Dashing Student Chapter 1396 1396: Slay the Demon and Seize the Core

A colossal pillar of golden lightning convulsed across the heavens and earth, its formidable might inducing trembling hearts. Even Chen Nan found himself incapable of shattering this thunderous column, reduced to a helpless observer as it descended.

The formation of this thunder pillar had utterly depleted Jin Ming's Mana; in that instant, he could only perceive several overwhelming assaults converging upon him simultaneously, leaving him bereft of any capacity to resist.

Yet, the thunder pillar continued its inexorable descent; even if Jin Ming were to perish at that very moment, the pillar would persist.

Chen Nan clenched his teeth, gathered his strength, and hoisted the pillar with both hands. Instantly, an intense wave of thunder submerged him, but amidst the blinding lightning, a streak of white light erupted, swift as a bolt.

It was the Hongmeng Origin Thunder!

Despite its later launch, the Origin Thunder arrived first, impacting Jin Ming's body before all else. He merely offered a sneer, "Thunder? Our Golden-eyed Thunder Falcon clan are the progenitors of those who command thunder. You intend to contend with me using thunder?"

"Moreover, I have never encountered white thunder…"

Before he could conclude, an astonishing power surged through him. Gazing downward, he witnessed the unassuming white Origin Thunder igniting.

Boom!

The island could no longer endure such destructive force; it was completely fractured into four and eight pieces, with portions being utterly annihilated.

The white thunder enveloped Jin Ming; the immense Sword Qi descending from above also plunged into the sea of lightning. The Immortal Dynasty Jade Seal arrived almost concurrently.

The Immortal Dynasty Jade Seal, the Star Sword Qi, the Hongmeng Origin Thunder—any one of these deployed individually would shock the world, yet they all descended upon Jin Ming at once.

Whether this was Jin Ming's fortune or misfortune remained an unknown.

The Hongmeng Origin Thunder detonated, unleashing a blinding white light that obscured all vision, but its appearance was as swift as its dissipation. As the light finally receded, all eyes fell upon Jin Ming.

At this juncture, Jin Ming remained standing in his original position, yet his form had transformed into charred remains; one of his arms had been cleaved by the Sword Qi, and half his body was pulverized by the Jade Seal.

Even so, he had not yet met his end. The pair of eyeballs, exposed to the open air, remained fixed with malevolent intensity upon Chen Nan.

"I… refuse to accept this!"

As a prodigy of the Demon Clan, he was destined for a glorious future. This very expedition had seen his Demon Clan devise a scheme against both the Demon Sect and the Righteous Alliance, aiming to dominate the Endless Sea!

Regrettably, he would never witness such aspirations realized. His nearly incinerated form crashed heavily to the ground, and the tempestuous thunder pillar, like a rootless source, dispersed not long thereafter.

Even with Jin Ming's demise, Chen Nan did not lower his guard. Instead, he directed the Void Breaking Sword and the Soul Destruction Nail to repeatedly pierce Jin Ming's body, traversing back and forth, transforming him into a honeycomb within moments.

"Mm, now he should be truly dead."

Chen Nan exhaled in relief, belatedly registering the throbbing pain on his own body, as numerous thunder-inflicted wounds had appeared, with fresh blood flowing freely.

To Jin Sheng and the other two, this spectacle represented a profound humiliation for their Demon Clan—their fallen comrade's body desecrated; it was an act of sheer brutality.

"Human, I shall fight you to the death!"

Jin Tai bellowed, madness contorting his features as golden thunder erupted from his body, imbuing him with an imposing aura that seemed to stir the very currents of heaven and earth, summoning vast swathes of thunderclouds to the sky.

Unnoticed by all, a flicker of avarice was concealed deep within his eyes, his gaze fixed intently on the blood trickling from Chen Nan.

Behind them, Jin Sheng had seemingly become entangled with the Divine Calculator, yet he withheld his full power. This was because he had perceived that the portly individual before him was also engaging in a charade.

"Such a fragrant aroma of blood? What is this?"

The scent of Chen Nan's blood reached Jin Sheng, instantly plunging him into a state of daze, an overwhelming greed surging within his heart.

Although the reason for Chen Nan's blood possessing such a uniquely sweet aroma eluded him, his body's primal instincts affirmed that this blood held the key to shattering his bottleneck and achieving a monumental leap.

"Hmph, you overestimate your abilities!"

Despite his severe injuries, Chen Nan continued to regard Jin Sheng, Jin Tai, and Jin Ning with indifference.

Within his own cultivation realm, he was unmatched; regardless of whether they were of the Demon Clan or the Human Clan, individuals of the same level were no match for Chen Nan.

As Jin Tai lunged forward, Chen Nan retaliated with a palm strike. Golden Buddha Light enveloped him, coalescing into a colossal Buddha hand that swatted Jin Tai to the ground as if he were a mere insect.

Buddhist techniques inherently possessed immense power to suppress the Demon Clan; this single palm strike nearly obliterated Jin Tai. Even if he had not yet perished, the majority of the bones in his body were shattered.

Chen Nan advanced deliberately, his sword, Chenyuan, materializing in his grasp. The blade's tip scraped the ground, unleashing sparks as he concluded Jin Tai's existence with a single, decisive stroke.

From a distance, Jin Sheng, his fury at Chen Nan boiling, nonetheless chose retreat over confrontation. He had sent Jin Tai forward earlier to gauge Chen Nan's remaining strength, only to discover that Chen Nan not only retained his power but appeared to be holding back considerably.

Thus, Jin Sheng wasted no time, leaving the severely wounded Jin Ning to his fate. The notion of kinship held no weight against his own survival, and he fled without a backward glance.

After all, Chen Nan was the brutal individual who had eliminated the formidable Jin Ming!

"Run! I refuse to perish here!"

"Mighty Jin Ming, do not hold this against me!"

Regrettably for Jin Sheng, his decision lacked the required swiftness. He should have fled the instant Chen Nan ended Jin Ming; by now, escape was an impossibility.

Jin Sheng's entire focus was locked onto Chen Nan, his silent plea directed at the cultivator to forgo pursuit. He remained oblivious to the countless threads of Sword Qi that had already materialized before him.

He charged directly into the Sword Qi, and innumerable blades pierced his body.

As for Jin Ning, his inherent cultivation was already insufficient, and his severe injuries compounded his predicament. He swiftly followed Jin Sheng's doomed path.

With all four Demon Clan members eliminated, Chen Nan directed a knowing glance toward the Divine Calculator. "Senior Brother, your pretense of non-involvement is becoming rather transparent."

The Divine Calculator offered an awkward chuckle. "Then this humble Daoist shall endeavor to be more convincing next time."

He then approached Jin Sheng's fallen form, his hand tearing through the tough flesh to reach into the chest cavity. Soon, he withdrew his hand, a bead held pinched between his fingers.

This bead was the Demon Core of the Demon Clan, an embodiment of their accumulated Cultivation, holding significance comparable to the Golden Core of a cultivator in the Golden Core Realm.

During the past conflicts between the Human Clan and the Demon Clan, certain cultivators nearing the end of their lifespans would hunt members of the Demon Clan. They sought to seize the Demon Cores, absorb the inherent Power, and attempt to break through to a new cultivation Realm.

However, this path was fraught with peril. While the Demon Core contained the Demon Clan's Cultivation, it also preserved the lingering obsessions from their moments of death.

Upon absorbing the Cultivation from a Demon Core, a Human Cultivator would find these dying obsessions intensifying, eventually leading to a descent into madness.

Nevertheless, faced with the choice between increased power and eventual insanity, many opted for the former.

In the present era, with the Demon Clan in hiding, obtaining Demon Cores had become exceptionally difficult, driving their market price to exorbitant levels.

The Divine Calculator, with practiced ease, produced four Demon Cores, basking in his success. He even addressed Chen Nan, remarking, "Junior Brother, the remaining Demon Corpses are all yours to claim."

A potent surge of Power emanated from Chen Nan's right eye.

"Are you seeking a glimpse of my ultimate technique?"