Chapter 740: Against the Sword with a Finger

Ji Yuan and the others had kept their presence hidden until now. Even upon appearing, they emitted no aura, making them seem like three ordinary people standing beside Jiang Xueling, who alone maintained her unconcealed presence throughout.

Among the myriad demons of the Southern Wilds, not counting the numerous Greater Demons and other fiends, seven Demon Kings now encircled the area from afar. Their demonic qi, far surpassing that of common fiends, cast a heavy, oppressive color across the sky. While their individual strengths differed, they certainly presented an imposing sight.

Apart from Miao Yun and Huang Gu, who had been present from the beginning, each of the other five Demon Kings commanded their own sector, accompanied by several Greater Demons and numerous transformed fiends. Within a radius of several tens of miles, such a substantial congregation of highly cultivated demons was an exaggerated display even for the Southern Wilds, particularly with a massive, mountain-like celestial beast at its core.

A formidable Tiger Demon King floated high in the air. Though he had assumed a burly human form, the character "King" (王) still marked his forehead. His tiger eyes fixed on the colossal Heaven Devouring Beast in the distance. Beside him, two faint lights shot forth, swiftly coalescing into two men.

One of the men was dressed in a cloud-patterned yellow robe, his jade-like face refined and scholarly. The other wore luxurious attire, exceptionally handsome, almost to the point of being captivating.

"Hahaha, have the two envoys arrived? Behold, this is the renowned, rare celestial beast known as the Heaven Devouring Beast. It is the treasured possession of the esteemed Weimei Sect, an immortal sect, and one of the most famous realm ferries in all existence. Yet, it has now recklessly stormed into the Southern Wilds of its own accord. We are hardly to blame for this!"

The captivating youth furrowed his brow, briefly eyeing the yellow-robed scholar beside him before turning his gaze to the nearby Demon King.

"The Heaven Devouring Beast? So, there are immortals from the Weimei Sect aboard?"

The Demon King bared a grin, his sharp fangs glinting menacingly.

"Naturally. There are a few women from the Weimei Sect, but this time, they are destined to perish. Hehehe, brother, perhaps this time you'll get a taste of immortal flesh and blood. Wouldn't you call that proper hospitality?"

The "brother" the Tiger Demon King addressed was not the handsome youth, but rather the yellow-robed scholar. Upon hearing the Demon King's words, the scholar cast a look at him, then turned his gaze towards the distant Heaven Devouring Beast.

"I've heard of the Weimei Sect; it likely boasts many powerful cultivators. The female immortal on the Heaven Devouring Beast is also formidable. The other Demon Kings remain outwardly cooperative but inwardly distant, unwilling to deplete their own power in an attack. It seems this will be drawn out for a while."

The handsome youth narrowed his eyes and spoke.

"This matter must either be left undone or executed with decisive speed. Delay risks unforeseen changes. A Heaven Devouring Beast that has fallen into the heart of the Southern Wilds is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity. Demon King Hukuang, you must capture it quickly! Brother Lu, what are your thoughts?"

The yellow-robed man was none other than Lu Shan Jun, though his current name was Lu Wu. Hearing the handsome youth's words, a flash of fierce demonic light briefly ignited in his eyes before subsiding.

"Naturally, securing it swiftly would be ideal. However, if Brother Hu spearheads the main assault, the losses will undoubtedly be severe. A Greater Demon has already been slain, and the other Demon Kings are likely hoping for such an outcome."

"Precisely! Brother speaks truly! It's not worthwhile for me to exert all my strength just for them to gain the primary advantage. Furthermore, that woman from the Weimei Sect is no ordinary foe; a single hair tie injured Miao Yun. Given his pale complexion, it clearly wasn't a mere tap. We must observe further!"

Upon hearing the Demon King's words, the handsome youth instinctively frowned. He turned to the yellow-robed man beside him and sent a telepathic message.

"Lu Wu, what exactly are you saying? Get this savage tiger to attack quickly, or else delays will only lead to more complications. The Heaven Devouring Beast is critically important to the Weimei Sect; they will not abandon it. Furthermore, the clear qi flowing a hundred zhang above that female immortal indicates she is no ordinary immortal. We must engage her in a prolonged struggle to exhaust her."

The yellow-robed man shook his head and murmured.

"Something feels off. The immortal from the Weimei Sect is far too composed. And for such a vital Heaven Devouring Beast to suddenly go mad and enter the Southern Wilds? Would members of the Weimei Sect make such a novice mistake? It would be one thing if Brother Hu charged in recklessly and succeeded, but what if..."

The Tiger Demon King nodded in profound agreement.

"The Weimei Sect is a famous immortal sect; even I've heard of them. And if I don't make a move, someone else certainly will. Look, Miao Yun over there can no longer restrain himself."

To the direct north, one of Demon King Miao Yun's five Greater Demons revealed its true form: a colossal demonic toad with a warty back. The other four stood atop the toad's head, collectively charging towards the Heaven Devouring Beast. From other directions, each Demon King also dispatched at least two Greater Demons.

Demon King Miao Yun himself also re-entered the fray, his body and cheeks covered in green scales. His demonic sword, radiating a cold aura, directed its lethal light straight towards Jiang Xueling.

Miao Yun had long awaited this moment. The female immortal from the Weimei Sect had been fighting relentlessly for days. While she appeared unscathed, she must have expended considerable magical power. Miao Yun, however, had spent that time recuperating and gathering his strength, solely to avenge his prior humiliation.

"You vile hag, let's settle this once more!"

As Miao Yun, sword in hand, led his forces to attack, Ji Yuan and his companions simultaneously revealed themselves. After Ju Yuanzi used the Jade Embrace Grand Void Concealment Art to conceal the Weimei Sect disciples, only Jiang Xueling and the four, including Ji Yuan, remained visible atop the Heaven Devouring Beast.

"Hmm?"

Miao Yun's heart jolted in surprise, but to withdraw his sword now would invite ridicule from the other demons. Thus, he channeled his demonic power and thrust his sword with even greater force towards the Heaven Devouring Beast's head.

Ji Yuan and his companions had just concluded their brief conversation and naturally turned their gaze towards the approaching demons.

"I've long heard of Sir Ji's peerless swordsmanship."

The meaning of that brief remark was clear to all, and Ji Yuan showed no intention of retreating. The Azure Vine Sword automatically flew to his right hand, yet he did not meet the attack with it. Instead, he held the sword behind his back with his right hand. A wave of sword intent and sword qi swept through Ji Yuan, then converged in his left hand. With a flick of his sleeve, he pointed his sword-finger towards the northern sky.

Swordsmanship and sword arts were arguably Ji Yuan's most familiar and profound methods, serving as his foundation and means of survival from the very beginning. His sword intent had long since merged with his primordial spirit and integrated into his very being.

At this moment, though his sword-finger did not unleash unparalleled sword qi, its sword intent was exceptionally pure and potent. Furthermore, it was unintentionally executed with the profound concept of 'a universe in the sleeve.' Thus, while the physical force of this strike might not have been overwhelming, its sharpness was absolute.

With a mere glance from his Dharma Eye, Ji Yuan perceived Miao Yun's approaching sword strike: though imbued with formidable demonic energy and swift momentum, it was powerful yet unfocused, with hidden flaws. It even left Ji Yuan with a distinct feeling of "nothing extraordinary."

There was no exaggerated display of divine light or powerful techniques, no dramatic manifestation of sword light or sword qi. Yet, as Ji Yuan pointed his finger, Miao Yun felt as if his surroundings faded, and his original target involuntarily shifted from Jiang Xueling to point directly at Ji Yuan.

It was as if a mysterious, convergent force forcibly drew both the sword's momentum and Miao Yun's attention towards it.

This naturally filled Miao Yun with a sense of dread. Yet, confronting those two fingers had already heightened his senses to an extreme degree, instilling an inescapable, unyielding pressure and tension at the spiritual level.

"Roar! You seek death!"

With a thunderous roar, fueled by a strange sense of dread, Miao Yun frantically channeled his demonic power, continuously infusing it into his sword. The more frenzied he became, the more impure the Demon King's sword strike appeared in Ji Yuan's eyes, prompting Ji Yuan to subtly shake his head.

'His swordsmanship was clearly exquisite before, but now it is increasingly crude.'

Ji Yuan's movement was more an act of disdain. Before Miao Yun could even register anger or fear, his demonic sword collided with Ji Yuan's sword-finger.

"Pop."

Contrary to all bystanders' expectations, at the exact moment of impact, the light seemed to dim slightly, and an almost inaudible sound, like a bubble popping, was heard.

The next moment.

"Rumble..."

A massive eruption of demonic light and energy burst forth, impacting in all directions like an exploding bomb. Dazzling light surged and giant waves rolled, yet within that demonic glow, a subtle sword light flickered and vanished.

Demon King Miao Yun's hand, gripping his demonic sword, had gone completely numb. He himself retreated rapidly, propelled by the explosive impact, covering several hundred zhang in an instant.

In this situation, the other Greater Demons preparing to attack also paused their advances. Those closer even invoked their demonic power for protection, as the newly erupted sword qi and intent, mingled with immense demonic power, were incredibly sharp and carried significant impact.

The sleeve on Miao Yun's right arm was completely shredded, revealing an arm covered in green scales. At the web of his hand gripping the sword hilt, a few scales had cracked, with thin trickles of blood seeping out that, surprisingly, his demonic body's powerful regenerative abilities could not immediately staunch.

Although Miao Yun's arm remained numb and he instinctively supported his right arm with his left, his gaze was not on himself. Instead, he stared in horror at the four individuals atop the Heaven Devouring Beast, more precisely, at the immortal who had just engaged him with a sword-finger.

'How is this possible! How could this be!'

Ji Yuan smiled, his peripheral vision sweeping over his left fingertip. As he expected, there was no wound.

"Your sword qi and sword intent are commendable, quite rare among demons. Regrettably, you merely use the sword, instead of truly wielding it."

This was not Ji Yuan's arrogance or a deliberate attempt to belittle Miao Yun, but simply his genuine assessment.

Only then did Miao Yun get a clear look at Ji Yuan: a long-haired immortal dressed in a white robe, yet with a pair of seemingly lifeless, pale eyes. And to his surprise, Ji Yuan held a sword behind his back.

'He didn't even use a sword just now, and it was with his left hand...'

"Who are you? The Weimei Sect should not have male immortals, and certainly not a Sword Immortal of your caliber! Who are you? From Long Sword Mountain? No, Long Sword Mountain absolutely does not have you, does not have you!"

Miao Yun's fear was surprisingly laced with exhilaration. While other demons were merely processing their shock, the handsome youth beside the Tiger Demon King, the moment he witnessed Ji Yuan's move, felt his pupils contract sharply. He turned to Lu Wu beside him, noticing the drastic change in his companion's expression as well.

"Beimu, is that Ji Yuan...?"

"Don't say his name!"

Beimu tried to stop Lu Wu from speaking, but Lu Wu had already "spoken too quickly." Then, Beimu looked towards the Heaven Devouring Beast again, and his heart suddenly seized with dread.

Indeed, Ji Yuan, whose attention had been on Demon King Miao Yun, now had his pale eyes fixed in their direction. Even from over a dozen miles away, Beimu was almost certain that Ji Yuan was looking at them. Ji Yuan's cultivation was profoundly mysterious and unfathomable; to utter his name at such close proximity had clearly triggered a profound spiritual connection.

'This is a terrible predicament!'