Slaying Demons

Farther inside, the inner hall was clearly mostly destroyed by a great battle and had yet to be repaired. It was probably the battlefield where the fighting had swept through and smashed things up during the attack two days ago. Fragments of banners, swords, and other spirit treasures were scattered across the ground, dotting it like broken porcelain.

Master Yao swept his gaze across the battlefield and nodded. "I see. There was quite a battle here. The magic treasures of the Tiantai Mountain demons were all smashed, saving us a lot of trouble. But using magic treasures to fight at the Foundation Establishment stage is still too much of a stretch. With such fierce combat, they must have exhausted themselves. That inevitably damages the spirit and soul. They didn't snatch many proper treasures either, and they're all banged up. They'll probably need a good long rest to recover."

Li Fan looked at the ruins, where many demon monk corpses were already starting to stink. Three days, and they hadn't even bothered to collect their own dead. "At least getting rid of these demons is a good thing."

But Master Yao shook his head. "What demons are these? Just clowns. Probably grave-robbing martial artists trying to steal merits, mountain bandits who kill and plunder, and river pirates wanted by the court. They don't care about the Dao heart. As long as they're bold enough to join, they're taught some heretical sorcery and recruited. Just filler riffraff, loose hounds."

Master Yao swept his gaze across the field, then suddenly smiled. He extended his sword finger and pointed through the air. "Look, that one barely counts as a demon."

Before his words even faded, he casually shot out a Sword Qi. It was so fast the sword shadow was invisible, like firing a pistol—bang! The sonic boom from his fingertip blasted up the surrounding dust and broken tiles. Then, not far away, a large pile of rubble exploded open. A wa! of miserable screams came from inside as a bare-armed, bald-headed man tumbled out.

At first glance, the guy's chest had a vicious knife wound split open, his guts spilling out all over the ground. His whole body was covered in blood, ash, and mud, reeking so badly you'd think he was a rotting corpse. But now he was clutching his heart, howling and thrashing on the ground—clearly faking death.

"This one's at the Golden Core Stage. He's using the Turtle Breath Technique, Spirit Closure Technique, and Hiding Light Technique quite well. Look, he even cut himself and hid in the corpse pile. Even Jiugao didn't spot him. This is the kind of ruthless, experienced demon!"

As Master Yao pointed out the tricks of the trade to Li Fan, he kept firing his sword finger—bang, bang, bang, bang—blowing apart the joints of the big monk who'd shaved his head to fake being Maitreya. Shreds of cartilage and muscle flew everywhere like shrapnel. The dignified Golden Core demon could only flop around like a loach, screaming in agony.

Li Fan glanced at Yao Xuanzhou, who just stood there with his sleeves tucked in, never directly killing the thrashing, wailing bald man. He understood. "Thank you for the guidance, Master."

So he lifted his Double Mace with the Raised White Brow and strode toward the fake monk. He didn't get too close, just took a careful look at him.

Ha. Could this brawny, meaty body come from eating vegetarian? There was even a tattoo of a tiger eating a man on his shoulder and back. Probably overnourished—the tiger had gotten fat. And don't tell him this was some innocent person. Besides, what kind of eminent monk goes around bare-armed wearing a woman's underpants to meditate? Did cross-dressing help with cultivation or something?

The lecherous monk knew his end was near. Snot and tears streaming, he wailed for mercy. "Immortal, Immortal Master, spare my life! I know I was wrong! I know! I'm willing to swear a vow, be your slave for life! Serve you! Never betray you! Please, spare—"

Li Fan held his double mace in his right hand and raised his left to cut off the nonsense. "What's your name?"

"Ah, ah? I... this lowly one... this slave... Jin... Jin... Hu..."

Seeing that he couldn't even answer right away, Li Fan sneered. "Can't even remember your own name! Your reputation is so bad you're too ashamed to say it! And you still have the nerve to beg me for mercy? Qiankun Flying Dragon Sword!"

With a flick of his sleeve, the twin sword auras of the Qiankun Flying Dragon Sword shot straight for the big monk's heart, toward the bloody hole Yao Xuanzhou had pierced with his finger. The big monk, worthy of being a Golden Core demon, gritted his teeth and roared even with his limbs broken. He arched his back, bounced his body, and actually dodged the path of the dragon sword's grinding attack, avoiding being instantly shredded by the twin sword Qi. He only got drenched in oil.

Oil?

Yes. As his left hand released the Qiankun Flying Dragon Sword Qi, the Kun in his sleeve opened its mouth. Following their secret pre-practiced combo move, it spat out the oil-fire jar it had been holding. The sword aura carried the oil right over him. Though the demon dodged the killing blow, he was drenched head to toe. Li Fan had even designed variations with chili powder, lime, smoke bombs, and more, but he hadn't mastered them yet. The main difficulty was getting the Kun to hold things in its mouth without swallowing...

Anyway, seizing the chance while the guy was soaked in oil, Li Fan curled his left hand back and shot five strands of Red Sha Sword Qi from his fingers, stabbing at the big monk again.

The demon screamed miserably and tried to dodge again, but he never expected that Li Fan, who cultivated the Five Luo Sword Ghosts, could split his mind to control five sword Qi, weaving them back and forth. With his hands and feet broken and useless, where could a lump of flesh hide?

The sword Qi pierced his skin, igniting the grease and oil. With a whoosh, he burst into raging flames. Crackling, black smoke, burnt stench—it all shot into the air!

But Li Fan still didn't stop. After igniting the big monk, he pulled his left sleeve back, flipped his hand, and fired another Qiankun Flying Dragon Sword. It blasted the guy's heart to pieces. Then he followed up with another, punching through his belly. After two sword auras, the demon fell to the ground, motionless.

But Li Fan still didn't get close. He stood there holding his double mace, waiting for a moment. Then, without warning, he charged forward, lunging in a flying leap. He came down with a rising-falling strike, smashing the double mace onto the monk's head, which was now roasted crispy and fragrant, and blew it apart.

Li Fan's mood has increased by 1 point.

Hmph. Keep playing dead.

Li Fan has triumphed in a killing tribulation, defeating Sugu Jietashi Ha.

...That's his real name? I guess it's hard to remember. My bad...

Ah, whatever! Hands dirty! Heart hardened! But the anger's out! Feels pretty good!

Li Fan's mood cap has increased by 100 points. Current mood: 150/300.

What... System! So killing tribulations are this great? If you'd just said so earlier, I'd have jumped off the boat to grab the kill even if it cost me my life! Feels like I've lost another small goal... I mean, it feels good, but also not that good...

Master Yao nodded repeatedly. "You're quite cautious. That demon didn't manage to ambush you in the end. But since you personally killed a Golden Core, you sensed it too, right? Breaking through a killing tribulation lets you seize your opponent's luck. But it only works if the opponent is at least at the same cultivation level."

Profound Heaven Sword Intent indicates that this is equivalent to everyone agreeing to bet their remaining fate on a duel. The winner takes all, the victor eats everything. As long as you can stomach it, you can go on a killing spree and rapidly advance your Dao cultivation.

At our Beichen Sword Sect, we have a small competition every ten years and a big one every hundred years. That's how we forge so many sword immortals.

But, heh, other trash sects—most of their mediocre disciples won't take risks unless death is staring them in the face.

Got it. You guys are seriously all-in gambling with your lives...

Just then, the dark clouds in the sky suddenly rolled back in all directions, pulling open like curtains to reveal the night sky. In an instant, the night brightened as if a big light had been turned on.

Li Fan looked up. He no longer saw any heavenly soldiers or cloud platforms and chariots. He only saw Real Person Wei, arms spread wide like a crow, gliding past overhead. He seemed to nod a greeting to Master Yao before flying straight down into Luo Temple.

Full and ready to work, huh...

But come to think of it, even though the clouds had blocked the moon and he hadn't seen anything...

"Did he really eat over sixteen hundred people in one go?"

Master Yao could see the fear on Li Fan's face and explained, "I've seen my senior brother's Dharma form before. He couldn't have eaten that many. He probably just gnawed on those six dragons. The rest were likely killed."

"...Didn't they say that during a sword duel, seniors don't bully juniors?"

Master Yao chuckled. "He's not here for a sword duel. A great cultivator of the Supreme Plain Heavenly Dao—who cares about the luck from a killing tribulation? If you don't participate, you don't have to follow the rules."

...That actually makes sense.

"Come on. Let's go see how Jiugao's fight is going. If we're lucky, there might be a few demons left for you to feed your sword."

So Li Fan, full of hope, followed Master Yao unhurriedly to the innermost part of Luo Temple, the inner hall where the Tiantai Mountain Golden Core demons had holed up. Seeing the scene inside, he understood why Yao Xuanzhou was so calm and collected.

Little Crane had already gone god-mode.

Zhang Jiugao, relying on Qin Jianshi's Chi Qiu and his own nurtured lifebound flying sword, had charged alone into the inner hall and gone completely berserk.

The ground was littered with fragments of magic treasures, snapped in one blow by Chi Qiu or shattered on contact. Limbs and heads shredded by flying swords were scattered everywhere between the buildings. From time to time, the sword aura of the Qiankun Flying Dragon Sword exploded in fury, punching holes through beams and rafters, sending splinters flying. Crimson blood spilled over the threshold, spreading across the steps in front of the hall, soaking the flower beds.

In the riddled main hall, undisguised rage and killing intent surged as if a violent dragon were hiding inside, wrapped in surging sword Qi, snarling, raging, howling madly, killing intent piercing the heavens!

Well, looks like there won't be any heads left for him to collect.