An entrenched mindset was difficult to budge, much to Celestial’s chagrin. The demonic army was less than a third as strong as it had once been. Nevertheless, he was still confident in a frontal assault.
However, military strength wasn’t the only form of power. Some facets of power were intangible and invisible, but decisive all the same.
For example, mankind should’ve been in dire straits after its prolonged decline, but a savior in the form of Jiang Chen had emerged to become the pillar of their resistance.
Such was humanity’s good fortune. Luck was also a facet. Moreover, humans had mastered formations and a multitude of other strange arts.
Celestial held the conviction that the battle at Winterdraw would quickly go awry if his men thought of it as a foregone conclusion. The worst case scenario was a devastating defeat, but even a narrow victory would exact its price in blood.
More than ten demon gods had fallen so far. This sort of destructive power commanded respect. One had to stay wary of such an enemy. Overconfidence was no longer tolerated.
Celestial sighed inwardly. Despite long surveillance, he’d failed to spot anything of note on Winterdraw. “From what we know, the island used to be an insignificant place. But it’s become nigh unassailable in Jiang Chen’s hands. This child is truly a monster.”
As an opponent, the youngster loomed increasingly larger over them.
All of a sudden, more than a dozen vortexes appeared around the island’s formations in a swirl of clouds. Each one continuously fired beams of light, quickly raining a barrage in their direction.
Celestial had left the army behind on this reconnaissance trip. His concealment should have been perfect, yet the rays of light aimed at them with unerring accuracy.
It would seem the enemy knew of their presence long ago.
“Stay sharp, everyone!” he shouted. With a casual clap of the hands, myriads of scenes materialized from his palms. There were suns and moons and stars, or was it mountains and rivers and creeks? A single gesture seemed to encompass the entire world to manifest nature’s every phenomenon.
“Hahaha!” A strange laughter sounded. The light instantly split into millions of strands that fanned out in every direction.
“Hmph, this is the Great Veluriyam Light. Stay on your toes.” From his past fights with the Great Divine Veluriyam, Celestial was intimately familiar with the torch’s abilities.
It could, for example, divide itself ad infinitum like now. It was an extraordinary evasion skill, as he recalled.
However, it looked to him as if Jiang Chen was using it to create mere chaos, presumably to confuse their senses and befuddle them.
Be that as it may, Celestial stayed vigilant. He threw a silent glance at his companions. They immediately caught his drift and drew closer to his position, clearly wary of the young lord. The boy wasn’t an easy opponent, especially not with the Great Veluriyam Torch in his hands.
In the past, Celestial himself had never found a good way to handle this treasure. They were currently on enemy soil, without a numbers advantage. Trying to hunt down the youngster would be sheer folly.
The forefather sneered. “He’s playing with smoke and mirrors. Something must be afoot. We’re done here in any case, so let’s leave for now and come back with our army!”
He remained self-possessed at this juncture. Even celestial demons weren’t invincible. The thought of recklessly chasing his enemy’s shadow didn’t cross his mind at all.
Disregarding the net of light woven in the sky, he readied his escape skill, about to leave when the surrounding air vibrated strangely. His keen consciousness immediately perceived an impending threat.
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He shouted, “Look out!”
However, from less than a hundred meters away, a searing beam shot in his direction without warning before his voice finished echoing.
The blinding light seemed to be born from the highest heavens, perhaps from another plane altogether. It streaked his way with a speed and power that could devastate the earth and pierce through the very existence of the world.
Even for celestial demons, an attack from this up close was a daunting prospect.
He dodged to the side without a shred of hesitation and avoided the fearsome light by a hair.
As the beam’s power brushed past him, he could almost see a grand tangible vision of chanting Buddhas delivering just retribution from the heavens.
No matter how unyielding his defense, he would’ve been turned into minced meat had the ray landed.
Fear palpitating his heart, a ghastly cry reached his ears.
As it happened, the beam had squarely hit the sixth forefather. The demon had been running his mouth moments prior, but he couldn’t even react before the light swallowed him whole, dissolving his consciousness and body into nothingness. Only a heartbreaking shriek clung to the air.
Damn it!
Without another word, Celestial threw a punch and projected the boxing aura toward the spot the beam had originated from.
But the culprit had fled the scene of the crime long ago, as if his strike had merely been a fluke.
Celestial persevered with his attack, fully covering the surrounding with a deluge of explosions as he growled, “We’re leaving!”
How would his tribesmen dare stay one more second? They all chased his retreating figure, fleeing Winterdraw like the devil was on their tail.
They traveled several thousand miles without rest before finally stopping.
Celestial panted lightly, his expression dark. He’d perfectly hidden his tracks. How had he been discovered? One of his companions had even been killed right under his nose!
None of the Celestial Demon Seven had died since their arrival on Divine Abyss.
And yet, one of them had been lost today, all for the sake of a long distance scouting mission. From now on, the seven was no longer be whole.
Most of all, he’d been personally present, but had been helpless to prevent his tribesman’s death. It was a blatant slap to his face, and a naked insult to the demons’ prestige.
It was hard to fathom what had happened even now. He’d proceeded with extreme caution, fully aware of the potential threat posed by the Great Veluriyam Torch.
But it was impossible for the torch to have produced the terrible attack. The item simply didn’t have that sort of firepower!