Slaying the Mountain Imp

Chapter 36: Slaying the Mountain Imp

Wang Zhen exchanged pleasantries with the members of the Demon Slaying Squad, even chatting with Lin Le in a seemingly normal manner.

Once everyone had gathered, Wang Zhen stood on a makeshift platform and declared loudly, "In East Forest, there is a demon, a Mountain Imp, that has been abducting women, killing and plundering!"

One had to admit, Wang Zhen was quite the orator. In just a few sentences, he had stirred the emotions of the crowd, and many faces showed excitement.

Lin Le, however, remained calm, his eyes like a deep, still pool, undisturbed as an ancient well.

Looking at the people around him, Lin Le knew that if he hadn't happened to be there this time, more than eight out of ten of these people wouldn't have made it back.

"Villagers, today, kill that demon with me!" Wang Zhen shouted, raising his arms.

The crowd below and the surrounding civilians roared back, "Kill! Kill! Kill!"

"Let's go!" Wang Zhen commanded.

The Demon Slaying Squad, numbering over twenty, formed a long line and headed towards a small mountain. Lin Le walked at the very front.

Since they were all Martial Masters, the team moved at an extremely fast pace. By noon, they had already ventured deep into an old forest.

"Rest and replenish your energy. We're almost at the Mountain Imp's lair!" Wang Zhen ordered.

Everyone stopped. A few stood guard while the rest rested.

Wang Zhen walked over to Lin Le and offered him a waterskin. "Little brother, have some water. This is Spirit Spring Water from Xiang Family Village, used to irrigate spirit herbs. It's incredibly delicious."

"Alright, thank you." Lin Le took the waterskin and drank without any hesitation.

After finishing, Lin Le handed the waterskin back to Wang Zhen.

Wang Zhen took the waterskin, a hint of surprise in his eyes, as Lin Le had drunk the water completely dry.

"Little brother has quite the capacity. You must have a good tolerance for alcohol," Wang Zhen praised.

"I'm alright. I can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk," Lin Le said casually, waving his hand to signal Wang Zhen to leave.

Wang Zhen also departed.

Not long after, some hunters suddenly stood up. They had heard the rustling of leaves and monkey calls.

"Wuwuwu!"

The sounds grew closer, and soon they echoed around the Demon Slaying Squad.

"It's the Mountain Imp's monkey troop!" a hunter shouted. "Alert! Everyone, be on alert!"

Monkeys with black backs and white bellies appeared on the treetops, their gazes greedily fixed on the Demon Slaying Squad members below.

Their emerald eyes sent a chill down the hunters' spines. They tried to circulate their Blood Qi, only to find it moving as slowly as a snail.

They had been drugged!

The realization dawned on everyone. Many turned to look at Wang Zhen, and some even roared, "Wang Zhen, you drugged us!"

Most of them were veteran hunters and immediately guessed that Wang Zhen was behind it. Only he, as the leader, would have the ability to do so.

Wang Zhen coldly swept his gaze over them and walked to the side.

The others looked over and saw, standing there, a ten-foot-tall ape with a black back and white belly, standing upright.

"Lord Mountain Imp, this is the blood food you requested," Wang Zhen said respectfully.

"Hmm." The Mountain Imp nodded slightly. Just as it was about to wave its hand, it paused.

Seeing the Mountain Imp stop, Wang Zhen was also confused. He turned to look and saw a man walking towards him, holding a gun.

That man was Lin Le.

Wang Zhen frowned. He had personally watched Lin Le drink the drugged water completely. If he wasn't already slumped on the ground, that would have been surprising enough. How could he still move?

The Mountain Imp sniffed the air. "Such pure Blood Qi. Are you a Four-Limit Martial Master?"

Lin Le remained silent. With a bang, he had already flown in front of the Mountain Imp, his long spear cleaving down like it was splitting a mountain and carrying the sun.

Bang!

Wang Zhen's head was instantly crushed, like a watermelon smashed by a club.

Why!

This was Wang Zhen's only thought before losing consciousness.

The Mountain Imp ignored the dead Wang Zhen and coldly regarded Lin Le. "You think you can kill me, human?"

Lin Le remained silent, only to thrust his spear at the Mountain Imp again.

Bang!

The Mountain Imp actually blocked Lin Le's spear with its bare palms. It grinned sinisterly, its ugly face becoming even more ferocious. "You know nothing. I am not a Meridian Awakening demon, but a demon of the Dao!"

"Just the First Layer," Lin Le said dismissively.

As he spoke, his Blood Qi circulated throughout his body.

"Just the First Layer?"

The Mountain Imp laughed in anger, a flicker of rage in its eyes. With a low growl, it lunged at Lin Le like a phantom, its palms striking down with a foul stench.

Lin Le's expression remained unchanged. He lightly tapped his foot, his body drifting back like a willow catkin. His spear followed the momentum, its tip cutting through the air with a silver glint, aimed directly at the Mountain Imp's throat.

The Mountain Imp initially intended to withstand the attack, but its instincts, honed by years of surviving as a wild beast, urged it to dodge.

In the blink of an eye, the Mountain Imp chose to trust its intuition and hastily sidestepped. However, Lin Le's spear thrust was like a shadow, its tip twisting to press towards its chest once more.

The Mountain Imp let out a grim laugh and suddenly slammed its palms forward, condensing a wave of black energy that surged towards Lin Le.

Lin Le circulated his Blood Qi, then violently shook his spear. A layer of blood-red light emanated from the spear shaft, its tip like a dragon emerging from the sea, piercing the black energy wave.

The two forces collided with a muffled thud, sending waves of energy scattering. Surrounding trees were shaken, their leaves and branches flying.

The Mountain Imp was forced back several steps, a flicker of surprise flashing in its eyes. It clearly hadn't expected Lin Le's strength to be so formidable, especially since he was merely a Four-Limit Martial Master.

It roared, its muscles bulging, and its palms smashed towards Lin Le like iron hammers.

Lin Le advanced instead of retreating, his spear dancing like a swimming dragon. Spear shadows overlapped, each strike carrying a sharp killing intent.

His figure weaved nimbly through the Mountain Imp's onslaught, his spear tip occasionally leaving bloody gashes on the beast's body.

Watching this, the surrounding members of the Demon Slaying Squad felt their hearts lurch. After realizing they had been drugged, they had despaired. Seeing Lin Le kill Wang Zhen with a single spear thrust, however, had rekindled their hope.

When they heard the Mountain Imp declare it had entered the Way and become part of the Demon Race, their hearts sank to the bottom once more. But seeing Lin Le fight the Mountain Imp to a standstill, their spirits involuntarily began to lift again.

The Mountain Imp grew increasingly enraged as the battle wore on, the surrounding air seeming to ignite with its fury. Suddenly, it leaped forward, bringing a single palm down, condensing a massive black palm print that pressed down on Lin Le.

The onlookers immediately held their breath, as anyone could see this was the Mountain Imp's killing blow.

Lin Le neither dodged nor retreated. Instead, he thrust his spear forward.

First Style of Fighting Heaven, Setting Sun!

Hearthfire Momentum!

His Blood Qi condensed into a blade, striking the black palm print.

With a deafening roar, waves of energy swept outwards, shaking even thick, waist-thick old trees around them.

Everyone watched the battle with bated breath, only to see Lin Le leap onto the surrounding trees.

Their hearts chilled. Had Lin Le lost and was now trying to escape?

But when they looked back at the Mountain Imp, they saw that its neck had been nearly severed, and it was undoubtedly dead!

Looking at Lin Le again, he was actually pursuing and killing the Mountain Imp's monkey pack, appearing determined not to stop until every last one was dead.

Only then did everyone realize that Lin Le intended to eradicate all the evil!