Chapter 2485: Heavenly Demon Assault

The armguards immediately indented to form a small cavity, perfectly embedding the azure gemstone with seamless precision. The Dragon-Song Battle Armor possesses this function, allowing equipment to be embedded at any time.

"Courtesy demands reciprocity." He leapt backward, landing back on Earth Mother's shoulder, and shoved something into her ear: "This is a statue from my Secret Realm; no matter where you are, it will keep us in contact."

Earth Mother remained silent.

"Shangguan Biao imprisoned the Heavenly Demon in the Void precisely because he sensed your wavering resolve. He wishes to kill me swiftly, severing your sole path to survival." Seizing the moment before the next fierce battle began, He Lingchuan patted its head, earnestly conducting ideological mobilization: "Remember, you can end this ordeal at any time—just tell me three words: 'I am willing.'"

Shangguan Biao snorted derisively.

Whatever He Lingchuan stuffed into Earth Mother's ear would be useless—he would soon wash it away with the water of Lei Chi!

How could other Secret Realm artifacts withstand the might of the Primordial Lei Chi?

Those few colossal Kui beasts advanced toward Lei Chi; their speed appeared unhurried, yet with every blink, observers would find them suddenly much closer.

After three or four such blinks, they neared the edge of Lei Chi.

Even more strangely, their bodies shrank rapidly—the largest Dragon River Kui beast, originally larger than the snail toad, stood merely over one zhang tall upon reaching Shangguan Biao's side.

Simultaneously, their forelimbs lifted from the ground, and the beast-style hind knee joints flipped over, causing their backs to straighten progressively until they achieved upright locomotion.

In the span of a dozen breaths, they transformed from "Kui beasts" into "humanoid figures."

This profound physical transformation sank He Lingchuan's heart. Earth Mother declared: "I have smelled a foul aura from them. They… are formidable!"

Beings capable of making Earth Mother acknowledge "formidable" are exceedingly rare.

He Lingchuan remained silent, for as the largest Kui beast—the Dragon River Kui—suddenly manifested a necklace upon its neck, its golden light gleamed resplendently.

Though the Divine Bone Necklace was not currently on He Lingchuan's person, his gaze was instantly drawn to it, for he instinctively knew this object was no trifle.

The pendant was roughly the size of a goose egg, its design exceptionally unique: a large triangle enclosing a medium triangle, which in turn enclosed a small triangle, which then enclosed an even smaller triangle… continuing infinitely inward.

Simultaneously, these triangles rotated slowly.

As He Lingchuan's gaze fell upon the necklace, he felt a faint sense of familiarity.

At the same time, he paid particular attention to the eyes of these several monsters.

In the Xu Xu Mountain of the Heavenly Palace, he had clashed with such giant Kui beasts before—though fierce, they were bloodthirsty and deranged. The Kui beasts released earlier by Xi Yu also fought in the desperate, reckless manner of a "threefold warrior," devoid of reason.

But the eyes of these Kui beasts—hm, how to put it? Their gaze was not merely bright and spirited.

Only wisdom, strength, and life possess such a dignified, overseeing glare.

He Lingchuan sensed that even one such creature would be difficult to handle, let alone four arriving at once.

Moreover, how could Shangguan Biao merely release Kui beasts into the Void? Where is the Heavenly God who should be controlling them?

He Lingchuan frowned, then suddenly said to the Blood Demon: "Did you see the necklace on the neck of the largest Kui beast?"

"I saw it."

"Keep watch on that necklace for me." Without the Soul-Capturing Mirror, this would otherwise be the mirror's task.

The gaze of the Dragon River Kui beast swept Earth Mother twice at first, then remained fixed on He Lingchuan, as if evaluating something.

In truth, the Heavenly Demons were also communicating internally.

Xi Yu exclaimed in surprise: "Another Earth Mother!"

The massive figure seated in Lei Chi could not be ignored by anyone.

Its appearance was too distinctive; all Heavenly Demons instantly recognized who it was.

The demons immediately understood: perhaps this is the true Earth Mother!

Xi Yu chuckled: "The one who brought us in is indeed a counterfeit."

Earlier, the violent turmoil and displacement within Yujing City had been highly unusual; they sensed it, as if two invisible mighty forces were locked in combat.

Oh ho, so it's the clash between the true and false Earth Mother after all.

"You have arrived." Shangguan Biao, standing on the shore of Lei Chi, turned his head toward them and said coldly: "Yujing City was built by me, Shangguan Biao, with my own hands, and remains under my control to this day. What of the true Earth Mother? Still not subdued by me? Slay Ji You, and our great achievement is complete."

Xi Yu then asked: "Is this Earth Mother also our target?"

The deep voice of Jia Lou Tian came from ahead: "The primary target is Ji You—focus our efforts on eliminating him!"

Understood.

When the distance between the two sides closed to five zhang, the green-haired Kui beast behind it spread its hands, and a golden-glowing triangle floated before its chest. The green-haired Kui beast raised the triangle to eye level, pointing directly at He Lingchuan.

He Lingchuan instantly felt the surrounding air constrict, and immediately shifted position.

The green-haired Kui beast moved in tandem with the triangle, always keeping it aimed at him.

But in the next instant, He Lingchuan vanished from his original spot.

The green-haired Kui beast instantly sensed danger, lunging to press against its companion. Sure enough, in the next breath, He Lingchuan appeared like a ghost behind it, his spear thrusting toward its occiput.

He did not believe this creature could, like Shangguan Biao, transfer damage onto Earth Mother.

The green-haired Kui beast's companion had prepared: twin blades crossed, swinging toward his upper torso. These great blades grew directly from its forelimbs, four chi in length—one blade thin and razor-sharp, the other thick-backed and heavy, still bearing serrations.

Having just evaded the heavy blade's sweep, the opponent's next attack was a thin-blade thrust, whispering forth with afterimages.

One thick, one thin; one slow, one fast—the rhythms differed starkly, yet they switched seamlessly, making it especially difficult for opponents to respond.

He Lingchuan had no intention of dodging; instead, he backhanded a large shield to block the opponent's two blades.

This copper-bone great shield was a tribute from neighboring small states, forged by polishing the main spine of an ancient demon's copper bone; even the beast's head on the shield came alive, biting down on the thin blade.

Should the enemy's weapon be slightly finer, it would be severed on the spot—hence the name "Copper Bone Blade-Breaker."

The twin blades of the blade-wielding Kui beast did not break, but were deflected by He Lingchuan's pull—though their physiques differed by a factor of two, his strength surpassed theirs, threatening to wrench them askew.

Others could release their blade hilts, but this blade was grown into its forelimbs, impossible to disengage.

He Lingchuan retracted his copper-bone shield, thrust his spear forward, and dragged the beast toward the spear tip.

However, at this moment the Dragon River Kui beast turned and delivered a dry, crisp punch to the shield's surface.

Having not gathered power long, its punch was not particularly swift, yet He Lingchuan felt a tremendous force penetrate the shield, seeking to violently surge into his meridians.

Without hesitation, he leveraged the momentum to retreat ten zhang.

To onlookers, Ji You the Great Emperor resembled a kite torn loose by a great wind—yet upon landing, he thundered: "Boom!" On this incredibly hard ground of the Thunderous Heavenly Plain, he left a crater five zhang wide and four chi deep!