Chapter 105: Chapter 103: The Third Realm of Profound Light: Profound Light Like Fire
"Moreover, this creature can merge its aura with its host. It won’t emit the slightest hint of Demon Qi until it’s mature."
"What?" Hek Dianli’s face fell, and his brow furrowed.
"A ten-month pregnancy?"
"Correct!" Xing Suanzi narrowed his eyes and pointed to Mrs. Tang Fang in the corner.
"This woman must have copulated with a Flower-Spotted Demon Fiend to have become pregnant with the Demon Embryo. The Flower-Spotted Demon Fiend can take human form, but I imagine it’s not so simple for it to engage in such relations with a person."
"Who?"
Tang Qing’s body trembled as he advanced on Mrs. Tang Fang step by step, his eyes wide with fury.
"Just who was it?!"
The day’s events had driven him to the brink of madness. First, his daughter killed his son, and now, his son wasn’t even his.
A demon spawn, no less!
Tang Qing’s face twisted with rage, wishing he could tear Mrs. Tang Fang limb from limb.
"You rarely leave the house, and you hardly see outsiders. Ten months ago... you went back to your family home, visited Bamboo Mountain Temple..."
"Tell me!"
He grabbed Mrs. Tang Fang by the shoulders and roared.
"Who was it?"
"Tell me who it was!"
"Forget it." Xing Suanzi shook his head at the scene.
"With the Flower-Spotted Demon Fiend’s power, confusing the mind of an ordinary person is a simple matter. You won’t get anything out of her by asking."
"Leave her to me."
As he spoke, he gave his long sleeve a gentle wave. A sheet of white paper flew out, instantly expanding until it completely enveloped Mrs. Tang Fang’s body.
"Absorb!"
Xing Suanzi’s eyes flashed with delight as he uttered a low command.
A bright light flashed, and the white paper gently unfurled. On its surface, a woman’s portrait had appeared.
And where Mrs. Tang Fang had been, only a shriveled corpse remained.
Skin Painting Technique!
The scene was horrifying. It was a technique that directly stole a person’s soul and body. Even Zhu Ju couldn’t help but feel his heart pound.
Regardless of the Mage’s actual power, such a bizarre technique was far beyond anything a Martial Artist from the Main World could match.
*
*
*
「Evening.」
The streets were sparsely populated.
A horse-drawn carriage slowly made its way toward the Zhu Mansion.
「Inside the carriage.」
Zhu Ju had a book open, studying the Method recorded within. He would sometimes frown in confusion, then a moment later his face would clear with sudden understanding.
Hidden Element Technique!
This technique could conceal the fluctuations of one’s Divine Soul and personal aura.
Those who cultivated Magic had exceptionally keen senses, able to perceive things before they happened, like a cicada sensing the coming spring breeze. They could easily see through another’s Cultivation.
Zhu Ju truly detested this, so he hadn’t hesitated to pay a hefty price to obtain this Cultivation Technique from Xing Suanzi.
’Both Qi Blood Martial Arts and the Earth Evil Mysterious Skill have methods for concealing one’s aura, but they’re nothing compared to the Hidden Element Technique.’
’If I master this art, given the unique nature of the Magic World, I doubt even someone a full Realm higher in the Main World could see through my disguise.’
’Xing Suanzi might not be a great person, but he certainly gets the job done when you pay him.’
Closing the book, Zhu Ju tapped on the carriage window.
"Miss Tang, how long do you intend to follow me?"
WHOOSH!
A red shadow flashed past.
Dressed in red, the pale-faced Tang Yan slipped silently into the carriage and sat down across from Zhu Ju.
"You have sharp ears, Young Master Zhu."
"You flatter me."
Zhu Ju cupped his hands.
"The misunderstanding has been cleared up. Surely, Miss Tang, you no longer need to hide from Chief Tang?"
"Hmph!"
Tang Yan snorted coldly.
"That just shows you don’t know him. I ruined his plans today. Even if that Demon Embryo wasn’t his flesh and blood, he’ll never let me off the hook."
"Hah..."
"Sometimes I wonder if I’m even his daughter."
’Huh?’
’What a strange father-daughter relationship.’
"Miss Tang," Zhu Ju said after a moment of thought.
"Are you running away from home?"
"I am."
"Then why are you following me?"
"Because you’re wealthy, and you happen to need people," Tang Yan said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"I can help you."
"Help me?" Zhu Ju looked her up and down.
"I doubt that will be necessary."
"Don’t underestimate me." Tang Yan frowned.
"I admit you’re strong, but I was injured before. If we were to fight for real, I wouldn’t necessarily lose to you."
"Besides..."
"There’s a saying: ’Don’t show off your wealth.’ You’ve already attracted trouble. Have you really not noticed?"
"A few petty thieves. Not worth mentioning." Zhu Ju glanced out the window, his expression unchanged.
"What can you do to help me, Miss Tang?"
"I’m strong, and I have plenty of experience in the Martial World," Tang Yan said.
"Crucially, some people from the Escort Agency are willing to follow me. I can provide protection for your Zhu Mansion."
"Is that so?" Zhu Ju looked thoughtful. After a moment, he pointed outside and said slowly,
"Then let me see what you can do, Miss Tang."
"Fine!"
Tang Yan’s eyes narrowed. With a flick of her wrists, a short saber appeared in each hand. In a flash, she shot out of the carriage.
At some point.
Two figures had appeared at the end of the street.
One was tall and burly, the other short and wiry.
The burly man held two Eight-Edged Plum Blossom Shining Silver Hammers, blocking the street like a small mountain.
The wiry man carried a long saber, a black urn hanging from his waist. He squinted as he watched them.
"Who are you scoundrels?"
Tang Yan shouted as she charged.
"Get out of the way if you want to live!"
"Hmph," the wiry figure snorted.
"Old Du, go get him."
As he spoke, he patted the black urn at his waist. Two black shadows flew out, shooting toward Tang Yan like arrows.
"Hn." The burly figure grunted in assent, charging forward with his heavy hammers.
"Stay back!"
Tang Yan’s eyes flashed with killing intent as she raised her sabers to block. The enormous hammer, carrying Giant Power, came crashing toward her chest.
BANG!
Sabers and hammer collided.
Tang Yan felt as if she’d been charged head-on by a black bear. Her vision went dark, and her breath caught in her throat.
She had barely recovered her senses when the two black shadows intercepted her.
"Raising imps?"
Gritting her teeth, she tightened her grip on her twin sabers. She unleashed a furious slash of her Celestial Burning Soul-Seizing Saber, drawing shrill cries from the specters.
「In the rear.」
Zhu Ju lifted the carriage curtain. Witnessing the scene, his expression grew pensive.
The Martial Artists of this world also cultivated Magic, Illuminating the Profound Light between their brows.
Only then.
could they control their own strength with Micro-level precision and draw upon the Power of Heaven and Earth for their own use.
Tang Yan was a perfect example.
She had not only Illuminated her Profound Light, but had even reached the Realm of Profound Light Like a Candle. Her family’s Saber Technique was also formidable.
「In the darkness.」
The Celestial Burning Soul-Seizing Saber flashed continuously, and the ghostly creatures dared not draw near.
No!
Zhu Ju gently shook his head.
’This isn’t Martial and Magical Dual Cultivation.’
’There has never been any Martial Arts here. This world only has Magic.’
’The so-called Saber Technique is merely a catalyst to activate Magic, though it certainly has its own profound subtleties.’
"Still watching?!"
The large man with the twin hammers roared.
"Die!"
BOOM!
The heavy hammer tore through the air.
The Eight-Edged Plum Blossom Shining Silver Hammer, weighing over three hundred jin, whipped up a Black Wind as it smashed down toward the center of the carriage.
Before it, the solid wood carriage seemed no sturdier than a pile of rotten timber, liable to shatter on impact.
’Damn it!’
Tang Yan’s eyes widened in alarm.
She had intended to make a show of her strength, but she hadn’t expected to run into two such difficult opponents. It looked like she had miscalculated badly.
WHOOSH!
A hand, as pale and flawless as jade, reached out from the carriage window, pushed aside the curtain, and lightly pressed against the heavy hammer.
Zhu Ju’s movement was slow, as gentle as a breeze and seemingly effortless, yet it brought the descending hammer to an abrupt halt.
"Just as I thought."
「Inside the carriage.」
Zhu Ju’s eyes glinted.
"You haven’t cultivated a Body Forging Hard Skill. Instead, you’ve treated your body like an artifact, carving it with various runes."
"Your strength isn’t tempered, it’s the power of Magic."
"A pity..."
A breath of Five Elements Evil Qi issued from his palm, sweeping over the burly man’s body like a cold wind.
The Evil Qi Breaking Method!
The large man’s body stiffened. Cracks appeared all over his skin, and his entire body shattered like a broken porcelain doll.
His Magic was broken, his life extinguished.
Dead.
THUD!
The heavy hammers landed one after the other with a dull thud.
Zhu Ju withdrew his hand and sat back down in the carriage. The Profound Light between his brows throbbed, and he suddenly felt something. He gently guided the Method.
BOOM!
The Profound Light between his brows flared.
He had stepped into the Realm of Profound Light Like Fire!
As he looked around now, the world seemed brand new. Details he had never noticed before came into sharp focus.
In his perception,
every one of Tang Yan’s breaths and movements was in harmony with the Power of Heaven and Earth. The Fierce Flame on her twin sabers was clearly also some kind of special Magic.
SWISH!
SWISH!
With two Killing Moves, the two specters before her were engulfed in Fierce Flame and vanished into smoke.
As the specters were destroyed, the wiry figure in the distance suddenly spat up blood.
Tang Yan seized the opportunity, closed the distance, and beheaded him with a swing of her saber.
Turning, she looked directly at Zhu Ju, her gaze filled with shock and suspicion. The scene of him shattering the technique with a single palm had been utterly terrifying to her.
"A Mage?"
"No."
Zhu Ju lowered the carriage curtain.
"I’m not."
"Your skills are average, but I despise trouble. Bring your people to the mansion tomorrow and report for duty."
His purpose in coming to this Otherworld was to build his foundation, not to stir up trouble.
