Chapter 382 - 365: Eldest Senior Brother is Here!!

Chapter 382: Chapter 365: Eldest Senior Brother is Here!!

"Since you’ve begged me, your master..."

"Then I... shall lend you a hand... HEH HEH HEH HEH..."

...

「The heart of the Anhe City ruins.」

Originally, the hearts of the common people and players in the ruins were in their throats.

Watching the old demon Ghost Nether absorb the blood mists of several Foundation Establishment Cultivators in one go, his aura recovering at a visible rate, everyone broke out in a cold sweat.

"It’s over... The low-HP boss healed!"

"This is a Core Formation Stage expert! We couldn’t even kill him when he was on the brink of death, so how are we supposed to fight him now?!"

However, the scene that unfolded in the next second made everyone’s jaws hit the floor again.

The menacing Ghost Nether Elder had just charged forward when Su Ling’er’s figure, though moving later, somehow arrived first, her strength absurdly greater than before.

With every punch, another layer of Ghost Nether’s protective Demonic Qi shattered.

This increase in strength wasn’t linear at all—it was a cliff-like surge! Even after the old demon recovered, she could still suppress him! What was going on?

"Holy shit?! Isn’t this a bit too intense?!"

The players were dumbfounded. "A Foundation Establishment Cultivator can beat a low-HP Core Formation expert like this? What kind of stats are these?! She must be cheating!"

"You don’t get it, do you? This is a classic ’No one can defeat me in my own BGM’ moment!"

"This isn’t Cultivation, this is clearly Celestial Punishment! Miss Su, the weather’s getting cold, you should put on another layer!!!"

Meanwhile, the common folk watched the demonic figure who continued to suppress the great demon. Though she had transformed into a demon herself, it no longer mattered.

She was their fairy maiden! Even as a demon, she was their guardian deity!

They even secretly resolved that if they survived, they would build a statue of her in her demonic form as the guardian deity of Anhe City, to be worshiped by future generations for all time.

...

「The heart of the battlefield.」

"Cough cough... PTHOO!"

The terror in Ghost Nether’s eyes finally turned into grim resolve.

’This is a complete cat-and-mouse game, and I’m the mouse caught in her rhythm! No, I can’t keep being so passive!’

"Since you want to play cat and mouse... let’s see if you can swallow what you catch!!!"

A hint of madness flashed in Ghost Nether’s eyes. He bit the tip of his tongue and formed an extremely bizarre and complex Dharma Seal with his hands.

BOOM—!!!

An aura a hundred times more sinister and terrifying than before suddenly erupted from the crown of Ghost Nether’s head, shooting toward the sky!

The once-clear sky was instantly filled with dark clouds, and the temperature of the entire Anhe City plummeted to freezing in that moment.

However, what was surprising was that...

...after the violent aura descended upon Ghost Nether, it didn’t immediately go on a killing spree. Instead, it quickly retracted, becoming profound and... courteous.

"Ghost Nether" slowly stood up from the ground.

He lightly patted the dust from his body and straightened his tattered robes. His originally grim and twisted features now revealed a kind of scholarly grace and composure.

But it was clear that control of this body had not been completely handed over.

「Within Ghost Nether’s consciousness.」

Ghost Nether hadn’t fully completed the spell. He was still resisting with all his might, trying to prevent himself from being completely controlled by his master.

’I don’t want to be completely possessed! Once Master descends fully, my physical body will be completely transformed into his shape. Even if it changes back later, I’ll just be Master’s second body!’

’I must live! Even if I have to borrow Master’s power, I must find a way to survive in the cracks!’

’As long as I maintain this state of semi-possession, maybe... maybe there’s still a chance to live on as myself!’

However, Mr. Youquan, who now held the lion’s share of control over the body, merely gave a contemptuous smile:

"Heh... Foolish disciple, your struggles are futile."

Mr. Youquan (in his possessed state) slowly raised his head. Within the eyes that originally belonged to Ghost Nether, two clusters of eerie green ghost-fire now burned.

His gaze fell upon Su Ling’er, who stood opposite him.

Originally, he had come to save the situation.

But the moment he got a clear look at Su Ling’er, Mr. Youquan froze.

What did he see?

Overwhelming Demonic Qi!

The resentful spirits and bloodlust, so dense they were almost tangible, swirled within the girl’s body like stars orbiting the moon. Her crimson eyes suppressed a primitive thirst for slaughter. Her aura was like an abyss, a prison...

’Perfect! Absolutely perfect! Her Pseudo Spirit Root is a small flaw, but who cares!’

’This is clearly a [Naturally-Born Demon Seed], the kind you don’t see in ten thousand years!’

’With this kind of talent as the raw material for a second body, if cultivated properly, she could become a hundred times stronger than my worthless disciple, Ghost Nether!’

The killing intent in Mr. Youquan’s eyes instantly vanished, replaced by the fervor and appreciation one has upon seeing a peerless treasure.

He clasped his hands behind his back, gave Su Ling’er a slight smile, and said in a gentle tone, "Young friend, what fine methods, what fine baleful energy."

"I am Youquan, a Nascent Soul Elder of the Ghost Spirit Sect."

"I see your bone structure is extraordinary and your demonic roots run deep. You’re practically a born Evil Cultivator! Instead of wasting your life in this mortal world, why not... take me as your master?"

Before Su Ling’er could even react, Mr. Youquan threw out another heavy bargaining chip.

He pointed to his own chest—that is, Ghost Nether’s body—and said with a grin, "As long as you nod your head and swear a Celestial Demon Contract..."

"...the life of this rebellious disciple will be my gift to you. You may do with him as you please. How about it?"

...

「Within Ghost Nether’s body.」

Hearing this, Ghost Nether, who was struggling to hold on, completely lost it.

’Huh?!’

’Master?! Aren’t you betraying your own a little too quickly?! I’m still alive, and you’re selling me out right in front of my face?!’

...

Su Ling’er was also completely thrown by this sudden "goodwill."

She stared in shock at the old demon before her, whose entire demeanor had changed.

Although she could sense it was a different person, the move of opening with "take you as my disciple" and offering his own disciple’s life as a welcoming gift truly left her shaken.

What made her break down even more was his assessment of her.

’A born Evil Cultivator? Demonic roots run deep?’

Su Ling’er looked down at her own appearance, wreathed in black qi and radiating a bloody light...

’Okay, I guess I do look the part.’

’But!’

’I follow the righteous path!!!’

’What is going on? Why does everyone think I’m an Evil Cultivator? Do I really look that much like a villain? I only became like this to protect everyone!’

At this moment, the soul of the righteous path within Su Ling’er’s heart burned fiercely.

She refused decisively, pointing a finger straight at Mr. Youquan, her voice icy. "Silence!"

"Our paths are different, so we cannot walk them together! I am a Cultivator of the righteous path! How could I wallow in the mire with demons like you?!"

Hearing this, Mr. Youquan’s face showed a hint of regret.

"You will agree."

Mr. Youquan wasted no more words. He slowly raised a withered hand and made a grasping motion toward Su Ling’er from a distance.

There was no earth-shattering momentum.

But in Su Ling’er’s perception, that hand instantly magnified, as if it blotted out the entire sky, as if it had replaced the very laws of this world!

Space froze.

Before this hand, the power she had just gained was so suppressed she couldn’t even move a single finger.

’Nascent Soul Stage?!’

’Is this the power above the Core Formation Stage?!’

’The gap is too vast! This is a chasm that can’t be crossed just by fighting desperately!’

’Am I... really going to fall here?’

Just as that terrifying hand was about to descend and crush her completely—

BUZZ!

Su Ling’er suddenly felt her body move.

An extremely familiar power instantly took control of her body!

It was the same feeling she’d had when she fought the Core Formation Stage demon wolf.

’This is... the [Thousand Threads Puppet Show]?!’

’It’s Senior Brother!!’

’Senior Brother is here!!!’