A Medusa spoke.
She had a human head and a serpent's body, with explosive hair and emerald eyes. Runes pulsed within her pupils, emitting a heart-stirring glow.
Her beauty was unparalleled, untouched by the mundane. Her figure was alluring, yet her lower half was a lustrous, patterned serpent's tail, like fine brocade.
The Medusa's face was like frost, devoid of emotion. "This little girl carries the true blood of the Phoenix, but she has been implanted with a Dark Demon Heart. She is currently undergoing Nirvana. Once she succeeds, she will awaken the Dark Phoenix physique and become a complete minion of the demon race. She will be a great calamity."
Beside the Medusa stood three other peculiar beings.
A Qingluan, a Celestial Steed, and a Stone Man!
The Qingluan, a descendant of the divine bird Phoenix, felt an innate sense of kinship with Luo Li, who bore the true blood of the Phoenix.
It was she who had rescued Ah Li from the Man-faced Spider and brought her here.
The Celestial Steed was pure white, with wings on its back and a purple spiral horn on its forehead. Terrifying bolts of lightning occasionally flickered around it.
The Stone Man was no more than three feet tall, its body shimmering with diamond-like brilliance. It exuded an overwhelming pressure that sent shivers down the souls of living beings.
These four were the rulers of the Ten Thousand Demon Forest, four peak Emperor-level Demon Emperors!
"What the Medusa says is reasonable. This girl cannot be kept alive; she must be eliminated," the Stone Man rumbled.
"But she is a nascent Human King. If she dies by our hands, it could trigger a war between the human and demon races."
The Celestial Steed was filled with worry, acutely aware of Ah Li's importance among humans.
"A Human King who has fallen into demonic ways is an enemy to all. At worst, we can destroy the body and erase all traces, ensuring no one knows it was us," the Medusa snorted coldly.
"It is a pity that such a peerless prodigy must perish by our hands."
The Qingluan's voice was as clear as a bell, tinged with reluctance.
However, once implanted with the demon seed, she was destined to fall into the demonic path, and there was nothing she could do.
She could only lament the girl's ill fortune.
With their decision made, a killing intent permeated the air, and eight cold gazes fell upon Ah Li.
Just as the four were about to strike, a cold voice rang out.
"You four little monsters, dare to touch a single hair on Ah Li's head?"
Ji Mo had finally arrived.
He looked at Ah Li, who was undergoing Nirvana, feeling the nascent, powerful life force within her. His clenched heart finally relaxed.
Little monsters?
These three words deeply stung the four peak Demon Emperors present.
They were the rulers of the Ten Thousand Demon Forest, governing countless demons, yet they were now regarded as mere little monsters by a human. They could not tolerate this.
Instantly.
Four supreme imperial mights surged forth, like a galaxy descending from the heavens. An unimaginable pressure, heavy as mountains, descended upon Ji Mo.
However, Ji Mo remained unfazed, his expression unchanged.
The Man-faced Spider beneath his feet could not withstand it. Its face contorted in terror, its body trembled, and it collapsed to the ground.
"What are you looking at? Scram, or don't blame me for being impolite," Ji Mo shouted.
He had clearly heard the four demons discussing harming Ah Li. He had to drive them away and prevent them from disturbing Ah Li's Nirvana.
"You insolent brat, daring to speak to us like this. You court death."
The Celestial Steed's eyes flashed with killing intent. The runes on its horn flickered, and a beam of lightning struck Ji Mo.
Ji Mo frowned slightly, but was unharmed.
The Man-faced Spider, however, was emitting black smoke, frothing at the mouth, and a faint aroma of cooked meat wafted from its body.
Ji Mo scratched his head and chuckled softly.
Having been tormented by the system for eight years, he had been struck by lightning countless times. He feared lightning the least.
"Don't get cocky. I was just testing the waters. Now, I'm getting serious."
The Celestial Steed became serious, its body enveloped in lightning. It unleashed nine consecutive bolts of lightning, all striking Ji Mo.
Ji Mo remained unharmed.
The Man-faced Spider was scorched black, twitching uncontrollably on the ground.
It truly couldn't understand why Ji Mo was unaffected while it suffered collateral damage.
It wished it had resisted to the death earlier, rather than coming here.
"Is that all?"
Ji Mo said, truly finding them to be little monsters, very weak.
Such lightning strikes were akin to an itch.
"You have successfully angered me. I will show you what true thunderous power is."
The Celestial Steed could not bear it any longer and was about to unleash its true strength.
The Celestial Steed, also known as the Son of Thunder, commanded the lightning power of heaven and earth.
Rumble...
Thunderclouds churned in the sky. The oppressive dark clouds pressed lower, within which flowed unimaginable lightning power.
Bathed in endless electric light, the Celestial Steed appeared divine. The runes on its horn erupted as it fully unleashed the might of thunder.
The thunderous roars shook the heavens and the earth. The entire mountain peak was interwoven with electric light. Countless lightning bolts cascaded like waterfalls, intent on destroying all existence.
The Ginseng King held tightly to Ji Mo's leg, its heart undisturbed.
It had experienced heavenly tribulations alongside Ji Mo atop Tongtian Mountain.
The power unleashed by the Celestial Steed was nowhere near the level of heavenly tribulations, so it paid it no mind.
The Man-faced Spider was not so fortunate. It could not withstand the onslaught, its body splitting apart, almost turning into charcoal.
"Smells good!"
Ji Mo sniffed the air, the aroma of cooked meat filling his nostrils. He couldn't help but pick up a spider leg and begin to gnaw on it.
"Mmm, tastes like crayfish, and so crispy!"
Purple lightning danced wildly. The destructive, untamed lightning power annihilated everything. The area where Ji Mo stood was almost leveled.
However, not even heavenly tribulations, nor the system's Divine Nine Heavens Lightning, could harm Ji Mo.
How could the Celestial Steed's lightning divine ability possibly affect Ji Mo?
"This is too much!"
Seeing Ji Mo, who was unaffected by the lightning and was casually devouring a spider leg, the Celestial Steed's face turned green.
Enraged, it unleashed all its offensive techniques.
Finally, its spiritual energy was depleted, and it collapsed, exhausted.
"It seems you are immune to lightning. I wonder if you can withstand my fist, though."
The Stone Man stared intently at Ji Mo, letting out a cold snort.
It clearly did not take Ji Mo seriously, believing Ji Mo was merely immune to lightning, a perfect counter to the Celestial Steed.
Its body was indestructible, and it possessed innate divine strength. Killing Ji Mo should not be difficult.
Ji Mo stared at the Stone Man, his pupils widening.
Was this a diamond spirit?
Such a massive lump! If he could capture it and sell it, he'd strike it rich!
He asked directly, "Little friend, what kind of stone are you made of? Is it valuable?"
Little friend?
Valuable?
The Celestial Steed was stunned with rage. This was blatant blasphemy.
How could this human look down on it so much?
It let out a furious roar, shaking the entire mountain peak, and then charged at Ji Mo like a cannonball.
The Stone Man swung its fists, carrying supreme power, determined to pulverize Ji Mo.
Ji Mo was not intimidated in the slightest. How dare such a tiny creature attack him? He wouldn't be blamed for bullying a little friend.
Without a second thought, he met the Stone Man's charge with a heavy punch.