Chapter 153: Qingyangzi Fights the Wolf Demon, but a Mysterious Figure Blocks the Way

High upon the mountains, Qingyangzi stood with his Daoist robes fluttering in the wind, while the black wolf demon crouched low, its sharp claws glinting cruelly.

"You are no match for me. Why did you scatter all your subordinates?" Qingyangzi asked, his face dark as he stared into the wolf's eyes.

A flash of bloodlust crossed the wolf's eyes, and it grinned hideously. "Because there are some things that even my subordinates must not see."

With that, the black wolf demon erupted with demonic energy, its body transforming into a massive beast standing five or six zhang tall, lunging straight at Qingyangzi with its jaws wide open.

"Audacious fool! I shall avenge the extermination squad right here and now," Qingyangzi sneered, drawing a sword made of ancient copper coins and engaging the black wolf demon in battle.

*BOOM!*

The two clashed violently, their immense power cracking the very mountain range as dust and debris filled the air.

The demonic aura surging around the black wolf demon grew exponentially, swelling its body to colossal proportions. With a single breath, it expelled a thick, pungent stench that washed over the scene.

Qingyangzi hurriedly channeled his inner spiritual energy to shield his breath, while forming hand seals and chanting incantations. The copper coin sword in his hand transformed into a majestic dragon, roaring as it charged toward the black wolf demon.

The wolf's demonic energy flared anew, expanding its bulk even further. It spat out another ball of black malevolent Qi, and wherever the Qi touched, rocks shattered into dust and vegetation withered instantly.

Qingyangzi's copper coin sword collided with the demonic Qi, producing a piercing, grating shriek. Neither side yielded, attacking each other relentlessly in a fierce stalemate.

*CRASH!* Following a massive, thunderous explosion, the black wolf demon's colossal body was sent flying backward, crashing hundreds of meters away. The outer layers of its skin had split open, exposing the raw flesh and bone beneath.

Qingyangzi stood firm, the copper coin sword in his hand still dripping with fresh blood.

The black wolf demon clambered to its feet, its injuries already more than half-healed. It glared at Qingyangzi and rasped, "Your strength has grown even greater than before. I am utterly no match for you—your power far surpasses what it once was."

Qingyangzi let out a cold laugh. "Knowing that, surrender obediently. You cannot hope to defeat me."

"Hahaha..." The black wolf demon suddenly threw its head back and laughed maniacally. "Qingyangzi, you are far too arrogant! Do you truly believe your current cultivation level makes you a match for me? You are delusional!"

"Then let us put it to the test!"

Before the echo of his voice had even faded, Qingyangzi stamped his feet hard against the ground, his entire body dissolving into a wisp of cyan smoke that vanished from sight.

The black wolf demon's pupils constricted, and it retreated more than ten paces before barely managing to steady itself.

Suddenly, a beam of azure light materialized to its left, a sword piercing straight through its abdomen.

The black wolf demon stared at Qingyangzi in sheer disbelief, muttering, "How can this be possible..."

"Why would this be impossible? I told you, your cultivation is far too weak."

*Puff!*

Spitting out a mouthful of blood and overwhelmed by terror, the black wolf demon turned and fled at top speed.

"Do you really think you can escape?" Qingyangzi's voice rang out right behind it.

Startled, the black wolf demon accelerated even further, sprinting wildly until it vanished from Qingyangzi's sight in the blink of an eye.

"Trying to run? Not a chance."

Qingyangzi sneered, preparing to deploy his movement technique and give chase.

Suddenly, however, a fierce rush of wind struck his ear.

"You've fallen for it, old Taoist!"

The supposedly fleeing black wolf demon abruptly reappeared right beside him, driving a vicious punch straight toward Qingyangzi's temple.

*BANG!* Qingyangzi hastily twisted to the side to dodge, lifting his right leg to deliver a brutal kick to the wolf's head, sending the beast tumbling to the ground.

The black wolf demon crashed heavily onto the earth, blood spilling from its mouth. Struggling back to its feet, it charged again.

Qingyangzi met the onslaught with a flurry of counterattacks, every single move brimming with lethal intent.

*Thud!*

*Bang!*

Struck twice in rapid succession, the black wolf demon was sent flying like a discarded sack of rags, crashing deep into the mountain forest with a dull thud.

*Blech!*

Coughing up another mouthful of blood, the wolf struggled upward once more.

Qingyangzi stood where he was, looking down at it from a position of absolute superiority. "It is not too late for you to yield. If you persist in this foolish resistance, do not blame me for being merciless."

A ferocious glare flashed in the black wolf demon's eyes as a monstrous wave of demonic malice surged from its body. Its form expanded once more, growing even more hideous and distorted as it roared and shambled toward Qingyangzi.

"Since you refuse a toast only to drink a forfeiture of blood, I shall make you taste true agony!"

With that, it threw a punch at Qingyangzi, lightning-fast.

*BOOM!*

Qingyangzi hurriedly raised his copper coin sword to parry.

*CRACK!*

*Snap!*

The copper coin sword was actually bent inward by the sheer force of the blow, sending a wave of numbness up Qingyangzi's arm. Daring not to hesitate, he frantically drove his spiritual energy forward, restoring the sword to its straight form.

*Huff... huff... huff...*

Qingyangzi panted heavily, his eyes filled with stark dismay.

He knew that had he hesitated for even a fraction of a second longer, his life would have ended right here.

"Good, very good! How on earth has your strength grown to such a degree?" Qingyangzi demanded in utter shock.

Hearing this, the fury burning in the black wolf demon's eyes blazed even hotter.

"Old Taoist, today you are destined to die! Prepare to meet your end!"

The black wolf demon threw another punch at Qingyangzi.

Not daring to lower his guard, Qingyangzi formed seals with both hands, condensing a golden rune before his chest. With a wave of his hand, he hurled the rune into the air, where it rapidly expanded into a barrier of golden light.

*Clang!*

*BOOM!*

The two opposing forces crashed against the barrier. Following a deafening roar, the golden barrier instantly shattered, and the wolf's fist slammed relentlessly into Qingyangzi, sending him flying backward.

*Cough! Cough!*

Qingyangzi spat out several mouthfuls of blood, feeling as though his entire body was on the verge of tearing apart.

The black wolf demon charged again, its fists striking as fast as falling thunder.

Qingyangzi parried desperately while retreating through the air.

He felt a deep sense of lingering dread; had he not deployed his defensive arts in the nick of time, he surely would have been defeated just then.

Just as Qingyangzi let out a quiet sigh of relief, a streak of crimson light suddenly flashed toward him.

*Whoosh!*

Moving with terrifying velocity, the red light aimed straight for the center of Qingyangzi's forehead.

"Oh no!"

Panic gripped Qingyangzi's heart. He tried to dodge, but his battered body refused to obey, allowing him only a desperate, partial twist.

Yet the red light pursued him relentlessly.

Unable to evade it in time, Qingyangzi had no choice but to absorb the impact with his physical body.

*BOOM!*

Blown backward for dozens of meters, Qingyangzi finally crashed heavily onto the ground.

*Ugh!*

Another torrent of blood erupted from Qingyangzi's mouth.

At this point, he had virtually no strength left to fight back, relying solely on sheer willpower to keep himself from collapsing entirely.

Seeing this, a bloodthirsty glint appeared in the black wolf demon's eyes.

"Hahaha! In the end, you die by my hands. Your cultivation may be higher than mine, but you are no match for me!" The wolf laughed arrogantly.

Qingyangzi let out a cold snort. "Do you truly believe you have won? How naive. I will never let you succeed so easily."

Dropping to one knee, Qingyangzi pressed both palms against the earth and began chanting rapidly. A brilliant cyan radiance burst forth from his forehead.

*Hum!*

As the cyan light illuminated the ground, the earth split open dozens of meters deep, revealing a towering pillar of azure light.

The pillar pulsed with blinding brilliance.

The black wolf demon looked on with utter disdain. "You actually think you can kill me with that? Pure delusion! I will tear you limb from limb!"

With a flash, the black wolf demon lunged forward to pounce on Qingyangzi.

Gritting his teeth, Qingyangzi gripped his copper coin sword with both hands and slowly levitated into the air.

The wolf sneered as it watched him ascend. "No matter how fast you fly, you cannot outpace my speed."

*Swoosh.*

Abruptly, Qingyangzi halted his ascent, plummeting straight down toward the ground like a stone.

He hit the earth with a heavy impact, rolling several times before coming to a stop.

Wiping a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth, Qingyangzi wore a pale, drawn expression—clear evidence of the injuries inflicted by the previous clashes.

The black wolf demon mocked him mercilessly. "Old Taoist, you certainly have a stubborn grip on life. But your persistence bought you nothing more than a brief reprieve. I'll send you on your way now."

*Whoosh!*

Leaping into the air, the wolf hurtled straight toward Qingyangzi's chest.

As the beast closed in, panic surged through Qingyangzi. He had never imagined that his cultivation would ultimately prove inferior to the black wolf demon's.

The wolf slammed its foot down onto Qingyangzi's chest, caving it inward as a look of triumphant satisfaction spread across its face.

A look of excruciating pain crossed Qingyangzi's features as his body wracked with tremors.

*Puff!*

Qingyangzi coughed up a massive mouthful of fresh blood, which spattered the ground below. He had bitten through his own lips in agony.

*Drip... drip...*

Blood streamed continuously from the corners of his mouth.

Though agony contorted his features, a calm, serene smile remained on his face, as if he had anticipated this very outcome all along.

"Demon... there is demonic energy within you!"

At last, Qingyangzi saw through the mystery behind the black wolf demon's sudden, monstrous surge in power—it was the taint of true demonic Qi.

"Realizing it only now? Isn't it a bit too late?"

The black wolf demon grinned hideously.

"Hmph, and what if there is demonic energy?" Qingyangzi retorted coldly.

"I advise you to drop the bravado. This isn't the time to put on a tough front," the wolf said, its eyes flashing with growing impatience.

"Let me show you my true strength right now," Qingyangzi declared. With a sudden burst of energy, he sprang to his feet, seized his copper coin sword, and thrust it fiercely toward the heavens.

*Whoosh!*

A silvery flash of light cleaved through the air.

The silver beam homed in directly on the black wolf demon's head.

"Aargh!"

Bellowing in rage, the black wolf demon snatched the incoming copper coin sword with one claw while swinging its other paw straight for Qingyangzi's throat.

Qingyangzi ducked swiftly, letting the wolf's claws graze past his shoulder.

The black wolf demon froze, a look of profound astonishment crossing its face. It stared at its own claw, which had somehow been sliced clean through at the midpoint. It couldn't believe its own eyes; it had clearly tracked how Qingyangzi dodged and severed its claw, yet no visible weapon or residue remained on the Daoist's hand.

What was happening here?

Unwilling to accept defeat, the wolf lunged again, but this time its calculations failed completely, for Qingyangzi's speed far outstripped its own.

*Bang!*

Qingyangzi delivered a devastating punch straight to the wolf's belly.

The black wolf demon was sent hurtling backward, spinning through the air several times before managing to stabilize its landing.

Upon hitting the ground, its complexion turned deathly pale, and blood gushed continuously from its lips.

Clambering back up, Qingyangzi remained entirely uninjured. His physical body possessed formidable resilience; the wolf's claws had failed to inflict any real harm upon him at all.

Fear flickered within the black wolf demon's eyes.

Qingyangzi advanced toward it step by step.

The wolf retreated frantically, finding no avenue of escape.

Step by step, the pressure mounted until the wolf backed up right against Qingyangzi's front.

Suddenly, the wolf's movements stuttered to a halt. Its legs inexplicably turned weak and weightless, as if it might plunge out of the air at any moment.

"Black wolf demon, let's see you act so arrogant now. Today is your final day."

Qingyangzi glared at it with unyielding hatred.

Panic overwhelmed the black wolf demon's expression. It had no idea what was happening to the Daoist before it.

*Clearly... clearly he had already collapsed! How could this be?!*

With a flash, Qingyangzi appeared directly in front of the wolf.

Raising his copper coin sword high, he plunged it ruthlessly into the black wolf demon's chest.

"Aargh—!"

The black wolf demon let out a final, agonizing scream.

"You... you son of a bitch, you tricked me!"

Roaring in bitter, unresigned frustration, the black wolf demon finally closed its eyes in perpetual defeat.

Retrieving his copper coin sword, Qingyangzi readied himself to go and search for Tang Yi and Jiang Wanyi.

Suddenly, a dark silhouette materialized atop a massive boulder directly in his path.

"Having beaten my dog to death, do you really think you can just walk away?"