Liu Xu stood with his sword, his gaze fixed on the shadow outside the door. Demon energy swirled around it, revealing a pair of eerie eyes, but its body remained obscured within, concealing its true form.
"Courting death." Liu Xu's figure suddenly surged forward; his sword swept through the air, unleashing a silver streak of sword light that sliced toward the shadow like lightning.
Witnessing the sword aura coalesce into a dazzling strike, a martial artist remarked, "Qi Cultivators are truly gifted. For us martial artists to execute such sword aura, we'd need to enter the Grandmaster Realm and generate True Qi within our bodies."
The crowd nodded in agreement. Martial artists first refined their bodies, tempering muscles and bones to their limits, and only then could they produce True Qi. Without decades of painstaking effort, reaching the Grandmaster Realm was impossible.
However, Qi Cultivators were born extraordinary, capable of wielding sword aura even in the first stage of Qi Refinement.
Liu Xu's strike split the demon energy in two, slicing through the middle, yet he detected a lingering sense of danger. The severed demon energy surged toward him again, engulfing him in an instant.
"Be careful!" The crowd behind him couldn't help but cry out. Gray streams of demonic mist enveloped Liu Xu entirely. The spectators could only see countless bursts of sword light shattering tables and chairs around him.
Huang Yan stood off to the side, staring intently at the battlefield but refraining from taking action.
Splatter. Blood erupted as a figure was sent flying backward, a deep claw mark etched across his body as if raked by razor-sharp talons. Yet, the demon energy had dissipated somewhat.
"What a formidable beast." The 'heroes' retreated to the corners, realizing that this demon might require a Grandmaster to defeat. They dared not act rashly.
"Senior Brother, are you all right?" Huang Yan asked with some concern.
"Junior Sister, be cautious; it's a demon cultivator skilled in illusions." Liu Xu stepped in front of Huang Yan as he spoke.
"Good luck, Senior Brother," Huang Yan nodded but remained steadfastly in her spot.
"Hmm?" Liu Xu glanced at Huang Yan—why was she taking him so seriously?
He gritted his teeth and said, "Junior Sister, support me from the sidelines."
With that, he charged forward once more. Even though this demon was tenacious, he felt confident he could handle it. When his Junior Sister seized the opportunity to slay the beast and realized his dedication despite his wounds, she would surely be moved.
In the cramped inn, Liu Xu fought the demon alone, creating a scene that was ironically 'touching.'
Moments later, the shadow emitted a sharp shriek. Liu Xu sustained multiple injuries as its cutting cries echoed through the air. His blood soaked his garments, leaving him in a sorry state. As the shadow surged forward, Huang Yan finally intervened. Her jeweled blade erupted with fiery sword light, radiating intense heat that caused the inn's temperature to spike instantly.
The scorching sword aura seemed poised to tear the shadow apart, but the terrifying demonic energy swiftly enveloped Huang Yan, before detonating.
Splatter—blood sprayed forth as the shadow was torn asunder, revealing the demon's true form: a massive Cat Demon, whose face twisted between human and feline expressions, terrifyingly grotesque. Its body, however, bore several bloody gouges.
Huang Yan's body was also thrown back, hurtling in the direction of Li Fan.
Li Fan pushed against a chair with his foot, sliding backward to avoid her. Huang Yan's body slammed into a table, followed by an explosive crash. Li Fan glanced at the shattered table and the side dishes strewn across the floor. What a waste.
The Cat Demon, now exposed, stared viciously at Huang Yan. Blood dripped from its body, and its eerie voice rang out again, "You will all perish."
"It's wounded—attack together and kill it." Liu Xu shouted to the onlookers.
The Cat Demon's eyes gleamed bloodthirsty. In a blur of motion, it dashed toward Huang Yan, its speed resembling a phantom. Its hooked claws lunged at her.
Huang Yan's face darkened as she scrambled to her feet and grasped her sword, but before she could react, a sharp bang resonated through the air. The Cat Demon's body was punched mid-motion, sent flying out of the inn entirely.
Huang Yan froze, looking at the person beside her—Li Fan. That punch...
"You practice martial arts?" Huang Yan asked, astonished by the sheer power of his strike.
"Just a little," Li Fan replied as he walked toward the exit. The onlookers, emboldened after seeing the Cat Demon struck by a single punch, also began moving outside.
Liu Xu rose and followed.
Outside the inn, the Cat Demon lay on the ground, covered in wounds. Its cold, glowing eyes stared weakly at the crowd.
Li Fan approached the demon, but from behind came a sarcastic remark: "Hiding in the corner earlier, and now trying to swoop in for the spoils, eh?"
Huh??
Li Fan turned back to see Liu Xu stepping forward. Blood stains clung to his body, and he clutched his sword with a somewhat heroic air. Liu Xu's eyes radiated disdain as he looked at Li Fan. After Liu Xu and his Junior Sister had fought to near death against the Cat Demon, leaving it dying, was Li Fan now attempting to claim their hard-earned victory?
This guy really knew how to dream.
"Quite the strategist." The martial artists, noticing that the Cat Demon no longer seemed threatening, also began stepping up.
"The demon was heavily injured by the Shangxuan Sect's heroine, yet you're timing your move perfectly."
The Cat Demon, now refined into a spirit beast, possessed a Demon Core, which held considerable value.
If Li Fan managed to seize it, he would gain fame and wealth—something that irked the martial artists.
Li Fan looked at the crowd, then at the Cat Demon. A peculiar glint shone in his eyes; then he smiled brightly and said, "You heroes make a good point."
He turned, walking toward the inn's stables.
The crowd focused on the mortally wounded Cat Demon. Liu Xu strode forward, aiming his sword straight at the demon lying on the ground.
As the sword descended, Liu Xu abruptly noticed a hint of eerie red light flashing deep within the Cat Demon's eyes.
"Boom..." A surge of violent demon energy erupted, instantly engulfing Liu Xu's body. The crowd saw only a blur before sharp claws tore through Liu Xu's throat.
Liu Xu's sword clattered to the ground. He instinctively tried to clutch his wound, but his hands only grasped the icy talons.
The Cat Demon's massive frame rose upright, its claws hoisting Liu Xu's body aloft. Its wickedly human-like eyes gleamed with mockery. The martial artists who had stepped closer now retreated en masse, their faces consumed by fear.
"Bang." The Cat Demon flung Liu Xu's lifeless body onto the ground, then stepped toward the remaining crowd as a terrifying pressure emanated, suppressing the 'heroes.'
The crowd looked to Huang Yan, only to see her cautiously retreating. Their eyes then turned to Li Fan, who had emerged from the stables. Someone shouted, "The demon runs rampant here, and all you do is walk away?"
Li Fan: "???"
"I'm young and weak, and such a grand opportunity is best left to you heroes," Li Fan quipped, leading his horse away.
Demonic energy swept over the crowd as the Cat Demon lunged forward, blood flashing as several people at the vanguard fell instantly. Huang Yan seized her moment, striking and injuring the demon once more. The Cat Demon leapt onto the rooftops, its cold eyes fixed on her.
"Wretched beast!" A thunderous voice roared from the dark street, resonating like rumbling thunder. A powerful aura closed in, and the Cat Demon's eyes flickered with fear. It leapt toward the back alleys, fleeing forward.
On a stone-paved lane ahead, a woman led a seven- or eight-year-old girl by the hand.
The Cat Demon's eyes glimmered murderously, fixating on them as it lunged.
"Mom!" The young girl cried, burying her face in her mother's arms. The woman turned ashen, her legs shaking uncontrollably.
"Demon! How dare you!" Figures soared across the eaves from afar.
From another direction, Li Fan glanced back from horseback, his eyes turning golden. Overhead, a terrifying omen materialized—a golden light converging in the night sky, forming into a sharp sword.
The sword pierced downward, slicing through the night like a radiant streak. It struck the Cat Demon, pinning it to the ground before it could utter its final scream.
Three figures descended from atop a building nearby, led by a man with sword-like brows and starry eyes. His gaze focused on the slain Cat Demon and the radiant sword mark piercing its body.
"Dharma Form?"
Chen Luoyun muttered inwardly.
In front of the inn, the martial artists raised their heads, spotting the white-clad man now in view. Their eyes radiated awe—such a flash of swordsmanship was breathtaking.
"Greetings to Mr. Chen," someone respectfully said, prompting the others to react. The man before them was none other than the Chen family scion, Chen Luoyun.
Chen Luoyun—a genius Qi Cultivator gifted with the Innate Dharma Form.
In Lin'an County, there were scarcely more than a handful of individuals with such a blessing.
Chen Luoyun cupped his hands in acknowledgment. Huang Yan stepped forward and said, "Huang Yan of Shangxuan Sect greets Mr. Chen."
"I have long heard of Shangxuan Sect's esteemed name," Chen Luoyun replied. "The Demon Slaying Summit awaits your presence."
After speaking, he turned once more toward the Cat Demon, looking at the mother and daughter kneeling on the ground. They bowed repeatedly in his direction.
"Dispose of the demon corpse," Chen Luoyun ordered, his gaze circling the area before walking away upon failing to locate his target.
"The brilliance of a noble family star—undeniably extraordinary," the crowd thought to themselves. This Demon Slaying Summit would undoubtedly attract many noteworthy figures.
Huang Yan appeared contemplative as she cast a final glance at Liu Xu's corpse. Her eyes carried a trace of disgust.
Liu Xu, her father's disciple, had mediocre cultivation talent and harbored unsettling desires toward her, which made him revolting.
That boy, however—interesting.
Huang Yan looked farther down the road, toward the silhouette on horseback, and began moving toward him. The crowd watched her departure, then glanced at Liu Xu's corpse. This… was miserably tragic.
On the stone-paved street, a young man in white rode astride a white horse.
His name was Li Fan—the "Ordinary" Fan—from Li Mountain!