Chapter 356

Boom!

Lu Qing's current strength was incredibly formidable. It was only a few puppet servants, forcibly enhanced through shortcuts.

Even a true Precelestial Realm cultivator wouldn’t be able to withstand his fist.

Therefore, Lu Qing didn’t even need to directly hit them with his fist.

The mere force of his punch sent the four figures flying back, vomiting blood mid-air. By the time they landed, their bones were shattered, leaving them almost completely incapacitated.

“Ah!”

The black runes on their bodies surged and trembled as if trying to break free from their skin.

In the next moment, their auras started to reassemble, showing signs of them trying to stand up once more.

“Hmm?”

Lu Qing was somewhat surprised at this sight.

Although he hadn’t used much of his power in that punch, it should have been more than enough to defeat them.

Yet, these few seemed to have only sustained severe injuries, showing no signs of having been killed by his blow, and even showing a hint of returning to fight.

This bizarre phenomenon was against the principles of martial arts.

“Interesting.”

With a single glance, Lu Qing could tell that the black runes on their bodies were responsible for this anomaly that defied the norms of martial arts.

With a slight movement of his fingers, the yellow light around him shimmered, and the force of the Earth Vein Magnetism once again pressed them to the ground, rendering them immobile.

He activated his ability, focusing intently.

Soon, several lines of text emerged above their bodies:

【Liu Jing: Disciple of Qingyun Sword Sect, Jizhou.】

【Cultivation Level: Postnatal Internal Organs Realm.】

【Controlled by a mysterious demonic cultivator through a secret method, rendering him a mindless puppet, sacrificing his life force in exchange for Precelestial-level power.】

...

“So, they were indeed under control?”

Lu Qing was unsurprised as he read the information displayed over them.

Instead, it was their identities that enlightened him. It seemed that the destruction of the Qingyun Sword Sect months ago was also the work of this mysterious demonic cultivator.

“Roar!”

Even while suppressed by the force of Earth Vein Magnetism, the Qingyun Sword Sect disciples showed no signs of stopping.

The black runes on their bodies rapidly rotated, drawing their life force and emanating a formidable aura as they struggled to rise.

“You all stay put for a while.”

Lu Qing said calmly.

With a slight movement of his mind, the suppressive force of Earth Vein Magnetism intensified, and the four controlled disciples were once again pressed into the ground.

Having done this, Lu Qing looked towards the direction of the city of Cangzhou.

Though he was curious about the black runes on them, this was not the time to study them.

He sensed that the demonic array up ahead was activating once more. If he delayed any longer, the city’s people wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer.

Without further hesitation, Lu Qing drew his bow and notched an arrow.

He unleashed his technique,

Falling Star

, firing three arrows that shot diagonally into the sky.

With three muffled explosions resounding from within the city, three array nodes were destroyed.

This time, the black light that enveloped the city trembled, dimming visibly.

The four Qingyun Sword Sect disciples, pinned to the ground, watched in shock.

They finally understood how the array nodes set up by their demonic master were being destroyed—by this youth with his bow and arrows!

Lu Qing, without pause, drew another set of three arrows, sending them flying.

“Damn it!”

As the three arrows fell, breaking three more nodes, the figure with disheveled hair saw the blood mist around the Black Bone Sword dissipate by a third. Unable to contain his anger, he fumed.

Out of the thirty-six nodes he had set up, nearly a third had now been destroyed.

If this destruction continued and more than half of the nodes were ruined, the simplified Ten Directions Blood-Melting Soul Refining Array would no longer be sustainable.

“Those useless minions can’t even buy me a little time. I need to see who dares to ruin my plans!”

The figure with disheveled hair knew that if he let the man outside continue, the array would be broken soon.

When that happened, all his efforts would be for nothing.

He had already exhausted nearly all the resources he had plundered from Qingyun Sword Sect for this array.

If it was destroyed, he’d have no resources left to set it up again.

Eyes cold with fury, he suddenly vanished from his spot, soaring into the air toward the city walls, aided by the array’s power.

...

“Who is that?”

In the city, as the Lord of Cangzhou and his people fought off the serpents of black qi, they noticed the disheveled figure soaring into the sky. They were astounded.

Someone who could fly above the sky, as if walking on wind—was there truly someone who could achieve this?

Even Precelestial Realm experts couldn’t fly!

“Lord! That person is the demonic cultivator who trapped us in Cangzhou!”

Wei Xinghe shouted, “Since he has appeared, it means the expert breaking the array is close to finishing! We just need to hold on a little longer, and we might see the array broken!”

Upon hearing this, the city lord and his men felt a surge of hope.

They had noticed the black light above had dimmed, and the black qi serpents had weakened.

Wei Xinghe wasn’t lying; there truly was an expert trying to save them.

Realizing this, the Precelestial Realm experts found renewed strength to cut down the black qi serpents.

“The Demon Lord has left the city?”

In a hidden street, Wei Zihao also saw the disheveled figure flying towards the gate, his heart racing.

He sensed the surge in qi from the city lord and his men, knowing he couldn’t take his father away on his own now.

He ceased his attempts and moved towards the city gate as well.

...

The disheveled figure swiftly flew to the top of the city gate, sensing the location of the demonic servants.

To his surprise, they were nearly a mile outside the city.

“Hm?”

The moment the figure appeared atop the city gate, Lu Qing sensed him.

Looking up, he saw the figure in black robes with a distinctly malevolent aura.

He raised an eyebrow. “So it’s you.”

“You?!”

Unlike Lu Qing’s calm demeanor, the disheveled figure’s body trembled as he recognized him, his eyes widening.

“Yes, it’s me. You demonic rat, in the Sacred City, I didn’t manage to finish you off with that strike. I can’t believe you’d run here to cause havoc.”

As he looked at the disheveled figure, Lu Qing activated his ability.

In the Sacred City, he had tried to probe this person’s identity several times but failed due to limited time.

Now, he could finally see who this demonic cultivator was.

“You, brat! Fate indeed brings us together! I have searched for you all this time!”

The disheveled figure had never expected to encounter Lu Qing here.

After the initial shock, he sneered, a malevolent smile spreading across his face.

“Since the day in the Sacred City, I swore that I would find you, tear you apart, and refine your soul to pay back for that strike. I didn’t think you’d appear before me so soon!”

Recalling his losses in the Sacred City, his heart still ached.

If Lu Qing hadn’t seized those strands of Heavenly Demon Energy, he would have already cultivated his demonic body to sweep across the world.

Now, he was forced to work in secrecy in a remote place like this.

Fueled by rage, he could barely suppress the urge to capture Lu Qing right there and then.

Yet his reason prevailed, knowing that Lu Qing wasn’t an ordinary figure.

Since the reawakening of spiritual energy, Lu Qing was the first to undergo tribulation and was undoubtedly a monstrous genius favored by the Heavenly Dao.

Such a prodigy couldn’t be judged by conventional standards.

Though seething with fury, the figure restrained himself, unwilling to leave the array’s protection.

“Tear you apart, refine my soul? Demon scum, do you have what it takes? Have you forgotten who fled like a rat before my blade?”

Lu Qing’s words were cutting, yet inwardly, he was surprised.

Because as he used his ability to study the figure on the city wall, it took him over ten breaths, and he still hadn’t gathered enough information.

This individual’s identity required even more time to investigate than a spiritual artifact.

“What did you say, brat?!”

The disheveled figure was furious.

This ancient being was now being called a rat by a mere native boy—an insult he could hardly tolerate!

“Do you think I’m wrong, demon scum? Back then, you didn’t even have the courage to face me directly. All you could do was hide in the shadows, like a rat, sneaking around.”

“And now you talk about revenge? It seems your demonic cultivation has rotted your brain.”

Lu Qing continued his mocking, buying time as he tried to probe the figure’s identity.

“Ah! How dare you insult me, boy!”

The disheveled figure was on the verge of madness. Being repeatedly ridiculed by Lu Qing was driving him into a fury. Yet despite his rage, he didn’t dare leave the array to fight Lu Qing directly.

Without the array’s support, he wasn’t confident he could defeat Lu Qing.

At that moment, Lu Qing finally saw several lines of text float from the figure’s body:

【Li An: Disciple of Qingyun Sword Sect, one of the 108 Demon Generals under the Black Sky Demon Sovereign of the Tianyuan Great World, the reincarnation of the Dark Night Demon General.】

【Cultivation Level: Precelestial Realm Great Completion.】

【Originally one of the Demon Generals under the Black Sky Demon Sovereign, he fled into the void to escape a righteous pursuit. Severely wounded and unable to recover, he was forced to reincarnate into this small world.】

【As a Demon General, his power is comparable to that of a Nascent Soul cultivator in the Dao of Refinement. His soul is nearly indestructible, and upon reincarnation, he has a chance to break through the mystery of the womb and awaken memories of his past life.】

...

Upon reading this, Lu Qing’s heart trembled.

He hadn’t expected that the demonic cultivator before him wasn’t a native of this world but a figure from the Tianyuan Great World. Moreover, he was one of the Demon Generals under the Black Sky Demon Sovereign.

No wonder it took so long to uncover his identity.

...

Sensing Lu Qing’s gaze, Li An suddenly felt a chill.

It was as if Lu Qing’s eyes could see through all his secrets, making him shiver in unease.

This unexpected feeling of dread caused Li An’s fury to momentarily subside, and his mind cleared.

Alarm bells rang in his heart.

Though he couldn’t explain why, he sensed something strange was happening.

“What’s wrong, demon scum? You claim you seek revenge, yet you won’t leave the safety of your array?”

Now that Lu Qing had discovered Li An’s origins, his confidence was solidified.

Though Li An’s background was astonishing, his current strength was only at the Great Completion of the Precelestial Realm. Despite his remarkable origins, at their current cultivation levels, Lu Qing had no reason to fear him.

“You arrogant brat, do you think you can act so brazenly just because you have Heaven’s favor? Let me tell you, those blessed with fortune never have a good end.”

Li An’s eyes gleamed with cold calculation as he tried to sow doubt in Lu Qing’s heart.

From ancient times, those who carried the fate of the world always met a tragic end. Now, Lu Qing was at his peak, but in the future, his fortune might turn against him, binding him in endless suffering.

Lu Qing’s gaze flickered slightly at these words.

“Hahaha, are you afraid now?”

Li An burst into laughter. “You natives with your meager experiences, believing you’re invincible just because you have a bit of Heaven’s favor! I’ve seen countless people like you. Mark my words, the more proud you are now, the more miserable your end will be. One day, you’ll wish for death but find it out of reach! Hahaha!”

Watching Li An’s crazed laughter, Lu Qing remained calm. A slight, eerie smile appeared on his face.

“Demon scum, you dare refer to yourself as ‘this sovereign’? I wonder, what would your master, the Black Sky Demon Sovereign, think if he heard that?”

“What did you say?!”

Li An’s body trembled violently, his eyes widening in disbelief.

His deepest secret had been revealed by Lu Qing in a single sentence, shaking his composure to the core.

It was at that exact moment that Lu Qing drew his bow once more, channeling all the spiritual energy within a hundred meters into his arrow in less than three breaths.

He released the arrow, sending a brilliant streak of light soaring toward the city gate.

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