Chapter 116: Sword Has Spirit to Aid Ghosts and Gods

High above, the Azure Vine Sword, having traversed an entire province, immediately unsheathed and struck down the demon the moment its aura locked onto the target. When the thousand-foot sword light flashed, Lady Hong didn't even have time to react before she was utterly annihilated, body and soul.

The sword's scabbard now hovered beside the Azure Vine Sword. The Azure Vine Immortal Sword itself remained suspended high above, pointing at three demons below. Or rather, four, to be precise, as a half-human-faced demon was still hiding, terrified, somewhere in the demon's lair.

Though its most powerful strike had been unleashed, the Azure Vine Sword's contained sword energy still projected an invisible sword intent that permeated half the sky, dimming the sunlight. This left the four demons below paralyzed, feeling like mere sprites facing divine thunder, utterly unable to move. They felt as if a single wrong move would unleash overwhelming murderous intent upon them. Lady Hong's demise was a stark and vivid lesson.

High above, the Azure Vine Sword was now somewhat perplexed. Its master had only instructed it to slay the demon injured by the Samadhi True Fire, not that several other demons would reveal themselves after it cleaved the mountain and eliminated its primary target. The Azure Vine Sword's unparalleled strike had already been delivered, and it distinctly remembered its master's instruction not to prolong the fight. However, since the demons below were too terrified to even move, there was no need for it to leave quickly. It wasn't the one in fear!

Despite their terror, the demons below had now somewhat composed themselves from their initial state of utter panic. At least, the immortal sword seemed to have no immediate intention of striking them down as well, and its master was nowhere in sight.

“Nobody move… That's an immortal sword, clearly sent for Lady Hong. Its master likely gave no other orders beyond eliminating her, which is why it's currently suspended and still…”

One of the demons, whether out of concern for its companions or fear of their foolish actions implicating everyone, finally spoke.

“So, what do we do? How long do we wait?” another female demon whispered.

“Wait! Wait until the immortal sword loses patience and flies away on its own… Or, Snake Maiden, you could try to escape. River Demon and I would be eternally grateful!”

Snake Maiden didn't even dare to express anger, fearing her rage might stir her demonic energy and be misinterpreted by the immortal sword overhead. The burly demon beside her grumbled resentfully: “What kind of being did Lady Hong provoke? No wonder she summoned us just now; she must have been too uneasy to be alone!”

“Damn it, this immortal sword's power is so immense, it must have been noticed by the City God and his ilk!”

“I'd rather fight the City God and his spirits than die here senselessly by a sword…”

Perhaps because the three demons had spoken, the Azure Vine Sword high above rotated its blade, pointing at the last demon to speak. The three demons immediately froze as if struck by a paralysis and silence spell. Their hair stood on end, and they didn't even dare to breathe. "River Demon," the one targeted by the sword's tip, had a stiff, grimace-like expression, worse than crying.

...

Inside Chunhui Prefecture's capital city, the City God's golden effigy remained suspended high above the City God Temple, gazing towards Duming Prefecture in the distance. There, a sharp sword light had just flashed, accompanied by an undeniable surge of demonic energy.

Although that distant location was on the edge of Chunhui Prefecture, as the Prefectural City God, he could enter the jurisdiction of a county City God. While there was no direct subordinate relationship, a Prefectural City God still commanded that level of authority and deference. Inside the City God Temple, the Soul-Summoning Bell had been ringing for some time. Sixteen out of the twenty-four division chiefs had already gathered, along with the Day Patrol and the Soul Reapers, who had unfurled their protective Yin Umbrellas.

“Let's go!” The Chunhui Prefectural City God waved his sleeve, deploying the power of incense offerings and his Earth Deity divine abilities, leading his subordinates to teleport away.

The Duming Prefectural City God, by coincidence, made the same choice as his Chunhui counterpart. Moreover, several City Gods from major counties bordering the two prefectures manifested their divine forms, having already positioned their subordinates at the edge of their jurisdictions, prepared to risk venturing beyond their county lines to join the fight if necessary. Mount Wafeng itself lay on the border between the two prefectures, where multiple counties converged. Divine lights flashed on both sides of the prefectural boundary. The Duming Prefectural City God and the Chunhui Prefectural City God manifested their divine forms, gazed at each other from afar, and then looked up at the sky.

An immortal sword with unparalleled sword intent hung high in the sky. Its gaze turned towards Black Wind Ravine on Mount Wafeng, its blade pointing remotely at the four transformed demons below, who dared not move an inch.

Swish~ Swish~

Three more divine lights flashed. The City Gods of three major counties in this area, from both prefectures, arrived with their respective subordinates. Even three City Gods from nearby counties had left their jurisdictions, abandoning their subordinates, and flew directly to the site in their divine forms.

Now, the situation suddenly became delicate. Gods and spirits converged on Mount Wafeng, while the four demons in Black Wind Ravine remained rigid. These demons had imagined countless terrible scenarios in their lives, but this bizarre situation was clearly not among them.

The Azure Vine Sword neither left nor returned to its scabbard. It remained suspended high above with its scabbard, poised and ready to strike. It seemed both the spirits and the demons were awaiting the Azure Vine Sword's next move: one side hoped it would depart, the other hoped it would strike.

The Chunhui Prefectural City God observed Black Wind Ravine, along with the terrifying gash in the mountain above it, realizing this must have been the immortal sword's power he had sensed earlier. ‘Could it be that the immortal sword came on its master's command, has already eliminated its target, and is now deliberately suppressing these demons, having no further orders regarding them?’

The Chunhui Prefectural City God pondered this. Regardless, these demons could not be allowed to escape. As a City God, he could instantly discern the lingering resentment and malevolent aura beneath Black Wind Ravine; these were truly wicked and evil demons. As a Prefectural City God, the Chunhui Prefectural City God outwardly held the most authority. At this moment, he first saluted the immortal sword in the sky, then spoke decisively.

“Thank you, wise Immortal Sword, for suppressing these evil demons and assisting us in subduing them today… Everyone, as County and Prefectural City Gods, it is our duty to apprehend villains and eradicate evil demons!” As he spoke, his golden effigy shone with divine light, and the power of incense offerings mingled with magical energy surged forth. His subordinate underworld officials had already completed the mapping and registration of the demons, ensuring they would have nowhere to hide within their jurisdiction.

“Indeed, today we shall exterminate these demons together!”

“Soul Reapers of all counties in both prefectures, form the soul-locking array!”

Yin Umbrellas rose, shielding the sunlight. Judge's brushes, soul-whipping whips, evil-binding scrolls, wish-granting crowns—the instruments of the underworld all activated in response to the spells. The power of numerous spirits and gods surged, as they all wielded their magical energy and incense power, their divine lights flashing, creating a combined force.

The rocks and trees below Black Wind Ravine on Mount Wafeng began to sway violently. The four demons below could no longer restrain themselves; their demonic energy surged, and the roars of demons echoed.

“Everyone, flee!” With that, they unleashed demonic light to resist the divine radiance of the underworld spirits and gods. Some demons even conjured demonic winds, willing to endure several strikes of divine light to try and fly out of Mount Wafeng. However, the moment they left the mountaintop, the immortal sword above them flared with light, appearing ready to strike, causing the demonic wind to halt abruptly, as if slamming on the brakes.

“Hahahahaha… Stay right there!” From the Chunhui Prefectural City God's sleeve, a pale golden chain shot out like a spiritual snake towards the demonic wind, instantly coiling around its target, then violently slamming it onto the mountainside.

Boom~~

Rocks shattered and trees toppled on the mountain.

“Four Directions Soul Lock, array activate!” From the four sides of Mount Wafeng, soul-reaping chains shot into the sky, connecting to form a network. Numerous City Gods from both prefectures, along with their subordinate Soul Reapers, worked in concert. For a time, a chilling, murderous yin wind swept through Mount Wafeng.

“It's been a long time since I've seen transformed evil demons, and unexpectedly, there are three and a half of them today! We shall definitely refine their souls and dissipate their spirits today!” The Chunhui Prefectural City God seemed to be venting all the frustration he had endured the previous day. He channeled his magical power and divine light from incense offerings without restraint, each strike immensely powerful.

Numerous soul-reaping chains crisscrossed the mountain. A single moment of carelessness often meant a demon would be struck by at least a dozen chains, causing its spirit to waver, leaving it vulnerable to the divine light of other spirits and gods. But the most fatal aspect wasn't the attacks from the spirits and gods. Rather, throughout this contest between demons and gods, an immortal sword remained poised high above, unlaunched. Everyone knew that no one could withstand the might of a single one of its strikes.

Fighting with a sword hanging over their heads, their concentration divided…

Among the four demons below, the first to succumb was the half-faced demon, whose demonic soul was directly pulled out of its body by dozens of soul-reaping chains. Snake Maiden had already transformed into her original form and burrowed deep into the demon's lair, aiming to escape via the underground water veins.

“Where do you think you're going?!” From the Duming Prefectural City God's side, his divine form's arm and sleeve continuously extended, his palm and fingers growing larger and larger. He followed Snake Maiden almost immediately into the depths of the demon's lair, forcibly seizing her head.

“Hiss… Roar… Red Skull, you vile wretch, may you die a terrible death…!”

Boom, boom, boom…

The giant serpent thrashed wildly within the lair, causing this peak of Mount Wafeng to tremble continuously. The people in the three counties near Mount Wafeng, looking towards it, could see a dark cloud covering the mountain and hear continuous rolling thunder.