Chapter Eighteen: The Blood-Burning Demon Technique and the Hidden Treasure Beneath the Mountain

Han Chong, his objective achieved, swiftly retreated beyond the raging battlefield. He kept a careful watch on both sides of the fierce fight, ready to strike at any moment and reap the rewards of any demon or ghost about to fall. Such a rare opportunity for advancement could not be missed, yet he remained cautious, well aware that none of these three formidable beings were fools.

He soon saw the corpse of Princess Yu draw the golden sword from her waist, instinctively wielding it with a surprisingly skilled swordplay. It seemed that, in life, she must have been a master of the blade. At the same time, black light shimmered and flickered between the sharp nails of her left hand. Her claw attacks, combined with her superb swordsmanship, forced the massive, agile Black Tiger demon to retreat again and again.

But the tiger was not easily cowed. Its yellow eyes blazed, and the black fur all over its body bristled like steel needles. Though the corpse bride’s swordsmanship was exquisite, the tiger dodged every lethal blow; sometimes, it would unleash a thunderous roar and spew black flames from its mouth. The phoenix crown and flowing silk robes on the corpse bride were scorched away, yet the golden garment in front of her body seemed to block the black flames, emerging unscathed.

The whirlwind clash between these two powerhouses spelled disaster for the surrounding demon and ghost generals. Whether it was the Black Tiger’s mighty tail lashing out or the corpse bride’s golden sword darting in swift attacks, neither was something these lesser beings could withstand.

With a sharp crack, a black shadow whipped through the air—the tiger’s tail had struck a nearby armored ghost general, sending it flying. Its breastplate split open, and it crashed to the ground, landing right near Han Chong. His eyes lit up; fortune had smiled on him. He hurried over and drove the peachwood sword, Ghostbane, into the ghost’s wound. The ghost had no chance to resist—it didn’t even manage a wail before its ghostly aura dissipated, vanishing into nothing.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for slaying an Armored Ghost General!]

With the fall of a great general, the corpse bride grew even more furious and promptly struck a green snake demon general, nearly slicing it in two. The snake writhed in agony, dragging its bleeding body toward the edge of the tomb, barely clinging to life. Unnoticed by the others, its body suddenly erupted in blue flames, and it shrieked and struggled before being reduced to a charred husk.

This scene drew surprised and suspicious glances from both the hawk-nosed man and the Black Tiger demon, but the corpse bride paid them no mind. She had lost all reason, acting purely on instinct to protect her royal tomb—everyone present was her prey.

At last, the Black Tiger demon calmed itself and suddenly charged toward the tomb’s entrance, aiming for the hawk-nosed man and his companions. The corpse bride followed in hot pursuit. Yet the hawk-nosed man merely curled his lips in a calm smile, slapped his waist, and drew a massive black iron ring-bladed saber. With both hands, he sent a blade wave, a length of pitch-black energy a yard long, straight at the tiger.

The Black Tiger had no choice but to dodge, baring its fangs in rage and frustration before re-engaging the corpse bride in a frenzied duel. The battle among the demons and ghosts was nearing its end—most were wounded. Though the Black Tiger’s forces included many ghosts, their coordinated assault, together with the demons, gave them a decisive edge.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Han Chong had slain several more demon and ghost generals!

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for reaching the third stage of the Refined Essence and Qi Condensation realm. Current essence value: 1280 points!
Ding! Congratulations, host, for gaining a skill point. You may select a new skill or upgrade an existing one!]

But at last, the Black Tiger could no longer endure the torment of being toyed with by the hawk-nosed man. With a roar, black blood seeped from its body, igniting in black flames that covered it from head to toe. With a resolve worthy of death, it charged straight for the tomb’s main gate.

“Blood-burning demon art!” cried the hawk-nosed man, unleashing another blade wave. Yet the Black Tiger did not evade, taking the blow off-center, only slightly slowed, then lunged at the hawk-nosed man in a desperate attack. The hawk-nosed man was forced to leap aside, his companions Cold Moon and the others clearing the way as well.

Yet the Black Tiger’s charge was a feint—it suddenly turned, seized a demon-slaying officer by the waist in its jaws, and hurtled away down the main passage, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

As the demon-slaying officers were forced back, a white light flashed by. It was the white jade demon serpent, quick to seize the chance, racing after the fleeing Black Tiger.

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The hawk-nosed man fumed, but it was too late to pursue. He could only turn back to confront the crazed corpse bride. With the Black Tiger gone, only three demon generals and a hundred-odd demon soldiers remained in the tomb.

Panic-stricken, the three demon generals howled in unison, abandoning their ghostly troops and charging Cold Moon and her companions. But the gray-robed officer among them was formidable, his strength nearing the peak of the Refined Essence and Qi Condensation realm. Drawing a heavy bronze sword, he joined Cold Moon and the others to block the onslaught.

Han Chong kept an eye on both battles, silently approaching the tomb’s main gate to seize the chance to finish off the three demon generals. In the space of half a stick of incense, he ambushed and slew all three; two demon-slaying officers were gravely injured, the gray-robed man lightly wounded.

Meanwhile, the duel between the hawk-nosed captain and the corpse bride was drawing to a close. At some point, the captain had produced a blood-red fishing net magical tool, ensnaring the corpse bride within its mesh. Her body sizzled with corrosive sounds, emitting a foul stench. She thrashed madly, stabbing wildly with her golden sword, but her strength was spent.

Seeing the corpse bride near death, Han Chong rushed in and spat a jet of blue fire, burning both her and the blood-red net to ash. Yet, a chill ran through him. Turning, he saw the hawk-nosed man suddenly unleash a yard-long black blade wave at the struggling corpse bride on the ground.

Han Chong realized, too late, that the hawk-nosed captain had suspected another presence in the tomb. He had calculated that someone would try to strike at the corpse bride’s last moment—and so, as Han Chong’s flames erupted, the captain had sent out a deadly blade wave to catch the hidden interloper.

He had underestimated him. Han Chong rolled aside, but still caught the edge of the blade’s energy, which sent him flying and revealed his presence.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for slaying a Corpse King! You have reached the peak of the mid-stage Refined Essence and Qi Condensation realm. Current essence value: 2560 points!
Ding! Congratulations, host, for gaining a skill point. You may select a new skill or upgrade an existing one!]

“Who are you, skulking about?” the hawk-nosed man shouted angrily, raising his blade for another strike.

“Wait, sir! He is Han Chong, one of us!” Cold Moon cried, hurrying to intervene.

“Oh? So this is the new officer you recruited, Han Chong?” The hawk-nosed man narrowed his eyes, lowered his blade, hesitated a moment, then turned to finish off the remaining demons and ghosts, cutting them down like stalks of grain.

Cold Moon steadied Han Chong and checked his wounds. Seeing he had only a dozen or so blade cuts, she breathed easier and sprinkled some medicinal powder on the injuries.

But as the two looked toward the tomb’s entrance, they froze in disbelief.

After slaying the remaining monsters, the hawk-nosed captain suddenly turned on the gray-robed officer, stabbing him to death. He then killed the last three subordinate officers with three swift strikes before turning toward Han Chong and Cold Moon with a sinister grin.

“Lord Jiang, why have you killed your own men?” Cold Moon demanded, her voice cold, tears in her eyes.

“Heh. Cold Moon, I trained all of you myself—your lives are mine. Now is the time for you to repay me. With you dead, all the gold and jewels in this royal tomb will be mine alone. Why shouldn’t I?”

Dragging his saber, the hawk-nosed man strode closer. Cold Moon was devastated, her mind shattered, left dazed and numb.

Han Chong, however, forced himself to remain calm. He rapidly sifted through his system’s Earthly Fiend secret arts for anything that could turn the tide. Already wounded in the abdomen, his whole body in pain, and weaker than the hawk-nosed man to begin with, resistance seemed futile. In desperation, his gaze fell on the black jade coffin in the center of the stone hall. Inspiration struck!

“Mountain Bearing”—the power to lift mountains, a spell to move mountains and stones, essence cost calculated by the weight moved.

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Confirm!

Just as the hawk-nosed man was about to strike them down, Han Chong’s eyes flashed with pale white light. With his right hand, he seized at the black jade coffin; with his left, he pointed his sword-fingers at the hawk-nosed man.

Han Chong felt the essence in his dantian drain away as the black jade coffin, heavy beyond measure, was lifted by his spell. The hawk-nosed man’s body was suddenly weighed down, his face contorted in horror, and he was crushed to the ground in less than a heartbeat, unable to move. A jet of blue flame followed, reducing him swiftly to ash.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for slaying a Qi Refiner! You have entered the second stage of the late-phase Refined Essence and Qi Condensation realm. Current essence value: 10,240 points!
Ding! Congratulations, host, for gaining two skill points. You may select new skills or upgrade existing ones!
Ding! Congratulations, host, for breaking through to a new minor realm! Reward: one Golden Silk Demon-Binding Rope—demons cannot break free; its strength grows with your own!]

He had ascended two levels at once! It must have been that slaying the corpse bride had brought him to the verge of the late stage, so he could leap a whole level in one stroke.

“You!” Cold Moon’s eyes widened as she turned slowly to Han Chong. The day’s shocks had overwhelmed her; dizzy, she fainted dead away.

Han Chong sighed helplessly—this hawk-nosed superior had been so greedy he deserved his end. Had he not killed him, he and Cold Moon would have died instead. Yet, to slay him so abruptly was a blow Cold Moon could not bear. It was understandable—he had been her mentor.

Han Chong rose and went to the piles of gold and jewels. Even with his discerning eye, each piece was a priceless treasure, but there was simply too much to carry away. Moreover, the Black Tiger demon, though fled, might yet return. Han Chong sensed these riches were of great value to such beings and could not let them fall into evil hands.

He selected some gold and silver to stow in his storage pouch, then, moved by a thought, went to the hawk-nosed man’s body. Picking up the black saber, he went to a corner of the tomb and dug a deep pit. After half an hour, the hole was ready. Using his mountain-moving spell, he transferred all the treasure into the pit, even hauling in jewels from the side chambers and disguising the site thoroughly. The treasures were thus safely hidden for future need.

When Cold Moon awoke, Han Chong was meditating beside her. Seeing the treasure gone, she showed no interest, still immersed in her grief, her face cold, saying not a word. Han Chong knew not how to comfort her. Together, they retraced their steps, sealed the entrance behind them, and made their way back to the county office of Yichuan.

“This is your token. Let’s return to Pei Commandery and report that Lord Jiang and the others were killed by demons,” Cold Moon said the next morning, handing Han Chong the Black Tiger token, her face expressionless.

“Very well,” Han Chong replied after a moment’s thought. Together, they mounted swift horses and sped towards Pei Commandery.

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