88 Slaying Evil
The Golden Scale Beast possessed a trace of the ancient ferocious beast Taotie’s bloodline.
In Jiang Huai’s eyes, the Golden Scale Beast resembled a lion and tiger, four meters long and two meters tall. Its primary attack method was brute force, with particularly sharp claws. Its scales gleamed with golden light and were exceptionally tough, hence its name.
Gripping his sword, Jiang Huai immediately lunged, aiming for the Golden Scale Beast’s eyes. Lin Ji promptly drew his saber, the Thin Cultivator wielded a long staff, and Bai Li also unsheathed her sword. The four leaped almost simultaneously, their weapons flashing. The Golden Scale Beast let out a deafening roar, momentarily stunning the four. The beast then lunged at Lin Ji, who was at the forefront. The Fat Cultivator, hiding behind the others, calmly gathered spiritual qi, which transformed into a spirit rope that snaked towards the Golden Scale Beast.
The Golden Scale Beast swiped with its sharp claws, but the four’s blades had already landed on its body. Its scales were indeed sturdy, leaving only faint white marks. Fortunately, the Thin Cultivator’s staff struck the beast’s waist instantly, eliciting a pained cry. The beast’s claws began to flail wildly. Jiang Huai and Bai Li exchanged a look. They had practiced together in the secret realm for a long time, their coordination effortless. Almost in unison, they pierced the Golden Scale Beast’s eyes.
Meanwhile, Lin Ji slashed at the beast’s cheek. Soon, its pale golden blood began to flow. Howling, the beast’s scales emitted a faint crimson glow. It immediately broke free from the spirit rope and lunged at the four.
Jiang Huai and Bai Li dodged with remarkable speed, but Lin Ji was less fortunate. His dodge was a moment too slow, and the Golden Scale Beast swatted him in the chest with its claw. Jiang Huai and Bai Li immediately followed up with their swords, to finish the beast. Since Lin Ji hadn’t failed them, they naturally adhered to the spirit of their contract.
Despite its strength, the Golden Scale Beast was only at the late Nascent Soul stage. In this cave, Lin Ji was at the middle Nascent Soul stage, as were the Fat and Thin Cultivators. Bai Li was at the peak of the middle Nascent Soul stage. Most crucially, Jiang Huai and Bai Li had blinded the beast. Its vision was blurred, forcing it to rely on their auras to distinguish them. Despite its fierce struggles, after the time it took for an incense stick to burn, it finally died with a mournful howl.
The final blow was struck by Bai Li. She grabbed Jiang Huai’s Yening Sword and plunged it into the Golden Scale Beast’s heart, ending its suffering.
There was danger, but no true harm.
Jiang Huai glanced at Bai Li. She had sustained no injuries, nor had he. Lin Ji and the Thin Cultivator, however, were slightly wounded, as Jiang Huai and Bai Li had dodged too quickly for the beast to harm them.
Jiang Huai felt a twinge of guilt and said, “I’ll only take one Golden Scale Fruit.”
“I’ll take one too, then. You can divide the rest,” Bai Li said softly. The atmosphere, however, grew tense as they approached the division of treasures.
The Golden Scale Fruit tree stood before them, yet none dared to approach, clearly distrusting each other. Lin Ji hesitated for a moment before saying, “Then, we’ll divide it as agreed. I’ll retrieve the fruits, and you can all watch me.”
With that, Lin Ji stepped forward and plucked all seven Golden Scale Fruits from the tree. Golden Scale Fruits were the staple food of Golden Scale Beasts from a young age, and it was precisely their consumption that gave the beasts their robust scales. Were it not for the sharpness of Jiang Huai’s Yening Sword, an ordinary Profound-tier spirit sword would likely have been blunted against the beast’s defense.
Lin Ji picked the spirit fruits and tossed two to Jiang Huai and Bai Li respectively. They accepted the fruits and offered quiet thanks. Jiang Huai, meanwhile, approached the Golden Scale Beast and carefully used his spirit sword to open its chest cavity, searching for a core.
Outside the cave, Hong Shao entered, a slight smile on her lips as she surveyed the scene. She then turned to Lin Ji and exclaimed, “You’re badly injured!”
Lin Ji chuckled playfully. He had already distributed one Golden Scale Fruit each to the Fat and Thin Cultivators. He kept two for himself, and one was naturally for Hong Shao. He toyed with the fruit meant for her for a moment. “If you want your Golden Scale Fruit, shouldn’t you show me something in return?”
Hong Shao bit her lip, a blush of feigned innocence on her cheeks. She pouted, “You’re a pest.”
With that, she gently grasped the ties of her red dress and with a slight tug, the garment fell to the ground. She slowly approached Lin Ji and straddled him. “Then, since your injuries are the most severe… shall I heal you first?”
Lin Ji gently embraced her slender waist.
Bai Li left before Lin Ji began to undress, uninterested in the spectacle of human mating. Jiang Huai was still searching for the core. He inadvertently looked up and, witnessing the scene before him, couldn’t help but sigh, marveling at the ruthlessness of the women from Joyful Union Valley.
The Fat Cultivator’s eyes gleamed. The Thin Cultivator glanced down at the wounds left by the Golden Scale Beast’s claws on his chest. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to stay.
A few minutes later, Lin Ji’s chest wounds began to heal. Hong Shao’s waist trembled slightly. She stood up, approached the Fat Cultivator, and gently wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering in his ear, “Do you prefer me to take the initiative, or will you?”
As her words fell, she was swept into the Fat Cultivator’s embrace.
Jiang Huai continued to search for the Golden Scale Beast’s core. He had scoured its body, but to no avail, and sighed regretfully. Not all Golden Scale Beasts necessarily formed a core. When he stood up again, Hong Shao had already moved on to the Thin Cultivator.
The Thin Cultivator remained expressionless, silent. Hong Shao panted heavily. Jiang Huai turned to leave, but Hong Shao called out softly, “Little brother… where are you going?”
“Ah… I’m not injured, so I don’t need healing. You all have your fun,” Jiang Huai said, shrugging innocently. But as he took a step, Lin Ji’s figure flashed before him.
At that very instant, the Fat Cultivator on the side spat out a mouthful of black blood.
The expressionless Thin Cultivator froze at the sight, sensing imminent danger. But it was too late. The spirit bracelet on Hong Shao’s wrist, held tightly by him, transformed into a sharp blade and severed his neck.
His eyes widened in disbelief. Before he could even utter a sound, Hong Shao grabbed the blade and drove it into his chest. He died without making a sound.
Jiang Huai’s expression shifted slightly.
“Damn it, there was a backup plan! Greed truly is a dangerous thing! Jiiang Xiaohu, remember the fate of these two unfortunate souls!”
The Thin Cultivator’s body slowly slumped to the ground, blood spraying onto Hong Shao’s face. Her eyes, however, became increasingly bright. Her blood-splattered cheeks and undisguised greed glinted in her eyes. She picked up her fallen dress and slowly put it on. Lin Ji had also dressed. They stood beside each other, their gazes fixed on Jiang Huai, their eyes openly displaying a greedy glint.
“You know each other?” Jiang Huai couldn’t help but remark. “Then why isn’t he poisoned?”
“I’m a cultivator who was expelled from Joyful Union Valley for practicing their forbidden techniques,” Hong Shao replied nonchalantly, wiping the blood from her face. With a flick of her finger, two ethereal spirit insects crawled out of the Fat and Thin Cultivators’ bodies and entered hers. The two men had now become dried husks.
Lin Ji remained impassive. Hong Shao suddenly smiled. “Little brother, how about we have a chat?”
“About what?” Jiang Huai faltered.
Hong Shao merely glanced at Lin Ji, and his body naturally knelt down. Hong Shao gracefully sat on his back and said, “I’ve used this trick countless times. His face has been recognized by several rogue cultivators who managed to escape. It’s time I found a new bait.”
Lin Ji, groaning beneath Hong Shao, broke out in a cold sweat. “Master… I’m still useful… Master… don’t kill me…”
Hong Shao gently patted his head. “Be quiet,” she said calmly.
Lin Ji could no longer make a sound, his body stiffening. Jiang Huai looked innocently at Hong Shao, awaiting her next words.
“Be my servant and find fools like these dead ones for your sister. Sister likes your face. If you grow tired of it, sister can play for a long time, and you can live for a long time. If you refuse, then there’s only one outcome.”
“Tell me?”
“How do you feel about being drained to death by your sister?”
“No, it sounds stinky,” Jiang Huai replied, shaking his head. He chuckled. “So, if I refuse, you’ll kill me, right?”
Hong Shao looked at his face, unable to comprehend why he could still laugh. Logically, he should be begging for mercy or trying to escape.
“I advise you to choose the first option, because I… am no ordinary late Nascent Soul cultivator.” As she spoke, four red蛊虫 (gu worms) emerged simultaneously from her ears and nostrils. The worms quickly grew, transforming into four humanoid demon gu, each at the peak of the late Nascent Soul stage.
“That’s not necessary. I won’t agree. Just answer me: if I don’t agree, will you kill me?”
“Why ask that?”
“So I can kill you.”
“You can kill me?”
“Of course.”
“On what grounds?”
“Based on the spirit sword in my hand.”
“I quite like that sword. I can tell you’ve deliberately concealed its sword qi. This sword is definitely not an early Heaven-tier. But so what? You’re merely at the ninth level of Immaculate Golden Body, lacking a cultivated soul. Soon… your sword, and you, will be mine.”
Jiang Huai grinned. “Then it seems we have no choice but to fight to the death.”
Hong Shao still couldn’t understand his smile, but a sense of unease began to grow within her. Jiang Huai now knew her secret. If he spread this information within the secret realm, many righteous cultivators would likely come to hunt her down. Therefore, Jiang Huai would either become a servant controlled by her gu worms or die. Only these two outcomes were possible.
However, witnessing the contempt in Jiang Huai’s smile, her unease intensified. “Sister has never liked to engage in actual combat. Why don’t you tell me what trump cards you have? Sister will discuss it with you. We’ll mind our own business, sister won’t plant gu worms on you, and this sister will spend every night with you for these seven days. After leaving the secret realm, we’ll part ways?”
“Don’t get soft-hearted,” Jiang Huai said, blinking innocently. “No, you’re not getting soft-hearted, you’re just afraid you’re going to die.”
“Actually, I don’t like killing people, but when I was twelve, my master took me down the mountain to slay evil cultivators. The first thing she taught me was that when it’s time to draw your sword, you cannot hesitate.”
Instantly, the light of the Yening Sword illuminated the entire cave. Hong Shao unleashed all her soul power, attempting to control Jiang Huai’s consciousness. The four demon gu beside her also lunged at him.
But they all missed.
During the time Jiang Huai had wasted speaking to her, he had activated Mirror Flower, giving Hong Shao the illusion that he was still standing in place. Even though she was an evil cultivator skilled in gu, her soul cultivation was at most at the first level of Soul Transformation. Her realm was insufficient to see through his Mirror Flower.
Therefore, the moment the word “hesitate” from Jiang Huai’s lips reached Hong Shao’s ears, he was already behind her. His spirit sword, like a sickle, severed her head.
Killing someone was as simple as a nod of the head. The most important lesson Jiang Huai had learned from killing over the years was that the more nonsense you spoke, the higher the chance of flipping the script.
Hong Shao’s guess was correct. The Yening Sword was a high-grade Heaven-tier spirit sword, on par with Chu Xianning’s Suoxue Sword. With the Yening Sword’s sharpness, Hong Shao was instantly decapitated the moment it was drawn. Jiang Huai also flashed to the cave entrance. Based on his experience fighting many evil cultivators, if he didn’t run quickly, the blood gushing from their necks would not only splash onto him, staining his clothes, but some evil cultivators’ blood was also poisonous.
Jiang Huai knew this from past experience. The blood of an evil cultivator had corrosive effects, which had burned two large holes in the clothes Chu Xianning had personally made for him. He had stayed awake all night, heartbroken.
