Chapter 1548: Unexpected Appearance of the Dark Lotus During Calamity

The core star on the giant's head was severed by a streak of purple lightning. Jiang Fan seized it, channeling streams of soul attacks into it. As the shrill screams faded, the Soul Giant King's last wisp of soul vanished from existence. The fourth Giant King was completely destroyed.

Just then, a whooshing sound pierced the air. Jiang Fan turned to see the Evil Crow Venerable stealthily appearing next to the Nine-Dragon Demonic Cauldron. It turned out he had already deactivated the Soul Imprisonment Lock. Realizing the tide of battle had completely turned, he intended to flee with the Nine-Dragon Demonic Cauldron. Jiang Fan's eyes gleamed with a cold light. "Traitor!"

If it weren't for this despicable wretch, the Soul Giant King would have fallen by his sword much sooner. He wouldn't have been caught in a siege, and the powerful cultivators from various sects wouldn't have had to sacrifice themselves to rescue him. This old beast deserved to be cut into a thousand pieces!

The Evil Crow Venerable shivered, his gut churning with regret. He had never dreamed that Jiang Fan could turn the tables in a certain-death situation, four against one! He had finally steeled himself to betray Taicang Great State. But now, Taicang Great State was about to win! What was he supposed to do?

If only he had held out a little longer and stayed with Taicang Great State, he would have become a meritorious hero, celebrated throughout history for turning the tide. Instead, he was branded a human traitor, and now he would be hunted down!

This... this was all Jiang Fan's fault! Wouldn't it have been better if he had just died? At this thought, he glared venomously at Jiang Fan.

"You've ruined my lifelong reputation!" he cried. "I'll never rest until you're destroyed!"

With that, he hugged the Nine-Dragon Demonic Cauldron, attempting to flee with it. However, upon touching it, he realized the cauldron was incredibly heavy. He then understood that a different kind of power was needed to move it.

Before he could figure it out, Jiang Fan's icy voice boomed. "You like stealing my things, do you? You can have it!"

With a thought, Jiang Fan channeled a stream of spatial energy into the Nine-Dragon Demonic Cauldron. While activated by soul power, it was merely an ordinary alchemy furnace. But if opened with spatial power, it connected to the void!

*Creak!* The cauldron lid suddenly sprang open, unleashing a terrifying, unexpected suction force. The Evil Crow Venerable, still holding the Nine-Dragon Demonic Cauldron, was caught off guard and instantly swallowed. The Evil Crow Venerable was utterly horrified.

He hastily activated his Evil Crow essence. A pitch-black phantom crow, like ink, carried him, struggling to fly out. How could Jiang Fan give him a chance? With another thought, the cauldron lid swiftly began to close.

"No!" the Evil Crow Venerable shrieked in terror. Below him was the void! Once trapped inside, he would surely die!

In that moment of life or death, he gritted his teeth, and the phantom crow beneath him shattered, transforming into a fierce force that blocked the void passage below. Simultaneously, the black divine ring behind his head shattered. He had actually severed his own domain, seeking a sliver of hope for survival. Taking advantage of the vanished suction force behind him, he burst out of the cauldron, his face grim. At this moment, he hated Jiang Fan to the core! His lifelong cultivation at the Soul Transformation stage was all gone! If he managed to escape, he vowed to make Jiang Fan pay!

However, just as he rushed out of the cauldron, a black vine unexpectedly shot out from inside it. It immediately coiled around him, dragging him back into the cauldron.

"What is this?" he screamed. "Ah! What is it? It's devouring my flesh and blood! Jiang Fan, what did you put in there?"

Jiang Fan's expression changed instantly. The Black Lotus of Salvation? It had actually been clinging to the bottom of the Nine-Dragon Demonic Cauldron all this time, never leaving? Jiang Fan's scalp tingled. How could he allow such a malevolent entity to descend upon the Central Lands? He decisively sealed the cauldron.

Just as it was sealed, a dull thud echoed from within. It was the Black Lotus of Salvation attacking the lid, trying to get out. At the same time, the Evil Crow Venerable's shrill screams faintly reached his ears. Soon after, the screams abruptly ceased. He must have been drained of his flesh and blood by the Black Lotus of Salvation and died.

Beads of cold sweat appeared on Jiang Fan's forehead. Did the Black Lotus of Salvation also devour the essence of living beings? He thought of himself and Yue Mingzhu, having spent a considerable amount of time in close proximity to the Black Lotus of Salvation in the void. A wave of belated fear washed over him. Fortunately, their cultivation was low, so the Black Lotus of Salvation wasn't interested. Otherwise...

He shivered, quickly checked the Nine-Dragon Demonic Cauldron to ensure it was properly sealed and the thumping sound had stopped, then cautiously placed it into a separate spatial storage artifact. He couldn't open it again unless absolutely necessary. Otherwise, releasing the Black Lotus of Salvation would lead to a catastrophe comparable to the arrival of the Ancient Giants.

After obliterating the Giant Kings, Jiang Fan scanned the remaining individuals. The Demon Heart Venerable, Bodhisattva, Jian Lanjiang, and the Mantra Venerable were still locked in battle with other Giant Kings, with no immediate emergencies. It went without saying what Jiang Fan, now free, would do next.

On the battlefield, "Dao Leader!"

Amidst cries of alarm, Xuan Yi, the Dao Leader of Three Purities Mountain, collapsed into a pool of blood. An Ancient Giant's long tongue had pierced his chest, destroying his vital organs and draining most of his life force. An elder beside him caught him, tearfully feeding him healing elixirs.

"Don't mind me..." True Lord Xuan Yi whispered weakly. "Keep fighting the enemy..."

He knew he was beyond saving. Looking at the fallen Ancient Giant corpses around him, he said with satisfaction, "Killing five by myself... that's comparable to some of the Nine-Orifice and Eight-Orifice Nascent Soul seniors who self-destructed... It was worth it!"

"Remember to tell that little brat Jiang Fan that I wasn't bad either... did you hear me...?" His vision rapidly blurred. Vaguely, he saw an Ancient Giant swinging a spiked club down at him. He quietly closed his eyes, awaiting fate's judgment.

But suddenly, a torrent of hot blood splattered over him, jolting him awake. Through his blurry vision, a black-clad young figure, stepping on a rolling head, appeared before him. He casually tossed a spiritual elixir onto Xuan Yi. "Only five killed? That's not enough to be a hero! Get up and keep killing!"

With that, the black figure soared into the air. True Lord Xuan Yi fumbled for and consumed the spiritual elixir. His life-threatening injuries miraculously healed. His vision also returned, and seeing the black figure clearly, he was stunned for a long moment. Then, he pushed himself up, grinning. "Little brat. I'll make sure you're impressed!" He immediately plunged back into the fight against the giants.

At the same time, Jiang Fan's booming voice resounded from the sky. "The Soul Giant King, the Shadow Giant King, and the Evil Crow Venerable are dead! You can't escape!"

These words greatly emboldened the human allied forces, while, conversely, plunging the Ancient Giants into disarray. Of the initial four hundred Ancient Giants, over two hundred had been eliminated by the suicidal attacks of the Nine-Orifice and Eight-Orifice Nascent Soul cultivators. The fearless charge of the main army had killed another hundred. The remaining hundred or so crippled giants were no match for Jiang Fan and the human allied forces. They were terrified, lost their will to fight, and scattered in panic in all directions.

The human allied forces, now seeing red, would not let them escape. They relentlessly pursued and encircled them. Jiang Fan also unleashed streams of divine abilities and magic artifacts; each strike claimed the life of a giant! In less than a quarter of an hour, over seventy Ancient Giants fell. Although the remaining twenty or so managed to escape, they were wrathfully pursued by the powerful cultivators from various sects. An endless chase awaited them. Like the Asura in the Celestial Realm, they would be hunted down and killed one by one in terror.

Jiang Fan took a breath and swallowed a Reversion to Void spiritual elixir. The battle's outcome was decided; the task of eliminating the remnants was left to them. Now, it was time to send the remaining four Giant Kings to their demise! Once they were all dead, Taicang Great State would win!