145 Heavenly Fiend of the Yellow Springs

A winding river overflowing with monstrous demonic energy surged forth from the void.

The river was a murky yellow, yet it possessed a profound and crystalline transparency.

Spanning a hundred miles with billowing demonic energy, it was unmistakably a Golden Core-tier celestial demon.

The moment this demon appeared, the dense swarm of lesser celestial demons surrounding the floating landmass in the void scattered in all directions, as if struck with absolute terror.

With a sweeping motion of the river's brilliant current, thousands of Dao-Foundation celestial demons were instantly engulfed.

After falling into the river and struggling for just a few breaths, they were completely dissolved, transforming into pure demonic energy that nourished the vast waterway.

Boom, boom, boom!

The great river arrived above the void's floating landmass, circling and flowing, shrouded in demonic energy, yet it did not descend.

"So this is the Nether Springs Celestial Demon..."

Pang Yue raised his head to gaze at the river in the void, much like a hunter eyeing his prey.

According to Yuwen Bi, the Nether Springs Celestial Demon excelled most at contaminating vital energy and commanding all Dharmic methods.

Not only could it transform the vital energy of heaven and earth into demonic energy, but it could also simulate all manner of vital energy divine abilities, wielding a might no less than that of a human cultivator casting them in person.

At this moment.

Above the Nether Springs Celestial Demon, boundless demonic energy converged, its momentum trailing not a whit behind that of the Immeasurable Light Buddha.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, the demonic energy ignited, instantly transforming into a blazing sea of fire spanning a hundred acres, pressing down directly upon Pang Yue's head!

The Immeasurable Light Buddha raised one hand, and brilliant Buddhist light surged across the heavens, bringing forth the glazed sun-treasure-flame Buddhist light to block the searing flames.

Boom!

The sea of fire collided with the Buddhist light, producing a deafening roar.

The flames manipulated by the Nether Springs Celestial Demon abruptly shifted in color, turning into a blinding, scorching white.

In an instant, the might of the fire sea multiplied severalfold!

True Pure Yang Fire!

Carrying a terrifyingly high temperature that covered the skies and earth, the firelight illuminated the dark and desolate void into a blazing expanse of white!

Even the distant drifting rocks in the void were melted by the flames into thick, churning, and endlessly boiling magma.

Pang Yue's gaze narrowed slightly.

With his pupillary arts, how could he fail to see the transformation that had just occurred in that fleeting instant?

Initially, upon sensing the Buddhist light of the Immeasurable Light Buddha, the Nether Springs Celestial Demon had converted its boundless demonic energy into a sea of fire and crashed it downward.

These flames were merely ordinary spiritual fires; though vast in quantity, their might was not enough to trouble Pang Yue.

However, the moment the fire sea made contact with the glazed sun-treasure-flame Buddhist light of the Immeasurable Light Buddha, the vital energy structure within the fire sea instantly altered, transforming in a flash into the True Pure Yang Fire—one of the seven great true fires—and its might soared dramatically.

In other words, during that momentary contact, the Nether Springs Celestial Demon had assimilated the True Pure Yang Fire contained within the Immeasurable Light Buddha's divine light, subsequently converting its own demonic energy into this very flame!

"Truly worthy of a celestial demon ranked in the top hundred!"

Pang Yue felt a surge of great joy in his heart.

He urged the Immeasurable Light Buddha forward, and within the golden Buddha's hand, a strand of Buddhist flame converged into a massive golden precepts blade, slashing fiercely toward the Nether Springs Celestial Demon.

Though formidable, this Nether Springs Celestial Demon could not instantly replicate the glazed sun-treasure-flame Buddhist light; while the True Pure Yang Fire was powerful, it fell significantly short compared to this supreme Buddhist divine ability.

Above the great river, boundless demonic energy gathered, continuously transforming into the True Pure Yang Fire and pouring into the sea of flames in an attempt to breach the Buddhist light of the Immeasurable Light Buddha.

Simultaneously, the demonic energy condensed into two pitch-black giant hands, intercepting the blade light slashed out by the golden Buddha.

The blade light abruptly shifted and divided in an instant, ethereal as smoke, parting through the void like a master butcher carving an ox, grazing past the dark giant hands to strike directly upon the Nether Springs Celestial Demon.

Screech!

The massive river was instantly cleaved into two sections by the hundred-foot-long, heaven-shaking blade radiance!

Yet the next moment.

The sound of rushing water echoed through the void as the river flowed together once more, demonic energy surging upward to transform into the True Pure Yang Fire, which likewise condensed into the shape of a giant saber and slashed downward.

This time, within the True Pure Yang Fire, a trace of serene, glazed purity was woven in, elevating its might by yet another notch.

"Hmph!"

From within Pang Yue's sleeve, a heaven-shaking sword beam flew forth, severing the sea of True Pure Yang Fire and that ray of light with a single, mid-air slash.

Immediately afterward, the sword beam abruptly split and multiplied, gathering into a river of sword qi that surged directly into the body of the Nether Springs Celestial Demon.

The sword radiance flowed upstream, unyielding and razor-sharp, severing and extinguishing every trace of spiritual essence within the Nether Springs Celestial Demon.

The Nether Springs Celestial Demon emitted a rumbling aqueous sound, surging into the air as it hastily condensed an endless, bone-chilling sword light to mount a defense.

Yet this time, the sword light it managed to condense was far inferior in might.

Within the void, a brilliant and dazzling river of swords surged upstream against the murky yellow torrent, spanning a hundred miles in the blink of an eye!

As the sword light circulated, the demonic energy enveloping the Nether Springs Celestial Demon plummeted abruptly.

The great river coiled in mid-air, condensing into a gigantic, surging sphere of water. Within the aqueous light, wisps of bone-chilling sword qi emerged, intertwining to form a barrier at the front.

"The divine ability is decent, but your combat techniques and experience are truly abyssal!"

Pang Yue inwardly evaluated.

High in the air, the sword light condensed into a humanoid figure—none other than the sword puppet.

With a mere flick of the sword puppet's finger, a hundred-foot-long, razor-sharp sword beam slashed forth!

The void was split in twain!

The colossal sphere of water formed by the Nether Springs Celestial Demon was likewise cleaved in half instantly.

The water surged tumultuously, attempting to reform once more...

Clang!

Suddenly, the chime of a bell rang out.

Dark golden light patterns rippled through the void, instantly enveloping the massive physique of the Nether Springs Celestial Demon.

Wherever the light patterns passed, time itself stagnated.

Pang Yue leisurely stepped into the void, arriving before the Nether Springs Celestial Demon.

Black mist billowed from behind him, streaming continuously into the demon's body.

The black mist was boundless; within moments, it had completely engulfed the Nether Springs Celestial Demon.

The black mist rolled incessantly, growing denser and denser before beginning to collapse inward!

Pang Yue stood steadfast in the void with his hands clasped behind his back, his entire body's Dharmic power surging as he refined the Nether Springs Celestial Demon with all his might.

A short while later.

The black mist collapsed to its absolute limit, and a dark golden talisman, roughly a丈 (three meters) in size, emerged from within the haze.

Upon the talisman surface, dense gold patterns swarmed, enough to make one's head spin.

With a wave of his hand, Pang Yue drew the talisman into his body. The Dharmic power within him surged violently, rolling demonic energy manifesting with tangible substance that shook the void.

Within his sea of consciousness.

Just as a monstrous demonic intent began to manifest, the chime of a bell rang out once more.

That demonic intent instantly slowed down.

Immediately following, a heaven-cleaving sword intent swept past.

The demonic intent was instantly obliterated.

Pang Yue let out a long breath, reaching out to retrieve the Great Desolation Pagoda as his gaze shifted toward the depths of the void.

The cultivation of the Chaos Profound Dark Scripture differed somewhat from orthodox Xuanmen techniques.

Upon reaching the Golden Core realm, the swiftest method to enhance one's strength in this cultivation technique was to allow the demonic talisman to devour celestial demons!

The higher the tier of the celestial demon, the purer its internal demonic energy, yielding greater benefits for the demonic talisman.

Celestial demons of the same lineage were ideal.

However, whether it was the Nether Springs Celestial Demon or the Space-Time Celestial Demon, both were among the rarest existences in the realm of celestial demons.

Without Blood-Leaf Demonic Grass, they were exceedingly difficult to locate.

And Blood-Leaf Demonic Grass was no simple matter to cultivate...

Therefore, Pang Yue had no choice but to set his sights deeper into the extraterrestrial void.

If he could find a flock of high-tier celestial demons, that naturally would be for the best.

Recalling the Immeasurable Light Buddha, a murky yellow river surged forth beneath his feet.

Stepping upon the river and driving his Dharmic power, the great waterway rolled forward, carrying him away toward the depths of the void.

Behind him, the blue boundary membrane of the world gradually grew distant.