"Damn it! I don't need... your protection!" Indeed, the sacred sword of Biscode, Parathion, seemed to resonate with Zhang Fan's fury, channeling a relentless flow of power into him. As his anger intensified, the demonic blade lodged in the beast's back began to loosen. With Zhang Fan's final shout, the chains binding the sword shattered, and he successfully withdrew it.
The moment the demonic blade was removed, the monstrous power that was not of this world surged back into the blade. Following an explosive transformation, a small fox, blending gold and white, appeared from a stone shard. Was this the land god before it became a sacrifice to the demonic blade?
Catching the falling land god, Zhang Fan then supported He Luo, who was drained of her strength. Without the demonic blade and the land god's power, the monster began to petrify. The ground around them cracked as if the earth itself was splintering, threatening to bury them alongside the colossal creature.
Transforming Parathion into a surfboard, Zhang Fan ascended with He Luo into the sky, searching for Darkeion and Yu Jikazhe but found no sign of them. Had they already left?
As Zhang Fan prepared to land, the demonic blade in his hand erupted. The once red blade, now sprouting numerous blood-red tendrils, seemed to inherit the monster's affinity for tentacles.
Not the time for mockery, Zhang Fan sensed a powerful corrosive force from the blade attacking his body. "How could I be defeated by a mere blade!"
"What's wrong, Zhang Fan?" Seeing his pallor and the writhing demonic blade, He Luo, in desperation, repeatedly inquired, momentarily forgetting formalities in her concern.
"It's nothing, let's get down first!" Prioritizing He Luo's safety, Zhang Fan clumsily landed, crashing into a tree. But there was no time to dwell on the mishap; the demonic blade's malevolence was overwhelming.
"Zhang Fan!" Yu Jikazhe's voice, accompanied by two golden darts, halted the blade's assault, sparing Zhang Fan from further corruption.
"Thanks, Yu Jikazhe. I owe you one," Zhang Fan said, momentarily relieved from the blade's influence. Recognizing the blade's danger, he discarded it, grateful for Yu Jikazhe's timely intervention.
"Think nothing of it. But be careful, this is no ordinary blade. Its power is unlike anything we've faced," Yu Jikazhe warned, readying her own weapon against the now unrecognizable blade.
"Well done, Zhang Fan. To defeat the monster and extract the blade, saving the child, was commendable," Darkeion praised, joining the group. Ready for the final task, they prepared to seal the demonic blade.
"As heralds of calamity, it falls upon us to seal these wayward blades. Through countless lands and over centuries, we've pursued and sealed the maligned. This marks the 509th," Yu Jikazhe intoned, initiating the sealing process with a golden magic circle.
"Be condemned, blade of misfortune!" As the final words were spoken, the blade, now entirely enveloped in golden swords, faced its end under their relentless assault.
"The battle is over," Zhang Fan sighed, watching the blade's last moments. Yet, as the immediate danger passed, he pondered his place in this world, feeling an unexpected void at the journey's conclusion.
"Indeed, the end. The blade is securely sealed," Yu Jikazhe confirmed, handling the now harmless weapon, its ominous presence replaced by an ordinary appearance.
"Your growth astonishes me, Zhang Fan. To master such a technique," Darkeion expressed her admiration, seeing her teachings live on through him.