Eternal Saber-Chapter 315 - 39: Smoke Demon

The passerby who just walked by suddenly split into two, and a ghostly figure charged at Chen Tang.

This hermit had been hiding behind that passerby earlier, walking in sync with them.

Not only was the passerby unaware, but Chen Tang also couldn’t detect any flaw.

It wasn’t until they were close that the hermit suddenly launched an attack!

The hermit slashed horizontally with a blade, aiming at Chen Tang’s throat. The chilling light flashed, and the speed was extremely fast.

The venom in Chen Tang’s body still hadn’t been completely expelled. He couldn’t recklessly halt the detoxification and could only step back half a pace, first evading the sharpness of the attack.

The hermit’s blade swept through mid-air, without exhausting its momentum. With another step forward, the sword skill quickened even more!

A master!

A chill ran through Chen Tang’s heart.

After stepping into the Fifth Grade and cultivating Inner Qi, aside from the increase in personal strength, the combat style also becomes more varied.

Because, in addition to physical strength, one can also mobilize Inner Qi at any time, condensing it into Inner Power within the body.

The spontaneously generated Inner Power can allow a martial artist’s sword skill to suddenly speed up midway, or temporarily change moves, altering the trajectory.

This sudden change of technique leaves the opponent hard-pressed to react.

Some experts in Lightweight Skill can even rely on Inner Qi to continuously swap positions in mid-air, without any foothold.

Previously, when Chen Tang faced Inner Qi Martial Artists, he mostly decided the outcome with one slash using the Burning Wood Saber in the Divine Illumination State.

The opponents rarely had the opportunity to display such skills.

And the cultivation technique martial arts this hermit trained in emphasized accumulating momentum for a strike, rarely touching on this kind of application.

The hermit’s sword skill suddenly accelerated mid-air, catching Chen Tang somewhat off guard.

He originally could avoid this strike by stepping back half a pace.

But now, adhering to the original speed and distance would mean certain death!

Divine Illumination!

The horizontally slashing blade suddenly slowed down.

Chen Tang smoothly retreated, evading the blade’s edge.

"Eh?"

Seeing the imminent success, the blade was about to cut Chen Tang’s throat, yet it slashed empty, and a flash of surprise crossed the hermit’s eyes, prompting a soft exclamation.

Shadow, ranked forty on the Dark Ranking.

Rising gradually in the Hermit Realm by relying on the superb Stealth Technique.

He can hide in any corner; as long as there’s a place to hide, it becomes his concealment spot, practically traceable.

Chen Tang’s expression remained calm, continuing to force out the poison.

What truly concerned him was that Poison Hand who had yet to show himself!

He was nearly certain Poison Hand was nearby.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been possible to poison the lotus leaf from earlier.

But when Chen Tang glanced around, whether it was the roast goose shop owner, the people in line, or nearby passersby, none appeared suspicious.

The hermit, after missing with the strike, flashed beside a passing pedestrian.

When Chen Tang looked again, that person had vanished without a trace!

Whoosh!

Just then, the sound of an arrow flying through the air rang out.

Chen Tang dodged to the side to avoid it.

A streak of black light whizzed past in front of him, emitting a strange aura, penetrating the ground, and exploded with a boom!

At the moment Chen Tang had just expelled all the venom, this arrow exploded, spreading a dense smoke cloud in all directions.

The surrounding area, within several meters, was shrouded completely in the dense smoke, with visibility extremely low.

"Cough, cough!"

The smoke was extremely choking, and a series of coughs could be heard from the crowd.

Fearing the smoke might be poisonous, Chen Tang dared not be careless. He immediately held his breath, cleared his mind, and observed his surroundings.

In the haze, only the silhouettes of people stumbling around could be seen, all of whom were just nearby bystanders.

Chen Tang gripped his long saber tightly, preparing to withdraw from the smoke’s range, when he suddenly heard an unusual sound of wind behind him!

Swish!

Without thinking, Chen Tang slashed backward toward the source of the sound.

The blade’s edge sliced through the smoke but only cut through empty air.

Relying on his intuition just now, Chen Tang continued to walk slowly along the street.

During this, he continually saw people trying to approach, and each time he swung his saber, but each strike landed empty.

After a moment, the dense smoke showed no sign of dispersing!

Chen Tang slightly frowned and stopped moving, standing still in the smoke, closing his eyes tightly, employing the Wind Listening Technique to perceive everything around him. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

The smoke beside him stirred, and amidst the surging, a towering silhouette was vaguely discernible, with two horns on its head and eyes emitting eerie red light, like a Smoke Demon!

"Enough with the theatrics!"

Chen Tang rebuked loudly, shifting sideways half a step, raising his hand for a Divine Light Slash!

This slash was much faster than the earlier sword skill!

The blade light disappeared into the smoke, too swift for the smoke to even spread open.

Clang!

Behind the smoke came the sound of metal clashing.

Chen Tang’s entire body shook, the web of his thumb mildly tingling.

The opponent had actually blocked his Divine Light Slash!

Moreover, this person’s Inner Power was exceptionally strong.

Chen Tang’s slash didn’t gain him any advantage.

"Is that all?"

From within the smoke, a voice arose, floating amidst the billowing clouds, tinged with mockery and disdain.

Smoke Demon, ranked sixteenth on the Dark Ranking.

This smoke manipulation belonged to the category of Fire Escape Technique, composed of tools crafted from varying materials and proportions, capable of hiding tracks, obscuring sight, and diminishing the five senses.

Many targets died confusedly in the smoke, unable even to touch a corner of his clothing.

It was precisely for this reason that he earned the nickname Smoke Demon.

Chen Tang’s eyes flashed brightly, moving toward the sound, gripping the saber with both hands, and leaping forward in a big step.

Smoke Demon’s expression remained composed.

With just one move, he had already gauged Chen Tang’s depth.

The person had mastery in Horizontal Training, enhancing the Inner Strength of the Viscera, undoubtedly immensely powerful.

But ultimately, he was still one major realm short, comparatively weaker in strength.

Moreover, with all Seven Apertures open, his five senses were keen and reaction speed extremely fast.

Even Chen Tang’s lightning-fast sword skill could be blocked!

"Roar!"

Just then, Chen Tang suddenly opened his mouth, unleashing an ear-splitting roar!

Lion’s Roar!

This terrifying Sound Strike Technique erupted, with the sound waves seemingly taking physical form within the smoke, sweeping it away to create a large clearing.

The Smoke Demon’s figure was utterly exposed.

Furthermore, subjected to the direct impact of the Lion’s Roar, he felt as if struck by lightning, whole body trembling, his mind buzzing, and experienced a momentary daze.

In fact, when accepting this mission, he had taken note that Chen Tang adeptly used sound attack techniques like the Lion’s Roar.

But if he sealed his Ear Aperture with Inner Qi beforehand and mixed in the smoke, he would lose his sense of direction, effectively becoming blind.

He had long honed his skills in the smoke, relying on his ears to determine the positions of different objects within it, deducing movement sounds and forming an understanding in his mind.

Moreover, he never expected Chen Tang’s Lion Roar to possess such terrifying power!

It was an enhancement brought by cultivating the Giant Demon Breathing Technique, which bolstered the lungs.

Just as the Smoke Demon was dazed, a flash of blade light!

A head, the size of a fist, erupted with crimson blood, flying out from the smoke.

Ranked sixteenth on the Dark Ranking, the Smoke Demon, decapitated!