CHAPTER 147: 147 - DEMON

"Ruxue, what is a world of mind?" Qingyi asked, unable to hide the faint smile on his lips.

He knew the concept of a sea of mind, unlocked when a cultivator reached the Nascent Soul Realm, but a world of mind was a completely new term for him.

"I’ll explain later, get rid of that damned old woman!" Ruxue replied, her voice slightly hurried.

She still seemed to be having trouble fully synchronizing with her fragment.

Qingyi swung the heaven-defying thunder sword, using the movement to wipe away the disgusting blood that permeated the beautiful, elegant blade.

"N-no... impossible..." The old woman muttered, barely feeling the cold steel pressing against her neck.

Qingyi pressed down, his lightning sword qi flashing as his blade sank into the aged flesh.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" The old woman screamed, her aura of the third stage of the Iron Body Realm exploding from her body.

"Ugh... how does that wretch still have so much power?" Qingyi gritted his teeth as he was forced to take a step back.

He activated the third form of the Storm Monarch’s sword art, a dry explosion echoing as the blade tore through the air.

"THAT WAS A GIFT FROM MY LORD, YOU’LL PAY FOR IT!"

The old woman raised her body, opening her mouth and sinking her rotting teeth into the heaven-defying thunder sword.

Qingyi gritted his teeth and kept pushing, his meridians seeming to scream in agony as he pushed all his Qi towards the blade.

’Shit... it’s still not enough!’ Qingyi opened the system store, ignoring the pain spreading through his body as he pressed on to improve his cultivation.

[Your cultivation has improved! Sixth stage of the Golden Core Realm - Seventh stage of the Golden Core Realm]

The momentum of this breakthrough was all he needed.

His Qi, which had previously only been on the same level as the old woman’s, finally beat her completely, the difference in cultivation between them reduced to nothing.

"Die!" Qingyi roared, his lightning Qi turning the old woman’s jaw to dust as the sword Qi cut through the back of her head, splitting her face in half.

The moment the top of the old woman’s head touched the ground, her body blasted Qingyi away.

His body was thrown hundreds of meters until it hit a wall on the other side of the lake.

"What the fuck..." The handsome young man shuddered, feeling a few broken ribs and coughing up a gulp of blood.

Raising his gaze, he saw the decapitated body dragging itself along, its sickly old hands sinking into the earth as it tried to reach the lake of blood.

"Don’t let her touch you-" Ruxue’s voice echoed in his head, but it was too late.

The old woman’s sickly body sank into the lake of blood, which immediately shook.

A deep demonic Qi spread as the blood was sucked towards the old woman’s body.

"That bitch wants to use her own body as a vessel for the demon!" Ruxue said.

"How can I stop it?"

"It’s impossible, not with your current cultivation. Don’t go near her and try to escape!" Ruxue warned and Qingyi looked up, preparing his lightning steps.

"You’re not going anywhere." A voice rang out, making Qingyi’s blood shiver softly.

That wasn’t the aged, crazed voice of the old woman.

It was masculine, soft and composed.

Qingyi’s eyes focused on the now empty pool of blood. A man was standing in the center of it.

His face was beautiful, adorned with two crimson horns, but his body was distorted, covered in pulsating tumors.

"Ugh... these damn mortal heaven bugs can’t even find a decent host. What am I supposed to do with that?"

The man complained, his beautiful red eyes focusing on Qingyi.

"You’re a good host, mortal." He smiled, his eyes fixed on the heaven-defying thunder sword. "Why don’t you leave that disgusting item behind and give yourself to me? I’ll give you endless pleasures!"

Qingyi couldn’t stop his face from distorting in disgust as he took a step forward, feeling the Qi exhaled by the demon man.

That man was stronger than the old woman, but not strong enough.

With a sigh, he activated the lightning steps, his body exploding in speed as he used the first form of the Stormy Monarch sword art.

"Futile resistance of a useless insect," the man raised a single finger, sensing Qingyi’s power.

To his surprise, the blade didn’t stop immediately as he had expected.

A painful grunt escaped his lips as the Qi from Qingyi’s lightning sword tore through his hand, sinking into his chest.

"How?" His eyes filled with shock, but Qingyi gave him no time to react.

Taking out the talisman he had received from his master, he took a step backwards as he tore it open.

At that distance, it was impossible to dodge.

A powerful wind and sword Qi spread across the dry lake, turning into hundreds of slashes that exploded towards the man.

"Ugh... you bastard, you’ll pay for this!" The man gritted his teeth, his body melting as his crimson horns turned into red lightning, flying towards the sky.

"Ah... was that a demon? What happened to it?" Qingyi asked, falling to his knees.

"Yes, fortunately that wasn’t a complete form. If they had used my fragment instead of the old woman’s body, the entire kingdom - no, the entire Blue Moon Continent would have been completely wiped off the map in a single breath."

Qingyi couldn’t help but shudder at those words.

He could hardly imagine what would have happened if that ritual had been a success.

With a weary sigh, he closed his eyes.

Ruhu was the first of the four to wake up, stumbling towards the banks of the now dry lake.

His eyes fluttered as he saw Qingyi’s kneeling figure.

"That bastard managed to kill that monster all by himself? How is that possible?" Ruhu was unable to stop his heart from sinking gently.

How could Qingyi be so strong?

He felt ashamed, but that shame soon turned to hatred.

He gripped his sword tightly. This was his chance.

He approached, aligned the blade with Qingyi’s neck and swung.

A metallic clang echoed as the sword bounced off Qingyi’s skin, covered in black scales.

"You’re pretty bold, aren’t you?" Qingyi stood up.

"M-monster!" Ruhu fell on his butt, hastily trying to retreat.

"Know your place, worm." Qingyi pressed his foot against Ruhu’s head, only stopping when he felt the loud crack of bones breaking and brains being crushed.