I Am That Good-for-Nothing

What made the Demon Race frightening was not how strong they were, but their so-called Demonization!

After Demonization, a demon person's strength could swiftly double. At that point, they lost all reason and slaughtered anyone they saw, like bloodthirsty maniacs.

Of course, only demons with at least high-grade Marquis bloodlines could undergo Demonization. For this demon person to be capable of it was simply unbelievable to Nie Yun!

One had to know that every demon of high-grade Marquis bloodline or above held an exalted status. Yet one had appeared here—it was strange beyond words!

"My sword..."

When Nie Yun pulled her away, Luo Qingcheng showed not a shred of gratitude. Instead, she stared anxiously at the longsword that had fallen in the distance.

"Your life is about to be gone, and you still care about a sword!"

Hearing her call for the sword, Nie Yun was both annoyed and amused. Had he not known her, he would never have believed that this girl was the shrewd and decisive Luo Qingcheng from his previous life!

During one trial in his previous life, they had competed for a precious item. Seeing it right before his eyes, he had rushed forward at once. Yet before he had gone far, Luo Qingcheng had grabbed hold of him. The instant she pulled him back, a streak of sword light fell from the sky. If she had not stopped him and he had charged ahead, even if he did not die, he would certainly have been severely wounded!

Back then, Luo Qingcheng had been even calmer than him when encountering treasure. Yet now, at such a critical moment, she thought only of a sword. The very thought was laughable.

"Trying to run? Do you think you can get away!"

The demon person had completed its Demonization. With a cold sneer, it lunged forward, its strength and speed indeed soaring twofold!

Though it was extremely fast, Nie Yun cultivated footwork of royal bloodline rank or above, so catching him would still have been difficult. But the problem was that Nie Yun was not alone now. He was carrying someone with him, and that someone kept thinking about her sword...

Thus, before Nie Yun and Luo Qingcheng could flee far, the demon person caught up with them!

"Go get your sword. I'll kill this demon first!"

Knowing escape was no longer possible, Nie Yun helplessly flung Luo Qingcheng aside and charged straight at the Demonized demon person.

"You're courting death!"

Seeing that he dared rush over, the demon person opened its mouth and let out a long roar. Its withered claw suddenly clawed toward Nie Yun!

This demon had originally possessed early Body Egress Realm strength. After Demonization, its strength doubled; even if it had not reached the Aura Forming Realm, it was not far from it. As it struck, fierce winds howled, and blade-like gusts formed from true energy ripped Nie Yun's clothes across his chest to shreds with a tearing sound, leaving a pale mark on his body!

If the first level of the Spirit Rhinoceros Body Refining Technique had not been cultivated to great completion, that blow alone would likely have disemboweled him!

"Who's courting death is not yet certain! Chixiao Divine Axe, first form—Mountain-Splitting, Water-Toppling!"

Although he had many martial techniques in mind, he had been reborn too recently and had not had time to cultivate them. Nie Yun had only practiced the Chixiao Divine Axe a little. Without hesitation, he formed an axe with his hand and viciously chopped down at the demon before him!

The first form of the Chixiao Divine Axe flowed from Nie Yun's hand as though he had practiced it for years. Dense true energy formed a brilliant edge of force along the side of his palm!

With a crash, the blade of force struck the demon person without reservation. Amid a burst of cracking flesh, muscle, and bone, the Demonized demon person was cleaved in two by Nie Yun's palm, its breath cut off in an instant!

"Did it work?"

Nie Yun had not used the Blazing Axe for that strike. He had merely used his hand as an axe, acting on a flash of inspiration. He had never expected it to succeed!

Only after killing the demon person in one blow did Nie Yun feel his entire body go limp. He had not expected that single move, Mountain-Splitting, Water-Toppling, to exhaust every trace of true energy within him! Moreover, his right hand was swollen red and badly bruised. It was obvious that he had been injured!

"The defensive power of the first level of the Spirit Rhinoceros Body Refining Technique is still too weak!"

Looking at his swollen palm, Nie Yun shook his head helplessly.

In his previous life, he had cultivated the Spirit Rhinoceros Body Refining Technique to the ninth level. His body had become tougher than even an Emperor Grade weapon. When fighting the Demon Race, he had often treated his body as a weapon and charged through them head-on. Yet now, merely cleaving apart a fifth-level Energy Sea demon person had left his palm swollen and injured. His cultivation was still far from sufficient!

"Right, Demonized demon people all have demon cores. This can completely help me advance to the late fourth level!"

Thinking of something, Nie Yun's eyes lit up. He immediately reached into the dead demon person's body and, before long, pulled out a round, blood-red inner core.

This inner core contained dense spiritual energy. If he refined and consumed it, Nie Yun's strength would undoubtedly rise another level!

A demon person's demon core!

Demonized demon people possessed exceptionally pure bloodlines, and a demon core would naturally form within their bodies. Such demon cores were often supreme tonics for cultivators!

"Heh, I never expected this fellow to have silver too. One note, two notes... He actually has more than three hundred thousand taels of silver. I'll gladly accept it!"

Casually placing the demon core into his robes, Nie Yun searched the demon person's corpse again and actually found a full three hundred thousand taels of silver. It was truly an unexpected windfall!

"Thank you for saving me..."

Just as Nie Yun finished putting away the silver, he heard a soft voice from nearby. Luo Qingcheng cautiously walked over, looking deeply embarrassed.

Only now did she understand that if not for the youth before her, she would likely have met with disaster long ago!

"So you understand that life is more important than a sword now..."

Seeing how cautious the girl looked, Nie Yun laughed.

"I was a little too anxious just now... Please don't hold it against me!" The girl's face reddened as though it might drip blood.

"Bring your sword over and stand guard for me. I have no strength left after that battle and need to recover as quickly as possible!"

After teasing her once, Nie Yun knew she had acted that way mainly because she lacked combat experience. He gave her the instruction, then took out the demon core and absorbed its spiritual energy, slowly recovering his strength.

"Yes!"

The girl hurriedly nodded. Before long, she retrieved her longsword and stood beside Nie Yun like a bodyguard.

"This girl..."

Seeing the girl's wary manner, Nie Yun smiled and shook his head.

When he first met this girl in his previous life, she had possessed a calmness and composure far beyond those of her peers. Yet when he met her again in this life, she was like the girl next door, as pure as a blank sheet of paper!

For her to change from a blank sheet of paper into someone guarded against everyone, calmer and more composed than anyone else, it seemed that Luoshui City's fall and destruction at the hands of the Demon Race had not only matured him, but also made this surviving girl stronger!

Absorbing the demon core to restore his strength was very fast. In less than an hour, Nie Yun felt the true energy in his Energy Sea become full. Not only had he completely recovered, he had even faintly reached the peak of the middle fourth level, ready to break through at any moment!

"I thought this demon core could help me advance to the late fourth level. Looks like I miscalculated again..."

Nie Yun shook his head!

If others knew what he was thinking, they would surely be angered to death on the spot!

You slept once and went from the early stage to the middle stage. Now, in less than an hour, you have reached the peak of the middle stage again, and you are still not satisfied? Why don't you just die...

"You're awake?" Seeing the youth open his eyes, the girl looked delighted. "My name is Luo Qingcheng. I'm the City Lord's daughter. What's your name?"

"Me?" Nie Yun had been about to say, Don't you know my name? Then he remembered that they had not yet met in this life. With a smile, he said, "My name is Nie Yun!"

Upon hearing the name "Nie Yun," the girl suddenly recalled something. Tilting her head and resting her hand beneath her chin, she said thoughtfully, "Nie Yun? I remember there's a good-for-nothing in the Nie Family of the Four Great Families named Nie Yun too. His father seemed to be the foremost genius of his generation, Nie Xiaotian..."

"It seems... I am that good-for-nothing!"

Nie Yun had never expected his reputation to have reached the City Lord's Mansion. He wore a bitter smile.