Chapter 1188: Strong Physique

The Demon Emperor’s move was called the Golden Winged Divine Slash, a formidable weapon created by refining his own wings. Compared to human sword qi or hand blades, this attack was more solid, powerful, and terrifying due to the enhancement from his physical wings. This was precisely why fierce beasts and demon races often possessed greater combat power than humans of the same cultivation level: they had powerful physical bodies and innate skills derived from their bloodlines.

Zu An clearly sensed the terrifying power contained within the slash and instantly teleported to the side. However, the blade’s intent seemed to have locked onto him; what was initially a vertical cleave automatically transformed into a horizontal slash as he moved, flowing seamlessly like a wild goat’s horns, without any hesitation or abruptness. Zu An moved swiftly, but the golden long blade also slashed quickly, always staying very close behind him. Where the blade passed, not only trees but even entire mountaintops were sliced off into thin air.

The onlookers were utterly astonished; the power of this single slash was truly terrifying! Only Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen remained unperturbed, as they could easily achieve such a feat themselves.

Yu Yanluo clenched her hands tightly, filled with immense worry. Knowing that both women were peak powerhouses in the world, she couldn’t help but ask for their opinions: "Will Ah Zu be alright? At this rate, he's bound to be struck by that slash sooner or later." No matter how powerful Zu An's body was, being hit by such a terrifying slash would likely cleave him in two. Furthermore, the murderous intent carried by the blade’s momentum could instantly pulverize his internal organs and evaporate all his blood, leaving no possibility of recovery.

Yan Xuehen replied, "No need to worry. Although Zu An appears to be in a difficult situation, he's actually using the surrounding mountain terrain to weaken the power of the Golden Winged Divine Slash."

Yun Jianyue also nodded, "Indeed. Strike while the iron is hot; after the initial burst, strength wanes, and then it's exhausted. Just watch; that boy will start his counterattack soon enough."

At this moment, the Golden Crow Crown Prince, suspended in mid-air, saw that he couldn't land a single hit and coldly remarked, "Do you only know how to run?"

Zu An, sensing the opportune moment, laughed heartily and retorted, "Do you think conjuring a 40-meter blade is impressive? Let me show you what it means to strike a weakness and the power of physics!" As he spoke, a crystalline finger slowly extended, pointing directly at the golden long blade.

Spirit Rhinoceros Finger!

A flicker of derision appeared in the Golden Crow Crown Prince’s eyes. Was this fellow insane? To use a single finger to block his Golden Winged Divine Slash? With murderous intent flashing in his eyes, he controlled the blade’s aura to descend, intending to sever Zu An’s finger first and then hack him into a mere torso.

However, the finger, as if by magic, moved later but arrived sooner, touching a specific point on the side of the golden blade. Immediately, numerous cracks appeared on the once majestic long blade. The next second, it shattered completely, dispersing into glittering golden specks.

Most of the people present were wide-eyed in disbelief. They had expected Zu An to be cleaved in half, but who would have thought the situation would reverse so suddenly? Even Yu Yanluo, who had great confidence in Zu An, was astonished. She quickly turned to the two Grandmasters beside her and asked, "How did he do that?"

Yun Jianyue’s face also lit up with a peculiar light: "The Golden Crow Crown Prince’s Golden Winged Divine Slash is not fully mastered and lacks the power of his father's. It also has a flaw, though even a Grandmaster would find it difficult to discern in such a short time. This boy is truly remarkable."

Yan Xuehen snorted, "If he can survive my full-power attack, what's so surprising about him seeing that flaw?" While her remark seemed self-aggrandizing, she was actually just as shocked, believing this shouldn't be possible for Zu An at his current cultivation level. However, they had no idea that although Zu An hadn't cultivated for long, he had spent considerable time fighting on the brink of death. Not only had he clashed with Grandmasters like them, but he had even encountered far more terrifying beings—though he was often on the receiving end of a beating. Yet, as the saying goes, 'a long illness makes a good doctor,' and his combat awareness had evolved to another level. Furthermore, having used his own Flame Blade, he was intimately familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of such massive blades. His cultivation and combat experience, combined with his knowledge of physics from his past life, allowed him to successfully locate the sole weak point of the massive blade and shatter it with a single strike.

The Golden Crow Crown Prince’s expression was grim. He hadn't just wanted to win; he wanted to win decisively, which was why he had unleashed such a grand and powerful attack. But now he found that this 'little ant' he had previously disdained actually possessed some genuine skill.

"No matter how skilled he is, he's still just a fragile human!" He decided to completely overwhelm his opponent with the powerful physical body of the demon race. As soon as his words fell, he vanished.

Golden Crow Streamer!

Zu An's heart tightened. He quickly employed the Great Wind movement technique, shifting dozens of feet sideways. However, his clothes still bore several tears from the opponent's sharp claws.

"Hmm?" The Golden Crow Crown Prince was puzzled. Logically, although that strike might not have severely wounded his opponent, it should have at least drawn blood. How was it that only his clothes were torn? He didn't bother to ponder and gave his opponent no chance to rest. He transformed into countless afterimages, attacking from all directions, determined to grind Zu An into a bloody pulp to quell his resentment.

His speed was incredibly fast; many at the foot of the mountain couldn't even clearly see his afterimages, only occasionally catching a glimpse of a golden streak of light, leaving them utterly terrified.

"Truly worthy of being the next Demon Emperor! Such cultivation, such talent, it's simply unheard of," Elder Bai and Elder Qing murmured, trembling from a mix of excitement and fear.

Xiao Bai quickly asked, "Grandpa, can Young Master Zu still hold on?" Having spent time with him on their journey, she had developed a slight fondness for this human. He was handsome, spoke pleasantly, and most importantly, the scene of him gripping a sword with his fingers moments ago was undeniably cool. In contrast, the Golden Crow Crown Prince was far more aggressive and irritating. Moreover, Zu An was the clan leader's male consort, essentially one of the Snake Tribe's own. Subconsciously, she sided with Zu An.

"It's difficult," Elder Bai sighed, shaking his head.

Xiao Bai pouted, clearly dissatisfied with his answer. Remembering how her grandpa's earlier judgment had been proven wrong, she didn't fully trust him. She subtly moved closer to Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen, secretly perking her ears to listen to their analysis. Hadn't the clan leader just been seeking their opinions? These two delicate-looking women—could they possibly be someone important?

At this moment, Yun Jianyue was filled with emotion: "The Golden Crow Streamer truly lives up to its name. If the Demon Emperor were to use this technique to attack us, we would also be in dire straits."

Yan Xuehen also nodded with a solemn expression: "Indeed, if we were to face the Demon Emperor, we'd probably have to strike first to seize a sliver of hope for survival."

Xiao Bai's eyes widened. She stared at them as if they were simpletons. She had expected them to offer profound insights into the battle, but instead, they were spouting nonsense? The Demon Emperor was a terrifying entity who had suppressed the myriad demon tribes for centuries, capable of slaying enemies with a mere glance. At that time, perhaps only the human emperor could rival him. Yet, these two delicate women, who were even a bit out of breath, were fantasizing about fighting the Demon Emperor? How much had they drunk to be so deluded! She quickly shuffled away from the two women, as if idiocy were contagious.

At this point, the situation on the field changed. To counter the Golden Crow Streamer, Zu An deployed the Sunflower Phantasm Movement Technique. His green robes blurred into afterimages, constantly intertwining and clashing with the golden light.

"He can actually keep up with my movement technique?" The Golden Crow Crown Prince was utterly shocked.

Yun Jianyue also let out a sound of surprise: "His movement technique seems to be the guardian technique of the Sunflower Sect, a sect that vanished from the martial world. The last known successor was said to be hiding in the imperial palace. But wait, according to rumors, one must castrate oneself to cultivate this technique. Could he have...?"

Yan Xuehen's face flushed. "Of course not! What are you thinking?" When he had previously healed her, their skin had touched, and his body's condition couldn't be hidden from her.

"Yu Yanluo's words would be more convincing; you haven't personally experienced it," Yun Jianyue snorted, also finding her own conjecture a bit ridiculous. "Upon closer inspection, while this movement technique bears some resemblance to the Sunflower Sect's, it's clearly far more profound. It seems to contain countless mysteries, but Zu An's current cultivation is still shallow, preventing him from fully unleashing its power."

As they discussed cultivation, Yan Xuehen gradually regained her usual Grandmaster demeanor: "Indeed, when I sparred with him before, this movement technique was truly astonishing. Even I was almost deceived by his clones several times. I wonder which esteemed senior taught him such a wondrous technique."

At this point, dull thudding sounds echoed from the mountaintop, like heavy hammers striking drums. Only a few could clearly see that these were the sounds of fists making solid contact. The Golden Crow Crown Prince intended to suppress Zu An with the demon race's powerful physical body. However, Zu An showed no fear. Later, he even abandoned dodging, opting for a style where he exchanged blows.

The Golden Crow Crown Prince sneered inwardly, "Comparing physical strength with us demons? Let's see how many hits you can endure!" The two continuously struck each other, and before long, plumes of blood mist began to dissipate. After half an hour of exchanging blows, the bruised and battered Golden Crow Crown Prince slowly realized something was amiss. "Wait a minute," he thought, "why isn't this kid's aura weakening at all?" On the contrary, he felt his own body growing heavier and heavier!