CHAPTER 98: CHAPTER 91: DEMON TALISMAN_2

Another voice spoke up, "How much silver did the Incense Master spend to put a bounty on that Disciple of Yang Luochen?"

"Ten thousand taels."

"So much? How does that kid deserve it? Even our Path brothers who have reached the Third Realm of Jade Skin would only have bounties ranging from ten to thirty thousand taels," a buzzing-voiced person complained, dissatisfied.

"Before Yan Hongwen drew his last breath, he managed to send a message via Talisman Paper. It said that although Chen Ku is young, he could lift Yang Luochen’s twelve-thousand-jin dragon head stick with one hand. Yan Hongwen speculated that it wouldn’t be long before Chen Ku would be taken in as a Disciple by Yang Luochen. With such Root Bone Qualifications, he is certainly top-notch. Moreover, he is a seed from Medicine King Hall, an entity with which we of the Peace Path already have an irreconcilable enmity. If we can kill him for just ten thousand taels of silver, then this deal is a steal."

Yao Wensu said indifferently, "This was always just an extraneous move before our withdrawal. If it works, all the better; if not, there’s no real loss. Alright, matters are almost settled. Starting now, let’s withdraw separately. After leaving the city, we will regroup at the Snake Fish Town branch."

「A mile or two away.」

Chen Ku’s true body was waiting here. Suddenly, he smelled the scents of a dozen or so Demon People in that yard. One after another, they scattered in every direction.

Is this... Are they planning to evacuate, to flee?

Chen Ku was stunned. Then, he immediately sensed his Flower Fox Mink clone chasing after one of the Demon People fleeing in a particular direction.

At once, a thought struck him, and he chased in that direction as well.

Before long, the Demon Person, the Flower Fox Mink, and the pursuing Chen Ku were all outside Baojiao County.

「They reached a forest.」

A Peace Path female cultivator named Ling was heading towards the Snake Fish Town branch headquarters via a dispersed route.

Suddenly, she sensed a fist-sized white shadow dart through the forest and pounce straight at her.

Eh? There’s a Demon in this forest!

In an instant, Ling judged from the white shadow’s size and speed that it had to be a Demon that had cultivated Demonic Qi.

Indeed, as the white shadow approached, she saw it was a white mink, about the size of a large mouse.

Beast, you’re courting death! Such a small Demon, though very fast, actually dared to attack me? It’s completely oblivious to its own doom.

Her Martial Arts had only reached the Qi Sensation stage of Inner Qi. However, with the Path’s Talisman Paper, she could even contend with opponents in the later stages of Robust Qi.

She immediately drew the peach wood talisman sword from her back. The sword, adorned with talismans, streaked a line of fire in mid-air, blocking the white mink.

However, the next scene left Ling wide-eyed.

The small white mink, facing the line of fire that should have stopped it, suddenly swelled up, transforming into a one-zhang-tall, white-furred Strange Beast...

WHOOSH!

Facing the thin line of fire, it leaped over in a flash, pouncing towards her head, its massive jaws snapping shut!

Ling’s face drained of color.

At the critical moment, two Talisman Papers at her feet flashed, allowing her to unbelievably sidestep. But even so... an arm was still bitten off and swallowed by the Strange Beast, which was as large as a White Elephant.

"Ah! My arm! What kind of monster is this?!"

Ling had seen her fair share of Demons, but those so-called Demons only generated Demonic Qi within their bodies. To alter their size and form like this... isn’t that something only those at the level of Five Internal Strong can achieve?

But just as Ling screamed, blood gushing from her severed arm like a fountain, her vision darkening as she staggered back in agony...

SWISH!

She then felt an immensely forceful and terrifying saber wind coming from behind, aimed at cleaving her in two.

What? There’s someone else behind me?!

Ling was horrified. Instinctively reacting to this life-or-death crisis, she performed an Iron Plate Bridge maneuver, simultaneously swinging her peach wood sword behind her.

[System notification: Ling desires to kill the Diagram Master...]

CLANG!

The Blood Blade collided with the peach wood talisman sword, surprisingly showering sparks. Both weapons seemed evenly matched, and there was a strange sensation, as if they were drawn to each other, struggling to break free from their wielders’ grasp.

In the next instant, both the Blood Blade and the peach wood talisman sword exerted a great force, breaking free from the hands of Chen Ku and Ling.

What?

Chen Ku was also startled. The Blood Blade was renowned for its sharpness, capable of Metal-Splitting Stone-Breaking. To think it couldn’t cut through a peach wood sword... And what’s this bizarre attraction to the peach wood sword all about?

But he hadn’t forgotten his purpose: to coordinate with the Flower Fox Mink to kill this Peace Path Demon Person. From this exchange, he also sensed that this Demoness’s strength was likely at a level he could handle if he went all out. That must be why the Flower Fox Mink clone specifically chose to pursue her.

At this moment, with both combatants’ weapons knocked from their hands, it came down to a battle of fists and feet.

The Demoness activated a talisman beneath her foot. With a piece of Talisman Paper stuck to her hand, she lunged at Chen Ku, her face a mask of ferocity.

Chen Ku reacted even faster, utilizing the Piercing Sound Step taught to him by Master Shang. Although he hadn’t even reached the entry-level yet, his footwork was already far more refined than before. With a swift movement, he dodged the Talisman Paper in her hand...

He knew that thing was tricky.

He immediately used his palm as a blade, chopping towards her wrist.

Ling, not understanding his intent, met Chen Ku’s strike with her own hand.

Unexpectedly!

"Ah!" she suddenly screamed.

Her wrist, intact moments before, was sliced clean off by Chen Ku’s palm-blade. First her arm, now her hand severed—even someone with an iron will couldn’t endure such agony. The pain caused her to black out.

CRACK!

The Flower Fox Mink seized the opportunity, bit down, and swallowed the agonized, shaking Ling whole.

[System notification: Diagram Master killed Ling, obtained a strand of Evil Qi from the Inner Qi Realm.]

Chen Ku breathed a sigh of relief.

He beckoned, retrieving the Flower Fox Mink, and immediately understood why the Peace Path had put a bounty on him.

It turned out that the Peace Path Incense Master, whom Master Yang had killed with a single blow that day, had seen me pass the staff. He must have considered me a threat from that moment on...

Hmm? The Peace Path is actually withdrawing everyone from the city and transferring their forces to the countryside? Are they planning to encircle the county seat using rural strongholds?

Chen Ku was particularly concerned upon hearing that one of their branches was in Snake Fish Town. I must bring my family into the city as soon as possible.

He decided to secure the courtyard within the next couple of days.

Then, he looked down at the two entangled weapons.

He saw strange phenomena on both the Blood Blade and the peach wood sword: blood-red lines appeared on the Blood Blade, and flesh-like buds were growing on the Talisman Paper of the peach wood talisman sword...

Chen Ku hesitantly reached out towards the peach wood sword.

Instantly, the flesh-like buds stretched out towards him.

[System notification: Diagram Master has encountered a Taisui Demon Talisman. It is detrimental to the Master and is provoking Evil Qi...]

[System notification: Taisui Demon Talisman. Material: Yellow paper. Created by drawing a talisman with Taisui blood and Divine Soul Power. It is slowly developing supernatural properties and can merge with peach wood to create a weapon possessing the might of a ’sharp weapon’.]

Sharp weapon? It seems to be on the same level as the Blood Blade, both capable of Metal-Splitting Stone-Breaking. No wonder they were stuck together during the fight.

Chen Ku looked at the Talisman Paper on the peach wood sword, determined to destroy it. I don’t believe my Four Symbols Power can’t tear apart a mere talisman like this.

But before he tore it up, an idea struck him as he looked at the Blood Blade.

Since both are sharp weapon-level and contain Taisui demon blood, can these two items devour and suppress each other?

With that thought, Chen Ku picked up the Blood Blade again and touched it directly to the Talisman Paper.

This touch had significant consequences.

[System notification: Diagram Master has destroyed the Blood Blade and permanently acquired its Evil Qi. There is no longer a need to suppress it with the Suppressing Technique.]

[System notification: Diagram Master has destroyed the Taisui Demon Talisman and acquired a strand of Demon Talisman Fiend.]

Chen Ku looked at the cracking Blood Blade in his hand, the exploding blood strands and flesh-like buds, and the shattered peach wood talisman. All of them transformed into Transformative Evil Qi and entered his Transformation Diagram.

A Taisui Demon Talisman? It can merge with weapons? Enhance a weapon’s power?

Chen Ku was tempted. Wouldn’t that mean after a transformation, I can give any weapon in my hand a special boost?

Without paying any further attention to the bloody scene, he returned to his small courtyard.

He was eager to see what transformations today’s gains would yield.

He took down the second and third diagrams from his Transformation Diagram, replacing them with Ling’s Evil Qi and the Demon Talisman Fiend.

[System notification: Ling Transformation! Activate!]... [System notification: Demon Talisman Transformation! Activate!]