Chapter 428 429: Predictive Kill
A silent bolt of lightning erupted from within the Array!
Fire Technique, lightning—instantly unleashed! Block this wave of Demon Thorns.
Li Zhixuan looked toward Chen Dong. The Chen Dong of this moment seemed different from his usual self. His left eye was sharp and bright, his right eye incisive and steady.
"Lao Chen, can you stop with these heart-stopping stunts? I don't have an inheritance left for you!"
Even he had felt it just now—the sensation that his life was about to end.
The Demon Thorns attacked again in quick succession!
Chen Dong transmitted softly, "Three breaths!"
Li Zhixuan understood instantly and began to recover.
Chen Dong held the Phoenix True Feather and waved it. A majestic Fire Phoenix flew out from the feather, circling around the group.
The Fire Technique had a significant elemental advantage against these Demon Thorns. Furthermore, it was channeled through the Phoenix True Feather, so three consecutive Demon Thorns were unable to break through their defense.
True Qi gathered frantically around Chen Dong. Lightning flickered from the tips of his hair to the hem of his clothes, and his left eye grew even brighter.
Thunder Shakes Kyushu!
Another Demon Thorn shot toward them, but at the same time, countless bolts of lightning poured down. They didn't just strike the corner of the Array where Chen Dong and his group were trapped, but spread out for dozens of yards.
A faint smile touched Chen Dong's lips. 'I've finally found you!'
Several Thunder Spears rapidly coalesced in his hand as he simultaneously transmitted to the others, "It's all in the next strike!"
Li Zhixuan hurriedly said, "Didn't you say three breaths? It's only been two!"
Chen Dong ignored him. His own True Qi reserves were nearly depleted, and the Fire Phoenix was on the verge of collapsing.
Li Zhixuan cursed under his breath, 'This Lao Chen is so unreliable!'
His Spiritual Qi had only just begun to recover, but he had no choice but to coordinate with Chen Dong. He wrapped his Void Sword Intent around the Thunder Spears Chen Dong had formed.
The Demon Thorn attacks came as expected, three times in a single breath. The only reason Chen Dong had managed to block five of them in total was thanks to the Phoenix True Feather. Without this treasure, even blocking one would have been extremely difficult.
Countless bolts of lightning poured down again, but this time was different. Hidden among them were numerous Thunder Spears. These spears landed precisely on the nodes of the interlocking Array, but they were concealed by the Void Sword Intent, making them completely undetectable as they rapidly dissipated into the black mist.
The Array came to a sudden halt, and Chen Dong's group collapsed, stumbling to the ground.
Void. Emptiness. The auras of Chen Dong and his companions were likewise concealed by the Void Technique.
The Array had stopped. The Demon Race member who had been lying in wait slowly approached. The vacant, lifeless appearance of the group didn't arouse its suspicion.
That these humans had lasted so long was already beyond its expectations. The wait had made it impatient. After dealing with them, it still had to see if there were any other Human Race Cultivators in the black mist.
It had immense confidence in its trap. This was, after all, the infamous Three-Element Demon Spike Extreme Array. For a thousand years, no group of fewer than five Golden Core cultivators from the Human Race had ever escaped it. It had always been invincible.
Because of this, it strode casually toward Chen Dong and the others.
Twenty yards… fifteen… ten. 'So this is a Demon Race monster? Pitch-black and covered in Scale Armor?'
Chen Dong's Divine Sense had already perceived it. It had a long, dragging tail, a pair of wings on its back, and scarlet eyes. Sharp barbs protruded from its joints, such as its shoulders and elbows. Chen Dong had never seen such a creature. It emanated a vile Demonic Qi that preyed on the mind, as if it could twist a person's very Dao Heart.
Seven yards… three… The distance was now extremely close. Even through the black mist, Chen Dong's perception could feel the nauseating aura that tempted one toward demonic corruption.
Just then, the five Foundation Establishment disciples trembled uncontrollably.
Chen Dong and Li Zhixuan both thought, 'This is bad!'
Without a moment's hesitation, Li Zhixuan's azure Spirit Sword shot out, carrying an incomparably sharp killing intent. This was a deathblow from a Daoist.
But the Demon Race creature was still alerted. The instant the five disciples trembled, it shot backward at extreme speed.
Chen Dong and Li Zhixuan both only had enough Spiritual Qi for one final strike. They had planned to kill it once it was within three yards, but their target had been alerted.
A sinister look appeared on the demon's savage face. It hadn't expected these people to feign death to lure it out. As it retreated, it frantically tried to activate the Array. Two of the people in this group had the power to kill it, but as long as the Trapping Array was active, it had no fear of being tied down by them.
Besides, with the black mist obstructing their five senses and Divine Sense, this sword strike, though filled with killing intent, would eventually lose its momentum. It wouldn't be enough to kill it!
'The Five Senses Calming Flower is about to mature,' it thought. 'Worst case, I'll just trap these people in the Array. It's fine if I can't kill them. As long as the Young Master gets the Divine Flower and refines it, we'll no longer have to fear being hunted by those Nascent Soul Stage experts. There will be plenty of blood to feast on then!'
Suddenly, terror erupted in its scarlet eyes. 'Why isn't the Trapping Array working?!'
At the same time, a terrifying heat that could incinerate all creation flared up behind it.
"How could this be…"
It never imagined, even in death, how such a terrifying Fire Technique could have hit it so precisely when it had clearly escaped the range of their Divine Sense.
The Phoenix True Flame Technique, activated by the Phoenix True Feather, was already incredibly difficult for a Golden Core Stage expert to block. Moreover, the flames had a powerful suppressive effect on the Demon Race. Coming as a complete surprise to the demon, a single burst of flame was all it took to kill it instantly.
In Chen Dong's sea of consciousness, the Saint Dao, Asura Dao, and Yellow Springs Dao all grew by a noticeable amount. Chen Dong was surprised by the amount of fluorescent light a single Mid-stage Golden Core demon provided.
That's right, this demon was only at the Mid-stage Golden Core. That was why, even though its Divine Sense was stronger than the group's, it had remained hidden.
After the demon was burned to ashes, a crimson Liuli bead fell to the ground. Chen Dong picked it up. This thing was different from a Human Race's Golden Core; it had no aura whatsoever, appearing like an ordinary object.
Chen Dong slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he had returned to his normal appearance. From within his Jade Embryo, Mu Qingzhu's voice transmitted, "Remember this. You owe me another life!"