Chapter 589: Picked Up a Life

"Chun Ni!" Concubine Yunxia cried out.

Chun Ni instantly understood her meaning. She immediately summoned an ancient tree, which extended countless thick roots to firmly protect them in the center. Concubine Yunxia, furthermore, unfolded her nine tails, unleashing a Nascent Soul aura. The tails formed a lotus shape, protecting Chun Ni, Jiang Fan, and the Golden-Clawed Iron Wolf together within it.

Boom—

Snap—

A terrifying impact force arrived instantly. The sound of roots shattering was ceaseless. Immediately after, the nine fox tails also suffered an unprecedented impact. Concubine Yunxia immediately let out repeated screams of pain. Blood flowed like a stream from her tails.

Seeing that she was about to collapse, Jiang Fan shouted, "Give me the Five-Magnet Primordial Mountain!"

Concubine Yunxia asked, "What do you want to do?"

Jiang Fan replied, "The Five-Magnet Divine Light can suppress all forces. This is our last resort! Quick! Otherwise, we'll all die!"

Concubine Yunxia hesitated slightly, then said through gritted teeth, "Chun Ni, give it to him!"

Demon King Chun Ni's face was pale; the destruction of her roots had caused her immense trauma. She struggled to mobilize her roots and handed over the Five-Magnet Primordial Mountain.

Concubine Yunxia suddenly screamed. One of her tails had been completely destroyed. Jiang Fan no longer hesitated. He decisively formed hand seals with both hands and struck the Five-Magnet Primordial Mountain, shouting, "Five-Magnet Divine Light!"

A five-colored light barrier immediately enveloped a three-zhang radius. It was at this moment that the nine fox tails could no longer hold up and were destroyed one after another.

Boom—

A terrifying destructive shockwave swept over them. As it surged into the five-colored light barrier, it was immediately suppressed. A full ninety percent of the destructive power failed to activate. The remaining ten percent swept over everyone.

Even though Jiang Fan was covered in crystal and had bitten through the copper coin that offered Core Formation Ninth Layer defense, the sweeping shockwave destroyed them one after another. He was not like Concubine Yunxia and Chun Ni, who possessed powerful demon physiques at the peak of the Core Formation Ninth Layer. The remaining shockwave would kill him.

"Hide behind me!" Concubine Yunxia saw Jiang Fan's predicament. She struggled to support her few broken tails, wanting to put up a last bit of defense for Jiang Fan.

Jiang Fan gave her a deep look and said, "No need. Protect yourself!" He immediately activated the thunder power that had only just recovered a little. He used the Cloud Shadow Escape to flee into the distance. He barely managed to leave.

The terrifying shockwave then completely enveloped her and Demon King Chun Ni. The two struggled to resist for a moment, but in the end, they were heavily injured. They both spat blood one after another and fell unconscious.

A long time later, after the shockwave subsided, Jiang Fan unhurriedly returned. Looking at the terrifying thousand-zhang long canyon not far away, his heart trembled.

"Fortunately, we were on the edge of that blow," Daoist Six Paths said, showing an expression of surviving a calamity. "Otherwise, even ten Five-Magnet Divine Lights wouldn't have been able to dissipate that destructive power."

"For you to be alive is a miracle," Daoist Six Paths continued. "Although this ancient giant is injured and its movements are hindered, its combat strength is still at the Nascent Soul Mid-stage level. With the residual power of its single strike, you Core Formation stage cultivators should have had no chance of survival."

Jiang Fan secretly felt a chill. Injured, and still Nascent Soul Mid-stage. How strong must the ancient giant be at its peak?

He glanced at Concubine Yunxia and Demon King Chun Ni, who had fallen unconscious. He drew his purple sword and pressed it against Concubine Yunxia's chest. They had been entangled for so long; it was time for a resolution. After a moment of silence, he still couldn't bring himself to do it.

"What, you're reluctant?" Daoist Six Paths said with a wicked smile. "Such a beautiful demoness, even in the outer realms, she'd be top-notch. Who wouldn't be tempted? That Lu Liang fellow never took his eyes off this woman."

Jiang Fan ignored him. He gazed at Concubine Yunxia and said faintly, "For the sake of you still trying to save me at the last moment, I'll spare your life! Let there be no more entanglement between us." He sheathed his sword. He squatted down and fumbled around in Concubine Yunxia's clothes for a moment, pulling out the Nascent Soul Jade Talisman. Thus, both the Five-Magnet Primordial Mountain and the Nascent Soul Jade Talisman were back.

He then unbound the Dragon-Binding Lock and looked up at the mountain that had been torn in half. His gaze flickered. He used his movement technique to hurry over. The four great halls that had once been at the bottom of the mountain had all collapsed. The area was filled with rubble and dust, bearing no resemblance to a secret realm.

To Jiang Fan's delight, the materialized spiritual energy that had accumulated here for years had not completely dispersed. It still lingered around. Cultivating here for one day was equivalent to a month outside. What if he added the Limitless Spiritual Root? Jiang Fan immediately sat cross-legged on a rock, absorbing the dense spiritual energy around him like a whale.

The corner of Daoist Six Paths' mouth twitched. "You actually dare to come back here? Aren't you afraid the ancient giant will suddenly come back to kill us?"

Jiang Fan shook his head and said, "It won't come back. Firstly, this place has been exposed and can no longer be hidden. Secondly, the giant egg is its lifeblood, so it will surely pursue Daoist Qinghe relentlessly. I don't think a Nascent Soul expert like Daoist Qinghe would die so easily, would he?"

Daoist Six Paths pondered carefully for a moment. He nodded slightly. "You brat, you calculate things better than anyone."

Jiang Fan said no more. He closed his eyes and quietly cultivated.

After an unknown amount of time, Concubine Yunxia, still unconscious, suddenly felt something wet on her face. She suddenly awoke to find Lu Liang before her eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked, sitting up warily and moving back a bit. Instantly, intense pain shot through her arms and ribs. It was the residual power from earlier, which had repeatedly shattered the bones throughout her body, leaving her severely injured.

"Don't be afraid." Lu Liang gently shook the wet towel in his hand and said warmly, "If I had any ill intent, I would have already taken advantage of your vulnerability. I was only wiping your face."

Concubine Yunxia still felt a lingering trepidation. She couldn't believe she had fallen unconscious. Looking at Chun Ni, she was also heavily injured and unconscious. Fortunately, this Lu Liang was considered upright and hadn't taken advantage of her vulnerability.

"Thank you, Young Master Lu." Concubine Yunxia still struggled to move back, maintaining her distance.

Seeing this, Lu Liang said with a hint of disappointment, "Yunxia, I have..."

"Don't say it!" Concubine Yunxia guessed what he was about to say. That form of address was already inappropriate; the rest of his words would undoubtedly be about his admiration for her, wouldn't they? Before she married the Demon Emperor, many great demons had spoken to her in a similar way.

"Young Master Lu, I am the Demon Emperor's concubine," she stated. "I am a married woman. Although I am of the demon race and don't have as many formalities as humans, I still understand the principle of loyalty to my husband. Please refrain from any words or actions that might cause distress." She simply made herself clear.

Lu Liang gave a wry smile. "All right," he said. "I don't like to force anyone. Since Concubine Yunxia has said so, then I shall take my leave!" He shook his head, rose, and left in disappointment.

Concubine Yunxia's tense heart slowly relaxed, and the trace of Nascent Soul aura she had secretly accumulated gradually dispersed. If Lu Liang had dared to make any improper moves, she wouldn't have minded disciplining him on behalf of Daoist Qinghe. Fortunately, she had underestimated Lu Liang's character. As expected from someone of a prestigious orthodox sect, he wasn't as despicable as she had imagined.

Suddenly. She rubbed her temples as a faint dizzy sensation swept over her. At the same time, her body felt limp, and she didn't even have the strength to prop herself up.

"Is this... because of my injuries?" Concubine Yunxia asked doubtfully. She shook her head, trying to clear her head, but the dizziness only grew stronger. Her body also became increasingly limp and weak. Finally, she couldn't hold on and lay down.

A sinister chuckle, accompanied by a long sigh of relief, slowly drifted over.

"It finally took effect."

"I had to wait so long."