[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h":3,"chapter-devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-15":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Devouring Evil, Exterminating Demons Across All Heavens",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2266960,4426,"Chapter 15","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-15",15,"\u003Cp>Meng Shuangjiang remained oblivious, but the expressions of the several guards behind him showed subtle unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu strode forward, but as he reached the center of the street, a smile appeared on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master Meng, Doctor Chu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without needing prompting, he kept his voice low, yet bowed with a sweeping gesture, his face beaming with warmth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Last night we exchanged martial arts as friends, and I cost you a few silver needles. I thought about it all night and admired your skill—I couldn’t let you bear the loss. Today I’ve brought you a new roll of needles.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu pulled out a roll of silver needles and handed them over with a smile. “Doctor Chu, take a look—do they suit you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu stared at him, eyebrows slightly raised, took the needles, and unrolled them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were typical medical silver needles—a full set of forty-nine, varying in thickness and length.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu pulled one out, gently bent it, and released it—it sprang straight back, the craftsmanship indeed fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu’s smile deepened as he saw Chu Tianshu accept them. “Could I speak with you privately for a moment?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two walked seven or eight steps to the side of the tavern, putting distance between themselves and others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu lowered his voice further: “Doctor Chu, last night I was blind to your greatness and took a lesson—I deserved it. But I’m an old man now, with elders above me and children below—I can’t lose face in front of my family.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Last night I blurted out that matter—please don’t spread it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wang Fu had lost yesterday, he’d vomited in dizziness and fury, wishing he could draw his sword and chase after Chu Tianshu for another round.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he was no longer young; after washing up, he sat alone and grew increasingly fearful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That palm could have rested on his chest—it could have struck his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-clad bandit’s corpse had its wound right in the throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That Ma fellow was a mage, close to the Meng family—Chu Tianshu clearly aligned with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I make an enemy of such a ruthless, capable man, I’m the one who’ll end up paying dearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, I’m not new to defeat. Forget my youth—just a few years ago, when I sparred in private with that Zhong fellow, no one outside knew, but didn’t I know just how badly I lost?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once he thought this through, Wang Fu stopped dwelling on revenge and turned his mind to preserving his dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The older men present yesterday were all sharp-eyed; the younger guards were professionals themselves—they wouldn’t look down on him just because he lost to someone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as Chu Tianshu speaks of this incident with some restraint, my dignity remains intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu understood his meaning. “Last night’s sparring—you lost by half a move, nothing more. Had you been younger, who knows who would’ve won? I’m not one to gossip. You can rest easy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu exhaled in relief. “Thank you, thank you—I’ll repay you in due course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu’s thoughts stirred. “Would you be interested in another match with me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu froze. “Huh? No need!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He instinctively refused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll spar privately afterward—no one else will know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu smiled. “I got a sword last night. I want to get used to its feel. Could you help me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qi Family’s Old Tongbei manual already contained the phrase: “Sleeve-swinging sword art, steps wondrously erratic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In essence, those swinging-arm and sleeve-flicking motions translated directly into sword movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Chu Tianshu had never wielded a sword in actual combat; a blade in hand felt nothing like empty fists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After clashing with an opponent, the weapon itself vibrates and shifts—the recoil felt is vastly different from striking bare-handed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without familiarizing myself with these things, I’ll be more vulnerable when facing a true rival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu hesitated, then said: “Alright. Let me make another round of patrols. When the sun’s higher, I’ll come back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At dawn, the light was still a murky white, the scenery faint and washed out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the sun fully rose above the mountains, the earth glowed in vibrant brightness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma the Shopkeeper, blinded by the glare, woke up, squinted, and yawned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw Chu Tianshu sitting alone on the stone steps, eating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man rubbed his eyes. “Where’d you get food?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sent by the Meng family.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu turned his head. “There’s more—come join me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma the Shopkeeper rose, stretched his waist and legs, sat down on the steps, and stared at the empty street—no longer bustling, only flat and silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu handed him a packet of braised duck. “The town’s changed too obviously. Anyone on the nearby hills could spot the anomaly by noon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you think they’ll attack today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma the Shopkeeper unwrapped the paper. “Possible—but not during daylight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even ordinary bandits know night raids are more advantageous, and those who practice dark arts perform best under cover of darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu frowned. “Then it’s almost certainly tonight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma the Shopkeeper tore off a piece of duck skin and chewed. “Feeling the pressure?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Single opponents—ghosts or men—I’m confident I can handle them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu replied frankly. “But mass combat? I’ve never experienced it. The manuals barely detail group fighting tactics.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To get used to the sword’s feel, I can spar with Wang Fu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But a life-or-death group battle? Impossible to simulate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Asking Wang Fu won’t help—he’s from a security guild, used to fighting alongside a tightly coordinated team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have no such rapport with those men. What I truly need is firsthand experience of charging into a crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone has a first time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma the Shopkeeper paused, then remembered something. “By the way, I need to tell you something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You didn’t mention it, so I forgot—this was a lesson from a close friend of mine in his youth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When skilled martial artists charge into a crowd, they often feel the others move slower than molasses—like puppets with rusty joints, full of openings, making you think you can quickly knock them all down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But at that moment, you absolutely must not be greedy!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma the Shopkeeper’s tone turned grave. “Absolutely—don’t be greedy!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you see three openings, knock down one and break out—keep moving forward. If you see five, knock down at most two, then keep pushing ahead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t linger in one small area—your focus gets consumed by what’s right in front, while danger creeps up from elsewhere.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Intuition might save you once or twice, but within a confined space, human movement has its limits.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma the Shopkeeper recalled. “Back then, my old friend, fresh out of training, fought a gang of child-snatchers. None could stand against him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But he made this mistake—his heel was struck by a blowdart coated in snake venom. He barely escaped death, despite his skill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu listened carefully and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He ate his breakfast slower than usual, chewing with a sense of waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the sun brightened further, Wang Fu finally returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wang the Guard Captain is punctual indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu wiped his hands with a sack, stood up warmly. “Come, let’s go to the courtyard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu greeted Ma the Shopkeeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma the Shopkeeper glanced at them twice but showed no surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu led Wang Fu into the courtyard and lowered the curtain between the hall and the yard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slanting sunlight fell, casting the shadow of the eastern room over half the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two stood north and south, both on the dividing line between light and shadow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu gripped the sword in his left hand, rested his right briefly on the hilt, then let go. “You go first, Wang the Guard Captain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu had assumed he’d lose, but now that he stood before Chu Tianshu, a spark of eagerness stirred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the man was unfamiliar with his sword, maybe by luck he could gain an edge, reclaim some dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this thought, Wang Fu’s expression turned serious—he fixed his gaze intently on his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His scabbard was green sharkskin, with a diamond-shaped guard—a classic single-handed longsword, light and nimble, suited for speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yesterday he’d looked down on Chu Tianshu; today, with his mindset corrected, he lowered his center of gravity, radiating a far colder intensity than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yesterday he had looked down from above; today, having corrected his mindset, he lowered his center of gravity, radiating a feeling far colder than yesterday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu lunged forward, closing the two-meter gap in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he advanced, Chu Tianshu’s figure surged into his vision—his field of view narrowed from full-body to just the upper half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that instant, he didn’t see Chu Tianshu draw his sword—he only saw a flash of white, and his own blade was deflected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that instant, he didn’t see how Chu Tianshu drew his sword, only felt a flash of white light, and his own blade was knocked aside by another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact jolted Wang Fu’s grip—he instinctively pulled back his hand and stepped left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His limbs moved in seamless harmony—he slashed diagonally, striking suddenly at Chu Tianshu’s right shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu turned right, sweeping his blade outward, deflecting the sword again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu, defeated too quickly yesterday, now revealed his true sword style—reminiscent of the Eight Trigrams Circulating Sword, perfectly suited for coordinated combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His steps advanced, retreated, sidestepped—he circled Chu Tianshu entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tip of his blade always pointed at the center—his shifting footwork created endless variations in strike points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed every part of Chu Tianshu’s body was a potential target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In contrast, Chu Tianshu barely moved his feet—only turned his body to face his opponent, constantly deflecting Wang Fu’s blade with his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The courtyard rang with continuous clashing sounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a few breaths, Wang Fu had completed a full circle around him and stepped back, gasping for air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few breaths later, Wang Fu had already walked a full circle around him, and couldn’t help stepping back to catch his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu stared at him, not pressing the attack; after he gasped twice, he said, “My turn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu’s heart tightened; as Chu Tianshu lunged forward in a thrust, his body instinctively retreated, raising his sword to meet it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ting!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two swords crossed, meeting midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu’s sword suddenly veered off, flicking out to graze Wang Fu’s wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked so natural, as if the rebound force of the blade had precisely angled Chu Tianshu’s sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like skipping a stone across water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu’s sword was the water’s surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu’s sword was the pebble, which, after that lightning-fast deflection, struck its target dead center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu’s wrist stung; for a moment he thought his hand was severed, stumbling back two steps before realizing it was still there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu’s strike had merely brushed the sleeve with the flat of his blade, even restraining his force—so fast was the iron sword’s swipe, yet it didn’t even swell his wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu had already sheathed his sword, his eyes bright with delight, as if savoring the moment. He smiled: “Thank you. I’ve now felt the rhythm of metal clashing. The rest, I’ll figure out myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a stronger foundational physique, his control over force grew ever more precise; this exchange alone was enough as a reference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After his second defeat, Wang Fu’s emotions were complex; slowly, he sheathed his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before leaving, his hand had already lifted the curtain, yet he turned back and asked: “The bandits come tonight, Master Chu? Was that man really that close to killing you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu said, “I didn’t lie.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sigh… A few years of ease, then back to the edge of the blade again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu fell silent for a moment, then straightened his back, stepped through the curtain, and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Chu, hope to see you again tomorrow, daytime!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1968,"2026-06-19T20:45:51.976Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ef555045d4a146a4187331039e69a93813af043cab91070cae3f7e9cff77336b","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-16","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-14",155,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdevouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-cover.jpg"]