My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 772 - 484: The Coming of the Sword (Two in One)_2

"You... You just die for me!" It growled furiously and took another bite.

...

Not a single move.

The golden shield rippled softly, like a distinct, glowing barrier that shatters through the mist. Yin Tingxue was encased within it, unharmed, curiously tilting her small face upward.

In contrast, the fish demon's sharp fangs froze in mid-air, trembling painfully, unable to devour her.

Yin Tingxue lowered her gaze to the golden seal in her hand, utterly astonished that she had resisted the fish demon's gnashing teeth. Her face was filled with shock and wonder. Amid her awe, she scrutinized the fish's enormous mouth. Being someone who usually avoids fish heads and settles for crescent-shaped flesh at best, this was her first encounter with such an unusual fish mouth structure.

The gathering hall was filled with demons watching the scene unfold. Some siblings hesitated in contemplation. A mere young Taoist remained untouchable, while the fish demon's gills violently quivered, creating gusts of wind that sent dishes flying into chaos.

The fish demon clamped its mouth shut to regain momentum, its rage uncontrollable. Its entire body of scales flared crimson, as if ignited by flames, and roared furiously, "I don't believe this! I've consumed Taoists at the Core Formation Realm, yet I can't devour you!"

Yin Tingxue shrank her neck, her expression resigned to death, her eyes tightly shut as she raised the golden seal high in her hands.

BANG!

Like the sound of a collapsing beam, the instant the fish demon's teeth struck the golden light, its sharp fangs fractured in every direction.

The entire fish demon's serpent-like body was flung backward, deeply embedded into the wall, its face pale and its crimson scales fading to a dull blue.

"Damn... Damn it, this person uses sorcery!"

With those words, it collapsed to the ground, slipping into unconsciousness.

The room fell into dead silence.

The demons present wore varied expressions — some were struck by wonder and dread at Yin Tingxue's ability to devastate the fish demon with just the Golden Light Mantra. Others held disdain for the eldest child of the Guhuoniao; after all, he was merely half-fish and half-serpent, relying on borrowed authority. If they were adopted by the Guhuoniao instead, and consumed countless Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, would the results differ?

As for the Guhuoniao's other adopted sons and daughters, witnessing this scene left their hearts shaken.

The creature that is Guhuoniao is no ordinary demon—it is often a Great Demon, and Auntie Yu Gu is an extraordinary existence among them. Not every creature can be casually chosen as her foster child. These demons had already dominated their respective territories before being adopted, and as for the eldest sibling, the fish demon, although he failed to transform into a true serpent, his cultivation was undoubtedly on par with any demon present besides his foster mother.

So, what of this so-called Sixth Sister... What is her exact origin?

Yin Tingxue, startled and dazed, took longer than others to regain her composure. She gazed incredulously at the golden seal clutched in her hand. She thought her life was over, yet to her surprise… it seemed she wasn't as weak as she imagined herself to be.

Her ears twitched slightly. Despite the fragmented chaos of voices in the room, the little fox clearly heard the murmurs of the demons — their wonder and fear. An idea dawned upon her mind, prompting her to turn and declare, "I... I am Yin Tingxue, the Third Disciple of Yin Sword Mountain's Sword Armor Sect."

Yin Tingxue was bluffing, unsure herself. Though her cultivation on Yin Sword Mountain had brought her rapidly to the Golden Core realm, paving the way forward seemed manageable. However, in contrast, she hadn't learned much in the ways of demon-slaying and spellcasting. Among the three spells she knew, besides the Golden Light Mantra, there were only the Wind Control Technique and Water Summoning Technique. Despite her internal panic, she could faintly feel that the demons seemed far more frightened of her.

The mention of "Yin Sword Mountain" immediately amplified the demons' unease and fear.

"I am under my master's command to walk the Jianghu and bring salvation to all. Regardless of demons or devils, you must remain silent and listen. If there is defiance, you shall face the same fate as this one..."

Her tone was steady, neither loud nor soft. Initially, her voice trembled slightly, but as the words continued, her posture straightened, adding an invisible sense of authority.

It was because, as she spoke, Yin Tingxue thought of Sister Weiyang's composed demeanor.

The female crown was always adept at handling such scenarios. If she were here, she'd likely raise her fingers to caress her sword and casually recite poetry.

Despite Yin Tingxue's lack of confidence in her words, the fish demon's downfall was undeniable, and it produced a significant deterrent effect.

"Mother, what should we do now?"

The spider demon turned its head, suppressing its voice to whisper to Guhuoniao.

Guhuoniao's gaze wandered off elsewhere, her eyes resting on the swelling mist that rapidly engulfed the entire hall, encircling it like a cage. Her expression showed little change.

The Saint Heir of the White Lotus Sect, Yang Shen, had once shared an affair with her and told her of the sect's six great magic artifacts.

The No-Life Tripod was among them. Allegedly, it connects to the Mother of Non-Birth. If a soul is captured within it, they can ascend to the "Vacuum Home," a place free from premature death, disease, deafness, or lameness—a Pure Land that returns the soul to the Mother of Non-Birth.

However, this No-Life Tripod, revered as a Holy Artifact, had been lost for over sixty years. Only recently, amidst the rebellion of the White Lotus Sect, had they reclaimed the artifact. Yet, whether this tripod is indeed a true relic remains questionable.

Still, with the Holy Mother of the White Lotus as the supreme authority, who dares to speak offhand?

Yang Shen didn't dare. Although he held the title of Saint Heir, his attitude toward the artifact had always been skeptical. Nevertheless, through a twist of fate, he discovered the truth—that so-called Holy Artifact was nothing but a magical artifact used to refine souls. It wasn't a true treasure handed down from the White Lotus Sect to its successor, the White Lotus Saint Mother. Hence, during a battle when he was gravely injured, he transported the No-Life Tripod northward to Guhuoniao.

Guhuoniao swept her gaze across the room, finally landing on Yin Tingxue. Leisurely, she left behind a single remark:

"Whoever can kill this Taoist not only gets treasures but shall become my new foster child."

She knew well that none of these demons could kill the young woman.

And if someone truly could, being embraced as a foster child wouldn't be unreasonable.

"Kill this wretched Taoist!"

"She's just a wandering soul!"

"Watch out for her spells; that fish demon said she uses sorcery!"

"What's there to fear? We are demons!"

With that, the gathered demons clamored, ignoring the fallen dancer on the floor entirely. A dense crowd of demons surged toward Yin Tingxue, encircling her layer after layer.

Amidst the cacophony, gold light shimmered, while the uproar continued unchecked. For the moment, none dared to make the first move, though their breaths were hurried, and their greedy stares grew sharper with incessant insults and jeers.

Yin Tingxue instinctively shrank in fright, gripping the golden seal tightly. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

At last, a pig demon couldn't resist and crouched low, gathering force before charging forward in a reckless assault.

"Everyone, attack!"

"Slaughter this Taoist!"

Following the pig demon's cue, the other demons rushed in a frenzy toward the golden radiance, with shouts resounding to the heavens.

As chaos erupted, Guhuoniao remained composed at the head table. While some foster children seemingly wished to intervene, they were halted by her raised hand.

...…

The floor was drenched in blood—yellow, green, red, and white—all manner of demonic blood mixed together, reflecting a faint golden hue.

Fur matted with dirt, severed limbs scattered, and even the unfortunate demons crushed underfoot by their own kind in the chaos. Despite their desperate efforts and unleashed powers, the layers of golden light stood steadfast.

Yin Tingxue was terrified, so she kept her eyes shut tightly.

More than fear, rage surged on the demons' faces. A Taoist who refrained from using any other spell, yet not a single demon could harm her.

It was uncanny—too uncanny!

A blood-covered demon wielded a blade and roared in rage, "I refuse to believe this!"

Yet his sentence remained unfinished.

Suddenly, his entire body froze and collapsed to the ground.

Another demon was about to step onto his corpse when the environment around seemed to twist like dissolving ink—hazy and indistinct—and a heavy mist enveloped the hall.

The dense fog surged forward,

penetrating the flesh through every orifice, swiftly severing consciousness.

Gradually, noise diminished in the banquet hall.

No longer chaotic, Yin Tingxue—still huddled in fear—raised her head in doubt.

Through the thick white mist, she discerned the looming figure of Guhuoniao. Her ears caught the sounds emanating from the small tripod in Guhuoniao's hand, filled with unending, chilling wails.

The remaining demons hadn't comprehended what was happening, yet they watched Yin Tingxue with anxious murmurs: "What sorcery is this?!

In the next blink, the fog swept through, extracting their souls.

Those souls were ceaselessly dissolved within the tripod. Some couldn't even produce sound as they melted away.

Yin Tingxue stared at the sickeningly imposing Guhuoniao shrouded in mist.

"What... What is that?"

Guhuoniao offered no response, only an enigmatic smile. Slowly, she raised the No-Life Tripod overhead,

and poured hundreds of demonic souls into her mouth like water.

......

Meanwhile,

a sword came from afar.