The capital of the Tianfeng Dynasty was shrouded in smoke and the stench of blood filled the air.
Xiao Chen stood atop the ruins of the palace, his gaze sweeping over the desolate city below. His aura, having just broken through to the Integration Realm, was contained within him, yet it appeared even more unfathomable.
Just then, an ancient yet domineering aura emanated from the direction of the deepest forbidden area of the dynasty.
The aura was like a flickering candle in the wind, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, yet it carried a hint of unwilling dragon might, causing the air in the entire capital to freeze.
"Hmm?" Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow and looked towards the forbidden area.
"Roar!" Stone roared in a deep, muffled voice, his eyes flashing with excitement. "Senior Brother, that old guy has woken up! What a powerful aura!"
A hunched figure, leaning on an ancient longsword, slowly emerged from the shadows of the forbidden area.
It was an extremely old man, his face covered with wrinkles, his skin as withered as tree bark, and faint signs of death could even be seen at the corners of his eyes, clearly indicating that he was on his deathbed.
But his eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, like two burning, dying stars, fixedly staring at Xiao Chen and Shi Tou.
“Mid-stage Tribulation Transcending…” Xiao Chen instantly judged the old man’s realm, but shook his head slightly, “It’s a pity that he’s exhausted and probably can’t even exert the combat power of an early-stage Tribulation Transcending cultivator. He’s been forcibly awakened by burning his lifespan.”
An elderly person in this state has already reached the final hurdle; their lifespan is nearing its end, and this is merely a final burst of energy before death.
"Senior Brother, leave this old guy to me!" Shi Tou rubbed his hands together, the black iron armor clanging together with a dull thud, his fighting spirit ignited.
Xiao Chen glanced at him, then nodded, recalling the drop of sap containing the essence of life that the old locust tree had given him: "Be careful, his sword intent is not weak."
"knew!"
Before Shi Tou could finish speaking, he shot out like a cannonball, his fist, as big as a casserole dish, accompanied by a sonic boom that tore through the air, aimed straight at the old man's face! The space rippled wherever the fist passed, as if it were about to be torn apart by this brute force!
"presumptuous!"
A fierce glint flashed in the old man's cloudy eyes. His originally hunched body straightened up a bit in an instant. The ancient longsword in his hand trembled slightly, and a gray sword intent that had been condensed to the extreme broke through the air, like the scythe of death, slashing at the fist of stone!
This sword strike, though lacking earth-shattering power, carried a desolate air of having seen through life and death, clearly the culmination of the old man's lifelong sword intent.
"Bang!"
The fist clashed with the sword, producing a deafening roar!
Shi Tou felt a gentle yet domineering sword intent spread along his arm, causing his blood and qi to surge. He involuntarily took five or six steps back before regaining his balance, and a shallow white mark was cut into the black iron protective gear on his fist.
The old man was violently shaken by the sheer force of the stone, a trickle of black blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, a look of horror flashing in his eyes—this body cultivator's physique was so powerful? Even his innate sword intent couldn't break through the defense?
"Again!" Stone roared, not only unafraid but even more excited, with black energy faintly swirling around him, a sign that the "Nine Netherworld Burning Heaven Technique" had been fully activated.
He lunged forward again, his fists raining down on the old man like a storm, each punch carrying earth-shattering power.
The old man leaned on his longsword, constantly unleashing his sword intent to defend. Gray sword shadows and black fist shadows intertwined in mid-air, creating a deafening roar.
The more they fought, the more the old man's heart sank to the bottom.
The stone's power seemed inexhaustible, growing stronger with each strike. The black aura around it grew thicker and its aura more violent, like a demon god crawling out of the deepest abyss.
On the other hand, with each swing of his sword, he felt his lifespan rapidly slipping away, his breath growing weaker and weaker, and his hands and feet beginning to stiffen.
"This can't go on any longer!" A resolute glint flashed in the old man's eyes. He knew that if this dragged on any longer, he would only be worn down to death.
"Sizzle!"
The old man suddenly forced the stone back with his sword, his figure instantly rising higher, and the ancient longsword in his hand burst out with unprecedented light, the gray sword intent even mixed with a trace of blood!
"In my entire life, I have never been defeated. Even if I die today, I will take you, you monster, down with me!"
"The Blood-Weeping Sword of the Setting Sun!"
The old man used the last bit of his lifespan and spiritual power to unleash his ultimate technique! A blood-red sword shadow, like the afterglow of the setting sun, was both tragic and deadly, carrying an aura of mutual destruction, and slashed down at the stone!
"roar!"
A crimson glint flashed in Stone's eyes, and black energy erupted completely. Facing the blood-red sword shadow, he fearlessly threw a punch! This punch concentrated all his power and demonic energy, and even the ancient demonic runes appeared on his fist!
"boom--!"
Fist and sword shadows collided fiercely, and a terrifying energy shockwave spread outwards, causing the ground of the entire forbidden area to collapse!
Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, a figure slowly emerged.
It's a stone.
His bare upper body was covered with fine bloodstains, and a deep wound on his left arm that exposed bone was slowly healing. The black aura around him had also faded considerably, but his eyes remained ferocious as he walked step by step toward the old man in the smoke and dust.
The old man knelt on the ground, his ancient longsword shattered, his skin drained of color, resembling withered tree bark. He watched the stone approach step by step, a bitter, relieved smile appearing on his face: "Good...good monster...The Heavenly Wind Dynasty...is finally dead..."
Stone ignored what he was saying, walked up to the old man, raised his fist, and smashed it down hard!
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, the old man's body, like a shattered doll, instantly exploded into a cloud of blood mist, completely annihilated.
Xiao Chen stepped forward, looked at the wounds on his body, took out the drop of green liquid given by the old locust tree from his storage bag, and dripped it on him.
Standing in the blood mist, Stone was panting heavily. The bloodstains on his body were healing rapidly under the nourishment of demonic energy, and the scarlet in his eyes gradually faded, restoring some of his simple and honest appearance.
"Sizzle..."
The liquid, upon contact with the wound, instantly transformed into a cool sensation, not only accelerating the healing process but also calming the remaining crimson sword energy and restless demonic energy within his body.
Stone gave a comfortable hum and scratched his head: "Senior Brother, this old guy is no match for you."
Xiao Chen glared at him, annoyed: "Don't push yourself so hard next time."
"Hehe." Stone chuckled twice.
As the sun set, it cast long shadows of the two men. The last vestiges of resistance from the Tianfeng Dynasty vanished completely with the old man's passing.
Xiao Chen looked up towards the north, his eyes sharp as a spear.
"Let's go, Fourth Junior Brother."
"Let's go back first; Master might be back soon."
Two figures soared into the air and flew towards the sect, leaving behind a desolate capital city that gradually cooled under the setting sun, becoming yet another name buried in the dust of the Southern Region's history.
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