Chapter 260: Astonishing, Shocking Xu Kong to Tears (Part 2/3)
To prevent damage to the Demon Slayer Manor, the duel between Lord Xu Kong and the Azure Dragon was arranged in a nearby wilderness.
Many demon slayers came to witness the battle.
At the moment, Lord Xu Kong sat calmly in his bamboo chair, his expression composed.
Opposite him loomed a massive dragon, its presence overwhelming.
"Miss Duan, ask your pet if it's ready," Lord Xu Kong called out confidently.
Miss Duan glanced at Chen Ye before responding as planned. "My dragon says it's been ready for a while. It even wants you to strike first—because if it goes first, you won't get a chance."
Hearing this, Lord Xu Kong didn't get angry.
Ever the picture of refinement, he wasn't one to be provoked so easily.
"In that case, don't mind if I do!"
With those words, Lord Xu Kong produced a small wooden box.
Opening it revealed several miniature swords, which resembled decorative trinkets or toy models.
Flicking his finger, Lord Xu Kong sent one of the tiny swords flying into the air.
What happened next left the spectators wide-eyed.
The miniature sword rapidly expanded in mid-air, transforming into a full-sized flying sword that gleamed with an icy, deadly light.
Under Lord Xu Kong's control, the flying sword shot through the sky with a sharp whistle, heading straight for the Azure Dragon's massive body.
Despite the ominous display, Chen Ye didn't move.
His mental strength was incredibly high, and he had developed a "spider-sense"-like danger perception. If the flying sword posed any real threat to him, his mental strength would have alerted him.
But there was no reaction at all, which meant the attack was harmless to him.
And indeed, when the flying sword struck the dragon's body, a crisp sound rang out.
"Clang!"
The sword was deflected, bouncing off harmlessly.
It didn't even leave a scratch on the dragon's scales, only a faint mark.
This result was unsurprising.
Chen Ye's physical defense was proportional to his immense strength. His body had long reached a state of imperviousness akin to "diamond-like resilience." His bones were tougher than any metal, and his muscles and skin were unimaginably durable.
In his Azure Dragon form, his strength and defense were further amplified fivefold.
Lord Xu Kong's flying sword couldn't harm him—Chen Ye doubted even a nuclear blast would make a difference.
To Chen Ye, the impact felt like a mosquito bite—completely negligible.
Lord Xu Kong, on the other hand, was visibly shaken.
Staring at his rebounded flying sword, his face fell.
It seemed he had underestimated this dragon.
But as the First Demon Slayer, Lord Xu Kong wouldn't concede so easily.
He flicked his finger multiple times, sending all the miniature swords from the wooden box into the air.
In an instant, several flying swords zipped through the sky like a coordinated squadron, their sharp gleams leaving trails in the air.
Under Lord Xu Kong's command, the swords all targeted Chen Ye.
The swords sliced through trees and shrubs along their path, leaving a trail of devastation. The sheer intensity of the sword energy caused the observing demon slayers to gasp in awe.
Unfortunately for Lord Xu Kong, the result remained unchanged.
Chen Ye still felt no sense of danger, so he didn't move.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
A series of sharp metallic sounds echoed as the flying swords struck Chen Ye's body, only to be deflected like before.
Not a single sword could pierce his defenses.
The crowd was dumbfounded.
The demon slayers present were familiar with Lord Xu Kong's flying swords and their formidable reputation.
"It's said he can kill someone a thousand miles away as effortlessly as reaching into his pocket!"
That was how people described Lord Xu Kong's Void Sword Technique.
Countless great demons had met their end at his hands, their infamous might no match for his unparalleled swordsmanship.
The fact that he retained the title of First Demon Slayer for so long was a testament to his strength.
But now, the seemingly unstoppable Void Sword Technique had failed.
No one suspected Lord Xu Kong of holding back or making a mistake.
The overwhelming sword energy was clearly genuine—there was no room for doubt.
There was only one explanation: the Azure Dragon's defense was beyond terrifying!
At this point, Lord Xu Kong suddenly stood up.
The crowd gasped.
This was the first time they had seen Lord Xu Kong stand from his bamboo chair.
Under the astonished gazes of the onlookers, Lord Xu Kong clasped his hands together, and the previously deflected swords began to undergo a dramatic transformation.
"Crack! Crack!"
The miniature flying swords began to transform, rapidly assembling into a single enormous sword within moments.
This high-tech-like scene unfolding in the Journey to the West world felt strangely out of place.
"Ahhh!"
Lord Xu Kong roared as he thrust his hands forward.
In an instant, the colossal sword, imbued with tremendous power, shot toward Chen Ye with unparalleled momentum.
The terrifying sword intent surged skyward, sending waves of pressure rippling through the battlefield.
The demon slayers watching from the sidelines turned pale, their faces full of dread.
Though the sword wasn't aimed at them, the sheer murderous aura was enough to suffocate them.
When Lord Xu Kong unleashed his ultimate move, Chen Ye's mental senses finally reacted.
The warning wasn't particularly strong, indicating that while this attack could have some effect, it wasn't enough to cause real harm.
Even so, it was a testament to Chen Ye's monstrous defenses in his Azure Dragon form.
Deciding to test the attack's limits, Chen Ye didn't dodge, bracing to take the strike head-on.
"Clang!"
A sharp, reverberating sound exploded in the air, shaking everyone to their core.
Chen Ye felt a faint sting where the giant sword struck him.
But his scales remained intact.
The pain wasn't from a physical wound but rather from the sheer force of Lord Xu Kong's sword intent.
Still, it was a minor discomfort—easily bearable.
"Crack!"
The massive sword began to crack under the strain, fractures spiderwebbing across its surface before it shattered into countless pieces. The fragments fell to the ground as nothing more than useless scrap metal.
Lord Xu Kong, who had been controlling the sword, staggered back in shock and collapsed into his bamboo chair, his face pale.
His gaze was fixed on the immense dragon hovering in the air, filled with disbelief.
He had never imagined that his most powerful strike would fail to inflict even the slightest injury.
At that moment, the dragon moved.
Gasps rippled through the onlookers. Many feared that the dragon was about to deliver a finishing blow to Lord Xu Kong.
Even Lord Xu Kong himself thought so. He slumped in his chair, defeated, with no intention of dodging—he had resigned himself to death.
As for the four elderly women who had been carrying his chair, they wasted no time fleeing the scene.
But Chen Ye had no intention of killing Lord Xu Kong. While the man couldn't harm him, his strength was still impressive, making him a valuable potential ally.
Chen Ye's sudden movement was merely to extinguish Lord Xu Kong's arrogance completely, showing him that there were always greater forces beyond one's comprehension.
Hopefully, it would make him more cooperative in the two months to come.
With that thought, Chen Ye unleashed a dragon's breath.
"Whoosh!"
A strange, piercing sound cut through the air.
The crimson dragon's breath streaked through the sky like a bolt of lightning, far faster than Lord Xu Kong's flying sword.
In the blink of an eye, it struck a distant mountain.
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion followed, shaking the earth and sky as though a god of war had roared in fury.
The ground cracked, and the heavens seemed to tremble in awe.
The eruption of flames illuminated the surroundings in a fiery glow, turning the landscape blood-red.
As for the mountain that had been struck—it was obliterated in an instant, reduced to nothing but empty space before the stunned eyes of everyone present.
There was no time to process the shock.
As the aftermath of the massive explosion loomed, a violent shockwave surged outward.
"Whoosh—"
The terrifying force swept in all directions, destroying everything in its path.
Flowers, trees, hills, and boulders were obliterated, reduced to dust in an instant. It was as if the heavens and earth were collapsing.
The next moment, a colossal mushroom cloud rose into the sky from where the mountain had once stood.
When the dust finally settled, the onlookers saw a massive crater, several kilometers wide, where the mountain used to be. Everything around the crater had been flattened by the shockwave.
Silence.
A heavy, eerie silence fell over the crowd of demon slayers.
Every single one of them was pale and trembling, unable to speak after witnessing such destruction.
At this moment, Lord Xu Kong finally realized the terrifying truth: he had been fighting an unimaginable monster.
No wonder the dragon hadn't even bothered dodging his flying swords. Compared to the destruction caused by a single breath, his swords were like children's toys.
Losing to such a creature didn't feel unjust—it was inevitable.
But another thought dawned on him.
How could such a fearsome dragon have been tamed by Miss Duan?
His gaze shifted toward her. To his surprise, her expression mirrored his—utter disbelief.
Lord Xu Kong understood.
Miss Duan hadn't subdued the dragon through strength. Or, more likely, she hadn't subdued it at all.
This was starting to resemble those stories from folklore—a peerless demon falling in love with a human maiden…
Chen Ye, however, was delighted with the display of his dragon breath's power.
As his attributes increased, so did its destructive capabilities.
He even wondered if, one day, his breath alone might be enough to obliterate an entire planet.
His gaze swept over the gathered demon slayers.
Sensing his eyes upon them, the crowd panicked like frightened rabbits.
If this dragon chose to unleash another breath, none of them would survive—not even a trace would remain.
Some of the more timid ones dropped to their knees, bowing and knocking their heads against the ground in desperation.
The fear etched into their hearts that day would never fade.
Chen Ye ignored them.
He descended slowly, landing in front of Miss Duan. He gave her a meaningful look and blinked, signaling her to continue with their agreed plan.
Miss Duan snapped out of her daze.
Despite her naturally carefree demeanor, her mental fortitude was commendable. Though filled with questions, she knew finishing the act was the priority.
"Lord Xu Kong, do you have anything to say now?"
Lord Xu Kong, having regained his composure, managed a faint smile.
"A bet is a bet. I'll follow your orders for the agreed time, Miss Duan."
With Lord Xu Kong's concession, Miss Duan's title as the First Demon Slayer was firmly established.
No one dared object anymore.
A short while later.
A dragon carrying two people soared away from the Demon Slayer Manor.
"So this is what flying on a dragon feels like? It's incredible!"
Lord Xu Kong sat on the dragon's back, watching the landscape blur beneath him with awe.
"No wonder the celestial beings in the stories always had mighty mounts. Only something like this can make you feel truly divine!"
He was becoming increasingly fond of the dragon beneath him.
Unfortunately, Lord Xu Kong knew he didn't have the strength to deserve such a mount.
Turning to Miss Duan, he asked, "Miss Duan, who exactly do you need me to deal with? With this mighty dragon helping you, surely you don't need me anymore?"
At that moment, the dragon landed suddenly and commanded, "Get off."
Lord Xu Kong froze in shock, his eyes widening.
"You can talk? You've awakened intelligence?"
Chen Ye ignored him.
Once both had dismounted, he added, "Wait here for a moment."
With that, Chen Ye flew into the nearby forest, his massive body shrinking rapidly.
Confused, Lord Xu Kong turned to Miss Duan.
"Miss Duan… What's going on?"
Miss Duan shrugged nonchalantly. "Wait for him. He'll explain."
"Him?"
Before Lord Xu Kong could press further, a bald man in tight-fitting clothing emerged from the forest.
Seeing the man's muscular build and imposing presence, Lord Xu Kong couldn't help but feel envious.
If he had such physical prowess, his life as a demon slayer would be much easier.
"And this is…?" Lord Xu Kong asked, though he already had a guess.
"I'm the dragon you just fought," Chen Ye said calmly. "Pleasure to meet you, the famous First Demon Slayer, Lord Xu Kong."
"Ah, no, no. Miss Duan is the rightful First Demon Slayer, not me," Lord Xu Kong replied humbly. But he couldn't resist asking, "Brother, you're saying… that dragon was you?"
"Exactly."
"This… how is this possible?"
"Well…"
Chen Ye launched into a mix of truth and fiction. "An invasion of extraterrestrial demons is imminent, and we need allies. That's why we orchestrated this challenge."
Though Lord Xu Kong had expected to feel offended, he found himself intrigued by the mention of extraterrestrial demons.
"These demons… are they strong?"
"Very strong," Chen Ye affirmed. "And there will be a lot of them."
Hearing this, Lord Xu Kong's interest grew.
Chen Ye asked, "Lord Xu Kong, your swords were destroyed. Will it affect your performance?"
"I'll just buy a few more at the market and refine them into flying swords," Lord Xu Kong replied, then added sheepishly, "Oh, but I don't have money…"
"I do!"
Miss Duan immediately handed him several gold ingots.
"This is the bounty from the pig demon. It should cover your swords, right?"
(End of Chapter)
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