Chapter 91: I Knew It Was You

Chapter 91: I Knew It Was You

The demon race was using this exact method to provoke the cultivators.

They turned someone who died protecting a city into a mindless demon corpse.

Shen Lian's fingertips tightened slightly as he raised his hand.

Chen Xue knew what he was thinking and immediately flew into his hand.

If the City Lord of Tianyang City were still alive, he would never allow himself to end up like this.

Shen Lian finished the old man off with a single sword strike. In his dying moment, a flicker of clarity returned to the demon corpse's eyes. He looked at Shen Lian with a gentle gaze. "Thank you, young friend."

Shen Lian nodded.

Once refined into a demon corpse, a cultivator can never be reincarnated—only utter annihilation remains.

He watched the ashes drift through the sky.

Shen Lian was about to sheathe his sword and turn when he met a pair of blood-red eyes.

Shen Lian's eyes narrowed instantly.

This person was a demon, clad in a long black robe with wings sprouting from his back. His face was handsome, but his blood-red eyes were striking.

A slight smile curled at his lips as he stared at Shen Lian with interest. "I remember you."

Shen Lian said coldly, "Get back to your demon realm."

The man raised an eyebrow. "You haven't forgotten me, have you? Back then, when you and another cultivator entered the demon realm, I led troops to hunt you down. Unfortunately, you managed to escape."

Shen Lian did recall it now—back then, he and Yan Huaixuan had accidentally entered the demon realm.

They had been pursued by a demon general—the very person before him.

The demon fixed his gaze on Shen Lian, his eyes lingering on Shen Lian's features. "Unexpected. In just a few short years, you've grown this much."

Shen Lian didn't want to waste words. He raised his long sword, ready to charge.

The demon hadn't expected Shen Lian to attack without warning. Though he dodged quickly, Shen Lian's sword qi still cut his cheek.

The demon touched his blood-stained cheek with a fingertip, then lifted his eyes to Shen Lian.

"Aren't you cultivators all about your precious etiquette and rules?"

"How come you're so unconventional? You're a lot like us demons."

Shen Lian gave a faint, mocking smile. "Who's similar to you? You're asking for death."

"You can't beat me. We're both Earth Immortals, but I'm at the peak of the stage, and you've only just entered it," the man said. But when he saw Shen Lian had no intention of acknowledging him, irritation flashed in his eyes. He drew out a long whip. "You really don't know what's good for you. This lord deigning to speak with you is your good fortune."

"Since you've pissed me off repeatedly, I won't waste words with you either." A long spear appeared in his hand, and twin horns slowly sprouted from his head.

Chen Xue's heart sank. "Master, this demon won't be easy to deal with."

Indeed, though both were Earth Immortals, this demon was at the peak stage.

Shen Lian gave a soft hum of acknowledgment.

The demon stared at Shen Lian. "This lord is Lu Zheng. What's your name?"

Shen Lian: "Not interested."

Shen Lian held Chen Xue horizontally before him, raising one hand with two fingers pressed together and slowly running them along the blade. Inch by inch, the sword ignited with a frosty, cold aura.

Shen Lian stood tall and elegant, his features sharp and refined against the glistening snow-light.

Lu Zheng was stunned for a moment.

But the next moment, he was forced to look away, because Shen Lian was really fighting to kill.

Lu Zheng cursed under his breath. Tianyang City had already been taken and turned into a teleportation point for the demons.

He had heard the demon corpse they used to humiliate cultivators had been slain, and curiosity had brought him up to see who did it.

He never expected it to be that beautiful young man who'd escaped all those years ago.

Back then, while chasing the human cultivator, he'd happened to notice that somewhat clumsy young cultivator.

He never imagined that years later, the other party would have become what he was now.

And—even more worth coveting.

A flicker of excitement flashed through Lu Zheng's eyes.

"You brought this on yourself. If you lose, I'm taking you back to the demon realm."

Finally, a flicker of emotion crossed Shen Lian's eyes. He sneered, "Dream on."

But Lu Zheng stopped dodging. He gripped his long spear, ready to charge at Shen Lian.

The next moment, his body froze in place. The sky, clear just moments ago, began to slowly change color.

An extremely sinister, cold aura suddenly swept through the entire space.

Lu Zheng gritted his teeth. "Damn it. Who's there? Get the hell out here!"

"Show yourself!"

But as he looked around, aside from Shen Lian, he couldn't spot a single figure.

And at that moment, his body felt like it was being gripped by an invisible hand, which began to tighten, little by little.

It wasn't just him—Shen Lian sensed it too.

His eyes narrowed, and his grip on the sword faltered for a moment. But seeing the demon suspended in midair, Shen Lian decided to kill him first.

Lu Zheng was bleeding from all seven orifices, his internal organs crushed almost to the point of bursting. He saw Shen Lian charging at him and took a deep breath. "Damn you. Just you wait—don't let me catch you again."

As he spoke, Shen Lian's sword was already before him.

Lu Zheng had no choice but to raise an arm to block. Shen Lian's sword flashed, and only a severed arm remained on the ground.

And Lu Zheng vanished completely into thin air.

The cold, eerie aura abruptly retreated as well.

Shen Lian looked around, "Yan Huaixuan, come out here."

But when Shen Lian finished speaking, no one answered.

Shen Lian gripped Chen Xue tightly, saying with a cold smile, "Don't think I don't know it was you."

"That was you last night, wasn't it?" Even drunk, he wasn't completely unaware.

"Yan Huaixuan, stop hiding from me," Shen Lian said slowly, his voice icy, "Come out."

But in response, there was only a gentle breeze that brushed past him.

Shen Lian narrowed his eyes and broke into a faint smile. Without another word, he turned and left.

After he left, a ripple appeared in the air, as if space itself were being torn open, and a figure slowly emerged.

That person watched Shen Lian's retreating figure, his eyes flickering slightly.

As soon as Shen Lian returned to Fuyun Mountain, He Ci hurried over, "Where did you go?"

Shen Lian pursed his lips, "Nowhere."

He Ci said worriedly, "You left so suddenly. I saw your expression was off at the time; I felt like something had happened."

After speaking, he looked at Shen Lian closely and said in surprise, "A Lian, why do I feel like you've suddenly become happier?"

Shen Lian paused, "You're imagining things."

With that, he turned and left.

But He Ci scratched his head, "But it really seems like it though."

When Shen Lian left in the morning, his expression had been terrible, but now, although he still showed little emotion, there was a faint glimmer in his eyes.

Shen Lian closed the door, and sure enough, he found some clues.

For instance, the clothes he had carelessly tossed aside last night were gone, and the overturned tea set was now neatly arranged.

He Ci wouldn't let just anyone enter his room.

Shen Lian's eyes narrowed.

Chen Xue didn't dare breathe too loudly, "What's wrong, master?"

"Nothing," Shen Lian sat down, crossing his legs, "Just that a thief broke in."