Chapter 136: Demonization!

Chapter 136: Demonization!

“Captain Zhao, didn’t I say Tianfu District produced a real talent?”

In the mission hall,

The Bearded Guy

sat beside a short-haired woman. They both puffed on cigarettes, eyes on the massive screen displaying countless mission listings.

“He’s something, alright,” the woman—

Zhao Ying

—exhaled a smoke ring. “You might’ve missed it, but he’s already got

Spiritual Qi

in him.”

“No way…” The Bearded Guy froze mid-puff. “I swear, I didn’t teach him

Breath Cultivation

. I like the kid, sure, but I’d never break the bureau’s rules.”

Breath Cultivation was the

Demon Slayer Bureau’s

core technique—its key to breaking the monopoly of ancient cultivation families.

If Chen Huai’an

joined

the bureau, The Bearded Guy could authorize him for the

first three volumes

of the technique on the spot.

But if he stayed

out

—

No chance.

Zhao Ying flicked ash. “Your understanding of

Spiritual Qi Revival

is still shallow. Awakened types come in many forms—Ability-types, Beast-bound types, Spirit-bound types, Ghost-bound types, and Ancient Martial types. Not every Awakened needs

Breath Cultivation

to store Spiritual Qi.

I said he has Qi.

But it could be

one-time Qi

, not something he can regenerate.”

The Bearded Guy grunted thoughtfully.

Chen Huai’an’s

Companion Spirit

had already granted him powerful

Talisman abilities

.

If it could produce

Spiritual Qi items

too…

Then that Companion Spirit was straight-up

broken

.

“If Xiaoyuan cures his cancer,” The Bearded Guy asked, “Will his combat rating go up?”

Zhao Ying gave a half-nod. “Depends. His talismans burn

lifespan

—who knows what price his sword techniques demand.

If his Companion Spirit can

prolong his lifespan

, maintaining a cycle of power and recovery…

He could easily reach

B-Class Soldier Rank

, maybe even

A-Class

.

But if he can’t offset the lifespan cost…

He’s just a powerful

flash-in-the-pan

. A shooting star—bright, but short-lived.”

The Bearded Guy cracked a grin. “He doesn’t

feel

like the short-lived type. His Qi’s got a

kick

to it.”

Just as the words left his mouth—

BOOM—!

A

wave of malevolent aura

exploded from the treatment room.

Zhao Ying’s expression turned razor-sharp.

She shot to her feet—

CRASH!

A wall

shattered

—

And from the wreckage,

Xiang Xiaoyuan

came flying out—

Her petite frame

slammed

into the front desk of the mission hall, rolling lifelessly to a stop.

“

Shit! What the hell—?

”

The Bearded Guy bolted to check her pulse.

And at the broken wall—

A

colossal, tumor-ridden claw

emerged—locked in brutal combat with a

thunder-clad Tang Dao

—

Wielded by—

Zhao Ying.

The monstrous claw moved with

inhuman speed

, exchanging fierce blows.

Zhao Ying’s eyes narrowed—

She saw her opening.

Parry.

Vault.

Land.

Her blade flashed—

She drew into a

battōjutsu

stance—

“

Raikiri—Thunder Cut!

”

ZZZT—!!

The air

screamed

as her

lightning-wreathed blade

flashed—

SHLINK—!

The

claw

—

severed

.

But—

The stump

bubbled and writhed

—

meat tendrils

stitching it back together

instantly

.

And the

severed half

—

It didn’t fall.

It

shifted

.

Re-formed.

Into a

wolf-shaped monstrosity

—

And

lunged

—

Zhao Ying’s blade

sang

again—

The wolf was

shredded

—a burst of charred flesh and black blood.

Yet—her gaze stayed fixed on the source.

The

tumorous claw

—still extending—

Connected

directly

—

To

Chen Huai’an’s chest.

Cancer.

Mutated flesh.

Uncontrolled growth.

Zhao Ying’s eyes flashed with grim understanding—

“This isn’t just cancer.”

“It’s—

Demonization.

”

She had seen it before.

When diseases—twisted by

Spiritual Qi Revival

—became

monstrous entities

.

But usually—those victims—

They

lost themselves

—

Their bodies hijacked—

Their humanity—

gone.

And the bureau’s response was always—

“Exterminate.”

But—

Chen Huai’an—

He wasn’t

lost

.

The creature hadn’t

consumed

him—

It was

feeding off him.

This—

This was the

real threat

.

“If this thing’s willing to hide—” Zhao Ying thought, “—then it was

waiting

. Feeding. Growing. Biding its time—”

Until—

He died—

And it

fully emerged.

“But you showed yourself early—”

Zhao Ying’s eyes turned cold.

“So now—”

“I’ll

slaughter you.

”

Her palm

crackled

—electric arcs snapping along her Tang Dao—

The blade—

Encased in lightning

—

Sheathed in destruction.

The

giant claw

descended

, an avalanche of raw flesh and death—

Zhao Ying—

Didn’t flinch.

SSSHNK—!!

Her

draw

—was

absolute

.

Blinding arcs

of lightning wove a

net

—

And the claw—

EXPLODED—

Into a

storm

of

burnt flesh

and

ash

.

The air reeked—

A foul stench of

scorched protein

.

Zhao Ying stood firm—

Tang Dao

humming

—

Eyes sharp—

“Is it over—?”

But then—

FWOOSH—!!!

A

sonic crack

—

behind her.

She

twisted—

Too

late.

BAM—!

A

black tendril

—like a

whip

—

Slammed

into her abdomen.

Her body

folded

—

Then

rocketed

—

Crashing

through the opposite wall.

“

Ghh…

”

Zhao Ying coughed blood, one hand stabbing the floor to stay upright—

Her vision—

blurred.

She saw it—

The

culprit

—

A

tendril

—black, writhing—

Snapped back—into—

The

creature.

The smoke cleared—

And what she saw—

Froze her soul.

A

Dragon.

No—

A

flesh

and

tumor

Dragon.

It

filled

the room—

Walls

split

and

groaned

—forced outward by its

massive bulk

.

Its body—

A

cancerous labyrinth

of

pulsing meat.

Its

head

—

Broad.

Fanged.

Eastern.

But—

wrong.

The grace of an

Eastern dragon

—

Twisted into something

vile

.

Its

claws

—like

pillar-thick talons.

Its

eyes

—

Red.

Malicious.

Mocking.

And—

At its

center

—

Cradled in its

chest cavity

—

Chen Huai’an.

Unconscious.

Trapped.

Zhao Ying’s knuckles

whitened.

Worse—

The

Dragon’s aura—

Had reached—

Commander Rank.

Her heart—

sank.

That—

Was a gap she

could not cross.

The Dragon’s eyes—

Settled on

her.

In those eyes—

Derision.

Amusement.

Scorn.

Its mouth—

Split—

Wide—

Revealing

rows

of

jagged fangs.

And from that maw—

A

cacophony

—

A

chorus

—

Of

thousands

of

screams

—

“A

worm

—

dares defy

me

?”

“Had you struck—

Days ago

—

You might have

succeeded.

”

“But now—”

“I have

merged

—

With

seven-tenths

of this vessel’s

bloodline.

”

“I have

fed

—

On his

Qi—

On his

life—

On his

essence—

”

“I am

complete—

”

The Dragon’s voice—

A

chorus

of

souls

—

Mocking—

Echoing—

Endless—

“

Kehehehehe…

”

“Now—

Perish.”

The

tail

—

Lashed—

A

wall of concrete

—

Ripped

clean

from the structure—

And

hurled—

Straight—

At—

Zhao Ying.

She—

Could—

Not—

Dodge—

The Dragon—

Would—

Kill—

Her—