Brute Strength, Is That It?

The first time he saw a real demon, it would be a lie to say he felt nothing.

But Xu Ye still forcibly suppressed the surging emotions in his heart.

He truly had not expected that within this tiny Clear Spring Gang, there would actually be a demon.

There was no need to think about it—the cat demon was one Lin Qingquan worshipped.

In these chaotic times, there were always people who liked to walk crooked paths, colluding with demons and monsters to wreak havoc upon the world for their own selfish desires.

Lin Qingquan was clearly one of them.

At this moment, however, Lin Qingquan paid no heed to the horrified looks of Wan Laosan and the others.

He fixed his gaze on Xu Ye, his eyes sinister. "Since you insist on fighting to the bitter end, I can't let you live today."

Xu Ye said nothing, his eyes locked on the cat demon with its glowing eyes.

He was weighing how good his chances would be if he fought this cat demon.

Yet in Lin Qingquan's eyes, his silence instead became a sign of fear.

That was only normal. Ordinary people made up the majority in this world.

Who wouldn't be afraid upon seeing demons and monsters?

Even he himself had nearly pissed his pants the first time.

With that thought, Lin Qingquan sneered. "You're the one who insisted on tearing the net even if the fish dies. You can't blame me for this."

As he spoke, he turned to the cat demon and bowed. "Lord Cat Demon, I'll trouble you."

Hearing this, the cat demon raised a paw and licked its fur. "You know the consequences of me making a move."

Lin Qingquan replied, "I understand! Lord Cat Demon, please kill them all!"

Kill them all!

His meaning was obvious. This time, it was not only Xu Ye he intended to kill.

He also intended to kill Wan Laosan and the rest of the gang members.

Perhaps the other gang members had not understood what Lin Qingquan meant.

But Wan Laosan was no fool. He understood instantly, and his face turned deathly pale as he looked at Lin Qingquan, trembling. "Big Brother..."

Over the years, gang members had occasionally vanished without a trace. Looking at it now, there was a high chance Lin Qingquan had been behind it.

He could turn a blind eye to all that, but now that Lin Qingquan wanted him dead, he truly could not remain calm.

Lin Qingquan looked at Wan Laosan and said indifferently, "It can't be helped. Who told you to see Lord Cat Demon? Anyone who has seen Lord Cat Demon must die!"

Wan Laosan's face was pale. "Big Brother, we're sworn brothers! You can't..."

Lin Qingquan cut him off with a sneer. "Don't worry. Once you're dead, I'll burn a little extra paper for you."

"As for the Clear Spring Gang! So long as I'm still here and Lord Cat Demon is still here, the Clear Spring Gang won't disappear. Go on your way in peace!"

At that moment, the coldness of human nature was laid bare in all its fullness.

So long as their own interests were involved, even sworn brothers could be sent on their way.

"No..." Wan Laosan waved his hands and staggered backward, wanting to run.

Just then, the cat demon's body flashed. It moved with astonishing speed, turning into a pitch-black shadow that appeared before Wan Laosan.

Before Wan Laosan could react, the cat demon extended its claws, and a flash of white light streaked out.

With a wet rip, several bloody gashes appeared across Wan Laosan's throat. His eyes widened at once as he clutched his neck and collapsed, dying on the spot.

"Third Master!"

Seeing this, many Clear Spring Gang members' expressions changed drastically. They had never expected their leader to turn on his own people, and one by one, their faces went white with fright.

Yet Lin Qingquan showed no reaction from beginning to end.

After killing Wan Laosan, the cat demon transformed into a black shadow once more and shot out.

Most of the Clear Spring Gang members had no cultivation. Before the cat demon, they were utterly powerless to resist.

In less than a moment, all the Clear Spring Gang members had fallen into pools of blood, every last one dead.

Not a single one was spared.

Only the cat demon, Xu Ye, and Lin Qingquan remained in the hall.

Seeing this, Xu Ye drew a deep breath. In chaotic times, killing was normal.

He himself had killed with his own hands.

But seeing so many people die before his eyes all at once—

It would be a lie to say Xu Ye felt nothing.

Still, Xu Ye understood Lin Qingquan's intentions very well.

Colluding with demons, worshipping demons—whether in White Cloud County, the imperial court, or the entire realm, such acts were enough to enrage both heaven and man. Once discovered, anyone could rightfully put him to death.

Now that Lin Qingquan had exposed the cat demon, he would naturally not let anyone who knew survive.

Otherwise, he would die without even a place to bury his bones.

"Your turn!" At this moment, the cat demon leaped back onto a chair in the hall and stared at Xu Ye.

Lin Qingquan said coldly, "Lord Cat Demon, if possible, leave him barely alive. I want him to suffer a fate worse than death."

Lin Qingquan still hated Xu Ye deeply. If not for this fellow—

He would not have exposed the cat demon.

Nor would he have had to kill so many gang members.

After all, rebuilding a gang cost quite a bit.

The cat demon said nothing. It suddenly sprang forward and landed not far before Xu Ye.

The next moment, its body began to grow larger and larger.

Very soon, its entire feline body grew as tall as a man and two or three meters long, immense beyond compare.

This was its true demon form.

When facing others, it might not need to reveal its demon form.

But against Xu Ye, who was at least at the seventh level of Meridian Opening, it had to go all out.

"Eighth level of Meridian Opening!" Looking at the cat demon's transformed demon form and the demon aura radiating from it, Xu Ye already had his answer.

This cat demon was at the eighth level of Meridian Opening!

Clearly, the rumors outside were not entirely false.

Lin Qingquan was not at the eighth level of Meridian Opening. He relied on this cat demon to kill those at the eighth level.

That explained it.

"Having seen my true form, you can die without regrets." The enormous cat demon looked down at Xu Ye.

Then, with a sudden meow, it charged at him.

Having revealed its true form, it could not delay for long. If it drew the Demon-Suppression Bureau here, it would be finished.

Therefore, it had to end this quickly.

As the cat demon ran, the ground rumbled and boomed as though the earth shook and the mountains swayed.

At the same time, it raised its massive paw.

With a hiss, sharp claws extended from its black fur like several razor-sharp knives, slashing toward Xu Ye's body.

Seeing this, Lin Qingquan's face twisted savagely, as though he could already see Xu Ye's flesh and blood flying everywhere.

In all these years, whenever the cat demon made a move, it had never failed.

"Competing in brute strength, are you? I'm not afraid of you!" At that moment, Xu Ye felt a chill over his head.

It was as though those claws could split open his skull at any moment.

He gave a low shout. The nine martial meridians within his body circulated, and spiritual power surged.

The power in his body erupted to its utmost limit, and his speed suddenly increased as he shifted one meter to the left.

With a boom, the massive cat paw slammed into the ground. A huge fissure split open at once, leaving behind an enormous paw print.

"Hm?" The cat demon was clearly startled. It had not expected to miss.

Xu Ye did not waste any words. He stomped heavily on the ground and used the momentum to launch himself high into the air.

All his strength gathered completely in his feet as he stomped viciously down at the cat demon's head.

His cultivation was even stronger than the cat demon's. Even without the support of any proper martial skill—

His sheer strength alone was terrifying.

Before the cat demon could react after missing its strike, its head was viciously stomped into the ground with a thunderous boom.

"Meow!"

The cat demon let out an even more shrill scream.

Clearly, Xu Ye's kick had hurt it terribly.