Chapter 149: The Predicament of East Beach

Heaven and Earth Execution!

With a single strike!

Silver blade light flashed; the blade fell, and the Demon God's skin was obliterated.

The blood gathered from hundreds of thousands of people instantly evaporated.

Zheng Yishan perished along with it, his existence erased as the Demon God's skin met its end.

A lingering sigh echoed. Gongyang Yan's face was pale and devoid of blood.

The blood qi within her body was completely exhausted, her inner strength nearly depleted to zero, and her spiritual consciousness dried up.

The wooden saber in her hand turned into flying ashes and scattered in the wind.

Jiang Dongliu put away his divine ability, his expression lost.

That stunning strike—he could only catch a glimpse of a silver law flashing past, which left him in terror as the terrifyingly powerful Demon God's skin was thoroughly annihilated.

However, Jiang Dongliu understood that this strike by Gongyang Yan had reached the full-power blow of the peak Martial Saint level.

This showed just how formidable the Demon God's skin before them had been.

It was entirely no less than the peak Dharma Idol realm. Had it been allowed to absorb all that blood and restore the divine and demonic might of the Demon God's skin, even a Martial Saint stepping in would have found it difficult to leave a scratch on this skin.

"Is this the power of a Demon God?"

Thinking back to the past, how difficult it had been for humanity, how many talents had died, and how long they had fought just to drive the Demon Gods from this land.

Jiang Dongliu now understood that even though the Demon Gods had disappeared, the struggle between them and humanity did not necessarily end with the death of a Demon God.

"Brother Jiang, I must ask you to bear witness to this Demon God skin incident. I believe the Tianbao Pavilion owes the Town Demon Guard an explanation."

Gongyang Yan's eyes were icy cold.

The deaths of hundreds of thousands of people—if the imperial court laid the blame, Gongyang Yan could not bear it, and the reputation of the Gongyang family would also be tarnished.

"A Divination Bureau sorcerer privately leaking rune artifacts into the black market is a grave crime. The elders of the Town Demon Guard may be old, but they are not yet dead."

Gongyang Yan turned and left, returning to the Town Demon Tower.

The danger had only just begun, and she was certain that the threat came from the Underworld.

In the present Eastshore City, aside from the Yin-Yang Heaven Sect, the deepest hidden entity was still the Underworld.

Back then, the Underworld recruited a large number of outer members in Dali Town solely to control Mount Dali and begin searching for the Gate of the Yellow Springs.

For the sake of the Gate of the Yellow Springs, the Underworld had gone mad.

Gongyang Yan deduced that this was the work of the Underworld, yet she did not report the matter upward.

Firstly, there was no evidence; secondly, both Eastshore City and the Town Demon Guard would have to pay compensation; and thirdly, the Town Demon Guard needed to extract greater benefits from the Divination Bureau.

A projection stone was transmitted through a special channel to the Town Demon Headquarters.

The news of the Demon God's skin appearing in Eastshore City also spread out.

And the source of the Demon God's skin was none other than the Tianbao Pavilion.

This news spread rapidly.

At the edge of the Hengduan Mountains.

The mountains had been hollowed out into massive caverns where various factions of dubious backgrounds had established a black market.

By the time the news reached this place, it was already dusk.

In the very center and most luxurious building of the black market hung a plaque reading "Tianbao Pavilion."

"The Tianbao Pavilion has finally grown a spine for once."

"Who is to say otherwise? The skin of a Demon God was actually given away as a complimentary gift, crafted into a skin glove and delivered to a Grade-A Demon Suppression Envoy of the Town Demon Guard, triggering this bloody riot."

In the black market, various sects and factions who had come to trade were discussing the matter animatedly.

Rather than kicking the Tianbao Pavilion while it was down, they felt that the Tianbao Pavilion had finally accomplished a major deed.

They were no longer fence-sitters swaying with the wind, nor were they so-called neutrals.

Under the eerie item that was the Demon God's skin, which had buried hundreds of thousands of commoners in blood, the guardian envoy of the Gongyang family in Eastshore City had used a Martial Saint token to annihilate this skin.

"Demon God items contain powerful information of the Demon Gods. If it were me, I would naturally keep it for research."

"That just shows your lack of vision. The Tianbao Pavilion definitely has more eerie items like Demon God skins. A single skin probably meant nothing valuable to them at all."

"Tell me, with the Tianbao Pavilion being so wealthy, why take the risk of being exterminated by the Town Demon Guard?"

The chief manager of the Tianbao Pavilion in this place was calmly sipping tea.

Kneeling beneath his knees was a robust young man, looking at the chief manager with a face full of panic.

"My lord, I am wronged! This skin was truly something I casually picked up from the warehouse and gave to the Town Suppression Envoy Zheng Yishan. I genuinely had no idea it was the skin of a Demon God."

The robust young man knelt on the ground and begged for mercy.

"Whether you said it and whether I believe it doesn't matter. Does the Town Demon Guard believe it?"

The chief manager's lips curled into a cold sneer.

"Xiao Liu, I remember when you followed me, you were just a child. In the blink of an eye, more than twenty years have passed. I even cultivated you as my successor, and I simply cannot fathom why you would defect to the Underworld."

The East Continent Chief Manager of Tianbao Pavilion put down his teacup. With a sharp click, the sound made Liu Zhiyang's heart tremble and his face turn pale.

How did the chief manager know?

"Are you wondering how I found out?"

Mu Jiangnan, the chief manager of the Tianbao Pavilion in East Province, smiled dryly.

"Still waiting for the reward from Military Lord Donghou? You idiot, the only reason you were able to come back alive is because Military Lord Donghou wanted to shift this blame onto my Tianbao Pavilion."

Hearing these words, Liu Zhiyang broke out in a cold sweat.

"People from the Underworld secretly left a note for me, writing that you were a spy for the Underworld. At first, I didn't believe it. But after this incident in Eastshore City, you have driven me to a dead end."

Mu Jiangnan's expression grew increasingly cold.

Eastshore City had seen hundreds of thousands of people slaughtered by the Demon God's skin, which had also killed a Grade-A Demon Suppression Envoy and forced Gongyang Yan to consume the token of the Saber Saint Gongyang.

Every single matter drove him toward death.

"The Town Demon Guard will not let this rest. Take care of yourself. Someone, escort Liu Zhiyang to the Eastshore City Guardian Mansion. Since they don't believe that this matter wasn't done by our Tianbao Pavilion, let the Town Demon Guard look directly into his memories."

Mu Jiangnan shouted.

Two martial artists at the Divine Connection realm walked in and carried Liu Zhiyang away by his arms.

"Chief Manager, spare my life! I don't want to enter the Town Demon Guard."

"Chief Manager, spare my life..."

Mu Jiangnan's expression turned solemn.

If this matter was mishandled, the Tianbao Pavilion would be hunted down by the Town Demon Guard and reduced to an evil cult.

By then, he would be a sinner against the Tianbao Pavilion.

The only one who could save the Tianbao Pavilion now was Gongyang Yan. As long as she stepped forward to plead on behalf of the Tianbao Pavilion, everything would be dissociated from them.

"I must make this trip personally."

Mu Jiangnan muttered to himself.

Just at that moment.

One of the Divine Connection martial artists who had just escorted Liu Zhiyang out came running back in in a panic: "My lord, Liu Zhiyang is dead."

"What?"

Mu Jiangnan sprang to his feet.

"We are truly finished this time."

Mu Jiangnan slumped back down into his chair.

At this moment, Eastshore City was shrouded in grief.

Changsheng Street was one of the most bustling streets in Eastshore City, gathering a large number of merchants, and the most densely populated residential buildings in Eastshore City were built along this street.

Among them, many people did not live on Changsheng Street itself, but rather worked and did business there.

The Demon God's skin released a certain evil spell, instantly enveloping this region. Ordinary commoners simply could not withstand this bizarre power and were instantly sucked dry into mummies.

Ding Bo led the Town Demon Guard, the garrison army, and the patrol bureau into Changsheng Street, only to find devastation everywhere—a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, resembling purgatory.

They found Zheng Yishan's Demon Suppression Envoy token, but the man himself had vanished without a trace.

Ding Bo was filled with remorse; had he not mentioned the matter of the rune prosthetic limbs to Zheng Yishan, this disaster would never have occurred.

Suddenly, a thought struck Ding Bo.

He sprinted frantically toward the Sihai Martial Hall.

Only to find that the gates of the Sihai Martial Hall were tightly shut, and there were no traces of any dead inside the hall.

Clearly, after the incident at the martial hall, Zhang Qianshan had already closed it down.

Recalling the Zhang family, it seemed they had already moved away from Eastshore City.

They had no desire to remain in Eastshore City.

Eastshore City had become far too bizarre and far too dangerous.

"So many corpses need to be cremated. Just how many crematories of the Town Demon Guard will be burned out?"

This was what gave Ding Bo a headache.

The corpses of those killed by demons and monsters had to be cremated.

And the Demon God's skin could also be categorized among demons and monsters.

According to the procedures of the Town Demon Guard, the corpses naturally had to be burned.

A sudden urge to flee Eastshore City welled up in Ding Bo's heart.

...

"Gongyang's saber has finally been unleashed."

Military Lord Donghou was beaming with radiance, exceptionally pleased.

Standing beside him were three powerhouses whose auras were on par with his own.

They were the other three powerhouses among the Five Military Lords of the Underworld.

They were also helpers he had warmly invited over.

"Military Lord Donghou is still the brilliant one, finally eliminating the biggest threat in Eastshore City."

Military Lord North Darkness said with a smile. She was the only female among the Five Military Lords and also the youngest.

The guardian envoy of Eastshore City was not terrifying; what was terrifying was the wooden saber in her hand.

Aside from a few individuals in the Underworld, there was no one who did not fear the saber of Saber Saint Gongyang.

"Only with the skin of a Demon God could Gongyang Yan be forced to use this trump card."

"Big Brother Donghou, what is the next plan?"

Military Lord South Darkness asked.

He gazed toward the upper airspace of Eastshore City, where dead qi was condensing and numerous wandering souls were accumulating within the city.

He happened to be practicing a divine ability that required a massive amount of wandering souls and dead qi.

"The plan? North Darkness, you go deal with Gongyang Yan. South Darkness, West Evil, the two of you go deal with Jiang Dongliu of the Yin-Yang Heaven Sect. I am going to release the demon suppressed by the Chu family's heavenly guardian back then."

Military Lord Donghou immediately began assigning tasks.

"As for the other personnel in Eastshore City, there is no need to pay them any mind. Once the demon suppressed in Eastshore City is released, the entire city will plunge into turmoil, and the commoners who fail to escape in time will all become food for the demon. By then, we won't even need to lift a finger to massacre the city; Eastshore City is bound to be destroyed."

"With resentment soaring to the heavens and destroying the formation set up by the Chu family's heavenly guardian, the hidden trick left behind by the second-generation Grand Supervisor of the Divination Bureau will be activated, and the Gate of the Yellow Springs will descend."

The ancient Profound Ice Woman, Ancestor Hansu, had told him that the Divination Bureau had once used her layout left on Mount Dali as a foundation to lure in the Gate of the Yellow Springs.

Although the Gate of the Yellow Springs had already closed, they only needed to find the catalyst left behind by the second-generation Grand Supervisor of the Divination Bureau to summon the Gate of the Yellow Springs once more.

Once the Gate of the Yellow Springs opened, the ghost domain would descend, and a thousand miles of embankments would be reduced to a kingdom of the dead.

The people of the Underworld, however, could seize this opportunity to anchor the underworld realms they cultivated within the Yellow Springs, truly achieving unimpeded passage between the yin and yang realms, and relying on the power of the Yellow Springs to attain eternal life.

The ancient Profound Ice Woman, Ancestor Hansu, had survived to the present day precisely by relying on the power of the Yellow Springs.

However, her formation could only use the special terrain of Mount Dali to communicate with the netherworld and guide a portion of the Yellow Springs' power into the mortal world.

The second-generation Grand Supervisor of the Divination Bureau, on the other hand, had obtained many secrets of the Underworld and used her layout to directly open the Gate of the Yellow Springs.

"South Darkness, West Evil, remember this: do not bite off more than you can chew. I am concerned that Jiang Dongliu may have reserved a trump card, so dealing with him should primarily focus on stalling. There is no need for a life-or-death battle. This man is obsessed with the Gate of the Yellow Springs; if the opportunity arises, you can join forces and cooperate with him. Right now, manifesting the Gate of the Yellow Springs in the mortal world is the most important matter."

Military Lord Donghou was still somewhat uneasy and reiterated his instructions to Military Lords South Darkness and West Evil.

The two emaciated elderly men nodded in tacit agreement.

"Let's go, enter the city."

Military Lord Donghou laughed heartily, no longer concealing his aura. His icy aura condensed into clouds and surged toward Eastshore City.

"There really are far too many lackeys of the Black Heaven, especially those little Japanese dwarfs from Sakura Country who are secretly colluding with the Black Heaven God Cult."

Baili Feihong, dressed in flowing white robes, stood atop an iron-hulled wheel as the soaring Sakura flag burned without fire.

Corpses floated across the ocean—tens of thousands of them, mostly Japanese pirates.

As for the Black Heaven saints, nine of them had been slaughtered by him.

An archbishop, seeing that the situation was turning south, had used a Black Heaven talisman to escape.

"Fled back to Sakura Country, have you?"

"Consider yourself lucky. If I weren't in such a rush to return to Eastshore City, you, who used the Black Heaven talisman, would undoubtedly be dead."

A first-realm Dharma Idol expert, once serious, was still fully capable of killing.

Vultures circled in the sky while demons beneath the sea gathered incessantly, gazing greedily at these corpses.

He casually picked up a white handkerchief, wiped the blade of his saber, and slid it back into the scabbard at his waist. With a wave of his hand, a giant eagle from the clouds swooped down and hovered before Baili Feihong.

Baili Feihong leaped up, landing squarely on the giant eagle's back.

"You old eagle ate my pills and were supposed to guard my manor. Instead, the moment you woke up, you followed right after me."

Baili Feihong scolded with a chuckle.

The giant eagle looked proud and self-satisfied.

Guard the jungle and never leave that estate?

Are you kidding me?

Naturally, following the Guardian Envoy meant getting to eat prime meat.

It flapped its wings, cutting through wind and waves, shooting straight into the firmament, piercing the clouds, and beginning its return journey to Eastshore City.

Spirit eagles were cultivated by the Eastshore Navy.

It was very familiar with Eastshore City.

"You actually have some spiritual roots; no wonder you dared to reach out and ask me for pills."

"Old eagle, from now on, you shall be my mount."

As soon as Baili Feihong finished speaking.

The eagle appeared even more excited, flapping its twin wings to stir up airflow and riding the wind in flight.

Its speed left even Baili Feihong feeling startled.

After its evolution, the spirit eagle's innate talent had begun to show a trace of wind-riding ability.

This piqued Baili Feihong's playful side; if this spirit eagle truly awakened an innate divine ability—especially a speed-based one—it would be worth heavily cultivating.

The Falla Empire had Sky Knights.

The Great Yuan could likewise cultivate its own air force.

As he drew closer and closer to Eastshore City, Baili Feihong felt a faint hint of tension in his heart.

Finally, the outline of the mainland appeared in Baili Feihong's vision.

Yet his smile gradually faded.

Black clouds capped the skies, yin qi soared to the heavens, and the vital energy was in chaos.

"You are suppressing your realm to cultivate the highest saber technique of the Gongyang family, the Pierce-God Saber Intent?"

Military Lord North Darkness, dressed in tight black athletic wear, possessed an aloof figure that easily drew the eye.

She looked with considerable interest at the young woman before her.

To her, Gongyang Yan was indeed a young woman.

Far too young.

"Military Lord North Darkness? For all Four Military Lords to come to my little Eastshore City, Gongyang is truly flattered."

The white python-embroidered robe she wore was already stained with blood, and her abdomen had been clawed open, nearly spilling her intestines.

"Flattered? Didn't you already know we were coming? Unfortunately, the reinforcements you contacted should be delayed in their steps right now."

Military Lord North Darkness stood outside the Town Demon Guard building.

She did not draw too close to the Town Demon Tower.

The sword of the Chu family's heavenly guardian was still plunged right in front of the doors of the Town Demon Tower.

Gongyang Yan's heart sank to the bottom.

She had guessed correctly; the Underworld would indeed launch a massive assault.

Yet the main battlefield was not Eastshore City, but rather the blockade of Eastshore City.

Gripping her saber, she released her Piercing-Gaze Divine Eye to look over Eastshore City. The only piece of luck was that, due to the mass exodus during the day, many commoners had temporarily left Eastshore City.

The commoners remaining in Eastshore City numbered less than a third of the city's usual population.

At this thought, the vital energy within her body surged in chaos, and a wisp of sharp edge condensed.

"Had you been at your peak and fought to the death, you could have injured me, but right now, you are far too weak."

Military Lord North Darkness sneered as frost spread outward from her body, constantly testing the Town Demon Tower.

The radiance of the Slaying-Kun Demon-Exterminating Sword grew increasingly brilliant, forming an invisible light barrier that repelled her frost.

However, it would not hold for long.

It seemed that the Town Demon Prison of the Town Demon Guard had run into trouble, as the imprisoned demons and monsters were now few and far between.

As a veteran who had fought the Town Demon Guard for many years, she was well aware that the Town Demon Guard mastered many formations utilizing the laws of heaven and earth, with the Town Suppression Grand Formation being merely one of them.

The Town Demon Prison of the Town Demon Guard was crucial; once invaded by formidable enemies, the grand formation of the Town Demon Tower would activate, absorbing the power of the demons to form a protective light barrier against external foes.

Boom~~

In the direction of Dali Town, the Yin-Yang Five Elements collided with the icy nether qi.

The massive shockwave generated instantly flattened Dali Town.

Jiang Dongliu of the Yin-Yang Heaven Sect was held up by the Underworld.

"Alas, it seems I have no choice but to use it."

Gongyang Yan forced a faint smile.