Have to admit.
Zhang Long and Zhao Fang's plan was flawless.
Because a powerful Ghostly Level Fiend could almost rampage unhindered among Pulse Condensation Realm fighters.
Probationary Demon Hunter.
At most, that's just someone who's just entered the Pulse Condensation Realm.
Even if a few came, they wouldn't possibly be able to match a powerful Ghostly Level Fiend; more likely, they'd all be devoured by the fiend.
Unfortunately—
Things didn't go exactly as the two of them had anticipated.
First of all,
because the Demon-Subduing Division lost quite a few people recently, only Shen Changqing came this time, not the several Probationary Demon Hunters they expected.
What's more,
though Shen Changqing was only a Probationary Demon Hunter, his true strength was not inferior to top Yellow Rank Demon Hunters.
In fact,
he was even stronger than those top Yellow Rank Demon Hunters.
The thirteenth level of the Thirteen Guardians' Body Tempering Technique, coupled with level eight Pure Yang Technique—his foundation far outclassed any ordinary Pulse Condensation Warrior.
Especially the former.
Outer Techniques are easy to pick up at entry-level, but to achieve true mastery demands no small amount of time.
Almost no one would waste that much time on Outer Techniques.
But on the other hand,
once Outer Techniques reach a profound level, their unleashed power is simply unimaginable.
Like when Zhang Long ambushed him just now.
That attack—
An ordinary Pulse Condensation Warrior would have been decapitated right there.
But on Shen Changqing, it couldn't even scratch the surface.
This is the real terror of the Thirteen Guardians' Body Tempering Technique.
"Zhang Long is dealt with, but the fiend in Guyue Village is still here. I have to take it out first!"
Shen Changqing gave Zhang Long's corpse a cursory glance, paid it no more mind, and turned to head back into the original courtyard.
At this moment,
the courtyard had not changed much, but an intense chill was surging from all directions—easily twice as heavy as when he'd entered before.
No need to think about it.
Shen Changqing understood immediately.
The fiend lurking in the courtyard was now well and truly enraged.
Suddenly,
a bone-chilling sensation crawled up his back.
In an instant,
Shen Changqing spun around, blade slashing out, clashing squarely with a ghastly pale hand.
The hand seemed to have no substance—when it touched the blade, it vanished into thin air as if it had never existed.
But the long blade that hand had touched now felt trapped in endless winter; searing cold spread instantly, a thin layer of hoarfrost crystallizing on the blade.
Pure Yang True Qi erupted forth,
White frost melted away from the blade.
Soon after, another wave of frigid chill surged forth. A wild-haired head suddenly draped over Shen Changqing's shoulder—and when he turned his head, he came face to face with a greenish, rotting visage.
Instantly,
goosebumps broke out all over his skin.
Without any hesitation,
Shen Changqing flooded his body with Pure Yang True Qi, slammed his elbow back hard, and a piercing shriek tore through his ears, making his mind reel for a moment.
The next second,
a ghostly-white hand shot from his armpit, lunging right at his chest.
Clothes shredded open.
Biting cold erupted.
The flesh that not even Zhang Long's attacks could break was now torn open under the fiend's assault.
Pain stabbed at his chest,
igniting Shen Changqing's wrath.
He lashed out with a fierce palm, all of his eighth-level Pure Yang True Qi unleashed, shattering that ghastly white hand apart.
The hand had only just vanished,
when an even colder chill slammed into him from behind.
He stepped forward, flicked his blade under his armpit in a reverse grip, and seemed to stab something—immediately, another agonized shriek rang out.
Soon,
the courtyard fell silent once more.
Shen Changqing stood poised with his blade, eyes scanning the environment alertly, pushing his senses to their limits, not daring to miss the faintest sound.
The wound on his chest had already quietly scabbed over,
But the pain still lingered—reminding him exactly what had just happened.
"Really troublesome!"
Shen Changqing let out a sigh—it was his first time facing a Strange Monster head-on, and an especially powerful Ghostly Level Fiend at that.
Even after spending so much time in the Scripture Pavilion
cramming knowledge about Strange Monsters, only by facing one could he tell the things described in books were still different from reality.
Now,
Shen Changqing finally understood the terror of powerful Strange Monsters.
No exaggeration—
Just that last attack, if it had struck an average Pulse Condensation Warrior, their heart might have been gouged out.
Encounters like this—
one wrong move, and it's a death sentence.
"Neither Ghostly Level Fiends nor Resentment Level Monsters have a set physical form. They have to attach themselves to something to exist!"
Shen Changqing recalled what he knew of Strange Monsters, eyes scanning back and forth across the yard.
Lower-level Strange Monsters
have no corporeal form.
Because of this, they have a fatal weakness: they must attach themselves to some object.
The thing they're attached to becomes the monster's weak point.
If you destroy that object,
even if you can't kill the Strange Monster outright, you'll at least severely injure it.
But the problem is,
the objects a Strange Monster could use for a host are endless—it could be a stone on the ground, or any random, inconspicuous thing. Trying to accurately pinpoint it in a big courtyard is anything but easy.
"If I can't find the monster's host, it'll keep ambushing me over and over, draining my strength little by little. In the long run, I'll most likely lose—"
Of course, Shen Changqing was confident that if he retreated, the monster would have zero chance of stopping him.
Right away,
he strode toward the first room where he was attacked.
When he reached the doorway,
Shen Changqing suddenly paused, then changed direction and walked elsewhere.
The courtyard
was thick with chill,
heavy fog shrouded the compound, totally blocking out the blazing sun, making the whole place feel like midnight darkness.
But for Shen Changqing, his night vision was already more than sufficient.
No matter how dark it was,
it scarcely affected him.
He changed directions several times, and the fiend made no move at all; it was either lying in complete silence or vanished entirely.
But Shen Changqing knew full well—
the monster was watching him from somewhere, quietly. The exchange earlier had taught it that he would not be easy prey, so it dared not attack rashly now.
It was waiting.
Waiting for a perfect opening.
Suddenly,
Shen Changqing shifted direction again and sprinted toward the big tree in the courtyard.
Buzz—
Freezing cold surged through the yard. An ear-piercing, agonized scream rang out of thin air, enough to chill the soul.
Two ghostly-white hands burst into view, clawing at Shen Changqing's face and chest.
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