"Fellow Daoist!"

Wang Dachui exclaimed in shock, never expecting Ji An to be caught by the Golden Feathered Eagle.

The opponent’s strength deeply impressed him. Although they had only been fighting together for two short days, the intensity of the battles was completely different from before.

Previously, during battles, demon beasts surged like tidal waves, requiring full attention; a single lapse could lead to the end of one’s life and dao.

In the past two days, despite the attacks on the Immortal City being more ferocious, he was able to respond with relative ease.

All this was thanks to the opponent’s strength and comprehensive capabilities.

The fierce blood-red grass puppet beneath the city walls dealt with many low-tier demon beasts, while patches of quicksand mercilessly swallowed up groups of monsters.

Additionally, his opponent could cast a Cold Wind Technique covering a vast area, and the banner spiritual artifact occasionally unleashed seas of flame, preventing many beasts from scaling the walls.

If he could continue to follow such a fellow Daoist, Wang Dachui believed he might survive until the end of the demon calamity.

At this moment, he was sincerely worried about Ji An’s safety.

He prayed in his heart that Ji An’s spiritual artifact defense was strong enough to withstand the Golden Feathered Eagle’s attack.

However, he felt that hope was slim, because in past examples he saw, cultivators caught by the Golden Feathered Eagle never survived.

Skilled cultivators would not be caught; those who weren’t were killed soon after the war began.

Another critical point was that the surging demonic power emitted by the Golden Feathered Eagle suggested it was at least a Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment Great Demon, possibly even Ninth-Layer Perfection.

...

Throughout the Golden Feathered Eagle’s life, any prey—including demon beasts and cultivators—caught by it inevitably faced a fate of being torn apart.

If Ji An knew its feelings, he would certainly tell it that it hadn’t encountered a cultivator like him, ’possessing several armors’.

The next moment, the Golden Feathered Eagle hesitated.

Despite desperately exerting force, the protective spirit light around his opponent wasn’t torn.

It drove demonic power, increasing its strength once more.

At that moment, a palm-length golden sharp cone flew from Ji An’s hand.

When the Golden Feathered Eagle sensed the sharp and murderous aura, a sharp chill ran through its abdomen as the sharp cone pierced into it.

Its feathers and skinbones, which could resist the attacks of ordinary late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators’ flying swords, served only to delay the attack.

The Golden Feathered Eagle was an ’agile’ type demon beast; maneuvering and high speed were its strengths, but its defense was lacking.

Moreover, Ji An’s Golden Light Technique had reached the Great Perfection Level, bolstered by the Lower Grade Geng Metal Dao Seed, leading to such effective results.

In excruciating pain, it instinctively grasped tighter, letting out a tragic screech.

The sharp cone composed of gold element spiritual qi, once inside the demon beast, blossomed like flowers, with golden petals stained with blood before slowly disappearing.

The Golden Feathered Eagle felt devastated immediately; its feathers and skin couldn’t withstand the magic technique, not to mention its internal organs.

Ji An had already activated a second Golden Light Technique, and a palm-sized crescent blade flew out, its golden light tracing an icy arc into the demon beast.

The golden moon blade sliced open a bleeding wound in the demon beast’s belly and, once inside, split into three parts and dispersed.

The heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, trachea, and other organs were all shredded apart, blood spraying from its abdomen, and the Golden Feathered Eagle’s wails abruptly ceased.

Its talons naturally loosened, and its body began to fall.

Ji An sensed what was happening behind him, a wave of joy surged in his heart.

However, before the feeling of happiness fully rose, he abruptly felt a sinister aura manifest behind him.

Turning his head, he saw a flashing blood-colored spirit light of the Golden Feathered Eagle’s phantom appear in the air.

The phantom swooped down, lunging onto him before he could react.

The defense of the apricot yellow Banner was ineffective, the Pan Mountain Technique’s defense useless, as all of his defensive methods failed, and the phantom seamlessly merged into his body.

In an instant, his originally pale silver skin turned blood-red with twisted black patterns emerging.

These patterns seemed alive, writhing like venomous snakes, and his whole body felt scorching.

Ji An felt himself enveloped by an overwhelming malicious intention, with a sea of blood emerging before his eyes.

That malice flowed like a torrent, making his spirit soul tremble.

This phenomenon lasted only for a moment and then vanished, as if all was merely an illusion.

Ji An wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and roused his magical power to halt his descent.

He understood that he seemed to have fallen victim to some sinister trick.

However, now was not the time to ponder; he quickly activated the spell and stored the Golden Feathered Eagle’s corpse in his storage bag, then deployed his flying shuttle to return to the city wall.

Wang Dachui was overjoyed:

"Fellow Daoist, well done!"

...

Behind the demon beasts, where the demon kings resided.

The Golden Feathered Eagle Demon King suddenly widened its squinted eyes, let out a sharp cry, and flew skyward.

It appeared like a rising golden cloud, heading straight towards the Immortal City.

It had just sensed the secret curse on one of its offspring being activated.

This secret curse would only be triggered when the offspring died.

The Golden Feathered Eagle’s reaction caused the other demon kings to exchange glances; yesterday, when they delivered the message to this demon king, it responded with extreme indifference.

Finally, after presenting Qingqiu’s Fate, it agreed to lead hundreds of low-tier kin to assist in the battle.

The Wild Boar Demon King showed a foolish expression and said quietly:

"Brother Diao, what’s happening? Should we call it back?"

It wasn’t yet time for them to fight fiercely, and to invite this one out, they hadn’t revealed the situation to the Human Race.

If the other side is ambushed again, the power of the Demon Race will weaken further.

The Ox Demon shook its head and said:

"No need, Brother Diao is incredibly swift. Unless trapped by a magic array, even if there are many Human Race cultivators, they cannot pose a lethal threat to it."

There was a look of curiosity in its eyes, and it was eager to know the reason behind the sudden actions of the Golden Feathered Eagle Demon King.

...

At this moment, Ji An’s emotions were a mix of sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy. Although he had obtained a demon corpse at the late-stage Foundation Establishment, he was struck by some unknown means, unsure if it could cause serious consequences.

He had just used his divine sense to check his entire body but found nothing amiss. The abnormality in his body disappeared and did not reappear.

The battle was still ongoing, and he did not have time to think further, immediately throwing himself into the fray.

Without his assistance, the others could not hold the city wall, as two Qi Refining disciples had already perished.

He formed a spell with his fingers, unfurling the Flame Light Banner, which conjured a cloud of fire that engulfed the swarming demon beasts.

Screams and the sizzling sound of burning fur and flesh were constant, releasing an acrid and roasted smell.

At this moment, Ji An caught sight of a mass of golden clouds rushing towards the Immortal City in the sky.

In the blink of an eye, the golden cloud had flown several miles away.

’There’s still a Demon King daring enough to attack,’ he thought.

Just as this thought arose, a scarlet spirit light surged from Ji An’s body, and his skin and muscles became feverishly hot.

He saw within the golden cloud, a head resembling that of a Golden-Feathered Eagle emerging, with a cold light shooting straight at him as if tangible.

The sensation of a prickling threat loomed, eerily similar to the malice when Ji An was struck by the scarlet spirit light.

’A Golden Core Demon King, coming for me!’

Ji An’s face turned pale, and he turned to retreat down the city wall immediately.

...

The Golden Feathered Eagle Demon King’s unrestrained aura was detected by the controller of the Mountain Protection Array, and Master Yuxiao frowned slightly, saying:

"This Eagle Demon has never truly participated in combat before, what madness is driving it to act alone today?"

As he spoke, his fingers deftly manipulated a spell, while infusing his magical power into the array banner.

An Earth Element Spirit Light Shield manifested above the Immortal City, resembling an inverted bowl.

The Demon King let out a shrill cry, its eyes flashing with ferocity, launching a wrathful attack.

Tornadoes formed of azure wind blades poured down on the Mountain Protection Array, causing ripples to ripple outward.

The red radiance on Ji An’s body grew more vivid, with the searing pain intensifying.

Only now did he understand, having killed the small one, the big one had come.

’Golden Core Demon King, huh, come down and fight me if you dare!’

Ji An mentally spat with venom, knowing that as long as he stayed within the array, the Demon King could do nothing against him.

Once the demon calamity ended, things would be more secure.

He desperately comforted himself but couldn’t help feeling a chill in his heart.

Right now, he’s just a small Foundation Establishment cultivator, and a Golden Core Demon Beast could crush him with ease.

...

Fire Cloud Zhenren and Daoist Master Zhengyang flew out of the array together, the Profound Yellow Tower spinning above their heads, casting a protective yellow light as sturdy as a mountain around them.

Fire Cloud Zhenren wielded the Divine Fire Fan, sweeping it to send blazing flames soaring into the sky.

Though wary of potential Transformed Great Demons hiding nearby, one Golden Feathered Eagle Demon King was not deemed worthy to flaunt superiority above them.

Besides, the cultivators all knew that the ancestors gathered within the Immortal City, so how could they not show themselves?

The two Golden Core Daoist Masters, one attacking and one defending, rendered the swift Golden Feathered Eagle Demon King’s every attack ineffective, even singeing a few of its feathers with their fire.

After fighting for a quarter hour, the Demon King, seeing no chance of victory and with its rage subsiding somewhat, left reluctantly.

Daoist Master Zhengyang descended from high, observing the dissipating blood-red spirit light on a disciple’s body, and said:

"Boy, come with me!"

A fiery cloud rose beneath Ji An’s feet, lifting him into the air.

For some reason, he remembered a classic scene from his past life watching Journey to the West:

’Powerful demons would be fetched by their celestial masters, also flying on clouds.’

In no time, the two arrived at a grotto mansion at the mountain’s peak.

Ji An bowed deeply and respectfully:

"Disciple Ji An, pays respect to the ancestor. May I ask, what is this anomaly on my body?"

He had seen the sect’s ancestor from afar and naturally recognized him.

Feeling somewhat uneasy, he worried about hearing unfavorable news.

Daoist Master Zhengyang appraised the disciple for a moment, recalling his name from mentions by a few junior nephews.

Jia Yu considered this disciple very hopeful to break through to the Chao Origin Stage and potentially cultivate Tier Three Spirit Plants for the sect in the future.

"This is a secret technique called the Blood Transformation Soul-Chasing Curse, a mark placed by high-tier demons on their descendants.

The Human Race also has similar secret techniques. If these descendants are killed, the secret technique activates, leaving a vengeful imprint on the murderer."

Ji An grimacingly smiled bitterly to himself:

’That Golden Feathered Eagle was truly a well-rooted creature!’

"May I ask the ancestor, what are the dangers of the Blood Transformation Soul-Chasing Curse, and is there a way to dispel it?"