The Sickly Regent Prince Who Was Abandoned as a Substitute Bride

Chapter 585

The bronze doors of the council hall shattered with a deafening roar, the scalding shockwave scattering the jade hairpin that held Su Yao's hair back, her long black hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall. She gazed at the swirling demonic energy outside, where the severed limbs of her disciples, reduced to ashes, hovered in the air, her nails digging deeply into her palms. Shen Xinghe's Xuan Tie sword was already held horizontally before his chest, its blade trembling incessantly, emitting a resentful hum.

"Go!" Shen Xinghe's low roar, crackling with sword energy, exploded, and the two simultaneously leaped onto the eaves. The night was dyed an eerie purplish-black, and the protective array of the seventy-two peaks of the Xuanxiao Sect was collapsing, golden runes falling like shattered glass. Screams erupted from all directions. Su Yao saw her third junior brother pinned to a stone tablet by demonic cultivators, his Daoist robe torn open by sharp claws, the exposed skin visibly covered with black patterns.

The Azure Phoenix Sword transformed into a streak of light in her hand; wherever its blade sliced, demonic shadows condensed from demonic energy emitted shrill cries like those of infants. Shen Xinghe's heavy sword cleaved through the oncoming pack of demonic wolves, each strike creating craters over ten feet deep in the ground, sending flying debris mixed with black blood raining down like a storm. They fought side by side, sword light and demonic energy intertwining to form a blood-red vortex, yet the demonic shadows multiplied with each kill, seemingly surging endlessly from the earth.

A dark shadow slithered along the ground like a venomous snake. Just as Su Yao was about to turn, a sharp, piercing pain shot through her shoulder. Dark red blood splattered onto her pale cheek. She staggered and knelt on one knee, seeing that her cyan sword tassel had been stained black. Shen Xinghe's roar shattered the demonic energy within a ten-zhang radius, and his Xuan Tie sword, carrying immense force, slashed towards the attacker.

The moment the moonlight pierced through the clouds, Su Yao saw the distorted face clearly. Lin Yu's left eye had transformed into a pitch-black demonic pupil, his right cheek was covered in spiderweb-like purple patterns, and the jade crown that should have bound his hair had become three white bone hairpins. What hung from his sleeves were not strips of cloth, but living arms, their five fingers still twitching and spasming.

"Why?!" Su Yao's voice trembled with sobs, the Azure Phoenix Sword shaking violently in fury. Lin Yu let out a piercing laugh, the sound of metal scraping against metal mingling with his laughter: "Why? Back then, Master said I was of an impure heart, but who among you knew—" He suddenly ripped open his robes, revealing half a broken jade slip embedded in his chest, "This is an ancient secret manual I found in the forbidden land! As long as I summon the Demon God, I can become the most powerful being in this world!"

Before he finished speaking, nine golden rays descended from the sky. Xuanqing Zhenren stood in the direction of the Big Dipper, followed by six elders who formed the Demon-Slaying Sword Formation. Lin Yu's demonic energy surged, transforming into a gigantic demonic shadow that blotted out the sky. The moment his claws tore through the sword formation, Su Yao saw that hanging at his waist was the tattered "Demon Summoning Codex" from the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion.

Shen Xinghe's heavy sword suddenly burst forth with dazzling light, echoing Su Yao's Azure Phoenix Sword. Xuanqing Zhenren's whisk swept across the void, and chains composed of thirty-six talismans bound the demonic shadow's ankles. However, Lin Yu's laughter grew increasingly manic, and drops of blood from his palm fell to the ground. Suddenly, cracks appeared in the ground, and countless pale arms burst forth from the earth, grabbing the elders in the sword formation and pulling them downwards.

Su Yao stared at the ever-widening crack beneath her feet, feeling the terrifying pressure emanating from the earth. Within the dark clouds formed by condensed demonic energy, a colossal phantom of a demon god vaguely appeared, its blood-red vertical pupils coldly observing the battle. The Xuanxiao Sect's protective array shattered completely, rubble falling like meteors. She gripped the communication jade slip Shen Xinghe had handed her, knowing that this battle might be the final war in the cultivation world.

Azure Phoenix Weeps Blood

The night was as dark as ink. The majestic gates of the Xuanxiao Sect were twisted and deformed by the erosion of demonic energy. Amidst the ruins, Su Yao's fingertips almost dug into the communication jade slip. Golden patterns floated on the surface of the jade slip, casting flickering light on her pale face. This jade slip, which embodied the last hope of the entire sect, could, when infused with spiritual power, transmit news of the sect's attack to the major sects of the cultivation world.

"Trying to tip us off?" A sinister voice suddenly rang out. Lin Yu appeared ten feet away, his black robe billowing even without wind, revealing half of his face covered in purple markings. His scarlet pupils suddenly contracted, transforming into a demonic shadow carrying a stench of blood, instantly tearing through the air. The protective mirror on Su Yao's wrist emitted a faint light, but shattered into dust under the oppressive power of the demonic shadow.

In the nick of time, Shen Xinghe's black robes fluttered, and the Seven Star Sword flashed with a chilling light. With a loud clang, sparks flew, and the demonic shadow was forced back several feet. Shen Xinghe's tiger's mouth was bruised and bleeding, dripping blood down the spine of the sword, but he still shielded Su Yao behind him: "Run!" However, the tremors from the ground grew more and more violent, and thick, inky demonic energy surged from countless spiderweb-like cracks, instantly turning bluestone into dust wherever it passed.

A gigantic, sky-obscuring phantom emerged from the demonic energy. The demon god's outline was indistinct, yet it exuded a suffocating pressure. Its massive, barbed hand slowly pressed down, distorting and warping space in its wake. Master Xuanqing, his white hair disheveled and his robe stained with blood, still stood on the high platform, whisk in hand: "Fellow disciples, activate the Ten Thousand Swords Formation!" Seventy-two sword lights soared into the sky, weaving into a giant golden net, colliding violently with the demon god's phantom. In an instant, the world lost its color, and the aftershocks of the sword energy and demonic energy leveled mountains within a hundred miles.

Su Yao gazed at her fellow disciples, swaying precariously within the sword formation, the sounds of them coughing up blood filling the air. She bit her tongue, spitting her blood essence onto the Azure Phoenix Sword. The sword instantly blazed with a brilliant azure light, transforming into a lifelike phantom of an azure phantom. "With my blood essence as a guide, borrowing the power of the Azure Phoenix, break!" Su Yao's voice was swallowed by the howling demonic energy, and the Azure Phoenix Sword, imbued with sharp sword energy, aimed directly at the demon god's brow.

Just as the sword tip was about to touch the demon god's phantom, a dazzling light suddenly streaked across the sky. The light, like the sun piercing through the clouds, melted away the demonic energy wherever it touched. The demon god's phantom roared in resentment, its body trembling violently. Everyone looked up and saw an old man with floor-length white hair walking on the light. He wore a moon-white Taoist robe, and an ancient rune was engraved on a jade pendant at his waist. With a casual wave of his bamboo staff, he created a clear barrier amidst the demonic energy.

"Tianji Pavilion... Senior Tianjizi!" Xuanqing Zhenren's voice trembled, and hope ignited in his eyes. Tianjizi's gaze swept across the ravaged battlefield, finally settling on the Azure Phoenix Sword in Su Yao's hand. He nodded slightly: "This sword has gained sentience; it's a promising talent." Before he finished speaking, he pointed his bamboo staff at the Demon God, and a golden light containing the laws of heaven and earth burst forth, merging with the light of the sword formation.

On the battlefield teeming with demonic energy, a new contest has just begun.

Demonic Shadow Afterglow

Lin Yu threw his head back, his maniacal laughter tearing through the heavy air, like countless steel needles scraping against everyone's eardrums. His black robes fluttered wildly, revealing the eerie demonic patterns on his chest. Those patterns twisted and writhed like living things, constantly absorbing the surging demonic energy around him. "Tianjizi, do you think your arrival can stop me from summoning the Demon God?" His voice was filled with twisted pleasure, his scarlet eyes flashing with a mad light. "In that great war a thousand years ago, your cultivation world was lucky to win. Now, the resurrection of the Demon God is a foregone conclusion!"

Before he finished speaking, his hands moved rapidly, forming hand seals, and a ghostly purple flame rose from his fingertips. As he uttered an obscure incantation, the earth began to tremble violently. The demonic energy surging from the cracks materialized, forming enormous tentacles in the air that thrashed wildly. The distant phantom of the demon god, replenished with power, grew even more solid, its blood-red vertical pupils radiating a palpable killing intent. Each breath it took stirred up a storm of demonic energy, crushing the surrounding rocks into dust.

Tianjizi's brows furrowed, his white hair flying wildly amidst the demonic energy. He lightly raised his bamboo staff and slammed it heavily on the ground, causing the jade bead at the staff's tip to burst forth with dazzling light. "A mere demon, yet you dare to be so arrogant." His voice was steady and authoritative, as if containing the ultimate truths of the universe. In an instant, ancient runes flickered and flowed around him, like an inverted galaxy, forming a stark contrast with the surrounding demonic energy. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth seemed to be summoned, frantically converging towards him, forming a massive vortex of spiritual energy around him.

Su Yao gripped the Azure Phoenix Sword tightly, its blade trembling slightly, seemingly responding to its master's fighting spirit. Shen Xinghe wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and the Seven Star Sword was drawn again, the Big Dipper pattern on its blade shimmering faintly. Master Xuanqing waved his whisk, chanting incantations, and the remaining disciples also unleashed their magical treasures, forming a fragmented sword formation. Gathering their remaining strength, they charged once more at the phantom of the demon god, their sword light illuminating the sky shrouded in demonic energy, clashing fiercely with the demon god's dark red glow.

Just as everyone was locked in a stalemate with the demon god, Lin Yu's figure suddenly vanished into the demonic energy. Alarm bells rang in Su Yao's mind, and she instinctively dodged to the side. A dark shadow, like a ghost, grazed past her shoulder; Lin Yu's claws were almost about to seize the Azure Phoenix Sword. "Don't even think about it!" Shen Xinghe roared, his Seven Star Sword transforming into a streak of light, aiming straight for Lin Yu's back. Lin Yu was forced to turn and defend, and the two instantly became entangled in combat, sword energy and demonic energy intertwining, carving deep, bottomless furrows into the ground.

Tianjizi's gaze was like lightning, locked onto the weakness of the demon god's phantom. He formed hand seals, his bamboo staff tracing a mysterious trajectory in the air. "Heaven and earth are my guide, all spirits heed my command!" With a roar, a spiritual energy shockwave containing world-destroying power shot into the sky, like a golden dragon, rushing straight towards the demon god. The demon god let out a deafening roar, a hint of fear flashing in its blood-red eyes. Its massive body trembled violently under the impact of the shockwave, and its demonic energy began to dissipate.

Su Yao felt a strong resonance emanating from the Azure Phoenix Sword. She bit her tongue and spat her blood essence onto the sword. "Azure Phoenix manifests, all demons flee!" She circulated all her spiritual power, and the Azure Phoenix Sword erupted with a dazzling azure light, transforming into a gigantic azure phantom. Accompanied by a clear phoenix cry, it merged with Tianjizi's spiritual power shockwave. The two powerful forces collided violently, unleashing a dazzling light that dispelled all demonic energy within a hundred miles.

The phantom of the demon god roared in resentment amidst the light, its body gradually becoming transparent before finally dissipating into specks of demonic energy. Without the demon god's protection, Lin Yu was quickly subdued by Shen Xinghe and Xuanqing Zhenren. He crashed heavily to the ground, the demonic runes on his body dimming, and the madness in his eyes replaced by fear.

A sliver of dawn broke through the sky above the Xuanxiao Sect. The surviving disciples collapsed to the ground, a mixture of joy and exhaustion at having survived the ordeal. However, everyone knew in their hearts that this victory was only temporary. Although the demonic energy had dissipated, undercurrents seemed to still surge deep beneath the earth, and an even greater crisis might be brewing silently in the darkness…

Aftermath of the Calamity

The morning mist had just begun to rise over the charred stone steps of the Xuanxiao Sect, and the surviving disciples were helping each other clean up the mess. Su Yao wiped the bloodstains from the Azure Phoenix Sword; the blade gleamed with a warm, blue light, as if soothing her tense nerves. Shen Xinghe leaned against the broken wall, the Seven Star Sword in his hand still humming slightly, and a faint smell of blood lingered in the air.

“Dang—”

Lin Yu's sword suddenly fell to the ground, shattering the brief tranquility. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Lin Yu, who had been slumped on the ground, suddenly spring up, the remaining demonic energy around him churning like boiling black water. His pupils turned completely vertical slits, his mouth torn to his ears, and he let out a non-human roar. A shadowy figure shot out from his heart—a distorted black mist, within which a human face covered in demonic patterns could be vaguely seen—it was a wisp of Lin Yu's remnant soul that had separated when he was possessed by the demon god!

"Watch out!" Before Tianjizi's shout had even finished, the remnant soul had already transformed into black lightning, hurtling towards the tattered "Summoning Demon Codex" amidst the ruins. The yellowed surface of the ancient book was covered with dark red runes, gleaming eerily under the influence of demonic energy. Without a second thought, Su Yao swung her Azure Phoenix Sword, the azure light slicing through the sky, only to see the remnant soul twist and turn strangely in mid-air, barely grazing the blade. The instant its withered fingers touched the ancient book, the entire valley fell into a deathly silence.

"Hehehe..." The remnant soul let out a laugh like fingernails scraping metal. The Summoning Codex moved without wind, and fine black mist drifted from its swirling pages. Its empty eye sockets turned to the crowd, and it hissed in Lin Yu's voice, "You think you can completely destroy the Demon God? How naive!" As the eerie incantation rang out, the earth, which had just calmed down, trembled violently again. The rumble of breaking chains came from the ground, and demonic energy seeping from the cracks, like a living thing, meandered up the stone steps.

Tianjizi slammed his bamboo staff heavily on the ground, his runes blazing with dazzling golden light: "Quickly form the array! We absolutely cannot let it complete the summoning!" Xuanqing Zhenren, despite his injuries, led his disciples to re-establish the sword formation. Su Yao stood side-by-side with Shen Xinghe, clearly feeling the warmth emanating from his palm—a power hotter than demonic energy. The Azure Phoenix Sword trembled gently in her hand, ancient totems appearing on its blade, as if accumulating some earth-shattering power.

The chanting of the remnant soul grew more urgent, and the sky was once again shrouded in dark red clouds. The outline of the demon god's phantom appeared and disappeared within the clouds, its enormous finger about to break through the shackles of space. At the critical moment, the Azure Phoenix Sword suddenly broke free from Su Yao's control, transforming into a streak of light that shot straight into the sky. Within the azure light bursting from the sword, a gigantic azure phantom spread its wings and soared, its cry shattering the demonic energy in mid-air.

"boom!"