Sand and dust flew through the air as the biting wind carried thick Demonic Qi. Behind them, the Demonic Cultivators’ sinister laughter sounded like soul-reaping curses.
Shen Qinghe ran, gasping for breath. “Has your Spiritual Power recovered yet?”
Lizhu: “Not a trace of Spiritual Power.”
He shook off Shen Qinghe’s hand and stood still, speaking as if he had given up. “You go on ahead.”
Shen Qinghe was stunned.
Then, she was deeply moved.
Young Master Li Zhu truly was as famous as the rumors said—a renowned great benefactor. Even in a moment like this, he didn’t want to drag her down.
Such a good person, yet in her past life, he had vanished without a trace in the Secret Realm!
In this life, she absolutely had to change his fate!
And if she wanted someone to play along with her act of chasing after him like a lovestruck fool, there was no better candidate than him!
So, she forcibly grabbed his hand again. “Don’t worry, I will never abandon you.”
Lizhu’s face darkened.
At that moment, a blood-red bolt of lightning struck down from the sky, and several Demonic Cultivators descended on clouds, surrounding them on all sides.
“Hehehe, don’t think you can run. You’re only at the Golden Core Stage, and without your heart-protecting mirror, do you really think you can leave this place?”
“A Pure Yin Body—you’d best obediently accompany us in Dual Cultivation. That way, you’ll suffer a little less.”
“With a look like yours, you probably haven’t experienced the pleasures of man and woman yet. Our techniques are far superior to the Harmony Sect’s.”
Each Demonic Cultivator erupted with the full power of the Nascent Soul Stage, and the very air seemed to freeze solid.
“Stand behind me. I’ll protect you,” Shen Qinghe said.
Lizhu looked at her as if she were an idiot.
A Golden Core Stage cultivator who relied on popping Medicinal Pills was going to challenge three Nascent Soul Stage cultivators?
“Then I’ll play with you a little,” the leading Demonic Cultivator bellowed. “Blood Shadow Soul-Devouring Claw!”
The blood-red imprint of five fingers transformed into five wailing vengeful spirits. Wherever they passed, the air was stained a dark crimson as they hurtled toward the young man and woman on the ground.
The girl produced two needles and handed one to the young man.
The young man paused for a few seconds, then took it.
The Demonic Cultivators sneered. This woman must be an idiot—what use could a single needle possibly be?
The next second, the attacks they had just unleashed vanished without a trace the moment they touched the needles.
The Demonic Cultivators stared at the two completely unharmed people, blinking their blood-red eyes several times. “What the hell is that thing?!”
Shen Qinghe sneered. “A bunch of country bumpkins. These are Demon-Warding Needles. As long as you hold one, you can resist all Demonic Qi invasion.”
Her Spiritual Power might not be much use, but she had been reborn into this Immortal Cultivation world from birth, so of course she would put modern knowledge to clever use.
Demon-Warding Needles—as the name suggested—were her modification based on lightning rods.
Demonic Qi was essentially the materialization of energy. She had accidentally discovered a type of vine that could forcibly channel Demonic Qi into itself, and when combined with a Heaven-grade Clear-Cloud Demon-Dispersing Talisman that could dissolve Demonic Qi, it achieved the effect of Demonic Qi entering and vanishing in an instant.
Of course, the Demonic Qi couldn’t be too powerful, or the Clear-Cloud Demon-Dispersing Talisman wouldn’t have time to process it, causing an explosion.
Lizhu also looked at the needle in his hand with considerable curiosity.
A sword appeared in one Demonic Cultivator’s hand. “Demonic Qi can dissipate, but what about a sword?”
Shen Qinghe’s expression shifted slightly.
This was exactly why she didn’t want to fight these people head-on.
The speed of a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator was simply incomparable to that of a Golden Core Stage.
Before Shen Qinghe could react, the Demonic Cultivator was already before them, sword swinging in their direction.
Perhaps because Lizhu was completely unguarded, the sharp blade pierced into his body, running straight through his heart.
Blood splattered everywhere.
Shen Qinghe’s eyes turned red in an instant. “Stop!”
Young Master Li Zhu was so kind—despite having no Spiritual Power at all, he still took that sword strike for her.
She would avenge Young Master Li Zhu!
Shen Qinghe reached into her Storage Ring.
But she had underestimated the Demonic Cultivator’s speed.
The sword was already behind her head, and the hilt struck with force.
Her vision went black, and she collapsed, unconscious.
“The boss is truly formidable—took out two people in one move.”
“This girl is cunning as a Spirit. Good thing we subdued her in time. We’ll have to teach her a proper lesson in bed later.”
“The boss deserves the credit. This girl’s first time goes to the boss.”
“Shut up! Something’s wrong!”
The Demonic Sword Cultivator called the boss stared gravely at his Life-bound Sword.
Cracks had appeared across the blade without warning, as if it were being engulfed by scorching magma. The temperature rose higher and higher until the sword could no longer hold itself together—it shattered entirely and turned to ash.
The Demonic Sword Cultivator suffered the Backlash from his Life-bound Sword and spat out a mouthful of blood.
He muttered to himself, “Something’s wrong. Even Heavenly Burning Flame couldn’t melt this sword of mine. For it to be reduced to ash in an instant… could it be—”
“What is it?”
The youth’s voice carried a hint of curiosity.
Only then did the Demonic Sword Cultivator notice him. The wound he had pierced through the youth’s heart was still dripping blood.
Yet the youth wore a smile, as if the injury he had sustained was nothing more than a trivial scratch.
But when the blood hit the ground, it turned black—as if his blood were flames that, having nothing to burn, could only merge into the scorched earth beneath.
In disbelief, he looked again at the smiling youth and gasped: “You are Lizhu—”
The moment those words left his mouth, his face turned deathly pale.
Flames erupted across his body, and he collapsed helplessly to his knees.
Like the sword before him, he was consumed by the blazing fire and turned to ash in an instant—without even a chance to struggle.
A Nascent Soul Stage Demonic Sword Cultivator, gone just like that, because he uttered a single name?!
“It really is him—he’s escaped! Run!”
The other two Demonic Cultivators turned to flee, but their bodies were lifted into the air against their will.
“You haven’t told me who I am yet,” the youth said lazily.
The Demonic Cultivators shook their heads desperately, their faces flushed red, refusing to utter that name.
Because speaking that name was a fate worse than death.
The youth curved his lips. “You don’t know? What a pity.”
He snapped his fingers, and the two Demonic Cultivators dissolved into mist, scattering into the air—not even ashes remained.
The name Lizhu carried with it the most ancient curse from birth. Legend said only one person could ever speak it aloud.
And that person would be the one destined to kill Lizhu.
For thousands of years, no such person had ever existed.
Lizhu crouched down, looking at the unconscious girl, tilting his head slightly.
Someone who could kill him?
He liked living. He didn’t like leaving loose ends.
A playful expression crossed Lizhu’s face as a smile tugged at his lips. A wisp of black mist condensed once more in his palm.