Chapter 5: Defying All Demons

"Such mighty prestige! Such mighty prestige!" A crisp sound of clapping suddenly rang out from beneath the silent, towering platform. Hongshuang, clapping her hands, slowly rose into mid-air and addressed the gathered demons with a mocking tone, "I truly never expected that a casual spy from the underworld could enter and leave our entire Demon Clan's encirclement as if walking through an uninhabited realm. I never expected that after he slaughtered so many of our demon kin, not one of you so-called elites, who usually think so highly of yourselves, would dare to block his path, simply allowing an outsider to display such majestic power here!"

With that, she glanced toward Letu and continued, "Well? Grand Chief Letu, should we perhaps lay down our weapons and collectively surrender to him?"

Letu's face turned pale. He wanted to retort, yet he found himself entirely at a loss for words—for after witnessing what had just transpired, he indeed no longer possessed the courage to lead the demons in a frontal confrontation against a man who resembled a god or a demon. The light in his eyes flickered uncertainly for a long while before he finally made up his mind, turning his head away to ignore Hongshuang's mockery. However, the rapid rise and fall of his chest revealed how much patience he was expending to suppress the fury in his heart.

Seeing that Letu remained silent, Hongshuang shifted her gaze to the Great Demon Spirits who had stood by passively without a word since the battle began. Smiling coldly, she said, "Respected elders are certainly in high spirits. To be able to stand by with folded arms and remain entirely indifferent while witnessing the tragic deaths of so many of your kin—I, Hongshuang, must truly bow before you in admiration. No wonder you are all hailed as saints by our people; truly, what broad minds and what magnificent bearing!"

Provoked by Hongshuang's biting sarcasm and deliberate instigation, which struck precisely at their sore points, a few of the Great Demon Spirits could finally no longer hold back. They let out cold snorts and spoke out in rebuttal.

"Shui Mantian possesses formidable skills, and I admit I am no match for him. Am I supposed to rush up to throw my life away knowing full well I cannot win?"

"Indeed! You merely wield a sharp tongue, but do you happen to have any better solutions yourself?"

"Do you expect me to follow your lead, swarming him like a mob and using our numbers to overwhelm the solitary? If word of this gets out, where are we supposed to put our faces?"

"Very well, today we *will* win through sheer numbers!" Hongshuang pointed toward the towering platform, her expression suddenly shifting into one of righteous indignation as she shouted sternly, "Everyone, look! What kind of person is standing before us right now? He is not a guest who has come for a martial arts exchange, but an ill-intentioned spy of an alien realm! Even at this moment, are you still clinging to those stale, conservative notions, letting yourselves be bound hand and foot by so-called honor while allowing him to run rampant in the Demon Realm? In your hearts, which is truly more important—the dignity of the entire Demon Clan, or your own personal pride? If we let this person walk away freely today, where will the honor of our entire Demon Realm be placed?"

Taking a brief moment to gauge the expressions of the Great Demon Spirits, Hongshuang raised her arm and called out loudly, "If any of you still have reservations, I, humble as I am, am willing to shoulder all the blame alone! Hereby, invoking the honor of our demon ancestors, I swear that no matter what means must be employed, we must not let this underworld spy escape alive! If you still possess a shred of hot-blooded spirit, follow me!"

With her sharp eloquence, Hongshuang skillfully twisted the narrative, binding the honor of the entire Demon Clan to her own cause and stirring the hearts of the onlookers. Roused by her words, the gathered demons surged with righteous fury and voiced their agreement.

"Charge! Kill him! We will never tolerate anyone trampling the Demon Realm underfoot!"

"That's right! At worst, we'll fight him to the death!"

Amidst the surging public outrage, the dozens of Great Demon Spirits could no longer remain aloof, nor did the situation permit them to stay out of it any longer. Exchanging glances, this group of Great Demon Spirits finally stepped forward slowly, blocking Shui Mantian's path.

* * * * * * * *

Before the Great Demon Spirits even made a move, the Wood-element domain overflowing from their entire bodies had already formed a halo emitting a faint green light, tightly encircling Shui Mantian and his daughter.

Shui Mantian's steps were finally halted by this group of Great Demon Spirits.

His expression remained completely composed, as if no situation could ever cause the slightest ripple. His deep, lustrous eyes swept across the surroundings before finally coming to rest on Fuyao behind him.

Fuyao sat within the barrier, terrified into a daze by the tense scene before her. She had even forgotten to cry, staring blankly upward at Shui Mantian without uttering a single word.

Shui Mantian withdrew his gaze, a trace of an imperceptible smile flashing across his face. Then, his eyes finally turned cold. As the Water-element domain around him abruptly surged, his black battle armor suddenly flashed with a dazzling white light, clearly gathering every ounce of his spiritual power.

Following a brief standoff, the dozens of Great Demon Spirits beneath the high platform struck simultaneously!

With a resounding rush, the Great Demon Spirits instantly dispersed, forming a circular enclosure that trapped Shui Mantian in the center. An overwhelming pressure surged instantly into the sky, causing the demons outside the circle to feel a sudden chest-tightening oppression. They hastily retreated, clearing a vast open space around the battlefield.

The next moment, a layer of silver radiance suddenly bloomed across the bodies of the demon spirits. After shimmering over their surfaces for a moment, accompanied by short, electric-like crackling sounds, the physical forms of the dozens of Great Demon Spirits simultaneously transformed into thousands of shooting stars that roared into the sky.

Immediately afterward, everyone watching felt an identical sensation—as if they had been stripped naked and exposed to the harsh light of day. Looking up at the sky, they saw those shooting stars twisting and weaving like silver snakes, shooting straight into the firmament and vanishing without a trace shortly after.

In an instant, the winds and clouds in the sky churned violently. The previously clear, blue skies were instantly covered by dense clouds, and fierce winds howled. The oxygen in the air seemed to have been swept away by that sudden gale; although the tall weeping trees around blocked the wind's direct force, everyone still felt a stifling tightness in their chests, struggling to breathe.

Looking again at those pale gray clouds, they were thick and heavy, pressing down overhead like an approaching grand army, churning and shifting unceasingly. Suddenly, the clouds slowly condensed, and within a short while, they gathered directly above Shui Mantian, transforming into countless giant dragons flashing with silver light that plummeted fiercely from the sky, striking straight down toward the crown of Shui Mantian's head.

Since the formation of the Demon Realm, there had never been such a "spectacle" of so many Great Demon Spirits simultaneously unleashing their power to repel an enemy. The thousands of watching demons involuntarily held their breath. The destructive power of dozens of Great Demon Spirits launching a joint attack could only be described as unprecedented. Amidst the dazzling silver light filling the sky, the defensive barrier erected by Shui Mantian instantly dissolved, followed by the wings he used to fend off this boundless force being shredded into countless floating feathers by the flying silver dragon claws. Next, the very bones throughout Shui Mantian's body emitted a series of creaking, grinding noises under immense pressure.

Earth-shattering shouts erupted once more from beneath the high platform. The demons yelled until their voices grew hoarse, yet at that moment, they no longer knew what they were shouting for. Was it joy? Anger? Cheers? Fear? Or heartfelt admiration for Shui Mantian, who fought like the Grimm Reaper to protect his daughter at all costs?

Under this heaven-destroying and earth-shattering force, Shui Mantian struggled bitterly. His towering body was bent forward, and every single second, the magical artifacts he used to fend off the attacks were breaking down and collapsing. By this point, the outcome of this grossly mismatched battle was practically decided. Yet, Shui Mantian's face remained entirely calm, radiating an air of serene composure—"Frost Binding the Earth," "True Water Shield," "Wind Sweeping the Clouds"... One water-element defensive spell after another was cast from his hands in rapid succession, every explosive burst of magic carrying brilliantly resplendent radiance, much like his almost completely burnt-out yet stubbornly persisting life.

And his sole purpose for this desperate resistance, paid for with the exhaustion of all his spiritual power, was simply to let his daughter live on safely!

* * * * * * * *

Unbeknownst to anyone, Fuyao was already bathed in tears. Desperately hammering against the barrier with both hands, she sobbed hoarsely, "Father! Father! You truly are my father! Let me out, let me be with you!"

What mattered race or identity? What mattered false reputations and vanity? In the end, they were all mere wisps of dust and illusion!

What mattered misunderstandings or stubborn prejudices? What mattered pride or restraint? In the end, they still could not sever the bonds of flesh and blood!

* * * * * * * *

――At the threshold of life and death, paternal instinct finally awakened this stubborn and ill-fated young maiden.

Hearing Fuyao's repeated cries, Shui Mantian trembled all over. His body, which had been flickering erratically due to continuous heavy blows, suddenly burst forth with brilliant radiance!

He did not speak, nor did he look back, but the corners of his mouth suddenly curled into a smile of utmost gratification. With a sudden roar, his eyes flashed with intense brilliance, as if infinite vitality had been injected into his body. The barrier surrounding him flared violently with light, and the mass of black water mist swirling around him suddenly grew unimaginably dense, churning incessantly like boiling water. Taking Shui Mantian as the center, a thick fog resembling pitch-black ink instantly billowed outward, expanding with incomparable swiftness, growing larger and wider until it swallowed everything in an instant!

The next moment, the silver dragons circling the sky suddenly disintegrated, and the silver stars filling the sky drifted down in a scattered shower. The Four Elders and the various demon spirits once more materialized in the air, except that at this very moment, every single one of them was shrouded in a swirling aura of black mist, their faces cast in a faint dark hue, their limbs stiff and completely immobilized for the time being.

* * * * * * * *

At some point, the gathered demons fell silent. The deafening shouts ceased once more, and everyone stood frozen in place like clay sculptures, the surroundings plunging into a deathly stillness.

Only Shui Mantian's voice, soft as a dream murmur, echoed in the void:

"That year, I left the underworld once again to travel afar. Because your father was unrestrained by nature and never liked staying long in any single place, always believing that with such vast heaven and earth, where could I not roam freely? Although the four realms were governed separately, what of it? The places Shui Mantian wished to go, even the Heavenly Emperor himself could not forbid."

"I often heard that there is a Listening Moon Spring in the Demon Realm, its waters blood-red and fragrant like strong wine of the mortal realm; I often heard that there is a Tianmiao Lake in the Demon Realm, its waters clear and enchanting like the starry river of the celestial realm. But never could I have imagined that no matter how fragrant the waters of the Listening Moon Spring might be, how could they compare to Cuizhi's smile? No matter how clear the waters of Tianmiao Lake might be, how could they compare to Cuizhi's eyes!"

"Ten years of life and death, vast and boundless; not actively thinking, yet impossible to forget... It is only a pity that I shall never again see the moonlight of that night..."

His voice grew softer and softer until it became almost inaudible by the end, yet the black mist lingering around him grew ever denser, continuing to slowly spread outward.

"Underworld God's Dissolution!" Hongshuang's expression tightened with a flash of panic as she rapidly retreated, shouting, "Everyone, back away quickly! Do not let that black mist touch you!"

However, by this point, the demons were already stunned by everything that had unfolded before their eyes. Most of them failed to react in time and were swallowed up by the quietly approaching black mist. Amidst a series of miserable screams, a large swath of figures immediately collapsed beneath the high platform.

...The black mist continued to expand, ruthlessly harvesting all life in its path. Under the breathless gaze of the nearly thousand demons who had retreated into the distance, this scene felt like an incredible nightmare. That towering, majestic black figure had forever etched his Grim Reaper-like image into the minds of the many members of the Demon Clan.

* * * * * * * *

...After an unknown passage of time, a flash of brown light suddenly cut through the air. The barrier enclosing Fuyao and Elder Tianmu vanished abruptly. Fuyao stumbled out, threw herself onto Shui Mantian's body, and wailed aloud—"Father! Father!"

Yet by this time, Shui Mantian could no longer hear his daughter's heartrending cries. Just as Lilac had said, he was already thoroughly drained of vitality. Forcing the reversal of the "Fetus-Shedding and Shape-Transforming Technique" left him with zero chance of survival; even his soul would dissipate immediately upon death!

At this moment, all his nerves had grown numb, and his body was beginning to stiffen. Only his spirit still relied on instinctive drive to maintain the terrifying spell of the "Underworld God's Dissolution."

Before his eyes, there were no longer any enemies, nor could he hear his daughter's heartbreaking cries. He only saw a pure and ethereal figure quietly standing by the Listening Moon Spring, turning back abruptly. Under the faint moonlight, her beautiful long hair gleamed with an emerald luster, and her snow-white skin, seemingly carved from ice and snow, smiled brightly back at him...

"Father, what is wrong with you? Look at me, answer me!"

Amidst the terrified and bewildered gazes of the demons, Fuyao hugged Shui Mantian's body and cried bitterly, but apart from her sobs, the surroundings remained dead silent, and no one could offer her any response.

Before long, the sky had grown extremely gloomy, with massive chunks of dense clouds gathering like blocks of lead. A bleak north wind suddenly swept past, and amidst Fuyao's weeping, goose-feather snowflakes finally began to dance across the mid-air, fluttering endlessly and drifting onto everyone's bodies amidst the howling cold wind...

The snow filling the sky seemed as though it would never stop. Before long, thick layers of snow had accumulated upon everyone's heads and shoulders, and the biting chill seeping through the snowflakes penetrated directly into the depths of everyone's hearts.

* * * * * * * *

After an unknown duration of time, the black mist gradually dissipated. Hongshuang was once again the first to snap back to her senses. Seeing that everyone else was still standing around foolishly with their heads tilted back, staring blankly at the falling snow, she roared in frustration, "What are you all staring for? Shui Mantian is already dead! Why haven't you captured the traitor Fuyao yet?!"

The demons finally awoke from their daze, exchanging glances, yet few responded. Only the tribesmen of the Mangyuan tribe, under Hongshuang's command, mustered their courage once more, picking up their weapons and cautiously approaching the high platform.

Just at that moment, a figure flickered, instantly appearing atop the high platform to shield the grief-stricken Fuyao behind them. A clear voice suddenly rang out:

"Shui Mantian is gone, but I am still here! If you want to capture Fuyao, you must first pass over my dead body!"

A slender, spear-like figure in white stood proudly erect. The sharp edge of the sword in his left hand gleamed with cold light, while countless silver threads in his right hand darted back and forth like spiritual snakes, weaving an inescapable net-like barrier before the two of them.

The newcomer was none other than Zisheng!

* * * * * * * *

On the other side of the high platform, Letu had also re-gathered his tribe's subordinates and quietly closed in with a band of men, roaring, "Traitor Zisheng, you can barely protect your own life, yet you still wish to meddle in other people's affairs? Let's see who can save the two of you this time!"

With a forceful wave of his right hand, Letu prepared to order his subordinates to charge the high platform. However, he had barely taken two steps when he saw a golden flash ahead of him, and over a dozen palm-sized circular kinetic bursts roared in from a distance, targeting his face directly.

Letu hurriedly ducked his head, narrowly dodging the sudden attack. The kinetic bursts, having missed their target, did not dissipate; instead, as if guided by some unseen force, they looped back around. Moments later, a little green person riding a small golden dragon suddenly descended from the sky, blocking his path.

Immediately following that, two childish voices rang out:

"Haha! Arrived just in time! I, Shi Buyi, can finally have a real fight again!"

"Where are you running off to, you pale-faced old stiff? Take this—my Xiaotian's Reversing Universe!"

* * * * * * * *

The Great Elder Yuan Hao had not gone all out earlier because he harbored deep misgivings about Shui Mantian's abilities and was unwilling to engage in a mutual destruction pact, choosing instead to bide his time. Now, seeing that the formidable enemy was dead, he was overjoyed and hastily exchanged glances with the three other elders.

Years of close cooperation made them thoroughly familiar with each other's intentions. Their cunning nature made them unwilling to take the slightest risk, so they prepared to strike in secret while the demons launched a massive assault, planning to capture both Fuyao and Zisheng in one fell swoop.

Yet the moment their spells were cast, they were intercepted midway by something. No matter how they charged or thrashed, they could not break free from the restraint. Straining their eyes to look closer, the four elders discovered that a gigantic, bizarre, transparent box had suddenly materialized in the void. Their unleashed spells crashed into it as if sinking into a massive mass of rubber, only to be bounced right back shortly afterward. Shocked, they hurriedly leapt aside to dodge and concentrated their vigilance.

Right after that, the transparent box suddenly unfolded. A sturdy figure stepped out from within, reached out a hand to block their path, and a deep, immensely magnetic voice resonated:

"Great Heavenly Demon Lie Jin is here! None shall pass!"

* * * * * * * *

Fuyao knelt by Shui Mantian's side, weeping uncontrollably, unaware that the black mist surrounding the Great Demon Spirits—who had been trapped by her father's final, desperate strike—was slowly receding.

These demon spirits had always prided themselves on their formidable cultivation, never imagining that even in a situation where they outnumbered their opponent, they would ultimately be subdued. They all felt their faces burning with shame. Upon discovering that the bindings upon them were gradually loosening, they gathered all their breath, preparing to break free from the restrictions entirely and assist the demons in trapping Fuyao and Zisheng to recover a shred of their lost dignity.

Zisheng, who was dealing with the incoming enemies, had sensed this development, but the immense pressure bearing down upon him from the front pinned him firmly in place, leaving him entirely unable to divert his attention. Anxiety surged fiercely in his heart.

At that very moment, a lean yet extraordinarily resolute arm suddenly reached out from behind him, gently supporting Fuyao's shoulder, and a gentle voice said, "You are tired. Rest for a moment."

Fuyao looked up and saw a youth with refined and handsome features standing beside her with a gentle smile. His expression was immensely serene, yet his eyes carried a trace of profound sorrow.

Upon seeing him, the tension in her heart finally broke. Crying out, "Brother Shi!", she fainted into his arms.

Shi Jun reached out to steady Fuyao, casting a glance out of the corner of his eye toward Shui Mantian's body, which stubbornly refused to fall. His heart tightened with a stifling, inexpressible sorrow. It took him a long while to steady himself, and grinding his teeth, he spoke in a voice so low it was almost inaudible: "Rest in peace. Leave everything that follows to us!"

With a single-handed incantation, he uttered a low cry: "Three Thousand Weak Waters!" A pale blue mist rapidly condensed from the air, shooting straight toward the surrounding Great Demon Spirits who were about to break through their restrictions, once more wrapping their bodies tightly within it.

The demon spirits were fighting fiercely against the black mist when, caught off guard, they were struck by the blue mist unleashed by the youth. Feeling a wave of numbness across their bodies followed by a faint blue tint blooming on their skin, they realized they had fallen victim to the potent poison of the Weak Waters. Having no other choice, they had to muster their remaining strength to pull back their forms, retreating far away into a corner to drive out the poison through cultivation.

* * * * * * * *

This sequence of events had unfolded with breathtaking speed. In the blink of an eye, all the offensive momentum of the Demon Realm's experts was neutralized one by one. Seeing these enemies who had dropped out of nowhere, the gathered demons once more halted in their tracks, lowering the weapons in their hands.

Shi Jun bent down to pick up the unconscious Fuyao, cast a cold and sweeping glance at the stunned and staring crowd of demons, and turned to leave. Suddenly, he heard an ethereal voice echo in mid-air:

"My Lord, Mantian is about to embark on a distant journey, leaving behind an orphaned daughter with no one to lean upon. I beg my Lord to care for her in my stead!"

The crowd of demons erupted into an uproar!

――Shui Mantian's soul had not yet completely dissipated!

――Why could the consciousness of someone who should have died long ago persist until this very moment?

――What kind of power was this, exactly?

With a trace of astonishment, Shi Jun looked at Shui Mantian's long-since chilled corpse. His heart suddenly stirred, as though some extremely distant memory flashed briefly across his mind. Just as he wanted to nod in agreement, he found himself speaking uncontrollably, uttering the familiar yet unfamiliar voice he had heard earlier, tinged with an unmasked sorrow and loneliness.

――"Go. As you wish."

The moment his words fell, Shui Mantian's stiff body collapsed limply. Then, with a muffled *pop*, it burst apart into a cluster of faint fluorescent light that drifted away toward the distant horizon.

The demons stood frozen in place, gazing up into the distance with reverent expressions. Even the various Great Demon Spirits and the Four Elders silently watched the scene unfold with pale complexions. Hongshuang's face turned ashen, her eyes filled with an undisguised terror and hatred as she stared fixedly at Shi Jun from afar. Before this seemingly frail youth, for some reason, she completely lost the courage and eloquence she had displayed just moments before; her hands and feet felt as though they had been frozen in ice, daring not make the slightest move to approach.

With a desolate expression, Shi Jun gazed into the distance at the speck of fluorescent light transformed from Shui Mantian. Standing motionlessly for a long while, he finally exchanged glances with Zisheng and Lie Jin, waved his hand, and amidst the almost fanatical gazes of thousands of demons, he took the arriving group into the air, breaking through the void with incomparable swiftness and vanishing into the swirling, boundless snowstorm in the blink of an eye...