Chapter 350: Slaying a Martial Venerable

Chapter 350: Slaying a Martial Venerable

Ning Xiaochuan’s black hair billowed wildly as he stood atop the Ghost Bat King’s shoulders, his feet pressing down with crushing force. In his hand, he gripped the hilt of the Demonic Sword.

The blood-red blade had completely impaled the Ghost Bat King’s body, and a crimson fountain of blood gushed from his skull cap, swiftly absorbed by the Demonic Sword.

The surface of the sword sprouted vein-like tendrils, greedily siphoning the blood pouring from the Ghost Bat King’s body.

Clang! Clang!

The sword resonated with a joyous hum as it devoured the Martial Venerable’s blood.

The Ghost Bat King let out agonized howls, but the Demonic Sword had already pierced through his crown, neck, chest, and abdomen—completely skewering his body like a corpse roasting on a spit.

His form rapidly withered, his white hair falling out, his skin turning sallow, and his bones protruding grotesquely. In the end, he was reduced to a desiccated husk, devoid of all moisture.

A Martial Venerable’s mummy!

Under normal circumstances, the bones of a Martial Venerable would remain as hard as Black Iron even after death, suitable for forging Mystic Artifacts.

But the moment the Ghost Bat King’s corpse hit the ground, his bones crumbled into dust.

The Demonic Sword had already drained every ounce of essence from his Martial Body, converting his Martial Path Origin Qi into nourishment for itself.

"The Ghost Demonic Sword. So you are the Manor Lord of Ghost Manor—Young Master Chuan."

The Ironclad Death God swiftly retreated, his gaze locked onto the blade in Ning Xiaochuan’s hand, a sense of dread creeping into his heart.

Ning Xiaochuan cast him a sidelong glance. "Not bad eyesight."

The Ironclad Death God then stared at the demonic diagram beneath Ning Xiaochuan’s feet—a scene of Mountains of Corpses and Seas of Blood—and his mind flooded with apocalyptic visions. A natural terror welled up within him.

The inheritor of the Annihilation Path could inherently cultivate fear, and once unleashed, it could shatter a person’s Mental Energy.

"I should have realized it sooner. I should have known that Ghost Manor’s rapid rise couldn’t have happened without the backing of a Marquis House from the Imperial City. But you’ve exposed yourself too early. Now, not only will your Jian Pavilion Marquis House suffer, but Ghost Manor will also be uprooted by the Demon Sect."

The Ironclad Death God’s voice was hoarse and gravelly, barely human.

Ning Xiaochuan retrieved the Weapon Ranking List from the Ghost Bat King’s body and stored it in the Heaven and Earth Bag. His gaze settled on the Ironclad Death God as he spoke indifferently, "You think you can kill me?"

"Young Master Chuan ranks forty-seventh on the Weapon Ranking List. Naturally, I’m no match for you. But no matter how strong you are, you’re still no match for the Dao Leader. Once I report your secret to him, the old master will crush you with a flick of his finger."

The Ironclad Death God continued retreating, swinging his black scythe at the Void Wall. With a single slash, he tore open a massive rift in space.

He had never intended to fight Ning Xiaochuan—his only goal was to escape this Alternate Dimension.

"Still trying to run?"

Ning Xiaochuan burst forward in a streak of multicolored light, intercepting the Ironclad Death God at the rift in the Void Wall. With a single slash of his sword, he forced him back.

Here in the Alternate Dimension, Ning Xiaochuan had no reservations. He could unleash every technique without fear of exposing his identity.

"Ning Xiaochuan, you may be strong, but I possess an Undying Body. You cannot kill me!"

The Ironclad Death God swung his scythe, aiming for Ning Xiaochuan’s neck.

"Crack!"

The Demonic Sword clashed with the Death God Scythe, instantly cleaving it in half. With the sharpness of the Demonic Sword, how could a mere Death God Scythe possibly withstand it? The severed half of the scythe was sent flying, landing in the Alternate Dimension.

Ning Xiaochuan swiftly moved to the side of the Ironclad Death God, the bloodlight on the Demonic Sword flickering incessantly as it sliced through the Death God's armor, sending a large piece of metal flying away from his body.

The Ironclad Death God's entire skeletal structure was forged from metal, his skin embedded with iron scales, and every inch of his muscles densely woven with iron threads—he could hardly be called human anymore.

A silver glow emanated from the Ironclad Death God's body. The parts severed by the Demonic Sword rapidly regenerated, iron threads sprouting and weaving into a net-like structure, reforming into a new arm.

"An Undying Body?" Ning Xiaochuan frowned slightly.

The Ironclad Death God swung his palm with a force of 5,000,000 kg, striking the blade of the Demonic Sword and sending both Ning Xiaochuan and the sword flying back tens of meters. His strength was terrifying, far surpassing that of Martial Artists in the Earthly Venerable Realm. If Ning Xiaochuan had been struck directly, he would have suffered severe injuries.

"Hah! Ning Xiaochuan, you may be able to defeat me, but killing me is still far beyond your reach." Knowing he couldn't overpower Ning Xiaochuan, the Ironclad Death God decided to retreat immediately, refusing to prolong the battle.

Once again, he tore open the Void Wall of the Alternate Dimension, preparing to escape calmly.

Ning Xiaochuan snorted coldly, closing his eyes as the Seven Orifices Demon Heart within him radiated seven colors—red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple. Seven rings materialized, circling his heart.

A surge of powerful Mental Energy erupted, directly assaulting the Ironclad Death God's mind.

Even though the Ironclad Death God's body was entirely metallic, his heart was undoubtedly the same as a human's, still capable of generating Mental Energy.

The power of the Seven Orifices Demon Heart was specifically designed to control the minds of others.

This was not a pure physical attack, but something far more profound and unpredictable.

The Ironclad Death God's heart convulsed violently, his blood reversing flow uncontrollably. Panic set in—this had never happened before. His body was no longer under his command.

He desperately tried to mobilize his Mental Energy to resist the control of the Seven Orifices Demon Heart, but it was futile. The Seven Orifices Demon Heart had already invaded his Heart Palace, suppressing his willpower and turning him into its slave.

With his heart enslaved, the Ironclad Death God had no choice but to obediently return, kneeling before Ning Xiaochuan.

The Ironclad Death God had become Ning Xiaochuan's Mental Slave.

Ning Xiaochuan let out a slight sigh of relief—he had finally taken control of the Ironclad Death God's mind.

Though the Seven Orifices Demon Heart was profound and formidable, using it recklessly against opponents with exceptionally strong willpower or those far superior in cultivation could backfire disastrously.

Mental battles were perilous, and without absolute confidence, Ning Xiaochuan would never casually wield the power of the Seven Orifices Demon Heart.

Imperial City.

Not far from the Divine Sword Palace, in a branch altar of the Demon Sect, an elderly man holding a Dragon Head Iron Staff stood with a grave expression. "Dao Leader, given the Ironclad Death God's cultivation, dealing with Ning Xiaochuan shouldn’t take this long. Could something have gone wrong?"

The Lifeless Dao Leader sat calmly beside a stone platform, sipping tea with the Asura Dao Leader, utterly unperturbed about the battle's outcome. Everything in the Imperial City was under his control, meticulously planned—he feared no surprises.

Gently stroking his white beard, the Lifeless Dao Leader smiled faintly. "Ning Xiaochuan's strength is indeed unexpected. Even the Ghost Bat King fell to him, surpassing my estimates. But no matter how much of a genius one is, it’s impossible to defeat an opponent two realms above in the Earthly Venerable Realm. Heh, rest assured. The Ironclad Death God must have already captured him and is interrogating him about the 'Northern Abyss Divine Art.'"

Both the Lifeless Dao Leader and the Asura Dao Leader were top figures of the Demon Sect. The mere presence of one in the Imperial City would cause a great uproar. Yet, the two had come together to deal with the Jian Pavilion Marquis House.

The Asura Dao Leader, older than the Lifeless Dao Leader with white eyebrows, beard, and a wrinkled, withered body, sneered coldly. "Do you think that old fool Jian Pavilion Marquis would dare come to rescue him?"

Holding a bronze teacup, the Lifeless Dao Leader replied with a serene smile, "Would he dare leave the Jian Pavilion Marquis House? The moment he steps out, the Demon Sect Martial Artists will raze it to the ground. Heh!"

Just as the two Dao Leaders exchanged amused remarks, a rift tore open in the air. Ning Xiaochuan emerged, landing atop the Divine Sword Palace. With a flick of his sleeve, a golden radiance burst forth.

The Weapon Ranking List flew out, hovering outside the Divine Sword Palace, emitting a dazzling golden light.

"The Ghost Bat King is dead. The Ironclad Death God has been subdued and has chosen to abandon darkness for the Divine Sword Palace. From this day forth, anyone who dares oppose the Divine Sword Palace—even a Martial Venerable—will not escape death."

Ning Xiaochuan unleashed the Martial Arts Divine Ability "Heavenly Thunder Bell," each word from his mouth resonating like a clap of thunder. Every Martial Artist in the city heard his voice clearly, their hearts trembling from the force.

The Divine Sword Palace’s Martial Artists, who had been worried for Ning Xiaochuan, were stunned. The Minor Marquis had not only returned from the Alternate Dimension but had also subdued two of the Demon Sect’s titans.

The Ironclad Death God, a figure who struck fear into all, now stood obediently behind the Minor Marquis, showing utmost reverence.

A Demon Sect titan had defected to the Jian Pavilion Marquis House? It was unacceptable—especially for the Demon Sect Martial Artists hidden among the crowd, who nearly vomited blood in fury.

Since when were Martial Venerables so easily subdued?

"This... is impossible!" The Lifeless Dao Leader gritted his teeth, his fingers cracking audibly. A monstrous killing intent erupted from his body, forming a whirlwind of malice that connected earth to sky, sweeping through the entire Imperial City.

The Lifeless Dao Leader was utterly enraged, having lost two Martial Venerables in just a single day. Before even formally engaging in battle with the Jian Pavilion Marquis House, they had already suffered a crushing defeat.

Losing a single Martial Venerable was far more unbearable than losing a hundred Martial Artists.

For the Lifeless Dao, it wasn’t just the loss of two Martial Venerables—it was a complete blow to their prestige.

"Hahaha! Lin Tianyi, don’t take it so hard! You should learn from the Ironclad Death God. If you abandon the darkness and join the light, defecting to the Jian Pavilion Marquis House, this Marquis will surely appoint you as an elder." The Old Marquis sat in the grand hall of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House, his voice carrying like mist, reaching 50 km away.

Golden light shone from his eyes, allowing him to see everything happening outside the Divine Sword Palace.

"Lin Tianyi" was the name of the Lifeless Dao Leader.

Seeing the Lifeless Dao Leader in a frenzy naturally delighted the Old Marquis, filling him with immense satisfaction, as if his bones had lightened by 100 grams.

How exhilarating!

Recently, the Demon Sect had killed dozens of experts from the Jian Pavilion Marquis House. Now, this pent-up resentment had been repaid twofold.

Truly a job well done!