Killing a Demon Above Your Level and Ascending
Although Zhang Lingxiao had only just begun cultivating, his body was already brimming with vigor.
However, with no moon in the sky, the night was pitch-black. Recklessly entering the Demon Beast Forest under such conditions would be a courting disaster.
Zhang Lingxiao was cautious. After leaving the city, he found a secluded and relatively safe spot, rested briefly, and waited for dawn before acting.
…
Early the next morning, Zhang Lingxiao awoke before sunrise and continued toward the Demon Beast Forest.
Becoming stronger was an urgent matter for him.
---
At the Zhang Family
Zhang Kun Song woke up near the Zhang Family's main gate, stretched lazily, and headed straight for the dungeon.
According to instructions, he was to escort Zhang Lingxiao to the main courtyard and present him to the First Family Head to claim credit.
As Zhang Kun Song passed the dungeon entrance, he noticed that the iron gate stood wide open.
He frowned.
Then he hurried inside.
What greeted him was a scene drenched in blood.
His younger brother lay on the ground, chest completely pierced through, dead on the spot. His corpse was shriveled and withered, resembling a dried husk.
Even more shocking were the iron bars of the adjacent cell—twisted and bent into grotesque curves, a feat even Zhang Kun Song himself could not accomplish.
Most importantly—
Zhang Lingxiao was gone.
"Damn it! That bastard was rescued!"
Horror flooded Zhang Kun Song's face.
He had already reported Zhang Lingxiao's capture the previous night. Now that Zhang Lingxiao had escaped, the responsibility would fall squarely on him.
Recalling the First Family Head's ruthless methods, Zhang Kun Song shuddered uncontrollably.
"My brother is dead. I have no more relatives in the Zhang Family. There's no point staying here."
"This family… I'm done with it!"
With that, Zhang Kun Song fled without hesitation.
Half an hour later, the anomaly was discovered and immediately reported.
The Zhang Family's First Family Head flew into a rage upon hearing the news.
How could Zhang Lingxiao—an ordinary, useless waste—possibly break out of the dungeon?
There was only one explanation.
Zhang Yunfeng had sent people to rescue him.
That's right.
Zhang Lingxiao's father, Zhang Yunfeng, was not dead. He had merely been gravely injured and forced to flee after Zhang Yuntao's sneak attack.
His "death" had been a false rumor—deliberately exaggerated and spread to deceive others.
Only a handful of high-ranking Zhang Family members knew the truth.
Zhang Yuntao immediately issued an order.
All Martial Artists currently in the family were mobilized for a city-wide manhunt.
They would search every street, every alley—dig three feet into the ground if necessary.
Zhang Lingxiao had to be captured.
Alive—
Or as a corpse.
---
Demon Beast Forest
As soon as Zhang Lingxiao entered the Demon Beast Forest, he encountered a Rank One Yao Beast—a Blazing Serpent.
The Yao Beast ranking system mirrored that of Martial Artists.
From Rank One to Rank Nine, each Rank was divided into nine grades.
The Blazing Serpent before him was a Rank One, Second-Grade Yao Beast—its realm lower than his own.
Zhang Lingxiao drew the dagger from his waist, his movements swift and precise. In a single clean motion, he struck the serpent's vital point, ending its life instantly.
He immediately circulated the Devouring Heaven Demon Art.
The Blazing Serpent's head and tail rapidly withered, its blood and qi drained dry.
"My Spiritual Qi has increased again… I'm one step closer to the Qi Wu Realm Fifth Heaven."
Zhang Lingxiao calmly skinned the serpent, removed its gall and fangs, and stored them in his Storage Pouch.
Though he had been unable to cultivate before, he was still the Zhang Family's Young Lord and naturally possessed such items.
The snake skin and fangs were valuable materials for refining medicinal pills. Even if he couldn't refine them himself, he could sell them for a decent price.
The snake gall, in particular, was extremely precious—a top-grade alchemical ingredient.
After handling the corpse, Zhang Lingxiao continued deeper into the forest.
---
After some time, boredom began to creep in.
The Yao Beasts on the forest's outskirts were too weak; the blood qi they provided was negligible.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Zhang Lingxiao decided to venture further inside.
He was confident that as long as he didn't encounter a Rank Two Yao Beast, he would remain unbeatable.
Unfortunately—
Fate had other plans.
Just as he advanced, an incomparably ferocious Rank Two Yao Beast appeared before him.
An Azure Moon Wolf.
Among Rank Two Yao Beasts, Azure Moon Wolves were infamous.
They typically lived in packs; encountering one often meant encountering many.
However, Zhang Lingxiao's situation could only be described as a mixed blessing.
This wolf was old—an aging outcast that had been expelled from its pack.
The Azure Moon Wolf was over two zhang in length, its body covered in gray fur. Between its fierce eyes was a patch of black fur shaped like a crescent moon.
"Howl!"
The moment it spotted Zhang Lingxiao, the wolf lowered its body, baring its sharp fangs as killing intent surged.
Zhang Lingxiao tightened his grip on the dagger.
Running was impossible.
Azure Moon Wolves were terrifyingly fast, and he had yet to learn any movement martial skills.
The only option—
It was to fight.
"Whoosh!"
The wolf kicked off the ground and lunged toward him like a bolt of lightning.
Zhang Lingxiao shifted his footing, narrowly dodging the pounce. He reversed his grip on the dagger and stabbed straight toward the wolf's waist.
There was a saying—
Copper head, iron bones, tofu waist.
A wolf's waist was its weakest point.
Whether due to age or arrogance, the Azure Moon Wolf exposed its fatal flaw.
A clean stab.
Steady. Accurate. Ruthless.
The dagger plunged into its waist and abdomen. Zhang Lingxiao twisted the blade and kicked off the ground.
"Shk!"
The short dagger tore through flesh and bone, ripping the wolf's abdomen open. Blood and entrails spilled onto the ground.
"Whew…"
"That was close."
Zhang Lingxiao exhaled sharply.
Even his father, who had reached the late stage of the Lingwu Realm, would usually avoid Azure Moon Wolves if possible.
Yet he had faced one head-on—and ended the battle in a single strike.
Had he reacted even slightly slower, he would already be dead.
"So this is strength…"
"The power to decide life and death."
Zhang Lingxiao clenched his fists, his heart pounding.
The Devouring Heaven Demon Art circulated once more.
The Azure Moon Wolf's corpse rapidly shriveled as its blood qi was absorbed.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
The blood within his body surged violently.
In a single leap, he broke through two Heavens—advancing directly from the Qi Wu Realm Fourth Heaven to the Sixth Heaven.
"Only two Heavens?"
"I thought a Rank Two Yao Beast would give more."
Zhang Lingxiao shook his head slightly, disappointed.
He squatted down and, along the seam of the thigh bone, cleanly removed a wolf leg.
He had been fighting since morning and hadn't eaten a single bite.
Roasting the wolf leg would suffice for now.
"Stop!"
A rough voice suddenly rang out from the forest.
"Brat! Who gave you permission to kill this Azure Moon Wolf? We drove it out of the pack ourselves—how dare you take the spoils!"
Zhang Lingxiao frowned and looked up.
A burly, bearded man stepped out from the trees, a massive saber slung over his shoulder.
Beside him stood a thin man with a sharp face and monkey-like cheeks.
Zhang Lingxiao immediately sensed their cultivation.
The bearded man was at the Qi Wu Realm Fifth Heaven.
The thin man was at the Sixth Heaven, the same realm as himself.
However—
The thin man's Spiritual Qi was shallow and unstable, far inferior to his own.
Zhang Lingxiao smiled faintly.
Someone had come to deliver blood qi.
When he had the strength, he never minded killing.
Especially when the other party clearly harbored malicious intent.
"What?" Zhang Lingxiao sneered. "You want it?"
The bearded man laughed loudly, bouncing the half-zhang-long great saber in his hand.
"Exactly! That Azure Moon Wolf belongs to us brothers. Hand it over obediently, and we'll spare your life!"
"Then take it."
Zhang Lingxiao chuckled and kicked the wolf's corpse forward.
The bearded man's eyes lit up with delight.
He had expected resistance—maybe even a fight.
Instead, the boy turned out to be a coward.
"Good. You know what's good for you."
He bent down to retrieve the corpse.
Then—
A piercing cold wind slammed into him.
Bang!
His body was blasted backward uncontrollably.
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