Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Final Battle

Although the situation appeared intimidating, I knew the old man wouldn't act rashly.

So I said, "If you think I'm boasting, why don't you try and see for yourself?"

As soon as I spoke, the old man's face turned green with anger. He stomped his foot and said, "You brat, don't push your luck!"

I smiled slightly. "I'll say it again: hand over the one named Afang, or else..." I left the rest unsaid, letting him imagine the consequences.

I understood that at moments like this, one must not show weakness; strength was essential, or the outcome would be disastrous.

The old man glared at me, gritting his teeth. "Impossible!"

No sooner had he spoken than, with a fierce resolve, he shouted, "Kill!"

At his command, the twin-tailed scorpions encircling us brandished their weapons and lunged forward.

I hadn't expected him to actually attack, so I quickly drew the Universe Mirror, unleashing bolts of lightning in rapid succession.

Simultaneously, I summoned the Black Flood Dragon. At its appearance, the old man's face turned pale.

Having spent so many years on Azure Cloud Mountain, he must have heard of the Azure Dragon, and the Black Flood Dragon's body was, after all, that of the Azure Dragon.

For a moment, all the twin-tailed scorpions seemed frozen, staring dumbfounded at the Black Flood Dragon soaring overhead.

I looked at the old man and asked, "Are you sure you want to make an enemy of us?"

He stammered, unable to utter a single word.

Just then, a woman approached from the distance—Afang herself.

Fatty immediately recognized her and pointed his blade, cursing, "You vicious woman, how dare you poison me!"

Hearing his accusation, Afang, the twin-tailed scorpion, retorted, "If you hadn't harbored wicked intentions, I wouldn't have succeeded."

"You've got some nerve blaming me!"

Fatty was about to lash out, but I stopped him. "No matter what, my friend here is the injured party. Shouldn't there be some compensation?"

Afang replied, "Compensation? I know you're formidable, but mark my words—I am not to be trifled with."

No sooner had she spoken, than Afang seemed to unleash hidden powers; dense demonic energy surged skyward, lightning crackled across the night sky.

She appeared even more formidable than the old man before us.

What was happening? I was perplexed—wasn't the Snow Spirit Flower supposed to have been consumed by the old man?

Afang laughed heartily. "Even if you hadn't come tonight, I would have sought you out to settle the score."

"Wait..."

"Miss, aren't you confused? You poisoned us, and now you want to settle scores with us?" I asked.

Afang gave a cold snort. "To be precise, I'm here for you."

---

Afang's expression grew uglier as she prepared to strike. I called out, "Wait, let's get things straight first—why are you after me?"

She seemed unwilling to converse, but hearing my question, she replied, "Because you killed my brother!"

I'd killed her brother? The more I heard, the more confused I became—I didn't even know who her brother was, let alone how I could have killed him! Could her brother be the Azure Dragon? Was that possible?

I asked, "Who is your brother? I don't even know him."

Afang, furious, snapped, "Stop pretending! Wasn't the Phantom Demon killed by you?"

The Phantom Demon—her brother?

This was bizarre. Could the Phantom Demon also be a twin-tailed scorpion? Was that possible? I didn't believe it, as I'd never seen the Phantom Demon transform into a scorpion.

So I said, "He got what he deserved. If he hadn't harmed others, he wouldn't have met such an end."

At my words, Afang lunged at me.

The Black Flood Dragon, hovering above, launched an unhesitating assault.

Lin Weiyan's Red Dawn Sword flashed in her hand as she stepped in front of me.

Feng Zimo quickly joined the fray, and seeing Afang make her move, the old man wasn't idle either; he hurled himself in to assist her against the Black Flood Dragon.

Wu Xin had already set up formations in secret, trapping the lesser demons within.

Fatty, desperate to kill Afang, charged into the melee.

The scene erupted into chaos; everyone fought with reckless abandon.

Only Lin Weiyan and I remained stationary, hesitating to act.

It wasn't that I didn't want to join the fight—I simply couldn't fly like the others.

I could only fret, occasionally launching sneak attacks with the Universe Mirror and the Nine Palaces Dark Art.

Yet my cultivation was limited, incapable of inflicting fatal harm.

Watching the Black Flood Dragon and Feng Zimo locked in fierce battle with the others, unable to gain an advantage, I said to Lin Weiyan, "Go help them, lest something happen."

Lin Weiyan hesitated at first, but seeing the situation, she nodded. "Brother Chu Yun, be careful."

---

I nodded, assuring her I was fine.

Only then did Lin Weiyan soar into the fray, her Red Dawn Sword weaving arcs in the air, sending waves of sword energy at Afang.

With her joining the battle, the tide shifted.

I could see that Afang and the old man were clearly losing ground.

But not long after, Afang's body suddenly radiated a blue light, and her clothes transformed into a deep blood-red.

She now looked like a ghostly woman in red; after her clothes changed, she seemed to gain extraordinary power.

Even with Feng Zimo and the others joining forces, they couldn't harm her.

Instead, one by one, they suffered injuries at her hands. My heart tightened at the sight.

Afang now possessed even greater strength than the Phantom Demon.

Just then, Fatty let out a miserable scream; Afang kicked him from the sky.

I rushed over and helped him up.

"Fatty, are you alright?"

He was about to reply, "I'm fine—" when a mouthful of blood burst forth.

Clearly, his injuries were serious. "Fatty, say no more. Rest here."

No sooner had I finished speaking than Feng Zimo was knocked down as well.

He wasn't as badly hurt as Fatty; he picked himself up and muttered, "Damn it, how did she get so much stronger?"

Without hesitation, he dove back into battle.

Seeing Afang grow stronger with each bout, I realized there was only one option left—the Soul-Piercing Arrow.

I laid Fatty carefully on the ground and called out, "Brother Feng, Weiyan, Black Flood Dragon, move aside and let me handle this!"

They quickly cleared the way.

A crimson Soul-Piercing Arrow shot from my back, drawing a dazzling arc through the night sky, headed straight for Afang.

In an instant, the arrow struck her body.

I exhaled deeply, sweat beading on my forehead.

This time, Afang was surely finished, regardless of her connection to the Phantom Demon.

But after a while, Afang did not dissolve into dust as the Phantom Demon had. Instead, she stood perfectly unharmed in midair.