Sword Aura to the Heavens
Chapter 74 - 73 Killing Demons

Chapter 74: Chapter 73 Killing Demons

The silence of the wild night was unsettling, and the young girl was too afraid to close her eyes and rest, though her younger brother, worn out, slept leaning against her.

"Get some rest, we’ll take turns keeping watch," Situ Chan said to the girl, easily perceiving her distrust. However, these siblings were pitiable, their family having fallen victim to demons, so their wariness was understandable.

As demon hunters, they frequently journeyed between cities and the wilderness and had witnessed too many tragedies. In this world plagued by demons, ordinary people lived miserable lives.

The girl nodded slightly and closed her eyes just a little.

"Third Sister, you should rest too, I’ll take the first watch," Han Zong said, emphasizing the constant need for vigilance in the wilderness.

Nighttime was much more dangerous than day.

Humans feared demons, but demons also had some trepidation towards Cultivators, being somewhat restrained during the day.

"Brother, you’re also tired, let me take it," Situ Chan replied. Han Zong did not argue, saying, "Alright, you go first."

With that, he leaned back to get some rest.

Situ Chan scanned the surroundings and saw Li Fan sitting cross-legged with eyes closed, looking quite earnest.

Li Fan was cultivating, and at that moment, his Primordial Spirit left his body to absorb the light of the stars.

Since leaving Li Mountain, he cultivated daily, and his cultivation had already broken through the Refining God Realm, stepping into the third cultivation realm, the Out-of-Body realm.

The Out-of-Body realm allowed the Primordial Spirit to leave the body.

The stronger the cultivation, the farther the Primordial Spirit could venture from the body.

The light of the stars and moon shone on the Primordial Spirit, which sat cross-legged in the void.

Just then, as if hearing some noise, Li Fan’s Primordial Spirit suddenly moved, drifting toward a distant direction.

In that direction, Li Fan’s Primordial Spirit noticed a conversation taking place.

No, it was people and demons conversing.

Moments later, numerous figures could be seen approaching, all demons.

The humans, meanwhile, remained at their original place.

"The human heart is like a ghost," Li Fan thought to himself, and his Primordial Spirit returned to his body.

At that moment, Situ Chan heard a commotion, with a demonic wind blowing outside, causing the already damaged wooden door to creak.

"Demonic energy!"

A cold glint flashed in Situ Chan’s eyes as Han Zong and Yin Qing also opened their eyes, looking outside with great alertness.

Living such a risky life, they were more sensitive to danger, especially to demonic energy.

The girl in the corner opened her eyes as well. Clearly, she hadn’t been sleeping, her body trembling slightly, curling up into a ball.

"I’ll handle it," Situ Chan said, picking up her weapon and pushing open the door to step outside, but she retreated back inside shortly after, saying, "Brother, Second Brother, there might be trouble."

She couldn’t handle it!

Han Zong and Yin Qing were already on their feet, with Han Zong taking the lead outside, drawing the large blade from his back, staring ahead.

On both sides, many demon beasts were agitated, and right in front, a figure walked upright, with a sheep’s head and a human body, nearly indistinguishable from a human.

"Third realm," Han Zong’s eyes turned serious. Such shape-shifting ability indicated a third-realm demon.

The Sheep Demon squinted its eyes, staring at them, then its gaze fell on the girl inside the house.

"Second Brother, Third Sister, watch over them," Han Zong said. Yin Qing stood by the brother and sister, while Situ Chan stood by Li Fan and the others.

"These two are sleeping like the dead," Situ Chan thought to herself, seeing Li Fan sitting still with closed eyes and Liu Ji curling softly behind him, completely unaware of the situation outside.

Situ Chan wasn’t sure if they were pretending.

Nevertheless, there were many demons, and she needed to take care of some of them first.

Situ Chan drew her bow and nocked an arrow, a gust of wind enveloping her and her bow. As a Qi Cultivator trained in Wind Attribute, the combination of wind attribute spells and archery greatly increased her power.

"Buzz..." The bowstring vibrated, and the arrow, accompanied by the sound of the wind, shot out, slicing through the night sky, followed by a scream as it hit a Pig Demon squarely in the eye.

Han Zong, wielding a large blade, marched toward the Sheep Demon, and a surge of demonic energy erupted from the Sheep Demon, causing numerous duplicates of itself to appear before Han Zong.

"Sorcery Illusion Technique."

Han Zong’s eyes hardened; dealing with demons skilled in sorcery was more challenging.

His blade slashed down like thunder, instantly tearing several illusions apart.

He swung his blade again, but suddenly saw an illusion of Situ Chan before him, prompting him to quickly retract his attack.

"This isn’t right..." Han Zong realized something was amiss; how could Third Sister suddenly appear before him? It was an illusion.

His blade resumed its downward arc, indeed shredding the illusion.

However, around him, the illusion of many Situ Chans suddenly appeared, encircling him.

Han Zong felt disoriented, losing his sense of direction amidst the dim nighttime light, overwhelmed by the illusion, uncertain of how to strike.

"Brother, watch out," Situ Chan’s voice came through, as a Fox Demon wielding a sharp sword stabbed from behind Han Zong, but just then, Situ Chan’s arrow arrived, forcing the Fox Demon to parry.

A flash of his blade, and Han Zong swiftly cleaved the Fox Demon.

The surrounding demons grew even more frenzied, ferociously charging at Situ Chan. A terrifying demonic aura filled the air, and in the darkness, the Sheep Demon rapidly expanded, transforming into a massive black ram wielding a blood-red demonic blade, slashing toward Han Zong.

Han Zong’s blade met the attack, but the demonic power was overwhelming, and Han Zong was sent flying, smashing through the wooden door. Situ Chan and Yin Qing were also forced to retreat inside the small house.

The girl in the corner trembled violently, fear evident in her eyes.

The enormous figure of the Sheep Demon continued forward, pressing toward Han Zong and the others.

"Bang..." A huge body crashed down from the roof above Situ Chan, as she had just shot an arrow forward, her expression turning grim.

"Third Sister," Han Zong shouted.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes, reflecting the weapon held by the demon overhead.

"Buzz."

In the darkness, another light appeared, dazzling Situ Chan, as she saw the beam piercing directly into the demon in the air above.

With a loud crash, the demon plummeted before her.

Situ Chan took a deep breath, recognizing the weapon lodged in the demon as a sword.

A sword... She turned back to see Li Fan opening his eyes and walking toward her.

Qi Cultivators of the Refining Realm could control objects.

Li Fan was a Cultivator of the Refining Realm too?

She watched as Li Fan calmly walked up to Situ Chan and Han Zong, withdrew the sword from the demon’s body, and glanced up at the Sheep Demon before him. The Sheep Demon also lowered its gaze to glare at him, hostility in its eyes.

"Brother Xiao Fan, step back, this is a third-realm Great Demon," Han Zong advised, stepping forward.

"Brother Han, I’d like the Demon Core," Li Fan voiced, and as he finished speaking, the sword in his hand flew out, like lightning, instantly slicing through a demon’s neck, blood spraying.

The sword did not stop, continuing its deadly dance.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

Screams from the demons echoed continuously, and in a flash, the sword returned to Li Fan’s hand, leaving the demons outside fallen.

"This is..." Han Zong was stunned.

Though Refining Realm Cultivators could control objects, could they be so fast and strike with such terrible force?

The Sheep Demon glanced back, momentarily dumbfounded, before a terrifying demonic energy surged, and it slashed fiercely toward Li Fan with its weapon.

Li Fan leapt into the air, and with a squelch, Han Zong and the others only saw a flash of light before the Sheep Demon’s massive head flew skyward.

Li Fan landed, and the immense body of the Sheep Demon collapsed with a boom, blood gushing, staining the sword.

Situ Chan and Han Zong stood there, stunned, not yet recovered from the shock, as Li Fan stepped forward, plunged the sword into the Sheep Demon’s body, and extracted the Demon Core.

Along the journey, he’d slain numerous demons, consuming their Demon Cores.

Li Fan finished retrieving the Demon Core, then returned to the dilapidated house, sitting cross-legged again, ready to cultivate.

Situ Chan looked at Li Fan with a peculiar gaze.

What cultivation realm was this?

She couldn’t discern it at all.

Han Zong also hadn’t fully processed it. Li Fan, so young. Wasn’t he only seventeen or eighteen?

Glancing at the demon corpses sprawled around, Han Zong was momentarily speechless.

Could it be, the Out-of-Body realm?

The Sheep Demon was a three-realm Great Demon; while not especially powerful, killing it with a single sword strike was beyond a Refining Realm’s capability.

Seventeen in the Out-of-Body realm??

"Brother Han and Sister Chan, if you need Demon Cores for cultivation, feel free to pick a few," Li Fan offered, with the Demon Cores he had just taken from the demons sprawled at his feet.

Some cultivators could use Demon Cores for cultivation. Though the demons were all slain by him, Han Zong was a good person, so sharing some was not an issue.

Moreover, he hadn’t retaliated against the hidden human cultivators outside, who should soon "deliver" more Demon Cores, promising significant gains from this trip.

"No need, Brother Xiao Fan killed all the demons; we couldn’t possibly take any Demon Cores," Han Zong declined. Without Li Fan’s intervention, their survival would’ve been at stake, making it impossible to take his Demon Cores now.

Though Li Fan didn’t mind, they couldn’t act ungrateful.

Li Fan wasn’t particularly attached to the Demon Cores, but to these life-risking individuals, Demon Cores were invaluable.

"There are plenty here, Brother Han, no need to be courteous," Li Fan responded, noticing Situ Chan’s gaze, and added, "Sister Chan, would you like to choose?"

Situ Chan hesitated, but then heard Yin Qing beside her say, "In that case, thanks to Brother Xiao Fan then."

He proceeded to lead Situ Chan forward, squatting down to unceremoniously pick a few Demon Cores as he indeed needed them for cultivation.

Li Fan gave him a glance but said nothing more.

While Situ Chan seemed bold, she wasn’t as thick-skinned as Yin Qing, taking only one before looking up at the young man before her, smiling and asking, "An Out-of-Body realm cultivator?"

She was genuinely curious.

Li Fan nodded, "Just recently breakthrough."

A peculiar glint appeared in Situ Chan’s beautiful eyes. Although she’d guessed, she was still surprised to hear Li Fan’s confirmation; he was so young.

"If only Sister Chan were a few years younger," Situ Chan joked, standing up and handing the selected Demon Core to Han Zong, "Brother, this one’s suitable for your cultivation."

"Third Sister," Han Zong said, looking at her.

"Brother, you know I can’t use it," Situ Chan insisted, pushing the Demon Core to Han Zong. Yin Qing, on the other hand, carried the Demon Cores he’d chosen to a corner, clearly unwilling to share, highlighting the character differences among the three.

However, among the trio, Han Zong and Situ Chan evidently shared a closer relationship.

In the corner, the girl watched everything unfolding silently, imprinting it in her memory.

Li Fan closed his eyes, immediately absorbing the Demon Cores to cultivate. Given his current realm, he could control any leakage of demon energy, ensuring Han Zong and the others witnessing wouldn’t matter.

One by one, the Demon Cores were quickly digested. Li Fan and the "mysterious" entity within him had reached a stable balance, neither interfering with the other. Yet, Li Fan still relied on Demon Cores for sustenance while retaining a portion of the mana for himself, integrating it into his being.