Sect Leader Xuan was using all of his strength to push his 'Snake Crushing Stick' lower and lower. Since Empyrean Asura had destroyed his momentum, he lacked strength, but Sect Leader Xuan was still trying to use his Dao of Space to hurt his enemy. Even with only one arm, the old man was very strong. Momentum or not, his stick was dangerous. However, Empyrean Asura was much stronger in terms of physique alone. Moreover, his injuries weren't as debilitating as Sect Leader Xuan's. In fact, he had almost already written off the old man. His palm closed on the 'Snake Crushing Stick' and the old demon focused his attention on Matriarch Huang and Emperor Weide.
Of course, Empyrean Asura wasn't stupid enough to completely disregard the old man. Fortunately, he was too arrogant for his own good.
As soon as Sect Leader Xuan perceived any fluctuation in his enemy's concentration, he acted. At that very moment, Matriarch Huang and Emperor Weide dived down toward the old demon. Immediately, his fluctuating attention was entirely drawn to those two fighters.
The very moment Empyrean Asura stopped paying enough attention to Sect Leader Xuan, he realized his mistake. His palm felt a sudden void. Using the Dao of Space, the Sect Leader had taken out his 'Snake Crushing Stick' before anyone could even see it. Now, his hand was holding it much closer to its extremity. In the very same movement, the old man punched forward. The stick almost became an extension of his fist. Of course, he was aiming straight at Empyrean Asura. The other two Sages were not targeting Empyrean Asura's vital points, they were cutting off any possible retreat. If he tried to avoid this strike, he would suffer a much more terrifying wound. But could he even have avoided this strike had he been willing?!
Around Sect Leader Xuan, the image of a large snake appeared. Its head crushed Empyrean Asura's chest. Sect Leader Xuan's hand almost entered his chest as his rib cage and sternum got caved in. The old demon bulged all the muscles on his torso. Despite all his efforts, the strike was devastating as space itself was being contracted and crushed by his opponent. However, Sect Leader Xuan wasn't convinced that his enemy's heart had been destroyed. Most likely, it was damaged but not annihilated. So, Sect Leader Xuan withdrew his hand and was about to strike again.
With blood coming out of his mouth, Empyrean Asura disregarded the other two Sages. He quickly grabbed the small piece of 'Snake Crushing Stick' protruding out of Sect Leader Xuan's fist. Unfortunately, the old man was too slow. In fact, he had waited a bit too long after his strike, analyzing his enemy's response. Had he taken his weapon back immediately to strike again, he might have been able to obliterate his heart. But it was too late to have any kind of regret.
Now that he held the ebony stick, Empyrean Asura threw the stick and the old man toward Emperor Weide. The Emperor was forced to stop his attack and kill his own momentum. Even if he had slashed through Sect Leader Xuan, his attack would have ended up being too weak to injure his enemy. So he wouldn't sacrifice an essential fighter if he wasn't sure he could give the killing blow.
On the other hand, Matriarch Huang didn't relent. She could see a path to victory, and she seized it.
'Feng and Huang Dominate All Under the Sky'!
With no moment of hesitation whatsoever, she pushed her martial art to its limit with all nine of her True Fiery Drops. The entire Heidai Peak was covered in flames in an instant. Everyone on the Heidai Peak was shocked, but they didn't get burned. The flames were warm and pleasant. They were full of life. Hongyu felt a deep familiarity with those flames. For her, it was as if her ancestor were appearing before her. And in a way, it was precisely what was going on.
The very next moment, thousands of birds made entirely of flames flew upward. From afar, it truly looked like the entire mountain was flying toward Matriarch Huang and Empyrean Asura.
The old woman threw thousands of iron fans. Each one was spinning fast enough that they were catching on fire instantly. Then, the flying flames swallowed them, and they turned into small True Fiery Fenghuang metallic birds. In her hands, Matriarch Huang still kept two iron fans and was flying straight for Empyrean Asura. The old demon did not hesitate either.
'Divine Corpse Dance'! 'Divine Corpse Burial Armor'!
He threw up some blood that turned into more armor on his body. Then, his movements became so fast that even the flock of birds had a hard time chasing him. Despite all those movements, he kept going closer and closer to Matriarch Huang. Both of them were going for the killing blow. Watching them, Cao Yun was tense. He wasn't convinced Matriarch Huang could do it, but he hoped that she would succeed.
Finally, they collided. Their movements were so fast that barely anyone could tell what was going on. Matriarch Huang's thousands of iron fans had only served to hinder and exhaust Empyrean Asura some more. The true threat was in her hands. Her iron fans kept slashing and slashing. Empyrean Asura dodged several times. With his blood armor, he tried to block an iron fan with his forearm. However, his armor almost immediately melted because of the intense heat. Matriarch Huang was focusing all the heat directly on her iron fans. As such, they could slash through almost everything as Empyrean Asura soon realized. Sadly, he was able to save his arm at the very last moment.
The two cultivators exchanged hundreds of moves in a breath. Then came the ultimate strikes.
Matriarch Huang created an opening by closing an iron fan. Despite seeing the trick, Empyrean Asura had to take the bait. He went straight for her head as her other fan was protecting her chest. With the closed iron fan, Matriarch Huang punched forward, aiming for Empyrean Asura's caved chest. With no hesitation whatsoever, Empyrean Asura stopped his own attack, it had been a feint, too. Immediately, his other arm was ready to grab the iron fan and Matriarch Huang's arm. If he could control her limb, the fight would be much easier. Dealing with her two weapons at the same time was a problem, as they could both protect and attack at the same time.
Flames erupted from the old woman as her entire body was covered in the form of the True Fiery Fenghuang. Empyrean Asura's skin melted here and there, but he didn't react at all. His hand got to the iron fan and grabbed it. At the very last moment, Matriarch Huang let go. She immediately focused on defense while trying to evaluate the best path to retreat fast and far. However, Empyrean Asura used her own weapon against her. Grabbing the iron fan burned his flesh, even the muscles of his hands began to melt, but he still struck forward. Matriarch Huang's other iron fan was protecting her chest and now her throat. Attacking her Middle Dantian or Upper Dantian was almost impossible. As such, they both knew where the attack would go. Unfortunately, knowing and being able to do something about it were two different matters entirely.
Empyrean Asura's attack pierced Matriarch Huang's lower abdomen. He had precisely aimed at her Lower Dantian. Although it wasn't as important to a Sage, it was still a very important area for a human cultivator. A thought crossed the old woman's mind. Now, Cao Yun could easily make a Life Boiling Cradle pill to repair one's Lower Dantian. Amused, despite the pain, Matriarch Huang knew that she would not have the opportunity to take such a pill. Thankfully, her successor had. Huang Cixi would go further than any matriarch before her. Not only would she become emperor, but she might also become an Immortal now that cultivators could finally break the curse of the Forsaken Dao Era. Huang Cixi would be the next Emperor Nuwa. Matriarch Huang was certain of her family's future. All doubts disappeared from her mind now that she was facing death.
Looking into Empyrean Asura's eyes, she realized how much hatred one being could harbor. Demon God Da Mo within would revel in slaughtering every single human being, not just on the Piaolu planet, but in all possible realms. Although she had been thinking about her own goals and ambitions all her life, she would die while being altruistic. However, even then, she was truly fighting for the good of her own family, her own blood.
Matriarch Huang smiled as she thought back on her daughter and son. Despite all the pain and anguish, she was glad of the life she had led. The only true regret was the time she had wasted by not being with her son and daughter, and the way she had treated her daughter after her son's death. Those were her deepest shames.
With a smile on her face, Matriarch Huang almost completely released her Wei Qi around her waist. Empyrean Asura's entire arm pierced her Lower Dantian. Everyone was shocked and mortified, even Empyrean Asura. Too late, he realized the crazy old woman's idea. Her muscles contracted, and he couldn't pull back his arm. The very next moment, her iron fan, protecting her chest and throat, fell down. It slashed Empyrean Asura's arm clean off. Then, flames erupted from her Lower Dantian and consumed his entire limb. There wasn't even a drop of blood as her own flames cauterized the wound.
Taken aback, Empyrean Asura didn't use the opportunity to kill Matriarch Huang. Apparently, she had been contemplating death for nothing. She couldn't stop her iron fan's momentum as she had put all of her strength behind it. But this gave her the best chance to fly downward and get away from Empyrean Asura. The old demon couldn't believe that he had just lost an arm. Although he was ready to abandon his body, this was sacrilege, this was blasphemy. Mere insects were causing him so much trouble, he couldn't accept it. If he had his original body, he would have crushed them all with a thought, no, an afterthought. It was all that disgusting whore's fault! Had he known her fate, he wouldn't have played with her, he would have tortured her to death the very moment he laid eyes on her. Even while fighting the current Hongchen Kingdom, Demon God Da Mo's hatred was directed toward Emperor Nuwa.
This was it!
He had to stop this senseless fight. The only thing that mattered was his blood. If he could take his blood, he could retreat and build a stronger body to obliterate them all. This mere thought caused him intense distress. Was he really thinking about retreating before those insects?! No! But he had to... His own ego was getting in the way. Even while knowing it, he couldn't stop himself. Although it might make him cough up blood, he had to swallow his pride right now. He had to admit that he was weaker than ever. Dying at the hands of those insects wouldn't be more honorable than running away... retreating.
Ironically, Cao Yun could almost feel all of those emotional fluctuations. First of all, he was almost cultivating his Turbid Demons, so he was more attuned to those of Demon God Da Mo. But, more than that, Demon God Da Mo had unleashed his full killing intent on the battlefield. As such, Cao Yun could feel all of his doubts through the fluctuations of his killing intent. Right now, he wanted to kill them all so badly that Cao Yun could taste it. But at the same time, there was no determination behind it, it was just wishful thinking. It was hatred without power or conviction.
From his spatial ring, Empyrean Asura took out a dozen armored soldiers. Cao Yun recognized them immediately, and so did the three Sages based on Cao Yun's description. Those were Supplicant Tyrants. From their aura, they had to be as strong as a late Spirit Warrior. Together, they would be a problem for a Sage, maybe even two 1st-grade Sages. Besides, the three Sages were exhausted, and two of them had very severe injuries. Clearly, fighting those Supplicant Tyrants wouldn't be easy. Besides, they weren't in a battle formation to fight, they were protecting Empyrean Asura. It was more than obvious that Empyrean Asura's goal had shifted.
He had realized that he couldn't win against all three of them. Or at the very least, the price would be too much. Instead of wasting his time and energy, he just wanted his blood back. Cao Yun had hoped that it wouldn't go down to it, but they might have to actually use Demon God Da Mo's body and Mo Tian. For a moment, he had entertained the possibility that it wouldn't be necessary, but it had been wishful thinking on Cao Yun's part.
The young man hesitated. He wanted to get into the fight early. But they had planned for reinforcements, so they had to put their plan in motion. Cao Yun had to be ready for the very last part of the plan if everything went badly. He had to be there to ensure that the very end of their plan was a success. If they beat Empyrean Asura but couldn't get rid of Demon God Da Mo, all their efforts and sacrifices would have been for nothing, as he would attack again. They had to deal with him permanently, now.
Around a hundred Spirit Warriors suddenly flew upward as Sun Liao fired an arrow in the sky. When the arrow reached the zenith, it exploded into a new sun. The red light got completely drowned by a bright white light. Unfortunately, the reddish hue of blood won again. Sun Liao was leading a hundred Spirit Warriors spread out into twelve battle formations. There were almost ten Spirit Warriors for each Supplicant Tyrant. The weakest of them was sadly Sun Liao, but he was the most qualified to coordinate them with the array formations of the Wubei Sect. Besides, the Chief Elders were at the forefront of every battle formation.