jdhmnovel Chapter 587
Chapter 587
Sunlight pierced through the clouds, gilding the ruins of the Xuanxiao Sect with a golden edge. The lingering demonic energy on the scorched earth was swept away by the breeze, revealing the damp soil beneath. Su Yao stroked the deeper cracks on the Azure Phoenix Sword; the blade was slightly warm in the sunlight, seemingly telling the story of the fierce battle. Shen Xinghe sheathed the Seven Star Sword; the bloodstains on the tassel had dried, yet gleamed strangely in the sunlight. Tianjizi slowly sat down, taking out a fragment of tortoise shell from his robes, discovering that the cracks on it were slowly healing.
"Although this calamity has been averted..." Tianjizi's voice carried an undisguised weariness, "but during the battle just now, I sensed the aura of the *Summoning Demon Codex* growing ever deeper." He gazed at the western horizon, where dark gray clouds had gathered again, "The true enemy may still be plotting in the shadows."
Su Yao gripped the hilt of her sword, the Azure Phoenix Sword emitting a clear, resonant melody. Shen Xinghe placed his hand on her shoulder, the faint light of the Seven Star Sword mingling with that of the Azure Phoenix Sword: "No matter how many demons lie ahead, the swords in our hands are the foundation for protecting all living beings." In the distance, the surviving disciples had already begun moving bricks and stones; their figures appeared small in the sunlight, yet were full of power. Beneath the scorched earth, a new green sprout was quietly growing, its leaves still stained with drops of blood from the battle, reflecting a resilient light.
On the ruins of the Xuanxiao Sect, as dusk settled, lingering smoke rose from the rubble. Disciples wiped the bloodstained blades of their swords, gathering the broken fragments of the Xuanxiao Token into a pile, when suddenly a bone-chilling cold swept in from the west. A sinister wind, carrying the scent of decaying leaves and sulfur, swept across the charred pillars like a living thing, swirling the ashes into a dark vortex. A muffled thunderous roar echoed from the depths of the clouds, as if the gray-black sky had been torn apart by an invisible giant hand.
Everyone looked up and saw a dark, blurry figure piercing through the clouds and plummeting downwards. The moment the figure landed, cracks appeared on the ground, spreading outwards like a spiderweb. It was a mysterious figure shrouded in a black robe, the fabric embroidered with twisted demonic runes that gleamed with an eerie purple light in the twilight. Only a pair of crimson vertical pupils were faintly visible beneath the hood's shadow, and the aura emanating from him was identical to the "Summoning Codex," which had caused the bloodshed months earlier. The broken sword in his hand was particularly terrifying—its blade was riddled with jagged notches, dark red rust intertwined with ghostly blue demonic flames, and with each tremor of the blade, tiny black shadows emerged from the notches, coalescing into grotesque, demonic faces in the air.
"Hmph, you think everything's fine after dealing with these small fry?" The hoarse voice was like sandpaper scraping against a rusty iron door, sharp and grating. The mysterious man slowly twirled his broken sword, the tip picking up a piece of gravel, which he then crushed into dust under the wary gazes of the crowd. "The remnants of the Xuanxiao Sect dare to talk about rebuilding?"
Su Yao's Azure Phoenix Sword was already three inches from its sheath, its cold gleam reflecting off her tense jaw. Beside her, Shen Xinghe's Seven Star Sword hummed, its tassel fluttering in the wind. Only Tianjizi's hand, stroking his beard, tightened slightly. He gazed at the faintly visible blood-red runes on the mysterious man's waist, recalling the ancient records in the Scripture Pavilion—those were clearly the marks of a fallen immortal sealed away a hundred years ago.
"You think you can stop me?" The mysterious man suddenly burst into laughter, and surging demonic energy erupted from beneath his black robe. His broken sword pointed straight at the sky. "The power of the Summoning Codex is far beyond your imagination!" Before he finished speaking, the black demonic light emanating from the sword tip had already transformed into a raging wave, turning everything in its path into charred remains, and the air crackling with ear-piercing explosions.
Su Yao and Shen Xinghe leaped into the air simultaneously, their sword lights weaving into a dazzling star net. The Azure Phoenix Sword roared like a dragon, its blade slicing azure arcs that collided with the demonic light, scattering sparks across the sky; the Seven Star Sword, on the other hand, stirred the celestial phenomena, its seven cold rays hanging like the Big Dipper, forcefully cleaving through the torrent of demonic energy. Tianjizi stood on the high platform, his hand seals forming a spell, and where his whisk swept, ancient golden runes emerged from the void, forming a light shield that temporarily blocked the demonic tide.
However, the mysterious figure merely scoffed and brought the broken sword down heavily. In an instant, countless black chains surged from the ground, binding everyone's weapons and ankles. Su Yao's skirt was scorched by demonic energy, and Shen Xinghe's Seven Star Sword cracked amidst the violent tremors. Above the ruins of the Xuanxiao Sect, dense black demonic energy condensed into a gigantic demonic face, its gaping maw devouring the last vestiges of sunlight.
In the midst of this earth-shattering battle, a green sprout in the corner of the ruins was enduring the dual ravages of demonic energy and sword energy. Its leaves, adorned with blood droplets, bent nearly ninety degrees several times, yet stubbornly stood upright just before breaking. Each time the demonic wind howled past, the blood droplets at the tip of the sprout grew even more crimson, like the last glimmer of life falling into the darkness.
The demonic energy, thick as ink, climbed up Su Yao's blood-stained sword. Shen Xinghe's Seven Star Sword was covered in spiderweb-like cracks, and Tianjizi's talismans shattered one after another under the erosion of the demonic energy. The mysterious man laughed wildly as he plunged the broken sword into the ground. In an instant, countless white bones emerged from the earth, binding the limbs of everyone present, the stench of decay nauseating. Just as everyone's pupils constricted, thinking their deaths were imminent—
In the corner of the ruins, the green sprout that had stubbornly stood firm amidst the demonic energy suddenly trembled violently. The leaves, previously stained with blood, shimmered with a pearly luster, and the crimson at the tip of the sprout transformed into a flowing halo, spreading outwards like ripples. The light grew ever brighter, as if to dye the entire world emerald green. The moment the black chains came into contact with the light, they cracked with a crisp sound, turning to dust and dissipating into the air.
The mysterious man's crimson vertical pupils contracted sharply, the demonic light from his broken sword being torn apart by the light. He staggered back three steps, the demonic runes on his black robe sizzling as if scorched by flames. "Impossible!" His hoarse roar was filled with undisguised shock. "This is nothing but a dying weed!"
Protected by the light, Su Yao and the others gasped for breath, the pain in their wounds miraculously lessening. Green shoots rapidly grew in the light, vines twining around slender waists, leaves unfurling into flowing skirts, finally coalescing into a young woman in a jade-green dress. Her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall, adorned with dew-like starlight, and the jade staff in her hand shimmered with a soft glow, the jade inlaid at its tip emanating a purifying aura of demonic energy.
"The Xuanxiao Sect has stood for ten thousand years, its lineage unbroken, all because of its unwavering faith." The girl's voice was like a clear spring striking stone, and wherever her holy light passed, new shoots sprouted from the scorched earth. She gently waved her staff, and a green light curtain shot into the sky, forcefully cleaving a gap in the churning demonic energy. "You watered the ruins with your blood, ignited hope with your will, and I, the guardian spirit of the Xuanxiao Sect, have sworn to return!"
The mysterious man let out a beast-like roar, and the ghostly face patterns on the broken sword lit up. His demonic energy surged, transforming him into a three-headed, six-armed demon god phantom: "You insignificant spirit, how dare you try to stop me!" Accompanied by a deafening roar, three beams of demonic light, like dragons emerging from the sea, shot straight at the guardian spirit gate.
The guardian spirit remained calm, lightly tapping the ground with its staff. In an instant, countless vines burst forth from the earth, weaving a sturdy barrier. Su Yao's Azure Phoenix Sword summoned the winds and thunder of the heavens, Shen Xinghe's Seven Star Sword drew the Big Dipper Formation, and Tianjizi conjured the phantoms of the Twenty-Eight Constellations. The four forces intertwined into a dazzling net of light, colliding violently with the demonic light, the resulting energy uprooting the ground within a hundred feet in radius.
In the fierce battle, the guardian spirit's staff burst forth with countless points of light, swarming towards the demonic energy like fireflies. Each time a point of light touched the demonic energy, it emitted a clear phoenix cry, purifying the darkness inch by inch. The mysterious figure's attacks gradually slowed, and the demonic phantom dissipated continuously in the light. Suddenly, he let out a piercing shriek, his figure transforming into a wisp of black smoke, his broken sword drawing a bloody gash as he tore through the void to escape.
"Don't run!" Su Yao drew her sword to give chase, but was stopped by the guardian spirit. The girl looked in the direction where the mysterious man had disappeared, her eyes gleaming with wisdom: "Don't pursue a defeated foe. His demonic energy has been severely damaged, and he will find it difficult to make a comeback in a short time." She turned to look at the crowd, lightly waved her staff, and a green light swept over their wounds. "Now is the time to rebuild the sect."
The dawn's light pierced the clouds, bathing the devastated ruins of the Xuanxiao Sect. Under the glow of the guardian spirits, new green sprouted from the scorched earth, broken stone tablets were pieced back together, and the collapsed halls slowly rose in the surging spiritual energy. Su Yao and the others gripped their swords tightly, gazing at the rising sun on the horizon. They knew that as long as their faith remained, the glory of the Xuanxiao Sect would surely be restored.
The reconstruction work proceeded smoothly under the nourishment of the guardian spirit's spiritual power. Broken beams and pillars were reassembled, and new shoots on the scorched earth had grown into lush bamboo forests. However, as the first wisp of smoke rose between the double eaves and upturned corners, the western sky suddenly turned a strange purplish-black, like a sheet of rice paper splattered with thick ink. In the layers of dark clouds, dark red lightning snaked and writhed like a giant python.
"Not good!" The jade staff in the guardian spirit's hand trembled violently, and fine water droplets seeped from the jade at the tip of the staff. "This aura... is mixed with the karmic fire of the Nine Netherworlds and the miasma of Purgatory!" Before she finished speaking, the earth suddenly shook violently, and countless dark cracks spread from the ground. A foul-smelling black mist surged out from it, instantly corroding the bamboo forest that had just recovered its vitality into charcoal.
Hundreds of dark figures descended slowly on a staircase formed of demonic energy. The mysterious leader, his black robes fluttering, revealed a more grotesque demonic face on his broken sword than before. Behind him, a motley crew of demonic cultivators emerged, some with bat-like wings and green venom dripping from their fingernails; others with scales covering their skin and long, scarlet tongues lolling from their mouths. The auras emanating from them intertwined, creating a suffocating sense of oppression, even the air itself hissing with a teeth-grinding intensity.
"The remnants of the Xuanxiao Sect, do you think you can rest easy just by repairing a few beams and pillars?" The mysterious man waved his hand, and a demonic pillar as thick as a bowl crashed down, completely destroying the newly rebuilt mountain gate. Su Yao blocked the demonic pillar with her Azure Phoenix Sword, the azure light emanating from its blade colliding with it. The sparks that flew onto the ground corroded deep pits. Shen Xinghe's Seven Star Sword drew upon the power of the stars, seven cold rays slicing through the demonic energy, but upon touching the demonic cultivators, they were all swallowed up by a strange black vortex.
In the midst of the fierce battle, a wary glint suddenly flashed in the guardian spirit's emerald eyes. She noticed that the demonic cultivators' seemingly chaotic attacks were actually moving according to a certain pattern—the shadows beneath their feet were merging, forming a massive array covered in twisted runes. "Be careful! They're setting up the Nine Nether Soul-Locking Array!" Her staff unleashed a green light, attempting to sever the array's connection, but it was forced back by the demonic tide cleaved by the mysterious figure's broken sword.
As the demonic array gradually took shape, the purplish-black clouds in the sky began to spin rapidly, forming a massive vortex. A mournful wail echoed from the array's core, and countless translucent ghostly figures emerged from the ground, binding the hands and feet of the Xuanxiao Sect members. Tianjizi was sweating profusely, frantically casting talismans, but could only barely slow the ghostly figures' encroachment.
Just as everyone was in dire straits, the guardian spirit suddenly felt a surge of intense power coursing through her heart. Looking down, she saw that although Su Yao and the others were badly wounded, their eyes remained as resolute as iron. Shen Xinghe's Seven Star Sword was shattering inch by inch in the demonic energy, yet he continued to unleash his sword techniques; Su Yao's Azure Phoenix Sword was already dulled, but its blade remained aimed at the demonic cultivators' vital points. These broken weapons and blood-stained clothes, like burning flames, ignited the power within the guardian spirit.
"Unwavering faith, eternal hope!" The guardian spirit raised her staff, her body radiating intense light. Her long hair moved without wind, starlight within transforming into countless fireflies, and the jade at the staff's tip burst forth with dazzling brilliance. To everyone's astonishment, she transformed into a green pillar of light, shooting straight into the sky. Wherever the pillar passed, the runes of the demonic array crumbled. Su Yao seized the opportunity, her Azure Phoenix Sword unleashing the Nine Heavens Thunder Punishment; Shen Xinghe's Seven Star Sword, in the instant of shattering, erupted with its final burst of brilliance; Tianjizi poured out all his spiritual power, unleashing a forbidden technique of his sect.
Four beams of light converged into a torrent, rushing straight towards the core of the demonic array. With a deafening roar, the array collapsed, and the demonic cultivators were blasted away by the immense force. The mysterious figure let out a furious roar of resentment, leading his remaining forces into the demonic energy and disappearing without a trace.
As the smoke cleared, the ruins of the Xuanxiao Sect fell silent once more. The guardian spirit slowly descended, its light dimming considerably. Looking at the weary yet resolute faces of the crowd, she said softly, "This is only the beginning. The forces deep within the Demon Realm have already revealed themselves..." Before she could finish speaking, a faint rumble of thunder echoed from the western sky. Everyone gripped their weapons tightly, their gazes fixed firmly on the distance—they were already prepared for the next battle.
Before the ruined main hall of the Xuanxiao Sect, a pungent demonic aura flowed among the broken walls and rubble. The fierce battle that had just ended left jagged trenches in the ground, and black, blood-like sap seeped from the corroded blue bricks. The guardian spirit's figure trembled violently and gradually shrank. In the instant the light faded, she transformed back into the green-clad girl, her knees slamming heavily onto the gravelly ground. Her jade staff clattered to the ground, its jade tip covered in a layer of dust.
"Watch out!" Su Yao was the first to rush forward. The Azure Phoenix Sword was still radiating warmth as she supported the girl's swaying body. Her fingertips touched the sleeves of her clothes, which were already soaked with cold sweat. When Shen Xinghe sheathed his sword, he noticed three more cracks on the Seven Star Sword. He knelt down to channel spiritual energy into the guardian spirit, but the light vanished like mud sinking into the sea. Tianjizi walked over, leaning on his trembling cane. The demonic energy swirling around his whisk wouldn't dissipate, and his cloudy eyes were filled with worry.