A ferocious black dragon, spanning seven or eight zhang, roared as it lunged toward the Black Winged Demon King. Bolstered by a sliver of spatial law power, it arrived in what seemed like an instant. Even for a being like the Black Winged Demon King, there was no time to evade; his massive frame took the full impact head-on.

The sheer theoretical destructive power of Lei Dong’s "Black Dragon Chant" was now no less than the earth-shattering sword strike delivered earlier by the sword cultivator. The formidable Black Winged Demon King was blasted seven or eight zhang backward, his face a mask of fury and shock as he roared, "Lei Dong, it’s you again, spoiling this King’s business! Do you even know this fellow is a sword cultivator from Mount Langya, a sworn enemy, a mortal foe of your Yin Sha Sect?" Clearly, the Demon King had absorbed significant memory fragments from the Silver Fox. Yet, having endured that blow directly, his entire body showed no visible signs of injury.

Lei Dong hovered in the void, letting out cold laughter. "Whether it’s an Evil Sect or the righteous path, we are all of the same kind. How can we allow an outside demon like you to run rampant on human territory?" Though Lei Dong was not deeply versed in ancient history, he knew the demons of the Demon Realm were invaders, not native races.

"Well said! How can we, noble humans, slaughter each other in the face of this fiend?" Having narrowly escaped death, the Mount Langya sword cultivator did not flee immediately. Instead, his figure flickered, and he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Lei Dong. "I am Qin Tairan, a sword cultivator from Mount Langya. May I ask if Brother Lei from the Yin Sha Sect is a disciple under the Black Fiend Monarch of the Yin Sha Sect? Your 'Black Dragon Chant' is truly mastered to perfection."

Although Lei Dong’s "Black Dragon Chant" originated from the Ancestor of Myriad Ghosts, the Ancestor had learned it from his friend, the Ancestor of the Netherworld. And the Ancestor of the Netherworld, to a certain extent, had inherited the system of the Black Fiend Monarch.

Thus, Qin Tairan's suspicion was understandable.

Lei Dong had assumed his reputation was considerable enough for Qin Tairan to have heard of him. But looking back, he realized he had been overly confident. True, he wasn't unknown, but due to years of keeping a low profile and hiding his true capabilities, how could he attract the notice of a Nascent Soul ancestor?

However, Lei Dong had indeed heard of Qin Tairan. He had a great reputation, seeming unusually forthright and unrestrained, fond of making friends. Sometimes, if he took a liking to someone, he wouldn't care if they belonged to the Evil Sects or the Demonic Path—a true anomaly.

But then again, the Four Great Righteous Sects—Vajra Temple, Heavenly Sound Palace, Carefree Dao, and Mount Langya—each had its distinct style. Mount Langya, practicing the Way of the Sword, emphasized the sword moving according to the heart, and the heart following one's will.

It carried a distinct flavor of carefree wandering and following one's own path.

This was also one of the reasons Lei Dong had chosen to save Qin Tairan’s life.

"So it is the 'Dual Wine and Sword Expert,' Senior Qin," Lei Dong, with his high-tier Golden Core cultivation, naturally maintained the demeanor of a junior, replying respectfully, "This junior belongs to the Myriad Ghosts Cave lineage of the Yin Sha Sect, studying under the Ancestor of Myriad Ghosts."

"Myriad Ghosts? Hmm, I think I’ve heard of that. Quite a lucky lad, acquiring a supreme spirit ghost back in the Qi Refining stage, wasn't it?" Qin Tairan pondered for a moment before continuing, "I hadn't expected this lineage to be so full of talent. You're already mid-stage Golden Core at such a young age—your aptitude is exceptional. Given time, Nascent Soul is just around the corner. Oh, since you just saved my life, stop calling me 'Senior.' It sounds distant and strange. I'm a bit older, so I’ll call you Brother Lei, and you can call me Brother Qin."

Lei Dong was taken aback. While he had heard Qin Tairan was straightforward and didn't fuss over minor details, he hadn't expected him to be so unrestrained. However, Lei Dong saw no reason to object to this arrangement and respectfully replied, "Then this junior shall gladly accept, Brother Qin." Lei Dong had slightly misjudged the situation; no matter how bold Qin Tairan was, he wouldn't casually call a complete stranger 'brother' just because they met.

He had thought he was finished just now, and Lei Dong’s life-saving intervention was already remarkable enough. Secondly, Lei Dong had been hiding well and needn't have exposed himself to mortal danger; his ensuing words had made Qin Tairan see him as different and quite agreeable. Most importantly, Qin Tairan believed there was no hope of escaping the Demon King's watchful eyes. Perhaps he was just showing his true colors before death—when one is facing oblivion, why worry about sectarian differences or seniority?

"Good, good. Brother Lei, fancy a drink?" Without waiting for a reply, Qin Tairan pulled out a purplish-gold gourd from his storage bracelet and tossed it to Lei Dong. He himself produced a porcelain flask and took a long swig. "A fine vintage, indeed!"

Although Lei Dong drank occasionally, it was infrequent. Stirred by Qin Tairan’s bravado, he too opened the gourd and took a deep draught. A scorching flame rushed down into his stomach, almost setting him alight, but after the burning subsided, every pore and meridian felt as if they had been flung open, leaving a sensation of clear comfort. Only then did he realize his entire body was drenched in sweat.

"Excellent! Brother Lei is truly a man of mettle. This 'Gourd Fire Spirit Nectar' was brewed by your humble brother himself, using Molten Jade Marrow and Purgatory Red Lotuses gathered from the deepest reaches of the inferno. A sip every day helps expand and strengthen your meridians, dispel stagnation, and makes breakthroughs smoother. This whole flask is for you, Brother Lei. I only ask that if you manage to escape with your life, you visit Mount Langya and recount these events to my fellow disciples, so my death is not in vain or misunderstood."

"What does Brother Qin mean by this?" Lei Dong asked, feigning shock.

"This demon absolutely possesses the strength of a Spirit Transformation realm cultivator. Although it seems he hasn't fully recovered from grave injuries, neither you nor I can slay him." Qin Tairan gazed proudly at the Black Winged Demon King. "However, I, Qin Tairan, as an elder brother and a Nascent Soul cultivator, cannot possibly let you perish while saving me! I noticed your breath-concealing technique is unique and mysterious. I am confident I can hold him off for a hundred breaths at most. After that, we leave it to fate."

Given Mount Langya’s lofty reputation and Qin Tairan’s years of experience, he surely possessed some life-risking techniques. Stating this meant he likely intended to use his life to stall the Demon King, allowing Lei Dong time to report back and prevent his death from being meaningless.

"What are you saying, Brother Qin?" Lei Dong frowned, his expression showing overwhelming righteousness. "For you to sacrifice your life to buy this junior a sliver of escape—what kind of person would that make me?"

Qin Tairan was momentarily speechless, then let out a light chuckle. "In that case, let us two brothers join forces and fight this fiend together! If we can even inflict a scratch on this devil, it will be worth the price."

The Black Winged Demon King, however, remained cold and watchful, staring at the two as if he had no intention of attacking.

But his chest was visibly rising and falling, seemingly regulating his breathing and healing. Clearly, Lei Dong’s "Black Dragon Chant" had hit home and caused him considerable discomfort.

"Brother Qin, when the fighting starts, you leave first. This junior has a way to escape the demon’s maw," Lei Dong secretly transmitted his voice.

"What? Don't joke with me. How powerful is this demon? You're only in the Golden Core stage..." Qin Tairan was incredulous. "Let your foolish brother handle it. If I’m willing to stake my life, holding him for a hundred breaths is doable." (Of course, this was only because the Black Winged Demon King had not fully recovered; otherwise, even Qin Tairan fighting desperately could not hold him for a hundred breaths.)

"Brother Qin, rest assured, this junior is not so reckless with his life. Didn't you hear the demon say I ruined his plans again? Earlier, I managed to rescue Senior Mei Ji of the Joyful Union Sect alive from this demon’s clutches." Seeing Qin Tairan’s face filled with shock, yet still hesitating, Lei Dong urged, "Brother, don't hesitate! Go now! The demon’s vital energy is unstable after being injured; this is the perfect moment to flee. This junior values his life highly and would never jest with it."

Qin Tairan pondered this and realized the logic held. Without further delay, he transmitted back to Lei Dong, "Brother Lei, if we both escape this predicament today, this brother's life belongs to you. We shall meet again." With that, he transformed into a streak of light and shot toward the horizon, his speed increasing until he vanished from sight within a few breaths.

Lei Dong had braced himself to entangle with the Black Winged Demon King. However, the Demon King remained perfectly still, merely staring coldly at Lei Dong. "Little brat, are you done playing the hero? This King spared that Mount Langya whelp only because I hate you to the very bone. Not only does Silver Fox hate you, but I have also placed you on my primary target list for immediate slaughter." He didn't pursue Qin Tairan because, had the latter fought desperately, he could still inflict injury. Having already lost the advantage of ambushing Qin Tairan, the Demon King had now settled his focus and was not going to be easily dismissed.

"Oh~" Lei Dong let out a cold, measured laugh. "Does Senior truly believe he has this brat cornered so easily?"

"Insolent junior!"

Enraged, the Black Winged Demon King disregarded his healing. His figure flashed, and his giant claw slammed down toward Lei Dong. The attack carried immense force; if it had landed solidly, it could have crushed an iron mountain. Naturally, Lei Dong wasn't foolish enough to meet it head-on. He instantly deployed his Asura Wings and sped away into the distance.

But the intensely hateful Black Winged Demon King was unwilling to let Lei Dong go so easily. Black flames erupted around his body, pursuing him relentlessly. His speed was more than double what it had been initially.

The immense pressure stunned Lei Dong momentarily, causing a wry smile to cross his lips. Damn it, this Black Winged Demon King truly hated him enough to burn his own demonic body. Burning the demonic body was somewhat akin to the Heaven Demon Disintegration Great Technique—it could double his power and speed. But the cost was enormous; the demonic body was the foundation built through constant cultivation. The longer it burned, the greater the expenditure, potentially leading to a complete drop in cultivation level.

However, at this point, Lei Dong had no room for regret. He immediately swallowed a supreme spirit stone and a handful of various elixirs. Power surged within him, nearly overflowing his meridians, as the Emperor Demon Seed on his brow slowly surfaced.

"Roar~"

He let out a savage, beast-like roar, his wings tearing through space as he desperately fled into the distance. The sheer power driving his escape was astonishing.

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