The Demoness’s Twisted Delight and a Desperate Gambit

“Screech~~ Rip~~”

A sound, like a knife scraping glass, arose, causing goosebumps to prickle the skin.

Ji Jie’s blood-forged sword clashed with the inky black claws on Yue Ye Si’s hands, sparking a flash of static electricity.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

Yue Ye Si deftly evaded the blades Ji Jie swung at her.

Then, spinning, she swept her claws, shattering three chibi-Xiaobai-like puppets, controlled by red threads, as if they were mere ragdolls.

Having effortlessly parried both attacks, Yue Ye Si sprang five meters into the air with a graceful lightness.

She crossed her arms in an ‘X’ over her chest, then fanned them forward like wings, each of her ten shadowy fingers unleashing a black arrow.

The arrows, swift as wind and thunder, darted forth like venomous snakes lurking in the shadows.

‘Swish! Swish! Swish!’ they flew, striking without warning towards the other two.

Ji Jie, agile and swift, tumbled across the ground.

Not a single arrow found its mark, instead leaving five deep, inky black holes scorched into the earth.

Xiaobai, however, reacted with even greater ease.

From her massive body, woven from crimson threads, five red filaments shot forth.

These transformed into five doll-like figures that instantly exploded with a ‘Boom!’, obliterating the black arrows into fragments.

Though their defense appeared simple, the five holes carved into the earth were as wide as jar mouths and seemingly bottomless.

The colossal explosions that accompanied them were deafening, like volcanic eruptions.

Battles between Heavenly Human Realm cultivators invariably shook the very foundations of heaven and earth.

Any mortal caught in their midst would surely be utterly annihilated, leaving not even a speck of dust behind.

“Hmph~ How truly troublesome. Nevertheless…”

A smirk played on Yue Ye Si’s lips, instilling a deep sense of dread in the other two.

“Hahahaha! Seeing your terrified expressions fills me with exhilaration.

It has been so long since I’ve killed, and just as long since I’ve delved into forbidden arts!

Your forbidden techniques are so… delicious, I truly adore them! I adore them! I adore them! Heh hahahaha…”

Yue Ye Si’s laughter verged on madness, her mouth stretching wide like that of a demon.

Suddenly, she brought her hands together in a chopping motion, her fingers dancing wildly as blood spurted forth.

To the astonishment of the two, Yue Ye Si severed all ten of her own fingers.

Upon hitting the ground, they astonishingly transformed into ten chubby little figures.

These figures, with their blonde hair, blue eyes, and twin pigtails, were instantly recognizable as chibi versions of Tou.

These ten little figures pulsed with a tyrannical power, on the verge of exploding.

Xiaobai’s wide eyes stretched even wider, as if they could expand no further!

The forbidden art Yue Ye Si employed bore a striking resemblance to her own.

Xiaobai’s Evil Eye gathered all the soul fragments of the deceased monkeys into a single point, forging an immense power.

These tiny puppets were merely fragments of that power, dispersed and given form.

Within the cocoon she had fashioned, the souls would not dissipate.

Instead, they would be endlessly exploited, transformed into explosive little puppets.

However, the ten puppets Yue Ye Si had just created, while appearing to be her severed fingers, merely used those fingers to provide a physical shell.

The true tyrannical power within them was the concentrated resentment of the imprisoned souls, erupting forth.

The power that rightfully belonged to Xiaobai had been seized by Yue Ye Si!

Moreover, Yue Ye Si’s forbidden art surpassed Xiaobai’s; she had not only mastered it but had also refined it to an even more formidable degree.

At the same moment, Ji Jie’s mouth dropped open in utter disbelief.

From Yue Ye Si’s hands, flowing blood congealed into two crimson swords.

Blood-slaughtering swords, forged from the very essence of a true Heavenly Human Realm cultivator’s blood, possessed a might far surpassing Ji Jie’s own blade!

Could this truly be the Demoness!

Was this the Heart-Eating Demoness who had dominated the world a century ago!

Her terror was absolute, a chilling spectacle indeed!

“Hahahaha! What’s this, already afraid? That simply won’t do!

I haven’t had my fill of fun yet!”

Yue Ye Si’s hands regenerated instantly.

Wielding both swords, she charged directly at Ji Jie, ignoring the ten puppets behind her, and swung her blades towards both opponents.

“Muda muda muda muda muda muda!”

Yue Ye Si’s sword strikes were a dense, relentless flurry, like a black cloud descending upon a city, forcing both opponents into a desperate retreat.

Against Yue Ye Si’s onslaught, Ji Jie’s sword offered her only means of defense.

Yet, after being struck by Yue Ye Si’s sword phantom, she was sent flying dozens of meters backward along with her blade.

Xiaobai, not suited for close combat, had her massive crimson thread phantoms instantly morph into adorable chibi ragdolls to impede Yue Ye Si’s advance.

She hoped to halt Yue Ye Si’s momentum with them.

However, under Yue Ye Si’s devastating assault, every single chibi doll was utterly shredded.

By the time Xiaobai reacted, a powerful gust of wind had swept her hair straight back.

Yue Ye Si’s sword tip was already pressed against her neck.

Feeling the chilling sword qi, Xiaobai broke out in a cold sweat, trembling uncontrollably.

Yet, she dared not move, fearing that even a twitch would cause the blade at her throat to mercilessly end her life!

She had boasted of challenging the Demoness, of the immense pride in fighting her.

Xiaobai yearned to slap Little Black right then!

Damn it all! Why did they make a young girl like her face this demon?!

“Hah! Is this truly all your strength amounts to? Boxers! Boxers! Wryyyyyy!”

“Urgh! Argh! Urghhhhhhh!”

Yue Ye Si’s patience visibly wore thin!

Her blood swords vanished, and she began frantically pummeling Xiaobai with her fists.

Each punch struck Xiaobai to her very core, shattering her bones, forcing screams from her throat, and filling her with profound regret!

With her hands guarding her head and heart, Xiaobai could only shield her vital organs against Yue Ye Si’s brutal blows.

But why? Why must she endure this inhuman torture, why must she live like this?

Given the Demoness’s methods, she might suffer an even more horrific death, beaten to a pulp, then transmuted into some grotesque creation…

The Demoness was terrifying; this torment was worse than death itself.

It would be better to end it swiftly, to drop her guard and let it all be over…

“Xiaobai! Blood!”

Xiaobai abandoned her defense, but the attack never landed.

Instead, a shock of crimson hair vibrated wildly before her, crackling with energy!

In that crucial moment, Ji Jie had shielded her.

Ji Jie’s entire body, much like her now crimson hair, seemed to emanate from a roaring inferno.

Forbidden Art – Blazing Blood!

Her sword was long gone, having merged entirely into her body, where it now seethed.

Her body temperature soared beyond that of flames, plumes of white smoke rising from her skin.

She resembled a volcano on the verge of eruption!

Unmoving, she was as steadfast as a mountain; yet, should that mountain stir, it would be as if the earth itself collapsed, or the heavens crumbled!

“BLOOD!!!”

Ji Jie roared, a deafening thunderclap, a sky-rending tsunami!

Filled with fury and explosive power, her cry forced Yue Ye Si back several steps!

“Ahahaha! As expected, you didn’t disappoint me!

Such a forbidden art, such immense explosive power, it truly… it makes my own blood boil!

So potent, so savage! I almost can’t bear to learn it quickly; I desire to completely overpower this technique with my raw physical might.

Strength! Power! Hahahaha! Wryyyyyy!”

Confronted with such a potent forbidden art, Yue Ye Si became pathologically excited.

Clenching her fists, she charged forward, eager to experience Ji Jie’s formidable power with her own body.

“Muda muda muda muda muda!”

“Platinum Little Star! Star Riot! Ora ora ora ora ora me!”

Ji Jie’s current power allowed her to directly utilize the Imperial Armament’s second ability: Starburst.

With every swing of her sword, several star-like projectiles shot forth, slicing towards Yue Ye Si like shurikens.

Maintaining her ranged assault, the stars she unleashed were capable of cleaving through trees several meters thick.

Innumerable stars collided with Yue Ye Si’s fists, yet they could only achieve a temporary stalemate.

Unless she grew even stronger, once her blood was fully consumed, she would inevitably be slain by Yue Ye Si!

There was only one option left!

She would ignite all her blood at once, unleashing Platinum Little Star’s third ability – a single strike of the Heavenly Human Realm!

She had to defeat the Heart-Eating Demoness, Yue Ye Si, with one decisive blow!

“Aha!!!”

Ji Jie’s entire body felt as if it were ablaze, the immense heat distorting the air around her.

Limitless power surged from within her, her bones creaked audibly, and her hair bristled upwards, radiating fierce might!

Suddenly, she felt her power intensify even further.

Another surge of formidable energy, like a tsunami, flooded into her already expanding body.

It was Xiaobai behind her.

Xiaobai’s blood, channeled through two crimson threads, pierced into Ji Jie’s body.

In turn, Xiaobai grew even paler, her body appearing utterly drained.

“Sister Jie! This is my last remaining strength!

Please, take my rage, Xiao Yuan’s rage, the rage of our fallen comrades!

Deliver a resounding slap to that damned Demoness!”