My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 771 - 484: The Coming of the Sword (Two in One)

A host of demons surrounded her.

Eyes poured in from every direction, like an unrelenting tide, pressing down on Yin Tingxue.

Taoist...

Among humans, wandering Taoists are often seen in two lights—either as fraudulent fortune-tellers and petty thieves, or as reclusive sages, deeply enigmatic. It's hard to say which unless one witnesses their true abilities.

But for demons, the distinction is far more straightforward.

A Taoist is either a demon slayer, or prey to be consumed by demons. There is little room for compromise between the two.

Such is the blood feud between Taoists and demons—Taoists gain fame and fortune by vanquishing spirits and monsters, while they also harvest demon hearts and organs to refine elixirs. Compared to monks, demons hold greater contempt for Taoists. Monks, who practice non-violence, are more palatable to demons. Even if a demon has consumed humans or destroyed lands, a sincere repentance under Buddhist law can often secure their survival. When revered monks pass through, demons might even sprinkle holy water on streets and lay yellow earth along their paths.

A seasoned Taoist would make demons tremble in fear, while an inexperienced young Taoist would evoke their hunger and greed.

The girl standing before them, asking the monsters not to eat humans, was undoubtedly one of the latter.

"Look, look! The fox's tail is finally showing!"

The half-jiao half-fish Great Demon suddenly rose to its feet. Having endured repeated admonitions from its brothers, sisters, and even its mother, the Gu Huo Niao, its simmering frustration now found release as the truth came to light.

"What a wandering spirit tethered by golden threads to its wrist—sent to test the small fry before the elders arrive! Do you think our demon clan lacks demons?"

Its sinister fish eyes radiated an eerie red. The words sent waves of fear and anger rippling through the gathered demons.

Seizing on the faint tremor of fear amongst the crowd, the fish demon bellowed, "Don't you know that every Great Demon from ten miles around is here at this banquet? To come here alone is as audacious as striking the head of the Tai Sui god!"

In an instant, the last threads of hesitation or fear among the demons dissipated completely. Their countless eyes fumed with anger, each eager to tear the young Taoist apart and feast upon her flesh.

Which mountain's demon brothers haven't been slain by Taoists, and which stream's demon sisters haven't been exterminated by them?

Yin Tingxue's face was taut with anxiety as she watched the crowd. The cacophony of voices around her swirled like an unchecked chaos, an untamed city during the Lantern Festival—impossible to listen clearly amidst the turmoil. From hundreds of minds, she could only pick out unending malice.

She glanced at the table, noticing that even the relatively mild spider demon and tiger demon had fallen silent. Meanwhile, the Gu Huo Niao presiding at the head of the table retained her calm visage, neither intervening nor stirring further unrest—almost as though she had other plans.

Yin Tingxue couldn't comprehend why these demons harbored such intense hostility. Every demon she and Chen Yi had encountered on their journey so far had been remarkably easy to deal with. She still vividly remembered the recent feast on the mountain—the harmonious gathering, filled with laughter and cheer.

Suddenly, she recalled the distinction written in books between pure and impure energies. Pure energy is said to nourish goodwill within demons, while impure energy fosters malice. Fruits and vegetables carry pure energy, while flesh and blood are suffused with impurity. Looking at this hall filled with indulgent meat dishes—and humans set to be devoured—the air in the room had long since become saturated with corruption.

What should she do now?

Yin Tingxue could only hope for Chen Yi to arrive soon, but he showed no sign of appearing. Her hands trembled. It seemed she had no choice but to rely on herself...

But she hadn't studied much Taoist magic; altogether she knew only three techniques, and amongst them, only the Golden Light Mantra seemed usable.

"Such a pristine soul, unstained by the six desires."

The fish demon who had incited the crowd murmured under its breath, its eyes flashing red. As its fish scales rippled, they gleamed black like iron, while pale white horns faintly emerged atop its head.

Years ago, it had sought to transmute into a jiao by swimming upstream, narrowly escaping the Dragon Slayer Sword. It had been only one step away from transformation when a Daoist had baited and fished it out alive, halting its progress and rendering it the grotesque half-jiao half-fish it was today—a source of endless ridicule among demons, both overt and covert.

Though it later became the foster child of the Gu Huo Niao and avenged itself by swallowing that Daoist whole, the trauma remained etched deep within its psyche like a scar.

Believing then that the chance to transmute into a jiao had forever been lost, it was startled to now stumble upon such an extraordinary opportunity.

"Let me devour her!"

The fish demon roared with savage glee. Its fish-like dark head swelled to ten times its normal size in an instant. The demons at the table hurriedly scrambled back in their chairs to avoid being caught in the chaos, as its bloodthirsty maw widened like an abyss, set to swallow Yin Tingxue whole.

Yin Tingxue's face turned pale as sheets. Her hands desperately clasped together—the middle fingers and ring fingers intertwined—as she frantically chanted the Golden Light Mantra like a drowning person clutching at straws.

"…Golden—Golden light, appear swiftly, shield my body."

At this moment, the Gu Huo Niao remained indecisive, silent and unmoving. While the fish demon's motives were unclear, it knew one thing—it had to consume Yin Tingxue quickly, before its foster mother changed her stance. Without hesitation, it lunged to swallow the trembling girl cloaked in golden light whole.

But in the next heartbeat, it arrested mid-motion, its enormous fish head stuck frozen in the air.

"Ah, ah, ah…"

Its face contorted into a grotesque snarl, the toothy maw trembling at the edges of the golden shield, unable to advance even a fraction further.

Golden light rippled around Yin Tingxue's form. Her eyes remained tightly shut, her body hunched in fear, as though she had already been swallowed.

The scene turned remarkably quiet—and painfully awkward.

With the faint creak of the impeded fish mouth, Yin Tingxue quickly raised her head, startled for a moment before blurting in confusion, "Did you... not try harder?"

The fish demon's face flushed red with fury. Its gills flared wildly as it bellowed, its gaping mouth extending further in an unyielding rage, slamming shut with renewed force. "Die for me!"

"Die!" it thundered, snapping its jaws viciously.

"Just die already!" it roared again, burning with an intense wrath.