Sword Aura to the Heavens
Chapter 36 The Door Lintel

Chapter 36: Chapter 36 The Door Lintel

"Bang!"

A whinny rang out, startling the horse.

Li Fan pulled the reins tight, the horse’s forelegs raised, and it abruptly stopped.

Before him, a figure smashed into the ground, shattering the bluestone, stone debris flying like flying swords.

"Demon."

Li Fan stared at the figure appearing ahead. It was extremely ugly with a short and stout build, its head resembling it was festering, with tusks and sturdy legs, a human body but pig’s face.

It was a Pig Demon.

"Bang, bang, bang..." From different directions around, demons fell one after another, houses on both sides collapsed, the ground continuously cracked, one demon after another appeared, startling Li Fan and Li Hongyi’s horses to whinny incessantly, their legs trembling.

Right ahead, the ground shook as a Bear Demon strode forward, eyes gleaming with ferocity, staring at Li Fan.

"Three Realm Great Demon." Li Fan sensed the aura of that Bear Demon, suddenly realizing that this chaos in Lin’an County was far more complex than he had imagined.

These demons had indeed come to ambush him.

Looking up at the demon energy over Lin’an City, it seemed there was an even larger demon behind this group that had yet to appear?

Li Fan and Li Hongyi dismounted simultaneously, swords and spears appeared, and with the sword and spear floating in the air, they charged towards the demons ahead.

Rumble... The ground quaked, and the surrounding demonic beasts launched their attacks simultaneously, charging at the two.

The Pig Demon was short and stout but incredibly fast, with terrifying impact. As it charged, the bluestones on the ground were crushed along the way.

Li Hongyi charged forward first, leaping into the air, flying upward, her Dharma Form reflecting, bathed in the light of flames, then diving down, spear roaring with fury.

The Pig Demon roared and leapt into the sky, its massive paw reaching for the spear, precisely grabbing hold. Its eyes gleamed with perversion; this delicate human woman must be tasty. It aimed its tusks at Li Hongyi’s neck, drooling.

Buzz... A burning sensation arose, Li Hongyi was enveloped in flames, her spear rotating, making a sizzling sound. The Pig Demon’s paw skin got burned. The rapidly spinning spear continued forward, piercing the Pig Demon’s neck with a squelch, blood spraying into the air.

Both human and demon landed, the Pig Demon fell and couldn’t get up, blood flowing profusely, while other demons attacked Li Hongyi.

Li Hongyi’s spear swung, charging forward, and a Wolf Demon was pinned in mid-air, with blood sealing its throat upon impact.

On Li Fan’s side, a Bull Demon charged from a rooftop, descending with terrifying force. Li Fan looked up, feeling his blood boil like a furnace, fiercely blazing.

He was bathed in Sword Intent as the Bull Demon attacked, his arm suddenly reaching into the air, activating the Jiao Dragon Capture Technique, grabbing the Bull Demon’s arm and slamming it to the ground with a bang. As the Bull Demon crashed, Li Fan’s fingers turned into a sword, stabbing into its body and extracting a Demon Core as he withdrew.

These Demon Cores were the essence of the demon’s cultivation, though still small. Human cultivators reaching the Five Realms Condensed Core Realm could solidify a core, though nothing comparable to these minor demons’ cores.

Li Fan charged forward as a demon attacked, his arm bones cracking as if showing the spirit of a Jiao Dragon, throwing a punch that shattered the demon’s heart.

At this time, in the direction behind him, a demon charged towards Chen Yuan who was on horseback. The horse spun in place, neighing fearfully. Li Fan glanced back, and a flying sword shot out from his brow, slicing through the demon targeting Chen Yuan in mid-air.

More demons continued to approach, seemingly endless.

Ahead, the Three Realm Bear Demon stared at the two of them, then took great strides towards Li Hongyi, each step causing the ground to tremble.

Li Hongyi speared another demon to death, feeling a terrifying pressure as the Bear Demon accelerated towards her. She knew she couldn’t handle this Three Realm Great Demon.

"Bang!" The Bear Demon stomped the ground, leaping into the air, casting a shadow over Li Hongyi.

Shick shick...

The sound of something slicing through the air came, and the Bear Demon suddenly looked to the upper diagonal direction, raising its massive paw in a swipe. With a thunderous noise, a silver spear slid across its paw, blood spraying as it was flung back to the ground.

On a nearby rooftop, a figure soared through the air, catching their spear mid-flight and diving straight towards the Bear Demon.

The silver spear gleamed in the sunlight, its spear glow dazzling, each thrust accompanied by the sound of slicing through the air. The spear glow flashed like lightning, strike after strike, man and spear seemed fused as one; the Bear Demon retreated step by step, roaring in rage.

With a sharp sound, the lightning-fast silver spear pierced one of the Bear Demon’s eyes, blood gushed, and the Bear Demon roared in agony.

"You dare bully my daughter," the newcomer said coldly. His clothes were stained with blood, not only of the Bear Demon but of other demons slain along the way.

"Father," Li Hongyi called to the figure holding the silver spear—it was Li Daoqing.

At that moment, Li Daoqing stood with his silver spear, like a god of death.

Li Fan looked towards Li Daoqing, recognizing him as being in the Martial Spirit Third Realm, Innate Realm.

Li Daoqing looked back at Li Hongyi with gentle eyes, speaking, "Hongyi, when your father was young, he was like that kid, free and unrestrained, roaming the martial world with a spear, slaying demons. Later, he met your mother, and it was that charm in your father that captivated her heart."

Recalling the past, Li Daoqing’s eyes softened with a smile, "Do you know why I named you Hongyi (Red Clothes)? Because when your mother was young, she wore red clothes, and now, like your mother, you too wear red."

"After you were born, your father brought you to Lin’an County, hoping to raise you safely. This spear has since remained unused, and you are right, with demons rampant in Lin’an County, I, rumored to be the foremost expert here, should indeed do something. Those people killed by demons, they too were someone’s parents, spouses, and children.

Today, he’ll go wild with his daughter once more.

He glanced at Li Fan again, this kid is truly not a good thing.

More powerful than he was in his youth and even more handsome!

If he’d had Li Fan’s talent back then, things wouldn’t have turned out as they did. He was a bit envious of Li Fan.

No wonder his daughter is smitten; her mother had defied her family to be with him back then too.

These two, mother and daughter, ended up on the same path.

Li Hongyi’s eyes were misty.

Li Daoqing turned, holding his silver spear, continuing towards the Bear Demon. The Bear Demon let out a roar, demon energy surged, transforming into its true form, a giant bear, with demon energy behind it conjuring a terrifying demonic image, like a demon mountain.

The Bear Demon roared low, then charged toward Li Daoqing, determined to tear this human apart.

"Boom..." Lights flowed around Li Daoqing, Martial Intent emerged, he appeared small before the Bear Demon, yet majestic.

He stepped forward, advancing towards the Bear Demon, speaking, "Hongyi, take a good look for the last time. This spear technique I taught you was created by me and your mother together, it’s called Lingxi (Spiritual Rhinoceros)."

Li Daoqing’s body suddenly accelerated, facing the mountainous demon, spear straight forward.

"Cold River!"

A spear strike, like thunder, the spear like a dragon, like lightning, freezing cold.

The Bear Demon’s massive paw slammed onto the spear, the terrifying power bent the spear, but Li Daoqing borrowed that force to vault into the air, martial intent flowing upon the spear, the silver spear spun, Li Daoqing descended rapidly, like a meteor, the spear moving with him, relentless.

"Solitary Shadow!"

"Bang..." The spear was too fast, breaking through the Bear Demon’s massive paw guard, piercing the flesh hill, causing blood and flesh to fly.

The Bear Demon roared and attacked with both paws at Li Daoqing’s body.

"Meeting."

Li Daoqing twirled, like a hurricane, sweeping the spear, blood spurting continuously from the Bear Demon, splat... Li Daoqing was also flung into the air by a paw.

When he landed, the spear tip touched the ground, the spear bent, using the recoil to propel himself into the air once more, stepping on air.

The spear in his hand danced and rotated, martial intent converged on the spear, forming a martial intent storm, his energy peaked.

"Buzz."

Li Daoqing unified with his spear, transformed into a beam of light, stabbing downward, creating a silver lightning in the air. The Bear Demon tried to block, but was too late; the spear pierced through its eye, continuing inside, the Bear Demon staggered back, collapsing with a crash.

"Lingxi!"

Li Daoqing landed, the surrounding demons dared not advance.

"Continue with your tasks, leave this to me," Li Daoqing turned his head to Li Fan and Li Hongyi.

"Thank you, senior," Li Fan nodded, "Miss Li, mount the horse."

The two continued riding, causing a whirlwind in the streets.

"Father, be careful," Li Hongyi shouted back.

"Hongyi, your mother is from the Cui family in Chuzhou, she’s still alive, you can find her in the future." Li Daoqing called out.

"Father, I want to go with you," Li Hongyi responded.

"Silly girl." Li Daoqing watched Li Hongyi’s retreating figure with gentle smile. If he could go, would he have waited until today?

A martial artist, unworthy of a Cui family daughter.

Without Dharma Form or Martial Spirit, a disgrace to the Cui family name.

In his mind, rain poured, a young man knelt outside the Cui Family Mansion, unable to step inside.

He was powerless!

"Hongyi, you’ve grown up, I can only protect you this far," Li Daoqing said softly.

Cui family lineage, as high as Li Mountain!

He could do only this.

Li Daoqing watched Li Hongyi’s retreating back, a hint of reluctance. With age comes ties, and with ties comes fear of death.

Just as he said, many now in Lin’an County could kill him. Entangled as he was, how could he meet a good end?

All around, demons roared, several demonic beasts descended, eyeing him.

Li Daoqing gripped his spear tightly, then suddenly laughed carefree, spear in hand, walking toward the demons, supremely elegant.

Today he, Li Daoqing.

Slays demons.

Dispels evil.

Defends the path!