Chapter 40: Demon (II)

Humans become ghosts, so that demon naturally also becomes something else.

That is a demon.

Wang Wu would rather go into human society to find something to eat than gladly go hunt on Si Hun Shan, largely because of this.

He also told Shu Niang that after mentioning those demon‑folk "compatriots" of Si Hun Shan, Shu Niang instantly fell silent, but still urged Wang Wu not to go attack humans.

Unlike ghosts, which are the souls of dead humans, demons are not the transformed forms of dead monsters. However, monsters can indeed become ghosts—the same process as humans turning into ghosts—but it is rare.

A demon is a living monster that has lived too long; its mind and body have already decayed, its soul and spirit entangled together, filled with chaotic malevolent energy.

And at this moment, the thing that appeared before Wang Wu's party was a "demon".

Monsters do not die, or rather, they do not age to death. Low‑level human cultivators rarely live past five hundred years, but for monsters, once they have taken form, living eight hundred years is a breeze.

Monsters do not age, so the notion of "dying of old age" does not exist for them.

However, as they grow older, a monster's rationality diminishes and becomes increasingly vague. The corruption of its spirit also manifests in its flesh; they become ugly and rotting until they turn completely into a "demon spirit".

It was a female monster; half of her body was heavily rotted, bearing both human and beast traits, while the other half still retained the appearance she had when she first took shape.

A stunningly beautiful woman.

"It's over…"

Looking at the demon that appeared on the Guan Dao ahead, Li Yuan opened his mouth and muttered.

He had just used up his last treasured item; he is merely a cultivator of common birth. Although among his peers he is indeed considered excellent, he is not some heavenly prodigy that the sect hopes for.

Although he bragged to Wang Wu that he was highly outstanding and exceptional within the sect, in reality, any "talented individual" like him would receive such praise as long as he wasn't lazy.

And because of his background, his family could not be a solid backing for him, so he could not obtain more resources for cultivation and had to rely, like other common disciples, on the basic resources provided by the sect.

He wanted to advance further, and his talent also supported that. But all this required resources; more resources meant faster progress, and faster progress meant higher standing and recognition within the sect.

And that is why he came to He Dong Xian.

He heard from a friend that the thing was appearing near He Dong Xian, and, hoping for luck, came here. He wanted to see if he could be that lucky one, and also to earn more resources for his cultivation.

Most cultivators of common birth are like this, unlike disciples whose families own mines, who spend all 365 days in the sect cultivating with abundant resources.

For people like them, once the sect's allocated resources are exhausted for the year, they must find ways to go out and earn side income, acquiring more resources for cultivation.

Earn for half a year, cultivate for half a year; everyone does it. Of course, there are also the classic sect missions.

They can both farm resources and gain favor with higher‑ups; if you do well and catch the eye of a sect big‑wig, you won't have to worry about resources thereafter.

The number of sect disciples who die outside each year isn't large, but it isn't negligible either; someone will always encounter some accident.

Li Yuan is a very cautious person; he took Wang Yin's commission this time because Wang Gu Lin had been cleared by the court a few decades ago, so the problem should be minor.

Even if the forest contained a spider demon stronger than him and several other monsters, Li Yuan thought that with these fellow cultivators beside him, together they could make the spider demon, which isn't stupid, realize the difficulty and retreat, avoiding their blades.

Moreover, the team also had a true‑realm warrior here; you could tell at a glance that he came from a prestigious sect and surely still carried some treasured items.

Thinking of this, Li Yuan felt a glimmer of hope. He then turned his head and looked at Wang Wu.

Although earlier, when Wang Wu faced the severed head behind him, he didn't pull anything out, using the purple talisman the sect gave for outings; the thing hurt his flesh but was still manageable.

After all, only one purple talisman is issued per year, and if it isn't used up they don't issue a new one. Having used it now, he can simply obtain another when he returns to the sect.

"Brother Wang!!" Li Yuan looked at Wang Wu and shouted, "Pull out whatever treasured item you have!!! There's a demon ahead and ghosts behind; now is not the time to save anything!!"

Even though the paper‑covered head behind them had been temporarily repelled, no one dared to look back. Likewise, no one dared to slow their speed.

But after seeing the demon ahead, many people chose to run toward the plain on the right.

However, when the mount beneath the first person who ran toward the plain let out a wail, followed by a series of bone‑cracking sounds, the crowd instantly realized this wouldn't work.

"Ha, haha, bone... *gurgle*..."

The demon did not move, still standing there, staring fixedly at Wang Wu's party, its half‑rotted, half‑intact face showing a chilling grin.

However, when she opened her mouth and uttered syllables that no one could comprehend, you could see the bones and flesh she was chewing inside her mouth:

"*hiss*... haha... hee hee... *gasp*... faintly..."

"What the hell, I have no treasured item at all!!" Hearing Li Yuan's words, Wang Wu felt deeply distressed. Behind him, after the Lu‑surname cultivator left, there was another cultivator.

But that fellow now wore a death‑pale face; clearly he had no treasures, and his strength was also mediocre.

He was probably on a similar level to the Lu‑surname cultivator, but evidently the Lu cultivator's family background was a different tier.

It should be noted that a body‑strength pill like that is something the Lu cultivator could casually present as a gift to Wang Lan.

And this cultivator, just by looking at the Dao robe he wore, you could tell he wasn't of a well‑off condition.

Obviously, this fellow was unreliable. Now, the only hope for everyone might just be Wang Wu, the true‑realm warrior of a "prestigious lineage".

After all, there are no true‑realm warriors born of poverty; as the saying goes, the poor excel in literature, the rich in martial prowess.

At this moment, faced with everyone's hopeful gazes, Wang Wu also had unspoken anguish.

He is certainly not a true‑realm warrior of a prestigious lineage; he is a monster, a monster masquerading as a true‑realm warrior!

But he also knew that in the current situation, even if he didn't act, he would most likely die here anyway.

Thinking this, Wang Wu's gaze hardened.

Since it's death either way, he could only go all out.

Boom—!!!

With a sudden resolve, Wang Wu flipped off his horse, planted his feet on the ground, and produced a massive blast.

Immediately, his whole body surged forward like a cannonball.

"Hee hee, ha, hee hee... *gasp* bone... *gurgle*..."

Within just a few seconds, Wang Wu covered five to six hundred meters, closing in front of the demon. As the Geng‑metal Qi surged rapidly within him, the blood in his subdermal vessels began to boil, emitting a golden radiance.

Not only his vessels, but also Wang Wu's eyes at that moment glittered with golden light.

"Disrupt body and mind, hinder virtuous methods, destroy victorious deeds"

"Killer, evil thing, evil within evil"

"Supreme intent, six dusts, indulgent five desires; those who follow this path shall attain liberation"

"Mola Heavenly Demon Palm!!!"

Wang Wu let out a mighty roar, and golden light surged from his palm. With unmatched force, he poured all the true Qi he could gather at that moment into a blast toward the demon ahead.

"Snap—"

The palm blasted out, accompanied by a crisp crack; the demon's head in front of Wang Wu exploded, its body slowly tipped backward and fell to the ground.

"Ah?"

Looking at the headless corpse before him, Wang Wu was a bit stunned.

"Really won??"

"Young hero?" The golden light faded, the lingering aura vanished, and a familiar voice reached Wang Wu's ears at that moment.

At the same time, there was that familiar face.

"Is that you?"

The newcomer was still Wu Lian.

She wore a cultivator‑style Dao robe, a jade crown on her head, and her golden eyes gazed calmly at herself.

"How are you here?"

After being stunned for a moment, Wang Wu came to his senses and asked her, looking at her.

At the same time, he also examined Wu Lian's attire for the day, a very classic human cultivator outfit, and her aura as well.

If Wang Wu's abilities weren't special, he might not have been able to tell that Wu Lian was of his own kind. After all, she is also the one who could directly slip into a human city, only to be discovered by Xi Men Pei.

Come to think of it, Xi Men Pei could uncover Wu Lian's identity, yet couldn't discover his own; it seems he is still a step ahead.

"I am acting on Lord Xi Men's orders, heading to He Xi Xian to handle some matters. By chance I met the young hero on the road," Wu Lian said.

At this moment, the crowd behind arrived here; they naturally saw the palm Wang Wu had just unleashed, and also the peerless beauty who appeared after that earth‑shattering strike.

Jade crown, golden eyes, a cool temperament, giving off an aloof indifference as if a thousand miles away.

"I owe you a life," Wang Wu said, looking at Wu Lian, solemnly clasping his fists in thanks.

He couldn't possibly not know who truly killed that demon; only Wu Lian's strength could achieve such a feat.

"Young hero, no need to be so courteous," Wu Lian nodded at Wang Wu, then let her gaze pass over him to the people behind him.

When Wu Lian's gaze swept over them, everyone present inexplicably felt an immediate surge of intense urgency and danger.

It was as if a cold‑glinting spear point were aimed directly at them.

However, Wu Lian's gaze only skimmed the crowd, lingering a moment longer on Wang Lan before turning toward the distant Wang Gu Lin.

"Someone is performing a human sacrifice in that forest."

Retracting her gaze, Wu Lian looked at Wang Wu again and asked:

"Is this aimed at you?"

(End of chapter)