Chapter 1825: Magic Collapse

"Hmph, a mere spiritual treasure couldn't possibly detect anything unusual about the Dark Demonic Profound Spirit Talisman refined by the Sacred Talisman Ancestor." Zhao Qianfeng scoffed. As subordinates of the Sacred Talisman Palace, they carried many talismans, and this particular Dark Demonic Profound Spirit Talisman had been bestowed upon his ancestor by the Sacred Talisman Ancestor, passed down through generations. The Dark Demonic Profound Spirit Talisman could perfectly replicate the original's cultivation, appearance, aura, and divine abilities. As a fifth-tier talisman personally refined by the Sacred Talisman Ancestor, it was naturally extraordinary.

No sooner had he spoken, the black ice shards suddenly transformed into a shimmering black talisman. With a muffled pop, the black talisman spontaneously combusted without any wind, burning into ashes. Shangguan Tianhong breathed a sigh of relief; if Zhao Qianfeng still possessed such a talisman, he would have wanted to flee.

One Dark Demonic Profound Spirit Talisman would have meant they had to deal with two late-stage Soul Transformation devils. Zhao Qianfeng's eyes were filled with apprehension. Shangguan Tianhong had previously used a single-use treasure to destroy the Myriad Bone Demonic Human; now, employing the same tactic, he had destroyed the Dark Demonic Profound Spirit Talisman. He dared not approach Shangguan Tianhong. Both sides, wary of each other, heightened their vigilance.

Just then, a deafening explosion echoed, shaking the heavens and earth, and an enormous black light appeared in the distance, billowing with smoke and dust. "Self-detonation!" Shangguan Tianhong's brow furrowed deeply. After this great battle, many Soul Transformation cultivators would undoubtedly be killed or injured.

"Fellow Daoist Shangguan, watch your back!" A hurried male voice reached Shangguan Tianhong's ear. The moment the voice faded, a black shadow appeared without warning behind Shangguan Tianhong; it was Zhao Shengkai. The moment he appeared, Shangguan Tianhong, without hesitation, slashed his Golden Flood Dragon Axe behind him.

Zhao Shengkai crossed his arms and blocked above his head. "Clang!" Sparks flew as the Golden Flood Dragon Axe struck Zhao Shengkai's arm, tearing his skin and faintly revealing bone. A single blow from a Profound Heavenly Spirit Treasure was still quite powerful; for an ordinary cultivator, both hands would have been severed by Shangguan Tianhong. However, after the devils resumed their true forms, their physical bodies were further strengthened, so he was only injured.

From Zhao Shengkai's arm, rolling demonic energy surged out, engulfing the Golden Flood Dragon Axe. Just then, the Golden Flood Dragon Axe suddenly glowed with dazzling golden light, and a large swath of golden flames erupted from it. The golden flames spread rapidly along Zhao Shengkai's arm. A wave of golden flames suddenly engulfed Zhao Shengkai's body, and the scorching heat made him emit a pained roar.

Rolling demonic energy surged from his body, and the golden flames dissipated. A burnt smell emanated from Zhao Shengkai's body, and a terrible bloody gash marked his arm. His gaze was grim. A deafening dragon roar echoed. Hearing this, a hint of fear appeared in Zhao Shengkai's eyes. His body blurred and suddenly vanished. The next moment, he suddenly appeared beside Zhao Qianfeng, muttering incessantly. They were speaking the language of the devils, which the cultivators of the lower realm could not understand at all.

"Two early-stage Soul Transformation cultivators are that capable?" Zhao Qianfeng asked in surprise. He had thought Zhao Shengkai could easily kill two Soul Transformation cultivators and then come to his aid. Who would have thought Zhao Shengkai was defeated and had fled to him for support instead? Shangguan Tianhong was slightly taken aback. Who could possibly make a mid-stage Soul Transformation devil so fearful? He vaguely guessed it was the Green Lotus Immortal Couple.

Just as he expected, a streak of green light appeared on the distant horizon. Before long, the green light stopped, revealing a green lotus dharma seat. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan stood upon it, their expressions indifferent. Streaks of multicolored light flew from the distant horizon, returning to their respective camps. The devils originally had fourteen Soul Transformation cultivators, but now only six remained; more than half had died. However, most of the devils who died had advanced their cultivation by infusing their bodies with true demonic qi. The human and demon races also suffered significant losses: seven Soul Transformation cultivators had fallen in battle, three Soul Transformation cultivators had their physical bodies destroyed, leaving ten Soul Transformation cultivators remaining. Hu Yunxiao, Lei Yunbin, Li Shuo, Zhou Xingguo, Liu Ye, Qin Yunfeng, and True Monarch Tianmo had died in battle, while Situ Qing, Golden Moon Sword Master, and Feng Li had their physical bodies destroyed.

The devils' physical bodies were too strong; even a full-power strike from a Profound Heavenly Spirit Treasure struggled to kill them. The Green Lotus Immortal Couple, Long Hanji, Long Xiaoyao, Shangguan Tianhong, Jiao Lin, and True Monarch Thousand Gourd were relatively stronger. On the devils' side, Zhao Qianfeng, Zhao Shengkai, and Ouyang Yu were all difficult to deal with. From the current battle results, neither side had gained a significant advantage. If Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan hadn't repelled Zhao Shengkai and timely assisted the other Soul Transformation cultivators, the human and demon races' losses would have been even greater.

"Do you really want to fight to the death? You don't actually think you can defeat us so easily, do you!" Zhao Qianfeng sneered. The fact that he said this showed his apprehension, as they had no reinforcements. If they continued to fight to the death, the devils would be at a disadvantage.

Shangguan Tianhong's expression was grim and wavering. The devils' strength far exceeded his imagination. Now, it seemed too difficult to annihilate all the devils; even if he succeeded, he would suffer heavy losses. It would be a pyrrhic victory. Slaying demons and devils? Upholding justice? Restoring peace to the Thousand Gourd Realm? Those were just empty words, mere pretexts to justify their actions. What he truly cared about were the cultivation resources of the Thousand Gourd Realm. If the devils were willing to leave the Thousand Gourd Realm, he wouldn't care where they went.

"Hmph, if we don't annihilate you, you'll bring reinforcements from the Demon Realm. When your reinforcements arrive, it will be us who die. Do you think you'd let us off then?" True Monarch Thousand Gourd said coldly, his face filled with killing intent. Now that they had the upper hand, they naturally had to press their advantage. He could tell that Shangguan Tianhong was fighting the devils solely for cultivation resources. But if they didn't annihilate the devils, and reinforcements arrived, would the devils spare them? Who could guarantee that the devils' reinforcements wouldn't arrive in the Thousand Gourd Realm? One must remember, even they were seeking ways to communicate with the Spirit Realm, so it wouldn't be surprising for Zhao Qianfeng and the other devils to communicate with the Demon Realm.

Shangguan Tianhong shivered, a cold sweat breaking out. He had almost made a grave mistake. Who could ensure that the devils' reinforcements wouldn't come to the Thousand Gourd Realm? The best course of action was to kill all the devils to eliminate future troubles. A dead enemy is the best enemy.

"Since ancient times, good and evil have been irreconcilable. You have occupied the Thousand Gourd Realm for years, harming countless cultivators. Today, we shall act on behalf of the heavens! No one hold back; kill them all!" Shangguan Tianhong said in a deep voice, his face filled with grim determination.

He sent a voice transmission to Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan: "Fellow Daoist Wang, Madam Wang, join me in eliminating this devil. Once this devil is gone, the remaining devils will be nothing to fear." Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan nodded gravely. At this point, they naturally wouldn't hold back.

Just then, a deep chime sounded. Wang Changsheng, Wang Ruyan, and Shangguan Tianhong were fine, feeling only a slight discomfort, while Jiao Lin and others showed expressions of pain, their faces turning pale. Seizing this opportune moment, a gust of swirling gray wind suddenly rose, enveloping Zhao Qianfeng and his companions, and swept them away into the distance. "Chase them! Don't let them escape, or there will be endless trouble," Shangguan Tianhong urged. He took the lead in pursuit, with Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan following closely, and Liu Ruyi and others also giving chase.