Chapter 117: Chapter 116: You Killed Bian the Old Turtle, Too?

Taoist Yi Hong had finally met an opponent who could match him in strength.

With his Magical Power boosted by a Shangqing Divine Transformation Talisman, he drew upon his foundation in both Qi Body Origin Flow and the Eight Vajra Skills. The two techniques fused into a single Primordial Qi, making the Yanyue Saber—which weighed over thirty kilograms—feel as light as a feather in his hands.

Even though the Black Bear King was twice his height, the demon’s power was suppressed by the Dragon-Caging Array, allowing Yi Hong to completely hold his ground. The blade of his Yanyue Saber, infused with Taoist True Qi, even managed to slice through the Black Bear King’s Protective Demon Power with each strike. He could launch one counterattack for every three defensive blows.

Compared to the clash of strength between Taoist Yi Hong and the Black Bear King, the battle between Taoist Yan Song and the Yellow Dog King was much more agile.

Taoist Yan Song employed both Body and Skill. One moment, his longsword was wreathed in flames, weaving through the air like a fiery dragon. The next, it carried a gale-force wind, as if he had vanished into the breeze itself.

At the same time, Taiyi Wind and Fire surged forth, forming a fiery tornado that trapped both Taoist Yan Song and the Yellow Dog King inside. Tendrils of flame snaked toward the Yellow Dog King, seeking every possible opening.

The Yellow Dog King, however, was as swift as the wind. He wielded his two daggers with dazzling skill, carving black lines into the air. Traces of Demon Power lingered in these lines, dissolving the approaching Taiyi Wind and Fire while he simultaneously tried to launch a sneak attack on Taoist Yan Song.

Taoist Yan Song flicked his longsword, creating seven illusory blossoms of light that shredded the black lines before him. He then asked curiously, "Are you the Yellow Dog King of Three Extremes Mountain?"

The Yellow Dog King slashed with a dagger, and his Demon Power shredded the flames that got too close. "I am!"

Feeling the thrum of the Thunder Seed in his Sea of Consciousness, Taoist Yan Song was deeply puzzled.

’The Evil Qi from the White Wolf King was second only to the Bian Ancestor’s, and it filled a huge portion of the progress for condensing the Thunder Seed from Gu Zhao’s Five Thunders Order. The Evil Qi from the Black Bear King over there is even greater than the White Wolf King’s, a clear sign that he has committed countless evil deeds and murdered droves of people.’

’But the Evil Qi on this Demon before me... it’s not non-existent, but it’s far from a lot. It’s not even as much as the possessing Ghost I killed earlier. It really doesn’t live up to his status as a Great Demon of Three Extremes Mountain.’

’If not for the fact that his opponent’s Dao Practice was profound and a cut above his own, I wouldn’t have even guessed he was the Yellow Dog King. I would have just assumed he was one of the Black Bear King’s Little Demons.’

Hearing the Yellow Dog King’s reply, Taoist Yan Song asked again, "How long have you been on Three Extremes Mountain?"

The Yellow Dog King’s figure blurred into a series of afterimages, darting through the fiery tornado. The Demon Power he stirred up tore gaping holes in the vortex, and he then slashed his two daggers in a cross pattern toward Taoist Yan Song’s shoulders.

"Three Extremes Mountain was called Three Extremes Mountain thirty years ago. How long do you think I’ve been on it?" the Yellow Dog King said indifferently.

This made Taoist Yan Song even more curious. He had thought the Yellow Dog King had been cultivating deep in the mountains and only recently joined Three Extremes Mountain.

Taoist Yan Song flicked the daggers away with his sword, then conjured a flame that shot like an arrow toward the Yellow Dog King’s chest. As he attacked, he called out, "If that’s the case, why have you killed so few people?"

The Yellow Dog King was taken aback for a moment. He then opened his mouth and actually caught the incoming arrow between his teeth. His canine teeth ground together, crushing the fiery arrow into a shower of sparks that dissipated. "How do you know I’ve killed few people?"

Taoist Yan Song’s eyes glinted. He swung his longsword up and down, parrying the two daggers. "Never you mind how I know. What I do know is that you’re clearly not the same kind as that Black Bear and White Wolf... er, not the same kind of demon. So how did you end up as one of the three kings of Three Extremes Mountain?"

The Yellow Dog King abruptly spun around, turning into a yellow blur to dodge a wisp of fire coming from behind. "Why are you asking all this?"

Taoist Yan Song gave a dry chuckle, his true intentions now clear. "I see you still have a chance to renounce your evil ways and return to the righteous path. That’s why I’d like to persuade you not to follow that Black Bear down a dead-end road."

The Yellow Dog King sneered, "Are you trying to persuade me to surrender?"

A smile touched the corner of Taoist Yan Song’s mouth. "Not surrender. It’s a prodigal son returning, renouncing evil, returning to your true nature, and recognizing your true self."

The Yellow Dog King was expressionless. "That’s still surrendering."

Taoist Yan Song chuckled. "This just sounds a little better, that’s all. I can guide you in Doing Good Deeds and Accumulating Virtue, Eradicating Evil and Accumulating Merit. I’ll use Taoist True Qi to dissolve your Evil Qi and help you become a Spirit Monarch. Wouldn’t that be better?"

"A Spirit Monarch..." For a brief moment, a flicker of confusion appeared in the Yellow Dog King’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by his usual cold indifference. "Are you from the Spirit Court?"

Taoist Yan Song raised an eyebrow. "We are not from the Spirit Court. We simply act on heaven’s behalf, inviting the virtuous to join us and executing those who do evil."

The Yellow Dog King froze, his eyes flickering. The daggers in his hands slowed for an instant, seemingly of their own accord.

Taoist Yan Song pressed forward again and said in a low voice, "Look at that Black Bear. He’s a dead man today. You were never on the same path as him, so why must you die with him?"

The Yellow Dog King involuntarily glanced toward the Black Bear King.

Meanwhile, after seeing Taoist Yan Song talking with the Yellow Dog King, Gu Zhao focused his attention on Taoist Yi Hong and the Black Bear King.

Dozens of Gold Fire Thunder Talismans had just struck down, significantly weakening the Black Bear King’s Demon Qi. Now, bound by the Dragon-Binding Iron Chains of the Dragon-Caging Array, he was unable to exert his full strength.

A mournful, desolate flute melody drifted into his ears and burrowed into his mind. Although it wasn’t powerful, it was extremely annoying, forcing him to divert a sliver of his Divine Thought to block it out.

At the same time, the Black Bear King saw the young man controlling the array slap a piece of Yellow Paper onto himself. The young man’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit immediately surged, and then he began to hurl bolt after bolt of lightning at him.

Or he would raise his palm, and a bolt of purple lightning would appear in the blink of an eye.

Or he would draw a piece of Yellow Paper that would turn to ash in mid-air, transforming into a streak of golden light or a burst of flame, which would then come crashing down on him, carrying the might of thunder and lightning.

Although these lightning strikes weren’t enough to deal a fatal blow, they were constantly draining his Demon Power.

The Black Bear King knew full well that these lightning strikes were not weak at all. ’If they hit the Little Demons of Three Extremes Mountain,’ he thought, ’just two or three bolts would be enough to strike them dead.’

The Black Bear King’s eyes were bloodshot. He wanted to kill this young man first.

But as soon as he turned, he saw the young man take a step back, retreating out of the array’s light screen.

The Black Bear King, "..."

Gu Zhao manipulated the Wooden Token in his hand, directing all the Dragon-Binding Iron Chains within the array to lash out at the Black Bear King, suppressing his Divine Consciousness Magical Power with all his might. At the same time, he threw out Thunder Talismans as if they were free.

With Taoist Yi Hong acting as the tank, Gu Zhao focusing on full-force damage output, and Zhuo Qingyan providing support from the side, their combined efforts had forced the Black Bear King onto the back foot.

If the Black Bear King didn’t have a trump card, it was likely he would be finished here.

Of course, the Black Bear King was not about to accept death lying down. He had left his weapon on Three Extremes Mountain, but he himself was a ferocious, bear-shaped weapon.

The Black Bear King feigned an opening, luring Taoist Yi Hong two steps forward. Then, with a long roar, the Dantian Demon Power within him erupted. At the cost of injuring himself, his body transformed into a living siege ram, holding nothing back as he charged like a meteor toward Taoist Yi Hong, leaving him no room to dodge.

If this one strike succeeded in crippling Taoist Yi Hong, the tide of the entire battle would turn.

Seeing that Taoist Yi Hong’s saber was overextended and he couldn’t bring it back in time, a savage and vicious look filled the Black Bear King’s eyes. He was going to disembowel this old Mage!

But just as he was halfway through his charge, a palm-sized, semicircular object suddenly shot out from the man’s chest robes. In an instant, it transformed into a two-meter-tall shield, protecting him completely.

"What?"

BOOM!

With a tremendous crash, the Black Bear King was brought to a halt. The shield before him then shrank back down, and a piercing Saber Qi suddenly shot out from behind it, directly slicing through his momentarily weakened Demon Power and opening a gash on his face.

The Black Bear King let out a furious roar, his voice filled with disbelief. "You killed Bian the Old Turtle, too?"