Chapter 31: This time a Holy Demon?

Wang Mie had just helped Li Liang injure the berserk deer with its crazy defenses and assisted Lu Jing in killing the three-headed wolf. Before she could celebrate, she saw five members of the Lin clan charging toward them.

“What are you doing?” she shouted, her voice filled with rage. “This is against the agreement between our clans.”

“You should worry about yourself,” Lin Ji responded coldly as he surveyed the battlefield.

Lin Ji's eyes widened with shock as he took in the scene. Lu Jing, a mere youth at the limit of the low-level body tempering stage, had just killed a high-level beast. The sight was almost unbelievable. Lu Jing’s body was battered and bloodied, yet the power he had displayed was undeniable. His mastery of weapon concepts and his raw determination had allowed him to achieve something that should have been beyond his capabilities.

“Impossible…” Lin Ji muttered under his breath, feeling a pang of unease. He had underestimated Lu Jing, a mistake that could have proven costly if not for their intervention now.

His gaze then shifted to Li Liang, who had gained the upper hand over the gold horn deer. The deer, known for its formidable defenses and berserk nature, had finally fallen under Li Liang’s relentless assault. The air around him was still crackling with the remnants of his fire qi, his spear glowing with residual heat. Li Liang’s prowess was formidable, his potential unmistakable.

Lin Ji's eyes narrowed as he turned to Ning Rong. He had personally fought her before, and her strength was seared into his memory. Now, she was holding her own against the peak-level silver basilisk. Pink lightning crackled around her, a testament to her unique lightning concept. Despite the basilisk's illusions and raw power, Ning Rong was matching it blow for blow, her qi control and combat prowess giving her an edge.

Lin Ji’s mind raced as he processed the scene. The Ning clan's young warriors were far stronger than he had anticipated. If left unchecked, they would become an unstoppable force.

He felt a twisted sense of satisfaction, realizing that his clan had chosen the perfect moment to strike. The Lin clan had to act now, or else the entire Seven Great Islands would eventually fall to the Ning clan. He could see it clearly: the Ning clan's future dominance, with these prodigious talents leading the way.

“Attack!” Lin Ji commanded, his voice slicing through the tension.

The Lin clan members charged forward, their weapons drawn and qi flaring. Wang Mie braced herself for the onslaught, then turned to face Lin Ji.

As the Lin clan closed in, Wang Mie fixed Lin Ji with a fierce gaze. “Do you think I’m weak?” she demanded, her voice carrying over the din of battle. “Do you think I’m a soft persimmon, easy to crush?”

Lin Ji smirked, his eyes glinting with a mix of contempt and curiosity. “Weak? Soft? I see you as someone who clings to outdated agreements and naive ideals. This world doesn’t favor the weak, Wang Mie. It crushes them.”

Wang Mie’s gaze hardened and a cold smile appeared on her beautiful face. “You underestimated me .”

Lin Ji's smirk faded slightly as him and his clan members were a little mesmerised by the beauty smiling in front of them.

“Power,” Wang Mie retorted. “I’ll show you what power truly means. I won’t let your betrayal go unpunished.” She said with a stony expression as her body started to emit an intense golden light.

"She is just like the others , use your full power , she is dangerous." Lin Ji yelled

Wang Mie drew her bow with full power and aimed at Lin Ji. At that moment, a swirling vortex of air appeared in the form of a donut behind her back.

“She has a concept at initial stage!” Lin San screamed, panic evident in his voice.

Lin Ji was taken aback as well. He had already lost count of how many times he was shocked today, but he didn’t panic. “She might have a concept at the initial stage, but she has been fighting other beasts as well. She must have a considerable amount of qi left, and I am also at the mid-level body tempering stage. We can handle this.”

But just as his voice fell, he saw an arrow bathed in golden light darting toward him. He used his movement technique and jumped out of the way. However, instead of moving past his location, the arrow turned mid-air at a 30-degree angle and struck two of his clan members.

The two were running together, one on the left side of the other and a little bit behind. They were both pierced by the arrow as it passed through their stomachs. Cultivators were resilient enough to not die from such injuries unless they were critical, but what truly horrified Lin Ji was the aftermath.

The wounds of his clan members began to shine golden. Their skin around the wounds darkened and started to wrinkle rapidly, as if decades were passing in mere seconds. Their flesh began to rot and decay, muscles shriveling and turning black. A foul stench filled the air, an acrid reminder of the horrific process.

Their eyes, once full of life, now stared wide in terror as their bodies betrayed them. The golden light spread through their veins, turning their skin translucent as the decay continued its gruesome march. Hair fell out in clumps, and teeth loosened, dropping to the ground. Their screams turned into gurgles as their throats constricted and rotted away.

Within moments, their bodies were nothing but skeletal remains, bones clinging with decayed flesh and muscles. The golden glow lingered, casting an eerie light on the gruesome sight. The ground was littered with remnants of what once were living warriors, now reduced to horrifying carcasses.

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Wang Mie watched them without a hint of empathy. Her eyes were cold, her face a mask of cruelty. The air around her crackled with power, and she showed no remorse for the terror she had unleashed. Her gaze shifted back to Lin Ji, who stood frozen in shock.

“Is this the power you thought you could handle?” she said, her voice icy and calm. “You underestimated me again, Lin Ji... and that will be your downfall.”

Lin Ji’s heart pounded in his chest, fear gripping him. He had never imagined such a brutal display of power. The strength and ruthlessness of this crazy woman was far beyond his expectations. As he faced Wang Mie, he realized that the battle ahead would be more perilous than he had ever anticipated.

Lin Ji's mind raced as he saw his clan members decaying before his eyes. Fighting the rising panic, he barked orders to the remaining members of his clan.

"Coat the infected parts with your qi! Use your defensive techniques to isolate her decay qi from spreading. It will eventually dissipate, but it won’t be easy while fighting. Stay focused!"

The remaining Lin clan members, their faces pale with fear, immediately began channeling their qi to their wounds, forming a protective barrier. The golden glow of the decay qi met resistance, slowly being pushed back, but the process was agonizingly slow. Sweat poured down their faces as they struggled to maintain their focus.

Lin Ji continued, his voice firm despite the turmoil inside him. "And be wary of those golden arrows. They can change trajectories due to her air concept. Keep your defenses up and stay alert!"

His eyes flicked back to Wang Mie, who stood confidently, her bow still raised and ready. He knew that dealing with her required not only physical strength but also strategic thinking. She was no ordinary opponent.

Wang Mie watched the Lin clan members with a cold detachment, noting how they struggled to fend off the decay. A faint smirk played on her lips as she pulled back another arrow, bathing it in golden light.

Lin Ji moved swiftly, positioning himself to protect his remaining comrades. His mid-level body tempering stage provided him with the strength and resilience to endure, but he knew they were still at a disadvantage. Wang Mie's arrows were not just weapons; they were instruments of terror.

"Spread out!" he commanded. "Don't give her a clear target. Move unpredictably!"

The Lin clan members obeyed, scattering and weaving as they kept a wary eye on Wang Mie. They knew that one misstep could lead to a fatal encounter with her deadly arrows.

Lin Ji felt a surge of determination. He couldn't let fear dictate their actions. They had to fight smart, using every bit of their training and qi control to survive.

As they maneuvered, Wang Mie released another arrow, its golden light gleaming ominously. The arrow darted toward one of the Lin clan members but abruptly changed direction mid-air, heading for another. The targeted member barely managed to deflect it with a qi-infused shield, but the effort left him visibly shaken.

Lin Ji's heart pounded as he tried to find a way to turn the tide. The realization hit him hard: this was not just a battle of strength but of wits and endurance. They had to outthink and outlast their formidable opponent.

With a deep breath, he refocused, gathering his qi and preparing for the next onslaught. He had to protect his clan and find a way to overcome Wang Mie's terrifying power.

Lin Ji’s mind raced, the chaos around him a blur. He couldn’t fathom the power Wang Mie wielded, nor the cold cruelty she exhibited. The sight of his decaying clan members haunted him, their flesh turning to dust under the influence of her decay qi.

“What kind of demon is she?” he thought, his pulse quickening. “A demon with a golden aura that feels so holy.”

Despite his mid-level body tempering stage and his considerable skill, he felt a chill run down his spine. The power radiating from Wang Mie was unlike anything he had ever encountered. Her arrows, glowing with an ethereal golden light, were not just weapons but harbingers of death and decay.

His clan members were fighting desperately to contain the decay qi. They wrapped their qi around the infected parts, forming defensive barriers to isolate the corrupting energy. But it wasn’t easy. The decay qi clung stubbornly, resisting their efforts to expel it. They fought to maintain their focus, knowing that any lapse could be fatal.

Lin Ji issued a stern command, his voice cutting through the panic. "Stay focused! Keep your defenses up and isolate the decay qi. It will dissipate eventually, but we must hold on until then."

The remaining Lin clan members obeyed, their movements becoming more coordinated as they formed a defensive formation. They spread out, moving unpredictably to avoid becoming easy targets for Wang Mie’s arrows.

Lin Ji watched Wang Mie closely, his eyes narrowing. She stood tall, her bow raised, another golden arrow nocked and ready. Her expression was one of calm confidence, a stark contrast to the fear and desperation gripping his own clan.

His clan members , scattered and weaved as they kept a wary eye on Wang Mie. Each movement was calculated, each step a testament to their training.

As he gathered his qi, preparing for the next onslaught, he couldn't shake the image of Wang Mie from his mind. She was a force of nature, a warrior with a golden aura that seemed to radiate both holiness and horror.

"I guess I will have to use it here." He was very vexed about the situation , the trump card they had prepared for that peak level beast was going to be used so early .

"Even the tablets have stopped working." He thought.

Lin Ji's hand trembled slightly as he pulled out a grade 2 talisman, its surface etched with intricate runes and emanating an aura of pure destruction. The talisman thrummed with power, a tangible force that seemed to distort the air around it. He held it tightly, ready to unleash its devastating potential on Wang Mie.

Wang Mie, meanwhile, was catching her breath, ranting about her almost drained qi reserves. "Damn it, I don't have much qi left," she muttered, her eyes scanning the battlefield. Her gaze fell on Lin Ji, the last significant threat standing against her. As she focused on him, she noticed the overwhelming energy signature radiating from his hand. Her eyes widened in alarm.

Lin Ji was about to hurl the talisman toward her when a sudden, ominous hiss pierced the air. Both of them turned to look in the direction of the sound. There, they saw the furious and injured silver basilisk, now grown to an immense size comparable to a house. The beast's scales glowed radiantly, and its eyes burned with unrestrained fury. It was preparing to release a catastrophic attack on Ning Rong, who was desperately holding her ground.

However, the basilisk's soul sense also locked onto Lin Ji and Wang Mie, its murderous intent palpable. Lin Ji's heart pounded as he realized the beast intended to annihilate all of them in one fell swoop.

“Damn it,” he cursed under his breath. He knew he had no choice. Instead of directing the talisman at Wang Mie, he turned it towards the basilisk, his face set with grim determination.

With a swift motion, Lin Ji activated the talisman and launched it at the silver basilisk. The talisman erupted in a blinding flash, releasing an all-engulfing burst of ice.

The temperature plummeted instantly as the wave of icy destruction expanded outward, encasing the massive basilisk in a thick layer of crystalline frost. The beast roared in fury and pain, but the ice spread rapidly, freezing its movements and silencing its wrathful cries.

The battlefield fell eerily silent as the ice settled, completely encasing the basilisk within a colossal, glittering block of frost. The radiant glow from its scales dimmed, now trapped beneath the icy prison.

Wang Mie gulped, her eyes wide with a mix of shock and relief. The sheer power of the talisman, combined with the sudden neutralization of such a formidable beast, left her momentarily speechless.

Ning Rong, still catching her breath, met her gaze across the battlefield. The brief moment of understanding passed between them—an unspoken acknowledgment of the unexpected turn of events .