Chapter 453: Di Tian, The Power of a Single Sword
"Kekeke, everyone, put more effort in! This formation won't hold much longer."
In the Outer Realm territory, above the Half Moon Sea surrounding the Sea Moon Continent, a powerful Profound Demon Emperor sneered as he urged the others to intensify their attacks.
The gathering of over twenty Demon Emperor level experts obliged, unleashing even stronger blows against the spiritual formation.
"Crack... Crack…"
Within mere moments, the formation was riddled with cracks that spread across its surface like a web. Finally, with a thunderous bang, the barrier shattered into countless shards of spiritual light that scattered to the ground.
The leader of the group, a mid peak Sky Demon Emperor, furrowed his brow, his expression darkening. The other Demon Emperors followed suit, their faces turning grim.
To their shock, their spiritual senses told them that the entirety of the Razor Toothed Demon Clan who once occupied the Sea Moon Continent was no more.
"Damn it, are we too late?" snarled a Lesser Demon Emperor, his voice trembling with rage.
The realization enraged the other Demon Emperors as well.
"This was our divine clan's territory! Who dares to slaughter the entire Razor Toothed Demon Clan?"
"Find the culprit! Kill them!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Just as their rage reached a boiling point, Xiao Tiance appeared.
With calm, measured steps, he walked toward them, as if strolling through a serene courtyard. In the blink of an eye, he stood before the assembled Demon Emperors.
"You! Are you the one who destroyed the Razor Toothed Demon Clan?"
One of the Lesser Demon Emperors growled, his voice filled with venom.
Xiao Tiance spared the speaker a brief glance. Seeing the figure's mere Profound Demon Emperor initial stage strength, he didn't bother responding. Instead, his gaze turned to the strongest among them the mid peak Sky Demon Emperor and spoke with a smile:
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Xiao Tiance, Lord of Baiyu Jing in the Great Thousand World."
"It's you!"
Two Sky Demon Emperors at the early stage stepped forward, their expressions instantly darkening as they recognized him.
Xiao Tiance's eyes glinted with amusement as he chuckled.
"Ah, so it's you two cowards. Five years ago, you sacrificed Wang Quan to save yourselves. I didn't think we'd meet again here. Quite the coincidence, isn't it?
Still, I wonder this time, will you two try to escape again? And if so, which one of your fellow Sky Demon Emperors will you sacrifice this time?"
His words immediately made the surrounding Demon Emperors shift away from Shi Shan and Shi Hai, creating an unspoken sense of isolation around the two.
Shi Hai sneered. "Xiao Tiance, don't get cocky. We've never forgotten the humiliation of five years ago! If not for those despicable Da Qian Palace pests, we'd have already wiped Baiyu Jing off the map. But now, the tables have turned.
There are 25 Demon Emperors here, and you're all alone. Numbers alone will crush you. Kekeke, as your Great Thousand World likes to say: 'You walked straight into hell when you could've stayed in heaven.'"
Shi Shan added with a chilling grin: "Don't worry, Xiao Tiance. We won't kill you outright. We'll make sure you experience every torture our divine clan has to offer before we finally end you."
Xiao Tiance didn't appear the least bit fazed. He smiled faintly. "If you can actually catch me, I might just enjoy a sample of your hospitality."
Turning his attention to the leader, he said: "If I'm not mistaken, you must be Di Tian, the leader of the Devouring Demon Clan?"
Di Tian nodded, his expression one of slight admiration. "Indeed, I am. You have sharp eyes. Xiao Tiance, I must say, I admire your strength and audacity. Why not join our clan? Pledge loyalty to me, and I'll grant you a status second only to mine. What do you say?"
Before Xiao Tiance could answer, Shi Shan and Shi Hai immediately objected.
"Di Tian sama! This man "
But before they could finish, Di Tian's gaze turned icy.
"Who do you think you are, interrupting me? Do you really believe being under Saint Tian's protection gives you the right to speak out of turn before me?"
Shi Shan and Shi Hai's faces turned pale, their pride crushed by fear. "We wouldn't dare," they said, bowing in submission.
Satisfied, Di Tian turned back to Xiao Tiance.
"So, what is your answer?"
Xiao Tiance smirked, his tone mocking. "Is this some kind of tradition for your Outer Realm clans? Every time I meet one of you, you start by asking me to join.
The last one who did? He's long dead. I wonder… will your fate be the same?"
Di Tian's face darkened slightly, but he maintained his composure, releasing a steady wave of oppressive aura that rolled toward Xiao Tiance.
"No need to worry about my fate. I'll ask you one last time will you surrender and pledge your allegiance?"
"Hahaha! I have no interest in becoming anyone's dog," Xiao Tiance replied, unfazed by the oppressive aura. "But before we begin, may I ask one question?"
Di Tian nodded, as if granting a final request. "Ask. Consider it my mercy to a dead man."
"Why did you come here so quickly? My formation should've blocked all spatial and spiritual senses. What, exactly, tipped you off?"
The air grew silent as the other Demon Emperors waited for Di Tian's response.
In the distance, Xiao Yan and Xun'er watched the scene unfold through Pangwa's shared vision, their expressions tense. Xiao Yan's flames danced at his fingertips, ready to unleash his strongest attack at Xiao Tiance's command.
The stage was set. The battle between Xiao Tiance and the gathered forces of the Outer Realm was about to begin.
Di Tian: The Power of a Single Sword
As Di Tian stood confidently with his hands clasped behind his back, he pointed toward the still open secret realm above the Razor Toothed Demon Clan's stronghold, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"If you hadn't opened that secret realm," he said, his voice calm yet laced with authority, "even with the spiritual formation you placed over the Sea Moon Continent, we wouldn't have detected a thing, even if you destroyed the entire continent."
He paused, glancing at Xiao Tiance.
"That secret realm is the key to your exposure. When a secret realm opens, it creates spatial fluctuations. While your formation sealed the continent effectively, you might not have realized that the height of the secret realm's spatial layers far surpasses the limits of your formation. It was those spatial ripples that caught our attention."
Xiao Tiance's expression shifted slightly. He had been perplexed about how these twenty odd Demon Emperors had arrived so swiftly, despite his Saint level Grandmaster Formation sealing the entire continent. Now, with Di Tian's explanation, the puzzle pieces fell into place.
"I see. Thank you for the explanation," Xiao Tiance replied, clasping his hands in gratitude.
Di Tian chuckled, a predatory glint in his eyes. "No need for thanks. Before I kill someone, I like to let them die without regrets. It makes the process of consuming them all the more… satisfying.
Now then, do you have any unfulfilled wishes? If not, I'll send you on your way."
His tone was eerily calm, devoid of the fiery malice typical of his Demon Emperor peers. It was a stark contrast to the other Demon Emperors, whose eyes burned with bloodlust and a desire to tear Xiao Tiance apart on the spot.
Xiao Tiance burst into laughter. "What an unusual hobby."
The laughter faded, replaced by a cold, steely gaze. "Come then. I have no regrets left. If you can devour me, I'm sure you'll feel that satisfaction you crave."
As his words trailed off, Xiao Tiance's Saint tier Heaven Sovereign aura erupted in full force. His presence, towering and divine, seemed to cast a shadow over the world.
Even the seasoned Demon Emperors flinched under the suffocating weight of his aura.
Di Tian's eyes narrowed, his brow creasing as he observed Xiao Tiance's calm demeanor. A faint sense of unease crept over him.
Despite being surrounded by twenty five Demon Emperors, including several at the Sky Demon Emperor level, Xiao Tiance appeared utterly unbothered. His confidence suggested either insanity or unshakable certainty in his survival.
"This man..." Di Tian thought, his instincts screaming of danger.
With a smile, he finally spoke. "If you want me to act personally, you'll need to prove yourself. Among us are twenty four Demon Emperors. Kill them first, and you'll earn the right to face me."
For a moment, silence fell over the battlefield. Even Xiao Tiance was briefly taken aback by the audacious declaration.
The surrounding Demon Emperors quickly grasped Di Tian's intent. He was planning to use them as fodder to wear Xiao Tiance down. While the Outer Realm's hierarchy was rigid, with Di Tian clearly at the top here, his peers dared not openly protest.
The Outer Realm had its iron rules: the strongest held absolute authority. Unless one could overpower the leader, they had no choice but to obey.
Reluctantly, the twenty four Demon Emperors encircled Xiao Tiance, locking him into an unbreakable formation.
Xiao Tiance remained composed, his gaze sweeping over the gathered Demon Emperors.
"So, this is your plan," he muttered. "A calculated and ruthless leader who cares little for the lives of his subordinates, as long as the goal is achieved. You're an opponent worth taking seriously."
The air grew thick with tension.
"Attack!"
A Lesser Demon Emperor charged first, unleashing a torrent of malevolent energy. His move was the signal for the other Lesser Demon Emperors to follow, launching a storm of chaotic attacks toward Xiao Tiance.
Interestingly, the Profound and Sky Demon Emperors held back, opting to observe for now.
As the ferocious attacks surged toward him, Xiao Tiance's expression turned cold. The smile that once adorned his face vanished, replaced by an overwhelming aura of killing intent.
In one swift motion, a radiant sword appeared in his hand.
"Slash!"
A single stroke of his sword tore through the oncoming wave of demonic energy, reducing it to harmless wisps.
The sword light extended outward, slicing through three Lesser Demon Emperors' necks in a single motion. Their heads rolled before their bodies crumbled.
The remaining eleven Lesser Demon Emperors screamed in pain as the sword light severed their arms, legs, or weapons. None escaped unscathed.
"Too weak," Xiao Tiance remarked, his voice devoid of emotion.
The sheer devastation of his attack left everyone stunned.
Three Demon Emperors slain. Eleven more gravely injured. A single swing of his sword had done what should have been impossible.
"How is this possible?"
Even Shi Hai and Shi Shan, who had fought Xiao Tiance five years prior, felt their confidence waver. They had expected him to grow stronger, but this was beyond their comprehension.
"In just five years, he's not only advanced to the Saint tier Heaven Sovereign level but has also achieved this level of swordsmanship?"
Shi Hai's voice trembled as he communicated with Shi Shan through spiritual transmission.
Shi Shan nodded grimly. "He's a monster. Five years ago, he relied on secret techniques to boost his power, but now… that was just one casual strike."
The two exchanged a glance, fear flickering in their eyes. They both knew retreat was impossible. After betraying and sacrificing Wang Quan, they had no safe haven in the Outer Realm if they fled now. Their only option was to endure and hope Di Tian would intervene.
"Don't act rashly," Shi Hai transmitted. "Stall for time and let Di Tian make the first move. We'll reassess the situation then."
Shi Shan nodded. "Understood."
As Xiao Tiance stood amidst the carnage, he turned his gaze toward Di Tian.
"Your pawns are falling quickly. Will you continue hiding, or do you have the courage to face me yourself?"
Di Tian's lips curled into a faint smile, but his eyes grew sharp.
The battle was far from over.
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