Battle

The Flying Demonic Tiger's lair lay among a forest of stone pillars, but Ji Tian knew he wasn't strong enough to challenge it directly. He wasn't even sure he could defeat the Blue Flame Demonic Generals under its command.

It was safer to target its Demonic Soldiers instead—the Green Flame ones.

Ji Tian kept circling the stone forest. First, he needed to survey the surrounding terrain thoroughly. Then he could wait for an opportunity. Picking them off one by one was his best option.

He saw a group of Skeleton Soldiers emerge from the stone forest. There were fifteen of them, led by a Blue Flame Demonic Ox skeleton. Its horns gleamed coldly, and it was obvious at a glance that they were incredibly sharp.

After observing them for the past few days, Ji Tian knew that this Skeleton Squad had come out to hunt, as usual. Their prey would be other, weaker forces nearby or any undead creatures that had wandered into their territory.

Ji Tian quietly followed the Skeleton Soldiers, preparing to launch a sneak attack when the chance arose. He hoped even more that they'd run into an evenly matched undead creature and, ideally, that both sides would suffer heavy losses.

After half a day's journey through the sea of bones, the Skeleton Squad encountered a powerful Green Flame Skeleton. It stood three meters tall and had the skeleton of a Demonic Wolf—except this wolf had two heads. Both Soul Flames blazed fiercely. No wonder a Blue Flame skeleton had to lead the hunt. A creature with two Soul Flames was bound to be formidable.

Without a word, the two sides clashed amid a series of Ghost Howls. The Skeleton Squad immediately fought the Skeleton Demonic Wolf. It was a battle to the death. Undead creatures never stopped fighting when they could seize an opponent's Soul Flame and grow stronger. Though both sides had Green Flame Skeletons, the Skeleton Demonic Wolf was considerably more powerful because the energy in its Soul Flames was far greater.

Three skeletons lunged at the Skeleton Demonic Wolf's massive frame, their jaws snapping. They were trying to hold it in place; one clamped down on its hind leg while the other Green Flame Skeletons darted around it, surrounding it tightly as they waited for an opening.

But the Skeleton Demonic Wolf was no ordinary opponent. Its frame shuddered, and it kicked out with a hind leg, sending one leaping skeleton flying. At the same time, it bounded three meters away, pinning two of its attackers beneath its claws. Crack! The skeletons under its paws were crushed.

But it couldn't avoid the two horns charging straight at it. They pierced its chest bone, leaving two gaping holes, and several ribs cracked from the impact. The wolf was knocked to the side.

It might have been a seasoned fighter. As it was sent flying, it slashed the Demonic Ox across the head with its sharp bone claws, leaving five deep gashes.

Three skeletons failed to dodge in time and were struck by the wolf's flying body. Their bones shattered with a clatter, and their Soul Flames spilled across the ground.

The Demonic Ox charged forward and stomped hard on the wolf, which had just managed to get back up.

Crack. The Skeleton Demonic Wolf's front leg was crushed beneath its hoof.

The Skeleton Demonic Wolf staggered and collapsed. Taking advantage of the moment, five or six other skeletons attacked its bony frame, biting and ramming it.

Crack! A huge hole split one of the wolf's skulls, leaving it hanging askew. Its spine and chest bones were badly cracked, too.

It seemed unwilling to wait for its destruction. It whipped two skeletons away with its bone tail, then the Demonic Ox tossed it into the air and slammed it down in the distance. The wolf tried to struggle to its feet, but its injuries were too severe.

The Demonic Ox turned and stared toward the place where Ji Tian was hiding. Blue flames blazed in its skull, and its gaze pierced through the shadows.

Ji Tian slowly revealed himself, his face full of frustration. How had it spotted him so easily? He'd planned to let the two sides wear each other down so he could reap the benefits. Now that was out of the question. And the wolf had been far too weak.

"Flying Stone!" A stone shot toward the Demonic Ox.

Ji Tian wasn't a good person. In this cruel world, good people were dead people. Talking about a gentleman's code was just asking to die.

Before the stone could even reach the Demonic Ox, two beams of blue light shot from its empty eye sockets and smashed it to pieces.

The Demonic Ox was furious. How dare a weakling without a Soul Flame provoke it?

The Demonic Ox drew back its hind legs, pawed the ground with its front hooves, and charged savagely. The two horns atop its head gleamed like a pair of blades.

Seeing that his Flying Stone Technique was useless, Ji Tian ran.

The Demonic Ox saw the little wretch who had attacked it flee. Such an offense was unforgivable.

"Moo!"

Like an arrow loosed from a bow, the Demonic Ox charged after Ji Tian.

Ji Tian fled for his life. His little stones had no effect on the Demonic Ox, and he had no other good methods at his disposal.

The Demonic Ox was furious. The little ghost in front of it was leading it on a wild chase, darting left and right and drawing it into a small gorge. Did he think he could escape that way?

Ji Tian pretended to be panting heavily and pointed at the Demonic Ox. "Don't come any closer, or I won't hold back."

The Demonic Ox bellowed, "You infuriating little wretch! With skills like yours, you're no threat to me."

Ji Tian sneered. "Then I won't hold back."

"Stone Attraction Technique!"

Rumble! Countless boulders and rocks rolled down the mountainsides on either side of the gorge.

"Moo!" The Demonic Ox bellowed and smashed each falling rock to pieces with its horns.

"Is that all you've got?"

Ji Tian was frustrated to see that the trap he'd painstakingly prepared had no effect. He had dragged all those boulders here bit by bit with his Gravity Technique, nearly exhausting the power of his Core Elixir.

"That's not all." This had never been his trump card. The rocks were only meant to hold the Demonic Ox back while he worked on dislodging a weathered boulder on the slope. The huge rock above was barely holding in place. That was why he had chosen this spot for his trap.

"Go to hell!" With a rumble, a huge boulder came hurtling down, accompanied by a fierce whistle.

Seeing such a massive boulder charging at it, the Demonic Ox wasn't sure it could withstand the force of nature. It tried to dodge, but the paths beside it were blocked by rocks it had smashed, forming a barrier.

"Moo!" The Demonic Ox bellowed and rammed the rock wall with all its might. Unable to build up speed, it could only rely on its raw strength.

Crack! The rock wall shattered, but the Demonic Ox's skull, already damaged by the two-headed wolf's attack, split even further.

The boulder also pinned down its hind legs, and the Demonic Ox's spine was crushed.

"Moo!" The Demonic Ox let out an unwilling bellow. It lifted its once-proud head with a stubborn defiance, but it slowly began to droop.

Ji Tian walked calmly over to the paralyzed Demonic Ox and stared coldly at its lowered head.

The Demonic Ox was cunning, too. It had been waiting for an opportunity. Seeing Ji Tian approach with confidence, it suddenly lifted its head. The two horns atop it tore free and shot toward Ji Tian.

Ji Tian cried out in alarm and stumbled backward, but the horns still pierced through his chest. After striking him, they carried him toward the Demonic Ox. The Demonic Ox opened its jaws and swallowed him.

"Even if I die, I'll refine you, you little thing."

"How strange. You don't have a Soul Flame, yet you have a dark, Inner Core-like object. Could this be the cultivation method of ghost bodies? Like demons, you condense an Inner Core, and when it breaks, you achieve divinity. If I refine you, I'll obtain this supreme cultivation method. Hahaha!"

A blue flame flickered, then suddenly surged toward the Core Elixir.

"Ah! Purple Flame! No, don't!"

As the Demonic Ox's blue flame refined it, Ji Tian's Core Elixir grew darker in color, like a bottomless black hole with a power that could consume the mind. But everything in this space was a ghostly creature. He didn't know whether this strange power would work on them.

Ji Tian was frustrated again. Though he had devoured the Demonic Ox's Soul Flame, he had nearly died in the process. He'd been captured because he was careless. If the Core Fire produced by his Core Elixir hadn't contained a trace of Purple Flame, which was stronger than the Demonic Ox's, he would have been finished.

He had learned that above the Blue Flame Skeletons were the Purple Flame Skeletons. The Flying Demonic Tiger was of that rank. They had no systematic cultivation methods; they only absorbed the Soul Flames they captured by instinct, continually strengthening their soul power. They didn't know how to cultivate in any other way.

The cultivation method he had obtained from the Black Bone Arm was so precious. And his Core Elixir now produced more Purple Flame; it was no longer just a thin layer. He still didn't know what the black flame at its center was, though it didn't seem to serve any purpose.

What he lacked most now was combat experience, techniques, and cunning. Before this, he had only bullied low-level skeletons. A single pebble had been enough to knock almost all of them down.

Soul Flames could not only provide spiritual power but also continuously strengthen bones. For the Skeleton Race, bones were the foundation of survival. Strong bones could crush any resistance.

Ji Tian had a vague feeling that he should start with bones and refine some weapons. The bones of powerful creatures were far more useful than stones.

He still wasn't strong enough to wield a large weapon like a Bone Spear; it would consume too much spiritual power. He could choose a Bone Arrow instead, or even a Bone Needle.

"Hahaha, here's the skeleton of a Blue Flame Skeleton, ready-made! Those two horns in particular are still glowing with a strange light. They'll make a fine pair of flying knives."