Bang!!!
Under Guo Tao's surge of blood and vigor, the ice-sealed demon soldier was instantly smashed into pieces!
Then, with undiminished momentum, he charged forward, forcefully colliding with the demon soldiers in front of him and bursting through the gate of the county yamen together.
"Condense!"
Song He's eyebrows twitched, and he softly uttered a word.
In the next breath, the Cold Moon Shuttle, which had been suspended in mid-air, once again transformed into a stream of light. With a mere swirl, a layer of frost appeared on the surrounding demon soldiers.
With this layer of frost attached, the movements of all the demon soldiers became slow and stiff. Although their armor and scales were tough enough, they could no longer pose a significant threat to everyone.
Li Junxian and Jiang He alone were enough to suppress the remaining demon soldiers, preventing them from advancing further.
After exchanging a glance, the two even joined forces tacitly, blasting the remaining demon soldiers into the high walls of the county yamen one by one.
In just a moment, everyone had advanced to the entrance of the county yamen. The demon soldiers in front of them were either killed or thrown into the high walls.
As they approached the county yamen gate, Ji Yuan had already rushed in. He then saw his fifth senior brother being surrounded and attacked by five demon soldiers.
Relying on their agility, these demon soldiers did not confront Guo Tao head-on, unlike outside the gate where they could only clash with him.
Once they were not fighting head-on, Guo Tao's disadvantage became apparent. Although his blood and vigor were exceptionally rich, and his strength was astonishing, he ultimately lacked combat experience and had never practiced martial arts before.
Previously, he could rely on his strength to clash head-on with these demon soldiers. Now, he could only defend passively, relying on his invulnerable daoist robe to barely hold on amidst their encirclement.
Seeing this scene, a chill instantly spread across Ji Yuan's eyebrows. He quickly stepped forward, and his long sword slashed out horizontally.
A cold glint flashed, and a demon soldier was instantly cut in half at the waist. However, the opponent seemed oblivious and continued to wave his long saber on the ground with full killing intent.
Caught off guard, Ji Yuan was almost injured by the opponent and quickly retreated several steps.
The demon soldier he had cut in half then slammed his palm onto the ground, using the force to leap into the air, swinging his saber with all his might towards Ji Yuan's head.
Seeing this, the chill in his eyebrows intensified. This time, he did not dodge. He raised his hand and unleashed four or five talismans, which instantly transformed into several scorching fireballs, engulfing the half-bodied demon soldier in the air.
Without even looking, Ji Yuan transformed into several afterimages and appeared beside his senior brother at the fastest speed.
He grabbed Guo Tao by the belt and pulled him behind him, intending to face the four demon soldiers alone!
Fifth Senior Brother's expression became anxious, and he was about to step forward immediately, when he saw his junior brother, a few steps away, suddenly emanating an ineffable aura that was slowly awakening from his body.
It was like a sharp sword being slowly drawn from its scabbard, revealing its sharpness to the world!
Clang!
In the unseen depths, it was as if the sound of a sharp sword being unsheathed rang out, causing the long sword in Ji Yuan's hand to emit a faint sword hum at this moment.
And at this very moment, the four demon soldiers stepped forward simultaneously. Waves of malevolent energy rubbed against each other, forming an even greater oppressive force, almost causing the vital energy within Ji Yuan to stagnate.
His eyes were filled with the figures of the four demon soldiers closing in for the kill, but in his mind, he suddenly recalled the sword strike that Zhao Yuansong had unleashed with his magical power at Baiyun Temple earlier.
It was a seemingly ordinary sword strike, yet it made one feel as if they were witnessing a mountain. The sword energy, though as light as a feather, could erupt with immense power.
"Isn't it just sword intent? I have it too, actually."
He suddenly smiled and muttered to himself.
In the next instant, Ji Yuan suddenly swung his long sword. Although his vital energy had been suppressed, his sword suddenly erupted with a dazzling light.
As the sword light flashed, heaven and earth seemed to freeze. The four demon soldiers remained in their pose of raising their sabers to strike, but they stood there motionlessly.
Ji Yuan exhaled softly, then leisurely walked past the four demon soldiers and headed straight for the hall not far away.
After he had walked more than ten steps, bright sword light flashed from the seven orifices of the four demon soldiers, and wisps of sword energy penetrated their bodies.
In just a moment, the four demon soldiers were utterly annihilated, leaving only sword energy circulating on the ground, which completely dissipated into the heavens and earth.
Looking at the familiar small figure, Guo Tao suddenly felt a sense of unfamiliarity in his heart, but it was immediately followed by overwhelming pride.
"Still planning to keep watching? You should know that mere demons and demon soldiers cannot stop our progress."
Ji Yuan stopped and looked towards the hall, which was shrouded in shadow.
Although the sight before him was dim, he knew that someone was seated high above within.
As he spoke, Zhao Yuansong and the others also entered the county yamen, standing a few steps behind him, quietly gazing at the hall shrouded in shadow.
The county yamen was deathly silent at this moment. The few demon soldiers who had been thrown inside had also been killed by everyone.
However, outside the county yamen, beyond the wall, the sound of tidal roars could be heard, like the howling of wild beasts.
Fifteen disciples of the Three Blade Society, along with Jiang He, Li Junxian, and others, were gathered at the gate, desperately fending off countless demonized commoners.
Strangely, these demonized commoners only charged towards the gate and never attempted to scale the walls, which significantly reduced the pressure on everyone.
"The world is on the verge of great change. Why don't you join me in establishing a demon realm, and from then on, enjoy all the beauty in the world? Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
From the hall, Yuan Yongcheng's voice slowly emerged. On the high court where he was supposed to discern right from wrong for the people, he spoke words that disregarded the lives of his subjects.
What is a demon realm?
It is a place devoid of ethics and natural order, filled with demons everywhere. Disputes are settled with killing, and people kill for the sake of killing. The demons within do not work but only kill for pleasure. If they lack something, they steal. If they desire something, they snatch it.
If something is not found in the demon realm, they will continue to steal from outside.
There are no laws, no morals, and all desires are amplified countless times. This is but the tip of the iceberg of a demon realm.
"The Great Yu Dynasty is prosperous and the weather is favorable. Where is this great change in the world coming from?"
Zhao Yuansong said coldly, "It's not too late to stop now. If you insist on being obstinate, aren't you afraid that the imperial court will dispatch powerful experts to obliterate this place?"
Facing a powerful dynasty, let alone cultivators of the second or third realm, even great cultivators who have formed a golden core, or even mighty beings known as land immortals, are not invincible.
Even if the other party's plan succeeds and a county town is turned into a demon realm, it will soon be annihilated by the experts of the Great Yu Dynasty and cannot survive.
"There's no point in talking too much. There's no need to waste words with him."
Ji Yuan, now exuding sword intent, was like a different person, his entire being sharp and his actions decisive.
He looked quite impatient, let out a cold snort, and immediately swung his sword, unleashing a dazzling and piercing sword light that instantly vanished into the shadows of the hall.
Following a low shout, sword energy surged within the hall, and bright sword light dispelled most of the shadows within.
Beneath the plaque bearing "Mirror of Brightness Hanging High," a figure in official robes appeared before everyone.
He used one hand to block the incoming sword light, allowing the sword energy to crisscross without harming him in the slightest. Furthermore, rolling demonic energy surged from his body, continuously eroding the sword energy that could cleave metal and break stone.
In just two or three breaths, the sword light unleashed by Ji Yuan was extinguished by this man!
"Why bother."
Yuan Yongcheng let out a sigh and then walked slowly out of the hall, step by step.
As he took a few steps, the plaque above him that read "Mirror of Brightness Hanging High" suddenly shattered into pieces, scattering across the floor.
Seeing this, everyone's hearts tensed. This was clearly not intentional on Yuan Yongcheng's part, but rather, the plaque could no longer suppress the demonic thoughts within him, causing it to collapse on the spot.
From this point alone, one could tell how deep the demonic thoughts in this person's heart were, reaching a terrifying level!
"Be careful. There's still one more who hasn't revealed himself."
Ji Yuan's gaze sharpened. Although he was currently radiating sharpness, his vigilance had not diminished. He immediately reminded everyone behind him.
And as he slightly turned his head, the figure in the hall flickered, instantly crossing several zhang, and in a blink of an eye, appeared before him.
In his peripheral vision, a fist wrapped in demonic energy slammed towards him at extreme speed, accompanied by a strong whistling sound!
At the critical moment, three copper coins fluttered from Ji Yuan's sleeve, rapidly emitting a halo. They transformed into a semi-transparent light screen, shielding him within.
Bang!!!
However, Yuan Yongcheng only needed one punch to exhaust the spiritual energy contained within the Three Talisman Treasures. The light screen even lasted for a mere instant before shattering with a bang!
Then, the weakened fist, passing through the fragments of the light screen, fiercely struck Ji Yuan's left shoulder!
In an instant, Ji Yuan was sent flying backward, rolling several zhang on the ground before finally stopping at a high wall.
His face filled with horror as he looked up, never expecting the power of a second-realm martial artist to be so terrifying. Not only did it shatter the light screen of the Three Talisman Treasures with one punch, but the remaining force had almost killed him with a single blow!
If he hadn't forcibly twisted his body at the critical moment, he would have been utterly doomed if that punch had landed on his head!
"A pity. If you had cultivated magic power, this official's punch might not have been effective."
Yuan Yongcheng looked down at the three copper coins at his feet, a cold smile playing on his lips, "But the greatest pity in this world is that there are no 'ifs'."
"Noisy!"
Zhao Yuansong's eyebrows twitched, killing intent surging in his eyes.
The long sword behind him unsheathed itself. The surging sword light pressed down like a mountain, each wisp of sword energy as heavy as ten thousand pounds.
However, Yuan Yongcheng merely glanced at it. Then, demonic energy surged from his body, obscuring more than half of his form.
Without any visible movement, he simply extended his hand as if swatting away a mosquito and casually waved it in mid-air. Instantly, rolling demonic energy swept out, forming a phantom hand that batted away the mountain-heavy long sword.
Seeing this, Zhao Yuansong's expression immediately changed. He had not expected his nearly full-power strike to be so effortlessly resolved by the other party, who seemed to expend no more effort than swatting away a mosquito.
"Su Hongzhu!"
From several zhang away, Ji Yuan suddenly shouted.
Before his voice even faded, a graceful figure darted out, her fist shadows pouring down like a fierce storm!
Bang bang bang bang bang!!!!!!!!
In a series of dull thuds, the demonic energy on Yuan Yongcheng's body began to show signs of collapse. The casual expression on his face disappeared, replaced by one of seriousness.
He seemingly did not expect that a seemingly weaker woman, even though the surging energy from her body was the magic power of a cultivator, would possess such extraordinary strength.
This brute force even surpassed that of an ordinary second-realm martial artist!
If not for the potent protective power of the demonic energy on his body, he would have suffered a great loss in this barrage of fist shadows.
"You are seeking death!"
Yuan Yongcheng snorted, killing intent flashing in his eyes.
What he was most proud of in his life was not his Confucian scholarship, but that he, as a cultivator, had resolutely re-cultivated the path of a martial artist and progressed at an astonishing rate. Any martial art, in his hands, only required half the time others spent to achieve mastery.
As his killing intent surged, a black and red demonic pattern rapidly spread from beneath his neck, instantly covering his entire face, giving him a ferocious appearance.