Volume One: The Young Demon Lord, Chapter 29: Falling into the Demon's Den

After falling through the air for what felt like an eternity, Qi Yu slammed heavily into the ground.

In the pitch-black darkness, he felt pain radiating through his entire body. He sat up and allowed his consciousness to sink into the Demon God Sword Domain, absorbing spiritual energy to heal his wounds.

Yao Yao walked over to his side, holding Little Fishy by the hand. "Qi Yu," she asked, "do you feel a familiar aura here?"

Qi Yu sensed his surroundings and realized she was right; there was indeed a familiar feeling within this cave.

"Is this... the aura of a demon?" Qi Yu asked, startled.

This aura was identical to the one he had sensed within the Demon Sealing Pagoda, though this one was significantly more potent and wild.

"This is a Demon Den!"

Qi Yu realized with a jolt. He had once read in the archives that Demon Dens could appear randomly anywhere in the Eastern Divine Continent. It was as if the fabric of space had been torn, creating a temporary connection between the human realm and the Demon Realm, allowing demons to spill through.

So, Su Can had discovered this Den and intended to use these monsters to kill him!

Just as he was contemplating this, a rhythmic thumping of footsteps echoed through the silence. Qi Yu looked up and saw a pair of massive, glowing blue eyes staring back at him from the darkness.

"Roar!"

The footsteps grew hurried, and the monster lunged straight at him.

*Swish!*

A flash of sword light streaked through the air. The monster was instantly cleaved in two.

"This won't do. I need to find a way out of here immediately!"

Qi Yu sheathed his Cold Cicada Sword and began to grope his way forward through the darkness. Along the way, he encountered several first and second-tier demons, all of which he dispatched with single strikes. Finally, a light began to appear ahead—but to his surprise, it was the pale, clear glow of moonlight.

That wasn't right. It had been broad daylight when he arrived; how could it be night already?

"Moo!"

A sudden roar echoed out, and a mountain-like, giant demonic rhinoceros appeared before him. It was a fifth-tier Mountain-Treading Rhino, standing ten meters tall. Its hide was as solid as copper and iron, and it exhaled thick plumes of mist from its nostrils.

Without a second thought, Qi Yu turned and fled. After running for some time, he darted into a patch of tall grass and held his breath. A third-tier Bloodthirsty Wolf was approaching. It stood two meters tall, its teeth and claws gleaming with a sharp, lethal luster.

Qi Yu was confident he could kill a single wolf, but he recalled from his time in the Demon Sealing Pagoda that wolves were pack animals. Where there was one, there were sure to be more, and a fight might attract even deadlier beasts.

Once the wolf passed, Qi Yu cautiously poked his head out, only to see at least thirty Bloodthirsty Wolves gathered in the clearing ahead. The leader was even larger, standing three meters tall with a coat of snow-white fur. It raised its head and let out a howl that was full of arrogance and power.

Qi Yu quickly assessed the situation: among the thirty-three wolves, twenty-three were third-tier, nine were at the peak of the third-tier, and the giant white leader was a fourth-tier beast. If he were discovered now, they would tear him to shreds. He had no choice but to wait for them to move on. The howls continued, echoing back and forth as if the pack were communicating.

Qi Yu climbed up a large tree and closed his eyes to rest. After some time, the howling changed, as if an agreement had been reached. Led by the white wolf, the pack bolted in a single direction. Qi Yu opened his eyes and, seeing the pack had finally moved away, leaped down from the tree.

Just as he was about to leave, he heard a cacophony of beast roars coming from the direction the wolves had taken. It was the roar of the Mountain-Treading Rhino!

Qi Yu realized then that the pack was hunting the rhino. This was his chance to escape!

"Sister Yao Yao," he asked mentally, "where is the exit?"

Yao Yao sensed the area and replied, "I cannot feel it. This place is strange; my senses can only extend for ten miles."

Qi Yu frowned. Without an exit, he was trapped in this Den like a headless fly. He headed in the opposite direction of the wolves, but after circling around, he found himself suddenly walking straight into the middle of the hunt.

Under the moonlight, the battle between the wolf pack and the rhino had reached a fever pitch. Neither side was gaining the upper hand. Several wolves had already been trampled into pulp, while the rhino was drenched in blood, its hide crisscrossed with deep gashes from the wolves' claws and fangs.

Qi Yu did not leave. He hid his aura and climbed a nearby tree. If a demonic beast reached the fourth tier, it would develop an internal core—a treasure of immense value. He waited for them to weaken each other.

Suddenly, the white wolf let out a roar and charged with blinding speed, snapping at the rhino's throat. The rhino lowered its head and stomped, but the white wolf was too fast; it unleashed three wind blades, dodged to the side, and then the entire pack swarmed in.

The rhino fought back desperately, shaking the wolves off and stomping on them. Each stomp was enough to crush a wolf's internal organs. Those caught underfoot instantly lost their ability to fight or were killed outright.

While the wolves left deep wounds on the rhino, its thick hide meant the injuries were not yet fatal. Just as a wolf was being flung aside, the white wolf unleashed another three wind blades. As they struck the rhino, the white wolf moved again, its body flickering like a phantom. It lunged at the rhino's neck from a lethal angle, sinking its fangs deep into the beast.

*Splat!*

Finally, blood gushed from the rhino's throat, and its massive body collapsed with a thud.

The white wolf let out an excited howl, but at that exact moment, a flash of sword energy streaked through the air! A figure charged toward the white wolf like a phantom. The white wolf raised a claw, shattered the sword energy, and unleashed three wind blades, forcing the figure to halt in mid-air.

Qi Yu’s eyes widened. It was Su Can! He had been lurking nearby all along.

Su Can looked pale, clutching his long sword, his eyes fixed on the white wolf. "You wretched beast," he hissed coldly, "hand over the internal core!"

"Awoo!" The white wolf roared, and the ten remaining wolves charged at Su Can.

Su Can’s aura flared, a powerful force blasting the wolves away, though the effort left his face deathly pale. His sword hummed as he lunged at the white wolf again. A white blade of energy, several yards long, lashed out. The white wolf raised a claw, and three wind blades collided with the strike.

*Boom!*

For some reason, Su Can’s strike lacked its usual power. He rushed forward, stabbing through the white wolf’s raised paw, but was immediately swiped away by the wolf's other claw. Su Can clutched his chest, where three deep, bone-exposed wounds were bleeding profusely, staining his clothes red.

Both Su Can and the white wolf were now severely injured. It seemed Su Can had been so desperate to kill the wolf to use its core to heal his own wounds, but his plan was destined to fail.

*Hum!*

Qi Yu struck. He leaped from the tree, using his movement technique to close the distance to the white wolf in a blur.

*Swish!*

Blood sprayed as the white wolf’s head was sent flying!

Su Can and the remaining wolves froze in their tracks. Qi Yu sliced open the wolf’s belly and retrieved the blood-slicked internal core.

"Qi Yu, it’s you!" Su Can snarled through gritted teeth. "Give that core to me!"

Qi Yu tossed the fist-sized core into the air and caught it again, sneering. "Give it to you? On what grounds?"

Su Can clenched his teeth, suppressing his rage, and softened his tone. "Qi Yu, even if we aren't master and disciple, we are fellow sect members. We should help each other."

Qi Yu pocketed the core and flashed a cold, mocking smile before lunging forward, his sword piercing through Su Can’s shoulder.

"Aaaah!" Su Can screamed.

"Awoo!" Seeing their leader dead, the remaining wolves charged at Qi Yu to take revenge.

"Get out!" Qi Yu roared. He swung the Cold Cicada Sword, unleashing a tyrannical wave of sword energy that shredded three of the wolves instantly.

Terrified, the remaining wolves turned and fled, the pack scattering into the darkness.

Qi Yu pressed the tip of his sword against Su Can’s forehead, his expression devoid of emotion. "Su Can, answer me. Why did you kill my father?"