Chapter 173 - 172: Let X Tell You What Is Called Ruthless

Chapter 173: Chapter 172: Let X Tell You What Is Called Ruthless

’Less than a year old? A fledgling tree demon?’

’Come on, System. If you have something to say, just say it. Don’t beat around the bush and call me out for only bullying weak mobs.’

’If I can earn Experience Points this easily, why would I go risk my life fighting a boss?’

Shouyangzi stared blankly at the tree demon’s final, self-destructive blast and the obliterated courtyard, utterly dumbfounded.

The entire fight, from start to finish, lasted a minute at most.

And yet the tree demon that he had regarded as a formidable enemy, the one he had been so wary of, was pathetically beaten to death by He Xiaotian in just a few moves.

’So are you really human?’

’Are you sure you’re not some powerful demon in human form?’

CLACK!

The sound of footsteps at the door pulled the old Daoist back to reality.

"Yang, you need to train this disciple of yours." He Xiaotian scanned the area and saw Daoxuan, who had successfully undergone his spirit-awakening. He and his human-faced sunflower were huddled on the ground, shivering uncontrollably.

Shouyangzi’s expression darkened at his words.

’He desperately wanted to march over, grab He Xiaotian by the collar, and ask him if he still wanted his spirit-awakening ceremony.’

But he didn’t dare.

"It was just one tree demon! What the hell are you two so scared of? Look at you! Pathetic!" The old Daoist had the gall to scold them, when he himself had been scared witless just moments ago.

"Yang, let me ask you something. Have you ever heard of a demon less than a year old?" He Xiaotian voiced the question on his mind. Even though he wasn’t familiar with the various ghouls and goblins of Hua Country, every demon in the TV shows he’d seen had, at a minimum, several hundred or even thousands of years of cultivation under their belt.

’So why was this tree demon so special?’

"Less than a year? Are you kidding me?" Shouyangzi was almost amused. A demon achieving this level of cultivation in less than a year? ’If any other major demons found out about that, they’d probably die of indignation.’

"Wait, it’s not entirely impossible. If a rift to the Netherworld opened up, and a creature with fledgling intelligence just happened to be nearby, it could be catalyzed by the immense Spiritual Qi. It should be able to become a demon in a very short time."

"Are you saying that tree demon just now was less than a year old?" For once, Shouyangzi put two and two together, connecting the idea to the tree demon’s utter helplessness.

Then his expression became a little awkward.

’If that’s all it was, then he...’

’Never mind. Best not to bring it up.’

’I should just perform the spirit-awakening for X first!’

"Take off your clothes."

"Not yet. Wait a second, I have one last thing to take care of." He Xiaotian took a few steps to the wardrobe and pulled out the illusionist’s head.

’What the hell is that?!’

Shouyangzi stared at the yellowish-brown stone lodged in the head’s mouth, completely baffled.

"My lady, it’s time to settle things between us."

"You bastard!"

The Paper Palanquin Master’s furious cry came from within the Qi-Sealing Stone.

She was clearly resentful that He Xiaotian had stuffed her into someone else’s mouth.

"I’ve done everything you asked. Isn’t it time we discussed how to split the energy tide?"

Hearing this, He Xiaotian broke into an amiable smile.

"You’re a little naive, kiddo."

"What do you mean? Are you going back on your word? Don’t forget, we’re bound by a Concentric Knot. Don’t think I have no way of dealing with you just because you aren’t harming me," the Paper Palanquin Master threatened, suppressing her fury.

"Of course I know you have a backup plan, but I have no intention of finding out what it is. So, I’ll just have to hurt you first." Before she could make a move, He Xiaotian’s right hand clenched into a tight fist.

CRACK!!

BANG!

A thick black mist billowed out, accompanied by a bloodcurdling scream.

The Paper Palanquin Master never expected He Xiaotian to kill her so decisively.

After all, with the Concentric Knot, the injuries she sustained upon death would be transferred to him.

Even his Unrivaled defense would be useless against it.

It was a special kind of curse.

[Ding! You have slain Paperman - Spirit Fragment. You have gained 5,000 Experience Points.]

He Xiaotian nodded in satisfaction. ’As expected of an heir from a Paperman family.’

’The Experience Points are great!’

Shouyangzi, who was standing to the side, was scared out of his wits.

’Didn’t you fucking say you let the lady go a long time ago?’

’So you two were secretly colluding behind my back this whole time.’

’And what was so impossible to negotiate that you had to kill her?!’

’This wasn’t just poking a hornet’s nest; it was like taking a sledgehammer to a hive of killer bees.’

’Aren’t you afraid of dying?’

’Wait a minute... From the very beginning, I’m the only one who knows his name is X.’

’His true identity is a complete unknown.’

’So, as long as X keeps his identity hidden, the Paperman family will have no way to find their target for revenge.’

’Instead, my Divine Void Temple will bear the brunt of it!’

’So the one who should be worried isn’t X, it’s me, the Daoist!’

’I...’

Shouyangzi felt aggrieved and miserable.

’So I’m supposed to be the scapegoat?’

He Xiaotian looked at the old Daoist, whose face was cycling through shades of pale and green, and patted his shoulder comfortingly. "So what if you’re the scapegoat? It’s fine. You’ve got the Daoist Alliance backing you. Besides, don’t you think you’ve gotten a lot smarter? At least now you can analyze the pros and cons of a situation all by yourself."

’Could you please try to be a decent human being for once?!’

’I’ve never met such a bastard, taking advantage of someone and then rubbing it in their face.’

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

Before Shouyangzi could unleash a torrent of angry curses at He Xiaotian, he heard a series of bones dislocating from He Xiaotian’s body. Then, some of his muscles split open, and blood began to flow.

But in the next instant, it was vaporized by the intense heat of an azure flame, leaving not a single trace behind.

"The Concentric Knot... this thing really packs a punch. No wonder she dared to plot with me. This bunch is really something else; every last one of them is freakishly devious."

The injuries appeared in a flash, but vanished even faster.

He Xiaotian’s constitution had long since surpassed the limits of a normal human.

A few broken bones and a little blood were nothing to him.

"Concentric Knot?! You son of a bitch, you’ve really screwed me over!" Hearing those two words, Shouyangzi cried out in anguish, looking like he was about to lunge at He Xiaotian and tear him apart. "That’s a Curse Skill only a direct heir can master! Now that you’ve killed her, the Papermen won’t give a damn if I’m a member of the Daoist Alliance. They’ll just retaliate like madmen, maybe even use the power of the ’Malevolent Ghost List’!"

"Malevolent Ghost List?" He Xiaotian inquired.

"The so-called Malevolent Ghost List is a network of evil spirits that has a long-standing partnership with the Paperman family. The Papermen give them discounts on their wares, which the ghosts then resell for a profit."

"So they’re thick as thieves. If the Papermen decide to get serious, how am I supposed to handle it? I’ll probably have to flee back to the Dragon Tiger Mountain headquarters and hide there for the rest of my life just to be safe." As Shouyangzi spoke, tears began to stream down his face.

"But don’t you get too complacent! At least I have somewhere to hide. What about you? If your real identity ever gets out, just you wait for the Papermen’s insane revenge!"

He Xiaotian was completely unconcerned by Shouyangzi’s words.

He and the Paper Palanquin Master were already at odds. He hadn’t forgotten the vicious parting words she’d thrown at him when she fled last time.

Since she already hated his guts, he didn’t mind giving her another reason to.

In any case, his enemies must be made to taste true suffering.