Rong Song felt extremely unlucky.
Usually, when wandering in Yinan Province, he could seek help from his sect whenever he encountered demons or ghosts, and he rarely met any formidable opponents. This time, however, just as he ventured out of Yinan Province, far from his sect, he ran into trouble. And it was the most troublesome kind, a demonic heretic. He wasn’t even sure if the creature with a head larger than a pumpkin chasing him could still be considered human.
The demon was powerful, and Rong Song didn’t dare lead it toward the county town. Unfamiliar with the prominent sects in Lingbei Province, he could only flee through the mountains and wilderness, trying to head toward Yizhou Prefecture. The demon’s cultivation was higher than his, but fortunately, Rong Song’s spiritual soul was strong. By occasionally unleashing a Golden Palace Heart Sword, he could buy himself a moment to catch his breath.
After crossing a mountain ridge, Rong Song planned to lead the demon through it when he saw a dense peach blossom forest, flourishing and thick. Unfazed, he dove into the forest, hoping to use the trees to widen the gap between him and the demon. But as he looked up, he saw a cloud descending from the sky, revealing four figures.
A master had arrived!
Rong Song’s eyes lit up. “Senior, beware! That big-headed demon has sharp teeth, capable of chewing gold and devouring iron, and it can even swallow spells.”
“Brother Rong Song?”
A surprised voice rang in Rong Song’s ears. Looking closer, he recognised one of the four figures as an acquaintance from two years ago who had visited the Jinhua Sect.
“Brother Lu!?”
Rong Song was both shocked and delighted to encounter Lu Zheng unexpectedly.
Lu Zheng introduced him to the other three. “This is a distinguished disciple of the Jinhua Sect from Huizhou in Yinan Province, known as Rong Song.”
“Greetings, Brother!”
“Greetings, Fellow Daoist!”
Zhu Yushan, Guangyue, and Yuanjing all clasped their hands in salute.
“Greetings to you three,” Rong Song returned the courtesy before urgently warning, “Watch out for the demon!”
At that moment, the big-headed demon was already closing in. It lunged forward, shrouded in swirling demonic energy, charging straight at them. Without needing the other three to act, Lu Zheng stepped forward, forming a seal with his hand.
“Golden Palace Heart Sword, strike!”
“Argh!!!”
The demon let out a wail, its demonic energy dissipating. It rolled on the ground, attempting to flee.
“Supreme Edict, Flying Cloud Shatters Evil, go!”
A cloud spell descended, and Lu Zheng extended his hand, forming a White Cloud Great Hand Seal that grabbed at the demon. But the creature opened its massive mouth, sucking and biting, swallowing the Flying Cloud Shatter Evil spell and even tearing off half of the White Cloud Great Hand Seal.
“Urgh!!! Roar!!!”
Though it seemed overstuffed and slightly injured, the damage was far less than Lu Zheng had expected.
“What?” Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow, surprised, then frowned. “This demon’s appearance… another gluttony type?”
Rong Song blinked. “What?”
Lu Zheng shook his head, then channelled his true energy, forming another White Cloud Great Hand Seal that tightly grasped the demon. The creature continued to devour the cloud energy ravenously, while Lu Zheng kept pouring in more power. “Let’s see how much you can eat!”
Lu Zheng and the demon were locked in a struggle. Moments later, a dozen or so ethereal figures arrived at the scene. Rong Song turned, stunned, wondering why so many strangers had suddenly appeared.
“Lu Lang!”
Liu Qingyan stepped forward, spotting the demon grappling with Lu Zheng. “Another of Wuxin True Desire Demon Ancestor’s minions?”
“Wuxin True Desire Demon Ancestor?”
Everyone present froze, their hearts skipping a beat. Anyone titled a Demon Ancestor was no ordinary figure.
“Gaga! You actually know the Ancestor’s name, hehehe!” The big-headed demon spoke, its voice rasping.
All eyes turned to the creature. Lu Zheng said coldly, “Keep eating, and you’ll probably burst.”
“Jie jie! So what? Even if I burst, I’ll keep eating! It’s so delicious! To eat something this good, hahaha, I’m so happy!”
The demon continued to gulp down the cloud energy. Its demonic aura became unstable, and its form twisted and swelled grotesquely. Lu Zheng’s eyes narrowed, ready to withdraw, but the demon grinned ferociously. “I’ve eaten so much, I’m heading to the Ancestor’s True Desire Demon Realm. You, my food, are coming with me!”
The next moment…
“Boom!”
With a deafening explosion, the demon’s entire body burst apart. Demonic energy swept through, flooding the peach forest and surging toward everyone.
“Careful!”
“Fall back!”
Lu Zheng stepped forward, forming the Wind-Calling Secret Art with his hands. Instantly, fierce winds roared from behind him, blocking the overwhelming demonic energy and sending it skyward.
“Whoosh, whoosh.”
Moments later, the black smoke cleared, the winds calmed, and Lu Zheng waved his sleeve, summoning a surge of cloud energy that eradicated the last traces of the demon’s energy.
“Done!”
Rong Song was astonished. “Brother Lu! You’ve become this powerful?”
He remembered meeting Lu Zheng two years ago. Back then, though Lu Zheng was skilled, they were roughly equals. How had Lu Zheng’s cultivation soared like a roc in less than two years?
“Haha, Brother Rong Song, you flatter me. Just a bit of luck,” Lu Zheng said with a smile, turning to introduce Rong Song to the others.
Shen Ying gently cast a spell, causing countless peach tree roots to writhe underground, smoothing the forest floor. Wild grass sprouted, and a peach-scented mist spread, erasing all traces of the battle.
Lu Zheng then led everyone, including Rong Song, back to the gathering place. He poured a cup of Huadiao wine for Rong Song. Seeing everyone’s curious expressions, he asked, “Brother Rong Song, what brought you to Yizhou, and how did you run into this demon?”
Rong Song took the cup, downed it in one gulp, and exclaimed, “Good wine!” Unceremoniously, he grabbed an apple, took a bite, and said, “After travelling around Yinan Province, I wanted to see the sights elsewhere, so I came to Lingbei Province, hoping to visit you along the way. Two days ago, passing through a village, I encountered this demon disguised as a child, manipulating the villagers’ minds and feeding on their hearts.”
“I acted in anger, destroying the half-refined Nine-Nine Human Heart it was crafting, breaking its sacrificial ritual. That’s why it’s been chasing me ever since.”
“I see,” Lu Zheng nodded.
“By the way,” Rong Song turned to Liu Qingyan, “Miss Liu mentioned it was a minion of Wuxin True Desire Demon Ancestor. This Demon Ancestor…”
Liu Qingyan glanced at Lu Zheng, who nodded, indicating there was no harm in sharing. Before she could speak, Lu Zheng explained what he knew about Wuxin True Desire Demon Ancestor.
“Hiss!”
“Reincarnation of a Heavenly Demon’s divine will?”
“How terrifying!”
