Chapter 561: Spring Ni Demon King

In the human-shaped snow pit, Concubine Yunxia silently wrote several demon characters with her remaining blood. "Jie Mountain direction, save me quickly." "Yunxia."

Without a word, Jiang Fan immediately scuffed away the lines of text with his foot, making them illegible. He then swept some snow over the spot, completely covering the message.

He then decisively jumped onto the demon wolf's back, his voice slightly urgent: "Quick! Leave at once! Concubine Yunxia's reinforcements are nearby, and they're very powerful."

Concubine Yunxia knew they weren't weak, yet she still dared to leave a message for reinforcements. This indicated that she believed her reinforcements were stronger than them. This was not good news at all.

They needed to return to Jie Mountain quickly.

The group's expressions turned serious. One person steered the demon wolf while the others kept watch. Jiang Fan, meanwhile, held the lower volume of "Sword Mastery" and began to study it.

Unbeknownst to them, after they had gone far away, the blood characters that Jiang Fan had scuffed away re-coalesced. They then emitted waves of crimson fluctuations that continuously spread into the distance.

Half a day later, the group still hadn't detected any pursuers. They were also not far from Jie Mountain, causing them to relax slightly. After half a day of study, Jiang Fan had finally fully comprehended the lower volume.

"Incredible! After mastering the lower volume, one can actually fly on a sword?" "Only Nascent Soul realm cultivators can do that." He was secretly thrilled.

"The upper volume cultivates the 'Sword Heart,' controlling the sword with one's mind; where the heart goes, the sword follows. The lower volume cultivates the 'Sword Body,' transforming the body into a sword; a glance, a finger, a word can all become sword qi. With the Sword Heart and Sword Body united, one can fly through the sky on a sword, unstoppable."

"Senior Xu Qingyang doesn't seem to have cultivated the Sword Body, does he?" Jiang Fan recalled that when Xu Qingyang pursued the Silver-winged Thunderbird that day, he ran along the ground and did not exhibit sword flight. The reason was likely a demanding requirement in the lower half of the volume: body refinement with sword qi.

"Sword qi body refinement" refers to tempering one's physique with powerful sword qi from a sword to cultivate the Sword Body. Ordinary sword qi is insufficient for this cultivation; only sword qi from a Spirit Artifact-level sword is effective.

"Is the creator of this sword technique insane?" Even though he possessed the cultivation conditions, Jiang Fan couldn't help but inwardly complain.

Below the Nascent Soul realm, who would be qualified to own a Spirit Artifact-level sword? How precious were Spirit Artifacts? Even a powerful Nascent Soul realm evil spirit had fallen for a low-grade Spirit Artifact, the Ancient Mirror of Illumination.

And cultivators above the Nascent Soul realm could already hover in the air. Why would they need to practice sword flight?

"Senior Xu Qingyang probably cursed the creator of this sword technique too," Jiang Fan thought, finding himself between laughter and tears. "This sword flight, which Core Formation cultivators can't practice and Nascent Soul cultivators disdain, is truly useless."

Fortunately, he met the conditions for cultivating this sword technique. He wondered what an astonishing sight it would be when he eventually performed sword flight. Immediately, he prepared to take out his purple sword to use its sword qi for body refinement.

But at that moment, the demon wolf suddenly shivered, causing a jolt on its back. Jiang Fan frowned. "What's wrong?"

The Golden-Claw Iron Wolf looked around in terror, then howled at the top of its lungs: "Big brother opposite, we're on your side! Make sure you aim carefully!"

Whoosh— Jiang Fan sprang to his feet, his expression drastically changing. "Careful!" he exclaimed. "Something's coming!"

The Golden-Claw Iron Wolf was a sixth-level Core Formation beast. Whatever could panic it was clearly not to be trifled with.

Scanning the surroundings, all that could be seen was an expanse of white, with nothing seemingly approaching. Yet, Jiang Fan also gradually felt a faint sense of danger drawing near.

His eyes flashed. Without hesitation, he tightened the Dragon-Binding Chain in his hand. The chain looped around Concubine Yunxia's other end suddenly constricted, tightly strangling her pale white neck.

Concubine Yunxia's face contorted in pain. Her eyes, filled with hope, scanned her surroundings. Her reinforcements had arrived!

Jiang Fan coldly surveyed his surroundings, the warning signs in his heart growing stronger. But the enemy remained unlocatable.

He tugged again forcefully and shouted, "Come out! Or I'll strangle her!"

Crashing— A bizarre scene unfolded. A hundred zhang away, the ice suddenly shattered. A lush, towering tree pushed through the ice and rumbled up from underground.

In mere moments, a twenty-zhang tall ancient tree, its lush canopy like a cover, appeared vibrant and alive in the icy, snowy landscape.

On a branch, sat a young girl with bare calves, dressed in a green skirt. Her face was delicate and lovely, her hair raven black. Her two bright, sparkling eyes were full of vivacity. She exuded the sweet charm of a girl next door.

However, no one believed she was just a simple girl. Qiu Shengnan's heart pounded at first sight, and he exclaimed in alarm, "One of the Four Demon Kings! Chunni!"

"What?" Xia Changge and the others were shaken. Each of the Four Demon Kings was a peak ninth-level Core Formation existence. Fang Taiji was powerful, wasn't he? But even he might not win a fight against one of the Four Demon Kings. The girl before them was actually the fearsome Demon King!

Leaning against the great tree, she watched the Demon Empress's Concubine being restrained. Her heart felt as though it was being pricked by needles, and she clutched her chest in distress. "Royal Concubine, you're not hurt, are you?"

She then turned a pleading gaze towards the group. "The Royal Concubine is fine, but you bad people are treating her this way!" she cried. "Release her immediately, and I'll let you go. Otherwise, I won't forgive you!"

Tears welled in her eyes, and her delicate body and choked voice gave her a pitiful appearance.

Qiu Shengnan and Zhao Wuji exchanged glances. They couldn't help but feel a strange illusion that *they* were the bad guys.

They quickly conferred, then said, "Jiang Fan, should we try to negotiate with her? A Demon King is not someone we can handle." The implication was clear: they might have to release Concubine Yunxia to save their own lives.

"Don't fall for it!" Jiang Fan warned. "She's a Demon King!"

He was not deceived by the young girl's appearance. Among the brutal demon race, none who rose to become a Demon King were benevolent. They all ascended through ruthless competition. Demon King Chunni's seemingly gentle and harmless demeanor was not a weakness; on the contrary, it was likely her weapon. Anyone misled by her façade would face a dire fate.

"Stop pretending!" Jiang Fan demanded. "Retreat immediately, don't follow us, and don't use any tricks! Otherwise, if we die, Concubine Yunxia will be buried with us!"

He pulled Concubine Yunxia closer, tightening the chain around her neck. Unable to breathe, Concubine Yunxia's face visibly turned red.

Chunni stamped her feet in distress, pleading tearfully, "Alright, alright, I'll back off, I'll back off! Please don't hurt the Royal Concubine anymore. Wuwu..."

Wiping away her tears, she manipulated the giant tree to move backward.

Concubine Yunxia turned her head, staring deeply at Jiang Fan, and declared resolutely, "Chunni! Don't mind me! Kill them! Even if I'm taken back to Jie Mountain, I won't escape death. I might as well die now and take them with me!"

Damn it! Jiang Fan immediately covered her mouth, but it was too late.

Chunni, who had just been weeping, suddenly changed her expression. She wiped away her tears. The corners of her mouth curled upward, her eyes drooped, and her features twisted into a grotesque snarl. In an instant, she became terrifyingly sinister! Her eyes revealed a morbid madness. "With the Royal Concubine's words, I'm at ease!" she hissed. "Then I invite you all... to die together!"