Chapter 287: Chapter 277: Devise a Plan to Snatch the Holy Artifact, Displaying the Power of Refining Tao

The serene Xuan wind blew, fluttering the wide robes of the Black Dragon Demon Saint. Although the breeze was refreshing, the Black Dragon Demon Saint’s expression was extremely unsightly.

"To make such a hefty bet, are you really not afraid of losing the Holy Artifact!?"

The Black Dragon Demon Saint laughed coldly, his heart ablaze with fury. This was especially true after seeing his adopted son brutally beaten; his rage burned even more intensely.

The Holy Artifact possessed a spirit; right now, it was as if his adopted son was going head-to-head with a Demon Saint, exchanging blows.

How could a Demon possibly defeat a Saint?

If I’m not mistaken, the Dragon Sparrow Zither is a Holy Artifact of the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Blue Fox, oh Blue Fox... the Black Dragon Demon Saint gritted his teeth.

With a thought, the Black Ink Great Spear appeared in his hand. This was his sole Holy Artifact, the Wrath Abyss Spear.

However, it seemed too late to lend the Wrath Abyss Spear to Hong Yuan, even if he was willing.

He was so close to victory—

The Black Dragon Demon Saint had already etched the actions of the Blue Fox Great Saint into his memory.

「 」

"A song of heartbreak; in this vast world, where to find a kindred spirit?"

CLANG.

CLANG, CLANG.

The Dragon Sparrow Zither vibrated endlessly. Wave after wave of sound transformed into black ripples and multicolored birds, relentlessly attacking Hong Yuan. In just a short interval, the Dragon Star Archipelago, once proudly resilient, was shattered to pieces, utterly annihilated.

Hong Yuan advanced, flag in hand, striding forward. His fingers clutched the pole tightly, the battle flag rustling vigorously. The billowing blood mist, heavy and obscure, bravely collided with the sound waves. A loud clash resounded.

The next moment, the surge of sound waves easily crushed the blood mist and assailed Hong Yuan. Within the maelstrom of sound were dozens of ancient birds, each with massive wings draped in golden feathers. Their visages, both beautiful and fierce, voraciously hunted Hong Yuan.

At this moment, Hong Yuan no longer possessed his previous air of invincibility. He was like a small wooden boat tossed by a storm at sea, at the mercy of wind and rain. A single misstep could lead to the desolate end of being smashed to smithereens. The Dragon Sparrow Zither had battered him so severely that even his Clear White Robes Armor was in tatters!

Wait, just wait. Now is not the right moment to seize the Holy Artifact, Hong Yuan thought, suppressing the intense joy in his heart as he "struggled" against the Dragon Sparrow Zither.

Seeing Hong Yuan in such a dire state, Lang Fanyun stood with arms akimbo and burst into loud laughter. His laughter was wanton and wild, as if to vent all the frustrations he had endured recently.

"An invincible figure? HAHAHA, nothing more than a puny whelp!"

Yet, as he laughed, Lang Fanyun’s expression was not entirely joyful. He felt a pang of bitterness.

To think that I, a proud Tao Species from the Dragon God Sacred Land and a leading figure among the younger generation of the Demon Clan, was hunted to the point of terror by a junior, even needing a sworn friend to cover my escape for a chance at survival. My pride, in the end, requires the older generation’s help to maintain. Isn’t that an irony in itself?

Never mind all that. Since ancient times, only those who laugh last are true kings. I mustn’t behave childishly, Lang Fanyun thought. His face turned solemn as he quickly discarded his negative emotions, a determined glint flashing in his eyes.

He pressed his hands together, and a blood-red Seven-Star Light Array materialized on his body. This was a forbidden technique, one that consumed a portion of his Life Span to grant a temporary burst of combat power.

"I beseech you, Ancient One, unsheathe your might!"

In an instant, Lang Fanyun’s Essence, once as vast as the ocean, visibly dwindled. His temples grayed, and his aura weakened.

Conversely, the Dragon Sparrow Zither suddenly pulsed. Its music grew even more ferocious, and the attacks it unleashed became increasingly fierce!

Hong Yuan was "forced" into an awkward defense, his body bruised and battered, perilously close to defeat.

"Near-Saint power? But when facing true Saint Power, Xuan Guangqiao is still somewhat lacking, isn’t he?" one Demon Saint remarked with a hint of amusement.

"A Demon is a Demon. Among those who have bridged the chasm to Saint-level power, only Dragon Sun Demon Emperor and Great Moon Saint have been clearly recorded in recent times..."

"As for this prophesied Demon, it seems Xuan Guangqiao hasn’t yet significantly outpaced Ye Jianfei and the others. The future is uncertain; perhaps I overestimated him..."

Above Green Heaven, the Demon Saints discussed animatedly. Swallowing Wolf Demon Saint and Blue Fox Great Saint were among them. Listening to their Taoist friends’ assessments of Hong Yuan, the corners of their mouths curled into slight smirks.

Contending with a Holy Artifact using the body of a Demon? Heh, one can say such things, but surely no Demon would actually believe it, Blue Fox Great Saint thought, squinting his eyes contentedly as he leisurely watched his Dragon Sparrow Zither display its might. The thought of personally thwarting a Demon with the potential to become the era’s Son of Fortune filled him with a subtle, indescribable thrill.

HISS!

"What is that!?"

"It’s definitely an Earth-tier Divine Power!!!"

Cries of alarm suddenly erupted from the onlookers. Blue Fox Great Saint looked down, his expression changing drastically as he hurriedly performed a series of hand seals.

「 」

Earth-tier Divine Power—Cold Moon Seal!

The colors of heaven and earth shifted. Thunder suddenly erupted, and hurricane winds howled. A vast, cold moon slowly rose behind Hong Yuan, hanging high in the sky, its light casting an oppressive aura over the world. A sense of impending doom, as if the end of days was upon them, descended into the hearts of Demons like Lang Fanyun and Li Jianqiu. Their bodies trembled uncontrollably; they revered Hong Yuan as if he were a god.

The cold moon hung high, its light showering down. Everything touched by the moonlight was instantly frozen into an ice sculpture, utterly motionless, as if sealed by the very fabric of this world!

The tidal wave of sound unleashed by the Dragon Sparrow Zither froze completely upon a single clash with the cold, clear moonlight. The terror on Lang Fanyun’s face had not even fully formed before he was immobilized. If not for the Swallowing Wolf Demon Saint’s final protective measure, he likely would have perished on the spot.

At this moment, Hong Yuan gazed at the Dragon Sparrow Zither, now within his reach, and could no longer suppress the joy welling in his heart. His face alight with triumph, Hong Yuan reached out a large hand towards the ice-encased Dragon Sparrow Zither.

HUM! HUM!

The Dragon Sparrow Zither trembled violently, attempting to escape and hide within the void.

Ignorant whelp, do you really think you can seize a Holy Artifact so easily? Blue Fox Great Saint thought, his distant face filled with scorn.

Each Holy Artifact was extremely precious, an existence capable of bearing the weight of one’s life and Great Taoism. Naturally, to prevent Holy Artifacts from being forcefully taken, Saints established multiple restrictive Holy Arrays to ensure their safety. The Dragon Sparrow Zither, being a renowned Holy Artifact passed down through the Qingqiu Fox Clan, possessed even more safeguards against theft than ordinary Holy Artifacts.

A Demon Saint!? This old coot has no shame! Hmph, you’ve truly underestimated me. I am, after all, a Refining Tao Master! Hong Yuan sneered internally and seized the Dragon Sparrow Zither.

Hundreds of black Refining Tao Marks roared out, rapidly infesting the Dragon Sparrow Zither, working to refine away the will of the Blue Fox Great Saint.

Seeing Hong Yuan attempt to refine his Holy Artifact, Blue Fox Great Saint’s distant face showed a mocking expression. However, constrained by Hong Yuan’s seal, the Dragon Sparrow Zither could not break free into the void.

For a moment, two wills existed within the Dragon Sparrow Zither: one belonging to its original owner, Blue Fox Great Saint, and the other to Hong Yuan.

But after only a short while, Blue Fox Great Saint’s expression changed drastically. He cried out in alarm, "What school of Tao Marks are these!?"

The other Demon Saints looked at him, puzzled. But when they saw Hong Yuan holding the Dragon Sparrow Zither, casually playing with it, their eyes filled with shock.

"Xuan Guangqiao has seized the Dragon Sparrow Zither!!!"

Ignoring everything else, Blue Fox Great Saint immediately waved his sleeve, transforming into a streak of iridescent light. He tore through the clouds of Green Heaven, heading straight for the Dragon Star Archipelago. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Witnessing Blue Fox Great Saint’s blatant disregard for the rules, subtle smiles appeared on the faces of the other Demon Saints. None of them attempted to dissuade him; they were all eager to see him make a fool of himself.