Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 528: Chapter 523: Dueling Ao Lie and Ao Fengfeng

The corpse was submerged in blood, yet even after countless ages, it showed no signs of decay. This was extraordinary. Typically, only a Celestial Martial Realm King could maintain a perfectly preserved body after death.

The reason this corpse remained intact was partly due to the blood it was soaked in, and partly due to the parasitic entity residing within it!

Just then, the corpse’s belly began to writhe bizarrely. A moment later, the skin of the stomach split open.

”SCREEECH!”

A sharp, ear-piercing cry rang out.

A monstrous insect emerged from within the belly. The creature was the size of a baby, entirely black, with two pairs of thin, dark, shimmering wings on its back. Its head was hideous, and as it opened its mouth, it revealed rows of razor-sharp teeth.

”It really is a Four-winged Black Demon Insect.” Ning Jiang’s gaze sharpened. ”During the past Human-Demon War, some experts from the Demon Race enjoyed capturing large numbers of Martial Artists to use their bodies to cultivate these Demon Insects.”

”What a vicious method.” Gu Huaying’s face flushed with anger.

”This is actually considered common. The Demon Race has far more cruel methods. Compared to those, this is merely child’s play.”

Ning Jiang shook his head. As he spoke, he made a grasping motion with his hand, and streaks of Thunderbolt energy wove together into a net, blanketing the Four-winged Black Demon Insect.

”SCREECH!”

The Four-winged Black Demon Insect sensed the danger, and the screech from its mouth grew even more ear-piercing. Subsequently, layers of illusions appeared in Ning Jiang’s and Gu Huaying’s minds.

”Hmph, a petty trick.” Ning Jiang was completely unaffected. The Thunder Power fiercely contracted, and with a pitiful shriek, the Four-winged Black Demon Insect was crushed to dust.

”To think this kind of Demon Insect can use Illusion Attacks... It’s truly dangerous.”

Gu Huaying recovered a step later than Ning Jiang. She now realized just how dangerous these Demon Insects were. If a Martial Artist were fighting a member of the Demon Race and one of these insects suddenly appeared to launch an Illusion Attack, the Martial Artist would most likely fall for it.

A Martial Artist caught in an illusion would be defenseless. That single moment would decide life and death.

”This Four-winged Black Demon Insect wasn’t very strong. Four-winged ones are at the Earth Martial Realm. If it had six wings, it would be comparable to the Heaven-Reaching Realm. An eight-winged one could even match the Celestial Martial Realm, but eight-winged Black Demon Insects are exceedingly rare,” Ning Jiang explained.

”Ning Jiang, how do you know so much about the Demon Race?” Gu Huaying asked, curious.

”I’ve read some records about the Demon Race and studied them specifically,” Ning Jiang said casually.

Hearing this, Gu Huaying didn’t press the matter. Everyone has their secrets. Sometimes, prying into them isn’t a wise thing to do.

”There are hundreds of vats here. Doesn’t that mean there are hundreds of Four-winged Black Demon Insects?” Gu Huaying looked at the surrounding containers, a chill running through her heart.

For the first time, she truly felt the viciousness of the Demon Race!

”Let’s destroy them all.”

Ning Jiang took a step forward. An almost endless torrent of Thunderbolt energy erupted from his body, sweeping out in all directions like a sea.

In the blink of an eye, the space for hundreds of yards around was completely submerged in Thunderbolt.

Thunder Power, being Supreme Yang and Firm, was the natural bane of these Demon Insects. One by one, the vats shattered, and the corpses and Four-winged Black Demon Insects within were annihilated by the Thunderbolt.

A few of the more powerful Four-winged Black Demon Insects managed to block the Thunderbolt’s assault. The strength of these few had reached the Earth Martial Realm Late Stage. But just as they were about to escape, they were either cut down by a single strike from Ning Jiang’s sword or killed by Gu Huaying.

For two experts from the Hidden Dragon List, dealing with a few insects was a trivial matter.

A short while later, Ning Jiang retracted the Thunderbolt.

All the surrounding vats had vanished, completely destroyed.

’If I had successfully refined the Taiyang Divine Fire, this would have been even easier,’ Ning Jiang thought.

The main advantage of Thunder Power was its sharp, destructive force, while Flame Power’s strength lay in its Purification Power. Against a Demon Insect like this, a single touch of the Taiyang Divine Fire would be enough to burn even an Earth Martial Realm Peak expert to ash, leaving them no way to resist.

RUMBLE.

Suddenly, a massive sound came from ahead.

”Let’s go.”

The two exchanged a glance and immediately headed toward the sound.

A short time later, they stopped in front of a great hall. The hall was magnificent and was, by far, the best-preserved structure Ning Jiang had seen so far, unlike the other places which were all in ruins.

This was because the great hall was enveloped by a barrier of light, protecting it securely.

And in front of the great hall stood a man and a woman—two familiar figures.

”It’s you!”

One of them, a burly figure with a domineering aura, turned around. It was Ao Lie of the Flood Dragon Clan. When he saw Ning Jiang and Gu Huaying, he was visibly startled and quickly took out a Flood Dragon Scale.

This was a Magical Treasure refined by the Flood Dragon Clan using a Secret Technique, capable of sensing the location of their clansmen within a thousand-li radius.

However, when he used the Flood Dragon Scale to check, he couldn’t detect any life fluctuations. His expression instantly turned icy.

”You killed everyone I left outside?”

”That’s right,” Ning Jiang admitted directly.

”How dare you!”

Ao Lie was furious. He had left his people outside as a two-pronged measure: on one hand, to block others from entering, and on the other, to send for reinforcements from the Flood Dragon Clan if he encountered danger.

But now, the people he had left behind had been completely wiped out by Ning Jiang and Gu Huaying.

”Miss Gu, I believe you owe me an explanation!” Ao Lie said, looking at Gu Huaying.

”Your men blocked my path, so I took action. Is that explanation clear enough for you?” Gu Huaying said coldly.

”Good. Very good!”

A sharp killing intent erupted from Ao Lie’s eyes.

At this moment, what infuriated him most wasn’t that his men had been killed, but that Gu Huaying was with Ning Jiang. He knew that the Flood Dragon King had been in Celestial Treasure City precisely to help him propose marriage to Gu Huaying.

In his eyes, Gu Huaying was already his fiancée.

But now, this woman was with his enemy. How could he possibly tolerate that?

Billowing killing intent burst from his body. His hair began to drift as if in a nonexistent wind, and a suffocating pressure fell over the entire area.

”Fengfeng, you take Gu Huaying. This brat is mine. I’m going to tear him to pieces!” Ao Lie declared.

”Alright.”

Ao Fengfeng took a step forward, facing Gu Huaying from a distance. ”Gu Huaying,” she said, ”we are both women, and people often compare us. I’ve wanted to test your skills for a long time. Today, I finally have the chance.”

Gu Huaying knew this battle was inevitable. After warning Ning Jiang to be careful, she stepped forward. ”Come on, then. I won’t hold back.”

BOOM!

With a thunderous crash, the two female prodigies of the Hidden Dragon List began their duel!