As she spoke, Su Xiaoxiao’s figure rapidly retreated, leaving Han Qing isolated, enveloped in the shimmering sword light.

Han Qing, who had been sneering moments before, could not help but think: Does Zong Shou still take me for the person I was months ago?

His expression instantly turned incredibly cold, his focus absolute, completely oblivious to Su Xiaoxiao’s movements.

“Great Heaven-Defying Demon Art!”

A dark glow flashed, instantly inverting everything. It reversed all the surging vital energy and sword intent that rushed towards him. Even the Peerless Sword Intent, along with the violent demonic lightning erupted after absorbing forty-nine ‘Thousand Malice, Vast Malevolence Profound Heaven Thunders,’ could not escape.

Yet, the sword light before his eyes completed a cycle of black and white conversion in a mere instant. Everything that had been reversed now crashed back toward him.

Han Qing’s face shifted again. The previous time Zong Shou, posing as the Sword Emperor Tan Qing, broke his Great Heaven-Defying Demon Art, he had used the Killing Sword of All Beings, executed with late-stage Soul Realm sword intent. Through subtle variations in swordsmanship, provocation, and misdirection, he had forced a flaw in Han Qing’s reversal divine ability.

Therefore, Han Qing had always believed that defeat in that battle was due solely to his inferior cultivation and shallow Dao foundation, not because his Great Heaven-Defying Demon Art was inferior to the opponent’s technique.

But this time, Zong Shou had abandoned all complex sword variations. It was a direct assault, purely relying on brute force to cleave through everything!

He was experiencing the true might of the Limitless Beginning and End Divine Ability for the first time!

The sword light instantaneously cycled three times between black and white, completing three conversions between the End and the Beginning. The power that was reversed slammed back three times, each surge stronger than the last, like a tidal wave!

“Damn it!”

Han Qing cursed, large beads of cold sweat coating his forehead. Although the Great Heaven-Defying Demon Art could reverse everything, one’s own body had to be capable of enduring the rebound. The power that could be reversed was ultimately limited by one’s own cultivation and strength.

However, the Limitless Beginning and End from Zong Shou opposite him was truly like a bottomless pit, swallowing from the End and counter-attacking from the Beginning. The power invested kept increasing, nearly doubling with every cycle!

His sword intent also gained an unwavering resolve: to break or not return.

“Chira!”

With a sharp sound, Han Qing narrowly managed to flash away from his original position. He spat out a mouthful of stifled blood; although he escaped in time, his internal organs were still struck by the residual sword force.

“It’s just relying on Kingly Martial Arts! If we were both Saint Rank, you, Zong Shou, wouldn’t be my match in three moves! I, Han Qing, remember this defeat today—”

Moving like a swimming fish, he slipped into the void, gliding away into the distance.

A playful smirk touched the corner of Zong Shou’s lips. Not a match in three moves?

Then today, he wouldn't use Kingly Martial Arts, nor would he use the Limitless Beginning and End Divine Ability!

The Myriad Laws Returning to One of the Primal Unity Sword!

A full one hundred and eight stars materialized around Zong Shou. With a single downward slash, the stars immediately began to plummet!

Han Qing, far off in the distance, felt his pupils contract violently!

What kind of swordsmanship was this? It merged countless laws into one, possessing an ethereal grace and subtlety unimaginable to ordinary people, as if it were the very Dao of Evasion!

As the sword struck, it gave him the feeling of being utterly unable to evade or dodge. Despite possessing the Great Heaven-Defying Demon Art, he had no idea how to reverse this attack.

With a tiger’s roar, Han Qing activated every protective artifact he possessed, unleashing the full power of his Great Heaven-Defying Demon Art regardless of the consequences, reversing everything in his vicinity.

In just a moment, a muffled boom echoed from the sky. Han Qing cried out in pain, tumbling from the clouds down toward the Dark Abyss, his body drenched in blood. Almost none of his skin remained intact.

Han Qing glared upward at Zong Shou, who stood atop the clouds, his expression cold, looking down as if at a dead man. This sight filled Han Qing’s chest with furious indignation, mingled with terror.

If he only had a few more years, he might possess the true strength to contend with Zong Shou! Even Zong Shou’s Limitless Beginning and End Divine Ability, even that seemingly irresistible sword strike, he could have reversed!

But now, if the opponent launched just one more strike, then Han Qing—his pupils contracted sharply again—saw that the Refined Spirit Sword Shadow had transformed into a streak of purple light barely visible to the naked eye.

“Junior Brother Han!”

Su Xiaoxiao cried out again. Hundreds of demon talismans materialized in the void above Han Qing, teleporting instantly. They formed an array in a flash, attempting to block the purple sword light. But without any suspense, they were shattered by a single strike, disintegrating one after another.

However, as those talismans exploded, they happened to form an energy channel, within which flowed countless Yuan Magnet forces, propelling Zong Shou’s Refined Spirit Sword, increasing its speed by nearly double!

“Su Xiaoxiao, you damned hag!”

At this moment, the blood drained completely from Han Qing’s face; he was furious and exasperated. He had been ready to use a life-saving escape treasure, but now he didn't even have time to fully activate it.

“Great Heaven-Defying Demon Art, reverse for me!”

The black demonic energy instantly stirred everything nearby. But just as he began to attempt to reverse this beam of sword light, the purple-gold sword shadow trembled faintly, immediately nullifying all his efforts.

The sword light pierced his body. The peerlessly sharp Peerless Sword Intent violently erupted, annihilating every spark of vitality within him. Was Han Qing truly fated to die here?

The sword intent continued to surge, striking directly at his heart and brain. Just then, another blade of jet-black light swept in, violently severing his head and gouging out his heart. Then, with a flash, both vanished from the spot.

Only a headless, heartless corpse tumbled down beneath the clouds.

Zong Shou, watching from a distance, paused briefly. The person who intervened was neither any of the Demonic Sect Saint Realm Venerables he could sense nearby, nor the Supreme Demon Li Biexue himself who had been constantly applying mental pressure. The newcomer had appeared abruptly and departed without any lingering, with incredible swiftness.

Zong Shou suspected whether he could even react if this person had launched a sneak attack.

There was such a formidable expert in the Demonic Path? It truly wasn't just the Blood Saint Demon Lord alone. He couldn't help but ponder—how could a ten-thousand-year-old sect be simple?

Han Qing being saved was a slight disappointment to Zong Shou. While this man was arrogant, his Great Heaven-Defying Demon Art was indeed extraordinary. Even if it couldn't match his own Limitless Beginning and End Divine Ability, it certainly ranked among the twelve levels of World-Ending abilities. Its potential was limitless; in the Cloud Realm, very few could surpass him. The Heavenly Dao's balance meant that in the Orthodox Path, there were figures like Shi Yue and Gong Yuan, geniuses unparalleled in their era. In the Demonic Path, there were also world-responding figures emerging. Zong Shou frowned. Shi Yue was a contemporary powerhouse, top-tier in military strategy and tactics, and Gong Yuan’s swordsmanship during their last encounter already hinted at mastery of the Grandmaster arts... As for Han Qing, aside from the Great Heaven-Defying Demon Art, there was truly nothing else commendable.

What a pity that his Primal Unity Sword was not yet truly perfected. The Myriad Laws Returning to One of the Primal Unity Sword was derived and expanded from Long Ying’s Ninety-Nine True Dragon Sword, also a sword of unification. But in Zong Shou’s conception, this was not the final stage. After Myriad Laws Returning to One, the next step should be Unification and Dao Integration! If this sword strike were complete, even that intervening person would not have been able to save Han Qing from being instantly cleaved down.

Shaking his head, Zong Shou looked with curiosity toward Su Xiaoxiao opposite him, not in a hurry to strike her down.

“You very much wanted him dead just now?”

“Has My Lord misunderstood something?”

Su Xiaoxiao smiled sweetly, trying her best to avoid being locked onto by Zong Shou’s sword intent while ensuring Zong Shou’s killing intent had dissipated. “Xiaoxiao merely wished to offer a little assistance, but an unexpected event occurred. Junior Brother Han treated me extremely well.”

Zong Shou sighed inwardly. People of the Demonic Path were always like this; they could never truly achieve greatness. They schemed against each other, even engaging in fratricide. They might cooperate against an external enemy, but without the threat of extinction, they would fall into chaos. Zong Shou even suspected that if he hadn't continually destroyed the Golden Statues of the World-Ending Revered Gods, the Supreme Demon might not have cared about the fallen Demonic Sects at all.

“It would not be inappropriate for the Saintess to borrow this lonely one’s hand to kill someone—”

Zong Shou’s eyes remained filled with doubt. “But your method was far too obvious. Do you truly believe the Demon Lords behind you couldn't see through it?”

“Is My Lord accusing Xiaoxiao? Xiaoxiao dares not bear the crime of plotting against a sect brother.” Su Xiaoxiao refuted seriously, the smile in her eyes deepening. “Even a sovereign cannot spout slander. Xiaoxiao will absolutely not admit to it!”

Zong Shou raised an eyebrow, completely bewildered. However, those nearby Demonic Venerables hadn't shown much reaction, even when Han Qing was about to die. No strong anger had permeated his consciousness. Recalling the usual methods of these Demonic cultivators, Zong Shou felt a measure of understanding. Han Qing’s rise was indeed good news for the Heaven Demon Firmament Realm, but perhaps not for the other sects. In the eyes of those Demon Lords, Han Qing might well have been a thorn in their side. What Su Xiaoxiao did today might have offended some, but it likely pleased many other Demonic cultivators. In any case, there must be a deeper meaning involved—

“My Lord knows Su Xiaoxiao is the Saintess of the Heaven Demon Firmament Realm, but perhaps you don’t know that my physique is peculiar; I possess the legendary Myriad Spirit Primordial Embryo.”

Su Xiaoxiao tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Her words seemed almost explanatory to Zong Shou.

Hearing this, Zong Shou’s expression immediately became odd, and he subconsciously glanced at Su Xiaoxiao’s smooth abdomen. He had heard of the Myriad Spirit Primordial Embryo physique. While it brought no direct benefit to the woman herself, if the parents possessed decent talent, any child born to such a mother was guaranteed to be a first-rate cultivation genius. Legend held that Xi Zi’s mother was such a figure, though whether this was true was unknown.

Seeing Zong Shou’s gaze, Su Xiaoxiao showed no embarrassment and giggled. “Junior Brother Han was chosen by the elders as Xiaoxiao’s husband. But Xiaoxiao is much fonder of My Lord! If My Lord is willing, Xiaoxiao would gladly offer herself on the silken pillows.”