He clenched his fists.

"The Heavenly Emperor was attacked on his way back!"

Clan Leader Qing Muxuan's voice was very low, carrying a trace of fury.

"To be able to force him to use this sword strike, it must be an existence at the level of a Heavenly Demon Emperor."

"And not just an ordinary Heavenly Demon Emperor; one capable of cross-realm projection must be a Clan Head among the thirty-two clans!"

Qin Tian nodded.

The direction of that sword light was wrong—it didn't originate from the Holy Abyss Continent, but came from the further the void.

Xiao Qing had encountered an enemy on his way back to the Heavenly Court, and this sword strike was his counterattack!

The two exchanged a glance and departed almost simultaneously.

Qin Tian raised his hand to tear open the the void, with Clan Leader Qing Muxuan following closely behind.

Two auras of Saint-Rank Heavenly Sovereign instantly vanished above the Holy Abyss Continent.

Leaving behind only a group of bewildered Cultivators looking at each other in confusion.

Deep within the Demon Realm.

Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor slowly raised his right hand, looking down at the bleeding wound on his palm.

The wound was not long, only about three inches, yet it refused to heal.

The Sword Dao Law was like a maggot on a bone, biting firmly onto the edge of the wound and constantly eroding his Demonic Qi.

When he used Demonic Qi to drive it away, the Sword Intent would counterattack.

If he tried to forcibly Seal the wound, the Sword Intent would burrow along the Demonic Qi into his meridians.

Black devilish blood seeped out from the wound drop by drop.

Each drop carried the aura of Chaos Sword Intent, and upon hitting the ground, it corroded small pits into the earth.

The wound was not deep, but it made him feel a long-lost stinging pain.

It was not pain in his physical body, but a blow to his pride.

He was the Clan Head of the Blade Demon Race, a Heavenly Demon Emperor at the Late Stage of Saint-Rank Heavenly Sovereign, and an existence ranked in the top ten among the thirty-two major clans of the Extraterritorial Evil Clan.

Although his projection only possessed about one-tenth of his main body's strength.

To be counter-injured by a single sword strike from an Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign ant—if this were to spread, where would he hide his face?

"What a fine Heavenly Emperor."

His voice was very low, making it impossible to tell whether it was anger or admiration.

The wound on his palm was still bleeding, but he did not even glance at it, only staring fixedly in the direction of the Holy Abyss Continent.

A hoarse voice came from a shadow nearby: "Did you fail?"

Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor did not answer.

He remained silent for a long time, so long that the existence in the shadow thought he would not speak again.

"He is stronger than I imagined."

The shadow was silent for a moment.

"As for the Saint Heaven Demon Emperor..."

"I will report it personally."

Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor interrupted him, raising his head to look in the direction of the Holy Abyss Continent.

In those blood-red eyes, killing intent and wariness were intertwined.

He needed to let the Saint Heaven Demon Emperor know.

This young man from the Lower Plane had already grown to a point where he could not be underestimated.

"This Heavenly Emperor cannot be left alive!"

He withdrew his gaze and turned to disappear into the darkness.

The wound on his palm glowed faintly in the darkness; that was the lingering effect of the Chaos Sword Intent.

In the endless the void, by the time Qin Tian and Clan Leader Qing Muxuan arrived, the battle had already ended.

Violent spatial fluctuations remained all around, as if someone had shattered a giant mirror here, with fine spatial fragments everywhere.

Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor's Demonic Qi had not yet completely dissipated.

It left black marks in the the void, like the claw prints of some gigantic creature.

Xiao Qing's sharp Sword Intent also remained, intertwining with the Demonic Qi to form visible cracks in the the void.

Golden flames burned at the edges of those cracks, slowly burning away the remaining Demonic Qi bit by bit.

Xiao Qing stood in the center of the wreckage, a trace of paleness appearing on his face; clearly, that sword strike had consumed a great deal from him.

The Heavenly Emperor Sword in his hand had already been put away.

But the Chaos Sword Intent around his body had not yet completely dissipated, like a thin layer of mist enveloping him.

"Heavenly Emperor!"

Qin Tian stepped in front of him and hurriedly looked him up and down.

His gaze swept from Xiao Qing's face to his body, and back to his face again, as if confirming whether he was injured.

"How are your injuries?"

Xiao Qing shook his head and said: "No injuries, it's just that the consumption was a bit too great..."

Clan Leader Qing Muxuan stood to the side, his gaze sweeping over the cracks in the the void, his expression becoming increasingly solemn.

He could sense that within the residual Demonic Qi here, there was a trace of an aura that made even him feel palpitations.

That aura was cold, violent, and carried a sharpness like a blade.

"Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor?"

He asked.

Xiao Qing nodded: "A projection, about one-tenth of his main body's strength."

Qin Tian and Clan Leader Qing Muxuan fell silent at the same time.

A projection Avatar possesses at least one-tenth of the main body's strength.

One-tenth is still combat power at the Saint-Rank Heavenly Sovereign level.

Placed in the Great Thousand Worlds, it is enough to sweep across any Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign.

Not to mention that Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor, as a Late Stage Saint-Rank Heavenly Sovereign, could push the limit to unleash power far exceeding a normal Avatar, very close to two-tenths of his main body's power.

Yet Xiao Qing not only withstood it but also struck back with a sword.

That sword light spanning across the Holy Abyss Continent was the best proof.

"A projection Avatar intercepting and killing across realms..."

Qin Tian said with a solemn expression: "This was not a spur-of-the-moment decision."

He paused, then said in a deep voice: "This attack was by no means accidental."

"The fact that the Extraterritorial Evil Clan can project the power of a Saint-Rank Heavenly Demon Emperor across realms shows that their infiltration and cross-realm combat capabilities are even more terrifying than we anticipated."

"More importantly, they have set their sights on you."

Xiao Qing nodded.

He certainly knew.

From the moment he defeated Maha Tian on the Holy Abyss Continent, his name had already entered the field of vision of the Extraterritorial Evil Clan.

A young man who came from the Lower Plane, broke through to Immortal Grade within a hundred years, and possessed combat power far exceeding his peers, was the greatest future threat to the Evil Race.

Clan Leader Qing Muxuan showed lingering fear and said sincerely: "The Heavenly Emperor's combat power is heaven-defying; if it were anyone else, they would have already perished under the Demon Emperor's projection."

"To be able to turn danger into safety is truly fortunate."

Xiao Qing shook his head and said: "Just luck."

Qin Tian did not respond.

He knew this was not luck.

The power of that "World Extermination" sword strike, he could feel it even from billions of miles away.

That was not luck; it was solid, genuine strength.

"That sword strike of yours..."

Qin Tian started to speak, then stopped.

He wanted to ask how it was done, but felt the question was too foolish.

Xiao Qing did not hide it and said: "Newly comprehended, it is called 'World Extermination'."

World Extermination.

Qin Tian repeated the name in his heart and nodded.

This name is well chosen; with one strike, all things are exterminated, which befits the might of this sword strike.

"Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor has set his sights on you."

He said in a heavy tone: "The Extraterritorial Evil Clan has developed murderous intent toward you."

"This time it was just a projection, next time it might be his main body."

"And given Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor's personality, he will not let it rest."

Xiao Qing did not speak; he knew what Qin Tian said was the truth.

Clan Leader Qing Muxuan suddenly spoke: "Why would he take this risk?"

Both looked at him.

Clan Leader Qing Muxuan frowned, as if talking to himself, or as if deducing something.

"The Extraterritorial Evil Clan has increased their troop deployment at the borders of the Holy Abyss by thirty percent, the concentration of Demonic Qi continues to climb, and the strength of the Seal is decreasing—they are preparing for a great war."

"At this critical juncture, Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor was willing to risk a cross-realm projection just to kill you."

"This shows that the threat you pose in their eyes is much greater than we imagined."

Qin Tian was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"Fellow Daoist Muxuan is right."

"They are afraid of you growing up."

"A person who can go against the tide and defeat an Immortal Grade Late Stage opponent while at the Immortal Grade Early Stage—once you break through to Saint-Grade, what would you be like?"

"They dare not gamble."

He looked at Xiao Qing, his gaze more solemn than before.

"Heavenly Emperor, after you return, proceed with caution."

"The Heavenly Court's defenses must be tightened; if you need anything, contact the Great Thousand Palace directly."

"The Demon-Slaying Token in your hand can contact me directly, at any time, under any circumstances."

Xiao Qing nodded and said: "I understand."

Qin Tian took out a jade talisman from his sleeve and handed it to him.

The jade talisman was light cyan, with the emblem of the Great Thousand Palace carved on the surface, and a golden rune circulating in the center.

"This is the Great Thousand Palace's emergency contact talisman; if you encounter danger, crush it directly."

"I will arrive in the shortest possible time."

"No matter where you are, as long as you are still in the Great Thousand Worlds, this jade talisman can transmit the message to me."

Xiao Qing took the jade talisman without declining.

Qin Tian gave a few more instructions before turning and leaving with Clan Leader Qing Muxuan.