Chapter 13 -
Blood demon sect
The bold guard stood tall, his blade still at the ready, as he glared at the mysterious man. The air was thick with tension, the only sound the steady beat of the rain. The mysterious man sneered, his red aura surging with anticipation, as he waited for the bold guard's next move,
Ryujin, Si Wei, and the two other guards were huddled inside the temple, their eyes fixed on the peepholes in the dusty door. The voices of the two guards outside echoed through the air, their bravery unwavering. "Even if it costs me my life, I won't let you lay a finger on her!"
Ryujin knelt down, his mind racing with thoughts of the Blood Demon Sect and the mysterious White Bone Elder.
Si Wei's voice trembled as she asked, "What is the Blood Demon Sect? Who is White Bone Elder? Why does it seem like Xing Xu fears him?" Her face was etched with fear.
One of the guards decided to enlighten her. "Si Wei, Miss, the Blood Demon Sect is a dark cult formed by ruthless martial artists who worship malevolent demons. They're a bunch of lunatics driven by an insatiable thirst for power."
The guard continued, his voice laced with disgust. "They practice twisted demon magic to amplify their strength and prolong their lifespan, seeking to transform themselves into abominable demons."
Si Wei's eyes widened in horror as the guard revealed more. "The members of the sect are neither human nor demon, but rather, they exist in a depraved state, caught between the two. White Bone Elder is a high-ranking member, a formidable expert who has reached the True Energy Realm."
The guard's expression turned grave. "He's also the successor of the Corpse Refining Lineage, a lineage that feeds on human corpses to bolster their strength. They believe that by consuming the flesh and absorbing the essence of the dead, they can tap into the darkest aspects of the universe and unleash unholy power."
Si Wei's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes frozen in terror. "Eating people?!" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Si Wei's eyes widened in terror as the guard's words hung in the air like a dark omen. She stumbled backward, her slender legs trembling beneath her. Her hands flailed wildly, grasping for something, anything, to steady herself. But it was too late. She fell, her delicate body crumpling to the ground.
Ryujin's reflexes kicked in, and he swiftly caught Si Wei, his arms wrapping around her waist to break her fall. He held her close, his chest pressed against her back, as he gazed down at her with concern.
Si Wei's face was pale, her lips trembling. She pushed against Ryujin's chest, her eyes welling up with tears. "I'm fine, I'm fine, thank you, Young Master," she stammered.
As Ryujin released his grip, Si Wei's gaze locked onto his, her eyes burning with a desperate question. "Why does the Blood Demon Sect want to capture me? Is it because of my father?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
The guard's expression turned grave. "The reason Master Si Wei became the governor of Wutong County is because he recently solved a major case involving the Blood Demon Sect. They probably want to capture you to use you as leverage against the Master."
Ryujin's mind whirled with the implications. He wondered whether his anti-demon system, which made him stronger after being attacked by a demon, would work against the Blood Demon Sect. They didn't seem to be pure demons, but rather, twisted humans who had forsaken their humanity for dark power.
A shiver ran down Ryujin's spine as he contemplated the possibilities. His system had always been reliable, but what if it didn't work against these pseudo-demons? What if he was no match for the Blood Demon Sect's twisted magic?
Ryujin's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in determination. He needed to know more about the Blood Demon Sect and their true nature. He turned to the guard, his voice low and urgent. "Excuse me, sir. I have a question: are the members of the Blood Demon Sect human or demon?"
The guard's gaze flicked toward Ryujin, his expression guarded. "Why do you ask?" he replied, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword.
Ryujin's smile was a thin, determined line. "Dealing with demons and monsters is my expertise, so I need to confirm. Let me introduce myself formally: I am Ryujin Kaito, a demon hunter from the Wutong County Demon Dispel Bureau."
As Ryujin spoke, his eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire, his very presence radiating an aura of quiet confidence and unyielding determination.
Si Wei's eyes sparkled with a glimmer of hope as she gazed at Ryujin. "That's great, Mister Ryujin! I didn't expect you to be from the Demon Dispel Bureau," she exclaimed. "I've heard that demon hunters from the Demon Dispel Bureau are skilled in demon snaring. You must have a way to deal with Elder White Bone outside, right?"
The two guards at the door, who had been peeking through the holes, suddenly burst into laughter. They laughed so hard that one of them even clenched his belly, his face reddening.
Si Wei looked at them, confused. The guard explained, "Miss, he's just a junior demon hunter, the lowest rank. His cultivation is only at the Qi Gathering stage." The guards exchanged a skeptical glance, their amusement evident. "What can he do?"
Ryujin's expression remained unfazed, but his mind whirled with determination. After the guard's explanation, Si Wei's expression turned panicked. "Ah, I see, Mister Ryujin. You'd better not go out there. Let Xing Xu and the others protect you," she said, trying to reach for Ryujin.
Ryujin saw this and replied, "You don't need to worry about that. I just want to know whether Elder White Bone is human or demon."
The guard decided to reply, "They are half-human and half-demon, with transparent demon organs."
Ryujin opened the system interface, which only he could see. He asked the system, "Can this half-demon harm me?"
The system sent a window of reply: "The system doesn't help you get stronger just by being attacked by a half-demon. You only get stronger when you are attacked by a demon. Got it?"
Ryujin's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with the implications. He thought, "The system is useless! What if those guards can't defeat Elder White Bone? Wouldn't I also suffer as a result?"
Just then, the door suddenly creaked open, and a chilling gust of wind swept into the temple. A thick, eerie mist swirled everywhere, casting an otherworldly gloom over the interior. The air was heavy with the stench of decay and death.
The two guards stood ready to fight, their swords at the ready. Their eyes scanned the entrance, where the mist seemed to coalesce into twisted, humanoid shapes.
At the gates, creatures with grotesque, fan-like protrusions coming out of their mouths stumbled forward. Their massive bodies were covered in bulging, purple-veined muscles, and their eyes glowed with an unnatural, malevolent light. The blue mist emanated from their bodies, as if they were the source of the eerie fog.
The guards exchanged a wary glance. "What in the world...?" one of them muttered.
Ryujin's eyes widened as he took in the sight. He thought, "Zombies? Are they similar to the Little Dead Charmers, the demons from the Demon Prison?" His mind whirled with the possibilities, his heart pounding with anticipation.
As the rain lashed down on the temple, drumming against the roof and walls, a chilling wind howled through the gates, carrying with it the stench of decay and death. The air was heavy with malevolent energy, and the shadows seemed to writhe and twist like living things.
Ryujin's eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. A horde of zombies, their eyes glowing with an unnatural red light, their skin hardened and gray, shambled forward with an unholy gait. The ground shook beneath their feet as they poured into the temple, their numbers seemingly endless.
"It seems these zombies were created by Elder White Bone," Ryujin thought, his mind racing with the implications.
One of the guards charged forward, striking a zombie with his sword. But the zombie was too strong, and it gripped the sword in its hand, not even flinching. A loud clang echoed through the temple as the zombie twisted the sword, rendering it useless. The guard stumbled backward, his eyes wide with shock.
The other guard tried slicing another zombie, but again, the sword bounced off, producing another clang. The guards stood frozen, trying to protect Si Wei from the encroaching horde.
Ryujin drew his regular sword, standing in front of Si Wei. The two guards positioned themselves in front of him, trying to fend off the zombies. The air was filled with the sound of clashing steel, the scent of blood and sweat, and the eerie moans of the undead.
One of the guards tried striking a zombie, but it held his sword, refusing to let go. "There are too many! Hurry and set up the barrier seal!" the guard shouted, his voice hoarse with desperation.