Chapter 372: Allied Forces (Request Subscription)

"Alright, no more idle talk."

The array spirit waved a hand, and two black iron sword tokens floated into view—presumably belonging to the White Lotus Sword Immortal and the Fire Dragon True Person.

In Fang Xing and Gong Feiyun's hands, identical black iron sword tokens likewise materialized.

"The treasures of the Immortal Mansion and the ancient demons both lie within the Sword Realm…"

The array spirit said: "I am the array spirit, bound by sect rules—I cannot open the Sword Realm on my own unless five black iron sword tokens are gathered, or unless the sect master or the Supreme Elder personally orders it… or until the ancient demon within the array awakens and forcibly shatters the Sword Realm…"

He smiled sharply: "Of course, you could also wait until the 'Slaying God and Exterminating Demon Array' collapses, then attempt to enter the Sword Realm from outside… otherwise, by the rules, I must stop you."

"It's better to avoid prolonged delays… During the Seven Demons Challenging the Auspiciousness phase, the more the ancient demon awakens, the stronger it becomes."

The youthful Feathered Celestial frowned slightly and swept his hand through the air.

A flash of silver light appeared in the void, and an ancient sword materialized.

The sword was square and blocky, entirely black, its blade inscribed with golden talismans that radiated an uncanny aura.

"Nine Mysteries Sword of Demon Slaying!"

The handsome middle-aged array spirit sneered: "This sword in the hands of your PiaoMiao Immortal Palace is truly like pearls cast into darkness—wasted potential."

"With this sword, you might just pierce the ancient demon's 'True Demon Body' and break its 'Immortal Invincibility Technique!'"

The Feathered Celestial said: "But we're still missing one black iron sword token… Could you, array spirit, designate the next sect master of the Spirit Soul Sword Sect? My PiaoMiao Immortal Palace will surely lend every effort to help your sect rebuild…"

"I have no such authority… Do you think the Spirit Soul Sword Sect operates like your Immortal Palace, where the master simply appoints the successor from the last generation?"

The array spirit sighed in exasperation.

"Fighting the ancient demon requires the array spirit's aid…" the Feathered Celestial said: "It seems… we'll have to force the old devil Meng to hand over the black iron sword token. But my cultivation is on par with his—I'm not certain I can succeed."

"No matter… I've already contacted the other three Spirit Transformation masters. Together with this young friend, we have four Spirit Transformation combatants—and I'll assist you—let's try to eliminate all the cultivators of Wuji Palace at once."

The array spirit spoke calmly, his words brimming with lethal intent.

"Huh? So even the high elders of the Spirit Soul Sword Sect suspect the ancient demon's original havoc upon the cultivation world was tied to Wuji Palace?"

The Feathered Celestial was startled.

"The finest treasures and opportunities of the Spirit Soul Sword Sect all lie within the Sword Realm."

The array spirit sneered: "I gave them a chance to compete. In return, helping me eliminate Wuji Palace first—shouldn't that be only natural?"

'This array spirit, though he acts like a childish old man with no morals… actually adheres strictly to rules and is ruthless in slaughter.'

Fang Xing, witnessing this, silently scoffed in his mind.

…

Spirit Soul Sword Sect.

Mountain Gate.

BOOM!

The quasi-five-rank female corpse let out a roar; its pale corpse qi surged into a monstrous hand that crushed the archway near the mountain gate.

"Finally…"

A demon temple Nascent Soul cultivator clad in pitch-black demonic armor exhaled slowly: "Finally breached the inner sanctum of the Spirit Soul Sword Sect…"

Recalling how his comrades had been torn apart by countless sword qi, their Nascent Souls pierced through, he felt a flicker of fear—and a sliver of relief: "Good… now inside the sect, the array's power weakens… perhaps we can gain many opportunities, even a chance to advance further."

But Meng the Devil frowned suddenly and formed a hand seal.

WHOOSH!

Heavenly spiritual energy gathered like a tide, forming behind him a thousand-zhang giant.

The giant wore pitch-black demonic armor, had three faces and six arms, and was surrounded by over a thousand bronze demonic lamps.

Inside some lamps, Nascent Soul spirits screamed and wailed, their essence drained into oil, igniting multicolored flames.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

The six arms of the thousand-zhang demonic body tore at the air like pulling back a curtain—revealing layer upon layer of illusions.

Beyond the illusions, Spirit Transformation masters emerged gracefully.

Among them were the grotesque Spirit Seal Celestial, an old Daoist priest bearing a peachwood sword, and a delicate woman cradling a jade zither.

Of course, foremost stood the Feathered Celestial and the array spirit.

Fang Xing's true body remained low-key, standing at the rear.

"Spirit Seal, Old Xue the Daoist, Zither Immortal…"

Meng the Devil's eyes blazed with demonic light: "You've allied with the array spirit to oppose me?"

As for the Feathered Celestial—clearly his enemy—no need to ask.

"Brother Meng… I have no choice."

The Spirit Seal Celestial looked miserable: "My cultivation has hit a dead end. The array spirit offered me the chance to study the 'Spirit Void Sword Scripture'… Brother Meng, just step back—hand over that one black iron sword token, and we're done."

"Alas… Heaven has five thieves; follow them and prosper."

The peachwood sword Daoist sighed: "Brother Meng, your doom has come."

The Zither Immortal said nothing.

To these three Spirit Transformation masters, within the 'Slaying God and Exterminating Demon Array,' the array spirit was nearly equivalent to a late-stage Spirit Transformation cultivator. Combined with the Feathered Celestial and themselves, Meng the Devil had over a fifty percent chance of dying today.

Even if he escaped, he'd be gravely wounded and unable to retaliate.

Moreover… any cultivator who reached the Spirit Transformation stage wouldn't abandon a rich reward out of fear of mere revenge.

"Your Wuji Palace released the ancient demon, endangering the entire cultivation world—you are enemies of all cultivators."

The array spirit declared solemnly, his eyes bloodshot: "Today, you pay the price… Swords, rise!" ZZZZ!

Within the Spirit Soul Sword Sect, on the Sword Polishing Cliff.

Ancient swords roared, then rose one after another.

From caves, from treasure vaults… countless glowing flying swords flashed forth, each at least third-rank treasure grade.

Even numerous Spirit Treasures emitted radiant light, converging into a river of sword qi.

At the head of the river, three ancient swords radiated fifth-rank energy—they were Spirit Soul Treasures!

SHOO! SHOO! SHOO!

Infinite sword qi descended, forming a chilling sword array.

The demon temple's Nascent Souls and fourth-rank animated corpses could not resist—they were sliced to pieces by the storm of blades.

Only the quasi-five-rank female corpse, her body translucent as jade, let out a piercing shriek, gripping two Spirit Treasure flying swords in her hands—then she opened her cherry-red lips and bit down!

Her lips were crimson, her teeth like soft jade and silver—razor-sharp—and she snapped the fourth-rank Spirit Treasure swords clean in two.

"Fine corpse! I'll fight you!"

Fang Xing's true body roared and punched straight into the woman's chest.

THUD!

His fist met warm, supple jade—but the corpse remained unharmed; instead, a powerful counterforce rebounded.

"Huh? Another fifth-rank body cultivator?"

"Perfect material for a corpse!"

Meng the Devil's spiritual sense swept over him and dismissed him.

His true enemies were the Feathered Celestial, the array spirit, and the three Spirit Transformation masters before him!

As for Fang Xing's cultivation avatar and Gong Feiyun?

They didn't even show up—hiding safely behind the great array's protection.

After all, a stray ripple from a Spirit Transformation battle could kill them instantly!

"Brother Meng, you came here intending to target me. Today, I must ask you to depart first."

The Feathered Celestial raised the Nine Mysteries Sword of Demon Slaying and swept it lightly.

A silver blade appeared—crescent-shaped, its interior teeming with countless silver runes, wriggling like tadpoles.

Seeing this sword, Meng the Devil's face darkened instantly; he summoned heavenly spiritual energy, forming layers of demonic armor.

"Brother Yu, array spirit—you lead the assault. We'll just assist."

The Spirit Seal Celestial grinned, weaving through sword flashes and demonic flames with ease, his fingers tracing patterns in the air—using the art of Void Inscription!

The peachwood sword Daoist held a golden compass, muttering incantations as golden array patterns emerged, blocking heavenly spiritual energy from gathering toward Meng the Devil.

Meanwhile, the Zither Immortal sat cross-legged in midair, plucking her jade zither.

'Good. We're just supporting—why fight to the death ourselves?'

Fang Xing's true body feigned full effort, barely restraining the quasi-five-rank female corpse, while silently grumbling: 'These old monsters all have too many schemes—five people, eight groups… why hasn't anyone secretly contacted me? Do they look down on me as the Second Island Master of Mingkun Island?'

…

Spirit Soul Sword Sect.

Inside the mountain gate.

Fang Xing's cultivation avatar casually released a Great Freedom Dark Golden Sword Qi, decapitating a demonic corpse.

Then he flicked his finger, snatching a storage bag from the corpse's body.

"The array spirit has taken all these demonic corpses' swords—now they're tigers without teeth… perfect for looting."

"Frontline in crisis, rearline feasting—that's the true cultivation way."

Even as the front-line battle raged, the two remaining Nascent Soul True Lords still scavenged resources relentlessly.

After all, the Spirit Soul Sword Sect was incredibly wealthy.

Even among Nascent Soul True Lords, there could be over a hundred at once, let alone the accumulated legacies of countless generations.

Saying Spirit Treasures piled like mountains was an exaggeration—but with a little effort, one could easily acquire them.

Fang Xing strolled casually to the edge of a high dais.

This platform was forged from a kind of jade-like material, and within it lay countless prohibitions, making it exceedingly sturdy.

Yet its surface bore countless sword scars, many of which contained exquisite sword techniques that could captivate even Fang Xing.

"Is this… the Life-and-Death Platform?"

"Disciples of the Soul Sword Sect, when encountering disputes, may ascend the Life-and-Death Platform—life or death, no grievances…"

Fang Xing traced a sword scar, sensing the subtlety of the Great Freedom Mysterious Gold Sword Qi within it, and sighed inwardly.

At that moment, a swift aura of flight approached and landed upon the Life-and-Death Platform, revealing the figure of Gong Feiyun.

"Fellow disciple of the Golden Sword Line, please ascend the platform."

Gong Feiyun gazed at Fang Xing, his eyes flickering with a hint of battle intent.

"Oh? You mean to kill me?"

Fang Xing paused slightly: "Our elders are fighting side by side right now."

"The Life-and-Death Platform has unique prohibitions; under the current great array, they can no longer sense what transpires behind them… Moreover, I am following the Soul Sword Sect's rules by issuing a challenge on this platform— even the array spirit cannot restrain me."

Gong Feiyun's expression was cold and stern: "For a Sword Sect disciple, dying in a sword duel is only natural…"

"So… you want the Black Iron Sword Token on me."

Fang Xing nodded: "Perfect… now I have an excuse to visit the Vague Immortal Palace."

(End of Chapter)