The three young cultivators scrambled to get away from Amelia, but she continued trailing after them. She wouldn’t let her prey off so easily.

"Leaving so soon?" she called out in a sing-song voice. "But we were just starting to get to know each other!"

The Black Rose disciple risked a panicked glance over his shoulder, only to find the silver-haired girl less than ten feet behind, still casually twirling the bloody boar horn in her hands.

He pumped his legs harder, internally cursing his luck. Of course they'd run into one of Elder Slifer's deranged disciples!

The Pure Soul disciple ran alongside him, wheezing slightly from exertion.

She vanished, reappearing directly in their path. The Black Rose disciple yelped, nearly crashing into her.

"Come on, at least introduce yourselves before running off," Amelia chided, tilting her head. "It's only polite."

The Black Rose disciple paled, stumbling back a step. The Pure Soul disciple grabbed his companion's arm, urging him to keep moving.

"Let's go, don't engage with her," the Pure Soul cultivator muttered under his breath.

Amelia's smile turned predatory as she watched them try to skirt around her. Every time they changed direction, she flickered in front of them again. It was like a twisted game of cat and mouse.

The White Tiger disciple's expression darkened with each repetition. His companions pleading glances did little to curb his rising irritation.

He’d had enough.

The White Tiger disciple stood his ground and glared at Amelia. "It seems you have no intention of letting us leave. If you want a fight, then stop these childish games and face me properly!"

"Oh? Don't tell me you're actually planning to fight me?" Amelia looked him up and down. "How brave..."

"If you won't let us pass freely, then we'll force our way through," the White Tiger disciple stated evenly.

The Black Rose disciple clutched at his sleeve. "Don't be stupid! We need to run!"

Shaking him off, the White Tiger disciple flourished his sword. "A tiger never retreats from a battle. If I must stain my hands with more blood to reach the Nascent Soul stage, then so be it!"

Without warning, he suddenly plunged the tip of the blade into his own stomach. The Black Rose and Pure Soul disciples recoiled in shock as blood leaked from the gaping hole that was staring right at them.

"Have you gone insane?!" the Black Rose disciple shouted.

But then the hilt began melting into the White Tiger disciple's skin, merging with his flesh. Strange black and white striped markings started spreading across his body from the entry point of the sword.

His muscles bulged and a bestial aura erupted from him, it quickly climbed to the level of a Nascent Soul cultivator. The White Tiger disciple’s handsome features grew longer and more feral as he shouted, “I am the claw that shreds the heavens!”

White fur sprouted all over his body and sharp claws protruded from his fingers. With a roar that shook the entire valley, the transformation was complete.

In the White Tiger disciple's place now crouched a massive White Tiger, easily over ten meters long. It fixed its predatory gaze on Amelia, baring its gigantic fangs.

"Oh my, I wasn't expecting that," Amelia remarked, looking genuinely delighted.

The White Tiger disciple was able to combine his sword cultivation with his transformation; it was a rare feat.

This was going to be fun.

"But I've got some tricks of my own."

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, only glowing blue sockets stared back at them. Her creamy skin paled to an unnatural white as dark veins ran across her face.

When she grinned this time, it was with a mouth full of jagged teeth.

"A demon's ghoul transformation!" The Pure Soul disciple recoiled with a gasp.

Amelia’s aura rose in waves as her cultivation base also ascended to the Nascent Soul stage, matching the White Tiger beast. She cackled, flexing her elongated claws.

"Now then, who wants to play first?" she purred.

With a roar, the tiger lunged toward Amelia, but she easily danced out of reach, her speed doubled by the transformation.

"Ah ah, too slow!" Amelia chided, wagging a clawed finger. Then she casually flicked her wrist, sending a ribbon of purple energy slicing towards the beast.

"Soul Render!"

The tiger tried to dodge, but the technique still grazed its side, making the beast yowl in pain.

The Pure Soul disciple's expression turned grim at the sight.

"A demonic soul technique! Be careful, if it lands clean, it could destroy your soul completely!" Turning, the Pure Soul disciple began tracing glowing symbols in the air around his companions. A soft blue light enveloped them both as one of his protective soul techniques took effect.

"Oh, how precious! Look at you two helping each other,” Amelia laughed, leaping backwards. "But don't think your little soul shields can stop me. I'm not a one-trick pony."

To demonstrate, she curled the fingers of one hand. A ball of flames sparked to life in her palm. The Pure Soul disciple paled at the sight.

"Burn!" Amelia cackled, sweeping her arm out. The fireball went flying, exploding against the canyon walls. More flickering flames joined it as she sent them spraying recklessly in all directions.

The White Tiger beast snarled, trying to slash through to reach her, but Amelia revealed a pair of purple wings from her back. Beating them once, she launched into the air, easily evading each swipe.

"You said she was unhinged, but this is just absurd!" the Pure Soul disciple cried, he should have expected that the sadist was also an arsonist!

The Black Rose disciple grit his teeth in frustration, he wanted to flee, it was a hopeless situation. But if either of his companions died here, it would eliminate all of them from the tournament.

He couldn’t give up, not yet.

Clenching his jaw, he stopped hesitating and joined the fray. "Fireball Barrage!" he shouted, sending a dozen flaming orbs at the ghoul.

Amelia laughed wildly, retaliating with her own fireballs. "Yes, let’s burn it all!"

The two fireballs collided, exploding violently. The Pure Soul disciple struggled to maintain the soul barriers against the shockwaves as flames rained down around them.

Over the roaring of the explosion, Amelia's shrieks of glee could be heard as she evaded the White Tiger's increasingly sluggish strikes as it tried to reach her in the air.

The beast was too large to fly on a sword!

After mocking them from the air, she noticed that the Pure Soul disciple was left unguarded.

“You’re mine!”

She dove down and clasped her claws around the Pure Soul disciple's face before he could react.

"Gotcha!"

She then slammed him face-first into the rocky ground. The Soul shields around his companions shattered as he lost consciousness.

Amelia crouched over him, claws digging into his cheeks almost gently.

The White Tiger froze mid-swipe, its eyes locked on the fallen Pure Soul disciple.

"Ah ah ah, don't move now," she cautioned, tilting her head with a smile. "You don't want me to crush his pretty head, do you?"

Panting heavily, the great tiger lowered its head, it had failed.

The time limit on the transformation had run out.

Dark markings began receding from its body. Its muscles shrank and the fur shed until only the ordinary human form of the White Tiger disciple was left.

The Black Rose disciple, seeing this, sighed. There was no point in further resistance. Clearly this fight was over.

“There now, that wasn't so hard. Just be good boys and you might live to see tomorrow."

She extended a hand towards them. "Now then, I believe you owe me a little something. Hand over your scroll."

The Black Rose and White Tiger disciples exchanged uneasy glances.

"We uh...don't actually have any scrolls on us," the Black Rose disciple admitted.

Amelia blinked. For a moment her smile faltered. Then it returned, brighter than before as she thought of an idea.

"Well then! It seems you'll have to work for me until you can obtain one." She clapped her hands together. "Oh this will be fun - my own little worker bees!"

The White Tiger disciple bristled, pride stung. "A tiger cannot be tamed so easily!"

But the warning look from his companion made him swallow his protests. They clearly had no choice in this matter.

Gritting their teeth, both disciples bowed their heads.

Amelia's smile turned satisfied as she studied them. So this was how her master felt, having others bend to his will.

Yes, she could definitely get used to it.

----------------------------------------

Hughie grunted in pain as another series of quick jabs connected with his chest, driving him back several feet. The Black Death disciple pursued him relentlessly, not giving him a chance to catch his breath.

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"Gah, what's with this guy?" Hughie wheezed, narrowly dodging a knee aimed at his stomach. The attacks themselves weren't too powerful, but the constant barrage of punches and kicks was keeping him completely off-balance.

He'd barely lasted thirty seconds against this weirdo and hadn't even had a chance to activate a proper technique!

It was the classic advantage body cultivators held over those focused on spiritual power - the ability to unleash attacks instantly compared to the split second needed to activate arts and techniques. And this Black Death cultivator was exploiting that gap masterfully.

Another fist hammered into Hughie's chest, blasting him backwards and knocking the breath from his lungs.

"Oof!" Inwardly, he cursed as he gasped for air.

"Pathetic, truly pathetic!" Li Fenghao's voice boomed in his mind. "Is this the limit of your skills, boy? To be tossed around like a ragdoll?"

Hughie scowled, leaping back to avoid an elbow jab at his throat.

"Oh shut it, you senile geezer! This freak's not normal," he shot back mentally.

But he couldn’t help but agree with the old man; being constantly rocked around by someone using only basic punches and kicks was just embarrassing!

The Black Death disciple hadn't said a word since appearing and ambushing him. The voice that taunted out earlier phrases was clearly being distorted by some artifact in the mask.

Hughie just couldn't wrap his head around this guy's deal. One moment mocking him for being weak, the next holding back on actually hurting him or using any techniques. It made no sense!

“Excuses as always!” Li Fenghao harrumphed. "A true warrior would have defeated this stick figure in the first exchange."

Hughie ignored the old man, he didn’t have time to deal with him.

But thinking about it, the immortal did have a point. This Black Death cultivator didn't seem to be emitting the sort of overpowering physical aura one would expect from someone who had only trained their body.

So what was going on here? Hughie's eyes narrowed as he continued evading the barrage of strikes. There was definitely something off about this guy. And he was going to find out what it was!

To do that, he needed to fight back, but the Black Death cultivator refused to back off even an inch or give him any room to activate a technique!

Well, if that is how the creeps wants to play it...

When the next punch came rocketing towards his face, rather than dodging, Hughie stepped forward to meet it head-on. The devastating impact exploded against his face, fracturing his cheek bone and launching him like a ragdoll through the air.

Finally!

He ignored the white-hot pain and wetness of blood, focusing on activating his go-to technique.

"Bloodforge Ascension!"

The malignant red qi of the demonic art swirled around Hughie's body as he flew through the air. His muscles bulged and the injuries knitted back together.

He landed with a heavy thud, the impact causing spider-webbing-like cracks on the rocks beneath him.

Hughie’s eyes flashed a demonic red as his hulking figure emitted the aura of an early Nascent Soul cultivator.

"Let's fight for real now!"

For the first time, the Black Death cultivator seemed startled.

"A demon's art!"

But Hughie didn't give the disciple the chance to react. He instantly appeared before the disciple with a roar, delivering a punch directly into his midsection.

The disciple doubled over with a grunt as the force of the blow lifted him off his feet and tossed him into the air. But he managed to flip and land in a crouch, one hand braced on the ground.

"Tch, not bad," the figure admitted, straightening slowly. He seemed unaffected by the attack that would have pulverized a normal Peak Core cultivator.

Hughie's eyes narrowed. Just what was going on here?

Trading more blows, it quickly became apparent Hughie's enhanced state gave him a sizable advantage in strength and speed. Yet oddly, the Black Death cultivator continued to rely only on punches and kicks to fight back.

I can’t maintain this for long…

It was getting harder for Hughie to stay in control as the demonic technique stoked his bloodlust.

Sensing this, Li Fenghao's voice echoed in Hughie's mind. "Control yourself, boy! Don't lose your soul to mindless violence."

At the reminder, Hughie grit his teeth, reigning in the dark impulses trying to cloud his mind. Oliviare's smiling face flashed in his mind's eye. For her, he would get through this!

Across from him, the Black Death disciple seemed to come to some sort of decision.

“I can’t waste anymore time, I need to end this now,” the Black Death cultivator whispered.

Blood-red qi flared around him.

The porcelain mask cracked and fell away, revealing red skin and bulging black veins beneath.

That aura...that qi...this guy is a real demon! Hughie's eyes widened.

Demonic cultivators had red qi that contained hints of black and other colours; only a true demon had pure red qi.

Hughie tensed as the Black Death cultivator’s demonic eyes glared at him from a face that could give babies nightmares for life.

No wonder the creep had been hiding his techniques, Hughie realized his opponent must have been trying to conceal the fact that he wasn't human.

"You will die here today, abomination!" the demon growled. Crouching low, it suddenly launched itself at Hughie in a blur of claws and fangs.

Grunting in surprise at the sudden boost in power and being called an abomination, Hughie raised his arms barely in time to block the strikes. He skidded back from the force of the blows.

This is bad! The demon is easily at the mid-Nascent Soul stage now. Hughie could already feel his defence weakening.

"Fool, use your transformations before he rips you apart!" Li Fenghao snapped urgently.

Li Fenghao didn’t understand the boy at all, why beg him to teach techniques if he wasn’t going to even use them?

The boy does have a knack for transformation techniques, maybe he could turn this around…

Cursing under his breath, Hughie quickly activated the first transformation. Fur erupted all over his body as he shifted into a black wolf easily the size of a small house.

Before the demon could react, the ginormous wolf’s powerful jaws closed around its torso.

Howling in rage, the demon smashed into the ground hard enough to form a crater. But despite the heavy blow, it didn't seem majorly injured.

Hughie realized his mistake too late as he was blasted away by a shockwave of force from the demon.

Right, this thing was finally using its own techniques.

Hughie really was outclassed here.

The gigantic wolf crashed into a boulder a few hundred metres away. As it struggled back to its feet, the form blurred and morphed into an equally massive three-eyed toad.

Not waiting for the demon to attack again, Hughie shot out the toad's long tongue. It wrapped around the demon's torso in an iron grip.

Got you now! Hughie thought, swinging the tongue down to smash the demon repeatedly into the ground.

“Ahhhh” Hughie yelped, tongue instinctively retracting.

The demon had put itself on fire!

Panting, Hughie resumed his human form. This wasn't good at all. His transformations let him fight toe-to-toe against the demon, but none of his attacks were powerful enough to severely injure a Mid-Nascent Soul realm demon!

“Boy, you need to run! Use your movement techniques to escape."

Hughie shook his head stubbornly. "Ain't no way I'm running from this freakshow! I'll fight him 'til my last breath if I have to."

He was only putting on a show of bravery; he was in fact more than ready to run if he had to, but the old man didn't need to know that.

A surge of pride appeared in the old man’s voice, believing the brat had finally developed some courage. "Spoken like a true warrior. But this is one battle you can’t win, it’s better to-”

The Immortal grew quiet before continuing, “Nevermind, boy. Help is coming."

Help? Hughie blinked in confusion. But then a minute later he sensed it too - a wave of power approaching rapidly, like the blade of a guillotine plummeting down.

In the next instant, a figure dropped from the sky, sword raised high and wreathed in killing intent.

Hughie's eyes widened in recognition and relief.

"Senior Brother, you made it!"

The demon froze mid-charge, its red eyes darting between the two figures before it. It was certain it could defeat the funny-looking one, but it felt a dangerous aura from the newcomer...

“Hahaha, it’s over for you now! Even a Mid-Nascent Soul cultivator can’t touch my Senior Brother!”