"Kiddo stop them, they're trying to open up a transfer portal!" Unfortunately, before Lineir could come up with a battle plan the entire floor of the estate fell away and a terrifying devil Qi filled circle formed. An exceedingly evil air came as a pit began to rapidly grow where the tablet had once been sealed!

"Crap. They're trying to create a second entry point so they can go around the Bladelord!" Lineir realized and he quickly called out.

"Senior Bladelord! They are opening a portal!"

Despite the impossibly large distance between them, for Dahn was many many kilometers away, his mental transmission was instantaneous.

"Good catch kid. I'll seal that hole but I'm really quite busy here dealing with their main force. I can't even use my full power without attracting the Heaven's attention. Do me a favor and stop any of these stragglers from opening up another portal. It shouldn't be too difficult for you." He said

"How is he going to seal the hole if he's over there...." Lineir thought however his question was soon answered as a massive crystal sword the length of an elephant shot over from the battle thousands of kilometers away and instantly smashed into the pit. Apparently Dahn had simply kicked it over. It exploded upon impact and Lineir gaped as every single demon in the area was rent to pieces by flying sword shards.

"He wants me to stop them from opening another portal? Not too difficult? Maybe if I had a sword like that instead of this useless one!" Lineir almost wept as he hefted Mizuchi who seemed to have fallen asleep after watching the initial bits of the battle. Mei as usual was helpfully analyzing battle tactics but the simple fact was there was only one option here with such short time. Defend the courtyard and pray someone came to save them before too many demons came!

The world turned red as Lineir activated his Madness! Instantly his mind became even more cold and calculated as he furiously scanned for the nightmarish demons. Soon he caught sight of several imps flying over the estate gates. Fortunately there were only a dozen or so for now, not like the thousand strong flocks which were furiously trying to surround Dahn in the distance.

"Die!" Lineir silently whispered as his Lightning Slash sliced through the imps. However, while all the imps were cut into pieces, Lineir noticed that half of them were not affected by his lightning element.

"Why didn't it work.... Wait a minute Mizuchi wake up let me channel Qi through you!" Lineir resisted the urge to throw Mizuchi away as he realized that though Mizuchi was infinitely sharp she had actively blocked out his lightning Qi! While he had still destroyed the imps, he hadn't gotten the lightning marks on their bodies which could be used to trigger his Reverse Lightning and Lightning Field abilities which would be critical as more demons came. However he only heard a sleepy and bored girl,

"Don't wanna, don't like that Qi."

Furious Lineir tried one more time,

"Well, I once merged with a phoenix, how about I just use fire techniques through you instead, like your master?" He figured she would probably be ok with that. However...

"Nah you're too weak. Lemme go back to sleep...." Soon a slight snore could be heard and Lineir cursed as he withdrew Mizuchi onto his back.

"Alright...it's just you and me Mei. Like always!" He grinned though he was about to enter a life or death situation. His bone scythes came out to protect his forearms. When the first of the invaders entered the courtyard, a towering Naga twice Lineir's height, he immediately rushed it from the side. Unlike the imps which had little cultivation power however, most of the other minions actually had strong cultivation bases! Lineir managed to hack off several arms but the Naga had six of them to begin with and they regenerated as it hissed in pain. Soon another Naga appeared, and then several Pit Wolves which had flaming fur ruffs on their necks. Lineir was forced to summon his Madness Rain to cover the entire courtyard and faded into the darkness.

Pitter!

Pitter!Pitter!

Pitter Pitter Pitter!

The demons were puzzled by the appearance of this strange rain but quickly started to summon another portal. Half of them were chanting and the other half were on guard this time watching for interference. The Madness effect of the rain seemed limited against these enemies. Perhaps it was because they were already mad! However, several of them exhibited erratic behavior, twitching and stumbling so it had some effect at least.

"Shoot. If they manage to open another portal there will be nothing I can do. I have to stop them before that but even killing one of those Naga is difficult and there's a whole troop of them along with the other demons...." Lineir desperately tried to come up with some strategy. He had actually been resisting a major tribulation so he could break through right now and throw a major tribulation lightning at them and try to use the little trick he had used before, but afterwards he would be helpless against stronger enemies. He wanted to save it for a strong opponent as a last ditch resort.

"Running out of time!" Lineir saw that the portal was beginning to take shape and new it wouldn't be long before another pit opened up. He thought it over and realized he only had one ability which would work on this many enemies.

The Lightning Field of 100 Steps!

Without any more hesitation he quickly took flight. A huge flock of imps had begun to cover the skies of the courtyard. Lineir would instantly appear in the Madness Rain and slash a couple of them down with one dash. Each Lightning Slash would mark their corpses and accumulate a negative charge! He continued to do this sometimes throwing in the occasional Reverse Lightning charge! The demons on the ground could do nothing as the sky started to rain falling imps! Though some of them possessed ranged capabilities they would end up killing their own imps. Even still, Lineir was extremely hard to pin down and faded away into the Madness Rain curtain whenever he started to get too much attention. Regardless, the portal was almost complete so the demons on the ground didn't care as several of the ones guarding began to start chanting in excitement!

"I think....it's enough! Now I just need to detonate it!" Lineir cried out as the last of the imps fell from the sky of the courtyard. He faded into the rain and prepared to strike. However...the Naga were extremely powerful and many of them were still watching and waiting for him as the portal opened. Several Pit Wolves were also standing guard with their noses attentively sniffing the air! Lineir wasn't entirely sure his Madness Rain was enough to give him enough cover. Suddenly, he thought of something.

"Of course! I should have thought of this earlier!" He suddenly unslung Mizuchi from his back and held her in his off hand.

"Wait what why are you waking me up. Is the Bladelord going to do his ultimate move?" She said blurrily. However, Lineir simply snorted and ignored her. Her cooperation was not necessary for what he had in mind!

"I only have one advantage over these demons. Stealth! I may be stronger than them individually but there are a ton of them and they are almost impossible to kill. But with so many imp corpses filled with lightning Qi I have a way! They cannot flee the spot or the portal will stop summoning. They are simply sitting ducks for me!" Suddenly Lineir flung out Mei into the center of their gathering where the formation was beginning to summon the pit! She stabbed into the formation easily and Lineir cried out!

Lightning Field of 100 Steps!

In an instant a spark of lightning jumped from one of the countless imp corpses which covered the ground like a flock of dead birds. Then another and another!

Krang! KRAAAAANG! KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG! KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!

The corpses lit up and started being burnt to fuel the chain reaction as a massive arcing web of electricity covered the entire courtyard! It spread extremely easily as everything was soaked in Madness Rain! The demons guarding the ones chanting managed to defend themselves by fending off the lightning with their weapons, however the ones chanting were forced to take it head on and suffered great damage!

KEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!

AIIESOGSIKOGNSEIGNSEOIGNEOISNGSE!

BLAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!

The terrified screams of fried demon began to fill the air and Mei stuck into the center of the formation channeled the electricity from the imp corpses into the chanting demons and finally into the portal formation which detonated under the strain!

Kabooooooooooooooom!

"Success!" Lineir suddenly rushed into the formation. A Naga was instantly alerted by a Pit Wolf's howl as he appeared out of the rain!

"Die human! You cannot stop us all!" It cried out in a terrifying demonic tongue.

"I just did!" Lineir yelled as he suddenly slashed out with Mizuchi. The weeping ice blue blade easily slashed right through the Naga's sword as Mizuchi did not limit her sharpness, though the Naga itself leapt backwards and avoided the blow.

Kacha! Clang Clang!

As the pieces of the Naga's sword clattered to the ground Lineir ignored it and jumped through the encirclement! His goal was already accomplished he had effectively stopped the portal for now! He rushed in past the still shocked demons who had been chanting and grabbed Mei. As quickly as he could, he then retreated trying to break through the encirclement of demons before they could react!

"Where do you think you're going human!" Another Naga appeared to block him. However, as it raised its six blades at him, Lineir suddenly leapt straight up while canceling his Madness Rain!

WHOOOSH!

A great orange glow spread as Lineir's flaming phoenix wings unfurled in the night and he shot above the demons in retreat! At the same time, the dark skies suddenly lightened as a great light came. From dark night...there was suddenly a flash and various incredibly bright white lights appeared in the skies!

"Bladelord! You actually survived the ages! The Celestial Court orders that you be brought to trial for crimes against the Heavens! Surrender now is your only option!"