Chapter 840: Chapter 78: This Demon Cult has produced another immortal

Jiang Lian vanished in an instant, catching the surrounding Shushan Sword Immortals off guard.

With their experience, they couldn’t even discern what technique the opponent had used — it was certainly not a low-ranked spell like invisibility, but rather a high-rank method that couldn’t be located even with Divine Sense.

In a blink of an eye, the witch reappeared silently behind Ling Yunpo, lunging at his back once again.

Having failed to possess his body the previous time, Jiang Lian knew that this person was protected by a miraculous treasure; the physical possession of a Heavenly Demon was ineffective. Therefore, this time she resorted to the Heavenly Demon Blood-Sucking Technique — just a light suction towards the target would mobilize their essence blood to be drawn out of their body and quickly digested in the belly of the Heavenly Demon.

But Ling Yunpo possessed the Innate Sword Bone and shared mutual resonance with the Tai Yin Suming Sword. The sword would not allow its Sword Master to be so easily affected without giving a prompt warning first.

Only when Ling Yunpo’s essence blood surged and was about to burst out of his body did it suddenly resonate and vibrate, leveraging Ling Yunpo’s Sword Bone to reverberate and reel the escaping essence blood back into his body.

Halfway through siphoning, Jiang Lian suddenly felt an even stronger suction from the other side, almost causing her to retch it out. She hastily interrupted the Blood-Sucking Technique, feeling a sweetness in her throat followed by a rebound from her cultivation technique.

Although this backlash did no significant harm to the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, what mattered was the loss of face… Ever since her descent to the Lower Realm, when had she ever suffered such humiliation?

Thus, the witch immediately activated the Heavenly Demon Enchanting Sound Technique, screeching sharply and fiercely.

All the Shushan Cultivators present, regardless of their cultivation level and grade rank, immediately felt an intense headache and found it difficult to control their actions.

Although Su Jian and An Zhisu were affected as well, both reacted with remarkable swiftness. While their bodies were not yet fully out of control, one used swordsmanship, the other Daoist Magic, directing simultaneous attacks at Jiang Lian in an attempt to interrupt her spellcasting.

As a high-rank Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, Jiang Lian naturally wouldn’t be disturbed by such low-rank attacks by Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators. One saw Jiang Lian’s figure become ethereal as all attacks passed through her without causing any harm, yet the screaming that made it impossible to control one’s mind never ceased for a moment.

Immediately after, Ling Yunpo suddenly appeared behind her.

“Such a noise!” he complained, as the Tai Yin Suming Sword quickly slashed through Jiang Lian’s body.

The secret technique, which even attacks from the Nascent Soul Realm had left no mark on, was almost instantaneously torn open under the devastation of the Tai Yin Energy of the Suming Sword.

Jiang Lian’s body exploded violently, turning into a dense, swirling black fog. Within it, the deep purple Tai Yin Energy could be seen as distinctly as milk staining an ink drop.

The black fog quickly dispersed, then condensed again on the outside. The deep purple Tai Yin Energy was forcibly stripped away, making the fog itself much dimmer and sparser, reminiscent of a gecko shedding its tail.

The black fog managed to congeal only the witch’s head, which cast a resentful glance at Ling Yunpo before whooshing away and disappearing.

As the witch made her escape, the Shushan Sword Immortals on the scene finally recovered from the torment of the magic sound.

“What kind of Demon Head was that?” One of the Shushan Elders asked with a trembling voice, in disbelief, “Since when did the Demon Cult produce such a terrifying Immortal?”

No one answered the question, and no one questioned the opponent’s realm and rank.

Being able to ignore the attacks of several Nascent Soul Elders and even rendering Sect Leader Su Jian utterly helpless, what else but Immortal Rank could it be?

If the Tai Yin Sword Master had not been present and used the grade rank of the Tai Yin Suming Sword to force her retreat, it is feared that everyone there might have perished… In past history, encountering an Immortal of an opposing faction without an Immortal on their side usually meant at least half of the team would be decimated; if one lacked powerful escaping secret techniques, it was not uncommon for all to be annihilated.

It’s just a mere secret realm, why would they even deploy an Immortal?

Everyone turned their gazes toward Su Jian, waiting for the Sect Leader to make a decision.

At this point, the Demon Cult’s demonstrated combat power had already far surpassed Shushan’s initial estimates.

If they continued to stay in this secret realm, the risk would be so high as to be incalculable. But if they were to retreat now, what about the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard that had yet to be acquired?

The Peak Masters and Elders accompanying the mission could also see that the enemy’s strength was indeed profound and unfathomable. It was only because the invisibility spell’s divine skill had just been restrained by the Tai Yin energy of the Tai Yin Summoning Sword, and the enemy had been too arrogant, thinking they could act unbridled, that they fell into an ambush and were wounded at their foundation.

But what if the enemy used Elixirs to recover from their injuries and attacked again? What if they continued to launch stealth attacks from the shadows? What if they called for additional friends and even invited an immortal to join them?

Actually, everyone had the unpleasant thought that “it is not advisable to stay here for long,” but no matter what, nobody wanted to be the first to speak up.

The Shushan Sword Immortals, after all, were proud and unyielding. Others could suggest retreating first, and one could imply consent; but if one took the initiative to suggest retreating, they feared being ridiculed as cowards, and if this were to be brought up later, it would be uncomfortable and difficult to retort.

At such times, it is generally required that the Sect Leader steps in to “look after the bigger picture,” with some empty talk like “although it may damage the sect’s prestige, right now safety is the priority,” and everyone else would conveniently express reluctance, anger, a desire to fight to the death, but then “since the Sect Leader has spoken, who dares to disobey,” and promptly comply with the order to withdraw from the secret realm.

But Su Jian was also of the highest pride and arrogance, even more so than the other Shushan Sword Immortals. What kept circling in his mind was “although the enemy might probably maybe be of Immortal Rank, but so what? Didn’t my disciple injure them?”

If the subsequent responses were handled correctly, it seemed that this Immortal Rank wasn’t completely unkillable…

“Master!” An Zhisu finally couldn’t stand it anymore and said in a stern voice, “We must decide whether to go or stay!”

She spoke with impassioned fervor and quickly gave Ling Yunpo a significant look.

Ling Yunpo also knew that at this time, he must not hesitate or delay, and immediately echoed:

“Since an immortal has intervened this time, we must immediately return and report to the immortals, and then make further plans. The overall situation is of the utmost importance, and the esteemed elders must not act rashly!”

The Peak Masters and Elders felt deeply moved upon hearing this.

Indeed, the intelligence and speech level of Qing Heng True Person is not something his senior sister and master could compare to.

Look at that! It’s not “we can’t beat them so we must retreat,” it’s “we need to rush back and report to the Sect Leader”; it’s not “fleeing in a panic,” it’s “considering the greater situation”!

Thus, everyone began to speak up, one after another:

“Indeed, even though we do not fear the Demon Cult, there are priorities and urgencies to consider.”

“With the appearance of an immortal from the Demon Cult, we must urgently report back to the sect, and not delay.”

“Missing the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard is a minor issue, but we must not let the Demon Cult’s schemes succeed–that is the major concern!”

Su Jian listened and was somewhat speechless, but he also saw that the people’s hearts were wavering, so insisting on staying would be even more pointless.

“Tally up the spoils of the battlefield.” He could only sigh and say, “In half an incense stick’s time, we return to Shushan!”