Fantasy: After transmigrating, I effortlessly became a god.

Chapter 417 Demonic Arts vs. Demonic Arts

Weapons are classified into four levels: ordinary weapons, precious weapons, magical weapons, sacred weapons, and divine weapons.

Magical artifacts are divided into nine grades. Grade one has its first spiritual patterns, grade eight has the presence of immortal spirits, and grade nine is the prototype of a divine artifact. Since grade nine artifacts are rare, grade eight artifacts are undoubtedly the strongest weapons.

An eighth-grade magic weapon already possesses a celestial spirit, making it nearly a living being. It can communicate with the cultivator's mind and unleash power beyond the mortal realm. The Shadow Demon's long blade is not only nearly a living being, but also a powerful demonic spirit.

"Under the Tongyu Realm, one cannot wield an eighth-grade magic weapon. This is an ironclad rule throughout history. Yingmei is still two major realms away from the Tongyu Realm. How could he possibly wield an eighth-grade magic weapon?" Lei Ruichen looked at Yingmei in disbelief. How could he possibly use an eighth-grade magic weapon?

"He sacrificed his blood soul, which clearly shows he used demonic arts. The price he paid was huge, and the increase in combat power was also very obvious." Xiao Ling stared at Ying Mei. When he lost to Ying Mei, he didn't even know that Ying Mei's weapon was an eighth-grade magic weapon that could gain powerful strength through sacrifice.

Li Ming's eyes were deep as he slowly said, "Magic artifacts can recognize their masters. Once they do, even those at a lower cultivation level can control them, but it comes at a great cost. Sometimes it's flesh and blood, sometimes it's the soul, and sometimes it's life force."

Ma Haoli hurriedly asked, "Is the Shadow Demon a weapon that recognizes its master? How can an eighth-grade weapon be made to recognize a low-level being as its master?"

“It should be a magic artifact that recognizes its master.” Li Ming nodded, then explained, “For a magic artifact to recognize a low-level being as its master, it not only requires an extraordinary stroke of luck, but also a specific coincidence. Some magic artifacts can recognize their master with a drop of blood, while others need to be fed with flesh and blood or a soul before they can recognize their master. Some magic artifacts can even be born with an infant. There are endless ways for magic artifacts to recognize their masters. As long as there is an opportunity, they can recognize their master. It is not limited to a certain form.”

Lei Ruichen and the others looked enlightened. The magical artifacts they had come into contact with were generally fourth-grade artifacts. Eighth-grade artifacts were too far beyond their reach. If Li Ming hadn't explained, they really wouldn't have known how to make a magical artifact recognize a lower-level being as its master.

The Shadow Demon's laughter was dry and grating, like the cawing of a crow at night, sending chills down one's spine: "Gah gah gah, the Blood Soul Illusion Blade accompanied me from my mother's womb, it is my destined magic weapon. Once the Illusion Blade is unleashed, I am invincible among those of the same realm. Zheng Qian, you blocked the door for three days, but in the end you are nothing more than my whetstone, a soul beneath my blade."

Zheng Qian took a deep breath, his whole body radiating a faint crimson spiritual energy: "It's just an eighth-grade magic weapon, you're celebrating too soon."

Before he finished speaking, Zheng Qian moved like an arrow released from a bow, rushing towards Ying Mei. He swung the Dragon Scale Void-Piercing Sword, its sword light like a dragon, carrying a sharp sword aura, aiming straight for Ying Mei's heart.

Shadow Demon snorted coldly, and with a light flick of his Blood Soul Illusion Blade, he shattered the approaching sword light. A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips as he said, "Zheng Qian, your swordsmanship may be good, but before my Blood Soul Illusion Blade, it is nothing but a child's play."

As she spoke, Yingmei's figure blurred, transforming into a black shadow and instantly appearing behind Zheng Qian. The Blood Soul Illusion Blade lashed out, accompanied by a shrill whistle, aiming straight for Zheng Qian's back. Zheng Qian reacted extremely quickly, sidestepping and using the Dragon Scale Void-Piercing Sword to parry. He was sent flying thirty meters by a tremendous force. He was secretly shocked, not expecting Yingmei's speed and movement to be so unpredictable; he had almost been caught off guard.

"Okay, kill him."

"As expected of Yingmei, the number one prodigy in the Zen Spirit Demon Realm, Zheng Qian was in grave danger as soon as she used an eighth-grade magic weapon and was about to be killed by Yingmei."

"An eighth-grade magic weapon! Not to mention the Yuren race, even if all three races combined, not many people can possess an eighth-grade magic weapon. Yingmei is born with the Blood Soul Illusion Blade. If Zheng Qian survives today, I will cut off my tail and serve it to everyone as a snack."

The three races' prodigies were all excited. Zheng Qian was blocking the door, and they were guarding it; they had been cooped up for days. Ying Mei was initially being overwhelmed by Zheng Qian, but after Zheng Qian sacrificed his weapon, she realized that the long blade in his hand was imbued with eighth-grade spiritual energy. Killing Zheng Qian would be as easy as playing around, wouldn't it?

"If Shadow Demon grows up, it will be a disaster for the human race." Xiao Zhi's eyes were filled with killing intent. He rarely had the intention to kill a junior, but he would never give Shadow Demon, a demon race that was born with magical artifacts, the chance to grow up and harm the human race.

There's a world of difference between being born with a magical artifact and acquiring one that has become yours later. Being born with a magical artifact is a gift from heaven, also known as a destiny artifact. The weapon is perfectly suited to the individual, reaching the eighth rank. The two can even grow together, and even sacrificing one's blood soul won't damage their foundation. In other words, Shadow Demon's Blood Soul Illusion Blade is part of his body and will grow stronger as he matures.

Just like the chosen ones, divine artifacts are found in the vast majority of beings. The Shadow Demon is a favorite of the heavens.

General Zhao Nuo of the Radiant Legion also wore a grim expression. When he saw Ying Mei's destined artifact, the Blood Soul Illusion Blade, he had already devised a plan to kill her. Ying Mei had also come to the Void Transformation Cliff for trials before, but Zhao Nuo hadn't paid much attention to this prodigy then, considering him merely exceptionally strong in combat. He hadn't expected him to be hiding a destined artifact. He hadn't realized Ying Mei's true level of prowess until today's life-or-death battle with Zheng Qian. Allowing him to grow stronger would be a disaster for humanity.

Lie Yuchen smashed the boulder beside him with a single palm strike and roared, "Shadow Demon is just a stupid monkey! How could you expose your Heavenly Mandate Artifact? How could you expose it?"

Ma Yi tapped his fingers on his razor-sharp blade, his eyes fixed on Ying Mei like an eagle's. If Zheng Qian was defeated, he would not hesitate to save him and kill Ying Mei with a single blow.

A prodigy possessing a divinely ordained artifact is terrifying when he grows up.

The two exchanged blows, locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle. Zheng Qian's swordsmanship was sharp and fierce, each move containing powerful spiritual energy, but Ying Mei's Blood Soul Illusion Blade was even more unpredictable, sometimes transforming into a blood-red blade, sometimes into a blood-red mist, making it impossible to defend against.

As time passed, the battle between the two intensified. Zheng Qian's clothes were soaked with sweat, and his face turned pale, but his eyes remained firm, showing no sign of backing down. Ying Mei, on the other hand, fought with increasing ferocity. The Blood Soul Illusion Blade in his hands seemed to come alive, constantly changing shape and attacking Zheng Qian's weaknesses.

Zheng Qian could sense Ying Mei's presence, but after sacrificing the Blood Soul Illusion Blade, Ying Mei's strength, speed, and agility had all increased significantly. Even if he could sense her, he would find it difficult to withstand her attacks.

"Gah gah gah... Zheng Qian, today is your death day." Ying Mei laughed arrogantly, he was already confident of victory. Whether in defense or attack, Zheng Qian was following his rhythm and was completely on the defensive.

Zheng Qian's expression was calm at this moment. He exchanged blows with Ying Mei to create distance, and after stabilizing his body, he no longer held back. His spiritual power surged, and the Devouring Heaven Technique was activated wildly, enveloping the world in a streak of blood light.

"The sea of ​​blood is boundless." Zheng Qian's spiritual energy consumption increased, and his blood energy surged like ocean waves, greatly enhancing his defense, attack, strength, and speed within the blood-red light.

Seeing this, Yingmei dared not be careless. He swung his Blood Soul Illusion Blade, transforming it into a black tornado that attacked Zheng Qian. Instead of retreating, Zheng Qian advanced, swinging his heavy sword like a meteor as he crashed into the black tornado.

"Eighteen Slashes of Blood Sea." Zheng Qian moved across the battlefield like a ghost, each swing of his sword seemingly stirring up a sea of ​​blood. Wherever his sword pointed, space shattered, relentlessly annihilating the shadowy figures.

With a deafening roar, crimson light and a black tornado collided in mid-air, erupting in a dazzling display of light. Shadow Demon continued to wield her blade amidst the light, while Zheng Qian, equally fearless, relentlessly unleashed sword strike after sword.

The Blood Sea Without Boundaries unleashed eleven strikes, each one stronger than the last. Shadow Demon received the first seven strikes without any difficulty, but before the final four could even be unleashed, he felt a chill run down his spine. Zheng Qian's blood-red light was devouring his black mist. Most terrifyingly, the very tip of Zheng Qian's sword was also devouring his fighting spirit and life force.

The demonic art Zheng Qian cultivated was not only a demonic art, but also a demonic art even more powerful than his Sacrifice Blood Soul Illusion Blade.

Shadow Demon's expression changed drastically; he hadn't expected Zheng Qian to unleash such formidable combat power. But now there was no way to avoid it, and he could only grit his teeth and endure it. The Blood Soul Illusion Blade transformed into a blood-red shield, blocking his path.

"Boom... Boom..." Four deafening explosions rang out as the crimson sword light collided with the crimson shield in mid-air, unleashing an even more dazzling light. As the light faded, Shadow Demon was seen being blasted away by the immense impact, crashing heavily to the ground. His face was deathly pale, and a trickle of blood escaped from the corner of his mouth.

Zheng Qian stood firmly in place, the Dragon Scale Void-Piercing Sword still gleaming. His hands trembled, and then he spat out blood with a "poof," soaking his clothes and dripping to the ground.

A gentle breeze blew, lifting the hem of Zheng Qian's robe, revealing a thin seam on his abdomen, from which small drops of blood seeped. The bloodstains grew larger, and more bright red blood flowed out.

Hiss... Zheng Qian tore off his clothes, wrapped them into strips, and tied them around his waist to securely cover the wound. At the same time, he took out a pill from his spatial ring, crushed it, applied it to the strips of cloth, and then attached it to the wound to temporarily stop the bleeding.

Large beads of sweat dripped from Zheng Qian's forehead. A black, stabbing force emanated from the wound in his abdomen, causing him excruciating pain that almost made him spasm. But he paid no heed to this; his eyes were fixed only on the shadowy figure ahead.

Apart from the howling wind, Huaxu Cliff fell silent. The intensity of this battle exceeded everyone's expectations. The three races thought it would be a one-sided fight, but the result was unbelievable. Yingmei, the number one in the Zen Spirit Demon Realm and the seventh in the Zen Demon Realm, was actually knocked to the ground twice by Zheng Qian.

Zheng Qian must not be allowed to live. Lie Yuchen stared viciously at Zheng Qian. Even if it meant going against the spirit of the Flaming Leopard Clan and the will of Heaven, he would kill Zheng Qian today. It wasn't that Lie Yuchen was crazy, but rather that the combat power Zheng Qian displayed filled him with fear.

A fierce, death-defying light shone in Lie Yi's eyes. If Ying Mei won, the human race would come to Zheng Qian's rescue. If Ying Mei lost, he would use his cultivation level, two major realms higher, to rush in and instantly kill Zheng Qian. After killing Zheng Qian, he would commit suicide in front of all the humans, taking the blame for violating the spirit of the Flaming Leopard Clan, and sacrificing his life to the Heavenly Dao.

Not only were Lie Yucheng and Lie Yi prepared to make their move, but all the powerful demons on the Huaxu Cliff Fortress were also ready to attack. Zheng Qian's potential was terrifying; they had to kill him before he was even born, otherwise he would become the second Yun Youzi, the second Long Batian, or even more terrifying than the two of them, making demons of the same realm unable to raise their heads, and even capable of crossing realms to kill their prodigies.

The best way to deal with a monster is to kill it when it is weak.

Ma Yi continued to tap his swift blade, a destructive power gathering in his pupils. The stronger the Shadow Demon's combat power, the stronger his killing intent.

Zhao Nuo sat firmly atop the mountain, his gaze fixed on Lie Yuchen, not on Ying Mei. He was ready to intercept Lie Yuchen at the slightest sign of trouble.

Zhao Minghang locked onto Lie Yi, his entire body radiating a dazzling light—his light-based soul technique, brimming with luminous energy.

Li Ming took out a long spear, the tip of which emitted a scorching flame, and was ready to make his move.

"You want to kill that little brat?" Yun Youzi looked at Xiao Zhi with a faint smile on his lips.

Xiao Zhi couldn't laugh. He saw the Shadow Demon's limitless potential and was ready for battle: "Old Diao, we can tolerate the existence of enemy prodigies, but we cannot tolerate the existence of enemy prodigies with Heavenly Mandate artifacts."

The appearance of divinely ordained artifacts and divinely chosen individuals on the enemy's side is a nightmare for their own. Slaying them while they are weak, even if it triggers a great war, and despite the Heavenly Dao's disapproval and the eventual defeat and countless casualties, is something they can bear. They are willing to sacrifice hundreds of thousands of soldiers as long as the Shadow Demon dies. Otherwise, once the Shadow Demon grows stronger, the number of human casualties will not be hundreds of thousands, but millions, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions—the disaster would be unimaginable.

Yun Youzi chuckled and said calmly, "Qiongzhi, true strength is not about slaying enemy prodigies, but about cultivating your own. Remember, as long as we unite and strengthen ourselves, we will not fear any powerful opponent."

Xiao Zhi looked at Yun Youzi. He agreed with what Yun Youzi said, but he couldn't quite agree with it. Everyone knew that cultivating their own prodigies was very important, as they were the future hope of the clan. But cultivating prodigies was no easy task.

At the Void Cliff Fortress, Shadow Demon, like a vengeful ghost crawling out of the abyss, slowly rose to his feet. His eyes gleamed with endless madness and bloodlust, as if he wanted to devour the entire world: "You, a mere mortal, have actually driven me to such a desperate situation, forcing me to use my true strength! This is your honor, and also your tragedy. Now, let me end this pointless contest and prepare to die!"

Before he finished speaking, Shadow Demon suddenly spread his arms wide, and a powerful surge of spiritual energy erupted from his body, soaring into the sky. This was the prelude to awakening the spirit of the Blood Soul Illusion Blade; a chilling killing intent instantly permeated the entire fortress. In his hands, the Blood Soul Illusion Blade conjured dazzling yet ferocious streaks of crimson light, like the gates of hell being flung open, releasing boundless killing intent.

Zheng Qian took a deep breath, as if trying to absorb all the energy in the world into his body. Instantly, his soul power surged and surging, instantly constructing a vast soul domain. Within this domain, he was the ruler, and all laws were governed by him.

"Domain." Zheng Qian exclaimed softly. Centered on him, a domain appeared within a ten-meter radius, formed by the interweaving of spatial laws and the Bagua realm. This was a soul domain that Zheng Qian released using the Hongyuan Void Pearl as a vessel and his entire body's bones as channels.

When the domain appeared, the world paled in comparison. The crimson light formed by the shadow demons collided with Zheng Qian's soul domain, causing light to scatter, blood energy to surge, and the entire fortress to tremble.

At this moment, time seemed to freeze, all things were still, only the life-and-death struggle between Zheng Qian and Ying Mei erupted on the Huaxu Cliff Fortress. With a deafening roar, the edge of the Blood Soul Illusion Blade was severed by Zheng Qian's sword, and Ying Mei's figure vanished without a trace.

The Shadow Demon was cleaved in two by a single sword strike.

At the same time, an extremely powerful energy erupted in the sky, causing the heavens and earth to tremble. The sound of the explosion could be heard for hundreds of miles, and then blood rain fell from the sky, soaking the earth.