Chapter 234: Demon King

The girl, like a dragon, slowly spat out a black pearl.

Li Yuanying, the First Scholar of the Nation, once lectured the Prince on the myriad aspects of life. The Prince chose to remember only six and had truly witnessed only one: the Gonggong aspect. Two individuals possessed this: his younger brother Xu Longxiang, and Lu Dou, the servant with double pupils brought by the Lu family from Qingzhou. Both "Yellow Barbarian" (Xu Longxiang) and this double-pupiled servant, who once saved Lu Chengyan from the claws of a mountain bear, were naturally endowed with astonishing strength. Even without martial arts training, their innate gifts allowed them to lift thousand-catty cauldrons and tear apart tigers and leopards with seemingly divine assistance. However, the girl from Qijianle before him was not only a "Heavenly Human Aspect" coveted by Daoist masters but also the "Dragon Consort Aspect" sought after in Tantric dual cultivation. To put it simply, such a person was like a living ginseng strolling through the streets – how could she not attract malicious intent?

Moreover, possessing both aspects, she couldn't have endured without a body like "Yellow Barbarian's." Her ability to be alive and energetic today could only be attributed to the black pearl, rumored to have been placed in the mouth of the Great Qin Empress upon her entombment eight hundred years ago. It was said that the previous dynasty's tomb had been robbed, but there were no reports of the pearl being found. When Xu Fengnian saw the girl spit out the pearl and her eyes glaze over, he instinctively tried to force the pearl back into her mouth. But it was too late. Her lifeless, vacant eyes suddenly transformed without warning, becoming one red and one purple, gleaming brilliantly. Xu Fengnian was horrified. His reaction was swift, though he couldn't prevent the "dragon spitting pearl" phenomenon. Immediately, he pressed his left hand down on the hilt of the Spring Thunder saber and pushed firmly against the girl's chest with his right hand, attempting to disperse the surging, thunderous energy within her. At that moment, he didn't care if what he felt in his palm was soft or firm; the notion of men and women not touching was a joke. Even the slightest distraction might cost him his life inexplicably.

Sweat beaded on Xu Fengnian's unmoving forehead. The Great Huangting energy, eight-tenths of which Wang Chonglou had infused into him, was completely overwhelmed despite his direct confrontation with the girl's vital energy! The girl's eyes spun rapidly, like a malevolent spirit reversing its path from the underworld back to the human realm, slowly adapting to a drastically different world. Not only was his right hand, which he had used to push her, stuck, but Xu Fengnian's left hand, resting on Spring Thunder, was also immobilized. He stood before the girl like a statue, maintaining a posture that appeared intimate and warm but was, in fact, extremely perilous. Her eyes finally focused, staring directly at Xu Fengnian's face, which was inches away. The black pearl spun joyfully around the girl, casting faint, firefly-like glows in the dim light.

The girl, whose identity as Huang Baozhuang of Qijianle was now uncertain, extended a slender finger and gently tapped Xu Fengnian's forehead.

The vital energy within Xu Fengnian's body exploded almost inch by inch, creating a sound like soybeans popping in a pot. One could imagine how abundant the Prince's vital energy was, and how immense the pain he endured. The torture of a thousand cuts would surely be more terrifying than a single beheading. His recent study of Wang Xianzhi's saber manual, especially the page detailing the energy flow of "Sword Qi Rolling Dragon Wall," had enabled Xu Fengnian, who was constantly striving against the current, to withstand the bone-chilling tremors that would cause an ordinary person to faint. The more resilient he was, the greater his suffering at this moment. As if surprised that Xu Fengnian wasn't killed by a mere flick of her finger, the girl stiffly and slowly tilted her head, then looked down. She saw Spring Thunder slide out an inch at a visible speed, then largely return to its sheath, repeating this arduous process until it finally emerged two and a half inches. Her patience exhausted, she struck like lightning, slapping Xu Fengnian's hand. Spring Thunder instantly retracted completely into its sheath. Not only that, the residual force of Spring Thunder's impact against the sheath caused the short saber to swing upwards in an arc at Xu Fengnian's left hip. Immediately after, her left hand "gently" pushed Xu Fengnian's mouth.

Xu Fengnian's feet left the ground. He, along with his saber, was flung backward, colliding with the "Buddhist Niche Record" stele. The sturdy, three-inch-thick stone stele didn't just break; the chaotic vital energy within Xu Fengnian affected it, causing the entire human-height monument to instantly shatter into countless fragments.

After stabilizing himself, Xu Fengnian showed no surprise, fear, sorrow, or joy. He suppressed the pain somewhat, forced his vital energy to circulate smoothly, and pressed his left hand on Spring Thunder. Looking up, he saw she was not rushing to pursue him. He raised his right hand and wiped away the crimson blood from the corner of his mouth. Not knowing how Qijianle had raised such a monstrous girl, she tilted her head, looked at Xu Fengnian, and tugged at the corner of her mouth, likely mocking his inability to withstand her. She extended a finger and pointed beyond the city wall, kindly inviting Xu Fengnian to try escaping.

So, Xu Fengnian, not wanting to disappoint her, darted towards the city wall. He tapped his toe on the merlon, then twisted in mid-air. Spring Thunder smoothly unsheathed three inches, and his body slammed forcefully towards the enigmatic girl. Escape? With her formidable methods, he would surely die the moment his body hit the ground. Five paces away, at the crucial instant Spring Thunder was about to be fully drawn, she casually took a step forward. A jade-like hand with fingers as slender as green onions pushed outward, causing Xu Fengnian's body to stall, precisely delaying the unsheathing of Spring Thunder at that critical juncture. Her other hand reached out and retracted mid-air, drawing Xu Fengnian towards her as if a dragon was drawing water. The girl suddenly accelerated, stepping quickly forward, swinging her arm horizontally, and striking Xu Fengnian's chest with a resounding blow. His body, like a kite pulled by a full bowstring, was sent flying backward again. The girl continued forward, seemingly strolling leisurely but moving with blinding speed. She "slowly" moved to Xu Fengnian's side, while he was still airborne, and delivered an elbow strike to his waist. Xu Fengnian's body slammed into the side wall, leaving a dent. He fell to one knee, spitting out a large mouthful of clotted blood, leaving a shocking red stain on the blue brick ground.

With an expressionless face, she crooked a finger.

Xu Fengnian silently used the tip of Spring Thunder's scabbard to support himself, pushing his body up and straightening his back. He was utterly lost to himself, devoid of pain or extraneous thoughts. In his mind, only the essence of "Sword Qi Rolling Dragon Wall" remained, his vital energy boiling.

Energy capable of swallowing Yunmengze and shaking Mount Kunlun.

Xu Fengnian no longer gripped Spring Thunder. He assumed a starting stance with his hands forward, and his feet kicked up two clouds of dust from the ground.

At this tense moment of life-or-death struggle, her stomach rumbled. She sighed softly, and the vast murderous aura that had enveloped the entire city wall vanished without a trace. She lowered her head, rubbing her belly, and murmured, "I'm hungry."

As Xu Fengnian's vital energy relaxed, her face appeared before him in a blink, almost touching his. Grasping Xu Fengnian's arms, the temperamental girl said hoarsely, "When I'm hungry, I especially like to kill people. How about I tear off your arms?"

A cold-blooded look appeared on Xu Fengnian's resolute face. He gathered all the vital energy he had feigned relaxing, opened his mouth, and sucked the black pearl into his teeth. If she tore off his arms, he would risk all of his Great Huangting energy to shatter the pearl.

She asked, "Do you really think I'd let you have your way?"

When they first met, Xu Fengnian spoke and she was silent. Now, the tables had turned, and Xu Fengnian was speechless.

She smiled, released Xu Fengnian's arms, and without any visible movement of her vital energy, the black pearl escaped Xu Fengnian's control and returned to spin playfully around her. She leaped onto the city wall, leaned down to look at Xu Fengnian, and said, "Consider yourself lucky. I once promised her that I wouldn't kill the first person I saw after spitting out the black pearl."

Xu Fengnian wasn't foolish; he knew the girl from Qijianle had a dual personality. He clearly preferred interacting with her shy and graceful self. This current persona of hers should be at least at the Finger Profound realm. Spitting out the black pearl was akin to unleashing a monstrous being. No wonder she had urged him to flee earlier. Xu Fengnian wasn't coveting the legendary black pearl, said to grant eternal youth to women. He merely wished to witness the wonders of the Heavenly Human Aspect and the Dragon Consort Aspect. However, he never in his wildest dreams anticipated that a single pearl would cause such immense trouble. Killing across realms was certainly impressive, but it proved to be something Xu Fengnian couldn't yet achieve.

She said playfully, "Promising not to kill doesn't mean you'll live comfortably. But you do have some minor abilities, enough to withstand a flick of my finger. You really should have drawn your saber and killed me from the start; you wouldn't be in such a sorry state. Why did you hesitate? Showing pity for a pretty face, how foolish. Your saber practice has reached the point of 'deliberate intent.' That's similar to Li Chungang's method of sheathing and sealing his sword after reaching the Finger Profound realm, isn't it? Yes, you just displayed a rudimentary form of Li Chungang's 'Sword Qi Rolling Dragon Wall' in the Western Shu Imperial Palace. What's your relationship with that old man? Tell me, and if I'm pleased, I might teach you a few tricks that are no worse than 'Two Sleeves Green Snakes.'"

Xu Fengnian, unnecessarily, gripped Spring Thunder.

The girl stood on the city wall with her hands behind her back, her red and purple eyes chilling. She looked down and smiled faintly, "Oh, it seems that old fellow truly holds a special place in your heart, since you're willing to risk your life to protect him? What's so great about him? He only entered the Vajra realm at sixteen and the Finger Profound realm at nineteen—that's roughly similar to me. Besides, he only reached the Heavenly Phenomenon realm at twenty-four, which is later than me. 'If Heaven had not given birth to Li Chungang, the sword path would be an eternal night'—how amusing, truly amusing. I think it's just that your Liyang Dynasty lacks true masters. Oh, Wang Xianzhi counts as one."

Xu Fengnian, who had remained silent all this time, finally opened his mouth, spitting out the blood that had long welled up in his throat. It wasn't that he wanted to be mute; he simply couldn't speak. He could only form a few words with his lips towards her.

She extended a finger, and the black pearl spun around it. She smiled and said, "Oh, you're saying 'go to hell'?"

After she finished speaking, Xu Fengnian's sleeves flapped, and after he closed his mouth again, the blood oozing from his lips became even thicker.

She pursed her lips and sneered, "It's only because you don't know who I am, otherwise where would all this worthless backbone come from?"

She jumped down from the city wall, stretched, grasped the black pearl, and gently rubbed it against her cheek, sighing wistfully, "Time to go back."

The black pearl re-entered her mouth. The brilliance in her eyes gradually faded, becoming dim. The girl with the Green Waist Sword hanging at her side stood there with a bewildered expression. With difficulty, she noticed Xu Fengnian sitting collapsed on the ground. Her eyes welling up, she scurried over to the Prince, lips tightly sealed, and gestured in the air with her fingers. Xu Fengnian, still not daring to relax, understood. She was signing: "Don't kill me. I'm sorry. If I open my mouth or die, she will come out and kill many people."

Xu Fengnian secretly congratulated himself for not striking a fatal blow when she "returned." Her earlier words, meant to deliberately provoke him, were indeed premeditated. Perhaps she had even intentionally given him the opportunity to kill her other self. This terrifying "demon" possessed considerable cunning. This relatively ordinary Qijianle swordswoman before him was merely approaching the Vajra realm, like himself. In close combat, Xu Fengnian was ninety percent confident he could slay her. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to instantly subdue her when she held the pearl and wasn't mad. She was clearly a novice, lacking experience in the jianghu or in real combat. Many direct disciples of top sects were like this: they advanced rapidly in martial arts according to established routines, seemingly leaving others in the dust. However, if they encountered a martial artist of the same realm who had gained experience through hardship in the jianghu, they would surely face death. Furthermore, given her once-in-a-century situation, Qijianle's decision not to chain her up like a beast was already quite magnanimous.

Xu Fengnian coughed up blood and smiled bitterly, as tragically as one could. This made Huang Baozhuang, who had grown up in Qijianle and was unfamiliar with the world, feel boundless guilt, to the point where she completely forgot that this calamity was brought upon herself by the saber-wielding man. There were two distinct extremes: one persona, who had caused an appalling catastrophe the last time she appeared; and the other, who only buried herself in sword practice, and dealt with everyone in Qijianle by the "dumbest" method – maintaining a cold expression. Whatever her master said, she obeyed. After her master's death, she was as lost as a blind person, only daring to hide and cry secretly.

This persona, at this very moment, forgot her modesty and shyness. She trembled as she reached out to wipe the blood from this stranger's face, but couldn't clean it off. Xu Fengnian gently raised a hand to block her clumsy attempts, and with a helpless expression, said, "It's fine. You'll get used to spitting blood. You won't die."

Xu Fengnian asked curiously, "Who is she?"

Huang Baozhuang sobbed and fell silent.

Xu Fengnian didn't press the matter. In the Liyang Dynasty, Daoism had significantly declined, especially after Qi Xuanzhen single-handedly annihilated the six major sects at Golden Summit. After Xu Xiao swept through the jianghu, any gang with even a slight hint of Daoist affiliation hastily changed its name and laid low. However, the Northern Mang Dynasty was vastly different. Beyond supporting a few major sects to monopolize the jianghu, the Northern Mang imperial court consistently ignored what were called "Daoist factions." As a result, even major evil sects that openly consumed human hearts and livers or practiced yin-yang harvesting could thrive. The Northern Mang imperial court always adhered to the principle that jianghu matters should be resolved by jianghu people themselves. This time, the Northern Mang martial arts ranking list, in addition to the "Ten People of the World," also listed ten Daoist magnates. Any one of them, if brought to the Liyang Dynasty, would be enough to cause their heads to be circulated through the jianghu ten times over. Among them, Luoyang, who topped the list, fought across the four major states of Dongjin, Baoping, Juzi, and Longyao with just his bare hands. Finally, he brazenly marched into the imperial city, killing anyone he encountered. This wasn't enough; it wasn't until the military god Tuoba Pusa personally intervened at the entrance of the imperial palace that this purple-robed demon's advance was halted.

The Northern Mang Emperor was watching the battle from the city wall. He patiently refrained from deploying the six thousand armored guards protecting the imperial city. Instead, he said, "Using six thousand armored soldiers to kill one Luoyang, wouldn't my majestic Northern Mang lose twelve thousand brave men?"

Such a jianghu, such a Northern Mang, was something one should truly witness firsthand.

"Fengnian, have you ever considered whether Beiliang's 300,000 iron cavalry, while worrying about being stabbed in the back, can truly withstand a direct southward advance from the Northern Mang Dynasty?" That question was posed by Xu Xiao late that night, as their secret conversation drew to a close.

Xu Fengnian shifted back, leaning against the wall, finally staunching the flow of blood. He casually wiped his mouth with his sleeve and said with a bitter smile, "It was an impulse at the time; I meant no disrespect to the young lady. Please forgive me."

Huang Baozhuang shook her head, pointed at Xu Fengnian's face, and continued to gesture, "Your mask is broken."

Earlier, he had squatted at the base of the Yanhuiguan wall to put on a disguise mask meticulously crafted by Shu Xiu. After his battle with "her," the mask was seven or eight tenths shattered. Xu Fengnian carefully peeled it off piece by piece, and with her help pointing things out, his original, slightly pale face gradually emerged.

Xu Fengnian extended a hand. She thought he wanted her to help him up, so she also extended her hand, only to be pulled into his embrace.

Huang Baozhuang, flustered, stiffened in his arms.

Xu Fengnian chuckled softly, "I know what you want to say—that you don't like me. I never said I liked you either, but after spitting so much blood, I should at least get my investment back. I don't do losing businesses."

The exhausted Prince closed his eyes.

He remembered Xu Xiao saying that the first time he met his wife when he was young, he was beaten half to death.