Ambush in the Rainy Night!

"It's fixated on the Mystic Bone Sect, not just for revenge, but also to break through to the Mysterious Core Realm."

"It needs a large amount of blood and vital essence, and the Mystic Bone Sect... is its chosen target."

Yan Tieyi's face darkened.

There is an insurmountable chasm between the Aperture-Opening Realm and the Mysterious Core Realm.

Being at the Half-Step Mystic Core means that the Mountain Lord has already touched the threshold of the Mysterious Core Realm and is only one step away from breaking through.

"In that case, let's proceed according to the original plan."

Yan Tieyi gripped the hilt of his sword, a glint of fighting spirit flashing in his eyes. "Use the sect leader as bait to lure the Mountain Lord out, then severely injure and kill it!"

"Our Mystic Bone Sect has no way out."

The Mystic Bone Sect Master nodded, his expression resolute. "In this battle, either the Mountain Lord dies, or my Mystic Bone Sect perishes."

Zhou Zheng walked over to Yang Xiao and whispered a reminder.

"You stay inside the door. If any Demon break in, prioritize your own safety."

"Although we accepted the mission from the Mystic Bone Sect, it doesn't mean we're going to throw our lives here."

Yang Xiao nodded. "I understand."

Zhou Zheng glanced at him but said nothing more.

From the Battle of the Guanlan River until now, he has come to know this young man quite well. Although he doesn't talk much, he is very efficient in his work, so there is no need to worry about him.

As night fell, a torrential downpour began.

Dark clouds obscured the moonlight, plunging the world into darkness, with only occasional flashes of lightning illuminating the mottled stone walls surrounding the Mystic Bone Sect.

Raindrops pounded on the Bluestone ground, making a dense crackling sound that mingled with the distant rumble of thunder.

Mystic Bone Sect, all the disciples huddled together in the main hall, their expressions tense.

Yang Xiao sat on the threshold of the hall, his meticulous gaze piercing through the rain, his Army-Breaking Spear casually draped around his neck, ready to be picked up at any moment.

Rainy nights are the Demon's favorite time.

With visibility obstructed and sound muffled, it was the perfect time to launch a sneak attack.

"Awoo--!"

A Tiger Roar suddenly rang out, piercing through the rain and shaking the tiles Mystic Bone Sect.

A dense aura of Yao Qi was approaching from the direction of the mountain gate.

"The Tiger Demon is here!"

The patrolling disciples on the city wall cried out in alarm, followed by the urgent sound of gongs and drums, which woke up the entire Mystic Bone Sect.

The Mystic Bone Sect Master and his three Deputy General rushed out almost simultaneously, heading towards the outside of the mountain gate.

"A Tiger Demon at the Aperture-Opening Realm, after it!"

Meng Jiu's voice rang out in the rain, and four figures disappeared into the rain.

Yang Xiao immediately stood up, but did not follow.

Just as the sect leader and the three Deputy General left, he sensed another Yao Qi.

The Yao Qi wasn't strong, but it was extremely well-hidden, quietly infiltrating from the other side and heading straight for its location.

"There's one more!"

Yang Xiao's eyes sharpened.

The Mountain Lord sent not only one scout, but also another lurking in the shadows, ready to launch a surprise attack amidst the chaos.

Several elders who remained on duty patrolled the hall, their expressions tense.

The rain poured down and thunder rumbled, but they dared not slacken their efforts in the slightest.

"Elder, what's going on outside?" a disciple asked anxiously. "Has the Tiger Demon arrived?"

"Don't move, stay still." The elder pressed him down, his voice trembling slightly. "The sect leader and the officials from the Demon Suppression Division have already left."

"But..."

Before the words were finished, a noise suddenly came from the courtyard wall.

A dark figure leaped down from the rain and landed in the courtyard.

It was a huge dog, more than twice the size of an ordinary vicious dog. It was pitch black, with protruding fangs and scarlet eyes that gleamed. It looked ferocious and terrifying in the occasional flashes of lightning.

Its gaze swept across the courtyard, finally settling on the disciple, its eyes filled with greed and bloodlust.

"So much blood food..."

The Dog Demon let out a low, hoarse laugh.

"Mountain Lord allowed me to try something new; it'll help me regain some strength."

"Quickly, protect the disciple!"

The elders who remained behind changed their expressions drastically.

An elder drew his sword and charged forward, but was swatted away by the Dog Demon's claw, crashing into the wall and spitting out blood.

Seeing this, the other elders turned pale, but still gritted their teeth and charged forward.

However, their resistance against the Aperture-Opening Realm Dog Demon was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

"A bunch of ants, trying to stop me?"

The Dog Demon sneered and was about to pounce on the injured disciples.

Just then, a figure appeared before everyone, stepping through the rain.

Yang Xiao held the gun in one hand and slammed the Army-Breaking Spear into the ground in front of the door. The gun barrel sank three inches into the Bluestone, making a piercing sound.

He raised his head and looked calmly at the Dog Demon.

The Dog Demon stopped and looked at Yang Xiao.

He appeared to be in his early twenties, with a slender figure, calm expression, and no trace of profound aura.

"A junior human?"

A hint of disdain flashed in the Dog Demon's eyes.

"The Demon Suppression Division has all left, leaving you here to die?"

It didn't take Yang Xiao seriously.

"Perfect, let's start with this appetizer; it'll surely be much tastier than the others."

The Dog Demon opened its blood-red maw and pounced on Yang Xiao.

Its speed was astonishing; in the blink of an eye, it had already closed in on Yang Xiao, and its foul stench assaulted his senses.

However, Yang Xiao simply dodged to the side, then raised his right hand, fingers together, and slapped down on the Dog Demon's head.

"Bang--!"

A loud bang shook the courtyard slightly.

The Dog Demon's head was slammed into the Bluestone ground by Yang Xiao's palm, sending fragments flying and cracking the ground.

Immediately following was a powerful kick to the chest, which, amplified by the Army-Breaking Power, pierced through the chest in an instant!

The Dog Demon didn't even have time to scream before it became completely still.

[The early-stage awakening Dog Demon has Aperture Opening, and the effects of the Army-Breaking Spear equipment are now permanently fixed!]

[Slaying the early-stage Aperture Opening Dog Demon has permanently solidified the effects of the "Vajra Hell-Prison Body" equipment!]

[Slaying the early-stage Aperture Opening Dog Demon has permanently solidified the effects of the "Mountain-Suppressing Spear Art" equipment!]

Everyone in the courtyard was stunned.

The elders who remained and the injured disciples stared wide-eyed at the scene, as if they had seen a ghost.

Dog Demon at the Aperture-Opening Realm... just like that, kicked to death with a single palm strike and a single kick?

Not even a chance to resist?

Yang Xiao withdrew his hand, his expression calm, as if he had merely swatted a fly.

He grabbed the Dog Demon's corpse, lifted it with one hand, and turned to walk away.

"Clean this up."

The elders were stunned for a moment before they realized what was happening and quickly nodded.

"Yes, yes..."

Yang Xiao returned to a secluded hall where he had taken shelter from the rain, placed the Dog Demon's corpse on the ground, took out the Demon Core, and then turned his gaze to the Equipment Slot.

[Detected: Dog Demon in the Aperture-Opening Realm]

[Can analyze physical pathways]

[Can replenish some of the body's apical orifices]

With a thought, Yang Xiao placed the Dog Demon's corpse into the fourth Analysis Slot.

Buzz--

The Equipment Slot vibrated slightly, and a flood of information rushed into my mind.

He closed his eyes and looked inward into his body.

All 216 acupoints lit up simultaneously, and fine lines began to appear outside these Apertures, connecting Apertures like a spider web.

As the analysis progressed, the lines gradually became clearer, and hidden Apertures began to appear.

As a surge of immense power erupted from his body, his Apertures opened one after another, and Yang Xiao felt his entire body's meridians tremble.

The number of Apertures in his body suddenly increased from 216 to 238!

Yang Xiao opened his eyes and clenched his fist.

He could feel that his physical strength, explosive speed, and impact resistance had all significantly improved.

At the same time, he discovered that after his physical Apertures were fully opened, the effects of his existing physical attributes were slightly improved.

Although the improvement is not significant, it is still a real step forward.