Chapter 548: Yunxia Princess at Nascent Soul Stage

Others didn't realize that Jiang Fan possessed the Nascent Soul Jade Talisman. Witch Manyue, however, had come to the battlefield precisely for it. Could she possibly be unaware?

"Alright, I am indeed saving him," Witch Manyue admitted with a shrug. "After all, the mission isn't complete yet, is it? Someone still needs to get the job done and eliminate the Demon Empress's concubine, right?"

"Okay, everyone get into position," she added. "The seniors are about to engage in a major battle with the Demon Empress's concubine's forces. Stragglers might escape at any time, so we mustn't hold them back."

Everyone seemed relaxed, devoid of the tension they had felt at Boundary Mountain. This was because the human race had deployed an exceptionally formidable lineup: nine elders, in addition to Grand Elder Fang Taiji, a combatant of the highest caliber. They could find no reason for the human side to be defeated.

As the group swiftly took their positions, deep within Soul Severing Gorge, ten massive demonic beasts, each fifty to sixty zhang tall, lay coiled around a luxurious tent. Their demonic energy surged skyward, and their eyes gleamed fiercely, radiating immense power. Each one was no weaker than Xuanjia. Who else but the Demon Empress's concubine could be guarded by such formidable beings?

Suddenly, one of the demonic beasts abruptly raised its head, staring towards the gorge's exit, but there was nothing in the darkness.

"Baiteng, did you find something?" the other nine demonic beasts beside it stirred awake.

Baiteng, the demonic beast, had slightly reddened eyes, allowing it to see the dim gorge with perfect clarity. After a moment, it slowly shook its head. "No, I must have been mistaken..."

Suddenly, its pupils contracted! Not far in front of it, a hunched old man with his hands clasped behind his back was approaching!

"Hiss!""Alert!""Protect the Empress!"

Baiteng gasped sharply, letting out a shrill alarm. It had clearly scrutinized the area, finding no presence. Yet, the old man in front of it seemed to appear out of thin air, arriving utterly undetected! What did this mean? It meant this human elder was so powerful that even its innate divine ability couldn't detect his aura! The last time it had felt such power was when facing Heaven Devouring Tiger, the Demon King!

Terrified, Baiteng scrambled to its feet to face the enemy. Just as it stood, a sudden chill spread across its chest. Looking down, it saw a human-shaped bloodied hole in its chest. Immediately after, a sharp pain shot through its back. Turning its head, it saw the hunched old man, who had emerged from its back, his hands still clasped behind him. Merely by moving his body, he had forcefully carved a human-shaped bloodied hole through its six-layered Core Formation beast king body. How powerful was this...? Its vision gradually darkened, and its massive body crashed to the ground.

The surrounding demonic beasts were thoroughly alarmed, staring in horror at the hunched old man!

"Who are you?" one beast king stammered, its voice trembling.

Fang Taiji, with his hands behind his back, calmly surveyed them. "Only ten War Kings personally guarding her?" he said faintly. "The Demon Empress's concubine doesn't seem to hold our human race in high regard."

The next moment, his figure vanished from its spot, leaving a lingering afterimage. When he reappeared, he was already standing on the head of a serpent demon. He lifted his foot and gently stomped.

*Pffft—*

The serpent demon's head instantly exploded into a mist of blood. Without even a cry, this six-layered Core Formation powerhouse was annihilated.

"Underestimating the enemy is a cardinal sin," Fang Taiji remarked, lightly dusting off the blood splatters from his sleeve.

The remaining eight War Kings gulped hard. In their eyes, Fang Taiji was like a god of slaughter! One of them, who appeared to be the leader, suppressed its fear and roared, "Protect the Empress!" It charged forward, leading the way. The other seven War Kings also rushed towards him, embracing death, like mountains crashing down on Fang Taiji.

"Heh heh..." Fang Taiji chuckled hoarsely. "Overestimating yourselves."

He raised his right hand and pressed it down through the air towards the immense War Kings attacking him.

*Boom—**Boom—*

The leading War King instantly collapsed to the ground, its head reduced to a bloody pulp. The War Kings behind it also seemed to be struck by a crushing pressure, as if the sky itself was falling. They were all forced to the ground, their limbs shattered, spines broken, and internal organs suffering unimaginable trauma. They lay on the ground, whimpering in unison.

At this moment, the nine elders finally arrived. Looking at the scene, they were utterly astonished. This was the power of one of the human race's top five super-experts! He remained inactive unless necessary, but when he acted, it brought about cataclysmic destruction!

"Collect their demonic cores," Fang Taiji ordered. "I will personally meet Consort Yunxia." He lifted his gaze towards the tent. A solitary lamp emitted a faint light, casting the graceful silhouette of a woman sitting cross-legged onto the tent fabric. Her pointed chin, high nose bridge, and hair styled into a falling horse mane bun were visible. Her posture was straight, clearly accentuating the slenderness of her shoulders and back, and the elegant length of her swan-like neck. Her perfect chest gently rose and fell with the flickering lamplight. Just seeing her silhouette made it clear she was a beauty.

Fang Taiji chuckled hoarsely. "I've long heard that Consort Yunxia is a beauty of the demon race, with an ethereal, natural charm. Even the Demon Emperor fell for you at first sight and took you as his concubine. Among his thirty-six concubines, you are the most favored. Today, this old man will boldly enjoy the Demon Emperor's blessings." His words carried a clear implication of an old tree finding new spring.

Zhao Wuji and several other elders frowned. The Demon Empress's concubine was an enemy; capturing or killing her was acceptable. However, to debase or insult her would cause them to lose the righteousness of fighting for the human race, making them akin to followers of corrupt cults.

"Grand Elder Fang, you cannot do this!" Zhao Wuji stepped forward to object. "We are here to carry out a mission, not..."

*Pfft—*

Fang Taiji glared at him, his fierce gaze causing Zhao Wuji to stagger backward repeatedly. His face paled, and he spat out a mouthful of blood mist.

"Does this old man need you to teach him how to do things?" Fang Taiji glanced at him indifferently, then stepped into the tent.

Zhao Wuji gritted his teeth, but he was helpless, only able to watch Fang Taiji act as he pleased.

Suddenly, the lamp inside the tent extinguished. Fang Taiji, who had just entered, strangely backed out for some unknown reason. As Zhao Wuji and the others watched, bewildered, a scene that made their pupils contract sharply unfolded before their eyes.

As Fang Taiji slowly retreated, they saw a beautiful, fair hand, like jade, with five fingers spread, gripping Fang Taiji's old face. It pressed him, slowly forcing him out of the tent. Fang Taiji's old face was filled with horror, as if he had seen something incredibly terrifying, so much so that he allowed the other party to grip him, not daring to resist in the slightest.

As Fang Taiji continued to retreat, the owner of the hand slowly emerged from the dim tent. It was a young woman in white. She was exceptionally beautiful. Her features seemed carved, with limpid, autumn eyes veiled in a misty gaze. Her demeanor was gentle and serene. Under the faint moonlight, her entire body shimmered with a soft glow, like a moon goddess. To describe her as having an "ethereal beauty" was no exaggeration.

However, the aura she exuded at this moment held no hint of immortality. What they felt was a chilling aura from the depths of hell!

Because the aura she exuded... was from the Nascent Soul realm!!!