Chapter 1426: The Key To Victory

The great battle took another unexpected turn.

Master Lu stepped forward alone, and the scene suddenly became tense.

Even though a massive army of demons had gathered, and nine great demon lords loomed in the sky, he showed no fear, standing calmly between the two armies.

Though he appeared to be standing alone, his presence was as imposing as an insurmountable chasm, striking awe into all who beheld him. Even Jiang Yuan, whom he shielded behind him, felt his eyes grow hot with emotion and bowed in gratitude, his heart filled with remorse.

"Thank you, Master Lu, for your assistance."

"My cultivation is limited, and I could only offer a meager effort to test the depths of these demons. I nearly became a laughingstock among them. Even as a mere pawn, I feel inadequate and deeply ashamed."

At this moment, Jiang Yuan was covered in blood, but he could take pride in having fought fiercely and emerged victorious. His actions were worthy of the ancient sages, yet even after all he had done, he remained humble before Master Lu.

Master Lu, too, was deeply impressed by the demeanor of this elder and clasped his hands in respect.

"Elder Jiang, you speak too modestly."

"Knowing the strength of the demons, you still stepped forward bravely and fought with all your might, shedding blood for the sake of our human race. You are a true exemplar for our generation."

"Please retreat and recuperate for now. Leave the rest to us."

As the two exchanged respectful bows, the spirit of the ancient predecessors from the Starry Cloud Sect was silently passed on to Master Lu and the other contemporary experts. In that moment, the torch of responsibility was handed over seamlessly.

This scene moved many cultivators to tears, their blood boiling with fervor!

Even Lei Qianjue and other ancient predecessors were itching to join the fray. If not for their slightly inferior cultivation, they would have already charged into battle!

Though humans are naturally frail, lacking the robust flesh of other races, the endless fighting spirit and unyielding will passed down through generations have never faded with time.

With just one appearance, Master Lu, stepping forward, reignited the morale of the human cultivators!

In contrast, the demons grew increasingly wary. The inherently brutal demon armies, usually fearless, were now intimidated by the solitary figure of Master Lu, hesitating and exchanging uneasy glances, none daring to advance.

From a distance, the corpse of Niu Shadi continued to emit demonic energy, and the remaining minotaurs, their eyes filled with panic, began to retreat, their once fearless demeanor shattered.

This behavior was a disgrace to the demon race, immediately drawing curses from the other demon clans.

"Scoundrels!"

"The minotaurs are the vanguard! How can you retreat in the face of the enemy!"

"With Niu Shadi fallen, the entire minotaur clan has lost its courage!"

"What a bunch of cowards!"

No sooner had the curses begun than the minotaurs turned their bull-like eyes and roared back!

"Shut your filthy mouths!"

"We are the vanguard, not fools! Even that human expert showed great respect for this man. He must be the strongest among the humans. How can we possibly face him?"

"You blind old tree roots, if you want to die, go ahead and charge in yourselves!"

The massive demon army buzzed with chaos, and within moments, the once orderly ranks descended into disarray, losing all semblance of their former dominance over the starry skies. From above, they now resembled nothing more than a disorderly swarm of insignificant insects.

It seemed that the demon army's morale was on the verge of collapse!

It had been countless years since the demons had faced such an embarrassing situation.

The nine demon lords in the sky watched with cold eyes, their expressions growing complex. Glancing at the chaotic scene below, the tree demon leader scrutinized Master Lu with increasing wariness, his wrinkled face darkening.

He spoke slowly, his tone unusually grave.

"This human's aura seems no weaker than mine."

As soon as he finished speaking, the blood ant leader, radiating a sinister glow, nodded solemnly.

"Indeed..."

"I never expected the humans to still have such a trump card. It seems we have underestimated this lowly race!"

The other demon lords also murmured in agreement. Though they were usually at odds with one another, they now found themselves united in their concern over the pressure Master Lu was exerting on their forces.

"Gentlemen."

"Let us set aside our personal grievances for now and focus on dealing with this human. Once this is over, we can discuss the distribution of the minotaur clan's territory."

"I agree!"

"I concur as well!"

"This human has undoubtedly reached the initial stage of the Law Realm, possibly even the Great Perfection. I propose that the strongest among us, the Nether Emperor, take the lead in this battle!"

"Agreed. The Nether Emperor possesses the Blood Ant Clan's Bloodburst Technique, and his armor rivals the finest ancient artifacts. In terms of both offense and defense, he is the strongest among us. We must give this battle our all and not allow any further mistakes!"

The demon lords discussed their strategy with solemn expressions, their attitudes a stark contrast to their earlier arrogance. From time to time, they glanced nervously into the depths of the darkness, a flicker of unease in their eyes.

Seeing that the Demon Sovereign had yet to speak, the blood ant leader finally nodded, his massive ant-like form beginning to radiate a terrifying aura, signaling his readiness to unleash his full power.

At that moment, the gloomy high priest suddenly raised his ebony staff.

"Wait!"

Though the high priest's combat prowess was limited, his status was lofty, and his words carried great weight, immediately drawing the attention of the nine demon lords.

The nine lords looked at him with curiosity.

They noticed that the high priest's eyes were filled with doubt, and his expression was deeply troubled.

"In my humble opinion, there is something unusual about these humans."

"The previous human displayed profound mastery of divine abilities, even defeating Niu Shadi. Such talent far exceeds what humans are capable of. And now, there is an even stronger presence among them. This is truly baffling."

"I have a sudden, ominous suspicion..."

"Is this human truly the strongest among them? Or is it possible that he is not the strongest, and an even more powerful figure will appear later?"

"To avoid any mishaps, I suggest that all of you attack together and end this battle swiftly, lest we face unforeseen complications."

As his hoarse voice echoed, the expressions of the nine demon lords shifted from surprise to disbelief, and finally to outright amusement.

"Eh..."

"An even stronger existence? Is that even human?"

"High Priest, have you also lost your courage?"

"Though this human is strong, he must be the limit of human capability. There is no way a human could surpass our race!"

"High Priest, you are overthinking this. The Nether Emperor alone is more than enough to handle this human!"

"For humans to possess such strength is already an anomaly. How could there be an even stronger one? High Priest, you are being overly cautious. It seems age has caught up with you!"

"Hahaha..."

By the end, the nine demon lords were laughing uncontrollably, as if they had just heard the greatest joke.

Just as the demon lords were laughing, a cold voice emanated from the depths of the darkness!

"Follow the High Priest's advice. All of you attack together without holding back!"

The Demon Sovereign had finally spoken.

His low voice carried a clear note of irritation and a hint of coldness, as if he were disappointed with the nine demon lords and could not accept the current state of the battle.

Instantly, the nine demon lords shuddered and bowed in acknowledgment, not daring to utter another word.

In the next moment!

The nine demon lords descended to the battlefield.

Their combined auras swept across the surroundings, and their terrifying presence caused the ground to tremble. Even the distant demon capital shook, its cracked walls crumbling further!

The massive demon army was forced back by the overwhelming pressure, but the bloodlust and madness in their eyes were reignited!

"The Nether Emperor has made his move!"

"Lord Bantan of the Two-Faced God Clan has also joined the fight!"

"All the lords are attacking together! In all my years, I have never seen such a spectacle!"

"This time, no matter how strong that puny human is, he will surely perish here!"

"Kekeke!"

Suddenly, countless demons began to roar, amplifying the already terrifying atmosphere. The sky was filled with visible waves of malevolent energy, and even the residual pressure from afar caused many cultivators to feel their hearts tremble.

Those with weaker cultivation even coughed up blood.

Fortunately, several ancient comrades around Jiang Yuan acted together, using their cultivation to shield against the pressure and barely stabilizing the morale of the Starry Cloud Sect's forces.

However, as they watched the nine demonic figures descend, each radiating various divine abilities, many tightened their grips on their weapons, their faces pale with fear.

Even Xiong Fen and his son, though slightly nervous, turned to Jiang Yuan for guidance.

"Old Jiang..."

"Do you think Master Lu can defeat these monsters?"

"These demons are shameless, ganging up on one person. They have no honor!"

Lei Qianjue and several other ancient sages nodded in agreement, spitting toward the distant battlefield.

"Manager Xiong is right. The demons have no honor!"

"These bastards are utterly shameless!"

In a one-on-one fight, they had full confidence in Master Lu. After all, as a senior from Shadow Island, dealing with a few minotaurs and tree demons should be no problem.

But now, the situation had changed, and the level of power involved far exceeded their understanding. Even Xiong Fen and his son, with their limited cultivation, could no longer grasp the full picture.

Jiang Yuan, after a moment of rest, still looked pale, but his breathing had stabilized.

He nodded slowly, his voice tinged with concern.

"Manager Xiong, the outcome of this battle is hard to predict."

"The demons have inherently strong bodies, giving them a natural advantage. In battles at the Law Realm, divine abilities are the key. Facing unknown divine techniques, their superior defense makes them nearly invincible."

"To defeat the demons, one would need even stronger divine abilities. It's embarrassing to admit, but my previous victory was only possible due to a divine ability I inherited from an ancient era and some new insights I gained on the island. It was sheer luck."

"The outcome of this battle depends on Master Lu's mastery of divine abilities. Unfortunately, I am too exhausted to assist, and I have no idea what divine abilities Master Lu possesses..."

As he spoke, Jiang Yuan's face was filled with regret and worry.

Xiong Fen and his son, however, seemed to have gained some clarity, murmuring to each other.

"So stronger divine abilities could lead to victory?"

"That means, when cultivating to the higher stages of the Law Realm, divine abilities are the key to victory. We should focus on that in the future!"

"Son, you're right. Divine abilities are the core of cultivation! But I wonder, are inherited divine abilities stronger, or are self-realized ones better?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Jiang Yuan was struck as if by lightning, his eyes widening in shock as he looked up.

"Self-realized divine abilities...?"

"Could Master Lu...?"

At that very moment!

The distant battlefield erupted with thunderous roars as the nine demon lords attacked simultaneously, their combined power surging toward Master Lu like a tidal wave, threatening to engulf the elderly figure!