Chapter 279: Nine Heavenly Champions

The Demon Emperor Kouzhang naturally also saw Xie Yan; his expression shifted, and he silently steadied his mind.

His conjecture proved correct: the Demon Sovereign Kui Shi and the Tiger Sovereign were both defeated by him.

At that moment, the Dragon Sovereign spoke: "First, seize that human boy."

The Dog Emperor, Fox Emperor, and Ape Emperor, trailing the Dragon Sovereign, heard this, exchanged glances, and instantly swooped toward Xie Yan's direction.

The speed was extreme!

In the blink of an eye, they were already before Xie Yan, and they slapped toward him.

But Xie Yan seemed to have anticipated; he immediately raised a defense.

Yet despite that, he could not withstand the three demon emperors' palm and was knocked back a short distance.

The three demon emperors did not halt; they chose a swift strike, rapidly surrounding Xie Yan.

While Xie Yan fought the three demon emperors alone, clearly at a disadvantage—

The Dragon Sovereign narrowed his eyes, his gaze icy as he stared at the human girl in midair undergoing the tribulation; he raised his hand again, caught a raindrop, and hurled it toward Yuan Yao's brow!

Swish!

The raindrop sliced through the air toward her.

Yuan Yao keenly sensed the danger, instantly turned her head, focused her thoughts, and a massive surge of spirit power instantly enveloped the ambushing raindrop.

With a crack, the raindrop exploded in midair.

The Dragon Sovereign, seeing this, became even more certain that these two humans were the culprits who caused the deaths of Demon Sovereign Kui Shi and Tiger Sovereign!

At this moment, the Ninth Lightning Tribulation had already been brewing!

It was also the final tribulation Yuan Yao would have to endure!

Boom—boom—boom!

The thunder of lightning rang across the endless plain, and the bolt about to descend was astonishingly five inches in diameter!

The heavens seemed about to be torn by the tribulation, and Yuan Yao beneath it appeared so tiny, as if she would be reduced to ash beneath the storm.

The overwhelming pressure almost forced the low‑cultivation demon and monster clans present to submit, their faces turning death‑pale in an instant.

"Dragon Sovereign, shall we act?" Demon Emperor Kouzhang suddenly asked.

"We cannot let her complete the tribulation." If she succeeds, not only will her cultivation rise, but the depleted spirit energy she previously exhausted will instantly recover to its peak.

Therefore, this human girl must be slain before she succeeds.

After the Dragon Sovereign finished speaking, he chose to handle Yuan Yao himself.

He flickered, instantly teleporting before Yuan Yao; a heavy sword materialized in his hand, and with a speed faster than thunder he slashed toward her neck—

At that instant, Xie Yan, besieged by the three demon emperors, suddenly sensed something, looked toward Yuan Yao, and that glance caused his heart to freeze instantly.

"Yuan Yao…"

"Yao Yao!"

"Yuan Yao!"

Several urgent voices rose from the demon and monster ranks, and they darted away, attempting to stop the Dragon Sovereign's action.

But they were too slow!

In a hair's breadth, the long whip at Yuan Yao's waist snapped around, yanking her sharply down from midair.

Boom!

The Dragon Sovereign's sword swing missed entirely.

Yuan Yao, caught off guard, fell into a familiar, soft embrace; she turned her head and saw her Second Senior Sister's worried eyes.

"Second Senior Sister…"

Before they could recognize each other, the Dragon Sovereign's sword strike already came!

Their bodies were instantly locked by the opponent's terrifying pressure, completely immobilized.

Just as the demon and monster clans thought the two would meet their end, several figures instantly raised weapons and stubbornly blocked them.

Boom—

An earth‑shaking blast rang out.

On closer look, seven figures together blocked the sword!

Among the seven, aside from a young woman who had never used disguise, the others all looked like the demon‑monster ranks' foot soldiers and junior officers.

The young woman was none other than the Ninth Province's Ling Huya.

"Didn't expect so many humans hidden in the ranks," the Dragon Sovereign was also taken aback, then sneered.

"Since you already know, there's no need for us to pretend." The 'Demon Soldier' wielding a dark‑colored spear laughed, tore off his demon garb, and immediately his face and body transformed.

He changed from an average‑looking demon soldier into a handsome human youth.

Not only him.

The other five also dropped their disguises.

Yuan Yao looked closely and realized these were her Eldest Senior Brother Song Yan, Third Senior Brother Cang Li, Fourth Senior Brother Xue Jin, Youngest Senior Brother Ying Wuji, plus Xiao Zhufeng and Zhai Qingye.

The Nine Heavenly Champions of the Ninth Province had gathered here.

Song Yan said, "Yao Yao, go ahead and face the tribulation with peace of mind; we are here."

The Eldest Senior Brother's voice remained gentle, inexplicably giving a sense of safety.

The senior brothers and sisters all looked toward her.

A warm current passed through Yuan Yao's heart; she smiled and replied, "Alright."

Zhai Qingye teased, "If we all make it out alive, does that make us friends?"

Before Yuan Yao could answer, the Dragon Sovereign suddenly launched an attack on them.

One sword slash!

Enough to make the entire Healthy City burst open!

Yuan Yao and the others' faces slightly changed, and they immediately leapt away.

And at this moment, the heavenly tribulation in the sky had already condensed, and it was about to strike straight down upon her head!

Yuan Yao suddenly thought of something, gritted her teeth, and headed toward Longzun's direction.

"Help me clear the way!" she shouted.

The senior brothers and sisters all understood what she intended to do; they sensed danger instinctively, but now they couldn't stop.

"Yao Yao, Eldest Senior Brother will clear the way for you!" Song Yan drew his sword and slashed at his own neck, the sword tasting blood; in that instant, the youth's hair ribbon fluttered down, his black hair turning white like a silver waterfall, he leapt up, and the sword in his hand burst forth with unprecedented mighty power, swinging to cut down!

The sword qi was like shocking waves, tearing apart the void.

Longzun, however, paid no heed; he saw through their plan and gave a cold laugh.

He raised his sword to block, then with a backhand sought to reflect that sword qi back.

What Longzun did not expect was that the sword qi actually dissipated instantly in midair.

At the same time, Yuan Yao, Xiao Lingwei, Cang Li, Xue Jin, Ying Wuji, Ling Huya, Xiao Zhufeng, and Zhai Qingye had already rushed over.

The youths continually approached him.

Longzun furrowed his brows, instantly releasing his own aura, as if trying to shake them all away!

"Full spring wishes, fallen sorrows—one whip breaks eternity!"

The girl wearing a phoenix forehead ornament between her brows exerted all her strength and lashed out with a whip.

The whip's blade could actually instantly entwine the opponent's invisible aura and viciously strangle them!

Longzun's expression slightly changed; he immediately strengthened his aura.

In the blink of an eye, it reflected Xiao Lingwei's move back at her, causing her to suffer backlash.

Xiao Lingwei's mouth corner trickled fresh blood.

Cang Li brandished his long spear, shouting, "Horizontal Thunder Technique! Wangchuan Spear!"

Xue Jin said: "First Layer Severing Thought, Second Layer Severing Life!"

Ying Wuji said: "Primordial Chaos No Way, One Sword Dustless!"

Zhai Qingye said: "Blood Moon Slaughter!"

Ling Huya said: "Fox Pierces Nine Heads!"

Xiao Zhufeng said: "Illusory Eye Cloud Submerges, Ice Flame Torrents!"