Feng Wukang slightly raised the tip of his sword. Immovable as a towering mountain, after achieving the Condensing Pill stage and the nascent formation of his demonic body, his Star Radiance Grand Annihilation Sword Art had finally broken through the former single-star level, entering the realm of star clusters.
The technique he was currently employing was the star cluster supreme art of the Star Radiance Grand Annihilation Sword Art.
Beidou!
Nandou governs life. Beidou governs death.
This move, Beidou, was an ultimate killing sword art designed for complete annihilation. Under this sword strike, any enemy, regardless of their nature, was destined for death, as unchangeable as the cycle of heaven and earth or the shift of the stars.
This sword technique also placed exceedingly high demands on the practitioner. Feng Zikang had grasped the essential sword intent during his breakthrough to the Condensing Pill stage, but executing it remained beyond his full capability. It was only now, under the bombardment of Master Wuguo Chan's hundred-and-eight fierce techniques and divine abilities, that he had accidentally forged his demonic body, giving him the necessary confidence to unleash this Beidou strike without harming himself.
This sword was cast forth immediately against the defense of the ancient wondrous artifact, the Demon Summoning Banner!
Feng Zikang's expression was grave; he could not predict the outcome. He only felt a profound weight pressing upon the Sky-Swallowing Ancient Sword in his grasp, a vast, heaven-and-earth-encompassing power slowly taking shape.
Mu Canglang’s gaze also grew serious. He could clearly sense the terrifying force of death emanating from Feng Zikang’s Sky-Swallowing Ancient Sword. Under normal circumstances, he would never dare meet such a strike head-on. But now, protected by the Demon Summoning Banner, he grit his teeth and held fast.
“A treasure bestowed by the Venerable One—surely it can withstand this single strike?”
Seeing that Mu Canglang neither evaded nor dodged, Feng Zikang smiled faintly and sighed, “Disciple Canglang, since you possess such confidence, let us settle this with this one sword!”
“Tianshu!”
As Feng Zikang roared the name, a star lamp ignited in the sky. This Tianshu star usually shone faintly, but now, driven by the Star Radiance Grand Annihilation Sword Art, it blazed with brilliance, almost eclipsing the light of the moon, bathing the northern heavens in radiance and even obscuring the light of Polaris.
“Hmph, actually drawing upon the power of the celestial network…”
Mu Canglang’s face shifted slightly. If Feng Zikang could draw down the power of the Milky Way and the myriad stars to strike, even Mu Canglang, in full control of the Demon Summoning Banner, would be unable to resist. However, he doubted Feng Zikang possessed such power.
“The application of the celestial network power is inherently the strength of our Demon Race. What can you mere humans possibly comprehend of it?”
Hearing this, a thought stirred in Feng Zikang’s mind. Ancient legends held that the Lord of the Demon Race controlled the Great Heavenly Constellation Array, mastering the power of the myriad stars with boundless divine abilities. And this Star Radiance Grand Annihilation Sword Art, created by Gongzi Yi Wu, used star power to counter star power—its ultimate technique shattering the countless stars of the heavens—was supposedly meant to annihilate the one hundred and thirty-five thousand stellar lights of the Heavenly Network. What connection did his sword art have with the Demon Race?
The origins of Gongzi Yi Wu himself were deeply mysterious; Feng Zikang wondered if he had any ties to the Demon Race. When Feng Zikang’s master, Ye Tiansheng, achieved the Nascent Soul stage, he had ventured out to explore this matter; perhaps there would be some findings…
Feng Zikang recalled Ye Tiansheng’s perilous journey and felt a flicker of worry, but he shook his head, tossing that concern aside. Currently, dealing with the enemy before him was paramount!
“Tianxuan!”
Another bright star lit up, shining in harmony with the previous Tianshu. The northern sky was now bright, unlike the deep night.
“Tianji!”
“Tianquan!”
“Yuheng!”
“Kaichi!”
Feng Zikang called out repeatedly. Six of the seven stars of the Big Dipper lit up in succession. He felt his own bones creaking; the supreme stellar power acting upon him felt like ten thousand soaring peaks trying to crush him, or a deep-sea vortex attempting to tear his body apart. If he had not forged his demonic body, he would likely have already collapsed under the strain!
He gritted his teeth, finding it difficult even to lift his sword tip, yet he forced himself to endure!
“I never imagined the physical requirements of Beidou were this extreme. The might of the celestial network power far exceeds my expectations! Had I not achieved the demonic body, I would have been burst apart by this stellar energy, unable to complete this move.”
He was inwardly horrified. The combined force of just the Big Dipper was already so terrifying. If the power of all the stars in the sky—all one hundred and thirty-five thousand—could truly be channeled into a single body, what an overwhelming force that would be! If he could truly execute that, then the claim of annihilating the stars would surely not be mere hyperbole!
“Who exactly was this Gongzi Yi Wu, to create such heaven-defying sword techniques? It’s a pity he could only ever utilize the techniques one by one—a mere thirteen hundred and five stellar moves. If he could truly fuse them into one, as Huo Zhongguang witnessed, perhaps heaven and earth could be destroyed by this single sword, and he wouldn't have been besieged and killed by the forces of the Three Teachings and the Nine Schools!”
His admiration for Gongzi Yi Wu only deepened. He suppressed his physical discomfort and roared,
“Yaoguang!”
The final star of the Big Dipper in the northern sky ignited. The light of the seven stars seemed to resonate, producing a sound like thunder. The seven colored lights merged into a single, massive orb, which suddenly plummeted like a meteor, hurtling directly toward Feng Zikang’s head!
“Hah!”
Feng Zikang forced his sword tip upward, eyes tightly shut, intending to use the Sky-Swallowing Ancient Sword to withstand the Beidou stellar power and unleash the inevitable death blow!
“Come on!”
Mu Canglang gripped the Demon Summoning Banner and roared, looking utterly frenzied. Under the immense pressure of the stellar energy, his face turned purplish-blue. Even within the shadow of the banner, he felt the crushing force. The lesser demons and sprites the banner had previously summoned were all stunned by the endless stellar energy and lay prostrate on the ground, daring not to advance further!
“Beidou!”
As Feng Zikang’s sword tip made contact with the massive stellar light, he swiftly swept it aside. The body of the Sky-Swallowing Ancient Sword emitted a dazzling radiance, and a sharp white beam, as if indestructible, shot straight toward Mu Canglang’s throat!
The manner of this strike appeared identical to the test attacks Feng Zikang had performed earlier, but the power contained within was leagues apart!
After releasing this strike, Feng Zikang let out a soft groan. His face paled, and his legs buckled, causing him to sink to the ground! Looking up, he saw the white light collide instantly with the shadow of the Demon Summoning Banner, resulting in a deafening explosion.
“No… Impossible…”
Amidst the thunderous blast, Mu Canglang’s heart-wrenching scream could be heard!
Rocks shattered, and smoke billowed into the air, shrouding Qingfeng Mountain in dust until nothing could be clearly seen for a long time.
Feng Zikang was unconcerned. He sat cross-legged on the ground, slowly regulating his breath. Releasing that attack had drained a significant portion of his true essence. Even his demonic body had suffered considerable shock. Whether the attack succeeded or failed, recovering quickly was the priority.
After a considerable period, the dust slowly settled, revealing a single, solitary flagpole standing amidst the debris!
Feng Zikang’s pupils contracted sharply!
The Demon Summoning Banner remained firmly planted in the ground, completely unharmed! This ancient wondrous artifact was indeed not simple! Under the impact of the sword art drawing upon the combined power of the Big Dipper, it remained unscathed; the already fragmented banner face hadn't even gained a single new tear!
“Good…”
Mu Canglang had collapsed nearby. He had been knocked clear outside the protective shadow of the Demon Summoning Banner, evidently unable to withstand the massive shock of the impact, and had fallen unconscious.
Feng Zikang chuckled softly. This battle today had finally resulted in a decisive victory over Mu Canglang through sheer force. Once he extracted his primordial spirit core and ensured Mu Canglang’s absolute obedience, future matters would be much simpler.
He walked over to Mu Canglang, pulled him up, and seeing he was still unconscious, felt no rush, merely smiling faintly.
Feng Zikang turned back to look at the now standing Demon Summoning Banner and nodded lightly. This object was an unexpected bonus. Such an ancient artifact, even without knowing its exact purpose, would certainly find a place in his own Profound Realm. He could ask the Turtle Child later; perhaps this item could serve a specific function. After all, it possessed the ability to summon demons, and Feng Zikang’s current Profound Realm had need of anyone—be they human or demon—who could be recruited for labor. Perhaps planting it in the center of the Profound Realm would actually serve this purpose?
Feng Zikang smiled slightly and reached out to retrieve the Demon Summoning Banner.
“Poof!”
Before his fingers even touched the flagpole, the banner spat out a plume of black smoke, attempting to force him back.
“Oh, you still don’t welcome me?”
Feng Zikang sneered. This was within his expectations. The Demon Summoning Banner had always been in the hands of the Demon Race; for it to fall into human hands, this banner, which had existed for millennia, must possess an inviolable pride. But no matter how proud, a banner was ultimately just an implement; how could it resist a determined individual?
Feng Zikang flicked his sleeve, sweeping the black smoke aside, and then snatched the pole.
“So cold!”
As Feng Zikang gripped the flagpole, he felt an intense coldness in his palm, causing him to wonder. The pole was neither metal nor wood; he couldn't tell what material it was forged from, but it was astonishingly cold and hard, exceeding his expectations. He paid it no mind, however. He placed his other hand on it and pulled upward with both hands.
“Hngh!”
In his grasp, the Demon Summoning Banner weighed over a thousand pounds—a stark contrast to the effortless way Mu Canglang had wielded it earlier.
Feng Zikang smiled faintly. He hadn't expected to tame the flagpole anyway; he didn't intend to use the Demon Summoning Banner in combat, as the object caused too much commotion. If he used it in a simple duel, once the banner was erected and left for too long, it would eventually escalate into a world war. He only cared if it could serve some purpose in the construction of his Profound Realm. If not, regardless of its status as a primordial ancient artifact, it would face the fate of being stored in the vault or sent back for refinement!
Perhaps the Demon Summoning Banner sensed his thoughts, or perhaps it was subdued by his overwhelming might. It ceased its resistance and was drawn into his Qiankun Pouch.
“Now that’s behaving!”
He gave a cold laugh. He held no particular reverence for such miraculous objects; utility was the absolute prerequisite.
Feng Zikang glanced at the unconscious Mu Canglang lying on the ground, smiled calmly, lifted him up, and turned back toward the city.