164. Fortunes End
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Meanwhile, Immortal Kai Zhen was swiftly moving through the city, eliminating the low-level demons and protecting the fleeing Yu Shui Citizens.
And when the citizens and demons had spread too far apart, he sent several clones in all directions to handle them.
But suddenly the demons within Yu Shui city became erratic, grabbing their heads and screaming in agony.
Then they began falling to their knees one by one, writhing as their dark auras flowed into the ground.
"Soul Sacrifice...?" Kai Zhen recognized the dark technique, and as expected, a strange hum followed and brilliant blue lines briefly appeared, crisscrossing along the grounds of the entire city.
"A Formation!"
In the next instant, a severely powerful force rained down, nearly forcing Kai Zhen to his knees, but he swiftly cycled his qi, fighting off the supreme pressure.
'So powerful!' He thought as blood rose in his chest and he spewed out a mouthful.
"Ho? It's been ages since I was let out!" A rough voice spoke behind him and Kai Zhen swivelled.
His eyes widened in dismay as they fell on a large tiger-headed figure.
It was a demon on the level of High Grand Immortal!
Around the city, a few of more of such individuals were appearing, and Kai Zhen began to feel the swift defeat of all his clones.
"Tch!" He scowled as his golden whip appeared in his hand. "A cornered dog will indeed snap at one's fingers!"
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Elsewhere in the City...
"Hmph!" An irritated scowl settled on Zhurong Fen's face and she flung her sleeves, folding her arms behind her back.
She was indeed cornered by the exposure of her identity and her plans...
But she would never quit!
From the start, all the low-level demons within Yu Shui City had been mere stepping stones, brought here as sacrifices for one of her Formations... A Formation which she had prepared to weaken the Shadow Realm seals and pull out the most powerful of her demon followers.
However, summoning the High-level demons would instantly alert the Sky Palace and War Deity, so Zhurong Fen originally planned to use it only after Yu Wang was resurrected...
But... like all those years ago...
Yin Xiaolong had brought all her plans to naught, and all while he was still mortal!
Zhurong Fen always expected Zhang Luoyin (Yin Xiaolong) to bring his Immortal friends into Yu Shui city, so she had countered that plan.
She drew on Yu Wang's aura, letting it dwell within the dense mist, and this made every single being or item within the city untrackable. And then the gatekeeper's technique ensured no one could teleport in, or be summoned in from outside.
In addition to that, the entire city itself could appear or disappear into the gatekeeper's boundary space.
Even truly powerful Immortals like Immortal Bao would take almost a whole day to overcome the technique!
And in that time, the Gatekeeper and City Master were to kill Xu Weiyan, while Fei Yun would kill Zhang Luoyin.
Then Zhurong Fen could resurrect Yu Wang without worry, and then summon these powerful demons.
And with Yu Wang fully risen, they could use these strong followers to storm the three realms, beginning with Baishan!
But Zhurong Fen had underestimated Zhang Luoyin...
Zhang Luoyin had protected Weiyan at the Arena, and then he broke the gatekeeper's technique with mere Seawater!
That simple move had broken her control over the Yu Shui citizens, and had let Immortals Kai Zhen and Yin Xing into the City!
Then Luoyin himself had defeated Fei Yun.
And Yin Xing had unleashed Star Edict...
Not only were Zhang Luoyin and Xu Weiyan still alive, but everyone had now discovered Zhurong Fen's identity and her plan to resurrect the Demon King!
She was indeed like a cornered dog, left with with no way out but to bite back, because even if she escaped like she had done in the past, there were so many ways the Immortals could track her...
...especially through Tianlong's blood- the same blood flowing through her own veins!
Then the Immortals would surely find a way to destroy her Demon Seal, and maybe even what was left of Yu Wang's essence!
'No way!' She was destined-! Determined to protect and resurrect Yu Wang!
It was better to strike now, while she still had Immortal followers and a firm hold over the demon army!
And so, Zhurong Fen was forced to activate the Summoning Formation, calling forth the most powerful demons in Shadow Realm.
'I won't fall here!'
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North of the City, Kai Zhen stood, whip at the ready as he faced the huge tiger-headed demon before him.
"What a tasty snack!" The demon said. "I get to eat a Grand Immortal the instant I come out?! Ha! Tell you what, I'm in a good mood today so just kowtow to me a few times and I'll end you swiftly before eating you!"
His eyes narrowed and a crude but wicked looking sword appeared in his hand. "Otherwise..."
Kai Zhen stood his ground. "The day when Immortals cower before your kind has not arrived yet!" He swung out the whip. "I might die here today, but know that countless more will also stand against you!"
"Hmph! 'Refuse a toast and you must drink a penalty'! I'm not asking you to run your mouth here!!" The tiger demon swung an arc of aura towards him, and Kai Zhen deflected it.
But the force sent him flying backwards.
He landed on his feet, skidding to a halt just as the demon appeared before him with a fierce swing.
"Golden aura?! How rare! You'll indeed be a delicious snack!" *Tiger-Head said, his swing nearly knocking Kai Zhen off his feet.
(*Again, cannot be bothered (??)!)
Kai Zhen caught himself and swiftly cast a one hand seal, unleashing his full strength.
Golden light surged from his body in impressive waves, and the form of a faint but majestic Kirin briefly flashed behind him, its eyes blazing.
Tiger-Head's grin widened. "Oh? Showing your full strength already? Hao! I prefer my food with some flavor!"
With a savage roar he lunged forward again, his crude sword cleaving downward on Kai Zhen.
But Kai Zhen suddenly moved and Tiger-Head felt an oppressive aura from above.
"Ei-?!" He barely had time to react when a large solid gold ingot crashed atop him, sending him into the ground.
"You-!"
"Mmm?" Kai Zhen placed a finger to his chin in confusion. "Normally people react with joy whenever I offer them gold!"
With a mighty roar, Tiger-Head unleashed his own strength and the thousand ton gold ingot was flung away. "You think something on this level can stop me?!" He thundered. "I'll cleave you into meat-strips before I dine!!"
He swung at Kai Zhen, nearly levelling the entire place, but Kai Zhen swiftly leapt away, and more of the giant gold ingots rained down, hindering the demon's movements.
"Don't think you can slip away!!" Tiger head spread his arms and his aura surged in massive arcs which sent Kai Zhen and his ingots flying.
Kai Zhen caught himself and his gold whip lashed out with a sharp crack.
"Fortune Binding!"
The whip split into dozens of gleaming strands of light, weaving through the air like serpents, but Tiger-Head laughed and swung his blade in a brutal horizontal sweep.
The whip strands shattered under the raw force and the shockwave tore through the ground, shattering stone and sending dust into the sky.
But Kai Zhen swiftly slid beneath the large blade, and his whip lashed toward the demon's wrist, wrapping around its arm.
Golden light flared brightly as Kai Zhen tugged, pouring pressuring waves of qi through the whip, but Tiger-Head snarled and flexed his muscles, and with a violent jerk he tore free, the whip snapping loose.
Kai Zhen's arm trembled from the backlash. 'How powerful!'
The difference between Grand Immortal and High Grand Immortal was simply a hurdle one could not overcome with sheer strength!
Tiger-Head grinned, revealing rows of jagged teeth.
"You're amusing, little Immortal." He stepped forward slowly, each of his steps shaking the ground. "But playtime is over!"
Aura suddenly exploded from his body and dark demonic energy surged as he raised the crude sword high.
But Kai Zhen calmly shut his eyes and drew in a breath. He raised a hand, his sleeve fluttering in the wind, and his fingers formed a swift seal.
The wind suddenly picked up, blowing about, and then,
*BOOM!*
A large explosion rocked the space as a violent spiral of golden and red light erupted outward.
Tiger-Head was hit with the full blast and he swayed, a bit disoriented, but he planted his feet. "Heh, trying to defeat me with a mere explosive talisman?" He scoffed.
Kai Zhen smirked as gold lines appeared on the floor around them. "Hmph! Underestimating an opponent indeed blinds one to obvious traps!"
"A Formation!" This time it was Tiger-Head who realized, but it was too late...
Eight golden chains burst from the ground beneath his feet, and before he could react, they had latched firmly around his waist and limbs.
"What?!" He strained against the chains in confusion, but Kai Zhen jumped into action, his fingers swiftly weaving seals.
"Don't bother struggling..." With each seal Kai Zhen cast, the chains drew taut, eventually dragging Tiger-Head to the ground till he was forced on all fours.
"These chains are merely on the level of Grand Immortal, but that explosion just now was filled with poison." Kai Zhen explained, finally appearing to stand in the air above the demon.
"I was laying down formation flags while you were evading my ingots, and the explosion was the final step, so blame yourself for falling into the trap!"
With a single hand seal, the large Kirin appeared behind Kai Zhen again, serene yet intimidating, and Kai Zhen's eyes flashed gold.
His whip sprung up between them, shooting forward to wrap itself around the demon's throat.
"You-!" For the first time, Tiger-Head's expression showed fright as
the Kirin phantom behind Kai Zhen roared silently, sending golden aura pouring into the weapon.
"Fortune's End!" Kai Zhen yelled, and the whip tightened, bringing forth a violent explosion of golden light around the demon's neck.
There was an almost too silent *crack*, followed by a sudden burst of demonic aura, and the golden light cleared to reveal the demon's head separated from his body.
His massive form collapsed with a thunderous impact and silence fell across the ruined ground.
Kai Zhen stood still for several breaths.
Then his shoulders slumped slightly.
"That brat... I indeed polished the right stone!"
Both the Poison and Chain Formations had been crafted by Bailong during the Civil war!
At the moment, Kai Zhen turned to leave, but was suddenly assailed by ripples of dense demonic auras.
He froze as two figures stepped out of the fog, boldly approaching him.
Both were demons.
And both radiated power equal to the tiger demon.
'Am I destined to die here today...?' Kai Zhen couldn't help but wonder...
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