It was a scene straight from a person's worst nightmare.
The land was drenched in red-not just stained, but as if a river of blood flowed across it, littered with severed heads, limbs, and the decapitated remains of countless souls.
Somewhere within this macabre tableau, vague figures fought: one man and five women against a blood-soaked figure.
"Argh, mad demon! Do you really think you can escape justice? The heavens will punish you for this!" the man roared, swinging his sword and releasing a pitch-black beam of energy.
The mad demon scoffed, retaliating with a dark grin.
"STRING OF DEVOUR!
''STRINOF CORROSION!"
The two strings, one white and the other brown, launched simultaneously. The String of Devour consumed the man's attack while the String of Corrosion latched onto his sword, corroding it in an instant.
The mad demon laughed maniacally, reveling in his success. "Oh, Yan Sheng! All your scheming and preparation-where has it brought you? HAHAHA! To your death!"
Despair washed over Yan Sheng as he saw his attack swallowed whole. Panting heavily, he leaned against the hilt of his now-useless sword.
"Is this how I'm going to lose? No! I still haven't used that... but it's a desperate move," he thought, biting his lip. "Given my current state, there's no chance of survival."
Suddenly, a piercing crimson String launched towards his neck, ready to finish him once and for all.
Yan Sheng looked at the attack launched at him and closed his eyes in despair. If I had known this would happen, I should have used that thing. At least I would have taken him down with me.
Just as he braced for death, a blue-flamed phoenix dove toward the String, clashing against it. The two forces struggled in a desperate contest until they both dissipated, the String disintegrating and the phoenix dissolving into surrounding spiritual energy.
Yan Sheng opened his eyes in suprise and looked back to see a woman behind him, struggling to rise but unable to do so. It was she who had saved him, using her remaining spiritual energy to redirect the attack.
The mad demon smirked at her. "Oh, didn't think you could get up after our little encounter."
"Shut up, you perverted demon!" the woman weakly screamed back through pain.
The mad demon shook his head and regarded her with a sigh. "After all these years, it seems you still haven't gotten any smarter."
His gaze shifted past her to another figure attempting to stand, determined to fight him.
"Na-uh! If you take even one step closer, I swear I'll destroy your parents' souls!" he threatened, his voice was filled with with malice.
The woman's body froze, terror coursing through her. She knew he meant it; he would indeed destroy them. After all she had done to revive them, she couldn't bear to see her efforts go to waste.
She tried to calm herself by taking deep breaths through the pain. The fight had left her crippled, and even if she survived, her future seemed bleak.
She then looked around the wasteland in pity this was once one of the seven heavenly places to visit. Now, it lay in ruins because of their fight. Was battling him the right choice? She didn't know, but one thing was clear: she was too deeply entrenched to turn back now.
Could she have somehow changed the outcome? If only she had made different choices—if only…
She hit her cheeks hard and snapped out of her spiraling self-blame she then focused on the four women beside her, especially one with the snow white hair. Resentment filled her eyes. If only this woman wasn't so blinded by her sense of justice! If only she hadn't made that choice back then! We wouldn't have reached this point we wouldn't have to fight this meaningless battle.
She shook her head again trying to throw out all the useless thoughts flooding her mind and looked ahead with a serious gaze, dismissing the torrent of "ifs" flooding her mind. It didn't matter whether she could have changed the outcome or not . Her primary goal was not to fight him but to retrieve her parents' souls, no matter the cost.
Admist the fighting of mad demon and Yan Sheng she sensed a terrifying aura coming from the battlefield her body felt weird as if that aura was specifically targeted at her.
She heard Yan Sheng reciting something unrecognisble, her eyes widened in suprise she couldn't make out of what he was chanting but heard the last words which she could understand.
"Extraction of the Five Supreme Elements? What?
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[ Yan Sheng pov]
Yan Sheng surveyed the battlefield with his divine sense and sighed inwardly. This situation is hopeless. If I had known he would grow this powerful, I would have killed him instead of using him and toying with him, this could be the biggest blunder of his life and even if he succeeded the road ahead would not be easy at all.
Still, a part of him had hoped to save this final move for the future use.
But does it really matter? he thought. When have I, Yan Sheng, ever shied away from risk? Haven't I survived countless desperate situations? Haven't I reached this stage step by step through my wits and careful scheming?
Consoling himself with these thoughts, he calmed down, preparing to make one last move. It was a final, desperate attempt- either he would succeed, or both of them would perish.
"Extraction of the five supreme elements ''