“What a troublesome kid today, I never expected him to be such a handful!”
The Plague Demon King’s heart sank. Since his revival, he’d never been this cornered.
“Your Majesty, it seems your old bones aren’t up to it, and your eyesight’s failing. Why keep hitting the ground and walls? If you want to tear this place down, I can help, no need to trouble yourself,” Ling Xiao taunted as the Demon King paused his attack.
Ling Xiao halted his movement too. With the precise calculations of his Mountain and River Martial Soul, he wouldn’t waste a single drop of true essence. After observing, he’d begun to grasp the Plague Demon King’s patterns, but since he wasn’t fully certain, he held off on counterattacking. He preferred battles he could control, so the greater his confidence, the better.
“You brat!” The Plague Demon King pondered. This couldn’t go on. Better to eliminate Shangguan Lei and the martial soul clone first, then team up with the Demon General to handle this kid more easily.
With a cold smirk, he darted toward Shangguan Lei and Ling Xiao’s clone.
“No chance!” Ling Xiao instantly saw through the plan. He couldn’t let the Plague Demon King and Demon General join forces—a Mortal Realm Fourth Layer early-stage warrior paired with a peak Mortal Realm Third Layer would force him to flee.
Swish! In that instant, Ling Xiao pushed his speed to the limit, aiming to intercept the Plague Demon King mid-path.
“How is this kid so fast?” The Plague Demon King was startled but quickly hatched a new plan. “You dodge endlessly, making it hard to hit you, but if you come to me like this, I won’t let you off.”
He’d intended to kill Shangguan Lei first but now shifted tactics, feigning an attack on Shangguan Lei while secretly preparing to strike Ling Xiao.
“Gaga gaga, you’re done for, kid!”
Plague Fist! As Ling Xiao closed within a metre, the Plague Demon King spun and unleashed a punch, too swift to counter.
Heavenly Dragon Divine Finger! In midair, Ling Xiao’s appearance transformed dramatically. His black pupils turned golden, dragon horns sprouted, his hair became crimson, and his clothes vanished, replaced by golden scale-like armour. A fiery red cape, resembling dragon whiskers, fluttered behind him. This was his Human-Dragon form.
The Heavenly Dragon Divine Finger was immensely powerful, usable only in Human-Dragon or Ancient Golden Dragon form. A golden beam shot from Ling Xiao’s fingertip, flashing blindingly, piercing the Plague Demon King’s palm and leaving a charred wound on his body.
This wasn’t the end. The wound radiated terrifying dragon might, forcing the Plague Demon King to stagger and land. Chen Zui’s body was too weak, unable to withstand even a single strike from the Heavenly Dragon Divine Finger, even when used by the Plague Demon King.
“The aura of an Ancient Divine Dragon…” The Plague Demon King was forced out of the body again, unable to stay in Chen Zui’s form due to the overwhelming dragon might. He’d need to fully resist it, but he couldn’t—he still had to face this cunning kid.
Who was this kid? How did he have the aura of an Ancient Divine Dragon? Why had his appearance changed? Was he just a vessel for someone else?
Staring at Chen Zui’s body, torn apart by dragon might, the Plague Demon King’s mind was in chaos. “Senior, please show yourself and talk! Our True Demon Empire has no grudge with you, why help this kid?” he said, suddenly serious and respectful.
Ling Xiao paused, then realised his Human-Dragon form and the terrifying power of the Heavenly Dragon Divine Finger had misled the Plague Demon King into thinking he was possessed. “This boy is the soul vessel I’ve chosen. If you ruin him, where will I find such a fine vessel?” Ling Xiao played along, intentionally toying with him.
He believed making the Plague Demon King think a powerful soul resided in him would create immense pressure, giving him a greater advantage in battle.
“Forgive my poor eyesight, but this boy is just a rare Treasure Body. You find him suitable?” The Plague Demon King retreated over ten metres, ensuring escape distance, before asking.
“Fool, with your vision, how could you see his worth? Leave now, or in my anger, I’ll kill you and your True Demon Empire!” Ling Xiao snapped, adopting the domineering air of a senior.
He didn’t expect the Plague Demon King to flee, but even a sliver of mental lapse, fear, or hesitation would give him an opening.
“Senior, isn’t that a bit unreasonable? I built this place with great effort—how can you just claim it?” The Plague Demon King frowned, annoyed. “I call you senior out of respect, but without it, I’d kill you too.”
“I claim what I want. Leave or die!” Ling Xiao, exuding a senior’s arrogance, lunged at the Plague Demon King. In Human-Dragon form, his combat power had soared. Peak Mortal Realm Third Layer warriors were no challenge, and he could steadily defeat early Mortal Realm Fourth Layer ones. Why spare the Plague Demon King? His plan was to trap him in the Mountain and River World, ensuring he couldn’t escape.
“Madman!” The Plague Demon King, once an unstoppable, ruthless figure, felt outmatched by Ling Xiao’s audacity.
Boom! Smack! Crack! They clashed over a dozen times in midair. Though the Plague Demon King lacked a body, fighting in his true form was no weaker—perhaps even more fluid. This puzzled Ling Xiao. If his true form was so capable, why bother with a body?
There had to be a reason. Though Ling Xiao didn’t know it yet, he trusted the Mountain and River Martial Soul would soon analyse it. Once he found the weakness, he’d launch a full counterattack.
The Plague Demon King grew warier after a dozen exchanges. “This old guy isn’t that kid. His strength rivals a peak Mortal Realm Fourth Layer warrior. I’m no match now and can only endure with my true form.”
