Chapter 1427: Reckless Words

The nine great demon lords took the initiative to strike, their movements as swift as thunder!

Among them, the Phantom Spirit Clan and the Dual-Faced Demon Clan were exceptionally fast. In the blink of an eye, their two leaders had already appeared in front of Elder Lu.

One wielded a massive staff several zhang long, while the other's fingers were curled into claws. Terrifying demonic energy, like ghostly flames, enveloped their bodies as they launched a fierce assault from both sides.

It seemed as though Elder Lu was about to be reduced to ashes!

In that split second.

Suddenly!

Two figures appeared on either side of Elder Lu. Each of them raised their fists and palms, intercepting the deadly attacks of the two demon lords. Against all odds, they managed to block the fatal strikes!

The collision of four terrifying auras created a shockwave that reverberated throughout the dark realm!

"Boom!"

In an instant, an even more powerful shockwave spread in all directions. The converging waves of ancient power shot straight into the dark clouds, resembling a meteor shower that illuminated the countless horrified faces of both armies!

Just one exchange of blows, and the aftershocks had already caused the demonic capital, Black City, to tremble even more. Wails and cries echoed endlessly.

As the dust settled.

The four figures locked in a stalemate finally became visible to everyone.

The two demon lords were continuously unleashing their power, yet their attacks couldn't advance an inch. On the other hand, the two old men who had suddenly appeared looked calm and composed, as if they hadn't even exerted their full strength.

Witnessing this scene, both armies were filled with shock and doubt!

The stalemate lasted only a few moments.

The two demon clan leaders suddenly retreated, their expressions grave. The other demon lords behind them also exchanged puzzled glances, their eyes filled with suspicion.

"How could they so easily block the attacks of those two?"

"The cultivation of these two humans must at least be at the initial stage of the Ancient Realm!"

"Are there really other experts? Did the Grand Priest's words come true?"

"With these two, the humans now have a total of four experts at the initial stage of the Ancient Realm. Although far inferior to our clan, it's still impressive. How can mere humans have such depth?!"

"Strange things keep happening. Could there be even more experts among them?"

As doubts continued to arise, the expressions of the nine demon lords grew complex. After their initial assault was blocked, they began to scrutinize the human formation more carefully.

In just a few moments, the demon lords' expressions turned solemn, and the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.

The demon army was also shocked by this turn of events, their eyes fixed on the few old men on the battlefield.

Under the gaze of the demons.

Elder Lu remained calm and composed, showing no signs of exertion. Lu Qingshan and Wu Yonghong, who had just intervened, also appeared relaxed and at ease.

Casually brushing off the remnants of ancient power from their hands, they turned their gaze toward the demon lords.

"Big Scroll and the other seniors were right. You demons really have no sense of honor, ganging up and launching sneak attacks as soon as you see us!"

"Shameless demons, let us old brothers give you a lesson!"

As their voices echoed.

A few more figures stepped forward steadily. Besides Lei Qianjue and the other four ancient beings, there was also a plainly dressed middle-aged woman who looked like a vegetable seller.

The group's appearance was quite peculiar, and their combination seemed somewhat odd.

However, with their initial sneak attack having been blocked and now being challenged so confidently, it seemed they indeed had some strength.

Unconsciously, the nine demon lords grew even more serious.

Even though the lineup before them was strange, based on their tens of thousands of years of battle experience, they decided to carefully assess the situation, no longer daring to underestimate the humans.

After a few moments of scrutiny, the demon lords' eyes widened in even greater surprise.

"This..."

"These humans, their auras are anything but ordinary!"

"Who would have thought that humans could possess such depth? We were careless earlier and didn't notice so many experts at the initial stage of the Ancient Realm!"

"Damn it! These humans are truly cunning, hiding their auras to play the weak and devour the strong!"

"Fortunately, the Grand Priest warned us in time, or we might have fallen into their trap!"

"The Grand Priest's wisdom is truly admirable."

Amidst their shock, the demon lords looked up at the sky, their previously arrogant attitudes replaced with respect as they nodded in admiration.

The Grand Priest finally gained some face and, with a smile, clasped his hands and spoke.

"You flatter me, leaders."

"This old man has merely lived a few more years and gained some experience. Anticipating such a simple trick of feigning weakness is not worthy of such praise."

As he spoke, the Grand Priest turned and bowed, taking the opportunity to flatter the figure deep within the dark clouds.

"When it comes to wisdom, no one in the entire universe can compare to the Demon Lord! These insignificant humans, surrounded and unaware, still dare to play tricks, thinking they can win. It's truly laughable!"

"Little do they know, in the face of absolute power, their petty schemes are nothing more than the delusions of ants, utterly useless!"

As soon as these words were spoken.

The Demon Lord, who had been silent until now, seemed somewhat pleased and issued a calm order.

"The Grand Priest speaks wisely."

"Even if the humans have some depth, slightly exceeding my expectations, it won't affect the overall situation. Our clan still has you nine leaders, while they only have eight. Judging by their auras, the strongest among them is only at the peak of the initial stage of the Ancient Realm. Whether in numbers or cultivation, our clan holds the absolute advantage!"

"Moreover, all of you are the elite of our clan, your divine abilities far surpassing those of humans. As long as you exert your full strength, the outcome of this battle is already decided!"

"Quickly deal with these humans. Do not disappoint me again."

The Grand Priest bowed respectfully, and the nine demon lords were completely convinced.

"Your wisdom is unparalleled, my lord!"

As the gloomy voice spread through the sky, the dark realm grew even colder.

With just a few words, the Demon Lord had stabilized the battle situation, pinpointing the key to victory. His wisdom and foresight were indeed unmatched. Without even appearing, he had already orchestrated everything from behind the scenes.

Instantly.

The demon army's morale soared, their confidence skyrocketing. The nine demon lords' eyes gleamed with newfound assurance.

That calm smile, so different from their previous arrogance, was a sign of genuine confidence from within.

The nine demon lords exchanged smiles and stepped forward together.

"Boom!"

An unprecedented sense of oppression swept over them. The brief light in the sky was swallowed by endless dark energy, and the overwhelming pressure filled the air.

The leader of the demons, the Nether Emperor, let out a sinister laugh, his massive pincers glowing ominously.

"Kekeke..."

"You humans are truly despicable. Knowing your own weakness, you hide so many experts at the initial stage of the Ancient Realm and play this game of feigning weakness!"

"Unfortunately, even with this, you cannot change your fate of destruction!"

"Our clan's physical strength is unparalleled, and we possess divine abilities passed down through our bloodline. We are the natural rulers of the universe, destined to dominate all!"

"The gap in talent ensures that you can never attain stronger divine abilities. No amount of scheming can bridge that gap. Today, we will show you ants what true bloodline divine abilities are!"

"Despair, tremble!!!"

As the Nether Emperor roared with laughter, the nine demon lords simultaneously activated their cultivation.

Their already terrifying auras surged once more, and various phantom-like divine abilities manifested. The pressure they exerted was now several times greater than before. The Nether Emperor's body began to expand, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into a hundred-zhang-tall giant ant!

His body was covered in a dark, shimmering light, and from a distance, it seemed to radiate a brilliance no less than that of a treasure. The aura he exuded swept out like a hurricane, instantly engulfing even the ordinary Ox Demons behind him!

Witnessing such a terrifying creature.

Even though they were thousands of miles away from the battlefield, using their spiritual senses to observe the battle, Luo Hongfei and the other Cloud Star cultivators were pale with fear, feeling as helpless as ants.

The gap was simply too vast!

The aftershocks alone caused their blood and qi to churn violently. Tens of thousands of years of arduous cultivation now seemed like a joke, as weak as a speck of dust in the vast ocean, utterly insignificant.

This was the level of high-tier Ancient Realm combat.

Even Saints and Heaven-tier experts might perish just from watching the battle!

After only a few moments of observation.

The Cloud Star cultivators fell into a deathly silence, frozen in place, unable to move!

They could only stare nervously, placing all their hopes on Elder Lu and the others, silently praying for a miracle.

However.

As Luo Hongfei and the others strained their spiritual senses, they discovered that even the four ancient seniors looked grave!

On the battlefield.

Lei Qianjue and his companions stared intently at the massive figure before them. Even though their cultivation had been fully restored, they were still shaken by the terrifying divine abilities. Experiencing the aftershocks firsthand, they felt as though they were facing a formidable enemy!

Staring at the giant form of the Blood Ant leader, beads of sweat formed on Lei Qianjue's temples.

He glanced at his companions, his expression growing even more solemn.

"This is the legendary bloodline divine ability of the demons..."

"Such a being, we may not be a match for them!"

The others also looked wary, their aged fists clenched tightly within their sleeves.

"Damn it!"

"Why are these demons so powerful?!"

"Elder Jiang actually managed to defeat one of them, surpassing even his feats from the time he blocked the demonic path. Truly worthy of the title of ancient sage. I am completely convinced today, only regretting that my own talent is limited and I cannot slay demons to uphold justice!"

"Fellow Daoists, do not lose heart. So what if the demons are strong? Today, even if we must die, we will take one of them with us!"

"Indeed, even if we cannot defeat these demons one-on-one, we will fight to the death to buy some time for the people of Shadow Island!"

"Preserving the hope of humanity is the only thing we can do. It will not be in vain that we have endured through the ages!"

"We are cultivators, why fear battle?!!!"

As the nine demon lords unleashed their divine abilities, their terrifying phantoms reaching to the heavens, the ancient seniors knew the situation was dire and were prepared to fight to the death!

Their resolute expressions moved the hearts of countless cultivators. Regardless of the outcome of this battle, they were already filled with reverence. If they were fortunate enough to survive, they would surely pass down the tales of this battle for generations, ensuring that the heroic deeds of these sages would never be forgotten!

On the other hand, the demons.

Seeing the solemn expressions spreading among the humans, they revealed cruel, sinister smiles. It seemed that only the tragic struggles of other races could ignite their battle spirit, immersing them in their innate bloodlust.

In the dark clouds above.

The Grand Priest also wore a faint smile, and the Demon Lord had even retracted his aura, clearly anticipating an overwhelming victory and preparing to leave.

At this critical moment, where joy and sorrow were sharply divided.

On the battlefield.

Lu Qingshan, who had been standing quietly among the human experts, suddenly spoke in a light, almost casual tone.

"Hey..."

"I thought the demons were supposed to be ferocious and terrifying. I was hoping to stretch my limbs a bit, but this is all you've got?"

This... this is all?

His voice wasn't loud, almost drowned out by the overwhelming pressure of the battlefield, but it seemed to carry a strange power, echoing in the ears of the ancient seniors.

In an instant.

Lei Qianjue was stunned.

His companions also turned to look at each other, their expressions as if they had seen a ghost!