novelapdf Chapter 285 Fighting the Tiger Vanguard!
Chapter 285 Fighting the Tiger Vanguard!
Inside the village.
The demonic cultivator peasant woman, moving like a marionette, walked for a while through the black smoke before stopping in front of a farmer's courtyard gate. The gate was already leaning to one side.
A coffin was placed upright at the entrance of the main room, directly opposite the courtyard gate.
The coffin had no lid, and black mist swirled inside.
It's like a door leading to the underworld.
Without pausing, the demonic cultivator woman stepped into the coffin.
A ripple-like pattern spread across the surface of the coffin, and then her figure vanished without a trace.
Jiang Mu came out from behind and stood in front of the vertical coffin, examining it carefully.
He reached into the coffin.
All I encountered was air; there was nothing else.
"A teleportation array? Or a barrier entrance?"
After a moment's thought, Jiang Mu stepped inside.
In an instant, the scene before my eyes changed drastically.
The black smoke was gone, and so was the gloomy, oppressive sky.
Above us was a clear blue sky, with a few white clouds drifting lazily by.
Underfoot was a yellow rammed earth road, and the walls of the houses on both sides were old, but they looked like ordinary village dwellings.
It was completely different from the village of Shuer that had just been shrouded in black smoke.
"Is it another isolated illusory space like the Lost Soul Swamp?"
Jiang Mu pondered silently.
Just then, a series of curses and roars came from ahead.
Jiang Mu followed the sound and quietly approached.
He leaped onto a rooftop and looked down.
In the village's threshing ground, dozens of strange-looking monsters were gathered, squatting in groups of three or five, tearing at raw meat.
In the center of the venue stood a large bronze cauldron with a diameter of about ten feet.
The bottom of the pot was ablaze with flames.
The boiling water in the pot was bubbling and spewing bloody meat bubbles.
Beside the large cauldron, two enormous black bear demons, each as big as a small mountain, were eating half a piece of meat, their mouths dripping with oil.
On the other side, dozens of villagers from Tree Village, their eyes vacant and clearly corrupted by demonic energy, stood in a line like livestock. Once the meat in the pot was finished, the villager at the front would walk expressionlessly to the pot and voluntarily jump into the boiling water. "So this is where it is."
A cold glint flashed in Jiang Mu's eyes.
Jiang Mu quickly scanned the area and, not seeing Chu Lingzhu and the others, breathed a slight sigh of relief.
It seems those three girls are safe for now.
Having confirmed this, Jiang Mu jumped off the roof and landed at the edge of the threshing ground.
The two sixth-tier black bear demons, who were tearing flesh and blood, paused and turned their heads in unison.
"Jiang Mu?!"
The larger of the two bears suddenly stood up, its black fur bristling like steel needles, and roared with its blood-red bear eyes, "You're still alive?!"
"Oh? So it really was a trap set specifically for me."
Jiang Mu glanced around at the demons who had drawn their weapons and were baring their teeth as they surrounded him, his tone contemptuous.
"Is this all the pomp and circumstance you put on to kill me? Has the Red Umbrella Cult run out of people? Sending you bunch of scum to your deaths?"
"Damn it, stop being so arrogant! This is our territory!"
Another black bear demon flew into a rage, roaring to the sky, "Children, attack! Chop him into mincemeat and throw him into the pot!" Dozens of lesser demons and controlled demons swarmed towards Jiang Mu.
Jiang Mu stood with his hands behind his back as he faced the surging horde of demons.
Without him making any move, countless blade energies suddenly burst forth around his body.
The blade energy poured out like a cascading galaxy, spreading out in layers.
Each one carried the sharp essence of the Blood River, gleaming with a cold light that intertwined dark red and silvery white under the sunlight.
Wherever the blade's energy passed, the little demon's body was torn to shreds as if it were made of paper.
Black blood and severed limbs were scattered everywhere.
The demonized villager was swept by the blade's energy, and the black aura on his body was instantly evaporated.
The leading black bear demon raised a broad axe to try and block the incoming blade energy, but the axe was sliced in half, protruding from the back of its head. The massive bear body swayed and then crashed to the ground.
In the blink of an eye, the once noisy threshing ground fell into a deathly silence.
The ground was littered with severed limbs and blood.
Jiang Mu remained standing with his hands behind his back, not even a drop of blood staining the hem of his clothes.
Only the smaller black bear monster is still alive.
"thump!"
The black bear demon's legs went weak, and he knelt down in the pool of blood.
A foul-smelling, pale yellow liquid flowed down its crotch and onto the ground.
"M-Sir, spare me! Please spare me, sir!"
The black bear demon kowtowed desperately, slamming its head against the ground with muffled thuds.
Jiang Mu walked up to it, looking down at the terrified monster: "I'll ask you one more time. Are you the only monsters here? And where were the villagers who weren't corrupted taken?"
"Behind... on that mountain, there's a place called Wohu Temple."
The black bear demon trembled all over as it raised one paw, pointing timidly to the back of the threshing ground, its face contorted in a mournful expression.
"Our leader, and the villagers we captured, are all in there..."
Jiang Mu squinted and looked over.
There is a small hill there, with lush trees on its slopes, and a dilapidated staircase can be vaguely seen winding its way up from the foot of the hill.
"And there's a leader too. No wonder he was able to cause such a commotion."
Jiang Mu asked, "Which leader is it?"
The black bear demon stammered, "It's...it's Lord Tiger Vanguard."
Upon hearing the name, Jiang Mu was taken aback for a moment, then murmured, "What a coincidence! What a small world!"
I remember the first time he made a name for himself was when he slaughtered the remaining troops of Tiger Vanguard.
Tiger Vanguard also participated in the siege of Yancheng last time.
However, after Mo Huaisu appeared, a large number of demons fled, including Tiger Vanguard.
Jiang Mu waved his hand, severing the bear-like monster's head, and dashed towards the small hill.
Halfway up the mountain, a lonely old temple with upturned eaves sits amidst weeds and shrubs.
The temple gate was already crooked.
A plaque hangs above the door.
The paint has peeled off, and the three large characters "Wohu Temple" can be vaguely discerned.
Several villagers' corpses were hanging from the withered tree next to the door.
The chest cavities of these corpses were cut open with sharp instruments, and their internal organs, such as the heart, liver, spleen, and lungs, were completely removed.
The empty ribcage swayed slightly in the wind, like a row of clothes drying in the sun.
A murderous glint flashed in Jiang Mu's eyes as he stepped into the temple gate.
As soon as I crossed the front yard, a strong smell of blood hit me.
In the temple courtyard, there was a huge, square pool of blood.
The pool water was scarlet, constantly bubbling with blood.
At the edge of this pool of blood, a massive tiger demon was bending over, burying its face in the blood, and gulping down the blood in the pool. A huge sword was slung across its back.
Nine copper rings are embedded in the back of the knife, and each ring is engraved with runes.
Hearing footsteps, it raised its head.
Blood dripped down its sharp fangs, splashing onto the surface of the pool and creating dark red ripples.
"I told you, that sly fox who thinks she's so clever can't kill you, Master Jiang."
Tiger Vanguard grinned, revealing a savage smile. "What a pity. If you had arrived half an hour later, I would have drunk this pool of ten thousand blood demons dry and broken through to the next level."
breakthrough?
Jiang Mu looked around.
The stone slabs surrounding the blood pool were engraved with array patterns.
The array patterns spread from the edge of the blood pool to the four courtyard walls, weaving into a dark red net.
Several ferocious stone animal heads were also placed around the blood pool.
He suddenly realized:
"With all this commotion, sealing off villages and arresting people, it turns out they were planning a blood sacrifice breakthrough. No wonder."
This Tiger Vanguard was originally an eighth-tier great demon.
Back when he served under the Mist Demon, he was a notorious and fierce general.
If it can successfully break through to the ninth rank, then this battle will be unnecessary.
"But it's okay!"
Tiger Vanguard slowly straightened up, his tiger paws clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked, and a murderous intent surged in his scarlet tiger eyes.
Even if you haven't broken through yet, I'll still kill you!
Back then outside Huzhou City, you wiped out all my men, one by one.
"I've been holding this grudge for so long, it's time to settle it!"
Tiger Vanguard rushed in like lightning and appeared in front of Jiang Mu, his iron fist, as big as a sand pot, slamming down with a stench!
Jiang Mu remained expressionless, and her figure vanished from the spot in an instant.
"Boom!"
Tiger Vanguard's punch landed on the edge of the blood pool where Jiang Mu had just been standing.
The hard ground was covered with cracks, and the violent punches smashed the blood in the pool into the sky, causing it to rain down.
This Tiger Vanguard is not only incredibly strong, but also possesses exceptionally sharp combat instincts.
The instant Jiang Mu teleported to its left blind spot, it seemed to have foreseen this, twisting its waist and drawing its greatsword, sweeping across the battlefield with a single blow!
The blade sliced through the air, creating a gust of air.
Jiang Mu waved her arm.
Sharp blade-like energy erupted from his body.
The blade energy drew countless silver arcs, slashing towards Tiger Vanguard from all directions.
Tiger Vanguard crossed his arms and placed them in front of him.
The blade struck its arm with a clanging sound, leaving only shallow white marks.
"kill!"
Tiger Vanguard burst out from the sky full of sword energy and swung his giant sword.
The blade sweeps horizontally!
A crescent-shaped shockwave cleaved through the air, sending rubble and debris crashing down wherever it passed.
Jiang Mu brought his sword fingers together, his gaze hardening.
"go!"
A three-inch-long flying sword, "Wangchuan," shot out from the void, aiming straight for Tiger Vanguard's left eye!
Tiger Vanguard flipped his wrist.
The giant sword blocked the way like a door, and the flying sword, after striking the blade and sending sparks flying, was deflected.
At the same time, it stomped its foot, and the blood pool surged violently.
Tiger Vanguard swung his sword across the pool of blood.
Countless arrows of blood shot out from the surface of the pool, raining down on Jiang Mu.
Even more insidiously, several blood snakes as thick as an arm surged out of the blood pool at the same time and coiled around Jiang Mu's legs.
They attempted to block his teleportation ability.
"Trying to control me?"
Jiang Mu snorted coldly and began to circulate the "Mysterious Gang True Explanation" within his body.
A layer of pale golden protective energy burst forth from his body, like an inverted golden bell.
The dense stream of blood arrows struck the protective energy, producing crackling sounds before being deflected and shattered.
The blood snakes wrapped around his legs were also scorched by the qi, emitting sizzling white smoke, and quickly dissipated.
Just during the brief moment when Jiang Mu broke free of control...
Tiger Vanguard had already sheathed his sword, and his towering body leaped high into the air, blotting out the sky.
Its arms are bulging with muscles, like two giant pillars supporting the sky.
He swung the hammer down hard on Jiang Mu's head!
"boom!!"
This attack was unavoidable.
Jiang Mu could only cross her arms in front of her chest and endure the pain.
The terrifying kinetic energy poured down like a tsunami, sending Jiang Mu flying backward and crashing his back into the headless stone Buddha behind the hall.
The stone Buddha exploded from its chest and abdomen, and rubble rained down, burying half of it.
Jiang Mu stood up from the ruins and coughed lightly twice.
He shook his slightly sore arms and looked at Tiger Vanguard with a rather serious expression.
"As expected of the Mist Demon's former top lieutenant..."
Jiang Mu was secretly alarmed.
This beast's combat ability and physical strength are far superior to those of a typical eighth-tier perfect demon.
Compared to it, Shen Hufei was like a kitten meeting a real tiger.
If he hadn't just fused with the Blood Frenzy Blade and his body hadn't undergone a tempering process, he would have broken at least a few bones just now.
"Hahaha! That felt great!"
Tiger Vanguard landed back at the edge of the blood pool, then let out a wild laugh as he looked up at the sky.
"As expected of the legendary number one genius in the Daqing Demon Slaying Division, his physical foundation is far superior to those good-for-nothings who only know how to hide behind formations and throw talismans!"
"If I could devour the heart and liver of you, a seventh-realm prodigy, how could I not break through the ninth-tier barrier in one fell swoop!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the massive body charged forward once more.
Jiang Mu's figure flashed, instantly dodging the direct impact of the fist. At the same time, his hands condensed at his sides, forming a large sword of spiritual energy in his palms. [Whirlwind Slash]!
He spun rapidly like a top, and countless blade energies around him swirled out like a reversed galaxy.
Densely packed, the flashing blades formed a long, silvery river.
Tiger Vanguard was equally fearless, wielding his giant sword to fight head-on.
The two blades clashed repeatedly, each impact producing a piercing shriek and sending shockwaves rippled outwards.
The two are competing to see who has the thickest armor and who has the longest stamina!
Jiang Mu goes without saying.
The magic gauge within his body continuously provided power, and the sword's momentum not only did not weaken, but instead spun faster and faster.
As long as the demonic energy is inexhaustible, he is a tireless perpetual motion machine.
Tiger Vanguard, as an eighth-tier great demon, possesses an abyss-like and boundless life force.
Even so, after fighting for nearly a thousand moves, Tiger Vanguard's breathing became heavy and labored.
However, just as Jiang Mu was about to take advantage of the situation to suppress the enemy, a strange scene unfolded.
Suddenly, the water level in the blood pool beneath Tiger Vanguard's feet dropped at a visible speed.
Streams of bloody energy flowed upwards from its legs and surged into its body.
In the blink of an eye, Tiger Vanguard's heavy breathing subsided, and its previously sluggish sword swings became incredibly swift again. Clearly, it was replenishing its strength through the baleful energy in the blood pool beneath its feet.
Jiang Mu narrowed her eyes.
This blood pool can not only be used to break through, but it can also provide a continuous source of recovery during battle, which is quite troublesome.
If he continued fighting like this, his demonic energy would eventually give way.
During a break in the fight, Jiang Mu tried flicking his finger to send a drop of lamp oil from the bronze Buddhist lamp into the blood pool.
The dark golden lamp oil fell into the blood, only to be swallowed up after a few bubbles, without even a wisp of smoke rising.
"It seems there's probably some kind of protective object buried beneath this blood pool to suppress the Buddhist fire. This place is originally a Buddhist temple, so Tiger Vanguard must have made thorough preparations beforehand to dare set up an altar here..."
Jiang Mu pondered in his heart,
He tried to fight while retreating, hoping to lure Tiger Vanguard into the blood pool's area.
But this tiger demon was very clever and refused to step out of the blood pool no matter what.
Each time Jiang Mu feigned retreat, Tiger Vanguard would stand in the blood pool, grinning maliciously, clearly indicating that he wouldn't pursue.
"Damn it, you're trying to cheat, aren't you?"
Seeing that this guy could last as long as he could, a thought suddenly popped into Jiang Mu's mind.
Since this blood pool can provide Tiger Vanguard with demonic energy, can I try absorbing some myself?
Without thinking, Jiang Mu acted.
The shadow demon detached from beneath his feet and took his place, engaging in fierce combat with Tiger Vanguard.
Jiang Mu took advantage of this opening to retreat.
He went straight to the other side of the blood pool, and without the slightest hesitation, plunged his hands deep into the thick, pungent blood, circulating his internal energy. "Absorb it!"
Tiger Vanguard forced Shadow Demon back with a single strike, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Jiang Mu's movements. He was first taken aback, then burst into wild laughter:
"Hahahaha! Kid, have you gone mad from the beating I gave you?!"
This blood pool contains the blood essence and demonic energy of tens of thousands of people, which is a great tonic to help me break through to the Demon King realm!
You, a mere human cultivator, dare to absorb it directly with your physical body?
Severed meridians and burned internal organs are the least of your worries! Aren't you afraid of having your mind erased and turning into a demon who doesn't recognize his own family?
Jiang Mu ignored its mockery.
As the cultivation technique was activated, the blood demonic energy in the blood flowed back into the demonic channel through his arms.
The energy in the magic tank, which had been running low, was rapidly replenishing.
It actually works!
Jiang Mu was overjoyed.
At first, Tiger Vanguard didn't pay much attention, continuing to deal with the Shadow Demon, preparing to clean up the mess after Jiang Mu exploded and died. But as time went on, it gradually realized something was wrong.
The malevolent aura in the blood pool beneath their feet was fading.
The blood pool provides it with less and less energy, and the energy becomes weaker and weaker.
It's as if someone pulled the plug at the bottom of the pool, and the evil energy is flowing in another direction.
Tiger Vanguard cleaved the shadow demon in two with a single slash, then turned to stare at Jiang Mu in astonishment.
The other person remained calm, his palms still immersed in the pool of blood.
The concentration of demonic energy around him was rising at an alarming rate.
"This...how is this possible!?"
Tiger Vanguard's expression finally changed, filled with unbelievable horror.
This kid is clearly a human cultivator, how could he possibly devour such pure demonic energy?
And there are absolutely no side effects?
This doesn't make sense!
unless……
"You...you're not even human!"
Tiger Vanguard, as if he had seen a ghost, pointed at Jiang Mu and roared, "You're a demon!!!"
Jiang Mu slowly raised his head and grinned at Hu Xianfeng:
"Thank you for the meal. It tastes good, but it's a little too salty."
"Fuck your grandma!"
Tiger Vanguard was completely enraged.
This is all the resources it used to break through to the ninth rank.
It roared and took a heavy blow from the Shadow Demon's back, then turned around, gripped its greatsword tightly with both hands, and slashed at Jiang Mu like a madman!
Jiang Mu sneered.
He stood up and opened his arms.
Hundreds of dark red sword energies were released from his body, blooming behind him like a peacock spreading its tail feathers.
Tiger Vanguard, relying on his thick skin and tough flesh, charged forward recklessly.
The blade's energy slashed across its body, leaving more than a dozen deep, bone-revealing wounds, with black blood splattering along the way.
By the time Tiger Vanguard finally reached Jiang Mu, Jiang Mu had already absorbed all the demonic energy in the pool.
The blood pool was still the same blood pool, its color still bright red.
Without the previous chilling aura and energy essence, it's just a pool of ordinary filthy blood.
Jiang Mu formed blades with both hands and unleashed a whirlwind slash once more.
They clashed fiercely with Tiger Vanguard.
This time, without the support of the blood pool's energy, Tiger Vanguard quickly began to pant, and the speed of his giant sword swings noticeably slowed down. He went from taking the initiative to attacking to struggling to parry, and then from struggling to parry to retreating step by step.
Jiang Mu, however, seemed like a ravenous demon who had just eaten and drunk his fill.
The sword strikes surged higher and higher with each wave.
Realizing he was about to be defeated, Tiger Vanguard gritted his teeth, and his massive body suddenly shot into the sky, fleeing wildly out of the temple.
"Trying to run away?"
Jiang Mu sneered.
A newly formed shadow demon blocked Tiger Vanguard's path, its true energy blade slashing down towards his head.
Tiger Vanguard hastily parried.
Jiang Mu's all-out attack from behind had caught up to his heart.
"Pfft!"
Tiger Vanguard was cleaved and sent flying back like a meteor, crashing into the blood pool and splashing up waves of blood.
It struggled to its feet and continued to roar and swing its fists.
Jiang Mu clasped her hands together, then turned and laid them flat.
A powerful surge of sword energy began to compress and condense in his palm.
It gradually condensed into a scarlet blade of light.
This sword energy not only contained the Blood River True Swallow, but also mixed with the Blood Fiend Demonic Energy that had just been absorbed from the Blood Pool.
Two completely different forces, one righteous and one evil, were strangely balanced in his hands.
"cut."
Jiang Mu raised both hands above his head and slashed them down into the pool of blood.
In an instant, the blade's light burst forth from his palm, slicing through the air with a fierce roar like a dragon's cry.
At first glance, it resembles a crimson waning moon that has fallen to earth.
The blade's momentum was like thunder descending upon the world, carrying an overwhelming and destructive power.
The blood in the pool was cleaved to the sides by the force of the blade, revealing piles of white bones at the bottom of the pool.
In Tiger Vanguard's desperate and terrified gaze, the scarlet blade struck him directly.
Tiger Vanguard's body was sliced in half from the very center.
The two halves of the corpse exploded to either side, spilling black blood, internal organs, and bone fragments into the pool.
Tiger Vanguard has fallen!