# Chapter 174: The Demon Emerges
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
More than forty leopard-headed blood bats, each comparable to a Mysterious Extreme Realm Great Perfection cultivator, blocked the twelve demon cult experts.
Zhang Ruochen said to Zi Qian, "Leave the Red Void Secret Mansion now and notify the several vice deans waiting outside to come and suppress the prisoners of the Moon Worship Demon Cult and the Black Market."
Zi Qian took a deep look at Zhang Ruochen, then immediately took out a Wind Wing. Under the infusion of true qi, the inscriptions within the Wind Wing were activated.
A pair of enormous light wings grew from Zi Qian's back as she fled into the distance.
Although she was a member of the Black Market, she had no goodwill toward those Black Market prisoners, so she naturally went to notify the vice deans outside.
"Still trying to escape?"
Among the demon cult prisoners, a fierce-looking woman with disheveled hair rushed out, covering ten zhang in a single step as she chased after Zi Qian, her speed actually slightly faster than Zi Qian's with the Wind Wing.
Meanwhile, Huang Yanchen and Zhang Ruochen fought while retreating, killing five demon cult prisoners in succession.
But the number of demon cult prisoners was too great, and all were top-tier martial arts experts. Soon they surrounded the two, sealing off all escape routes.
"Zhang Ruochen, get close to me."
Huang Yanchen's gaze was cold as she took out a half-meter-long black formation diagram. She opened it, and dark formation inscriptions surged out, covering the ground to form a massive formation.
"Boom!"
The formation spun rapidly, and the spiritual qi in the air condensed into countless sharp wind blades.
"Chi! Chi!"
The demon cult prisoners cried out in pain one after another. In moments, over a dozen were severely wounded by the wind blades and forced to flee the formation.
The formation diagram Huang Yanchen had taken out was extremely powerful. Under her full control, she forced all the demon cult prisoners back more than ten zhang, preventing them from approaching the formation.
"Wind Rift Soul-Severing Formation!"
Han Sanfu walked to the edge of the formation, staring at Huang Yanchen standing within it. "As expected of the commandery princess of Thousand Waters Commandery, to possess such a powerful formation diagram. With this formation's protection, even an ordinary Mysterious Extreme Realm Great Perfection martial artist probably couldn't do anything to you for a while."
"Do you want to test the power of the Wind Rift Soul-Severing Formation?" Huang Yanchen stood straight at the center of the formation, still extremely proud and aloof.
Zhang Ruochen stood beside Huang Yanchen, staring at the man at the edge of the formation. His intuition told him that this man was extremely powerful, definitely not comparable to an ordinary Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection martial artist.
Han Sanfu sneered, clasping his hands together. A crackling sound came from within his body. Streaks of purple lightning surged out from him, enveloping him at the center of the lightning.
The demon cult prisoners all showed terrified expressions and quickly retreated into the distance.
With Han Sanfu's body as the center, the space within ten meters was completely covered by lightning, forming a massive thunderball.
"Demon-Annihilating Palm!"
Han Sanfu struck the ground with one palm, and countless lightning bolts surged down his arm, directly tearing the earth apart.
A huge crack split open on the ground, extending toward the Wind Rift Soul-Severing Formation. The formation's light shield trembled violently, and cracks began to appear on its surface.
"Not good!" Huang Yanchen's expression changed drastically. She immediately poured more true qi into the formation diagram, trying to stabilize the formation.
But Han Sanfu's strength was too great. With another palm strike, the formation completely shattered. Huang Yanchen spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered backward.
Zhang Ruochen quickly supported her. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Huang Yanchen wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her gaze fixed firmly on Han Sanfu. "This person's cultivation is at least at the Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection, possibly even half-step to the Heaven Extreme Realm."
Han Sanfu laughed loudly. "You have good eyesight, little girl. I am indeed at the half-step Heaven Extreme Realm. Hand over the Spatial Artifact obediently, and I might spare your lives."
"Dream on!" Huang Yanchen said coldly.
"Then don't blame me for being ruthless."
Han Sanfu's figure flickered, and he appeared in front of Huang Yanchen in an instant, his palm carrying the power of thunder as he struck toward her chest.
Zhang Ruochen's pupils constricted. He pushed Huang Yanchen away and met the palm with his own.
"Boom!"
Zhang Ruochen felt a terrifying force surge through his arm, and his entire body flew backward, crashing heavily into a mountain wall dozens of meters away.
"Zhang Ruochen!" Huang Yanchen cried out in alarm.
"I'm fine." Zhang Ruochen climbed out from the rubble, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He looked at Han Sanfu with a grave expression. "This person is indeed very strong."
Han Sanfu looked at Zhang Ruochen with some surprise. "You actually blocked my palm? Interesting. It seems you have some secrets. But that's all."
As he spoke, Han Sanfu's body once again erupted with dazzling lightning, and he charged toward Zhang Ruochen.
Just then, a clear sword cry suddenly sounded from afar.
A sword light, like a shooting star, streaked across the sky and stabbed straight toward Han Sanfu.
Han Sanfu's expression changed. He stopped his attack and turned around to block.
"Clang!"
Sparks flew everywhere. Han Sanfu was forced back several steps by the sword light.
A figure in white descended from the sky, landing in front of Zhang Ruochen. It was a young man holding a long sword, his expression cold and indifferent.
"Senior Brother Duanmu?" Zhang Ruochen was slightly startled, then showed a hint of joy.
Duanmu Xingling glanced back at Zhang Ruochen and said calmly, "You two retreat first. I'll hold him off."
"Senior Brother Duanmu, he is at the half-step Heaven Extreme Realm..." Zhang Ruochen reminded.
"I know." Duanmu Xingling's gaze was firm. "But I'm not weak either."
As he spoke, a powerful aura erupted from Duanmu Xingling's body, actually reaching the half-step Heaven Extreme Realm as well.
Han Sanfu's expression finally turned serious. "I didn't expect the Martial Market Hall to have such a young half-step Heaven Extreme Realm expert. Interesting, truly interesting."
"Less nonsense. Take my sword!"
Duanmu Xingling's long sword trembled, transforming into countless sword shadows that enveloped Han Sanfu.
The two instantly fought fiercely together.
Zhang Ruochen and Huang Yanchen took the opportunity to retreat, quickly leaving the battlefield.
"Where are we going now?" Huang Yanchen asked.
"Find Zi Qian first, then join up with the vice deans." Zhang Ruochen said.
The two moved swiftly through the forest, heading in the direction Zi Qian had fled.
After running for about a quarter of an hour, they suddenly heard the sound of fighting ahead.
"Not good, Zi Qian is in trouble." Zhang Ruochen's expression changed, and he immediately sped up.
When they arrived at the scene, they saw Zi Qian surrounded by three demon cult prisoners, in a precarious situation.
"Leopard Shadow Fist!"
Zhang Ruochen let out a low shout, his figure flickering as he threw a punch at one of the demon cult prisoners.
"Boom!"
That demon cult prisoner was caught off guard and was sent flying by Zhang Ruochen's punch.
"Zhang Ruochen?" Zi Qian was overjoyed when she saw Zhang Ruochen.
"Are you alright?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
"I'm fine, but I was chased by them and couldn't get out." Zi Qian said somewhat embarrassedly.
"It's good that you're fine. Let's join forces and kill these three first." Zhang Ruochen said.
"Alright."
The three joined forces, and with Zhang Ruochen and Huang Yanchen's strength, they quickly killed the three demon cult prisoners.
"Let's go, we need to leave the Red Void Secret Mansion as soon as possible." Zhang Ruochen said.
The three no longer delayed and immediately rushed toward the exit of the Red Void Secret Mansion.
Along the way, they encountered several waves of demon cult prisoners, but with their strength, they easily broke through.
Finally, they saw the light at the exit.
"Almost there." Zi Qian said with joy.
Just then, a terrifying aura suddenly descended from the sky.
A huge black palm print, like a mountain, pressed down toward the three.
"Be careful!"
Zhang Ruochen's expression changed drastically. He pushed Huang Yanchen and Zi Qian away, then mobilized all his true qi to meet the palm print head-on.
"Boom!"
Zhang Ruochen felt as if he had been hit by a mountain, his entire body flying backward, heavily crashing to the ground, blood gushing from his mouth.
"Zhang Ruochen!" Huang Yanchen and Zi Qian cried out in alarm simultaneously.
A figure slowly descended from the sky. It was an old man in black robes, his gaze cold as he looked at the three. "Hand over the Spatial Artifact, and I can give you a quick death."
Zhang Ruochen struggled to stand up, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes firm. "Dream on!"
"Stubborn."
The old man in black robes raised his hand, and a black light condensed in his palm, about to strike at Zhang Ruochen.
Just then, several powerful auras suddenly erupted from outside the Red Void Secret Mansion.
"Bold demon cult, how dare you!"
A loud shout came like thunder, shaking the entire space.
The old man in black robes's expression changed. "Not good, the vice deans from the Martial Market Hall are here."
He didn't dare to stay any longer, turned around, and fled into the distance.
Soon, several figures rushed in from outside the Red Void Secret Mansion. It was precisely the several vice deans of the Martial Market Hall.
"Zhang Ruochen, are you alright?" Vice Dean Chen Xihe asked with concern.
"I'm fine." Zhang Ruochen shook his head, then said, "Vice Dean, the demon cult prisoners inside the Red Void Secret Mansion have all been subdued. Please go and suppress them."
"Good, leave the rest to us." Chen Xihe nodded, then led the other vice deans deeper into the Red Void Secret Mansion.
Zhang Ruochen, Huang Yanchen, and Zi Qian finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"This time, it was really dangerous." Zi Qian said with lingering fear.
"Yes, if the vice deans hadn't arrived in time, we might have all died here." Huang Yanchen said.
Zhang Ruochen was silent for a moment, then said, "Let's go back first. This matter is not over yet."
The three left the Red Void Secret Mansion and returned to the Martial Market Hall.
After this battle, Zhang Ruochen's reputation within the Martial Market Hall rose once again. Many students looked at him with admiration and respect.
But Zhang Ruochen knew that this was just the beginning. The forces behind the Moon Worship Demon Cult and the Black Market were far more powerful than he had imagined. He needed to become stronger to protect himself and those around him.
(End of Chapter 174)