Chapter 232: Lin Zixiao's Fortuitous Encounter

Whoosh!

Lin Zixiao's figure instantly turned into an afterimage, dodging this fatal strike from the Shi Tian Shu.

"Eh?!"

"What kind of movement technique is this?"

"To actually be able to dodge this Great Lord's attack."

The Shi Tian Shu's figure manifested in midair; gazing in the direction Lin Zixiao had fled, it cried out in surprise.

A trace of pain flashed across Lin Zixiao's cold and stern face; clearly, the Shi Tian Shu's sneak attack just now had nearly cost him his life.

But then he realized something.

Wait!

How can this spirit pet speak human language?

"A Tier-3 Demon King?"

Thinking of this, Lin Zixiao looked toward Qin Ming, and a deep sense of wariness began to arise within him.

However, as a demonic path hegemon.

Even though Lin Zixiao had fallen into a disadvantaged position, he did not reveal any sign of fear or panic.

He quickly took out a pill and swallowed it, then formed hand seals to cast a spell that stopped the bleeding from the wound on his abdomen.

A surge of demonic qi gushed out, and the place just pierced through by the Shi Tian Shu's black earth spikes began to recover at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Subsequently, Lin Zixiao took out an array chess piece, waved his hand, and the surrounding black light curtain shifted, moving to encircle Fellow Daoist Qin and the Shi Tian Shu.

"Hmph! Petty tricks!"

Seeing this, the Shi Tian Shu opened its mouth and spat out a beam of pitch-black radiance, which struck the light curtain of the formation.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle! The trapping array cast by Lin Zixiao was as good as nonexistent against the Shi Tian Shu's bloodline innate divine ability, dissolving like ice within mere moments.

"Cough! Fellow Daoist Qin truly has remarkable methods."

Lin Zixiao's posture was disheveled and ragged as he wiped the fresh blood from the corner of his mouth.

This was one of the few times since he began cultivating that he had been forced into a desperate situation.

"Heh heh! Likewise, likewise; back then, Fellow Daoist Lin pursued me just as relentlessly; now, the positions have simply been swapped."

Qin Ming sneered coldly, secretly communicating with the Shi Tian Shu to prepare to finish off the opponent.

Whoosh! Shi Tian Shu's figure vanished once again, disappearing into the void.

Seeing this, Lin Zixiao's heart grew cold; he knew that rat demon was about to launch another unpredictable attack.

Even someone as strong as him could not completely lock onto the rat demon's position.

It was as if it had vanished into thin air.

In an instant.

Lin Zixiao suddenly grinned, gazing calmly at Qin Ming.

Swish! The Shi Tian Shu's eerie figure reappeared within one zhang of Lin Zixiao's side.

Just as the Shi Tian Shu was about to succeed.

Boom! A fierce black罡 wind suddenly whipped up around Lin Zixiao's body, forming a black sphere that enveloped him entirely.

The Shi Tian Shu was blasted away by this sudden occurrence.

It retreated several dozen zhang before halting its body, shook the gray fur on its hide, and was not seriously injured.

It merely looked puzzled in the direction of the black sphere.

Meanwhile, Lin Zixiao seemed to be casting some kind of demonic path secret technique.

"This human brat actually has some ability; in terms of heavenly talent and luck, he is only slightly inferior to this Master."

"Damn it, if this Great Lord were in my prime, why would I need to go through such trouble?"

"A single fart would be enough to blast him to death."

Qin Ming also halted his figure in midair; seeing such an eerie scene, he immediately released his divine sense, comparable to that of the early Jin Dan stage, probing toward the interior of the black sphere.

But the moment his divine sense touched the black sphere, it was rebounded; thus, Qin Ming's eyes narrowed, runes floating within his pupils as he activated the Dharma-Breaking Double Pupils, and his divine sense immediately penetrated inside.

Inside the black sphere.

Lin Zixiao, with a gloomy expression, spoke to the empty air: "Old fellow, if you don't make your move today, I'm afraid I will perish at Fellow Daoist Qin's hands."

"Heh heh heh!"

"You brat have finally seen reason; that's more like it!"

"However, in my current weakened state, the strength I can exert is less than one ten-thousandth of what it was in the past."

"It is quite normal that you cannot defeat that young brat from just now."

"He still has two other Tier-2 late-stage spirit pets with extraordinary bloodlines that have not yet acted; they are likely waiting for an opportunity to strike."

An old and arrogant voice resonated within Lin Zixiao's body.

"What?!"

"There are actually two more Tier-2 late-stage great demons!"

"There is definitely something wrong with Fellow Daoist Qin."

Always calm and composed, Lin Zixiao was also startled upon hearing this.

"The Immortal Realm is vast, and all kinds of fortuitous encounters and opportunities are countless."

"That brat having some fortuitous encounters is nothing strange." "Didn't you also encounter this Master?"

"However... what surprises this Master the most is that the Fellow Daoist Qin you speak of has actually cultivated the Demon Race's supreme technique, the 'Heavenly Demon Body Refining Strategy'; if those Demon Race Great Sages were to learn of this, it would be strange if they didn't slaughter the entire human race down to the last man, heh heh heh!"

"This Master has not emerged for several thousand years, yet I unexpectedly encounter such an interesting little fellow."

Upon hearing the name of the Demon Race's supreme cultivation method, the 'Heavenly Demon Body Refining Strategy', Lin Zixiao's face also became changeable with gloom and uncertainty.

"This seat observes that the youth's vital blood force has reached the realm of perfection; presumably, the third transformation of the 'Heavenly Demon Body Refining Strategy' is nearing completion."

"With your current strength, you are no match for him."

"In a moment, this seat will take control of your body to seize the opportunity and flee."

"You consumed that Five-Elements Primordial Qi Spirit Peach, which allows this seat to recover a trifling amount of power."

"Wait until you later refine the demonic arts I transmitted to you to perfection; only then will it be time to settle accounts with him."

Hearing this, Lin Zi seemed somewhat distrustful of the other party; gnashing his teeth, he said, "Old fellow, you had better not play any tricks!"

"Heh heh heh, this seat is now a grasshopper on the same string as you; if one prospers, we both prosper, and if one suffers, we both suffer."

"Rest assured and hand over your body." Outside the black sphere...

Qin Ming had eavesdropped on everything happening inside.

He was instantly greatly shocked, exclaiming:

'Holy crap! There's a cheat!'

'An old grandpa living inside the body?'

Qin Ming's expression turned slightly ugly; he hadn't expected Lin Zi's fortuitous encounter to be so significant, actually hosting a powerful spirit entity parasitic within his body.

Furthermore, judging by the tone of that aged voice's owner, their background seemed quite formidable.

'Probably some ten-thousand-year-old demonic head... this is not very good!'

'Indeed, to rise to the status of a demonic tyrant, this Lin Zi's fortuitous encounters and luck are extraordinary.'

'It's just unknown whether the spirit entity parasitizing him is the one encountered back in the Yunze Dahuang ruins, or if it was already present before.'

'Fortunately, the spirit entity is weak; it appears to require a considerable period to recover.'

'Lin Zi coming to the Fangcun Mountain market was likely to seek spiritual items to restore the soul entity within his body.'

Qin Ming had been alarmed over nothing.

'That truly gave me a scare...'

'Fortunately... fortunately...'

Qin Ming immediately transmitted his voice to the Shi Tian Shu:

"Retreat quickly! Beware of changes!"

The Shi Tian Shu had originally intended to unleash its innate bloodline divine ability upon the black sphere, but upon hearing Qin Ming's call, it immediately retreated to his side without hesitation.

Just at this moment.

Boom! The black tempest wind ceased, and the black sphere in the center exploded.

Lin Zi within was wreathed in demonic qi, wearing a sinister smile, his gaze falling upon Qin Ming.

Immediately, he formed a strange hand seal with his fingers.

His body began to squirm, actually spreading patches of black scales; sharp claws grew from his hands, and a pair of curved black horns protruded from his head.

His eyes completely transformed into a crimson hue, and his figure began to swell explosively, his demonic body growing taller until it reached over ten zhang.

A pair of black fleshy wings sprouted from the demon's back, and an overwhelming demonic might suddenly descended.

Qin Ming stared fixedly at the opponent, vigilance rising in his heart.

However—

The demon into which Lin Zi had transformed seemed to have no intention of continuing to fight Qin Ming.

The demon leaped into the air, stirring up a gust of tempest wind, instantly vanishing from its spot and rushing toward the Qingluo Demonic Fire.

"Still want to take it back? Dream on."

Qin Ming's gaze was sharp, and the vital blood and true tempest throughout his body erupted fully!

Roar! The figure of a four-armed blood-colored demonic ape, towering over twenty zhang high, stood heaven-high and earth-rooted, completely overshadowing the demon into which Lin Zi had transformed.

Crack-crack-crack!

The demonic ape, clad in precious armor and clenching its four fists, likewise leaped up; a massive blood-colored fist shadow crashed down upon Lin Zi like a meteor.

Just as the demon's black sharp claws were about to reach the Qingluo Demonic Fire entangled by the Spirit-Devouring Poison Flame.

Qin Ming's world-destroying fist shadow had already arrived before his eyes; he had no choice but to likewise abandon the demonic fire and smash a punch at the blood-colored demonic ape.

Boom! Bang! Bang! Bang! Earth-shaking collisions echoed between heaven and earth.

The four arms of the blood-colored demonic ape alternated their strikes, actually smashing one of the demon's arms to pieces by force.

Seeing he was no match for Qin Ming, the demon cast a reluctant glance at the Qingluo Demonic Fire, then decisively activated a secret technique, transforming into a black shadow and instantly vanishing from this space.

Qin Ming swept out with his divine sense, only to discover the opponent had already fled over fifty li away.

He glanced at the Spirit-Devouring Poison Flame nearby, which was devouring the Qingluo Demonic Fire; after pondering for a moment, he narrowed his eyes and said, "Forget it; this demonic creature's methods are somewhat bizarre. If I pursue further, I estimate I still won't be able to completely slay it."

(End of Chapter)