Chapter 1425: Is He Not The Strongest Combatant

"This person is only at the early stage of the Desolate Realm's Law. He's not even worth our effort. Let Niu Shadi take the credit."

"Hmph, Niu Shadi always manages to be at the forefront. This time, he's stumbled upon ready-made merit. What luck!"

"Don't be fooled by this old ox's thick eyebrows and big eyes. His cunning grows deeper by the day!"

"What's the use of cunning? Strength is what truly matters. If Niu Shadi can't defeat this guy within three moves, I wonder how he'll have the face to boast in the future."

"Hahaha..."

The nine great demons chuckled in the air, their tones dripping with sarcasm. Their eyes betrayed faint traces of jealousy, and they never held Jiang Yuan in high regard.

Their few words were filled with disdain.

From their tone, defeating Jiang Yuan was a foregone conclusion, something that could be done effortlessly. Niu Shadi had clearly gotten lucky, and the demons were eager to see him humiliated.

The words floating in the air only fueled Niu Shadi's rage.

Despite his anger, he knew he couldn't afford any mistakes. Gripping his giant axe tightly, he unleashed eighty percent of his power in his first strike!

"Boom!"

As the giant axe came down again, the power of the ancient Desolate Realm condensed, forming a blood-red blade that tore through the earth. In an instant, a deep canyon formed, rapidly approaching Jiang Yuan!

The terrifying momentum caused both sides to pale in fear.

The cultivators from Yunxing were nearly petrified, hiding behind the Shadow Island members with stiff legs. Even Xiong Fen and his son looked grave, feeling a sense of dread.

In contrast to the panic of the crowd, Master Lu and the others at the front remained calm and composed. Lu Qingshan and Wu Yonghong even took out ear picks and casually cleaned their ears...

As the blood-red blade grew brighter and drew closer, Jiang Yuan didn't dare to underestimate it. He gathered his cultivation and pointed a finger into the void.

"Return to Origin Finger!"

Having fully recovered his cultivation and gained new insights during his time on Shadow Island, Jiang Yuan was even more formidable than at his peak.

Though it appeared to be the same finger technique he used at the Star Lord's Mansion, its power was worlds apart!

With a single finger strike.

Boundless Dao essence surged like a vast ocean, and the power of the ancient Desolate Realm condensed into a white rainbow, shooting out amidst the waves. The thousand-zhang blood-red blade disintegrated upon contact, vanishing like rotten wood into mist!

Even more terrifying, the white rainbow didn't stop. It shot straight toward Niu Shadi!

Niu Shadi's eyes widened in shock.

"What!"

Before he could react, the white rainbow, carrying immense power, was already upon him. Niu Shadi instinctively raised his giant axe to block, but he was instantly pushed back by the force!

In an instant.

Dust filled the air, and shockwaves reverberated for thousands of miles!

Whoosh!

The mere aftermath was like a sandstorm, forcing both armies to activate their cultivation to protect themselves, shielding their eyes as they retreated!

Then, a deafening explosion shook the earth!

"Boom!!!"

Feeling the ground tremble beneath their feet, both armies were filled with terror.

When the dust settled, everyone's eyes widened in shock!

Niu Shadi had been sent flying into the demon city, leaving a terrifying indentation in the city wall. His figure was nowhere to be seen!

In just one exchange.

Not only had the humans gained the upper hand, but Niu Shadi had been utterly defeated?

Instantly.

Both armies were filled with doubt, and even the demons in the air exchanged silent glances.

The battlefield fell eerily silent.

The demon army looked at each other, as if they had seen a ghost, while the human cultivators were filled with excitement. Ancient Sage Luo Hongfei and others clenched their fists, their faces flushed with excitement!

"Elder Jiang truly lives up to his reputation as an ancient human powerhouse!"

"To witness Elder Jiang's prowess in this lifetime, I can die without regret!"

"With this battle, humanity might still have a chance!"

After just one move, the morale of both sides had completely reversed!

Hearing the excited chatter behind him, Xiong Fen and his son couldn't help but feel their hearts race. Noticing the calm expressions of Master Lu and the others at the front, they managed to steady themselves, maintaining the dignity of Shadow Island.

However, Xiong Fen's eyes were filled with fervor, and he couldn't help but ask Lu Qingshan at the front.

"Elder Lu..."

"Elder Jiang, can he really defeat that ox-headed demon? With Elder Jiang's strength, he must rank highly on Shadow Island, right?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiong Chong also looked on nervously.

He hadn't expected Jiang Yuan to be so formidable. Remembering how he used to casually call him "Old Jiang," he couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.

To his surprise.

Lu Qingshan simply blew on the earwax on his fingertip and chuckled lightly.

"Defeating that ox shouldn't be a problem."

"As for his strength, Elder Jiang is indeed impressive. But if we're talking about ranking on Shadow Island, he'd probably be in the triple digits. Whether he's ranked or not doesn't make much difference..."

Even his casual remark was something the Yunxing cultivators couldn't hear.

Only those from Shadow Island within the barrier could hear it clearly.

As his words fell, the other big shots didn't refute him. Even the ancient predecessors like Lei Qianjue nodded with a smile, their expressions humble and approving.

Seeing this.

The Xiong father and son exchanged proud glances.

"Elder Lu speaks the truth. We were too shallow!"

"Indeed, no matter how powerful someone is, they still fall short compared to Shadow Island. Words like 'crouching tiger, hidden dragon' aren't enough to describe Shadow Island's depth!"

"To be able to join Shadow Island in this lifetime is truly a great honor for us!"

"Son, you're right. Even with Elder Jiang's cultivation, he's still far from the top. It shows that we still have a long way to go. The path of cultivation is vast and endless!"

The father and son nodded in encouragement, no longer feeling the tension from before.

Even as Niu Shadi roared and charged out of the demon city, they remained composed, embodying the demeanor of Shadow Island members.

With Master Lu and the other elders holding the line, what did that ox-headed demon matter?

As for Niu Shadi.

After his humiliation, he charged out in a rage. The shattered giant axe in his hand fueled his fury, and the strange looks from the demons in the air only added to his shame.

Seeing Jiang Yuan standing calmly in the distance, his eyes finally filled with killing intent!

Once again, he activated his cultivation, decisively unleashing the Ox Demon's Divine Ability!

With his hands clasped together, a thousand-zhang phantom appeared behind him, its nostrils like the sun and moon, spewing endless demonic energy!

"Devour Heaven and Earth!"

Jiang Yuan didn't back down either. With both palms gathering the power of the ancient Desolate Realm, he unleashed a divine ability of mixed colors!

"All Laws Return to Origin!"

The second exchange caused the heavens and earth to change colors, and the use of divine abilities escalated the battle to a white-hot intensity far quicker than anyone expected. Both armies were forced to retreat again, and no living being dared to enter within a thousand miles.

At the same time, tens of thousands of divine senses from both sides were focused on the battle!

Seeing Niu Shadi use his trump card, the demons in the air also grew serious. Though there was still a hint of sarcasm in their tone, their attitude had changed.

"To use a divine ability in the second exchange! I never thought Niu Shadi would be pushed to this point!"

"This human cultivator is indeed extraordinary. No wonder he's their strongest trump card!"

"Hmph! Niu Shadi is such a waste. To use a divine ability against a human, he's truly disgracing our race!"

"In the midst of battle, let's not argue. Right now, we need to unite against a common enemy for the sake of our race's grand cause!"

"Fine. Though this battle is somewhat disgraceful, as long as he uses his divine ability, the outcome is already decided. Our race's flesh and blood are far superior to humans. Even if they're of the same rank, humans stand no chance!"

The demons in the air grew more serious. The Tree Demon Leader and the Blood Ant Leader looked grim, clearly dissatisfied with this outcome. Even if they won later, they considered it a disgrace to the demon race.

However, in the next moment.

As the two divine abilities clashed, the heavens and earth changed colors.

Not only was Jiang Yuan's body battered by chaotic currents, his gray robe stained with blood, but Niu Shadi's thousand-zhang phantom also grew increasingly blurry. Even his true body began to crack and explode!

"Boom! Boom!"

With each explosion, Niu Shadi's body was ravaged by the power of the ancient Desolate Realm. Blood spurted from his meridians, and with a muffled groan, he collapsed to the ground!

"Boom!"

As Niu Shadi fell, the phantom behind him dissipated into nothingness. Even so, the residual power of his corpse sent waves of Dao energy surging into the sky.

Instantly.

A fierce gale swept through the area, even tearing apart the gap in the demon city's walls. The demons in the air stared wide-eyed, and the entire battlefield fell into dead silence.

Niu Shadi... had lost?!

After staring at Niu Shadi's corpse for a few moments.

Even the demon leaders could no longer remain calm, their voices filled with shock and doubt!

"This is impossible!"

"How could a mere human defeat Niu Shadi, who used a divine ability?!"

"Could it be that this person has also reached the peak of the early Desolate Realm's Law?!"

"Even so, his cultivation isn't superior to Niu Shadi's. There's no way he could win unless his comprehension of divine abilities surpasses Niu Shadi's!"

"Could there really be such a monstrously talented individual among humans? This is impossible!"

After a few moments of shock, the demon army began to show signs of panic.

Witnessing Niu Shadi's defeat dealt a significant blow to the entire demon race. Even the other nine great demons looked on in shock, their previous confidence shattered.

After a long while.

The demons seemed to barely regain their composure. Looking at Jiang Yuan, who stood proudly on the ground, their eyes couldn't help but show a trace of fear. Seeing the shocking amount of blood covering his body, they gradually began to laugh sinisterly.

"This person's talent is indeed remarkable. He truly lives up to being humanity's trump card!"

"I never expected humanity to have such depth. We underestimated these lowly creatures! To be honest, in terms of talent alone, even I feel somewhat inferior. I would call him the strongest human in history."

"Though he's strong, he's just one person. The overall outcome is already decided!"

"Exactly! This strongest trump card has no more fight left. Humanity has no choice but to surrender!"

"In the end, our race is the one that has dominated throughout history!"

"Jiejiejie..."

As the demon leaders laughed, the demon army regained their ferocious demeanor. Sinister laughter spread throughout the dark lands, making the human cultivators feel stifled.

Elder Jiang had done his best!

But alas, only Jiang Yuan had reached such a level. Humanity's last hope was about to be extinguished. It was a pity that their own cultivation was too shallow to turn the tide!

Many Yunxing cultivators looked on with shame and unwillingness, clenching their fists with a determination to fight to the death!

At that moment.

Jiang Yuan, who had been standing silently, suddenly let out a weak laugh.

"Haha..."

"Who said I was the strongest combatant? You petty demons, aren't you celebrating too soon?"

As soon as these words were spoken.

The tens of thousands of Yunxing cultivators looked up in shock, and the countless demonic figures in the air were also stunned. All the sinister laughter suddenly stopped, and the entire battlefield fell into an eerie silence.

At that moment.

Both sides were filled with doubt, unable to believe what they had just heard.

A being as monstrous as Jiang Yuan... wasn't humanity's strongest combatant?!

That couldn't be!

Just as doubt began to rise in their hearts.

Master Lu suddenly began to walk forward slowly. His movements were unhurried, but they gripped the attention of tens of thousands of divine senses from both sides, causing eyes to widen in shock!

Even the nine great demons in the air felt a sudden tremor in their hearts.

An extremely ominous premonition silently spread throughout the entire demon race!

Under the gaze of countless eyes.

Master Lu steadily stepped onto the battlefield. He clasped his fists in salute to Jiang Yuan, then handed him a pill and stood protectively in front of him. Finally, he slowly looked up at the sky with a calm and composed expression.

His actions and demeanor stunned the entire demon race, and even the Yunxing cultivators were left breathless.

Without uttering a single word, the dark lands suddenly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop!