Chapter Fifty: Bodies Strewn Across the Land, Sword Energy Unleashed

Moving further ahead, a massive cavern appeared as expected, with most of the minor demons gathered outside being tiger demons. From time to time, wolf, jackal, and leopard demon soldiers would shoulder freshly hunted deer, boar, or wild game to offer as tribute to the reclining tiger demon. It was clear this was the stronghold of the Black Tiger Demon King.

A rough count revealed that the number of demons here was no less than that of the secret cave beneath the governor’s residence, making Han Chong’s skin crawl with unease. This situation was entirely different from the battle against the pangolin demon. Although formidable, the latter was but a single foe—once entangled and beset by many, its fate was sealed. But now, Han Chong stood alone against hundreds of demon soldiers. Even if he had three heads and six arms, he could hardly withstand them all should they attack together.

Very well! Since you have numbers on your side, I’ll whittle you down until you stand alone!

Ever since he started his career, Han Chong had been tackling one case after another, barely enjoying a single day of rest or time for cultivation. Only his Flame Spitting Technique had advanced, not by gaining skill points through cultivation, but simply by being used relentlessly. Now was the perfect opportunity to hunt demons and gain experience; if he could upgrade his Demon-Slaying Technique to the third level, he might even be able to face the Black Tiger Demon King head-on!

At the gathering place of the demons, Han Chong suddenly appeared atop a protruding ledge on a mountainside, a perfect vantage point. “Hey! Monster, meet your doom!” His thunderous shout startled dozens of lazy minor demons out of their stupor. Then, one after another, blue light blades rained down upon them.

In an instant, agonized wails and beastly roars echoed from the valley below; none among the minor demons could withstand even a single exchange with Han Chong. A mere graze resulted in injury, a direct hit meant instant death. Though they charged at him ferociously, Han Chong’s position was so advantageous—easy to defend and hard to attack—that he stood like a lone sentinel, holding back thousands.

With a sky-shaking roar, the Black Tiger Demon King burst from his lair, fury blazing in his yellow eyes as he glared at Han Chong. “Who are you, wretch? Why do you slaughter my soldiers?”

“I am Han Chong, Demon-Slaying Captain! You fiends have seized this mountain and preyed upon the villagers. Today is your day of reckoning!”

Han Chong’s blade never ceased, determined to wipe out every last one of the demon horde. The Demon King’s gaze narrowed as he observed the blue blades Han Chong unleashed, a look of puzzlement on his face as if the sight was strangely familiar. He pondered for a moment, but could not recall where he had seen such a technique before.

But seeing the corpses of more than twenty of his subordinates, rage consumed him and he charged at Han Chong. Yet Han Chong immediately activated his Earth-Burrowing technique and vanished without a trace.

“Damn it! You lot, dig up that mountaintop for me! I refuse to believe this brat can fly away!” The Black Tiger Demon King, furious enough to spit blood, felt as if he were striking cotton—helpless and frustrated. He ordered his demons to dig up the summit in search of Han Chong.

Meanwhile, Han Chong was already safely concealed elsewhere, watching the Demon King’s blustering rage from afar. An hour passed; the demon horde nearly collapsed the mountaintop where Han Chong had stood, but found nothing. At last, the Demon King lost patience and returned to his cave. Shortly thereafter, Han Chong reappeared at another high vantage point and unleashed another merciless slaughter.

After this cycle repeated twice, the Black Tiger Demon King was driven nearly mad with fury and simply sprawled atop the peak, refusing to return to his lair. Han Chong laughed quietly, “You won’t move? I’ll keep killing your minions all the same!”

This time, Han Chong launched an indiscriminate assault that included the Demon King himself.

Suddenly, with a crisp chime, as Han Chong unleashed another blade of light, he felt the spiritual energy in his dantian surge in consumption! His internal spiritual reservoir had already reached over forty thousand points, and after casting spells hundreds of times, only about half remained.

Before him, a blue, round-hilted blade of sword energy shot forward several yards, slicing the air with a piercing shriek. Its target: a massive black tiger demon, over twenty feet long, with features identical to the Demon King—clearly his direct offspring.

“No!” The Black Tiger Demon King cried out, watching helplessly as the sword energy pierced his eldest son’s back. The young tiger tried to dodge, but the energy curved mid-flight, suddenly expanding as it burrowed into flesh.

With a pained howl, the great black tiger collapsed, twitching in agony, and died after only two spasms.

“Damn you, brat! Prepare to die!” The Demon King, now beside himself, charged at Han Chong in a frenzy, abandoning any thought of holding back. But Han Chong, exhilarated by his newly upgraded technique, no longer dodged as before. He poured out his energy without restraint, sending one blade of sword energy after another at the Demon King.

Only now, confronted with this sword energy directly, did the Black Tiger Demon King know fear. The previous blue blades, though powerful, weren’t especially fast and had limited impact—no real threat to him. But now, the blue sword energy could clash head-on with his tiger claws, and he was at a disadvantage. After barely blocking three strikes, his paws bled and pain wracked his limbs.

Han Chong’s sword energy came relentlessly, sometimes swelling in size and power just as it struck. Though the Demon King’s fury boiled, fear ultimately won out.

With a drawn-out roar, he finally turned and fled back toward the cavern, his minions scattering in terror as if reprieved from execution. In the blink of an eye, the vast valley was silent, littered only with demon corpses.

Han Chong strode to the mouth of the Black Tiger’s lair, finding the entrance sealed tight behind a massive boulder.

He burrowed inside, moving unseen. The cavern was vast, decorated with deer hides and antlers; winding tunnels branched in all directions, each guarded by tiger demons. Deeper within, he reached a great arched stone hall. Tigresses lounged in their corners, and atop a massive platform bed lay the Black Tiger Demon King, fuming in sullen rage.

Yet what delighted Han Chong most was the sight of the White Jade Snake Demon, coiled at the Demon King’s feet. This fiend’s bounty had eluded completion for long enough.

If he killed it and obtained a Double Experience Card, then slew the Black Tiger Demon King, he would surely ascend to the Nascent Soul realm!

Han Chong flicked his wrist, sending a blue blade of sword energy whistling into the snake demon’s neck. As the creature stared in shock, Han Chong revealed himself and slew it in a single blow.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for slaying the White Jade Snake Demon. Bounty quest complete. You have obtained a Double Experience Card for one hour.]

Han Chong wasted no time in activating it.

“Damn you, brat! You dare invade my lair and kill within my very hall? You court death!” The Black Tiger Demon King leapt at Han Chong, but before he could reach him, Han Chong vanished beneath the ground once more.

The Demon King roared his frustration, but before he could react, another blade of sword energy shot up from below, piercing his black belly. With a hiss, the Demon King felt searing pain in his gut and leaped away, not daring to linger, bolting for the entrance.

With only an hour to use the experience card, Han Chong refused to let him escape. He gave chase, sending sword energy after sword energy slashing at the Demon King’s hindquarters. Just as the Demon King reached the entrance, Han Chong’s blades shredded his hind legs until they were a bloody mess, leaving him unable to flee.

But like all cruel cowards, when escape became impossible, the Demon King turned in a desperate last stand. This time, however, Han Chong did not burrow away. Instead, relying on his physical might, he grappled the beast in a brutal melee, vaulting atop the tiger’s back and pummeling it with iron fists like a torrential storm.

After half the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the Black Tiger Demon King finally collapsed and lay motionless, beaten to death by Han Chong’s own hands.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for slaying the Black Tiger Demon King! Double experience triggered. You have reached the first level of the Nascent Soul stage, with a current spiritual energy value of 81,920 points! Ding! Congratulations, Host, for gaining one skill point. You may choose a new skill or upgrade an existing one! Under the effect of the Godslayer Death Curse, Host’s lifespan has dropped to seventy-four percent! Ding! Congratulations, Host, for breaking through to a new realm. Bonus reward: Clarity Sword Embryo, which will grow endlessly with your power, with no upper limit. Ding! Congratulations, Host, for slaying the Black Tiger Demon King and completing the bounty quest. Permanently gain twenty points of resilience.]