This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 266 He withstood a single palm strike from the Demon Lord

A massive crisis, guided by Ruoxue, descended upon Yong'an City like Mount Tai crushing an egg.

Above the horizon, rolling black clouds surged and churned like turbulent waves, resembling the gaping maw of a ferocious beast, baring its fangs and claws as it hurtled toward Yong'an.

At this moment, Yong'an City, which had just returned to peace, was once again plunged into a boiling clamor.

For the people of Yong'an, tonight was destined to be a sleepless night. First, the imperial palace was besieged by raging flames, and then dark clouds surged in the sky like angry waves. The people of Yong'an seemed to have become accustomed to these strange phenomena.

After all, in the hundreds of years since then, there have been no unusual phenomena as frequent as in the last few days.

Everyone looked up at the blurry figure gradually coalescing in the dark clouds. Even a powerful Martial Emperor couldn't help but frown and ask in deep thought, "Ning Chen, what exactly is that?"

Emperor Wu had already arrived at the inner palace and was about to communicate with the mysterious being inside. However, before he could even speak, the entire city of Yong'an was shrouded in endless darkness.

His gaze was sharp as he looked at the towering astrological platform, and he said solemnly, "It is not clear at the moment, but Your Majesty, rest assured, I can activate the astrological array at any time."

"These strange phenomena are happening frequently; this is probably not a good omen," Emperor Wu lamented. But from within the faint black clouds, a chilling sound began to emanate, as if a colossal creature, capable of blotting out the sky, was about to break free and descend upon the world.

Xiao Xingchen was struck dumb, his hair standing on end. When Ruoxue shouted "Help her!", the Bronze Divine Tree instantly burst forth with dazzling bronze light, like a ferocious dragon, following Ruoxue's body and carrying Xiao Xingchen into the black mist.

Xi Zhu's expression turned extremely solemn. She stared at the scene with tension, thinking to herself that Xiao Xingchen's involvement was completely unexpected.

Reappearing, Xiao Xingchen stood before the Demon Lord's mangled body. When the Demon Lord's terrifying figure came into view, the sheer shock of being there made even someone as seasoned as him feel a chill run down his spine.

"What are you doing here? Run!"

Ruoxue was rushing towards them, her rain of swords long gone, her body covered in bruises, and the black robe in her arms was in grave danger.

"You take her and go first, I'll hold them off for you!"

"No, you're no match for him!"

"Don't worry, I'm just holding them off for a bit. You go!"

As they spoke, a crisis descended. The bronze light surged like a volcanic eruption, centered on Xiao Xingchen, and revealed a bronze divine tree that was rising into the sky.

In his eyes, stars spun rapidly like wheels, and all the black power that appeared around him vanished like exiled prisoners. For the first time, the two powers perfectly combined to confront the Demon Lord.

"Let me test just how far I've come!"

Since merging with the Bronze Divine Tree and awakening, he has never had a clear understanding of his own strength. His original Ninth Heaven Realm seemed to have been forcibly severed, with the divine tree replacing the second realm, causing all his original cultivation methods to deviate.

However, he remained convinced of his superior strength. When he saw the Demon Lord's suffocatingly terrifying figure descend, he broke free from his restraints for the first time. Bronze light shone as brightly as the sun, and an enormous bronze divine tree suddenly appeared beneath his feet, like an indestructible fortress, lifting him high into the sky. Under the rapid rotation of the stars in his twin pupils, the black sacrificial power that tried to avoid him was like a flock of sheep being driven away, banished into the endless starry sky.

"Break!" With a roar, the Demon Lord's remains, like a towering mountain, unleashed a gigantic, jet-black hand, crashing down with earth-shattering force. The void, like fragile glass, shattered instantly, and endless darkness surged forth like a tidal wave, engulfing Xiao Xingchen and the bronze light, obliterating them without a trace.

Ruoxue was concerned for Xiaoxingchen's safety, but she could only watch helplessly as the Demon Lord's palm struck down, causing the starry sky to collapse violently like a shattered spiderweb. She dared not delay for a moment, and like a cunning rabbit, seized the opportunity to swiftly escape back into her body.

"Ah!" A cry of alarm suddenly rang out, and Ruoxue's body in the secret chamber was jerked backward. The seven-colored glass crystal shattered with a "bang," revealing two shocking cracks, as if the fear in her heart had been materialized. The man in black robes was struck as if by lightning, his whole body trembling uncontrollably, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.

"He's back!" Xizhu was overjoyed upon seeing him. However, before she could even rejoice, the space in front of Xiaoxingchen suddenly shattered like a mirror, and unparalleled power erupted like a volcanic eruption. Xizhu had no time to react and was struck head-on like a shooting star.

"Pfft, pfft!" Two muffled sounds of spitting blood rang out, and then, like kites with broken strings, their bodies flew outwards simultaneously. Space was only torn in a corner, yet it was like a ferocious beast, severely injuring Xizhu and Xiaoxingchen at the same time.

Xizhu was completely bewildered, caught off guard by this sudden power, like an innocent lamb tossed mercilessly into the air. She glared angrily at Xiao Xingchen, realizing that the power of her crippled body couldn't tear space on its own; this was all Xiao Xingchen's deliberate act of revenge!

A deafening roar erupted from within the Prince Kao Shan's mansion. The secret chamber collapsed like paper, and nearby courtyards were also affected, suffering varying degrees of damage. Fortunately, Ling Fei Yuan was guarding outside; otherwise, this sudden turn of events would have undoubtedly attracted a large crowd.

This tremor, amidst the celestial upheaval, was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake; though it created ripples, it didn't attract much attention. The churning black clouds on the horizon, like a heavy mountain, pressed down, making it hard to breathe. This crisis arrived so suddenly, and departed just as quickly. Even as Ning Chen attempted to use the grand formation to investigate, the oppressive aura of the Demon Lord's remnant body receded like a tide, vanishing without a trace.

"That was close!" Xiao Xingchen's appearance was truly pitiful, like a flower being ravaged in a storm. The moment the Demon Lord's mangled body fell, his power was easily crushed like paper, leaving him utterly powerless to resist.

However, at this critical moment, the bronze divine tree, like a loyal guardian, actually broke free of itself and collided violently with the fatal palm strike.

Although the Bronze Tree was battered and bruised, resembling fallen leaves swept by a gale, surprisingly, its sturdy body remained completely unharmed.

However, the force that rebounded onto him was like a raging torrent, leaving him utterly devastated.

And it was with the help of this recoil that he tore through space like a bird and pulled Xizhu into it.

With Xizhu's help, he finally escaped death.

Although still shaken, he was filled with joy. He knew the Demon Lord's power was terrifying, and yet he had emerged unscathed from that blow. He was certain that even if Xizhu had faced the Demon Lord's mangled body directly, she wouldn't have been able to escape unscathed. This undoubtedly proved one thing: his body had been completely transformed. For the first time since his transmigration, he possessed such immense confidence. If even the Demon Lord couldn't kill him, what did he have to fear?

"You are fine!"

Xizhu gritted her teeth, the sound seeming to be squeezed out from between her teeth, wishing she could slap him to death immediately.

"It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! Quickly check how Ruoxue and the others are doing."

Xiao Xingchen, his face full of flattery, gave an awkward smile and hurriedly turned to look for the black-robed man and Ruoxue.

Ruoxue was alright, as she could use her own abilities to avoid the collapse of the secret chamber, but the man in black robes was in a terrible situation, as he was crushed at the bottom by several heavy stones as big as boulders.

"Hmph, I'll settle this score with you sooner or later!"

Xizhu's concern for the black-robed man was evident, and at that moment, Xiaoxingchen's suspicions grew even stronger. Before either he or Ruoxue could react, Xizhu had already cleaved the rubble pressing down on the black-robed man with a single palm strike.

"You're a man, it's inconvenient for you to stay here, get out!" Xi Zhu's anger erupted like a volcano, completely ignited.

She had always been as gentle as a spring breeze, but now she suddenly changed her tune, like an enraged lion who was furious at the sight of Xiao Xingchen.