Chapter 256: Asura's Rescue

Boom, boom, boom, boom!

The crossbow bolts were all blasted away, but the spatial force attached to them exploded one by one, throwing the surrounding space into chaos and snapping the lock it had on Mei Gongzi's aura instantly. This ingenious design contained no god-tier power, yet it effectively halted the black hand’s pursuit of Mei Gongzi, who had already fallen into the city below, quickly vanishing without a trace.

Dai Yangning, clutching a pale-faced Wang Yan, swiftly activated his divine consciousness, searching in the direction Mei Gongzi had fled. However, Mei Gongzi seemed to have vanished into thin air, with no aura to be found.

Tang San was the one pursuing them; the nagging feeling of danger that Dai Yangning had was because of him. Yet, even he hadn't anticipated Mei Gongzi's decisive action at this moment. When she suddenly broke free, Tang San had no choice but to act.

As he whipped out the Blue Silver Emperor vines, he had already used Asura's voice to transmit a message to Mei Gongzi, urging her to trust him and not struggle. Then, he forcibly pulled her to his side.

A slight hint of his divine consciousness revealed itself, enveloping both of them before he ran off with Mei Gongzi.

Although Dai Yangning also possessed divine consciousness due to being a god, in terms of quality, it was far inferior to Tang San's. He wasn't particularly adept at using his divine consciousness either, so finding their aura was far from easy.

With his right hand gripping the vine wrapped around Mei Gongzi's waist, Asura sped away with her. Mei Gongzi whispered, "Let me go."

"No, you can't leave my side, or he will detect you with his divine consciousness," Asura said, accelerating even more.

"Where are we going?" Mei Gongzi stopped trying to break free, understanding that Asura was right, but she couldn't help but wonder how he was able to conceal their aura from divine consciousness detection. She hadn't felt anything special about him!

"To the Kali Mountains. The Peacock Great Demon King and the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor seem to be about to clash there. The Kali Mountains have become a forbidden zone. Even the Dark Raven Demon King wouldn't expect us to flee in this direction, so it should actually be the safest. Moreover, the collision between a Great Demon King and a Demon Emperor will cause all auras to become chaotic, making it difficult for anyone to detect your presence. Then, it all depends on the outcome of their battle. If your father wins, everything will return to normal. If the Great Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor wins, you'll have to flee with me, and going back won't be an option."

As she let her drag him ahead, Mei Gongzi couldn't help but be momentarily dazed by his rapid words. Could he really make such accurate judgments in such a short time? He was indeed very smart to be able to make such precise decisions so quickly.

The intent behind the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor's arrival was clear: to overpower the Peacock Demon Clan, and the Ancestral Court evidently sanctioned his presence here.

As a Demon Emperor, one required vast resources for sustenance. The resources of the Ancestral Court had long been divided, and securing a share was not easy. Most beings at the Demon Emperor level had their main cities. And as Mei Gongzi herself commented not long ago, it just so happened that Kali City lacked a Demon Emperor.

Kali City was in a remote area, and the Peacock Demon clan, despite their past glory, had been without an emperor for three generations, making them an easy target.

Using the investigation into the whereabouts of the Ice Dragon Great Demon King as a pretext was undoubtedly an overt scheme. The only way to resolve this crisis was to at least repel the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor. Otherwise, the Peacock Demon Clan had no other option but to compromise, lest they face the threat of annihilation.

Although Asura was unaware of the past disputes between the Crystal Phoenix and Peacock lineages, it wasn’t that hard to draw these conclusions.

The battle between these two will determine the future course of action. Until their victory or defeat is decided, everything else is superfluous. The priority is to take Mei Gongzi to a safe place and await the outcome of this battle before making further judgments.

Their escape commenced near Kali City, at the foot of the Kali Mountains, making their entry into the mountains the logical choice. Familiar with the terrain, they deliberately avoided heading toward Academy Town to prevent any potential disaster from reaching it. Asura led Mei Gongzi into the mountains from the side.

Upon entering the Kali Mountains, Mei Gongzi immediately felt a difference.

A unique aura emanated from Asura, seemingly resonating with all the surrounding vegetation. This resonance enveloped them, and it almost seemed as if it had assimilated them, blending in with the plants around them.

Asura appeared to be receiving feedback from this resonance, which prevented his aura from depleting despite the rapid movement and instead gave him a sense of vitality.

What ability is this?

Mei Gongzi wondered in astonishment, finding him increasingly inscrutable.

It was not just this ability. How had he found out she was in danger? Why had he appeared just in time to come to her aid? Was it possible that he had always been by her side? And if that was the case, was it surveillance or protection?

It took ten minutes before Asura slowed down; by then, they had crossed over a mountain peak and entered deeper into the Kali Mountains.

The reason for slowing down was not that Asura deemed the area safe, but that the Kali Mountains seemed to have transformed into another world before them.

Brilliant crystal light enveloped the mountain range, visible even from great distances.

These beams of light, shimmering and sparkling, appeared to cover the sky with a crystal dome that made everything gleam dazzlingly under its brilliance.

Beneath this canopy of crystal light, a cluster of radiant silver light shone.

The Peacock Great Demon King and the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor were finally about to make their move.

Even from a great distance from the battlefield, Asura and Mei Gongzi still felt a shudder. It was a shudder stemming from their very flesh and blood—the immense pressure of higher-level beings, and they felt as if the sky was falling and the earth was sinking.

𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

At that moment, vigorous life force flowed from the vine wrapped around Mei Gongzi’s waist into her body. A warm sensation coursed through her, bringing her some comfort.

When she turned to look at Asura, she was surprised to find that he had already returned to normal. A mask obscured his face, but his exceptionally bright eyes reflected the light in the sky.

A loud phoenix cry resounded, and in the sky, an enormous figure that obscured the sun emerged in the midst of the crystal light.

From the ground, the figure with its wings spread appeared to stretch for thousands of kilometers, its entire body as if carved from crystal, with three long tail feathers presenting a golden hue, like golden crystals, casting a golden light upon the canopy of heaven.

On the other side, silver light blossomed; peacock feathers covered the silver-haired man’s body and large wings sprouted. The silver light twisted, and although not as massive as the golden light, this ethereal, twisting silver light managed to carve out its own space in the sky filled with gold.

The phoenix and the peacock, high in the sky, seemed to be flaunting the beauty of the kings of all birds as they prepared to clash.

***

At the Redemption Academy.

Feeling the changes in the sky, the teachers and students had already gathered in the courtyard.

Mayor Zhang Haoxuan arrived at the academy immediately, and Si Ru, with a grave expression, gazed into the sky. "It’s the Peacock Great Demon King. And his opponent... seems to be an even more terrifying entity."