After a few brief screams.
The Short Blade in Long Xuanye's hand pointed downward, its tip coated in dark-red blood that slowly gathered.
He gave his wrist a slight flick.
"Drip."
A drop of blood fell into the dust.
Behind him, five Devil Race corpses lay sprawled on the ground. Each had died differently, but nearly all had been killed in a single blow.
Among those of the same rank, his exceptional mastery of his skills made even the ferocious Devil Race little more than playthings to Long Xuanye.
Long Xuanye slid the Short Blade back into its sheath at his waist.
Moonlight bathed him, draping him in a soft, silvery glow.
A faint-blue screen appeared in his mind.
[Congratulations, Host, on completing the quest. You have obtained 0.5 points of Innate Dark Inner Spiritual Power.]
Long Xuanye turned and pushed open the creaking wooden door of the Thatched Hut.
He peered at the pile of dry grass.
Cai'er was still curled up asleep, breathing slowly and evenly, seemingly unaware of everything around her.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
Moving as quietly as he could, he lay back down beside her.
Just as he was drifting off to sleep, Long Xuanye suddenly felt a pair of small, tender hands creep up his waist from beside him.
The arms weren't particularly strong, yet they held him tightly.
Cai'er's muffled, nasal murmur reached his ears.
"Xuan Ye... don't leave me..."
Long Xuanye's heart skipped a beat.
He slowly turned around and, by the moonlight, saw the girl's tightly furrowed brows and the trace of unease on her face.
He reached out and clasped the small hand resting on his waist.
It was soft, and warm with the distinct heat of a young girl.
Perhaps feeling the warmth of his palm, Cai'er's furrowed brows gradually relaxed. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly without her realizing it, and she fell into an even sweeter sleep.
Long Xuanye gazed at her peaceful sleeping face, his heart softening.
He didn't pull his hand away again. He let her hold him, kept her hand in his, and drifted off to sleep with her.
Meanwhile.
At a border stronghold in the Devil Race Territory.
Torchlight flickered inside the gloomy stone fortress, casting shifting shadows over the sinister Demon God reliefs carved into the walls.
A burly member of the Devil Race sat on a chair carved from a single block of black stone.
He was Modok, a sixth-rank border patrol commander under Star Demon God Vasak.
Pale-black demonic mist swirled faintly around him, revealing his formidable strength.
Several weary Devil Race scouts knelt on one knee, their heads bowed low.
"Speak! What exactly happened? How many of the squads we sent out still haven't returned?"
Modok's voice was steady, yet carried an oppressive weight.
One of the scouts spoke in a quavering voice.
"Reporting to you, Commander... ever since news of the human prodigy's awakening spread across the border, all the various forces have sent out large numbers of men to search..."
"Our patrol squads have increased several times over as well, but... but more and more of them are going missing."
There wasn't a trace of emotion in Modok's scarlet eyes.
"Tell me which areas were assigned to the squads that haven't returned."
Another scout immediately answered, "Yes! Three squads have disappeared in Blackstone Pass! Two in the Deadwood Forest! And... two squads have lost contact outside the abandoned town near Odin Town!"
Modok lightly tapped his fingers against the stone armrest, making a "tap, tap" sound. "Interesting. We've lost two squads in the same place. Looks like some powerful figures have been active in these areas."
A flash of greed crossed his eyes.
It might not be that human prodigy, but what if it was?
That would be a tremendous accomplishment.
Even if they didn't catch him, they could just capture a few humans along the border and interrogate them. They were bound to get some useful information.
"Pass on my orders!"
Modok's voice rose sharply.
"All patrol squads are to intensify their investigations in the areas I mentioned! That includes the abandoned town. Send more squads there as well!"
"As long as that human prodigy is still near the border, he's as good as dead! And if he isn't, it doesn't matter."
The scout at the front hesitated, then mustered his courage and asked, "Commander... wouldn't such a large-scale operation... be of little use and only lead to more casualties?"
Modok's tapping stopped abruptly.
He slowly turned his head, his scarlet pupils fixing on the scout.
"Are you questioning me?"
The scout broke into a cold sweat. His body shook like a leaf, and he didn't dare say another word.
"Get out and carry out my orders."
"Yes! Yes!"
The scouts, as if granted a pardon, scrambled out of the stone fortress.
Only Modok remained in the empty hall.
He let out a low, cold laugh.
Casualties?
He thought to himself that the Devil Race already had too many people, and its lower ranks were especially overpopulated.
Using humans' blood to weed out some of the useless rabble through such warmongering was, if anything, a healthy development.
But there was no need to tell those "demons" below him about it.
Dawn was just breaking.
Long Xuanye opened his eyes. The space beside him was empty, with only the faint fragrance of a girl lingering there.
His heart tightened, and he abruptly sat up, only to hear the Thatched Hut's wooden door being gently pushed open.
Saint Cai'er walked in carrying a small bundle of dew-covered branches. Seeing that he was awake, she gave him a gentle smile.
"Xuan Ye, you're awake."
After a simple breakfast, the two sat cross-legged in the clearing outside the Thatched Hut and began cultivating together.
The Chaos Spirit Furnace slowly turned within Long Xuanye's body. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth around him seemed to be drawn by some force, transforming into streams too fine for the naked eye to see as they poured into him.
In just one day.
Long Xuanye's Inner Spiritual Power had risen from 102 points to 106!
A full four points!
"This..."
Long Xuanye opened his eyes, a look of surprise in them.
He clearly remembered that in the original story, even with the help of the Saint Induction Spirit Furnace, Long Haochen's cultivation speed had been less than two points of Inner Spiritual Power per day.
His own speed was more than twice that!
At this rate, it might not even take two or three months for him to reach 500 points of Inner Spiritual Power and break through to the fourth rank!
This cultivation efficiency was truly terrifying!
Long Xuanye's heart began to pound with excitement.
He hadn't forgotten...
Long Xingyu, his archenemy!
He had to grow stronger quickly, not just for Revenge, but also to protect himself.
"Xuan Ye is amazing."
Saint Cai'er's voice brimmed with genuine joy. She stood up and tried to come over and pat his head as she usually did.
But as soon as she took a step, her body swayed without warning, and she pitched straight forward.
"Cai'er!"
Long Xuanye reacted quickly, darting forward and catching her in his arms.
"What's wrong?" He steadied her.
The grayish-white light in Cai'er's eyes seemed to have grown stronger, and her gaze was a little unfocused.
But she only shook her head.
"Don't worry about me, Xuan Ye."
"When I went out this morning, I already felt around and learned my way around the area."
"Huh?" Long Xuanye froze.
Cai'er's eyes suddenly lit up. Breaking from her usual quietness, she began talking animatedly.
Before you continue