Chapter 13 Ji Ning Battles a Great Demon

Coldness shrouded this mound of earth. On the ground, the frozen bodies of those who had fallen or were still standing were like sculptures, devoid of any trace of life. The sight of over six hundred corpses, especially the more than five hundred innocent people, made the killing intent in Ji Ning's heart even stronger.

"Human youth." The water buffalo, its four hooves like giant pillars, looked down at Ji Ning opposite it. "You have angered me. Those were my rations."

Frost enveloped Ji Ning, covering his eyebrows and skin with a layer of ice. However, with a slight tremor of his skin, the thin ice layer shattered and fell off. But then a large amount of frost gathered again... All Ji Ning could do was shake off the frost time and again.

"No matter how formidable your swordplay and footwork, you are still only a Houtian. But I am a mighty Xiantian lifeform." The water buffalo let out a deep laugh. "Since a few dozen humans escaped, I'll use you to make up for it. The flesh and blood of such a strong human youth is a thousand times more enticing to me than ordinary people."

"I have never killed a Xiantian lifeform before." Ji Ning, with frost faintly visible on his surface, looked at the water buffalo, his voice icy. "So I am more eager than ever to kill a Xiantian lifeform! Water Buffalo King, as the first Xiantian lifeform to die by my hand, you should be proud! I will cut off your flesh and taste it myself, and I will also let my parents and clan taste your flesh and blood!"

Whoosh!

A divine sword also appeared in Ji Ning's left hand out of thin air, so that he now held a Northernbright sword in each hand.

"Twin swords? It seems your swordplay is mediocre. In the entire land of Yanshan, no one who uses twin swords has good swordplay!" The water buffalo's huge pupils looked down at Ji Ning. Then it moved its hooves, trampling the ground, causing it to tremble, as if a mountain was rumbling toward him. "Die!"

Boom!

A huge hoof, so large that several people would be needed to encircle it, suddenly descended from on high, stamping directly at Ji Ning. The air let out a piercing shriek and completely exploded. The surging air waves even carved gullies into the ground. Before the descending hoof even touched Ji Ning, he already knew its power.

"Swoosh!" Ji Ning first swung a sword. The sword light was like water, faintly turning into a thread. The thread cut into the huge hoof, but after barely penetrating the thick skin, it could go no deeper. Ji Ning immediately turned into a gust of wind and retreated.

Bang!!!

The earth trembled, and a pit several zhang wide appeared. Ji Ning had already dodged to over ten zhang away.

"You can't escape." The water buffalo roared and charged forward. Although it seemed clumsy, its massive size meant each step was huge. Its giant hooves trampled again and again, causing the entire ground to boom and leaving deep pits. Soon, the two, one chasing and one retreating, reached a forest not far from the mound.

This forest was only a few li in circumference.

"These trees can't stop me." The water buffalo roared, charging straight ahead. The large trees, in front of the water buffalo which was as tall as a small hill, were as easy to push aside as an ordinary person pushing aside blades of grass.

"As expected of a water buffalo by nature, its strength is much greater than that of ordinary great demons," Ji Ning thought to himself. "And its hide is really thick. Using only my inner energy to execute the Unity of Heaven and Man sword technique, I can't even cut through its thick hide. It seems I have to rely on Fiendgod Body Refining."

Swoosh!

Ji Ning leaped and stood on a tall treetop, standing on the leaves without falling, looking level into the water buffalo's eyes from afar.

"Hmm?" The water buffalo suddenly stopped. It sensed that the aura of this human youth had changed. In terms of intensity, it was only slightly weaker than its own. "Fiendgod Body Refining?"

"Right." Ji Ning's skin began to redden. The power of the Lunar and Solar forces surged, instantly elevating his entire body's strength to its peak.

If he could break through to become a Xiantian lifeform, the divine power within his body could even overflow to the surface.

"Haha, you, a Houtian lifeform, even with Fiendgod Body Refining, are far inferior to me." The water buffalo suddenly charged forward, smashing everything in its path. The trees it hit collapsed with bangs, unable to even slow it down.

"Hmph."

Ji Ning stood on the treetop, holding his swords calmly as he watched the water buffalo charging toward him.

The water buffalo's body was huge. When it charged recklessly, unless one had the monstrous strength of the Winged Serpent great demon, one could not meet it head-on. But as a master of swordsmanship, Ji Ning would not meet it head-on.

Swish!

At the moment of impact, Ji Ning executed the Unity of Heaven and Man footwork 'Windshadow Steps' to its limit. With a single dodge, he evaded the water buffalo's charge. Compared to Ji Ning... the water buffalo was far inferior in agility. While dodging the water buffalo, Ji Ning's Northernbright sword slashed across the outer side of the water buffalo's belly.

The sword light was like a thread, a crystal-clear thread... faintly formed from countless water droplets strung together. This thread cut across the water buffalo's belly!

Dripwater Sword: Silken Rain Forms Threads!

A sword that had entered the realm!

It was the same move he had used to block the water buffalo's stampede, both drawing on the power of heaven and earth. But earlier, Ji Ning had used his inner energy as the foundation. This time... Ji Ning's entire body erupted with the power of the Lunar and Solar forces, using Fiendgod-like strength as the foundation. The power increased a hundredfold or more!

"Riiip~~~" The tough hide of the mighty water buffalo great demon was cut open by the sharp divine Northernbright sword, creating a huge wound. Bright red blood, like a burst dam, gushed out in torrents, and even broken intestines were faintly visible.

Swoosh.

Ji Ning landed and turned to look back.

The water buffalo, which had been charging at high speed, quickly stopped and let out an angry, pained roar. The muscles in its belly rapidly contracted, and the huge gash quickly shrank. But the sword strike had been too savage; the wound was too large. Even with its utmost effort to suppress it, blood continued to flow out, though not as violently as before.

"Water Buffalo King, your time is up." Ji Ning turned into a blur, dashing at high speed toward the water buffalo.

"Roar!"

The water buffalo let out a wild cry and then ran... charging away in a desperate flight!

It fled!

"It's fleeing just like that?" Ji Ning was stunned.

He quickly understood. His father had taught him that great demons were extremely cunning; once they sensed danger to their lives, they would immediately flee. Clearly, this Water Buffalo King had discovered that its proud thick hide... had been cut open by the youth before it. This meant one of its main advantages was gone!

Ji Ning's agility was far superior to the water buffalo's. Even the great demon Winged Serpent had been unable to do anything to him in a short time.

The water buffalo had previously relied on its thick hide and great strength, thinking the youth could do nothing to it, while if it hit or even grazed the youth, he would be severely injured or even killed. But now it found that the youth could split its belly with a single sword strike... If this continued, how could it survive?

"Flee." The water buffalo fled in panic.

"My thick hide is hard for even other great demons to break. How can this human youth's sword be so sharp?" The water buffalo fled in a panic, not caring about the direction.

But...

Could it escape?

Ji Ning's Unity of Heaven and Man footwork, when dashing in a straight line, was only slightly inferior to the Winged Serpent great demon's. Compared to the water buffalo, it was far superior.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Ji Ning had already caught up with the water buffalo.

"I am under the command of King Kongqing Serpent. You cannot kill me." The water buffalo howled as it fled, and also let out a piercing cry, "Great King! Save me!"

"Great King! Save me!"

The low, piercing cry spread far into the distance.

Swoosh!

Ji Ning agilely leaped upward, his twin swords spinning as they thrust upward together. In an instant, Ji Ning's entire body turned into a dazzling blaze of fire, carrying a sense of desperate resolve, and with a 'puff' drilled into the water buffalo's lower neck. With a bang, the water buffalo's skull shattered, and a flame leaped over ten zhang high before revealing a figure—it was Ji Ning, still clad in animal skins.

"Heh~~~" The water buffalo's ox eyes bulged wide. It had never imagined that it, which had been arrogant all its life, would die at the hands of a human youth. Although the vitality of a Xiantian lifeform great demon was formidable, and it could survive even a pierced heart, Ji Ning had chosen the true vital point—the head! Even for a Fiendgod Body Refining Xiantian lifeform, a pierced head was almost certainly fatal.

Boom~~~

The massive corpse of the water buffalo crashed to the ground, crushing many trees.

"As expected of the strongest move among the three killing techniques of the 'Remnant Thunderfire Sword'—Moth to the Flame." Ji Ning drifted down from the air, not a drop of blood on him. "From now on, I have entered the realm for all three killing techniques of the 'Remnant Thunderfire Sword' as well."

The 'Dripwater Sutra' had nine moves, and Ji Ning could already enter the realm and draw on the power of heaven and earth for all of them.

The 'Remnant Thunderfire Sword' was more difficult. In particular, the last move, 'Moth to the Flame', Ji Ning had never been able to comprehend how to enter the realm. But just now, this great demon 'Water Buffalo' was about to rush into a nearby lake. Once it entered the lake, Ji Ning would have no way to deal with it. And to kill a great demon with such formidable vitality in a short time... ordinary techniques would hardly suffice.

In his urgency,

Ji Ning naturally thought of the 'Moth to the Flame' move. Executing it, he drew on the power of heaven and earth, and his entire body, like a moth diving into a flame, pierced straight through the water buffalo's hardest skull!

"A great demon." Ji Ning looked at the water buffalo, which lay like a small hill, and couldn't help showing excitement. "This is the first Xiantian great demon I've killed. But it said earlier that it was under the command of King Kongqing Serpent? Hmm, I'd better leave quickly to avoid any trouble."

Swish!

Ji Ning instantly leaped to the side of the water buffalo's corpse. With flashes of sword light, he quickly cut open the buffalo hide. The hide of the dead water buffalo was noticeably more fragile... In a few seconds, Ji Ning dug out from the water buffalo's body a black, palm-sized object that emitted a faint fragrance. That was the most precious bezoar of the water buffalo great demon, a renowned antidote. This single piece of buffalo bezoar could be exchanged for an ordinary magic treasure.

"Let's go." Taking the buffalo bezoar, Ji Ning immediately turned into a gust of wind, darted out swiftly, and then stepped on the water waves, quickly moving away from there.

He had just fled two or three li by stepping on the waves.

Splash, splash, splash~~~

Suddenly, the vast water surface ahead began to tremble, and a huge whirlpool appeared.