Chapter 14: Our Hero Chu Liang - Young Noble Be Monster Slaying
Chapter 14: Our Hero Chu Liang The humanoid demon departed quite peacefully. ... Chu Liang hadn’t planned for things to turn out this way. Originally, they were all following behind Fang Ting, though they had fallen a bit behind. When they saw Fang Ting struck down by the branches of a massive tree, Lin Bei mournfully cried out, "Ah-ya! It seems even Senior Brother Fang can't catch up with that demon! Our mission is going to fail." Chu Liang could only sigh inwardly, masking his expression with calm as he stated, "If Senior Brother Fang can't do it, I guess I'll have to give it a shot." "Hmm?" Lin Bei cocked his head upon hearing this, sensing something oddly amusing yet off. Then, Chu Liang drew out a talisman. Indeed, had Fang Ting been able to catch up to the humanoid demon, Chu Liang wouldn’t have wanted to use the one talisman he had obtained from the White Tower. The Feline Agility Talisman! Rumored to greatly enhance agility. With two fingers of his left hand, Chu Liang held the talisman aloft, a sudden flame igniting it into ashes with a loud crack. Boom. Once deployed, Chu Liang immediately sensed a feline spirit awakening within him, and his body began to dart in a straight line. Exerting just a bit of force, he leaped several yards ahead, landing nimbly without any effort. The Feline Agility Talisman was truly extraordinary! Its effect was surprisingly potent. If the White Tower offered reviews, Chu Liang would undoubtedly give this talisman a five-star rating. After adjusting to this newfound power with a few leaps, he began fully utilizing his body technique to chase the humanoid demon. From above, one could see a black and a white shadow racing at breakneck speeds, the gap between them rapidly closing. Gradually nearing the humanoid demon, Chu Liang even felt a surge of excitement. He could sense the feline spirit within him exulting from the thrill of the hunt. Thankfully, the talisman's effects lasted only a quarter of an hour, sparing him from potential unwanted influences if prolonged. But. When the humanoid demon turned and saw him, its big face showing a terrified expression at that instant... Chu Liang couldn't suppress his exhilaration, reflexively licking the back of his hand. He wouldn't know, but this harmless gesture left a significant trauma on the young humanoid demon's mind. The demon quickly realized this man was no ordinary being, wishing desperately for another pair of legs to flee faster. But could it escape? Very unlikely. Suppressing the urge to toy with it further, Chu Liang surged forward, sword in hand, casting out a three-foot sword radiance! Sensing it, the humanoid demon shifted, becoming transparent, evading the close-range strike! It was exceptionally agile, though not particularly strong. Its sole innate skill was this fleeting intangibility, allowing it to dodge Fang Ting’s sword aura cage earlier. Unfortunately. This transparency lasted but a fleeting moment. For an opponent who could match its speed, it meant little. When its form returned, Chu Liang’s left hand had already lifted, a crimson glow flaring from his sleeve. A demon-binding rope! The distance was too short, escape impossible. The humanoid demon, possessing a humanoid body, was instantly bound by the turtle-shell binding. At that moment, its heart hammered like a thousand galloping horses, a voice screaming... Damn! I knew this guy was a pervert! Of course! Living in this demon-infested South Domain mountains, every demon lives with the perpetual prospect of death. However... It could accept death, but to die in such a humiliating manner was hard to swallow. But life is precisely like this; many things are unacceptable, yet they inevitably happen. Like the autumn breeze withering all flowers, the mighty river flowing unstoppably to the east, the fleeting heavenly sky heeds no cries for mercy. Before falling, all it saw was sword light. Control followed by slaughter. Swoosh. ... Watching Chu Liang return to the group, holding the humanoid demon's jade flower, there was a moment of disbelief among the others. Never would they have imagined that at the brink of mission failure, he would step up to save the day! Fang Ting, frowning, asked, "Junior Brother Chu…how did you do it?" Xu Ziqing joyfully inquired, "Senior Brother Chu, you’re so powerful, why didn’t you say so before?" Lin Bei, filled with admiration, asked, "Brother Chu, how did you become so skilled? Could you teach me?" Xu Ziqing, puzzled, looked at him, "Hmm? What skill?" The young girl was too inexperienced to notice anything peculiar about the demon-binding rope. “Oh, body technique, body technique!” Lin Bei quickly corrected himself. “It’s nothing…” Chu Liang replied with a gentle smile, “I just used a pretty powerful talisman, but it’s a one-time thing, so I’m quite heartbroken.” “I see.” They all nodded in realization. Indeed, they had guessed as much; given Chu Liang's cultivation at the early stage of the Divine Will realm, such body technique was unlikely. If he had such a divine ability, there would have been no need to hide it before. Most likely, it was some sort of lifesaving talisman or pill. As for the talisman's origins, no one dared to pry further. In the cultivation world, it is taboo to inquire about another’s artifacts, talismans, pills, or divine abilities... The reason is simple: cultivation is visible, unless the gap is enormous, it’s hard to conceal. Whereas these items can be hidden and are crucial for bridging differences during need. Everyone has their secrets, some even vital for survival, hence they’re unwilling to share them. Often, a small piece of information can mean life or death. Regarding the origin of such treasures, reputable sects like Shushan are more formal, but rogue cultivators often obtain them through unsavory means. However, anywhere, to ask abruptly is seen as lacking tact. Moreover, Chu Liang, as the sole disciple of Silver Sword Peak, it was no surprise his master would bestow him with treasures for protection. Their thoughts turned to how this talisman allowed Chu Liang at the early Divine Will realm to surpass Fang Ting who is at a higher realm in speed—it must be incredibly valuable. It might even have been his last resort for survival. The rewards from this mission surely wouldn’t cover the cost of such a talisman. And he used it for the team’s success, sacrificing his own without hesitation! Through this brief journey, their earlier bias against him due to his origins from Silver Sword Peak had completely transformed into admiration. Such is the power of character and charm. If Shushan needed to choose a model disciple, they'd undoubtedly cast their votes for Chu Liang without hesitation! The thoughtful young girl, Xu Ziqing, smiled and said, "Senior Brother Chu, since you used such a precious talisman, why don't I give you my share of the reward for this mission to compensate a bit for your loss." She didn’t mind the reward, having the backing of her master and brother; her mission was more about experience. Chu Liang, hearing this, smiled, "That wouldn’t be appropriate..." Fang Ting echoed, "Indeed, sacrificing so much for the mission’s success can’t leave you empty-handed. My share is yours as well." His main goal here was to accompany Xu Ziqing, so the reward wasn't a priority. Moreover, when the humanoid demon nearly escaped with the jade flower, he was close to losing face. Chu Liang turning the tables was a massive relief, and his gratitude was beyond words. As Chu Liang opened his mouth to softly refuse, Lin Bei shouted again, "Brother Chu, don’t refuse! Everyone can see how much you’ve sacrificed! You’re our hero, we can’t let you feel heartbroken! I’ll give you Lu Ren’s share too, refusing it would mean treating us like outsiders!" "This..." Chu Liang managed a laugh and obliged, "All right, if you insist..." Lu Ren opened his mouth to say something, but a nod or two later, it seemed superfluous… did he even need to?