Chapter 120: A Knife in the Back (Part II)

“I heard from my grandfather that the Hell Demon God was once the First Demon Emperor. Could his soul shatter?”
“Of course it could, but I’m not fortunate enough to have faced him. The Hell Demon God wields ninety-nine grand infernal arts and countless minor ones. I only know thirty-six infernal techniques. Soul shattering is beyond my skills. I do know a little about the lesser destruction spells, which are somewhat weaker than the grand destruction art.”
“Soul shattering must consume a tremendous amount of infernal energy, right?”
“Absolutely. Each time it’s cast, it drains an enormous amount of power and even shortens the caster’s lifespan. Even if this demon marshal has a long life and abundant energy, repeatedly using such a technique would be far from easy.”
“Enough talk. Let’s go! Let them fight to the death. Ideally, both sides should be badly wounded.”

As they exchanged thoughts, Jiang Feng activated the “Spatial Shift Array” and slipped away from the battlefield, retreating far beneath the sea. Meanwhile, Lei Peng, Huo Liu, and Su Bing—the three true disciples—were locked in fierce combat with the demon marshal. The overwhelming infernal energy surged uncontrollably, magical treasures clashed wildly, and shockwaves transformed the sea surface for dozens of miles into a chaotic realm.

Once the demon marshal unleashed the grand destruction art, Lei Peng, Su Bing, and Huo Liu, though filled with retreating thoughts, pressed forward instead, simultaneously unleashing their strongest attacks.

“Primordial Thunder Bombs!”

With a wave of their hands, they launched three violet pills, each the size of a broad bean, shimmering subtly amidst the fierce crimson tiger infernal energy. Yet before they could even reach the demon marshal, the pills detonated.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The explosions shook the heavens and earth. Millions of tons of seawater were blasted high into the sky, forming mushroom-shaped clouds of boiling water mixed with purple flames. Fish of all kinds, whales, sea snakes, and jellyfish were hurled into the air, their bodies raining down like torrential raindrops, leaving the ocean surface littered with remnants of sea creatures.

Such power could obliterate an entire island in an instant.

If Jiang Feng had still been at the explosion’s epicenter, even the protection of the King Cauldron might not have saved him from being stunned.

“You actually have Primordial Thunder Bombs!” the demon marshal’s voice, tinged with anger, echoed from the epicenter. A powerful aura swept away the remaining purple flames and water vapor, revealing the white bone lotus beneath his feet cracked from the shock. The innate white bone infernal energy shielding him was riddled with fractures.

Clearly, this shock had drained much of his vitality.

“Retreat!”

At that moment, Lei Peng, Su Bing, and Huo Liu condensed their infernal energies intensely, merging into one. Surrounded by several magical treasures, they darted away at nearly six or seven times the speed of sound, vanishing in an instant.

“Trying to escape? Earth-Shattering Destruction!”

The demon marshal did not pursue but merely pointed ahead. The Soul Shattering spell erupted, instantly shattering the protective magical treasures on the fleeing trio. Even the luminous protective robes cracked, and the swords shielding their bodies were pulverized to dust.

Struck as if by lightning, the three spat blood, their energies dissipated, and they plummeted toward the sea surface.

Yet, as they fell, a golden light flared from their bodies—an incantation burning brightly. With this spell, they immediately regained their composure, their energies surged anew, and they soared away again, finally vanishing beyond the demon marshal’s sight.

“Revival talisman, huh? The Lingbo Town Langya Guild indeed has some tricks. But the revival talisman consumes lifespan and damages one’s essence. You first took the Mad Demon Lifespan Reduction Pills, then got hit by my Soul Shattering, and still used the revival talisman. Escaping is futile. Such insignificant pests aren’t worth my chase.”

The demon marshal chuckled lightly and transformed into a streak of white light, ascending into the heavens.

After more than half an hour had passed, in a desolate sea region unknown to most, a golden light descended upon a barren island. Three exhausted figures appeared.

“Pfft!”

Lei Peng coughed blood and collapsed weakly on the ground.

Su Bing and Huo Liu’s complexions were ashen, their mouths repeatedly spitting blood. All three were severely wounded and utterly drained upon landing.

“Do you think the demon marshal will follow us here?”

“No. We used the Sky-Escape Spirit Talisman to fly at incredible speed and laid down many illusions. If he still catches up, we’re truly unlucky. Besides, he wouldn’t dare harm us—we are disciples of the Lingbo Town Langya Guild after all.”

“Send the Cloud-Piercing Communication Arrow, write with blood! Report that we were severely wounded by the demon marshal! Summon all Lingbo Town Langya Guild disciples at sea to encircle and kill the demon marshal!” Lei Peng roared.

“Good!” Huo Liu pulled out a golden, edict-like document and used his blood to inscribe words on it. “Should we gather forces to hunt down those three from Jiuyan Town Langya Guild?”

“No. We’re badly injured; it would be shameful. Just say the demon marshal alone attacked us suddenly at sea. Those three from Jiuyan Town Langya Guild don’t even exist; act as if nothing happened. We were taken off guard by a sneak attack and severely wounded.”

Lei Peng’s voice darkened: “As for those three from Jiuyan Town Langya Guild, once we recover, we’ll settle the score until they regret it to their core! That Fang Qingxue from Jiuyan Town Langya Guild, too—she must die! They’re all tainted by demonic nature and will surely fall to the demonic path, threatening the world. Killing them is a great merit!”

He then took out a bottle of pills, swallowing several to slowly restore his energy.

After finishing the talisman, Huo Liu shouted, “Disciples Huo Liu, Lei Peng, and Su Bing were attacked by the demon marshal at sea and severely wounded by Soul Shattering. In this critical hour, all Lingbo Town Langya Guild disciples, upon receiving this edict, must come to our aid! All righteous sect disciples are ordered to encircle and kill the demon marshal!”

With a forceful shake, the edict burst into flames and turned to ashes.

The flames transformed into countless characters, condensing into a flying arrow that shot into the sky and vanished, seemingly merging with the heavens and earth.

This was the “Cloud-Piercing Communication Arrow” used by true disciples of the Lingbo Town Langya Guild in dire straits. Once an edict burns, all disciples within a hundred thousand miles carrying the edict would sense it and rush to aid. Some righteous sects with ties to the guild also possess such edicts.

The edict itself is a remarkable treasure. Each true disciple can only possess one for life and would never burn it unless absolutely necessary.

Only when life or death hangs in the balance would the edict be burned and the Cloud-Piercing Communication Arrow used.

“That bastard Jiang Feng from Jiuyan Town Langya Guild! Like a dog, he ruined us this time, wasting the edict. I won’t let them go unpunished!”

After burning the edict, Huo Liu rested for a long time, finally regaining some vitality, then snarled fiercely.

“Indeed! Now that the edict is sent, we’re much safer. Help should arrive soon.” Su Bing grimaced. “I’ve never suffered such a loss. The demon marshal is one thing, but those two dogs from Jiuyan Town Langya Guild deserve to die a hundred times over for their mistakes!”

“Is that so? Then you want me dead a hundred times?”

At that moment, a voice softly emerged from the sea. A cyan figure flew out, swiftly descending onto the barren island near the three.