Chapter 31

One

Guo Zhushan, floating at a height of two zhang (approximately 6 meters), had a dark purple aura surging from his entire body.

Anyone who saw it would know.

That terrifying and bizarre power was absolutely beyond the realm of human control.

However, Guo Zhushan, already intoxicated by that forbidden power, paid no heed to such matters.

"Ooh! Great Demon God! This insignificant creature is merely amazed and astonished!"

He was merely drenched in madness, worshipping his deity.

The fact that using 'Grace' would result in a month of immobility to replenish demonic energy had long been forgotten from his mind.

Soon, as his excitement subsided, Guo Zhushan revealed a sense of satisfaction with his condition.

'The manipulation of demonic energy has become much smoother compared to before.'

This was the second time he had revealed the power of 'Grace,' and it had become much more natural than before.

'I can maintain this state for about half an hour.'

Half an hour.

Though it was a short time, he did not mind.

After all, during the first battle, it had taken him no more than half an hour to sweep away a medium-sized sect in Hainan with his own strength.

At that moment, the reverence in Guo Zhushan's eyes suddenly turned into the gaze of a predator stalking its prey.

'You insignificant scoundrel who has disrupted the great plan of the cult!'

As he looked down at Liu Xinyun, the mastermind behind all this, a thick killing intent that could freeze the surrounding air emanated from him.

Guo Zhushan expected that Liu Xinyun would be terrified by the power of the great demon.

However.

'What?'

Contrary to his expectations, Liu Xinyun was not trembling at all.

He held his chin with one hand and continued to scrutinize Guo Zhushan.

At that moment, the only emotion that flickered in his eyes was one of 'interest.'

Indeed, the boy was not at all afraid of his power.

He merely looked like a child who had discovered a new toy.

Liu Xinyun's muttering could be heard.

"The transformation is not due to a parasitic species. Hmm, it doesn't seem to be the result of erosion either..."

A series of incomprehensible words followed.

Suddenly, their gazes crossed in the air.

"Well, the answer will come as I strike."

Shiver.

Instantly, a chill ran down Guo Zhushan's spine.

'What is this! How could I...!'

He violently shook his head.

How could he, who had received the power of the demon god, feel fear even for a moment from such a young brat?

It was impossible.

Even if the other had mastered the martial arts technique 'Pao Gu Rou Pian Gong' (Bone-Breaking Flesh-Splitting Technique), which could explode corpses like bombs, there were no more zombies left to use as materials.

Now, Liu Xinyun was nothing more than a bug that could be killed with a finger.

He regained his composure.

'I will offer him as a sacrifice to the Demon God!'

And in the next moment.

Whoosh!

His figure disappeared into the air like mist.

It was not just a metaphor; he literally turned into mist and vanished.

As the skeleton knights quickly scanned their surroundings, they could not find him anywhere.

However, Liu Xinyun, showing no signs of surprise, lazily watched a certain direction with half-open eyes.

Swoosh.

He lightly took a step back from where he stood.

Then, he quietly moved his lips.

"Bone Spear."

Whoosh!

Thud!

"Ah!"

A terrifying piercing sound and a scream echoed together.

A wall of sharp bone spears, reaching up to shoulder height, had risen from the spot where Liu Xinyun had been standing just moments ago.

And the bone wall had mercilessly pierced through Guo Zhushan's left arm.

The moment Guo Zhushan revealed himself, the bone spears had risen, piercing through his flesh.

"Ugh!"

Guo Zhushan painfully pulled his left arm, now reduced to rags, out of the bone mass.

Blood from his arm soaked the ground.

'...This can't be! It's impossible!'

Whoosh!

He used the power of 'Grace' again.

Once more, he turned into mist and disappeared.

Liu Xinyun turned his head, his gaze shifting to the left.

Thud.

He lightly turned his body and used the 'Bone Spear' skill to raise a wall of bone from the ground, just as before.

Whoosh!

Thud!

"Ugh!"

Again, the bone wall and Guo Zhushan appeared at the exact same moment.

This time, it was Guo Zhushan's right arm that was pierced.

His face, pale with extreme pain, was frozen in shock.

It was not because he had lost too much blood.

'Impossible! This is impossible!'

This clearly showed that Liu Xinyun had completely deciphered his power.

At that moment, Liu Xinyun curled the corners of his mouth and said,

"What a pity. If it had been a bit to the side, I could have made you one-eyed."

His innocent smile was cruel beyond measure.

Guo Zhushan spoke as if spitting out words from deep within.

"...You! How?"

"A lower-grade Mist Blank will always cause a mana distortion before reaching its destination. I just added a little nudge at that point."

"...What?"

Despite Liu Xinyun's kind explanation, Guo Zhushan merely looked bewildered.

But only for a moment.

'How dare you! Insulting the Demon God!'

Misinterpreting Liu Xinyun's incomprehensible words as an insult to the demon god, the enraged Guo Zhushan began to use the power of 'Grace' again, ignoring the strain on his body.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

This time, the blood that had soaked the ground rose into the air, swirling around.

Dozens of blood droplets, each the size of a human head, floated around Guo Zhushan, moving gracefully.

With bloodshot eyes, Guo Zhushan shouted,

"Die!"

Whoosh!

The blood droplets, now sharp and pointed like spears and thorns, rained down on Liu Xinyun and the skeleton knights with a piercing sound.

The blood spears and thorns, like the fangs of a beast, aimed to pierce through them in an instant.

Guo Zhushan smiled with satisfaction.

'If you try to cut, go ahead! I will split and enter your body, sucking all your blood in an instant!'

He could clearly see Liu Xinyun, reduced to a beggar, pleading for his life.

However, Liu Xinyun, with a nonchalant expression, merely cast a newly acquired defensive skill.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

As Liu Xinyun uttered the incantation, a chilling sound echoed.

From beneath his feet, translucent spirits poured out.

The spirits swirled around him, forming a semicircular barrier in an instant.

Clang! Clang!

"..."

Guo Zhushan, unable to believe the scene before him, was speechless.

The blood spears and thorns continued to pierce through, but none could penetrate the translucent barrier.

Naturally, they could not suck any blood.

Guo Zhushan was shocked.

'Sword Barrier! Could this brat's realm be so transcendent?'

He mistakenly believed that Liu Xinyun had cast a Sword Barrier, a transcendent skill comparable to sword techniques.

However, Liu Xinyun, of course, did not care about his misunderstanding.

'Indeed, nothing beats a Soul Barrier for blocking spell attacks.'

The Soul Barrier was a skill that created a semicircular protective shield made of spirits, excelling in defending against spell attacks.

Unable to inflict even a scratch on Liu Xinyun, an unbearable frustration crept into Guo Zhushan's heart.

'If I can't do it, maybe my subordinates can!'

By absorbing blood, he could recover a bit of his demonic energy.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

The blood spears and thorns, which had been futilely striking the Soul Barrier, changed their targets upon their master's command.

Whoosh!

Thud!

Thud!

With a piercing sound, the blood spears and thorns pierced through the Phantom Robes of the skeleton knights.

Only You Yilang, who had instantly extended dozens of swift blades, managed to avoid the attack.

'Got it!'

Guo Zhushan inwardly rejoiced.

It was clear that You Yilang had been tricked and lost both arms, unable to fully exert his strength.

Now, it was time for the subordinates to regain their strength and counterattack.

'Now, with the strength regained through blood absorption...?'

However, Guo Zhushan's expression gradually twisted.

He began to tremble like a leaf.

"Why, why is this happening!"

Thud.

Thud.

The skeleton knights casually pulled the blood spears and thorns out of their bodies, showing no signs of damage.

Liu Xinyun clicked his tongue.

'No matter how much you stab, nothing will come out. After all, there's no blood to absorb from a skeleton.'

Indeed, there was no blood to absorb from the skeletal remains of the skeleton knights.

As his last resort failed, despair settled on Guo Zhushan's face.

At that moment, the counterattack of the skeleton knights began.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

From the weapons of the ten skeleton knights, a resounding resonance sound erupted simultaneously.

Their weapons were brimming with inner energy.

They launched their attacks in unison.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

With a fierce piercing sound, ten sword winds, manifested from the tips of their weapons, flew towards Guo Zhushan simultaneously.

"Ah!"

Guo Zhushan was momentarily taken aback by the numerous sword winds that filled the air.

The sword winds had already occupied all ten directions he could evade to. The only way to avoid them was to use the power of 'Grace' again.

'What, what to do?'

However, as he tried to use his power, he was now afraid. He feared that his limbs would be torn apart by Liu Xinyun's bone wall.

After a moment of hesitation, he made his decision.

Whoosh!

His body turned into mist, evading the sword winds.

Liu Xinyun, who was exerting all his strength to maintain the Sword Barrier, thought he would not be able to attack.

However, he had overlooked one crucial fact.

The strongest martial artist in this place was not Liu Xinyun.

Whoosh!

At that moment, You Yilang disappeared from his spot.

Thud!

"Ugh!"

Black blood rained from the sky.

When Guo Zhushan reappeared, You Yilang was already there, his blade piercing through Guo Zhushan's abdomen.

Liu Xinyun's eyes were filled with surprise.

'Such an impossible speed!'

You Yilang's movement was so fast that he seemed to have vanished for a moment.

Boom!

Guo Zhushan fell from the air, crashing to the ground.

Liu Xinyun clicked his tongue at the sight.

'...How did he determine the position to appear?'

It seemed that You Yilang had learned from his methods.

It was a terrifying martial artist.

However, despite Liu Xinyun's exasperated gaze, You Yilang simply retrieved his sword as if nothing had happened.

Thus, the battle ended in a rather anticlimactic manner.

A perfect victory for Liu Xinyun.

Liu Xinyun released the Soul Barrier and quietly approached Guo Zhushan.

"Ugh, cough!"

The boy, lying on the ground like a worm, continued to spew black blood from his mouth.

Liu Xinyun spoke in a low voice.

"...You just temporarily transferred everything to another vessel, didn't you? Now that the vessel can no longer hold it, you're absorbing everything."

'What nonsense!'

Guo Zhushan could not speak. The out-of-control demonic energy was causing extreme pain.

Liu Xinyun continued.

"You should have used martial arts. Using 'their' power in front of me, how could you possibly win?"

"Ugh! That, cough. What do you mean...?"

Despite Liu Xinyun's words, which seemed to insult the demon god, Guo Zhushan managed to complete his sentence.

Testing him one last time, but Guo Zhushan's reaction was the same as before.

'Does he really not know?'

It seemed genuine, but he did not let go of his doubts until the end. With a gaze as cold as the ice of the Northern Sea, Liu Xinyun spoke to him.

To which Liu Xinyun replied in a low voice.

"...Mist Blank, Bloody Spear, Bloody Shot. I can tell whose power it is just by looking."

Liu Xinyun could never lose to Guo Zhushan.

The power the boy possessed was too familiar to him.

The power Guo Zhushan used was...

"You, how are you using the power of the 'Vampire Lord'?"

It was the power of the 'Monster' he had fought all his life in his previous life.

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