Battle with the Earth Demon

When Ye Qiang's most powerful strike failed to even leave a scratch on the Earth Demon—whose body was huge, covered in scales, with a pair of sharp horns on his head and white hair—Li Zhi and the others couldn't afford to think any longer. Without hesitation, they turned and fled.

Even though their hands were bound and movement was incredibly difficult, it didn't stop them from running for their lives.

At this moment, Meng'er, the young girl from the Wuji Sword Sect, had regained consciousness.

With her sorrowful eyes scanning the surroundings, she ignored her shame and, with a gaze like fire, focused entirely on Ye Qiang, who was standing near the transformed scar-faced boy.

She was now filled with intense hatred for Ye Qiang.

It seemed that she hadn't noticed that her senior brother had transformed into a demon and was standing right next to Ye Qiang, glaring at him with blood-red eyes—the same eyes that had once looked at her with kindness.

Since the moment Ye Qiang had struck down her senior brother, she had sworn in her heart to avenge him.

From the moment she woke up, she had already developed a deep hatred for Ye Qiang, as well as for herself—why had she let her guard down in front of an enemy? Why had she relaxed around someone she should have been cautious about?

From that point on, she was no longer the fragile young girl she once was.

In her mind, Meng'er silently vowed, I will personally kill the one who murdered my beloved senior brother and avenge him!

As Ye Qiang and the now-demonized scar-faced boy locked eyes, a sharp sword, infused with boundless anger and a thirst for revenge, came crashing toward him.

The sword's deadly gleam struck with such intensity that Ye Qiang instantly realized the danger he was in.

With no time to dodge, Ye Qiang took a deep breath, blocking the strike with his red longsword held across his chest.

When he looked up, he saw that the one attempting to kill him was none other than the young girl, Meng'er.

She had disregarded her purity as a woman in her fury.

Her expression had completely transformed, no longer the tender, gentle Meng'er he had once known.

Her cold demeanor and icy resolve reminded Ye Qiang of another woman.

He felt a deep sense of guilt—this was perhaps a consequence of his own actions.

After blocking Meng'er's powerful strike, Ye Qiang stumbled back a few steps and, with a serious tone, said, "Miss!"

"Please, calm down!"

"This is not the time for fighting."

Meng'er, realizing that her attempt to kill her brother's murderer had failed, glanced at the demonized scar-faced boy standing nearby. Only then did she truly notice the terrifying Earth Demon before her—a huge creature covered in scales, with sharp horns protruding from his head, white hair, and an appearance that sent chills down anyone's spine.

After a brief moment of realization, the Earth Demon let out a mighty roar and, with overwhelming force, threw a punch directly at Meng'er's fragile body.

Yet, Meng'er showed no fear whatsoever. She raised her sword and aimed it at the Earth Demon's incoming fist, as though to test whether her blade or the demon's punch would prevail.

But the outcome was a crushing disappointment.

When her cold, piercing sword collided with the Earth Demon's furious punch, Ye Qiang felt the entire mountain trembling around them. The air was thick with the ominous aura of death.

Then, a horrifying scene unfolded before Ye Qiang's eyes.

As soon as Meng'er's sword made contact with the Earth Demon's massive, black-scaled fist, the ground shook, and black energy rippled around them like an unstoppable force. The powerful shockwave sent Meng'er's sword flying, forcing her to retreat several dozen steps. The Earth Demon, like a towering mountain, bore down on her with terrifying might.

Ye Qiang understood the danger, and Meng'er knew it too—if that giant Earth Demon landed on her, she would be crushed to pieces.

But in that moment, Meng'er had no way to avoid the demon's lethal blow.

Just as she was about to be obliterated, Ye Qiang reached into his spatial ring and pulled out a purple pill. Swallowing it in one go, a surge of energy exploded within him. His figure blurred, moving like a beam of light. In the instant that the Earth Demon's massive, oppressive body was about to crush Meng'er, Ye Qiang pushed her to safety, sending her flying several feet away to land on a nearby rock.

As Meng'er's graceful body hit the ground, Ye Qiang collapsed near a large rock, spitting out blood, his body covered in injuries. The rock beneath him cracked under the tremendous force of the impact.

The Earth Demon, resembling a killing machine, stepped forward slowly, its heavy footsteps making the ground tremble. Each step brought it closer to Ye Qiang, and as it neared, pieces of the rock around him began to crumble and fall away.

Meng'er, regaining her composure, kept her cold, unfeeling expression. She watched silently as the Earth Demon approached the injured Ye Qiang. In her heart, she couldn't understand why Ye Qiang would save a woman who had just tried to kill him.

Was it out of guilt for killing her senior brother?

But despite this, she had already sworn vengeance for her fallen senior and would not let him go, no matter what.

Ye Qiang, lying incapacitated and listening to the deadly footsteps growing louder with every passing second, could feel the tremor of falling rock fragments. The air around them seemed to vibrate with a rhythm of death, created by the demon's dark, oppressive aura. But even in his pain, Ye Qiang wasn't in despair.

As the Earth Demon neared within two steps, Ye Qiang tried to grasp his red longsword. But to his horror, his arms had been rendered useless by the demon's previous overwhelming physical assault. His hands could no longer hold the sword.

What should I do?

Am I really going to die here, so soon after receiving the Fire Martial Sword God's inheritance?

Is this how my fate ends, crushed by a mere low-level Earth Demon?

Ye Qiang muttered to himself, struggling with the thought of his possible end.

The Earth Demon, uncaring for Ye Qiang's inner turmoil, moved toward him like a mechanical killing machine, indifferent to everything but the death it was about to bring.

The demon's clawed hands, thick with scales, opened wide, its five sharp fingers gleaming as it reached Ye Qiang. Stopping just beside him, the demon raised its hands, preparing to deliver a final, crushing blow. Its ten deadly black claws glowed red, burning with power as they heated up, poised to strike.

The demon twisted its neck, its bloodshot eyes locking onto Ye Qiang's weak, motionless body. With a rough, guttural voice, it growled, "Pitiful, insignificant human… Let me end your life now!"