Although activating Thousand Miles in One Line had cost him some of his Essence Blood and lifespan, it was a small price to pay for escaping that catastrophe. ’What a bargain.’

In that fleeting moment, he had felt it with perfect clarity. The dead fox hadn’t used one Divine Ability, but two.

First, it had unleashed flames, then it used another Divine Ability to strengthen the wind.

’Could it be that this dead fox possessed both Fire and Wind Element Divine Abilities?’

’Before it died, this fox must have been a Demon that had formed a Demon Core!’

’That’s why I felt a certain pressure when I first saw it.’

Du Youqian’s breathing grew heavy.

’A Demon Core with both Fire and Wind Element Divine Abilities?’

’It’s as if it were tailor-made for me!’

’So this is what the "Obstruction" hexagram was about.’

’If I can get that Demon Core, my power will soar. My future would be limitless.’

And it was precisely because this was a zombie formed from a Core Formation Demon...

...that his Sword Qi had been completely useless against its body, unable to penetrate it at all.

Even if it had been dead for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, and its fur should have long rotted away—it was still the zombie of a Core Formation Demon!

Du Youqian pieced together all the small details.

His heart still pounded from the close call, yet he was also thrilled and eager to seize the potential rewards.

However, he quickly calmed himself. As he released his Flying Boat to race back to the battlefield, he rapidly formulated a new plan.

When the Fox Demon’s figure came into view again, Du Youqian recalled his Flying Boat and, without a word, immediately activated the Grand Array’s ability to suppress the sandstorm.

He pushed it to its absolute limit, heedless of the cost or consumption!

The swirling sandstorm came to an abrupt halt.

Sand and grit pattered down like a heavy black rain.

The wind became feeble and weak, like a noble lady in public, desperately trying to hold in a fart, only to finally let it escape in a long, silent, and excruciatingly slow release.

The dead Fox Demon wagged its tail again.

Several clusters of bluish-purple flames materialized once more.

It also stealthily unleashed its other Wind Element Divine Ability. Although the Grand Array suppressed all wind, it could only affect natural winds and Wind Element Magic.

It was powerless against a Wind Element Divine Ability of such a high caliber.

Aided by the Wind Element Divine Ability, the bluish-purple flames began to spread rapidly once again.

But Du Youqian was prepared this time.

The fan-shaped Defensive Spiritual Artifact he had personally forged not long ago circled protectively around him.

Moreover, without the sandstorm to help it along, the bluish-purple flames spread much more slowly than before.

He managed to escape the range of the Flame Divine Abilities in the nick of time.

The dead fox mechanically lifted its head, its hollow eye sockets staring at him, seemingly unable to comprehend what had happened.

After a moment, it slowly turned and, with a strange gait, began to walk back toward the small hut.

Du Youqian, however, pressed forward again.

The dead fox re-entered its combat state. It wagged its tail, unleashed its Divine Abilities, and filled the air with bluish-purple flames. And once again, Du Youqian fled.

This repeated again and again.

Luo Jinyu, who had been observing the battle through the Grand Array, was utterly confused.

’What is Brother Yu doing?’

’What the hell... is he... DOING?!’

WHOOSH! Brother Yu rushed in. Luo Jinyu’s focus instantly sharpened, his Spirit tensing as he thought Brother Yu was about to unleash a major move.

But as soon as the Demon unleashed its Divine Abilities—WHOOSH!—Brother Yu fled again without casting a single spell or even performing a single Sword Flower.

The tension in Luo Jinyu’s Spirit evaporated.

’Is he playing hide-and-seek?’

The first couple of times, he thought Brother Yu was trying to bait and confuse the enemy.

’But then he thought again, and that didn’t make sense!’

’His opponent is a Demon Zombie.’

’A mindless zombie.’

’What’s the point of baiting or confusing it? It has no mind to confuse!’

After watching Brother Yu repeat this tactic of advancing and retreating dozens of times, a sudden realization struck Luo Jinyu.

’It’s a war of attrition!’

’Brother Yu must have realized the Demon can’t use its Divine Abilities indefinitely, so he’s using this method to wear it down.’

’Then, when the time is right, he’ll strike it down in one fell swoop!’

He didn’t have to wait long.

He watched as Brother Yu charged in once more, coming within five zhang of the Demon.

This time, however, the Demon’s reaction seemed slower; it didn’t immediately unleash its Divine Abilities.

It was at this very moment.

He saw Brother Yu straighten his back.

His entire being transformed, becoming like an unsheathed Treasure Sword, radiating an edge so sharp one dared not look at it directly.

Brother Yu formed a sword with his fingers and pointed it at the Demon!

The Flying Sword shot forward at a speed Luo Jinyu’s naked eye couldn’t follow.

In the next instant.

An aura sharp enough to split gold and shatter jade erupted violently.

Luo Jinyu froze.

’Sword Intent!’

’It’s actually Sword Intent!’

Years ago, back in the Sect, he had joined a crowd to watch two Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivators, both Inner Disciples, fight on the Life and Death Arena. One of them had comprehended Sword Intent.

He had unleashed it unexpectedly during the duel, and the razor-sharp Sword Intent had sliced his opponent—and his Middle Grade Defense Spiritual Artifact—cleanly in two!

Afterward, a Core Formation Lord had declared the victor a True Successor Candidate on the spot, remarking, "To comprehend Sword Intent at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage... a Golden Core is certainly in his future!"

Upon feeling this Sword Intent, Luo Jinyu knew they were safe.

There was no way the Demon Zombie could survive such a powerful Sword Intent.

Sure enough, a moment later, the Demon’s abdomen suddenly burst open, as if Sword Qi had penetrated its body and detonated from the inside.

Of course, Sword Qi alone couldn’t have accomplished this; it couldn’t even pierce the creature’s hide.

It was the Sword Intent that had suppressed and permeated the zombie, destroying its internal structure and creating an opening for the Sword Qi to exploit.

Seeing the Demon Zombie slowly collapse, Luo Jinyu let out a long sigh of relief.

It was like the exhaustion after a "cultivation" session with one of Chunfang Building’s Fairies—a session that began with the body and ended by touching the very soul. He felt that same boneless exhaustion, that same mixture of satisfaction and fatigue that left him not wanting to lift a single finger.

’Brother Yu is just too incredible.’

’Even though he’s only at Qi Cultivation Perfection and is just an Outer Disciple right now...’

’...his name is sure to be on the list of True Successor Candidates for this generation!’

’Sooner or later, everyone in the Holy Blood Sect will know Brother Yu’s name.’

’Is that an exaggeration?’

’Not at all.’

’For someone who mastered Sword Intent while only at Qi Cultivation Perfection, wouldn’t something like this be a piece of cake?’

’Oh, right! I was so nervous before, I forgot to warm the wine. What should I do?’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seeing the Demon Fox’s corpse burst open and collapse as if drained of all power, Du Youqian did not immediately let down his guard.

Instead, he fought off the encroaching fatigue, rallied his Spirit, and continued to channel his Sword Intent.

’This thing is a zombie, after all. It has no life force or vital points.’

’Even though the Sword Intent I’d been building up destroyed its internal structure, there’s no guarantee a thing like a zombie can’t just get back up and start hopping around again.’

After waiting for a good while longer, the Fox Demon’s corpse remained motionless. Only then did Du Youqian cautiously approach.

He bent down, holding his breath against the stench of the corpse. Fighting back his nausea, he took out a pair of Lower Grade Spiritual Artifact gloves he had personally refined, put them on, and reached into the Demon Fox’s abdomen to feel around.

He felt around until he pulled out a sphere, about the size of an egg. It was perfectly round and flawless, but its dull, gray color made it utterly unremarkable.