Meanwhile, Lü Zhong unleashed the Death-Suppressing Chain.
He pointed toward the Purple-clothed Demon Cultivator from afar, and the Magic Chain shot out like a Black Flood Dragon. With a series of sharp rattles, it bound the demon tight before he could even react.
Leaving his Incarnation to stand guard, he turned to chase the old turtle.
To Lü Zhong’s mild surprise, despite being a giant turtle, the demon’s Escape Speed was not the least bit slow. Shrouded in a layer of yellow light, it was barely slower than a Sword Light’s Rainbow Transformation.
One chasing, one fleeing, they quickly reached the coastal region.
BOOM! A peal of thunder rang out.
Lü Zhong used Thunder Escape, cutting off the old turtle’s retreat in a single move.
The old turtle was sent tumbling through the air. It flipped several times before managing to steady itself, its beady little eyes glaring at Lü Zhong as it snarled, "Don’t get too arrogant, cultivator! We aren’t just some nameless demons. We’re the right and left arms of the Water Monarch, Guardian of the East! I’d advise you to know what’s good for you!"
"Hmph!" Lü Zhong scoffed.
"Right and left arms? Then it’s your arms I’ll be ripping off!"
Hearing this, the old turtle’s heart filled with regret for meddling.
In truth, the order the two had received from the Water Monarch was not to drive the Sea Beast Group onto the Red Earth Shore, but south, to the Profound Turtle Dao.
The Profound Turtle Dao had always been short on food, so surplus Sea Beast Groups were typically handed over to them. In return for the food, the Profound Turtles would offer substantial rewards.
’Now look at this mess. Not only was the Sea Beast Group they were driving completely slaughtered, making it impossible to answer to the Water Monarch, but now their own lives were forfeit.’
Just as this thought crossed the old turtle’s mind, it caught a flash of lightning shooting toward it out of the corner of its eye.
’Another purple Thunder Spear!’
’My life is forfeit!’
His heart trembled, but he still gathered all his Demon Power, terrified that his shell would be cracked open.
After resisting for some time, the old turtle realized he wasn’t completely without a chance. For now, at least, his opponent, the "Red Earth Guardian Envoy," was giving it his all but only managing to injure him slowly. A killing blow was still a long way off—perhaps he could hold out long enough for the Water Monarch to arrive.
He had already used his Demon Bead to call for help while he was fleeing.
A spark of hope ignited!
How could Lü Zhong fail to see the demon’s plan?
Curled into a ball, defending while waiting for reinforcements, the giant Human-faced Turtle was now nothing more than a stationary target, ripe for the slaughter.
He quickly devised a countermeasure. He immediately began to activate the Wood Thunder Seal in his Sea of Consciousness, augmenting it with a Jia Yuan Heavenly Talisman. A purple mist soon filled the sky, gathering into a vast thundercloud amidst rumbling peals of thunder.
Within moments, an astonishing Thunder Pillar crashed down from above!
It descended with the brilliant might of the heavens, carrying with it an endless purple aura.
The old turtle hunkered down to defend itself bitterly, not hesitating to burn its vital Demon Qi. The energy transformed into a semi-corporeal layer of yellow light, adding another layer of protection to its already battered shell, all just to survive this one attack.
But how could he possibly have known the true power of this Thunder Pillar?
As the Thunder Pillar fell, its overwhelming power swiftly exhausted the yellow light. Then, it pierced through the turtle’s shell, exiting through the plastron in a mere instant.
Nearly half its body vanished in that single strike!
Even Lü Zhong was shocked by the power of the Purple Cloud Thunder Pillar.
’If I hadn’t changed the strike’s trajectory on a whim and had let the Thunder Pillar hit the giant turtle’s vital points,’ he thought, ’it would have died instantly, with no possibility of survival.’
Meanwhile, grievously wounded, the Human-faced Turtle could no longer stay airborne and plunged headfirst into the city ruins. With a massive BANG, a huge pillar of dust shot into the sky, lingering like a stick of Nether Incense.
Seeing that it was incapacitated, Lü Zhong performed several Technique Mantras. He first sealed the Demon Primordial Spirit, then brought out another length of the Death-Suppressing Chain and bound the creature.
With a flick of his wrist, he used the Sleeve Universe Technique to store it inside his sleeve.
Standing in the devastated ruins, the stench of blood still hanging in the air, Lü Zhong let out a barely perceptible sigh. A million people, all devoured by Sea Beasts. Just like that.
Just as he was about to leave, a demonic cloud streaked in from the west at incredible speed, swirling with an astonishing amount of Demon Qi.
’Another Great Demon!’
Its power was far greater than the previous two.
It arrived with menacing force, heading straight for Lü Zhong. Accompanied by the sound of howling wind and roiling clouds, the black vapor enveloped the ruins. A blood-red trident abruptly materialized and, without a word, thrust straight for the vital point of his Core.
CLANG! Metal struck metal.
Lü Zhong blocked the strike with his Thunder-Attracting Needle, getting a clear look at his assailant. It was one of the Whale People, thirty feet tall yet slender and sleek, with black-and-white skin and a Bone Crown on its head.
’A Great Demon from the Emperor Whale Dao!’
The demon opened its massive maw, revealing rows of sharp, jagged teeth.
It let out a deafening roar!
The ground for a third of a mile around them suddenly sank by several dozen feet!
Lü Zhong felt a wave of Giant Strength wash over him, and he was momentarily unable to resist being pushed back.
’What astonishing brute force!’
Lü Zhong was shocked. ’This thing’s strength is even greater than a Flood Dragon’s.’
’No wonder the Emperor Whales can dominate the East Sea!’
Even so, he felt not a shred of fear.
With a tap of his foot, Lü Zhong shot forward as a streak of light, clashing with the charging Whale Person.
Their strength was on the same level, allowing him to put various force-neutralizing techniques to use. By parrying, pulling, and entangling, he avoided falling into a disadvantage despite the Whale Person’s terrifying Giant Strength.
They exchanged furious blows, trading one move for the next.
In a matter of moments, the ruined city was torn asunder.
After the outer seawall collapsed from the tremors, the waters of the Boundless Sea surged in. Waves over ten feet tall swept in greedily, submerging everything in their path and instantly turning the ruins into a swamp.
As the murky waves churned, Lü Zhong flew forward, the Thunder-Attracting Needle in his hand shining like a torch.
BZZZZZT—
Lightning surged from it, yet it did not erupt into a Thunder Pillar. Instead, it formed a tangible layer of lightning that completely enveloped the Thunder-Attracting Needle.