Fate-Defying Demon Emperor

Su Han put away the Dragon Slaying Demon Banner. Although he could easily control it with the Secret of the Soldier Character, he stowed it away to prevent Soul Hook from using any countermeasures. Moreover, with his current mastery of the Secret of the Soldier Character, he could only control one Holy Artifact at a time. The newly acquired Dragon Slaying Demon Banner was not as easy to wield as the Nine Palace Golden Pagoda, which he was long accustomed to.

At this moment, Su Han had obtained the Dragon Slaying Demon Banner, but he had no intention of fleeing. His true purpose in coming here was to kill the trio led by Soul Hook and avenge their pursuit.

”Huang Shu, you hold off Tongyan! Du Yuemei and I will deal with Su Han!”

A person’s reputation casts a long shadow. Su Han’s notoriety was now considerable, having made a name for himself throughout the entire ruin. With the Dragon Slaying Demon Banner in his hands, Soul Hook made Su Han his primary target. As he and Du Yuemei were the stronger pair, they planned to join forces for a decisive battle to defeat Su Han and reclaim the Dragon Slaying Demon Banner.

”Alright!” Huang Shu nodded. He took out a heavy hammer and, with a move that stirred up dust and stone, charged straight at Tongyan.

Although Huang Shu was the weakest of the three, he possessed numerous techniques and was extremely tenacious. He was confident he could hold off Tongyan, who was also at the First Layer of the Heavenly King Realm.

”Su Han, be careful!” Tongyan warned. Grasping the Flame Spirit Dao Sword and employing her Qi Observation Technique, she precisely locked onto Huang Shu’s position. She then performed a Physique Fusion and dashed toward him.

She knew Su Han was powerful. Though Soul Hook and Du Yuemei were not weak, defeating Su Han in a short amount of time was pure fantasy. She, on the other hand, needed to defeat Huang Shu as quickly as possible and then come to Su Han’s aid. She was very confident in her own strength, and her Qi Observation Technique could accurately lock onto Huang Shu, rendering his concealment techniques useless.

Tongyan and Huang Shu quickly engaged in battle. Despite both being at the First Layer of the Heavenly King Realm, Tongyan, who possessed the Qi Holy Body, was clearly superior. She gained the upper hand, putting Huang Shu on the defensive.

”We need to end this quickly! Huang Shu won’t last long!” Soul Hook’s expression turned even uglier as he watched Huang Shu struggle. He spoke quickly to Du Yuemei, then his figure flickered as he charged toward Su Han.

Although Su Han was strong, he was, after all, only at the Ninth Layer of the Divine Power Realm. One of them was at the Third Layer of the Heavenly King Realm and the other was at the First Layer. Teaming up against him was a clear sign that they considered Su Han a major threat.

”Supreme Black Sha!”

Soul Hook was still somewhat wary of the Nine Palace Golden Pagoda, as it was a true Holy Artifact, so he did not hesitate to bring out his Supreme Treasure. A mass of black Sha roared out, emitting a potent supreme aura. It looked like a ball of sludge filled with malevolent energy.

”Moonlight Seal!”

Du Yuemei also brought out her Supreme Treasure, a light seal condensed from moonlight. It was pure and bright, scattering a silvery glow like liquid mercury.

At that moment, the Supreme Black Sha and the Moonlight Seal roared out in unison, striking the Nine Palace Golden Pagoda. They trapped it firmly, depriving Su Han of a significant asset. Although Su Han still possessed the Dragon Slaying Demon Banner, he had to use the Secret of the Soldier Character to control the Nine Palace Golden Pagoda. Otherwise, the Supreme Black Sha and the Moonlight Seal would come straight for him, forcing him to use the pagoda for defense.

”Impermanence Physique, Physique Fusion!”

Soul Hook rapidly condensed his Heaven and Earth Physique and performed a Physique Fusion. He appeared clad in black, his face hidden by a ferocious mask and his head topped with a dark crown. In his hand, he dragged a long Soul Hook Lock, looking every bit like Black Impermanence.

Soul Hook’s Heaven and Earth Physique was also modeled after a mythological figure. Based on his own characteristics, he mimicked the Black and White Impermanence from the Underworld, who were known for capturing and locking away souls. Fused with his Physique, Soul Hook gained a forbidding, terrifying aura, and his body was shrouded in intense Death Qi. Yet, this Death Qi was not malevolent; on the contrary, it was exceptionally pure, as if from an orthodox source.

Soul Hook’s weapon was a merciless Soul Hook Lock, a Supreme Grade Dao Artifact containing Death Dao Rhyme. If one were caught by its hook, Death Qi would invade their body at best. At worst, their flesh and blood would be torn away—it was an utterly terrifying weapon.

”Su Han, your greatest mistake was coming here to snatch the Dragon Slaying Demon Banner. Today, you won’t be able to leave even if you want to!” Soul Hook stared fixedly at Su Han, his eyes devoid of any emotion. There was not even a trace of killing intent, only the vast indifference of death itself, as if he intended to drag one’s very soul into the depths of Avīci Hell.

WHOOSH!

He swung his hand, and the Soul Hook Lock instantly whistled through the air. Faster than lightning, it carried the decisive, piercing ferocity of a reaper as it shot straight for Su Han.

”Intermediate Grade Divine Power: Death Rhapsody!”

With the Dragon Slaying Demon Banner snatched away, Soul Hook was consumed by rage. He held nothing back, unleashing his Divine Power Technique with full force. Soul Hook’s Divine Power Technique was similar to Zhang Xiaowan’s demonic sound, but it was filled with the aura of death. The sound waves surged like a tide, rapidly enveloping Su Han. The sound was not soothing but intense, like a frenzied battle hymn that drove those who heard it into madness, leading to their self-destruction.

”Heavenly Dragon Eight Sounds!”

Su Han remained calm and fearless. He opened his mouth and let out a roar, unleashing sound waves that surged like the majestic chant of a heavenly dragon.

”WOO!”

”GOO!”

”BAH!”

Su Han had already mastered three of the Heavenly Dragon Eight Sounds and now unleashed them all simultaneously. Furthermore, the Dragon’s Might in the Inner Area was far denser than outside, so its power was greatly amplified.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The two sonic attacks collided mid-air, instantly creating a deafening sonic boom that echoed like rolling thunder, shaking the entire wilderness. The terrifying sound waves transformed into a violent torrent that swept across the valley, filling the air with flying sand and stones.

Amid this clash of sound waves, the Soul Hook Lock suddenly shot out from a cunning angle, striking like a venomous snake at Su Han’s throat. If it connected, Su Han would be grievously injured, if not killed outright.

CLANG!

A sharp, piercing clash of metal rang out as sparks flew. The Soul Hook Lock was blocked by the Black Blade. The Black Blade was also a Supreme Grade Dao Artifact, in no way inferior to the Soul Hook Lock. Moreover, the Demonic Qi enveloping it was incredibly dense, enough to counteract the Death Dao Rhyme within the Soul Hook Lock.

”Bloodthirsty Demonic Flame!”

”Soul Devouring Demon Mist!”

With Su Han controlling it via the Secret of the Soldier Character, the demonic patterns on both sides of the Black Blade instantly lit up. The front blazed with the ferocious Bloodthirsty Demonic Flame, while the back billowed with pitch-black Soul Devouring Demon Mist. A single slash sent the demonic flame and mist forth like a roaring evil demon, enough to make one’s scalp tingle.

”Teleportation!”

Soul Hook, who had mastered the Art of Teleportation that Su Han lacked, instantly vanished, avoiding the slash. However, the traces of his teleportation were still visible to Su Han’s Nine Heavens Eye, shattering Soul Hook’s plan for a surprise, fatal blow.

Even without the Nine Palace Golden Pagoda, Su Han would not have been at a disadvantage in a one-on-one fight against Soul Hook. This time, however, Soul Hook was not his only enemy.

SWOOSH!

A crescent moon of light suddenly appeared behind Su Han, stabbing straight for his heart.

Du Yuemei had joined the battle. Facing two opponents at once, Su Han was instantly plunged into a perilous situation