The Five Demon Generals of the Demon Realm—Wind Demon, Thunder Demon, Water Demon, Dust Demon—along with the Fire Demon who had already lost an arm—had all gathered for the Xuanming Tome.
Wind Demon stood beneath the clouds, his palm slightly open, and with a flick, the several tornadoes from all directions froze in place, slowly spinning in place.
"Indeed, the South Rising Northern Dipper Sword Sect is powerful. This time, even the mysterious leader, the Purple Emperor, has joined the fray. Though the four of us know we can't defeat you, dealing with your subordinates won't be a problem." Wind Demon looked down from above, his voice calm but mocking.
"That's right. If the Purple Emperor regrets it now, it's not too late, otherwise... haha, slap, slap!" A petite woman with a face like a peach blossom smiled, clapping her hands gently. The applause wasn't loud, but in this chaotic environment, it echoed throughout.
Pat, pat, pat!!!
The rhythmic sound of marching footsteps came from all directions. In the blink of an eye, figures appeared from the sky, the ground, and even behind the mountains. These figures all wore black armor, with mist swirling around their bodies, resembling ripples on the surface of water.
The disciples of the South Rising Northern Dipper Sword Sect led by Zi Yu were quickly surrounded by the Demon Realm forces. Countless sharp, murderous gazes locked onto the members of the sect below.
"Hehehe…" The Purple Emperor smiled faintly. "You dare act so recklessly in front of the South Rising Northern Dipper Sword Sect with these people?"
Suddenly, the smile turned into a wild laugh. The Purple Emperor laughed uproariously, while Dong Hou and Zi Yu laughed as well, with Zi Yu even clutching her stomach and feigning pain.
"Did none of your Demon Lords ever tell you that when facing the leader of the South Rising Northern Dipper Sword Sect, you should never attempt a numbers game?" The Purple Emperor's smile suddenly vanished, and his expression turned cold as he gazed at the sky.
"Heh, let me tell you," Zi Yu said proudly, pointing at the Five Demon Generals. "One person alone could wipe all of you out."
Zi Yu's exaggerated laughter and the adorable expression on her face made it hard for anyone to take her words seriously. However, a chill ran down the spines of the Five Demon Generals, including Feng Yun Wu Ji.
Feng Yun Wu Ji scanned the surroundings, noticing that the Demon Realm forces numbered at least several thousand, each one possessing formidable martial skills, with some having cultivated for hundreds of thousands of years. The strongest had skills that exceeded millions of years of cultivation. Could one person really kill them all? Was this person a god?
"Purple Emperor, there are too many of them. My skills are only effective one by one. Even if I move fast, it'll still take time. I won't step in this time. You handle them all yourself. Kill them!" Dong Hou said with a smile, but the coldness in her tone sent shivers down everyone's spine. This woman clearly viewed life as insignificant—her expression spoke volumes of someone who had killed many.
"Mo, Jia, you three protect Zi Yu. All disciples of the South Rising Northern Dipper Sword Sect, do not interfere in this battle. Sit down and chant the sect's inner power formula!" The Purple Emperor's voice echoed, and all the sect members immediately sat down without hesitation, chanting the South Rising Northern Dipper Secret Art. Waves of purple light burst from their bodies.
The Purple Emperor looked up, rain cascading down his forehead and blending with his long hair. Confusion was the only expression in his eyes.
"Sword of the Killing Path!" The Purple Emperor's cold voice echoed through the heavens and earth. The Five Demon Generals' faces turned pale in response.
"Wait!" Water Demon, one of the Five, cried out in alarm, her expression changing rapidly as she tried to stop the Purple Emperor, but it was already too late. A strange aura enveloped the entire sky and earth. A terrifying killing intent descended, and the sky darkened, the clouds sinking lower.
Feng Yun Wu Ji suddenly felt an unparalleled sword aimed directly at him. It was a sword forged through countless slaughters, its violent aura overwhelming, pushing him to the edge of madness, making him want to draw his own blade.
Boom!
Lightning shot across the sky, and as a flash of silver light illuminated the area, Feng Yun Wu Ji was horrified to see countless strange weapons floating in the air, their sharp edges reflecting deadly glimmers of light.
Crack!
Another lightning strike, and the bizarre weapons descended even faster than before, raining down upon the battlefield. The air was filled with horrified screams, and the sound of weapons piercing flesh echoed through the chaos.
Suddenly, the lightning stopped. The dark clouds above dispersed slightly, and the ground brightened, but the rain continued to pour.
"I love the rain!" The Purple Emperor stretched out his arms, his purple robes swirling in the wind. He caught a raindrop in his right hand, speaking softly, "Every time it rains, I feel the urge to dance with my sword."
Feng Yun Wu Ji quickly turned his gaze away from the Purple Emperor, scanning the surroundings with growing horror. The mountains around him were filled with Demon Realm forces impaled by their own weapons, pinned to the mountainside, blood flowing like rivers, staining the mountains red and trickling down the slopes.
The ground and mountains were littered with corpses. Every person's eyes were wide open, their faces frozen in terror.
"What kind of martial art is this? Why did they die by their own weapons? Why did I feel my own qi spiraling out of control, almost bursting from my body? How could so many people be killed in an instant? How is this possible?!" Feng Yun Wu Ji's mind was flooded with questions. The Purple Emperor, Dong Hou, and Zi Yu—these people were shrouded in an air of mystery, their martial skills defying everything he knew about the martial world.
"You actually killed them!" Water Demon shouted angrily, her eyes filled with disbelief as she stared at the mass of corpses below.
"We're leaving! South Rising Northern Dipper Mountain is destined to be a river of blood today!" Wind Demon grunted, turning to leave.
Zi Yu obediently draped a purple fur coat over the Purple Emperor, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. She turned to the Five Demon Generals and flashed them a sweet smile. "The Purple Emperor spared your lives. If it weren't for that, you'd be like them, lying on the ground. The power of the South Rising Northern Dipper Sword's Killing Path Sword is something you demons cannot resist. Hehe..."
"Purple Emperor, let me finish them off," Dong Hou said cheerfully, slowly pulling out a pair of purple gloves from her sleeve and putting them on with an amused smile.
"Heh, forget it. They're just small fry, not worth our time. Let's spare them for now." The Purple Emperor's voice was calm, but it carried more weight than Dong Hou's words, leaving the Five Demon Generals feeling humiliated. After all, one side was the leader of the South Rising Northern Dipper Sword Sect, while the other was merely the Five Demon Generals of the Demon Realm. The difference in status was clear, and so was the difference in strength.
"We'll leave. Though we haven't completed our mission, we've gained something unexpected. The Purple Emperor's martial skills are so strange and powerful. It's a big gain. This person is far more scheming than we gave him credit for. It seems we underestimated this sect formed by those who ascended."
The Fire Demon picked up his severed arm from the ground, and followed the other Demon Generals as they vanished into the distance. Before leaving, he shot a final furious glare at the Purple Emperor.