Only Magistrate Zheng May Set Fires, but I Can't Light a Lamp?

Cui Lang stood atop the wall. Seeing the two cat demons staring at him, he knew they wanted to join forces with him to take down Zheng Fengyun.

That happened to be exactly what he wanted as well.

Zheng Fengyun glanced at Cui Lang beside him. "Cui Lang, hold off the big-bellied one. I'll kill this male, then come help you."

He was not afraid of facing two at once, but if one escaped, he would have no way to answer to the others.

Knife in hand, Cui Lang jumped down from the courtyard wall and charged toward the female cat demon with the air of a man ready to face death.

With a tap of his foot, Zheng Fengyun blurred and arrived before the male cat demon.

The male cat demon nimbly darted aside and pounced toward Cui Lang, as though it intended to kill Cui Lang first, then join the female cat demon against Zheng Fengyun.

Yet Zheng Fengyun had no intention whatsoever of saving Cui Lang. He drew his blade and slashed at the male cat demon's back.

If Cui Lang died at the hands of the cat demons, wouldn't that save him trouble? He would not even need to forge wounds on Cui Lang's corpse.

Cui Lang saw at once that Zheng Fengyun wanted to use the cat demons' claws to kill him.

He shot the female cat demon a look, letting her swat him in the chest with one claw and send him flying straight into the corner by the wall.

Zheng Fengyun had not expected Cui Lang to fail to block even a single move. To avoid the female cat demon's claw, he could only change his stance midway.

The two cat demons pounced on Zheng Fengyun from front and back at the same time. Zheng Fengyun showed no fear, raising his blade to meet them.

Cui Lang leaned against the corner wall, half reclining on the ground as he leisurely watched the cat demons battle Zheng Fengyun.

The cat demons are fast. Only Zheng Fengyun's movement technique lets him keep up. It would be difficult for me to hit them, and even if I injured them, I couldn't stop them from escaping.

This is better. I can sit atop the mountain and watch the cats fight.

Zheng Fengyun's movement technique was stronger than Constable Li's, and his saber arts seemed somewhat better as well. But judging from the force he gave off in combat, he was only at the peak of the Essence Gathering Realm.

The two cat demons' auras were far stronger than when he had last seen them. Not even a full day had passed, yet they had already digested more than half the essence of those demons' flesh and blood.

"You two demons think that devouring other demons lets you fight this official?" Zheng Fengyun's saber suddenly became faster, directly suppressing both cat demons.

He had seen it as well. If the two cat demons were given more time to break through, he would be no match for them.

Fortunately, he had arrived in time.

In particular, he deliberately focused his attacks on the female cat demon, forcing the male cat demon to block every time. After several dozen exchanges, he had left several wounds on the male cat demon.

Though none of the wounds were deep, the male cat demon had already slowed.

The female cat demon had already borne wounds inflicted by other demons. Now, from fighting, the wounds that had nearly healed tore open again, blood streaming down.

The male cat demon suddenly attacked like a mad beast, forcing Zheng Fengyun to temporarily avoid its edge.

Once the male cat demon's strength waned, it would surely die.

But all of a sudden, the male cat demon shouted, "What are you still waiting for?"

Zheng Fengyun's face changed drastically. Who was the cat demon calling to? Were there other demons hiding here that he had failed to discover?

That brief distraction let the male cat demon claw him, and three bloody marks immediately appeared across his chest.

"Cunning demons! No one is coming to help you. Today, you will die!"

Zheng Fengyun went mad after being wounded as well. He did not want to drag this out any longer.

What if the commotion drew others here? Would he kill them all?

Then how would he explain it to the prefectural yamen?

Blade qi burst from his saber, thick with killing intent.

In just a short while, the man and two demons all gained more wounds, and all of them slowed considerably.

Just as Zheng Fengyun felt he had gained the upper hand and was about to win, he suddenly heard the whistle of wind slicing through the air behind him.

The demons really did have an accomplice!

He desperately dodged, but one leg was still cut, and he was clawed again.

"Cui Lang? You actually colluded with demons?" Zheng Fengyun stared at Cui Lang in disbelief.

"Magistrate Zheng, why say that? Wasn't it you who taught me to cooperate with demons?" Cui Lang held his still-dripping blade. "You alone may set fires, but I'm not allowed to light a lamp?"

"Constable Li must be lonely on the road to the Yellow Springs. Magistrate Zheng, please walk a little faster, and you can go to hell together."

Zheng Fengyun roared, "Old Li really was killed by you!"

"You think you've got this victory in the bag? With strength like yours, if not for a sneak attack, how could you have harmed me in the slightest? Today, I'll kill every last one of you, then report to the prefectural yamen that you colluded with demons."

Enduring the pain of his injuries, he lunged fiercely at the male cat demon.

Only by killing the male cat demon, the greatest threat, could he survive.

Both cat demons pounced upon Zheng Fengyun as well. Just as the three of them were about to join forces and kill Zheng Fengyun, the female cat demon suddenly let out a scream.

"Cui Lang, what are you doing?!" A massive wound appeared across the female cat demon's back, her flesh split and curled outward as she bared her teeth in pain.

Distracted by this, the male cat demon took a slash from Zheng Fengyun.

Cui Lang said, "Sorry, my blade went crooked. Hurry up and attack, or Zheng Fengyun will kill us all."

He struck again, attacking Zheng Fengyun and adding another wound to Zheng Fengyun's body.

Before the two cat demons could rejoice, Cui Lang's blade cut into the male cat demon's foreleg again.

He had always been fair in his dealings. All three of them had to take one slash.

"Cui Lang, you've already broken through to the Essence Gathering Realm?" Zheng Fengyun roared. "You two fools, can't you see it yet? He wants to kill all of us!"

"He must have stirred up what happened before as well. Let's join forces and kill him. We can still discuss how to cooperate afterward."

When had Cui Lang broken through? Had he secretly kept quite a few Blood Pills when he killed Constable Li?

That had to be it. Otherwise, with Cui Lang's talent, how could he possibly have condensed true essence so quickly?

The two cat demons indeed sensed that something was wrong and both stared at Cui Lang warily.

"Oh? You were fighting for your lives just now, and already you're cooperating? You two don't even need to use your brains. Zheng Fengyun wants to use you to hold me back so he can escape."

"If he escapes, he'll still bring people back to kill you."

As his words fell, he lunged fiercely at the male cat demon.

The male cat demon viciously clawed at Cui Lang's face, but Cui Lang merely tilted his head and let the claw strike his shoulder.

Joy appeared on the faces of both cat demons and Zheng Fengyun. Cui Lang had been too careless. He was dead for sure now.

Yet Cui Lang's shoulder was not torn apart as expected. The male cat demon's claw merely ripped his clothes and left several pale marks on his shoulder, while Cui Lang's blade pierced through the male cat demon's neck.

Cui Lang pulled out his waist saber, grabbed the female cat demon's claw, and casually swung his blade in a lightning-fast slash. The female cat demon's neck was severed as well.

Zheng Fengyun's face changed drastically. "Bloodfire Demon Body! Cui Lang, you mastered the Bloodfire Demon Body?!"

How was that possible? That body-tempering technique consumed enormous resources and inflicted unbearable pain. He had merely studied it for a while before giving up, yet Cui Lang had actually mastered it—and at least the second layer. Even a peak Essence Gathering Realm cultivator could not harm Cui Lang in the slightest.

"So the incomplete technique you gave me is called the Bloodfire Demon Body? It doesn't sound like an orthodox technique."

"But I still have to thank you. I like this technique very much. As thanks, I'll send you on your way."