The great demon wore black, with demonic qi swirling behind him, vaguely forming the outline of an ancient beast.

The young martial artist in black just stood before the fissure, with no visible fluctuations of qi. He appeared ordinary, but in reality, was extremely unusual.

The great demon in black stared at the young martial artist in front of him. After a moment of thought, he spoke first. “I heard there’s a young martial artist on the human side, very formidable, to the point that even the Infatuation Daoist Temple dares not raise its head. Is that you?”

Chen Chao smiled and nodded, then asked in surprise, “Is my reputation really that resounding now?”

The black-clad great demon sneered. “It's not bad. I heard you’re already a major figure among the humans. With the Great Liang Emperor gone, after I kill you, will everything collapse?”

Chen Chao smiled. “I’m not that important. If I die, the Great Liang still has other martial artists. Two hundred years of foundation won’t crumble because of one or two deaths.”

“Oh...”

The black-clad great demon narrowed his eyes. “Rumor has it you’re extremely arrogant, but seeing you now, you’re not quite as the rumors say. Still, even so, encountering me, I won’t let you go.”

Chen Chao nodded, a faint smile flashing across his face. It had probably been a very long time since he had heard words like this. Especially after crushing Three Streams Manor, many of the foreign cultivators would now think twice before facing this young martial artist. But the northern demons were isolated and didn’t know he had already broken through to the end of Nepenthe. Had he known, he wouldn’t have had the courage to speak like this.

“Looks like today I’m luckier than all of them. I’ll take the first merit this time, and it will provide an explanation to His Majesty as well.”

Having said this, the black-clad great demon fell silent. His palm flipped, black qi rushing out, condensing into a large halberd.

Chen Chao narrowed his eyes. Since the other party no longer wished to speak, he wasn’t inclined to either.

Originally planning to draw his saber and strike fast, Chen Chao suddenly changed his mind, choosing instead to calmly observe the black-clad great demon preparing his attack.

The name of this great demon, or which clan he came from, was of no importance to Chen Chao.

Who would bother chatting with someone about to die?

Even if the name were revealed, so what?

It would be forgotten the moment after; not worth asking in advance.

Many thoughts flashed through Chen Chao’s mind, though in reality, it was only for a moment. Suddenly, the chasm between them spread a wave of black demonic qi, as if a black carpet had been laid across it.

The great demon grasped the black halberd and dragged it across the ground, the tip spilling out a stream of demonic qi, like a long black thread.

He stepped across the chasm, then suddenly pushed off with his toes, leaping into the air, gripping the halberd and smashing it heavily toward Chen Chao’s head.

The heavy and powerful blow had no particular technique, relying entirely on his profound cultivation and the ceaseless flow of demonic qi. Yet even so, it was not something an ordinary Nepenthe could be taken lightly.

The innate advantages of the demon race were fully revealed at this moment.

Chen Chao didn’t even take a single step back. He watched the black halberd fall, his eyes wide open, while the qi in his body spread throughout, letting the halberd land on his shoulder.

The black-clad great demon hadn’t expected Chen Chao to not even dodge, but when the halberd truly struck the young martial artist’s shoulder, he suddenly felt as if he had hit something indestructible. The halberd failed to sever the young martial artist’s shoulder as he had imagined. Instead, the enormous force rebounded, nearly causing him to lose grip of the halberd. Even after finally holding it with effort, his tiger claw ached.

His entire arm throbbed painfully.

What was most infuriating, however, was that the young martial artist even raised his head at this moment, looking at him with what seemed like a friendly expression and asked, “Does it hurt?”

Before the black-clad great demon could respond, Chen Chao grabbed the halberd and pulled with all his strength. The unwilling black-clad great demon could only be dragged in front of Chen Chao. At this moment, the black-clad great demon, completely on the defensive, belatedly realized what was happening. As he let go with both hands, he tried to transform into a stream of demonic qi to escape, but Chen Chao didn’t care. Instead, he snapped the halberd, grabbed the shaft with his other hand, and threw it with force.

Half of the halberd flew through the air, drawing a black streak, piercing directly through the great demon’s chest. The black-clad great demon spat out a mouthful of blood and had no choice but to stop at a distance.

He clutched his chest, blood in one hand, yet his eyes were not filled with pain, but confusion and bewilderment.

He had already stepped into Nepenthe, he was a great demon, a rare powerhouse wherever he went. Yet he never imagined that in front of this young martial artist, he would seem utterly incapable of resistance, so easily suppressed.

The young martial artist clearly had no intention of giving him a chance to catch his breath. After throwing the halberd, he surged forward, generating a vast wave of qi.

The black-clad great demon’s expression shifted constantly. Finally, a surge of demonic qi erupted from behind him, slowly forming a towering dharma idol in the world.

The greatest and most direct method of a great demon was to summon such a dharma idol, standing tall and awe-inspiring.

At this moment, besides already being at a disadvantage, the black-clad great demon had another important reason for summoning the dharma idol: he wanted the other great demons to see this scene and come to his aid.

A great demon naturally had his own pride. But at this moment, when his life was nearly gone, who would still care about that?

But Chen Chao did not care. Glancing at the towering dharma idol, he punched forward. A terrifying surge of qi instantly crashed ahead like a torrential flood, unstoppable. The dharma idol had not yet fully unfolded before it was shattered by Chen Chao’s single punch.

Demonic qi scattered wildly through the sky. Chen Chao had already arrived before the great demon, seizing his neck with one hand, narrowing his eyes as he asked, “Is this all you’ve got?”

The black-clad great demon was lifted from the ground by Chen Chao, unable to utter a single word.

Then Chen Chao sensed several auras drawing closer from all around. He laughed and said, “Did you really think, with your meager skills, you could make me expend much effort?”

After saying this, Chen Chao crushed the neck of the black-clad great demon without hesitation.

From the very beginning, Chen Chao had intended to use this great demon as bait, to lure in more of them.

In those earlier years when he entered the desolate north, Chen Chao had to conceal his presence, fearing being targeted by these great demons. But now was not the same as back then.

Times had changed.

Killing one great demon at a time, what meaning was there in that?