Shen Hao retreated several steps, claw shadows swirling before him, easily tearing open the True Essence Shield he set up and completely ignoring the Brocade Robe Magical Artifact on his body. In the blink of an eye, six slash marks appeared on his left shoulder and right ribs.
This was only because Shen Hao relied on his exceptional reflexes and the Yanji Saber in his hand to block most of the lethal attacks; if he had hesitated for even half a beat, he'd have died on the spot.
The situation was extremely dire.
From Shen Hao's experience, even without the Evil Chasing Disc, he was certain the shadow attacking him was a Third-Grade Evil.
Mist-like, more than ten feet tall, pitch black as ink, extending three razor-sharp clawed limbs, moving at incredible speed, its pair of blood-red eyes making it all the more sinister.
"Bang!"
Barely splitting apart another claw strike with his saber, the force of the recoil finally made Shen Hao's Inner Mansion unable to withstand it anymore. A mouthful of blood oozed from his mouth and nose, and his whole body was flung backward, smashing heavily against a pillar.
Facing a Third Grade Evil for the first time, Shen Hao's Sixth-Layer of Qi Refining cultivation was no better than a half-grown kid, unable to fight back at all.
Still, Shen Hao used the opportunity to widen the distance a little, and quickly fished out two talismans from his chest.
One Thunder Charm, one Summoning Talisman.
He surged True Essence, activating both talismans at once.
The Thunder Charm to counter the enemy, the Summoning Talisman to call for help.
"Crackle!"
The instant the talismans activated, a lightning bolt as thick as a child's arm appeared out of nowhere, striking the Evil before Shen Hao with pinpoint accuracy.
"Sss!"
A pained hiss came from the Evil's mouth, and a bowl-sized penetrating wound appeared on its body. Even its mist-like main form couldn't heal this kind of injury—the thunder just wrought it.
Thunder Law Anode, multipled damage to evils of the Yin type like this.
The Summoning Talisman also shot up high, not only projecting the "Xuan" character for aid, but sending out intense special mana ripples that spread out for scores of miles within a few breaths.
"What a pity!"
The Thunder Charm opened a hole in the Evil—a severe wound, but didn't kill it outright. Shen Hao sighed inwardly.
He felt regret, but his hands didn't stop. From his chest he pulled out the last Thunder Charm, and hurled it without hesitation.
Just like that earlier blast, and even though the Evil clearly tried to flee, it was far too late.
With a crack, the Evil was blasted open a second time, unable to endure anymore. After a shrill scream, its body began to collapse, wisps of visible malevolent energy unwinding from it and drifting into the ground. Soon, all that remained was a walnut-sized bead.
"Is this... the Evil Core?!"
Demons birth Demon Pills, evil spirits produce Evil Cores. The logic's like a clam making pearls. But compared to clam pearls, Demon Pills and Evil Cores are far rarer.
Shen Hao had worked as a Xuanqing Guard for eight years and killed at least fifty Evils, but it was his first time seeing an Evil Core.
He didn't even have time to think, when a nameless, overwhelming hunger suddenly surged in him. What startled Shen Hao more was that he couldn't help but stare at the Evil Core and swallow uncontrollably.
"What the hell?! Why do I want to eat that thing?!"
He knew this was bad, but he couldn't fight the hunger. With trembling hands, Shen Hao snatched the Evil Core and shoved it straight into his mouth.
For a split second, Shen Hao felt like crying and remembered the saying: I didn't want to eat it, but my hands and mouth had a mind of their own.
He felt sick in his heart, but his mouth munched away eagerly, and he even thought it tasted like salty chocolate!?
The next second, Shen Hao's heart chilled. He remembered how the opening of the Chronicles of Evil in Xuanqing Guard said: Evil Cores are the heart of malevolent qi, the peak of Yin evil, laced with poison—anyone who eats one surely dies.
Anyone who eats one surely dies...
Surely dies...
Die...
Death...
Shen Hao smacked his lips a few times, his expression bitter beyond words. He never imagined the end of his journey through worlds would be death by gluttony!
But a few breaths later, Shen Hao realized something was off.
By rights, swallowing an Evil Core that guaranteed death should have instantly frozen his meridians with Yin cold, breaking his Dao Foundation and withering his body—he should be suffering horribly. Why, instead, did he only feel his chest getting hotter, while nothing else happened?
He re-sheathed his saber, took a deep breath to calm the riotous True Essence in his body, and tried channeling his meridians a few times—nothing abnormal. Even with his steady will, Shen Hao couldn't help but wonder if he'd hallucinated and maybe hadn't eaten that Evil Core at all?
Before Shen Hao could figure out what was happening, hurried footsteps sounded all around, and the Xuanqing Guards and hundreds of Garrison Soldiers outside Qi Mansion rushed in after receiving Shen Hao's cry for help. They arrived quickly, but still a bit too late for Shen Hao himself.
...
The fourth day after the incident, morning, Qi Mansion.
"Xiaoqi, your injuries aren't serious. The outer wounds on your left shoulder and right ribs will heal in a few days. There's no sign of Yin poison invading your Inner Mansion—just a bit of shock trauma. I'll prescribe some medicine to help you dispel the Yin with Yang..."
The old doctor wrote a prescription as he gave Shen Hao his diagnosis.
Minor injuries, won't die.
To face a sudden attack by a Third Grade Evil and suffer only minor wounds was pure lottery luck. The two Thunder Charms awarded by Chen Tianwen were critical too—without them, Shen Hao's fate would've been another matter entirely.
But not everyone was as lucky as Shen Hao.
The old doctor had just left when Wang Jian, face dark as thunder, strode in.
"Xiaoqi, seven of the brothers on night duty died last night. Six more are crippled by deep Yin invasion. The rest just have minor wounds."
Shen Hao's hand clenched so hard it went white, only relaxing after a long moment. No emotion showed on his face, but his eyes were so icy no one dared meet them.
"Report the fallen brothers to the Garrison as fast as possible for compensation procedures, and from our personal funds give them extra support according to the rules. The wounded are to be moved to the rear to rest if needed. The lightly wounded aren't permitted to leave.
Also, last night's incident isn't to be reported. Clamp down. Tell everyone if anyone gossips, I'll cripple him."
"But Xiaoqi, if we don't report it, the compensation process..."
Shen Hao interrupted: "Don't worry about that—I'll handle the compensation privately with General Flag Chen. What matters is that no other flag within the Garrison knows about this before the sixth day. Got it?"
"Understood."
"Also, have the ones who went out searching recalled. There's no point, they won't find anyone."
"Why?"
"The culprit attacked Qi Mansion and didn't finish the job. I sent for help, and both gates' Defense rushed over to assist. That guy probably took advantage of the empty gates to escape far away. It's already daylight—catching him now would be a miracle."
"But..." Wang Jian was unwilling, but seeing Shen Hao wave him off, he didn't insist. Truth was, he knew the culprit had gotten away last night.
Seeing Wang Jian's anger boiling, Shen Hao shook his head, "Don't be in such a hurry. Things might not be as bad as we think—maybe this is even the breakthrough the case needs."
"Xiaoqi, have you discovered something?"