Battle Against the Pig Demon

Liu Chen had begun martial training at the age of five, practicing through the coldest days of winter and the hottest days of summer, never daring to slack off in the twenty years since.

At eighteen, he had been chosen by the Demon Suppression Office and had believed himself to be among the best of his generation.

But just moments ago, beneath that pig demon's all-encompassing blood-mist technique, he had realized that he was merely a frog at the bottom of a well.

But...

Liu Chen raised his head and looked at the girl bathed in the bloody glow of the tiger's shadow, his heart churning like a stormy sea.

Her figure was slender, and she looked several years younger than him.

Yet she...

How could she dare?

How could she dare face a Bone-Chiming Realm demon alone?

It was not just him. Even Xu Nian, who was struggling to hold on nearby, wore an expression of utter disbelief.

However, his attention was not on the girl herself.

It was on the saber at her waist.

The pig demon stared fixedly at the approaching figure, all its earlier arrogance and brutality gone.

It scrutinized Jiang Yuechu from head to toe, as though it wished to see through her completely.

There was something vaguely familiar about this girl...

Wait...

As it realized something, its eyes flew wide open.

"It's you!!!"

"You killed my child!"

Clang—

There was no probing, nor was there any pointless talk.

Her blade rose, and the phantom of the blood-colored fierce tiger behind her roared along with it.

The blood and qi within her body surged violently, pouring entirely into the blade.

Fierce Tiger Swift Blade, at its supreme realm!

The next instant, a shrill streak of bloody saber light descended like a tiger pouncing down a mountain, carrying the force of ten thousand pounds as it slashed savagely toward Zhu Yan's neck!

In a primal instinct for survival, the countless blood-red tentacles abruptly contracted, instantly gathering into a thick, viscous shield of flesh before Zhu Yan.

Boom—

The bloody saber light collided violently with the blood-mist tentacles.

A dull, teeth-grating sound rang out, as if the blade had sunk into some sticky gelatinous substance.

With the supreme realm of Fierce Tiger Swift Blade bolstered by [Yin Law Granted by Heaven], even ordinary rocks should have been cleaved in two.

Yet when it struck those blood-red tentacles, it did not feel remotely like cutting through vegetables.

An immense rebounding force traveled up the blade, making Jiang Yuechu stagger and retreat several steps before she barely managed to stop.

She frowned slightly. Her tiger's mouth was numb, and a trace of surprise flashed through her eyes.

This was the first time she had encountered such a strange technique.

But from the very first moment she saw this pig demon, she knew.

The pig demon before her had to be the father those two foolish little demons had mentioned.

Although it had not been present when she killed those two lesser demons.

Who knew whether demons possessed some bizarre means of tracking down their enemies?

Her identity had yet to be resolved. Not only did she need to evade the authorities' pursuit, she certainly did not want to be targeted by a great demon whose sons had died.

The tentacles of blood mist slowly spread apart, revealing the uninjured body of the pig demon.

"Such methods... such blade techniques..."

"So it was you... who killed my son in this manner."

Jiang Yuechu silently raised her blade a little higher.

Silence was the best answer.

"Good..."

"Good!!!"

Zhu Yan threw back its head and let out a furious howl. Its already bloated body swelled again, its skin seeming to crawl with countless writhing flesh worms beneath it.

The blood-mist tentacles around it expanded at a visible rate.

In an instant.

Blood mist flooded the long street.

Countless scarlet tentacles shot toward Jiang Yuechu like maddened pythons bursting from their lairs, blotting out the sky!

The few surviving Demon Suppression Office riders had already gone pale with terror.

Against such a display, even ten more of them would only add a few more side dishes to the demon's drinking feast.

But in the next instant.

Xu Nian gritted his teeth, a trace of resolve flashing through his eyes.

He suddenly shoved the injured Liu Chen beside him away. Rather than retreating, he charged straight at the pig demon, which had already gone mad!

"Lord Xu!"

Liu Chen was horrified.

But Xu Nian did not hear him.

Since ancient times, how could the Demon Suppression Office stand aside and watch while a martial wanderer faced a demon alone?

With no subordinates left for him to protect, Xu Nian had no more reservations.

The blood and qi in his body burned at an unprecedented speed. The ringing of the bones throughout his body merged into one clear, bell-like peal!

"Come die!"

This strike contained all the cultivation of his Bone-Chiming Realm, determined to defeat the enemy in a single blow.

Golden saber light rose once more.

This mad act was also a warning to the others.

If he could kill this pig demon, then everyone would rejoice.

But if he could not...

He only hoped the girl and that boy Liu Chen would be smart enough to seize the chance to escape.

The saber light flashed like racing thunder, cleaving straight toward the pig demon's face.

Zhu Yan merely gave a savage grin and sent several dozen blood-red tentacles forward like a great net to meet that streak of golden saber light.

Clang!

Zhu Yan's eyes were full of contempt. Before Xu Nian could react, it raised a thick leg, striking after him yet arriving first.

Bang!

A dull impact sounded.

Xu Nian flew backward as though struck by a heavy hammer.

But in that instant of opening.

Jiang Yuechu moved.

She pushed off with her feet, becoming an arrow released from its bow as an afterimage stretched behind her along the long street.

Then she kicked off hard, leaping high into the air. In midair, she gripped the saber hilt with both hands and raised it over her head.

"Die!"

She gave a sharp cry.

This strike came down from above, carrying the force of thunder as it cleaved directly toward the pig demon's neck!

Zhu Yan clearly had not expected the woman's speed to be so fast. In its haste, it could only twist its neck.

Slash!

Blood burst forth.

Several dozen blood-red tentacles snapped apart, and the blade continued onward, sinking deeply into Zhu Yan's bloated neck!

"Roar—"

The searing pain made Zhu Yan release an earth-shaking howl.

Yet there was not the slightest joy on Jiang Yuechu's face.

Once the blade entered the flesh, it was firmly stuck!

The muscles and tendons in the pig demon's neck suddenly clamped down, leaving her blade unable to advance another inch!

Driven wild by pain, the ferocity in Zhu Yan's eyes intensified. Completely disregarding the blade lodged in its neck, it swung a fist that brought a foul gust with it, smashing directly toward Jiang Yuechu's face!

Jiang Yuechu's pupils constricted.

She had no time to pull out her blade. Instead, she released one hand and violently pressed down on the hilt with the other. Borrowing that force, she lifted her foot and viciously kicked Zhu Yan in the pig face.

Bang!

Using the rebounding force, she flipped backward through the air, spun once in midair, and barely landed on her feet.

Damn it!

Jiang Yuechu steadied herself and cursed inwardly as she looked at the pig demon, which still radiated ferocity despite her horizontal saber being lodged in its neck.

Not only were this pig demon's methods bizarre, its physical body was powerful to such an extent!

Her all-out strike had not even managed to sever its neck!

Enduring the pain throughout his body, Liu Chen crawled and stumbled over to Xu Nian, who lay on the ground.

"Lord Xu! Lord Xu!"

There was a bloody, mangled hole in Xu Nian's chest. He took in more air than he let out, and with every breath, bloody foam seeped from his nose and mouth.

He struggled to open his eyes and looked at the crazed pig demon. "Retreat..."

"My lord!"

"Take the brothers... and retreat!"

An immense sense of powerlessness completely engulfed Liu Chen.

If only...

If only he could have been stronger.

If, even at this very moment, he could have shared even a little of Lord Xu's burden...

"Arghhh—"

Under the warm sunlight.

He threw back his head and let out a grief-stricken howl, then slammed his fist heavily into the ground. At last, he could no longer hold himself up. His knees gave way, and he collapsed to them.

Not far away.

The girl slowly pushed herself upright, spat out a mouthful of turbid blood, and stood straight.

In a daze.

Several terrified Demon Suppression Office riders saw.

A tiger's paw reach out from thin air and interlock its fingers with the girl's hand.

Zhu Yan