137: Chapter 137 The Death of Huangula, He Was a Man

[Thirty miles outside White Bone City, the Rocky Beach.]

[The sound of the wind, the chirping of insects, and the faint hustle and bustle of the distant city all vanished.]

[It was too quiet.]

[He came to a halt.]

[Three dark shadows emerged from behind the jagged rocks, surrounding him in a triangular formation.]

[Three Lower-ranked Demon Generals at the Spirit Spring Middle Stage. They wore identical black battle armor with Skull Flowers embroidered on their cuffs.]

[People from the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons.]

["Chu Sheng?" the leading Demon General spoke, his voice sounding like sandpaper rubbing against sheet metal. "Hand over the Netherworld Ancestor's Legacy. We'll spare your life."]

[Chu Sheng didn't say a word.]

[He gripped his battle-axe, his thumb stroking the rough grain of the handle.]

[Against three Spirit Spring Middle Stage opponents, he might not necessarily win.]

[But he didn't run, nor could he.]

[Once you run once, there will be a second time, and a third.]

[The Hall of Ten Thousand Demons would stick to him like a plaster, impossible to shake off.]

[Seeing his silence, the leading Demon General gave a cold laugh and waved his hand.]

["Kill."]

[Three auras erupted simultaneously, the pressure of three Spirit Spring Middle Stage experts weighing down like a mountain peak.]

[Chu Sheng took a deep breath, circulating the Heavenly Demon Body and Taixu True Scripture at the same time. Black Devilish Qi surged from his body, condensing into substance.]

[The Taixu True Scripture compressed, purified, and re-compressed the Devilish Qi until every wisp was as heavy as a thousand catties.]

[The first palm strike arrived.]

[Chu Sheng sidestepped to dodge, sweeping his battle-axe to force back the second one.]

[The third launched a sneak attack from behind; he smashed back with a fist. Fist met palm, the impact sending him back three steps.]

[The three Demon Generals exchanged glances, a flicker of wariness in their eyes.]

[This demonic cultivator was only at the Early Stage of Spirit Spring, yet with the Heavenly Demon Body and Taixu True Scripture stacked together, he actually held his own against three without falling into a disadvantage.]

[Chu Sheng fought with increasing madness.]

[His battle-axe moved in wide, sweeping arcs, every swing carrying a ruthless intent to take his enemies down with him.]

[One Demon General was forced back, another filled the gap, and the third waited for an opening to strike.]

[It was a battle of attrition, a war of rotations.]

[Chu Sheng's spiritual power was depleting rapidly, and his Meridians began to throb with pain.]

[If this continued, he wouldn't last half an incense stick's time.]

[Suddenly, a thunderous roar came from the distance: "How dare you touch my brother!"]

[Huang Gula charged into the fray like a mad bull, smashing a fist into the head of the Demon General closest to him.]

[That Demon General didn't even have time to turn around before his head exploded like a watermelon, red and white matter splattering everywhere.]

[Covered in blood, Huang Gula stood before Chu Sheng, panting heavily.]

[Chu Sheng was stunned: "How did you get here?"]

[Huang Gula grinned, revealing a mouthful of bloody teeth: "I smelled a fight."]

[The second Demon General's face went pale, and he turned to flee.]

[Huang Gula gave chase, throwing a punch toward the man's back.]

[A look of ruthlessness flashed in that Demon General's eyes. He spun around and lunged at Chu Sheng, a blinding light suddenly igniting in his chest. A Demon Core self-detonation.]

["Get back!" Chu Sheng bellowed.]

[Huang Gula didn't dodge.]

[He lunged forward, pushing Chu Sheng away and using his own body to block the sphere of exploding light.]

["BOOM—"]

[Flesh and blood flew everywhere.]

[Chu Sheng was knocked to the ground by the shockwave. When he scrambled up, he saw Huang Gula lying on the ground. A massive bloody hole had been blasted into his chest, and his internal organs were spilling out along with a pool of blood.]

[He wasn't dead yet. He stared up at the dark red sky, his lips quivering.]

[Chu Sheng rushed over and pressed down on his chest, but blood gushed through his fingers, impossible to stop.]

["Don't talk, I'll take you back, the Devil King can save you..."]

[Huang Gula shook his head, his lips twisting into a smile that looked more painful than crying. "Brother, it's too late."]

[His aura grew weaker and weaker, like a candle flickering in the wind.]

[Exerting his last ounce of strength, he grabbed Chu Sheng's hand, transforming his lifelong cultivation into a warm current and pouring it into Chu Sheng's body.]

[That power was thick and warm, just like Huang Gula himself—clumsy yet burning hot.]

["Brother," his voice grew lower and lower, "go back... alive for me."]

[Chu Sheng held his hand, feeling it grow colder and stiffer.]

[He opened his mouth to say something, but his throat felt blocked by something, and he couldn't utter a single word.]

[Huang Gula's eyes remained open, looking at the sky, a trace of a smile on his lips.]

[That smile was simple and honest, exactly the same as when he was alive.]

[The Old Grandfather sighed within the ring, his voice aged and weary: "This simpleton was a real man."]

[A terrifying aura descended from the sky.]

[Yu Rumeng had arrived.]

[She stood in mid-air, looking at the mangled corpse on the ground and Chu Sheng kneeling in the pool of blood. Her face was as cold as ice.]

[She raised her hand and struck downward with her palm.]

[Everything within a hundred miles was leveled to the ground.]

[Rocks were ground to powder, the earth collapsed, and the fleeing Demon General didn't even have time to scream before being turned to ash.]

[Yu Rumeng landed beside Chu Sheng, knelt down, and gently pulled him into an embrace.]

[Chu Sheng buried his face in her shoulder, his whole body trembling like a wounded beast.]

[Yu Rumeng said nothing. She just held him, gently patting his back as if soothing a child.]

[Chu Sheng buried Huang Gula outside White Bone City, choosing a high slope that overlooked the northern wilderness.]

[He carved the tombstone himself, the words crooked and uneven: "Tomb of Brother Huang Gula."]

[Yu Rumeng stood behind him, her blood-red dress fluttering loudly in the wind.]

[The White Bone City Lord sent funeral scrolls and came in person to pay his respects. His face was full of sorrow and his eyes were red, though it was hard to tell if it was genuine or an act.]

[Zhou Lie came as well. He stood before the grave for a long time, bowed, and patted Chu Sheng's shoulder before turning to leave without a word.]

[Forces large and small from the city sent representatives. Some were sincere, some were fake, and some were just there to watch the spectacle.]

[Chu Sheng stood before the grave, dealing with the guests expressionlessly.]

[He knew how many among them were there to mock him, how many were there to test his strength, and how many were there to suck up to Yu Rumeng.]

[He didn't care.]

[He only knew that Huang Gula had died for him.]

[The news reached Yu Rumeng's city.]

[Fake Name stood by the window, clutching a letter, staring at it for a long time.]

[She said nothing, simply folding the letter and tucking it into her sleeve.]

[That night, she left the city alone and went to that new grave outside White Bone City.]

[A few days later.]

[She sat before the grave from nightfall until dawn, without saying a single word.]

[At daybreak, she stood up, brushed the dirt off her skirt, and turned to leave.]

[After walking a long way, she suddenly stopped and looked back.]

[The grave stood lonely on the high slope, the characters on the stone crooked.]

[She watched for a long time before turning and vanishing into the morning mist.]

[Chu Sheng's cultivation was skyrocketing.]

[Huang Gula's gift, Yu Rumeng's primal yin, the Netherworld Ancestor's Resentment Fragments, and the anger and sorrow accumulated over these days all transformed into power, surging into his Dantian.]

[The black Spirit Spring began to expand, its waters churning and surging as if being boiled.]

[Spirit Spring Middle Stage.]

[He stood up, feeling the surging True Essence within his body, which was more than twice as thick as before.]

[But he wasn't happy at all.]

[He stood before Huang Gula's grave. The wind blew from the north, carrying the unique scent of the wilderness.]

[The characters on the tombstone had dried, slightly blurred by the wind and sand.]

["Brother, I will go back alive," he said softly, as if afraid to wake him.]

[The Old Grandfather sighed in the ring: "This simpleton was a real man."]

[Chu Sheng said, "I know."]

[The Old Grandfather added: "He treated you as a brother."]

[Chu Sheng said, "I fucking know."]

[He stood for a long time, until his legs went numb, before finally turning to leave.]

[Yu Rumeng was waiting for him in the distance, her blood-red dress fluttering in the wind.]

[She watched him approach, reached out, and took his hand.]

[Her hand was cold, but her grip was tight.]

He stared at the tombstone in the image for a long time.

"Huang Gula, that simpleton, was a real man. I owe him a life this time."