Chapter 240: The Final Battle – The Sword Between Life and Death

Liu Yi’s heart grew increasingly panicked. The Su Shao before him was by no means comparable to the Nine Nether Demon God of the human world. After brief contact, Liu Yi’s vital energy began to scatter in all directions. He could no longer control the 13th-level cultivation techniques alone. He knew clearly that if this continued, even if he didn’t lose, he would soon be consumed by the demonic power.

As the half-moon shaped sword light slashed toward him, Liu Yi didn’t hesitate. He flipped his right hand, drawing his black long sword in a diagonal strike. A red light clashed loudly with the white light, but it was useless. As the light rushed forward rapidly, Liu Yi blocked it with his sword again, another sound of weapons colliding echoing, followed by his body sliding backward violently.

But Su Shao wouldn’t let this opportunity pass. Seeing Liu Yi retreating continuously, he swiftly flipped his sword downward toward the ground. With the power of his vital energy, green light rapidly seeped into the sword. As the light spread, Su Shao used the momentum to retreat backward. At the same time, the green-lit sword summoned a swarm of undead creatures infused with green poison mist, gathering around the blade.

Simultaneously, Su Shao swung his sword, sending seven undead creatures with green poison mist charging straight at Liu Yi. Wherever the poison mist passed, trees withered instantly and turned to dust. As he retreated, Liu Yi watched the seven undead. They posed no threat to him—he wasn’t afraid of the poison mist at all. But these seven were powered by the vital energy on the sword, clearly different from ordinary ones. If they entered his body, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Liu Yi knew he couldn’t avoid them and could only defend. As his vital energy surged, the black sword body emitted a bluish-white light, dazzling and icy. At that moment, the entire black sword body became ethereal. With the rapid accumulation of vital energy, Liu Yi roared loudly, and the sword arced upward from the ground.

Like a bluish-white ice dragon, the sword formed an arc. At the same time, a bluish-white light with a chilling aura shot out, heading straight for the seven undead. As the light flickered in the air before disappearing, the seven undead froze instantly into crystal ice blocks after advancing another thirty feet. With a loud crash, their icy bodies fell to the ground. As they dropped, the ice shattered, and the seven undead vanished without a trace.

After stopping and catching his breath, Liu Yi could clearly feel his vital energy becoming chaotic, seemingly self-concentrating and growing stronger out of control. As he gasped for air, he stared at Su Shao before him and considered his own outcomes: “First, killed by this person; second, consumed by the demonic power, losing consciousness.”

At this moment, Su Shao seemed to sense something was wrong with Liu Yi. Although he was confident in winning against Liu Yi, he hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly. Seeing Liu Yi’s current state—his eyes clearly understanding what had happened—as he played with the sword in his hand, Su Shao continued, “It seems your luck isn’t very good, is it?”

Liu Yi slowly stood up straight, looked at the person before him, and sneered coldly, “Are you lucky then? If I stay alive, Lan Ren must die—unless you become her puppet.” For some reason, Liu Yi didn’t feel much anger toward Su Shao; instead, he felt pity for him. His life had already been a tragedy since the appearance of the Nine Nether Demon God, and it seemed fate still wouldn’t let this poor man go, forcing him to fall in love with Lan Ren.

Su Shao glanced at Liu Yi and said, “At least I’m still alive now, while you… are about to die, right?” Though he said this, there was a hint of loneliness in his eyes, as if Liu Yi’s earlier question had struck a sore spot.

While trying to calm the chaotic energy within him, Liu Yi sneered coldly at Su Shao and said, “Even if I die, I’ll still be far stronger than you. I have no regrets in my life. I’ve done everything I could. And you… what do you have? Do you even see who you are now? Other than killing for others, what else can you do? You’re not even supposed to exist. You’re a complete failure.”

Hearing Liu Yi’s words, Su Shao snapped angrily, “Shut up!” As soon as the words left his mouth, his long sword shot out a blade of light. Seeing this, Liu Yi immediately tried to block it. With a clang, the force of the impact sent Liu Yi stumbling back three steps. Looking at Liu Yi, Su Shao shook his head violently and said, “I’m not wrong! I’m not wrong! If love is wrong, then why did I meet her?” At this point, Su Shao seemed unable to control his emotions, speaking without clarity.

Suddenly, Su Shao sat down, his long sword resting on the ground. He glanced at Liu Yi and shook his head, saying, “You shouldn’t die, but you have to now, because I just want to make her happy. If I kill you, she’ll be happy.” Looking at Liu Yi, Su Shao’s tone suddenly became calm, perhaps because he thought Liu Yi no longer had the strength to resist him.

Liu Yi continued to regulate his energy and said, “You’re pitiful. Falling in love with someone isn’t your fault, but it’s your mistake that you fell in love at all, because your love is nothing but a tragedy.”

Su Shao looked at Liu Yi, shook his head, and said, “Maybe. I’m just an ordinary person. I never thought I’d get caught up in your conflicts. But now everything has happened. I don’t even know how I ended up like this. I’ve never been this lost before. Even my temper is changing. I don’t know what’s going on. I only know that as long as she’s happy, I’ll do anything. I no longer need the help of the Nine Nether Demon God. I want to be myself.” His voice grew more emotional as he spoke.

Upon hearing the words behind him, Liu Yi suddenly thought of something. What exactly had happened? Where was the Nine Nether Demon God? And why was Su Shao’s cultivation so high now? Doubt appeared in Liu Yi’s eyes, but it didn’t escape Su Shao’s notice. Seeing Liu Yi’s confusion, Su Shao continued, “Strange, right? I’m also puzzled as to why the Nine Nether Demon God disappeared. Now, just like you, I possess everything the Nine Nether Demon God had—including all his knowledge and memories. Perhaps he has already merged with me…”

Hearing this, Liu Yi couldn’t believe it. How could the Nine Nether Demon God merge with him? Who was he now? By his current actions, he seemed to have the Nine Nether Demon God’s presence, but not his methods. Liu Yi asked, “What’s wrong with you?”

Su Shao looked at Liu Yi and replied, “I not only possess everything the Nine Nether Demon God had, but I also control the original souls of three Ghost Kings. That’s why my cultivation level surprises you so much. The three Ghost Kings I sent out are just their shadows. The real three Ghost Kings are inside my body, just like the Nine Nether Demon God—their powers belong to me.” As he spoke, Su Shao even burst into laughter.

Liu Yi shook his head, unable to believe it. That young man had now become a true demon god. What had changed him? Was it Blue Blade? Could it also be love? Love that disregards everything. Looking at Su Shao sitting on the ground, Liu Yi shook his head and said, “You’re doing something foolish. She won’t even think of you, nor will she give you anything in return.”

Su Shao slowly stood up. With a motion of his right hand, he drew the ancient sword into his hand. Shaking his head, he said, “Loving someone is inherently foolish. I can’t control it myself. Whether there’s a result or not, it’s my own matter. Just because I love her doesn’t mean she has to love me back. If she’s happy, I’m happy.” As he spoke, a green aura began to gather around his body.

Liu Yi looked at Su Shao before him, knowing this was his final move. Only now was Su Shao showing his true strength. Perhaps the person before him would face a tragic fate, but at least he could do what he loved. Maybe… he would be much happier than Liu Yi, as he could still see the person he loved, while Liu Yi hadn’t seen them in a very long time.

Liu Yi’s true energy seemed to have calmed down a lot by now, but the situation before him didn’t allow him to think further. Whether the demonic power would drive him mad or not, he had to act. As his 13th-level skill, “Lanerfina Qing,” improved, his true energy continued to gather. At the same time, a demonic aura rolled in from the sky. The white clouds were now swallowed by red clouds. Then, as red light gradually emerged, a tangible killing aura appeared around Liu Yi, and a fierce hurricane instantly swept through.

His silver-white long hair was instantly blown into disarray, his eyes turning blood red. Five dragon shadows flickered around the black sword blade, while a red aura gradually condensed in the air, forming a vortex that swirled above Liu Yi’s head. At the same time, Su Shao slowly raised his left hand, causing a cold wind to blow around him. Countless green lights shot out from the ground in various directions. As these lights appeared, numerous translucent undead creatures emerged from the ground, carrying green poisonous miasma. In an instant, Su Shao’s body was surrounded by dozens of lights, with countless undead surrounding them.

Su Shao’s eyes alternated between green and their normal color as he stared at Liu Yi, smiling coldly. Having controlled the Nine Nether Demon God and absorbed the power of the Three Ghost Kings, he regarded the man before him as insignificant and was confident enough to kill him.

The invisible killing aura in the air grew increasingly intense, almost taking on a tangible form. Both sides simply watched each other quietly, with neither willing to be the first to attack. Although Liu Yi hadn’t struck yet, he could hardly endure it any longer. If things continued like this, even without fighting, the demonic energy might continue to accumulate and consume him.

Finally, Liu Yi could no longer delay. Driven by his vital energy, his long sword emitted over a dozen sword beams swiftly. At the same time, he summoned the Five-Color Divine Dragons using his vital energy. With the dragons’ roars echoing across the sky, the five colored dragons soared into the air and circled above Liu Yi’s body.

Su Shao slowly drew his sword in a diagonal motion, watching Liu Yi attack. He merely smiled coldly. As his right hand moved rapidly, it seemed he sent several sword beams at the same time using his vital energy. After several clashes of metal, the sword beams from both sides collided, generating immense force that caused the surrounding land to crack, sand to fly everywhere, and tree branches to turn to dust.

But this was just the beginning. Neither side stopped. Su Shao raised his sword high into the sky. As a green vortex condensed, countless undead rushed into the sky, forming a terrifying wall of ghosts. When Su Shao pointed his sword at Liu Yi, all the undead surged toward him like an overwhelming tide.

Seeing this, Liu Yi didn’t dare neglect the situation. He concentrated all his vital energy into his sword, using it to control the Five-Color Divine Dragons. After several dragon roars, the five dragons transformed into five-colored lights and charged straight at the countless undead. Instantly, dust filled the air. As the five dragons collided with the undead, many of them turned into smoke. Yet this didn’t stop the remaining undead from rushing toward Liu Yi—there were simply too many.

At the moment when the dragons and undead clashed, the creatures summoned by both sides didn’t stop advancing. Liu Yi’s Five-Color Divine Dragons pierced through the undead and headed straight for Su Shao, while the undead released by Su Shao, despite suffering losses, rushed recklessly at Liu Yi’s body.

Su Shao seemed to have realized long ago that the target of the Five-Color Divine Dragons was himself. The moment the dragons fired their attacks, Su Shao swung his long sword. Soon after, green light shot up from the ground in front of him, summoning endless undead to surround the five divine dragons. Seeing the undead charging toward him, Liu Yi hesitated not for a moment and used his strongest true energy to maximize the speed of his sword. By now, he could no longer summon the divine dragons; to survive, he had to rely on the sharpness of his sword.

With the help of the 13th level of “Lanelfina Qing,” Liu Yi’s true energy kept flowing into his sword. As his figure turned into several afterimages, countless white sword lights, carrying a force that cut through wind, slashed at the approaching undead. The blood flowing in Liu Yi’s body was unafraid of the green poison mist surrounding the undead, and by relying on the sharpness of his sword, he managed to cut down the undead around him, seemingly unharmed.

Yet it seemed as though more and more undead were emerging from the ground. At this point, Liu Yi’s true energy seemed to have reached another level—one he didn’t even know about—and it no longer responded to his will. Liu Yi inwardly feared the worst. After using the 13th level of “Lanelfina Qing” for so long, his heart meridians had already become chaotic. As he kept channeling his true energy, his consciousness gradually blurred.

The blood-red light in his eyes dimmed, and his awareness became hazy. Occasionally, when he regained clarity, Liu Yi would try to figure out the reason. Having used the killing intent for too long, if things continued like this, he would soon be consumed by it, even if not killed by Su Shao right then. As he swiftly swung his sword along with his afterimages, countless white lights cut down the undead in front of him. Taking advantage of the sudden momentum, Liu Yi stepped back several times.

At this moment, Liu Yi’s eyes were blood-red, his face pale, and he was breathing heavily, looking extremely tired. His white hair was disheveled from his rapid movements. His long sword was planted in the ground as he watched the growing number of undead in front of him and those emerging from the ground all around.

Meanwhile, the green light around Su Shao resembled a prison from hell, surrounding the Five-Color Divine Dragons. More undead kept appearing around them, slowing down their movements. Looking at Liu Yi surrounded by the undead, Su Shao sneered coldly, “You have no choice. You must die today.”

Liu Yi barely held himself together, his consciousness blurred. But he knew this wasn’t due to the exhaustion of his true energy. At this moment, his body was struggling to resist the invasion of his own true energy. Liu Yi only wanted to forcefully suppress that restless true energy. As pressure built, sweat dropped from his face.

Su Shao slowly walked toward Liu Yi. Seeing his pained expression, he shook his head and said, “If you release all your true energy, you might be able to fight me a little longer. But looking at how you’re struggling now, I think I’d better end this quickly for you.” With that, he extended his left palm, and green true energy condensed into a sphere, shooting straight at Liu Yi.

Although Liu Yi’s body was somewhat abnormal at this moment and his consciousness was blurred, upon seeing the opponent attack, he instinctively reached for his sword to defend himself. With a clang, the green light ball struck the blade of Liu Yi’s sword with precision. As the immense force was transmitted, Liu Yi’s body flew backward like a kite with its string cut.

With a thud, Liu Yi crashed heavily to the ground. Then, a voice came from behind him: “Are you okay?” Liu Yi didn’t need to look to know it was July. Soon after, July stretched out an arm to help Liu Yi up and lead him to the trees. Liu Yi’s eyes, glowing red, glanced at July, then at Ye Luobaihua, and finally at Yu Chenxing, who was also injured.

In an instant, Liu Yi felt as if he had been struck by something. Yes, he was confident he could help the Heavenly Maiden escape the cycle and return to the heavens. But sometimes, confidence alone wasn’t enough. Just as now—why was his strength so weak? Confidence couldn’t protect others, let alone himself. Perhaps… he was truly wrong.

At that moment, as black smoke gradually condensed, the body of the Asura Ghost King slowly appeared before them. Liu Yi frowned and slowly stood up. His internal vital energy gathered uncontrollably, seemingly about to break through his last vestiges of consciousness. His eyes flickered red as he stared at the Asura Ghost King.

After taking shape, the Asura Ghost King didn’t move. Meanwhile, Su Shao behind him slowly walked toward them with his sword in hand. Seeing Liu Yi slowly standing up, he shook his head and said, “If you want to protect them, if you don’t want to die, then you must defeat your enemy. But sadly, you can’t defeat your enemy at all. So… you must die.” With that, the ancient-looking long sword slowly raised in a diagonal arc.

Liu Yi shook his head and looked at Su Shao, saying, “Is it me you want to kill? If you kill me, then please release them…”