantly, the Lord of Slaughter vanished from his original spot. When he reappeared, he was precisely in the direction of the Demon Lord's attack, as if he had moved deliberately into its path.