"Exterminating demons and safeguarding the path is our duty. Why talk about rewards?"

Zhong Shenxiu declared righteously, "I will protect the people of this entire city!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already leaped forward, an invisible sword appearing in his hand: "Taiyin Refining, Great Liberation Sword!"

Spurt!

A sword light flashed out. The Starlight Demons, Star Demons... even the Upper Demon's Star Nox, acted as if they were bewitched, voluntarily throwing themselves into the sword light to end their own lives... or perhaps... to seek liberation!

"The stars have arrived, where is the bright moon?"

Zhong Shenxiu laughed loudly. Amidst the starry night, a bright moon appeared.

The moonlight spread down, offering protection to the unarmed civilians and... in a certain direction.

"Just two more streets, and we can break through!"

Cen Hongyue, holding the Surging Wave Secret Sting Sword, turned into a black streak of light, claiming the lives of several demons, and shouted sharply.

Originally, breaking through the siege by herself would have been quite easy.

However... carrying two burdens made it quite troublesome.

At the end of the street ahead, a massive giant formed entirely of rock suddenly appeared, its body burning with starry flames.

"Slash!"

A fierce look flashed in Cen Hongyue's eyes. The Surging Wave Secret Sting Sword turned into a streak of light, only managing to leave a faint mark on the creature's rocky skin.

"Another Great Demon, is Jinling still the Imperial City or a demon's lair?"

She cursed loudly, activating the Doumu Scripture. Instantly, starry brilliance descended, attaching to the flying sword, making it ever more dazzling, like a shooting star.

"Shooting Star Sword, explode!"

Cen Hongyue flicked the flying sword with a finger, the sword light flashed, but was directly grabbed by the demon's giant hand.

Her face showed joy instead of fear as she formed a spell with her fingers.

BOOM!

A massive explosion occurred. Cen Hongyue's face turned red, spitting a small mouthful of vital blood.

That secret sword, after all, was a co-cultivated life-bond artifact. Even spitting out a mouthful of blood after it was damaged was already a reduced cost thanks to the Doumu Scripture.

"Let's go!"

But Cen Hongyue was clear in her mind. Without sacrificing this flying sword, she could not quickly eliminate the demon.

Let alone escape Jinling City with her disciples.

She used her movement technique, grabbing one disciple with each hand, and had already reached the city gate.

The protection array of Jinling City had vanished, but the restrictions at the city gate remained, making it impossible to climb over the wall, only to exit through the gate, causing Cen Hongyue to roll her eyes.

"Move quickly!"

"Escape out!"

At this moment, a group of Loose Cultivators and civilians had also gathered at the city gate.

They worked together to open the gate, then rushed out in a frenzy.

"Huh? Something's wrong!"

Cen Hongyue was just about to follow when a sense of danger from her cultivation circulated within her, making her instinctively retreat a few steps.

The next instant, screams rang from within the city gate tunnel.

"Doumu Primordial Spirit, Eye of the Star, open!"

Cen Hongyue looked solemn, formed a spell, and starlight material flickered in her eyes.

Now, she finally saw it: a jelly-like mass had somehow filled the entire city gate tunnel, swallowing those who entered, whether cultivators or common folk, slowly digesting them.

"Another Great Demon, even more troublesome than the Star Rock Giant before..."

Cen Hongyue felt somewhat desperate. She had no second flying sword.

"Master... leave me behind, take junior sister and escape."

Yingzi suddenly spoke, "With one less person to protect, it's one less burden..."

"How can I do such a thing?"

Cen Hongyue shouted angrily, "In a moment, the three of us will charge together. I'll distract that monster so you two can rush out. Remember, don't look back, don't stop, understand?"

"Master?"

Mo Gu's large eyes were already brimming with tears.

At this moment, a sheet of clear moonlight suddenly spread down.

Not only did it cover the residential area but also extended towards the city gate.

This moonlight seemed to have a life of its own, penetrating walls directly and slowly wriggling over the ground like mercury, surging towards the Great Demon.

The gelatinous monster screeched and slowly melted under the moonlight.

"This..."

Cen Hongyue looked up at the moon, "It must be a Great Saint who acted... next, Jinling will become a battlefield between a Great Saint and a Great Demon. Let's go!"

Taking advantage of this 'heaven-sent opportunity,' she immediately escaped Jinling City with her two disciples.

They used an Escape Skill, running out for dozens of miles before daring to look back.

Upon looking back, they were stunned.

In the direction of Jinling, stars flashed in the sky, exhibiting an unimaginable brilliance, forming an astronomical spectacle of myriad stars shining together!

But within Cen Hongyue's heart, surged waves of chill.

Under the dazzling stars, starlights converged, forming an enormous and terrifying figure.

—The Child of Stars!

"So this Great Demon was split into countless pieces, sealed within different stars... and now, with the descent of numerous starlights, this Great Demon has been pieced together!"

Cen Hongyue murmured to herself.

As someone who cultivated the Doumu Scripture and learned related star knowledge, she immediately grasped a certain truth.

"No wonder the cults worshipping the Child of Stars always claim that each star in the sky is a Great Demon... in a way, they're right. The number of Great Demons in the stellar system is unknown, but a Child of Stars is at least divided and sealed within tens of thousands of stars!"

"What is happening tonight? Are the stars preparing for an all-out attack?"

...

Tianluo County Princess Mansion.

"Great Saint... I asked you to help Great Saint Zhou Yi!"

Princess Tianluo looked at Zhong Shenxiu unleashing his power, sweeping away the demons, with a peculiar expression on her face.

After all, what she most wanted was for Zhong Shenxiu to help Great Saint Zhou Yi.

Zhong Shenxiu did act, but only to cleanse the demons and protect the civilians.

Yet she could not say that this was wrong; it was precisely this that left her most frustrated.

"Rest assured, I will go now!"

Zhong Shenxiu saw Cen Hongyue and the others safely leave and nodded secretly.

He had come to watch, not to act.

How the Great Zhou Imperial Family might spawn another unorthodox Great Saint had nothing to do with him.

Now, seeing the ground cracking open in the Imperial Palace, with fishy-smelling seawater forming a lake, his eyes flickered with brilliance as he gazed into the void.

There, infinite starlight descended, forming the shape of the Child of Stars.

"Such a Great Demon, taste my sword!"

Zhong Shenxiu soared into the sky again, engaging in battle with the Child of Stars.

He had firmly decided not to go to the Imperial Palace.

In light of Princess Tianluo's diligent hospitality these past days, just blocking one Great Demon for the Imperial Family was already a huge favor for them!

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