Chapter 185: What Should I Do Next?

Chapter 185: What Should I Do Next?

Lin Chen’s eyes snapped open at the sudden shift in the air.

The blood-red sky above the Ghost Market was cracking apart, like a shattered mirror.

The corrupt spiritual energy that had once suffocated the marketplace was now melting away, dripping like wax under a blazing sun.

Above her, she heard the eerie, frenzied laughter:

"Refine!"

"Kehehe… All of you—be refined!!!"

Three meters above, the once terrifying Bone Porcelain Maiden flailed wildly—

Struggling, wailing in despair, her porcelain face fracturing—

Yet she was still dragged into the void by a scorching, monstrous claw.

The air split apart, the crimson fog vanishing instantly.

And then—

Silence.

For a long moment, Lin Chen just sat there, stunned.

A chill crept down her spine.

Even after the Ghost Market had collapsed, she could still hear that laughter echoing in her mind.

"...M-Mother of God…"

She shivered violently, shrinking into the corner of a half-destroyed storefront.

Her lips quivered.

"That Bone Porcelain Maiden… was terrifying enough on her own."

"Yet she was just… snatched up and crushed. Like a damn insect."

"What kind of monster is lurking in Jinde Town?!"

She was General-ranked—

Her strength came from two sources:

Her enhanced physique, strengthened through Qi Absorption techniques.

Her awakened ability—Venomous Physique (Juedu Ti).

She could secrete deadly toxins from every part of her body.

Her weapons, once coated in her poison, had no known antidote.

If an enemy was poisoned, they had only three options:

Wait to die.

Find a healer like Xiang Xiaoyuan to extract the poison.

Get a Qi Absorption master at Layer 3 or above to force it out.

She was a formidable opponent, even among General-ranked individuals.

But in recent years, with the rise of Qi Absorption cultivation, General-rank wasn’t as impressive anymore.

Still—

Even if she was near the bottom of General-rank, she should’ve been able to at least put up a fight.

Yet against the Bone Porcelain Maiden, she had been completely powerless.

If the Bone Porcelain Maiden was that strong, she had to be at least Commander-rank (Shuai-level).

Then what the hell was the thing that had just devoured her?

Was it King-rank (Wang-level)?

Or worse—Emperor-rank (Di-level)?

The more she thought about it, the more horrifying it became.

Her only hope now…

Was that the King- or Emperor-rank monster had already eaten its fill and wouldn’t bother with a "weak little woman" like her.

When the Ghost Market fully disappeared, leaving nothing but the ruined street, Huang Gubei and the Demon Slayer team finally found her.

"Miss Lin! That was incredible!"

Huang Gubei rushed over, his face full of admiration.

"You single-handedly took down the Bone Porcelain Maiden—the same spirit that two General-rank slayers failed to defeat!"

He ran a final scan, confirming that all anomalous energy had dissipated.

His respect only deepened.

"Governor Chen was right—your relatives really are useless."

"Demon Slayer Bureau needs more true strong warriors like you—where your rank actually matches your real ability!"

Lin Chen: "…"

Excuse me?

She had complicated feelings about her uncle and cousin, sure—

But did she really need to hear this much slander about them right now?

Besides—

She hadn’t even done anything!

But she had no time to argue.

Because she was still haunted by the thing she had seen.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus.

"There’s a serious problem."

Her expression turned grim.

"The spirit that destroyed the Ghost Market wasn’t me."

Huang Gubei froze.

"What do you mean?"

"It was another spirit. Something far more terrifying."

She shuddered at the memory.

"I heard it… laughing. Calling out ‘Refine, refine!’"

"It had a voice like a wild beast. It reached out of the void, grabbed the Bone Porcelain Maiden with a single claw, and dragged her in like she was nothing."

"I’d bet my life that she’s already been devoured."

Her hair stood on end just thinking about it.

That was the first time she had ever seen a spirit that feared something else.

"...There’s something even worse hidden in this town?"

Huang Gubei went pale.

A cold sweat broke out across his back.

The other Demon Slayers also looked deeply disturbed.

Some even looked like they were considering quitting on the spot.

If things kept escalating, this job wasn’t worth it anymore.

"Wait—Chen Huai’an!"

Lin Chen suddenly snapped her head up.

"He went into the Bone Porcelain Ruins, right?"

"If there’s something stronger than the Bone Porcelain Maiden, it’s probably hiding in those ruins!"

"We need to warn him immediately—tell him to evacuate!"

"I just hope… we're not too late."

…

…

Chen Huai’an had already refined and absorbed the flesh and blood of ninety-nine spirits.

The remaining evil energy, still not fully processed, dripped from his skin like thick black ink.

He reached into the void and dragged out the Bone Porcelain Maiden—

One hand gripping her skull.

"Spirit… you are fated to be mine."

A wicked grin split across his face.

"Be proud—you shall contribute to my cultivation!"

The Bone Porcelain Maiden shrieked, her porcelain body shattering into fine, razor-thin shards.

But these shards—

The same ones that had torn Lin Chen to ribbons—

Left nothing but faint white scratches on Chen Huai’an’s hardened skin.

The realization finally hit her.

"You… What are you?!"

"What the hell are you?!"

She struggled in pure terror.

The aura rolling off this "human" was even more demonic than hers.

More than any spirit she had ever encountered.

More than any true demon.

It was like a bottomless black hole, consuming everything—

A devouring maw, hungering for all spirits.

Chen Huai’an blinked.

"What am I?"

For a moment, his thoughts were foggy—

Lost in the sheer euphoric rush of power.

Then, with a sudden clarity, he straightened his back—

Planted his hand on his hip—

And proudly declared:

"I am the one and only, drop-dead gorgeous, universally beloved, legendary—Lin Chen!"

Bone Porcelain Maiden: "???"

"Enough chit-chat—time to become my foundation!"

His grip tightened.

Only one spirit left.

One more.

Then the first stage of Blood Cocoon Refinement would be complete.

Then he could unlock the second stage—Hundred Bone Resonance.

"Stronger. I must become stronger."

"Qingran, my dear… you shall sing in defeat before me. Kehehehe~"

With a single flex of his wrist—

CRACK.

The Bone Porcelain Maiden’s skull shattered.

Her essence dissolved, streaming into his body—

As the final spirit was absorbed, a satisfying surge coursed through him—

His entire body pulsed, his muscles stretching, bones crackling.

But even then…

His mind was still restless.

"Dammit… I'm still too hyper."

With nowhere to vent—

He punched the wall.

BOOM!

The entire chamber shook.

Then he punched again.

And again.

Until the ruins trembled.

Outside, Xiang Xiaoyuan and Zhao Ying stared in confusion.

"There’s no evil energy detected… so what’s with all the shaking?"

Zhao Ying furrowed her brow.

"...Maybe he’s plowing the fields?"

From the blurry drone footage, it honestly looked plausible.

…

Inside the ruins—

A hundred punches later…

Still not enough.

"What else can I do?!"

Feeling lost, his body acting on instinct—

Chen Huai’an pulled out his phone.

Opened his hidden album.

Stared at certain images.

And then—

Snap.

His other hand ripped his belt off.

…

…