Chengdu’s constables arrived, each wielding giant staffs, gathering outside Qingyang Palace’s perimeter. They watched as a massive blue barrier enveloped the entire palace. Inside, mountains flipped and seas churned, the earth upheaving—even the whole area threatened to rise into the sky.
Even Xiang Xian felt a chill down his spine. “This… how much are we going to have to pay later? Shouldn’t we collect the magic treasure first?”
The demon beasts released from the Demon-Suppressing Banner had been buried underground, dragging Shan Yu Hong down with them. But Xiao Kun knew she had more tricks up her sleeve. Gripping his dual knives, he warily eyed the ground.
“Chaosheng, check on Lady Hua Rui!” Xiang Xian said once Chaosheng had withdrawn the treasure.
Xiang Xian leaped high, snatching a corner of the flying Demon-Suppressing Banner and pulling it close.
Xiao Kun warned, “She’s coming out! Be careful!”
The ground exploded once more. Demonic Qi billowed skyward, forming a tornado. Shan Yu Hong emerged alongside the dozens of previous monsters!
“You hold her off!” Xiang Xian shouted. “I’ll deal with her minions. Capture Demon!”
Xiang Xian shook open the Demon-Suppressing Banner, scooping up a charging Pig Demon and sealing it away.
Chaosheng hurried to Lady Hua Rui amid the ruins, pressing glowing green hands to her body to heal her.
Xiao Kun took a deep breath. His dual knives gleamed with yellow-green light as he flew toward the airborne Shan Yu Hong. Her voice rasped in a roar, Demonic Qi erupting around her as she snarled, “Die—!”
Black mist spread. The bell at Xiang Xian’s waist rang frantically. He flew through the air, pursuing one fleeing monster after another, sealing them back into the Demon-Suppressing Banner.
Shan Yu Hong had fully demonized, black flames burning around her. She shook out razor-sharp claws, slashing down at Xiao Kun. He parried with one blade while thrusting the other into her. Demon Person Shan Yu Hong dissolved into roiling black mist, clashing against Xiao Kun’s dual knives and sending him crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact.
“Xiang Xian!” Xiao Kun shouted. “Come help!”
“Right away! Hold on a bit longer!” Xiang Xian had nearly finished recapturing the monsters. One Black Strange Bird darted about erratically, impossible to catch.
Shan Yu Hong dove from the sky, claws outstretched toward Xiao Kun.
With no other choice, Xiao Kun crouched, one knee to the ground. He gripped both knife hilts in his right hand, left hand pressing the blades!
Blood Sacrifice!
Xiao Kun slashed in a blur. Blood spurted from his left palm. Both knives ignited with ghostly blue flames, scattering a starry river that formed a gentle spell curtain before converging with earth-shaking force. Countless blue meteors erupted from the ground, merging into a stream that collided with Shan Yu Hong.
With a massive boom, Shan Yu Hong roared in fury, blasted into the air. Xiao Kun split his knives again, spinning midair to pursue. The flames on his blades unquenched, he brought both down in a cleaving strike.
Demon Person Shan Yu Hong roared, shaking the heavens—one arm severed!
After unleashing that heaven-shaking strike, Xiao Kun retreated swiftly, panting heavily as he fixed his gaze on the demonized Shan Yu Hong.
Just then, the demon bird Xiang Xian chased collided head-on with A Huang. Though small, A Huang spread his wings wide, erupting in Blazing Flame. Xiang Xian snapped back, shaking the Demon-Suppressing Banner to reel in the final monster.
Shan Yu Hong roared in rage, charging at Xiao Kun.
Xiao Kun blocked with his dual knives, his stamina waning. Xiang Xian unslung the Wisdom Sword from his back and gripped it.
“She’s weakened!” Xiao Kun shouted. “My Ghost Fire won’t last! Use your divine sword!”
Only Shan Yu Hong remained in the field. After suffering Xiao Kun’s Blood Sacrifice Slash, her Demonic Qi was no longer at its peak. She flitted about the area, attempting several escapes, but Xiang Xian trailed with Blazing Flame while Xiao Kun pursued with blue light, hounding her relentlessly.
Chaosheng summoned the Mountains and Rivers Sheji Map again on the ground, erecting a barrier around them. Shan Yu Hong, unable to break through, turned back.
“My lord… my lord…” Black flames burst from Shan Yu Hong’s eyes.
Lady Hua Rui rose slowly, facing the sky and lifting a soft palm to send forth a single petal.
“Wake up, Chang Qin,” Lady Hua Rui said.
Shan Yu Hong roared to the heavens. The petal shattered—one into three, three into millions—forming a gentle whirlwind that enveloped the Demonic Qi. Xiang Xian pointed the Wisdom Sword skyward and shouted, “A Huang!”
A Huang spiraled in, shedding countless glowing red feathers that wrapped around the sword’s sheath. Xiang Xian became a streak of red light, shooting toward Shan Yu Hong.
“Exorcism!”
The unsheathed Wisdom Sword pierced Demon Person Shan Yu Hong. Blazing flames erupted from the blade, transforming into gentle golden fire.
“My lord…” Black flames sprayed from Shan Yu Hong’s eyes. She trembled skyward, her body incinerated to ash that exploded in a blast, scattered by the gale.
Xiang Xian sheathed his sword. Xiao Kun sheathed his knives. Chaosheng withdrew the Mountains and Rivers Sheji Map.
Xiang Xian asked, “Does your hand hurt?”
Xiao Kun snapped, “How much worse did you want the situation to get before you’d draw your sword!”
Chaosheng said, “Ah… how did it turn into this?”
As the Mountains and Rivers Sheji Map was withdrawn, the buildings emitted a chorus of crashes, collapsing one after another. Qingyang Palace lay in ruins like a meteor crater, a scene of devastation.
“The constables are here,” Xiang Xian said. “What do we do?”
Xiao Kun muttered, “Constables, uh, constables…”
Chaosheng asked, “What are constables?”
In the next moment, Xiang Xian and Xiao Kun acted in unison without a word—grabbing Chaosheng and bolting for it, vanishing without a trace.
