Chapter 046
Chapter 46: Demonic Heart Seed
The hallway fell suddenly silent, the smile freezing instantly upon the young man’s face.
The two hiding by the staircase no longer concealed themselves and swiftly hurried to stand behind the young man.
All three stared at Li Mu Sheng, killing intent rising in their eyes. Yet, unsure of his true strength, none dared to make the first move.
Li Mu Sheng shook his head gently. These three were too weak; only one barely reached the Innate Stage. To be honest, he felt no desire to fight at all, despite knowing they had come to kill him.
“What exactly are you trying to do?”
Just then, Eunuch Little Anzi suddenly appeared at the end of the hallway. Seeing the confrontation, he quickened his pace.
“Attack! Once the palace guards arrive, we’ll have no chance!”
One of the young men growled fiercely and charged toward Li Mu Sheng, his face twisted with cruelty. At his call, the other two hesitated no longer, swiftly channeling their inner strength to dash forward, carrying a fierce gust of wind.
Yet Eunuch Little Anzi appeared adept in lightness skills. His movements were far swifter, and in a few flickers, he reached them.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Several palms infused with Kui Yin Qi struck forth, sending a chilling force surging toward the trio.
Like a sudden winter wind, two of the attackers turned cold. Before their feet even touched the ground, they were blown backward.
The remaining one surged with Qi, punching through the wave of energy to continue his assault on Li Mu Sheng. But instantly, he collided with Little Anzi’s swift, angled palm strike.
This palm was wrapped in strands of chilling Kui Yin Qi, so sharp and fierce it chilled the very air.
Boom!
The scholarly-robed young man flew backward, crashing like his companions onto the wooden floor, splintering the boards beneath him.
“Fighting privately is strictly forbidden within the Aurora Pavilion. Await your punishment obediently!” Little Anzi stood protectively before Li Mu Sheng, his eyes cold and stern as he looked at the fallen attackers.
Two of them spat out dark blood, clutching their chests as they struggled upright. One cursed bitterly, filled with regret:
“We hesitated too long! We missed the best chance to kill him!”
The other, pale and shaken, turned anxiously toward the scholarly-robed young man.
“That little eunuch is too strong. What do we do now?”
Without answering immediately, the scholarly-robed man wiped the blood from his lips, his eyes locked hatefully upon Li Mu Sheng.
“Do you still wish to fight?” Little Anzi narrowed his eyes cautiously, quietly gathering Qi, ready for another attack.
Slowly, the scholarly-robed man stood, his voice cold as ice as he glanced at the others.
“There is still a chance—but I will need your strength.”
The other two’s eyes lit up with hope. Yet, before they could speak, his hands already pressed firmly upon their heads.
Before the two youths realized what had happened, their bodies trembled violently, shriveling swiftly. Streams of crimson blood essence flowed rapidly into the scholarly-robed man’s palms, making his own face glow with renewed vitality.
Thud!
Radiant with fresh energy, he released the bodies, now dried husks that collapsed lifelessly to the floor.
“My thanks,” he said lightly. “I shall fulfill your wishes.”
A blood-red glow flickered ominously in his eyes as he lifted his head, smiling cruelly toward Little Anzi and Li Mu Sheng.
“Are you a follower of the Demonic Path?” Little Anzi stared warily, his face filled with suspicion. Yet soon, he shook his head again. “Impossible! Everyone entering Aurora Pavilion is secretly examined. If you cultivated Demonic techniques, there’s no way you could have hidden it!”
The scholarly-robed young man tilted his head slightly, mocking him softly. “You truly are young, little eunuch—your experience is indeed shallow!”
As he finished speaking, he vanished instantly, turning into a shadow of blood.
Little Anzi felt a nauseating wave of blood and gore approaching. In a heartbeat, the attacker was already right in front of him.
Eyes narrowing in alarm, Little Anzi released his palm strike filled with Kui Yin Qi toward the crimson shadow. Yet shock gripped him as he struck only an illusionary afterimage.
The scholarly-robed man appeared suddenly beside him, and a chilling sense of imminent death overcame Little Anzi. From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed the attacker’s pale hand, which had sprouted sharp, blood-red nails, ready to pierce his heart.
Despair flooded Little Anzi’s face. He was certain death had arrived.
Yet at the very last moment, the blood-red nails halted merely half an inch from his heart.
Little Anzi’s eyes widened; instinctively, he swallowed hard.
Before he could comprehend fully, a leisurely voice whispered by his ear, “How about that? Exciting enough for you?”
Little Anzi turned stiffly and saw Li Mu Sheng gazing at him with calm amusement.
In panic, Little Anzi quickly stepped backward, distancing himself from the deadly nails. Turning to the scholarly-robed attacker—frozen in a twisted pose—he finally understood.
Deeply inhaling, Little Anzi bowed respectfully toward Li Mu Sheng.
“Many thanks, Young Master Li, for saving my life. This servant is eternally grateful!”
Earlier, Li Mu Sheng had purged the Bei Qi Dark Qi from his body, something even his godfather An Quan couldn’t do. And now, Li Mu Sheng had saved him again. Little Anzi didn’t know Li Mu Sheng’s exact strength but was certain it must be extraordinary.
Li Mu Sheng shrugged lightly, stepping forward until he stood before the immobilized, enraged young man.
In his mind, he pondered the Life Death Talisman martial technique he intended to create. Observing Little Anzi’s reaction earlier confirmed his thoughts—the truest fear came precisely from facing the edge of life and death. Perhaps that was why the Life Death Talisman was so terrifying.
Thinking this, Li Mu Sheng flicked his finger gently. Immediately, the scholarly-robed young man regained some movement, throat trembling violently as he spat out frenzied words:
“Die, die! Just die already!”
Unfazed, Li Mu Sheng raised an eyebrow, calmly asking:
“Kid, did you perhaps practice the Star Absorbing Art?”
Yet the scholarly-robed young man ignored the question, eyes blazing red as he continued his wild ranting.
Frowning slightly, Li Mu Sheng prepared to test his newly comprehended Life Death Talisman upon the youth.
At that very moment, a soft, sinister voice floated from above:
“If I, your humble servant, am not mistaken, he has indeed cultivated the ‘Demonic Heart Seed’!”