36: The green light disappears into the distance, and the demon arrives

After approximately two hours of deduction in his mind, the Profound Truth of Azure Light Evasion finally became clear!

Xiao Zhuo’s thoughts stirred slightly, and the attribute panel appeared as he willed it, now showing the entry: [Azure Light Evasion (Beginner)].

Without any hesitation, five Attribute Points were instantly invested!

Om—

His consciousness once again sank into that familiar world of white mist.

Amidst the vast mist, a dazzling azure glow suddenly burst forth! The young figure, propelled by the force of wind and thunder, moved and soared freely within the white mist.

Chila! The explosive sound of his clothes tearing through the air was incessant, and streaks of afterimages, trailing crystalline wind marks, carved dazzling streams of light through the void.

Azure patterns flickered under his feet; each step taken in the air caused the thick mist to surge violently, like raging waves crashing against the shore.

The profound evasion power enveloped his body, granting him incredible agility, allowing him to carve out various astonishingly tricky arcs in the void.

His understanding of Azure Light Evasion was deepening at an astonishing speed.

After one session of comprehension, Xiao Zhuo had basically mastered the fundamental application of Azure Light Evasion, and his body had also imprinted the initial instinctive memory of it.

Continue adding points!

Nine times of adding points, nine times of extreme refinement in the world of white mist!

The application of Azure Light Evasion had been etched into his instincts like breathing.

The core of this evasion technique—that complex and profound rune—could now be instantly condensed and formed on any part of Xiao Zhuo’s body with a slight thought!

The moment True Essence was injected into the rune, the surrounding wind elemental energy rushed towards the center of the rune like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, being compressed to the extreme into a pale azure energy vortex visible to the naked eye!

It was precisely by leveraging the rune’s extreme compression and instantaneous burst of wind elemental energy that Azure Light Evasion could possess terrifying speed that was unrivaled among those of the same Realm.

However, to reach the Transcendent Realm, one needed to achieve the state of “instant rune casting,” which also demanded extremely high reaction speed and control from the user; otherwise, even a slight misstep at extreme speed could lead to the disaster of being utterly shattered!

When the ninth point addition was completed, Azure Light Evasion finally reached the Microscopic Realm!

A unique skill was then comprehended—Instant Streamer!

At the Microscopic Realm of Azure Light Evasion, the flaw of delayed turning had been overcome.

Xiao Zhuo could even use its power to change direction and turn at will in mid-air, performing various extreme maneuvers that defied common sense!

This was not just an improvement in evasion technique, but also a qualitative leap in his overall combat power.

Under the boost of extreme speed, the power and surprise of any attack would be doubled!

And that Instant Streamer was an ultimate skill for both escaping and pursuing.

Unlike Floating Light Instant Shadow’s short-distance flicker, this skill, once activated, could cover several miles in an instant!

Although each use would severely agitate the True Essence within his body, and continuous use carried the risk of internal injury, its formidable effect was enough to leave ordinary Divine Sea Realm powerhouses far behind!

After comprehending Azure Light Evasion, Xiao Zhuo immediately turned his attention to Heaven-Shattering Finger.

As for Heavenly Fiend Body Refining Art, it had to be cultivated in a special environment with rich fiendish Qi to get started, so it could only be temporarily put aside for now.

Unnamed Valley · Noon

Time quietly passed in concentration, and in a blink of an eye, it was noon.

Outside the valley, dark clouds hung low, the lead-grey sky pressed down heavily, and the air was filled with a damp, cold earthy smell; a cold rain was brewing.

Inside the valley, there was a dead silence, broken only by the occasional soaring bird and startled scurrying small beast, disrupting the oppressive calm before the storm.

Xiao Zhuo’s mind was like still water, without any impatience. Yesterday, the demon also appeared in the evening, so it was still early.

He quietly spread his Divine Sense like an invisible spiderweb, covering the valley entrance and its surroundings, like the most patient hunter, waiting for his prey to step into the trap.

Spirit Concealment Art perfectly disguised his Divine Sense fluctuations; the two demons would surely not detect him.

And with the Divine Sense range strengthened twice, Xiao Zhuo was confident that it far exceeded that of ordinary Condensing Aperture Realm Cultivators, and dealing with these demons who relied solely on innate Bloodline was more than enough.

Initially, he tried to maintain Divine Sense vigilance while simultaneously comprehending Heaven-Shattering Finger.

However, he had never delved into finger techniques, and even with the guidance of a Senior’s insights in the Jade Slip, his progress was still frustratingly slow when trying to multitask.

Ultimately, Xiao Zhuo decisively gave up on comprehension and focused all his attention on Divine Sense perception, waiting intently for that moment to arrive.

Evening · Rain Falling

The sky darkened rapidly under the cover of dark clouds.

Finally, cold raindrops began to tap against the rock walls, pattering, gradually forming a continuous sheet.

Damp water vapor, mixed with the scent of earth and decaying leaves, surged into the empty rock cave.

Xiao Zhuo’s back was pressed against the cold, damp, moss-covered stone wall, his fingertips unconsciously caressing the rough, beast-skin-wrapped hilt of his meteor iron long saber.

“Not here yet?” His gaze was sharp as an eagle’s, penetrating the rain curtain towards the valley entrance.

At this time yesterday, the demon’s aura had already appeared, but now his Divine Sense perception was still empty.

“They’re here!” A flash of brilliance suddenly flickered in Xiao Zhuo’s eyes!

In his Divine Sense vision, two black figures, like sharp arrows tearing through the rain curtain, shot into the valley from the entrance!

Rainwater dripped from the Sheep-Headed Demon’s curved horns, and the red-haired man (Xue Yun)’s wide robes flapped in the wind, like a surging wave of blood.

The two demons landed, but the cave entrance was empty, with only the sound of rain rustling.

“Meeh? That Feng Rudao… could he have failed his mission and absconded in fear of punishment?” The Sheep-Headed Demon (Yang Mianmian)’s nostrils flared, exhaling a white mist with a sulfurous smell, which made a “sizzling” sound as it landed on the damp rock wall.

“Impossible.” Xue Yun shook his head slightly, his voice deep, “He knows the consequences of desertion. As long as the demon core is not removed, escaping to the ends of the earth is a dead end.”

His scarlet eyes scanned the surroundings, carrying a trace of imperceptible doubt.

“I’ll go inside and check!” Yang Mianmian was impatient, his hooves crushing muddy puddles, stirring up a trail of murky water, and he charged directly towards the main cave where the bandits had been entrenched.

Xue Yun, on the other hand, swayed his body and darted towards the other side, to the rock cave where the children had originally been held.

Subconsciously, they never considered the possibility that “Feng Rudao and the others had already been killed.”

Underestimation is often the beginning of defeat.

“Heh, their intelligence is indeed not high! To dare to split up and investigate in such a situation is simply walking into a trap.” Xiao Zhuo sneered inwardly, his nerves, which had been taut and ready to pursue, relaxed slightly.

Since the Sheep-Headed Demon had delivered himself to his doorstep, how could he miss this excellent opportunity to defeat them one by one?

Assassination!

The moment Yang Mianmian’s massive body stepped into the rock cave hall—

Chii! Chii! Chii!

Three Saber Qi, condensed and substantial, burst forth without warning from the blind spot of the shadows!

Fast! Ruthless! Absolute!

“Meeh—!!!”

A desperate wail instantly tore through the rain curtain, shaking the cave ceiling and causing loose rocks to roll down!

Yang Mianmian’s steel-needle-like wool stood on end, and in his panic, he felt a piercing pain in his limb joints! Black blood gushed like a spring, and his four limbs were severed at the roots! His massive body tilted forward with a crash.

Xiao Zhuo’s figure, like a ghost, spun and closed in! The long saber in his hand transformed into a golden rainbow of death, piercing Yang Mianmian’s back with uncanny precision! The saber edge did not pause, but forcefully leveraged upwards!

Crack!

The hard skull was split open like rotten wood! The golden Saber Qi, imbued with the dominant True Essence of Nine Revolutions Profound Essence Art, furiously seared the wound, making a “sizzling” sound, greatly inhibiting the demon’s powerful regenerative ability!

Yang Mianmian’s massive body crashed to the ground, his dissected upper half twitching and struggling futilely in the blood pool of the passageway; the foul-smelling black blood rapidly spread.

Having struck successfully, Xiao Zhuo did not linger!

Azure light runes instantly lit up under his feet, and his entire being transformed into a blurred azure afterimage, rushing out of the rock cave at an astonishing speed!

Fierce Battle with Xue Yun!

Almost the instant Yang Mianmian’s wail rang out, Xue Yun had already rushed over like a bloody lightning bolt!

The moment Xiao Zhuo made his move, his Peak Condensing Aperture Realm aura could no longer be perfectly concealed, like a lighthouse in the dark night.

“A Human Race Cultivator in the Condensing Aperture Realm? How dare he ambush us here?!” Xue Yun’s blood-cloud-like red brows furrowed sharply; he had clearly sensed Yang Mianmian’s rapidly declining aura, as well as the suddenly appearing Human Race True Essence fluctuations.

Filled with shock and anger, yet showing no fear, his figure moved even faster, rushing towards the main cave!

However, before he could reach the cave entrance, a dazzling azure glow, like an arrow released from a bowstring, tore through the rain curtain and shot out from the cave!

Its speed was far beyond his expectation!

“Hmph!” Xue Yun’s pupils constricted, his reaction equally swift!

A blood-red long spear, dark red all over and entwined with an ominous aura, appeared in his hand out of thin air!

The spear shaft trembled, and a dark red, crescent-shaped spear glow instantly condensed at the spear tip, sweeping horizontally towards the incoming azure glow with a tearing shriek!

“Boom—!!!”

A deafening roar exploded in the valley, momentarily overpowering the torrential rain!

Azure and crimson energies violently collided, erupting into countless dazzling sulfur-colored sparks!

A violent wave of Qi spread in a ring, instantly sending countless shattered rocks and mud flying from the ground!

Crack-crack-crack!

Amidst the grating sound of shattering, the blood-red long spear of extraordinary quality in Xue Yun’s hand actually broke apart inch by inch!

“Pfft!” Xue Yun was hit as if by a heavy hammer; a crisp sound of dislocated bones came from his spear-wielding arm, and his entire body, like a kite with a broken string, was fiercely blasted away by the immense force, slamming like a cannonball into the steep mountain rock opposite!

Boom!!!

The mountain rock trembled violently, and dust mixed with shattered stones rose into the sky; Xue Yun’s figure was deeply embedded in the rock wall!

“Oh? He’s tougher than expected.” Xiao Zhuo’s figure stood in the void, azure evasion light surrounding him, isolating the cold rain.

He looked at the dust-shrouded impact point, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.

He had only used thirty percent of his strength in that collision, intending to probe and capture him alive, but he hadn’t expected the opponent to seem completely unharmed?

This demon’s physique was indeed formidable.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Responding to Xiao Zhuo were hundreds of crimson rays tearing through the dust!

Like dense crimson vipers, carrying a pungent, fishy smell, they shot towards Xiao Zhuo in mid-air from various tricky angles!

“Petty tricks.” Xiao Zhuo’s eyes turned cold, and the defensive stance of Heavenly Dipper Transformation to Zenith Saber Technique—Tianquan Suppressing Mountain—was unleashed at will!

The long saber in his hand traced a perfectly circular trajectory, and majestic True Essence surged forth, instantly condensing before him into a solid, heavy, mountain-like phantom radiating an orange-yellow glow!

Ding ding ding ding...!

The crimson rays, dense as rain, struck the mountain light shield, splashing layers of energy ripples; the light shield remained unmoving, as stable as a rock.

“If this is all you’ve got, it’s quite disappointing.” Xiao Zhuo’s indifferent voice penetrated the rain curtain.

Before his words finished, the azure light under his feet suddenly burst forth!

Boom!

Only a circle of expanding Qi waves was left in place, and Xiao Zhuo’s figure had already rushed into the still unscattered dust as if teleporting!

“Break!”

A cold shout, and a pale blue True Essence saber wheel, a zhang in diameter and with incredibly sharp edges, instantly formed in the center of the dust, spinning at high speed!

The violent cutting force instantly dispersed the pervasive dust!

As the dust cleared, it revealed the greatly changed red-haired demon—Xue Yun!

At this moment, his entire body was covered in a set of hideous, bone-like armor flowing with a dark red luster!

Sharp crimson bone spurs extended from his joints, exuding a fierce and malevolent aura.

His head was tightly encased in a terrifying helmet shaped like a malevolent ghost with exposed fangs, revealing only a pair of scarlet eyes burning with rage and killing intent!

Xue Yun crossed his arms, his palms, covered by thick arm guards, pressed firmly against the rapidly rotating pale blue saber wheel; the grating metallic friction sound was jarring.

At the same time, he furiously urged his will, and dozens of thicker, winding, and twisting blood-colored energy rays suddenly burst forth from the seams of his bone armor behind him, like living creatures, biting towards Xiao Zhuo, who was at close quarters, from all directions!

“Hmph!”

Seeing the saber wheel obstructed, Xiao Zhuo decisively withdrew his strength and pulled back his saber!

The fierce True Essence surged forth, and instead of dodging the Heart-Devouring Bloodlines, he swung his long saber again!

Whir!

A condensed, three-zhang long, crescent-shaped golden Saber Qi flashed into existence out of thin air!

Wherever the Saber Qi passed, the Heart-Devouring Bloodlines disintegrated and annihilated like ice meeting scorching sun!

The Saber Qi’s momentum did not diminish, fiercely striking between Xue Yun’s chest and abdomen!

Chila!

A piercing tearing sound rang out!

The hideous blood armor on Xue Yun’s abdomen shattered in response, revealing the wriggling dark red flesh beneath; a deep, bone-visible saber mark instantly appeared, and black blood gushed forth!

Almost at the same instant the Saber Qi struck, countless leaping silver electric arcs suddenly appeared around Xiao Zhuo’s body!

With crackling sounds, these dense lightning bolts instantly intertwined and condensed, transforming into a full-body silver thunder armor, shimmering with iridescent light!

Puff puff puff puff!

The remaining blood-colored rays fiercely struck the thunder armor, splashing dense, dazzling sparks, but could only leave shallow white marks on the shining silver armor, unable to advance an inch!

“Roar!” Xue Yun roared in pain, using the impact force of the Saber Qi to suddenly retreat rapidly!

With a crash, he broke a crooked-necked tree as thick as a bowl, and without hesitation, he retreated violently towards the depths of the rain curtain outside the valley!

Trying to escape?

A cold glint flashed in Xiao Zhuo’s eyes, and the azure light under his feet burst forth!

Boom!

His figure transformed into an azure streak of light tearing through the rain curtain, arriving later but reaching first!

The chilling saber edge, carrying bone-piercing killing intent, pursued Xue Yun’s vital throat, which was covered by the ghost-faced helmet!