"The plan succeeded!" Su Han concealed his aura to avoid being detected by the Swordsaint. He then contentedly settled into the role of a spectator. The stars of the show were now the Swordsaint and the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign!

At that moment, the demonic palace was cleaved in two by a single sword strike. The light, as radiant as the sun, was dazzlingly brilliant, reflecting in the pupils of the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign and Leng Rufeng.

What in the world just happened?

The two were utterly baffled, completely unaware of the situation. They did not know that Su Han’s poison had filled the Swordsaint with a towering rage toward them. This was no longer an issue of currying favor, but of sheer survival.

"You think you can scheme against me with such petty tricks? You truly are courting death!"

The Swordsaint, fighting to suppress the Forbidden Curse Poison, burst forth from the demonic palace and stood suspended in the air. His entire body glowed with a sun-like Sword Radiance that illuminated all directions. His sword-sharp Holy Might instantly bore down on the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign and Leng Rufeng. Although the Swordsaint was grievously injured, he was still a preeminent powerhouse in the Saint Realm. His Holy Might was so overwhelming that the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign and Leng Rufeng could barely withstand it.

"Scheme against you? My lord, could there be some misunderstanding here?" The Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign was completely bewildered. He couldn’t comprehend why the Swordsaint was so furious, or what could have happened without his knowledge. He adopted a very humble posture, keenly aware that the Swordsaint’s status and power were far beyond his ability to provoke.

However, the Swordsaint was by nature obstinate and self-willed. He had mercilessly forced Lan Yi the Female Saint, who had always admired him, to self-destruct; he would show even less mercy to the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign, a complete stranger. In the Swordsaint’s eyes, nothing the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign said could be trusted. He intended to end this swiftly. The Forbidden Curse Poison was bizarre. He could only suppress it for now, not purge it. Therefore, he needed to find a secluded place to detoxify and would not give the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign any opportunity to delay.

"Hmph!" With a cold snort, the Swordsaint completely ignored the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign’s explanation. He grasped the hilt of his sword and unleashed a mighty strike that surged majestically toward the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign and Leng Rufeng. Everyone looked up to see a golden Sword Radiance streaking across the sky. It was over a thousand meters long and as splendid as the sun, yet it carried a lethal sharpness. A single slash tore through space, arriving before the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign faster than lightning.

The Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign’s expression changed drastically. He quickly drew his Ghost Poison Knife, activated his Domain, and went all out to fend off the strike as his body erupted with Evil Qi. Nearby, Leng Rufeng did not remain idle. He, too, quickly activated his Domain, unleashing a surge of frigid energy that froze the air into thick frost. Spatial Force circulated around him as he went all out.

SHHNK!

The Swordsaint was simply too powerful. Even though he was seriously injured, his rage-filled strike still breached the Domains of the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign and Leng Rufeng, sending them flying through the air, spitting blood. However, as the leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult and a powerhouse at the Ninth Layer of the Supreme Realm, the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign was injured but not critically; his life was not in danger. In contrast, the weaker Leng Rufeng suffered a gruesome, bloody gash across his chest and was nearly slain by the single blow.

"Great Sun Qiankun Sword Technique!"

The Swordsaint had no intention of showing mercy. Having wounded the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign and Leng Rufeng, he struck again, this time unleashing his legendary signature technique. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Five Poisons Ghost-Eating Formation, activate!" Paying no mind to his injuries, the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign produced the Sect Leader’s Command and swiftly activated the Sect Protection Great Formation.

The Five Poisons Ghost-Eating Formation was a Superior Grade Dao Formation, but the surrounding miasma swamp amplified its power to the level of a Supreme Grade Dao Formation. As the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign activated it, the entire swamp began to churn. A massive tide of poisonous gas and miasma surged from all directions, converging on the Heavenly Demon Cult’s location. Soon, the Formation Patterns merged with the poisonous miasma, coalescing into five colossal black shadows.

These shadows took the form of the notorious Five Poisons: a centipede, a venomous snake, a scorpion, a gecko, and a toad. Though not living creatures, under the power of the Five Poisons Ghost-Eating Formation, they were more terrifying than any real beast.

"Mere ants!" The Swordsaint glanced at the Five Poisons Ghost-Eating Formation but dismissed it completely. His body was wreathed in crisscrossing Sword Qi and a golden light as brilliant as the sun. The Cold Iron Holy Sword radiated a terrible sharpness, as if capable of Heaven-Cleaving Earth-Sundering.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Beams of Great Sun Sword Radiance condensed one after another. Although the Swordsaint’s severe injuries prevented him from unleashing its true power, he still summoned over a hundred beams. Each was as solid as a real blade, like a Holy Sword forged from Holy Gold, sharp enough to cleave through heaven, earth, and the cycle of Reincarnation. When the five black shadows met the Great Sun Sword Radiance, they were like ghouls encountering the purest Yang sunlight—utterly and completely suppressed.

As the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign watched with a grim expression, the five black shadows were riddled with holes by the hundreds of sword beams until they could no longer hold their form and collapsed with a boom.

CRACK!

The Great Sun Sword Radiance then slashed down upon the Five Poisons Ghost-Eating Formation, shattering its Formation Patterns and leaving massive cracks in its wake. The Five Poisons Ghost-Eating Formation was broken by a single sword technique!

Too powerful! The Swordsaint was simply too powerful! Even with a severed arm, grievous injuries, and the Forbidden Curse Poison ravaging his body, he still effortlessly defeated the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign, plunging everyone into despair.

"All disciples, attack! The very survival of the Heavenly Demon Cult hinges on this battle!" the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign commanded, intending to rally the entire cult’s strength against the Swordsaint. As a Demon Cult, they had methods to control their own; no disciple could flee, for that would only bring a swifter death. Thus, despite knowing they were no match, the disciples had no choice but to charge toward the Swordsaint. Within the Heavenly Demon Cult, there were several other Supreme Realm elders. While Qin Wushuang was unable to fight, three others joined the fray, including the Toad Poison Venerable.

"No matter how numerous, ants are still ants, unable to withstand a single blow. How dare you scheme against me? Today, I will cleanse this place with blood!" The Swordsaint paid the entire Heavenly Demon Cult no mind. Injured or not, he could still slaughter them all, even with his last breath. At this moment, he stood suspended in the air, looking down upon all creation. He watched the disciples and elders charge toward him without a trace of fear, a sneer instead playing on his lips.

"Slash!"

The Swordsaint brandished the Cold Iron Holy Sword and swung it through the air. In an instant, a magnificent Sword Radiance stretched across the sky like a brilliant galaxy. The power of time imbued the attack, instantly rendering everyone rigid, as if frozen solid.

Then, on the necks of all Heavenly Demon Cult disciples—save for the Supreme Realm elders—a blood-red line as fine as a hair appeared. The line quickly widened, and one by one, heads slid from their shoulders.

With a single sword strike, half of the Heavenly Demon Cult was annihilated.