Chapter 125: Essence Soul Demon Crystal

The two collided at one spot, producing not a hint of sound, pressure wave, not even a trace; even the powerful wind surge carried by the azure light sphere faded away.

The demon beast's copper‑bell eyes flashed with horror, as if realizing something; a front paw suddenly swung, and across the void it solidified into a claw about a zhang long, striking the lid.

With a light "dang" sound, the cauldron lid, hammered hard, unexpectedly flipped up.

In an instant, a surge rose within the cauldron, turning into a suction that pressed toward the azure light sphere.

It seemed capable of devouring heaven and earth, suppressing mountains and rivers. The azure light sphere, together with the surrounding wind, was drawn entirely into the cauldron.

Yang Sheng and a few others, upon seeing the scene, were overjoyed; their previously tense faces relaxed. Two or three seemed to recognize someone, their mouths gaping as they shouted:

"Is that Chairman Lu? Thank you for the aid!"

Before the words finished, the flipping lid crashed with a "kuangdang" roar, a powerful hand slammed onto it, and Lu Fan's figure slowly materialized.

He stood on the void, his body shimmering with silver light, standing out brightly in the darkness. Consequently, his pallid face was hard to discern.

"Hehe! Yang Sheng, your courage and temperament are quite good!" Lu Fan turned his head slightly, giving Yang Sheng an appreciative glance. Facing danger without fear, sacrificing himself to save others—rare among warriors.

Yang Sheng restrained his joy, bowed slightly, and dared not speak.

The others wore delighted expressions, gazing at Lu Fan standing in the void with longing and envy. They knew Lu Fan's abilities were unfathomable. His intervention now left them beyond grateful.

"Aow—"

The demon beast roared, its hatred toward the uninvited Lu Fan blazing; its eyes flashed with ferocity, it leapt into the air and, in an instant, lunged at Lu Fan.

"Hehe! You beast are rather impatient, so I'll finish you off first!"

Lu Fan smiled lightly, glanced at the leaping demon beast, then swung his large hand, gently pressing against one side of the refining crystal furnace and pushing it slowly.

With a "kuangdang" crash, the refining crystal furnace, barely half a human tall, swung sideways and slammed toward the demon beast.

The demon beast, as if aware of the furnace's power, bristled, opened its massive maw, and spewed seven azure light spheres in an instant, all blasting outward together.

The seven spheres formed a ring, and even as they burst through the void they kept rotating. Their aura was sharp and fierce, impossible to lock onto.

Seeing this, Lu Fan was not startled but delighted, chuckling, "I really can't tell, you beast not only possesses extraordinary intellect but also such rich combat experience!"

Earlier the furnace silently devoured one azure sphere; an ordinary demon beast would at most spew out a few spheres. It would never, like this demon beast, produce so many and exhibit subtle variations—a rudimentary formation.

"Very well! I suppose your Essence Soul Demon Crystal won't disappoint me!"

He shook his head, his whole being suddenly solemn, stepping in the void as both hands flashed, forming a finger‑seal technique.

Just as the furnace was about to strike the seven spheres, the demon beast gaped wide with a howl. The spheres, as if controlled, suddenly dispersed, bypassed the furnace, and slammed toward Lu Fan.

Yang Sheng and the others were stunned; they had seen many ordinary demon beasts, but compared to this one, its strength and cunning were far beyond. Had they not witnessed it, anyone would deem this demon beast a lifelong nemesis, its intellect rivaling that of human warriors.

Lu Fan was not surprised at all, not even a flicker of his brows. He pivoted, waving a seal in his hand, and seven faint sigil formations slowly coalesced in the void.

A hint of slyness and pride flashed in the demon beast's eyes. From its usual hunting and fighting in this secret realm, Lu Fan was already a dead end in its view.

Yet it did not relax its guard, baring teeth, its body gathering demonic energy, fully preparing to resist the incoming furnace.

Instinctively it sensed a hint of danger from the furnace—a beast's intuition. Especially the fire surge curling around the lid's edge, a scorching flame, posed an even greater threat to demonic beasts.

"Hoo—"

The demon beast could not think of anything else; it knew retreat was impossible. If it could block the furnace even briefly, the human who threatened it would die beneath its innate divine power. Then the people before it would become its prey, allowing it a feast and even a challenge to other strong demon beasts.

With a roar, the demon beast lowered its head and charged at the furnace.

"Hoom—"

A bell‑like clang rang, like two hard iron blocks striking, the void trembled, wind waves roiled. The furnace swallowed boundless fire, releasing it toward the demon beast.

The demon beast yielded nothing, thudding "dong dong dong" as it repeatedly rammed, its massive head like a hammer pushing the furnace back several zhang.

Meanwhile, the seven azure spheres reached Lu Fan's vicinity, their colossal force converging to suppress him.

Lu Fan had prepared; the seven floating sigils in the void needed no control, automatically firing, each locking onto a sphere.

The seals vibrated, radiant light flowed. The seven sigils, each palm‑sized, brimmed with unfathomable power, negligible compared to the yet‑unburst azure giant spheres.

Unexpectedly, the seven spheres seemed caught in a net, all halting around Lu Fan. Precisely, their striking force ceased, swaying left and right, as if bound by an invisible force.

"Gather!"

Lu Fan flicked his hand, and the sigil instantly attached to the sphere, merging within it. A swirling mist erupted, the sigil burst, and seals drifted and rotated within the sphere's turbulent force.

The sphere's struggling sway gradually ceased.

Yang Sheng and the others stared in amazement, faces full of disbelief. Each of the seven spheres wielded massive power, enough to kill them all. Lu Fan, with just his own strength, seemed to resist them effortlessly, appearing to expend little effort.

At that moment, Lu Fan swung his large hand, and the seven spheres filled with chaotic seals shot out together, following their path at lightning speed, arriving before the demon beast in an instant.

The demon beast, at that moment using its head to ram the furnace, barely noticed the anomaly, a shock flashing in its eyes as the seven spheres struck it.

"Bang bang bang…"

A series of seven explosions rang out; the demon beast, three zhang tall, its body bristling with fierce force, was torn like an ordinary beast—its skin split, its body pocked, its once needle‑like hair a tangled mess, blood spattering everywhere.

A wail rose as the demon beast howled in pain, unable to even mind the furnace, its whole body trembling, limbs sprawled.

Although its life force was draining, its aura grew even fiercer; the demon beast was desperate!

"Hmph! You cursed beast seeking death!" Lu Fan barked coldly, leapt up at unbelievable speed, reaching the demon beast in a blink, swinging his large hand down with a thunderous strike.

"Kach!" a burst rang out; the demon beast's copper‑tendon, iron‑bone forehead actually shattered, red and white matter burst forth. The terrifying ferocity of a moment before now vanished like smoke, never to be heard again.

Yang Sheng and the others were stunned; they had confidence in Lu Fan's methods. Yet how he could kill the demon beast so easily left them baffled.

Lu Fan's past tactics rarely involved such direct confrontation; they usually relied on array power and borrowed momentum. But now it seemed his true strength far exceeded what everyone imagined.

"Everyone, I've taken this demon beast's Essence Soul Demon Crystal; you may divide the rest!"

Lu Fan reached into the demon beast's skull, probing slightly, and immediately extracted an egg‑sized azure crystal. At the same time, his other hand performed a finger‑seal technique, pulling in the void; a clear qi drifted from the corpse, coalescing into a palm‑sized essence—the demon beast's soul.

Yang Sheng and the others only then recovered, unable to contain their joy. The life‑or‑death crisis had turned in an instant, and they even obtained this fourth‑tier demon beast carcass—as if a pie had fallen from the sky.

They did not hold back, walked over, bowed to Lu Fan, and immediately began dividing. Though the most precious demon beast soul and fourth‑tier crystal were gone, the remaining carcass was still a trove of treasures.

The demon beast's abdominal hide was the most intact—soft yet strong; even now, Yang Sheng and the others had to expend the effort of nine oxen and two tigers to cut it off. Its tendons, bones, and flesh are great tonics for human martial cultivators; consuming them can replenish true qi and strengthen the body.

In a moment, the three‑zhang demon beast was reduced to scattered bones and flesh; its essence had all been placed into Yang Sheng and the others' cosmic bags.

Yang Sheng and the others looked at Lu Fan with delighted faces, ready to give thanks, but saw him holding a crystal in one hand and the demon beast's soul in the other, murmuring words.

In an instant, two red beams rose around Lu Fan, turning into fierce flames that blazed and scorched.

Sss—

Clack!

The demon beast spirit twisted and deformed, a wisp of blue smoke shot out, turning into a mass of gentle, pure spiritual‑essence power. The fourth‑tier demon crystal, however, shattered open, and its dense, liquid‑like demon‑essence power flickered under the scorching flames, emitting a faint golden light.

Lu Fan gave a slight smile, the flames faded, and with a flick of both hands he tossed the spiritual‑essence power and the golden‑light liquid mass into his mouth. He then sat cross‑legged and began to refine them.

His surrounding true Qi surged, a faint silver radiance flickered, and suddenly several silver runes seemed to drill out from his acupoints, turning into fleeting light before vanishing.

Yang Sheng and the others all wore expressions of incredulity; the demon crystal spirit was so simply refined by Lu Fan, while they usually hunt demon beasts, then sell or commission talismans to cultivate pills, which is far more involved.

"Young Lu is just Young Lu; this technique of refining demon‑crystal spirit is far faster than any of our cultivation methods, no wonder he has such strength at such a young age!"

Yang Sheng let out a sigh of admiration, and those around him likewise agreed, all nodding.

After a short while, Lu Fan had completed the refinement, slowly opened his eyes, and made a few crunch‑crunch bites, his expression still showing lingering delight.

"Yang Sheng, you and the others seem in serious danger tonight! Do you know how these demon beasts were summoned?"

Lu Fan clenched his fist, and a faint purple light could be seen emanating from his pores, vast and mighty—it was the Dragon Essence power.

"Chairman, aren't you aware? At night within the Dragon Tower Secret Realm, demon beasts become especially ferocious and often come out to trouble us; that's common knowledge here!"

Yang Sheng wore a puzzled look; Lu Fan not even knowing this proved him both daring and talented, whereas they carefully collect intel and fully prepare, making everything entirely different!