Chapter 1429: Master Lus Path

Jiang Yuan's murmurs ignited the atmosphere on the battlefield.

As both armies gasped in shock, the tide of battle seemed to be turning in favor of humanity. However, the Blood Ant leader was not completely subdued. With a sudden burst of rage, he launched the first attack!

"How can they, mere beginners in the Desolate Realm, comprehend divine abilities?!"

"This must be some trickery by the humans!"

"Such childish tricks can't fool me! If these lowly humans truly possess such heaven-defying talent, I'll twist my own head off and give it to them to play with!"

As the Nether Emperor roared with ferocity, the other demons instantly snapped out of their daze.

The eight great demons simultaneously activated their divine powers, their auras skyrocketing. Terrifying illusions materialized in the air, lunging toward the human experts with a sudden assault!

"Whoosh!"

The attack was so swift that almost no one could see the demons' movements. By the time anyone reacted, the illusions were already right in front of the human experts!

In an instant!

Both sides, with millions of lives at stake, were frozen in shock, their hearts tightening.

Even ancient predecessors like Lei Qianjue were caught off guard by the sudden assault. In a single clash, they were sent flying hundreds of miles, carving deep ravines into the dark earth as if valleys had been gouged out!

Witnessing this scene, the Nether Emperor's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. This was how it should be!

These humans were nothing but pretentious fools.

But in the next moment, as he prepared to survey the rest of the battlefield, several figures suddenly flew backward toward him. If the Nether Emperor hadn't dodged in time, he might have been knocked down!

Even so, the wind that brushed past his ears was terrifyingly fierce!

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The mere gust of wind as the figures flew past caused the Nether Emperor to stagger slightly. His eyes widened in shock, and he didn't even have time to pay attention to the demons who had been sent flying!

His gaze was fixed solely on Lu Qingshan, who was calmly walking forward.

"This..."

The old man in his sight showed no signs of injury. It seemed he hadn't even used much of his cultivation, yet he had already repelled two demons. The terrifying illusions around him grew even more solid, their power surpassing what they had been before.

In a single clash, the difference in strength was clear!

Instantly, the Nether Emperor panicked!

"This can't be possible!"

Just moments ago, he had declared that humans couldn't possibly comprehend divine abilities on their own. Now, he had been proven wrong in the blink of an eye, a turn of events more shocking than the sudden assault!

Before his words had even fully left his mouth, several more demons were sent flying.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Like meteors, their afterimages streaked through the demon army's formation. Wherever the streaks of light passed, blood and carnage followed. They crashed through the walls of the demon capital and continued flying into the distance!

Those demons, though slightly weaker in cultivation, were still leaders of the demon race. Yet now, they were being sent flying like insignificant fish. How could the gap be so vast?

Before he could ponder further, Lu Qingshan and Wu Yonghong steadily advanced. Strange phenomena continuously manifested with each step they took, leaving behind traces of terrifying ancient power. It was as if flowers were blooming with every step.

Seeing this overwhelming aura, the Nether Emperor couldn't help but feel his eyelids twitch violently!

"This!"

"How can they possess such power? Have these humans truly comprehended divine abilities on their own?!"

As the demon race's top expert muttered in panic, the armies of various races, already heavily wounded, began to show fear in their eyes.

Even the Grand Priest in the sky was stunned.

"How can this be..."

"These humans haven't even reached the peak of the Desolate Realm, yet they've truly comprehended divine abilities? Such talent isn't just heaven-defying—it's practically breaking through the heavens!"

"Even in our race, we've never seen such geniuses! When did humans become so terrifying?!"

The Grand Priest was dumbfounded. His previous cunning and ruthlessness vanished, replaced by panic as he hurriedly bowed toward the depths of the dark clouds. His flattering words became stuttered and hesitant.

"My lord, my lord!"

"These humans are far stronger than we anticipated. The plan might... might be slipping out of our control! Several of our leaders have already been defeated. The situation is dire. We beg for your intervention!"

Hearing this, the pair of blood-red eyes in the depths of the darkness flickered with doubt.

After a few moments of contemplation, the voice spoke again, its authority still imposing, but the tone no longer as resolute as before.

"Fear not."

"The grand plan is still within my control. They have ventured deep into our sacred lands and are already trapped. Even if there are minor deviations, it will only result in a few more losses. It's not a significant issue."

Hearing this, the Grand Priest grew even more anxious, a hint of suspicion flashing in his eyes.

At this point, you still think everything is under control?!

With several leaders defeated and these humans displaying such overwhelming strength, you still call this a minor issue?!

Do we have to wait until countless demons are slaughtered and the humans conquer the demon capital before it becomes a problem?!

How can you be so carefree?!

A quick glance around revealed a battlefield littered with demon corpses. Many priests had been caught in the crossfire, their bodies already cold.

The Grand Priest was both furious and desperate, nearly losing his composure.

But with the Demon Lord present, no matter how much frustration and urgency he felt, he could only curse inwardly. He quickly put on a submissive expression and continued to plead.

"Uh..."

"My lord, these humans are far too powerful. Even with the Nether Emperor leading the charge, our chances of victory are slim. We beg for your mercy and intervention to turn the tide in our favor!"

As he spoke, the Nether Emperor and his forces were already locked in a fierce battle with Lu Qingshan and the others. Some demon leaders were even burning their souls in desperation, yet they still seemed no match for the humans.

The morale on the battlefield was clearly tipping in one direction!

Finally, the Demon Lord let out a sigh and spoke in a deep voice.

"Very well."

"I am at a critical moment in my cultivation and should not waste my energy. However, for the sake of our grand plan, I will spare a portion of my demonic essence to assist the Nether Emperor in securing victory."

"I never expected that such a small human race could push us to this point. It is truly disappointing."

Hearing this, the Grand Priest repeatedly expressed his gratitude, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, my lord!"

"With the aid of your demonic essence, the Nether Emperor's power will skyrocket. He will surely sweep away these strange humans!"

Although the situation seemed to be stabilizing, the Demon Lord's eyes flickered with doubt as he secretly observed Long Tian among the human ranks. Long Tian had remained silent and motionless, and something about him felt off...

But with the situation so urgent, he had no time to dwell on it.

As the Demon Lord's shadow formed a hand seal, a pure and supreme demonic power descended from the sky like a dark waterfall, continuously washing over the demon leaders!

In an instant, the severely wounded demon leaders rose one after another, radiating terrifying black light. The Nether Emperor's body expanded once more, reaching a height of ten thousand feet. Standing outside the demon capital, he could almost overlook everything!

The sheer aura he emitted caused even the millions of demons to retreat in fear!

The terrifying baptism of power continued unabated. A river of black demonic energy was continuously absorbed by the Nether Emperor!

Finally, the Nether Emperor's towering body was covered in intricate, glowing runes. The black light illuminated the entire dark realm, and the unprecedented power caused the Nether Emperor's eyes to turn white. His expression twisted into a maniacal grin as he let out a triumphant laugh!

"Kekeke!"

"The peak of the Desolate Realm! I have finally broken through to this level!"

"Thank you, my lord, for bestowing your demonic essence upon me. I will not disappoint you. I will slaughter these humans and make our race's might known throughout the universe!"

As he roared with laughter, endless demonic energy began to surge, sweeping across the battlefield like a hurricane. Sand and stones flew everywhere!

Seeing the situation turning dire, Lu Qingshan and the others exchanged glances and launched a fierce assault.

However, the Nether Emperor merely roared, and the giant pincers emanating ghostly energy shattered the humans' divine abilities in an instant, severely wounding their combat power!

Having reached the peak of the Desolate Realm, his strength was indeed on a completely different level!

Amid the endless black sand of the battlefield, only Master Lu remained standing calmly, as if signaling that humanity had reached its limit. Even with their heaven-defying talents, they could not defeat the demons.

The hope in the eyes of the wounded cultivators from Yunxing dimmed.

Finally, the demons burst into laughter, and the Nether Emperor looked down with pity at the tiny, elderly figure before him.

"Kekeke..."

"You humans, even with some talent, are nothing but ants! In the face of the Demon Lord's power, you will always be insignificant!"

The ten-thousand-foot-tall giant ant continued to laugh, its eyes like suns and moons hanging in the sky. It had already forgotten its earlier shock and embarrassment, now brimming with confidence.

The terrifying giant figure would strike fear into anyone who saw it. Even Jiang Yuan couldn't help but clench his fists, his throat dry as he exchanged glances with his heavily wounded comrades.

"I never expected the demons to have such a trick up their sleeves. How despicable!"

"With only Master Lu left, I'm afraid..."

In contrast, the members of Shadow Island remained calm, seemingly unfazed by the situation. Xiong Zhong even turned back with a smile, reassuring them in a steady voice.

"It's fine."

"We were sent here for a reason, and there won't be any problems. Back when my father and I first joined the island, we also had our doubts. But after a few trials, we realized that everything in the world is fleeting."

As he spoke, Xiong Zhong's eyes showed a hint of nostalgia, as if recalling some past experiences. He appeared completely at ease, a far cry from the impulsive young man he once was.

Seeing this, Xiong Fen nodded with approval.

"Well said, my son."

He then turned to reassure the others.

"Everyone, don't be fooled by the fact that only Master Lu remains. He is one of the earliest followers of our master and is particularly close to him. After dedicating himself to building Shadow Island, he became a pillar of our organization, highly respected even by the master's direct disciples!"

"With Master Lu taking action, victory is assured!"

Hearing such high praise and unwavering confidence, Jiang Yuan and the others couldn't help but feel skeptical.

They hadn't been on Shadow Island for long and hadn't experienced many of its secrets. Naturally, they couldn't share the same level of confidence as seasoned managers like Xiong Fen. Seeing the demons' power surge, they grew even more uneasy.

"Manager Xiong, this..."

Before they could finish, Jiang Zhi, the head of security, suddenly exclaimed with a glint in his eyes.

"Master Lu is about to make his move!"

At these words, everyone turned their attention to the battlefield, their spiritual senses instantly spreading out!

On the battlefield, Master Lu finally began to move. Facing the ten-thousand-foot-tall giant ant, his figure seemed insignificant, yet his expression remained calm. Only when he stood directly before the giant ant did he stop, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.

"Ah."

"You, giant ant, are truly short-sighted. With a bit of power, you've already forgotten your place, even daring to call us ants. Have you forgotten your own origins?"

"Don't you realize that you, too, are nothing but an ant?"

Master Lu, a seasoned veteran, struck right at the heart of the matter with his words. The Nether Emperor roared in fury!

"You... you lowly human!"

"Your death is imminent! Stop your meaningless chatter!"

"I have received the Demon Lord's demonic essence. My cultivation and divine abilities have reached new heights. Not only is my body now comparable to the finest Desolate artifacts, but my senses and spiritual awareness have also surpassed anything I had before!"

"How dare you speak so arrogantly?!"

"Do you truly believe that with your meager talent, you can stand against me?!"

"Kekeke!!!"

His roars and laughter shook the dark realm, causing many weaker humans and demons to feel their blood churn!

Yet Master Lu remained calm, nodding slightly in response.

"If that's the case, then let it be as you wish."

As his words fell, a strange vehicle illusion materialized behind him, towering several feet high. It resembled a carriage but had no seats. Aside from two rows of wheels, there was only a large, sealed barrel lying horizontally at the back.

It looked far less impressive than the other divine illusions. In terms of size and aura, it couldn't compare to the ten-thousand-foot-tall giant ant. If not for the faint traces of ancient power emanating from it, it would be hard to believe this was a divine illusion.

Instantly, the Nether Emperor laughed even harder, and the remaining demons and their leaders burst into laughter as well!

"Is this what you call a divine ability?"

"We thought you, holding the rear, would be the strongest among the humans. Who knew you'd be so pathetic!"

"This divine ability is too laughable."

"With just a breath, the Nether Emperor could annihilate this human!"

"Hahaha..."

Amid the endless mockery, Master Lu remained unfazed.

Long ago, when he first began following the master, he had faced similar ridicule. Even after achieving some success, he was still looked down upon by newcomers.

But after countless trials, all of this had become nothing more than fleeting clouds, utterly insignificant.

So what if it wasn't grand?

So what if it was laughable?

This was his path.

The opinions of others were nothing but ignorant chatter.

How can you understand the joy of a fish if you're not a fish?

Those who comprehend divine abilities on their own find unparalleled joy. A heart tempered by supreme opportunities remains unshaken, even through the ages.

To have followed the master and achieved this much, he dared not ask for more.

As countless demons laughed and mocked, Master Lu's gaze remained clear.

With a gentle wave of his sleeve, the next moment, endless golden light erupted from the vehicle illusion, illuminating the entire dark realm!

"Wheel of Flying Manure!"