16: The invisible demon

"It's right in this mountain!" Yu Jingxuan's fingertips caressed the saber hilt at her waist, her voice deeper than the night dew, carrying an undeniable sharpness.

Cen Jue and Xiao Zhuo nodded silently.

"Go!" Cen Jue let out a short, low cry, the sound waves dislodging a few withered leaves.

The three crushed dry branches and fallen leaves under their boots, their figures darting like rabbits and falcons among the jagged rocks.

The dim moonlight was torn into fragmented silver slivers by the dense foliage, scattering across the forest.

The mournful cry of a night owl pierced the dead silence, and the heavy scent of decaying leaves mixed with an indescribable stench assaulted their nostrils.

Ahead, the Track-Seeking Insect's flickering glow noticeably slowed—the target was near!

Climbing halfway up the mountain, another hundred meters higher, a deep, dark rock cave was embedded in the mountainside, like the greedily open throat of a giant beast. A fishy wind, carrying a strong smell of rotting flesh, continuously gushed out from it.

"We're here." Xiao Zhuo suddenly stopped, his gaze like lightning locking onto the deep entrance.

Before his words finished, his figure moved slightly, ready to rush in.

"Wait!" Yu Jingxuan blocked him with her arm, her dark cloak flapping in the stench. "No matter who Your Excellency is, slaying demons and devils is the inherent duty of the Demon Suppression Guard, not something outsiders can do."

She lifted her chin slightly, her tone carrying an undeniable arrogance.

Xiao Zhuo looked at the stubborn woman in front of him, amused. His attempts to "drive her away" along the way had failed, and now she was still unwilling to give up.

But his trip was only for Attribute Points; how could he let his efforts go to waste?

His eyes suddenly became solemn, and a cold killing intent emanated from his body: "Demons slaughter our kind, and as a Martial Artist, I am irreconcilable with them! Since I have come this far, how can I stand by? Slaying demons and devils is not just the business of your Demon Suppression Guard!"

The righteous Qi contained in his gaze made Yu Jingxuan's heart skip a beat, as if further obstruction on her part would be aiding evil.

"Enough!" Cen Jue spoke up in time, breaking the deadlock. "Centurion Yu, this young brother is highly skilled. Since he insists on coming along, let him guard the rear and provide support."

He knew that continued Stalemate was fruitless, and Xiao Zhuo's strength was indeed formidable.

Yu Jingxuan was momentarily speechless, blocked by Xiao Zhuo's gaze, and with Cen Jue providing an out, she could only let out a cold hmph and say no more.

She tapped her toes, transforming into a dark shadow, and was the first to shoot into the pitch-black opening.

Xiao Zhuo nodded slightly to Cen Jue in thanks, and the two followed closely behind.

Inside the rock cave, it was damp and cold. A murky stream meandered along the bottom of the cave, occupying only a narrow corner of the vast space, with jagged strange rocks on both sides.

After going several tens of steps deeper, the darkness became as thick as a physical entity, making it impossible to see one's own hand.

Even True Essence Realm Martial Artists had their eyesight severely restricted, so the three had to light fire starters, their weak flames barely tearing open a small patch of darkness.

"Hiss—woo—!"

From deep within the cave, non-human, shrill, piercing hissing sounds pierced through the darkness, echoing and colliding off the winding rock walls, adding to the eerie terror.

Fortunately, none of the three were mediocre; their resolve was firm, and they suppressed the chill that rose in their hearts.

The deeper they went, isolated glowing Ore began to appear on the rock walls, growing in number, gradually illuminating the passage behind them with a hazy light.

The three put away their fire starters and became even more cautious in their movements.

The Track-Seeking Insect on their shoulder completely extinguished its glow, lying quietly—the target was within reach!

Yu Jingxuan quickly put the small insect back into the bamboo tube and exchanged a wary glance with Cen Jue.

However, as far as the eye could see, apart from the faintly glowing Ore, the cave was empty.

After another few tens of meters, a huge pit suddenly appeared ahead.

Cen Jue rushed forward to examine it, his face instantly turning ashen: "This is it!"

Xiao Zhuo and Yu Jingxuan followed closely, their gazes sweeping towards the bottom of the pit—piles of white bones and tattered clothing formed a mountain!

On many of the skeletons, flesh and blood had not yet completely dried and peeled off, scarlet and viscous, emitting a strong smell of fresh blood, clearly having been gnawed on not long ago!

Whoosh!—

Just at that moment of shock, several sharp gusts of wind, tearing through the air, suddenly attacked from above without warning! Their speed was extreme!

"Watch your head!" Xiao Zhuo's warning was almost simultaneous with his action! A circle of Qi waves exploded at his feet, and he had already moved several meters sideways like a ghost!

An invisible, colossal shadow, carrying a stench, barely brushed past the spot where he had just stood, the sharp sound of its claws tearing the air making one's scalp tingle!

Yu Jingxuan and Cen Jue also reacted with lightning speed, narrowly avoiding their respective attacks, but their faces were already filled with solemnity.

"It's invisibility!" Xiao Zhuo's voice echoed deeply in the gloomy cave, instantly pinpointing the crucial detail.

Yu and Cen's hearts sank.

Demons with special talents were the most troublesome; this ability to become invisible meant that a single mistake could lead to complete annihilation!

The three leaned against the cold rock wall, holding their breath, their senses heightened to the extreme.

The demons seemed to have merged with the darkness; only when they launched an attack, and their claws ripped through the wind to their front, could they barely pinpoint their location by the subtle changes in wind pressure!

Even a little further away, the sound of their fleshy wings flapping was quietly erased by some force!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Again, several deadly wind pressures attacked simultaneously from different directions! There was more than one!

A cold light flashed! The three's weapons were instantly unsheathed!

Xiao Zhuo sensed the trajectory of the invisible killing intent, and his Eight Directions Demon Slaying Saber transformed into a purple lightning bolt tearing through the darkness, slashing out fiercely!

"Chila—!"

"Hiss-ga!!!"

The dull thud of the blade entering flesh and the demon's shrill shriek exploded almost simultaneously!

In mid-air, a stream of viscous, foul black blood splattered out of nowhere, splashing onto the glowing Ore, sizzling!

On the other side, Yu Jingxuan's Saber Qi rotated like a new moon, and Cen Jue's Saber Qi was robust and heavy, the clash of metal and the sharp sound of Saber Qi tearing through the air intensely colliding within the cave!

Although Xiao Zhuo's strike hit, it failed to severely wound the target.

The next moment, several even more violent wind pressures, carrying intense killing intent, swirled towards him from different angles, trying to kill him!

Xiao Zhuo, however, curved his lips into a cold smile.

Just as the invisible claws were about to touch him in a flash of lightning, he flipped his left hand, and a cloth bag appeared in his hand, which he flung out violently!

"Puff—!"

A large cloud of fine white powder exploded like smoke, instantly filling and covering a space of more than ten meters in all directions!

In an instant, the outlines of four monstrous giant bats, with wingspans exceeding three meters, became incredibly clear in the faint glow, revealed by the adhering dust!

"Ha! You skulking beasts, show yourselves!" Xiao Zhuo laughed loudly, abandoning his saber and striking out with both palms!

Great Void Bright Palm—Space Shattering Mark!

Where his palm force reached, the ten-zhang space in front of him seemed like water into which a stone had been thrown, suddenly rippling violently and invisibly!

The four revealed giant bats suddenly froze, as if they had crashed into an invisible, viscous giant net, their movements instantly becoming sluggish and stiff!

Although this sluggishness only lasted for an instant, and the space returned to normal, for Xiao Zhuo, an instant was enough!

He approached like lightning, a palm strike imbued with immense power, fiercely striking the chest of one of the giant bats!

"Bang!"

A dull explosion, like a drumbeat, echoed within the cave!

The giant bat demon, covered in flour, was struck as if by a heavy hammer, its massive body crashing to the ground, painfully revealing its terrifying Main Body, black as ink and bristling with fangs!

Xiao Zhuo's "Space Shattering Mark" palm, which could strike through mountains, had, through its tough skin and protective demonic Sha, shattered its heart!

Xiao Zhuo didn't even look, continuously clapping his palms, the powerful palm winds like surging waves, forcing back the other three attacking giant bats.

At the same time, his figure appeared as if teleported above the heavily wounded giant bat lying on the ground, his eyes as cold as frost.

The super regenerative ability of Baleful Rank and above demons was no small matter; a shattered heart was not necessarily fatal!

"Die!" Xiao Zhuo infused True Essence into his toes, bringing down a force of a thousand jun, stomping down fiercely!

"Puchi—!"

Like crushing a ripe berry, the giant bat's hideous head exploded with a splat!

Viscous black blood mixed with brain matter splattered radially onto the surrounding rocks and glowing Ore, a foul stench filling the air!

"Catch!" Xiao Zhuo didn't stop, turning his hand and pulling out two bulging flour bags from his storage ring. With a burst of force, he accurately shot them towards Yu and Cen, who were fiercely battling the invisible demons!

The two had witnessed Xiao Zhuo's entire process of breaking invisibility and killing the enemy; how could they not understand his intention? Yu Jingxuan's Saber Qi flashed, precisely cutting open the flying cloth bag!

"Puff—!"

Another dense white mist exploded in the cave!

Within the white mist, the outlines of five equally massive bat demons were unexpectedly exposed under the faint glow!

The cold light in Yu Jingxuan's eyes intensified. Her long saber carved out a tragically beautiful and deadly crescent arc, and the incomparably sharp Saber Qi instantly tore through the air, fiercely slashing towards the chests and abdomens of two of the giant bats!