Spirit Capturing!

’I’ll absorb everything first and sort it out later.’

SHHH SHHH SHHH~

Bloodshed, Demon Essence, a Demon Pill, and the sharp fragment—all of it was his.

[Demon Points +33]

[Demon Points +39]

He absorbed the Bloodshed and Demon Essence, converting them into Demon Points.

The small, ball-like Demon Pill had a skeletal pattern. Gu Zheng held it in his hand, examining it closely. He didn’t absorb it, choosing to store it away for now.

The uses of a Demon Pill weren’t limited to just providing raw energy.

Then there was the weapon fragment. It was incomparably sharp; just bringing it close made him feel as if its aura could tear through his skin.

’What kind of weapon could be so domineering?’

’And it was carried inside the body of a third-rank Silver Bone?’

Aside from its own sharp aura, it didn’t emit any other presence.

’I need to find a Storm Bone Demon Fiend and ask some questions!’

His eyes shifted. Gu Zheng put the fragment away for the moment and flew off, searching for the hiding Storm Bone Demon Fiends.

He had been on a killing spree, slaughtering Storm Bone Demon Fiends nonstop until the entire group had been forced to hide underground.

As for how he had killed the third-rank Silver Bone and broken its defenses, he had used a Demon Technique: Spear of the Soul!

This Demon Technique bypassed physical defenses, directly targeting the soul and mind.

Its power was even greater when used at close range.

Moreover, the third-rank Silver Bone had been completely unguarded. Gu Zheng’s first time using the technique broke through its defenses, causing it to lose control of its body.

That was what allowed the Celestial Frost Blade to pierce its skull and extinguish its Soul Fire.

...

WHOOSH!

The fierce wind still howled through the canyon.

Gu Zheng flew low to the ground, extending his amplified Spirit to search deep for the Storm Bone Demon Fiends.

A moment later, his figure flickered and he darted into the entrance of a cavern.

He followed the passage inward and downward for several hundred meters.

CH-CH-CH~

Lines of blade light crisscrossed, slicing through several chambers.

THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!

The dozen or so Storm Bone Demon Fiends hiding there were instantly shattered, their skulls sliced into several pieces.

Only one Steel Bone remained motionless, frozen stiff in a corner. It was huddled in a narrow tunnel, its Soul Fire had stopped flickering and seemed almost extinguished as it tried its best to hide itself.

"Come out," Gu Zheng said calmly, sheathing his blade.

The Steel Bone didn’t move.

SWOOSH!

Gu Zheng threw a punch, smashing the right wall of the tunnel and leaving behind a Fist Seal as rock fragments shot out.

"THUD~"

With a muffled thud, Pingbo Bone dropped directly to its knees. It kowtowed toward Gu Zheng and spoke in a stiff human tongue, begging for its life, "Spare... Spare me! My lord, spare my life!"

"So you know how to address me as ’my lord’?"

Gu Zheng raised an eyebrow. "Good. Very good."

"Ye... Yes, my lord! My lord, you are mighty and extraordinary, unparalleled in this world, beyond compare, unlovable by all, handsome enough to die..."

Pingbo Bone spoke rapidly, trying to flatter him.

But as it went on, its choice of words became... strange.

"That’s enough."

Gu Zheng raised a hand, interrupting Pingbo Bone, and directly planted a Nether Heart Slave Seal into its soul.

"Ngh~"

Pingbo Bone’s body trembled, but it didn’t dare to resist.

A moment later, its Soul Fire suddenly leaped with joy. It began speaking in human tongue again, its words now fluent.

"Pingbo Bone greets Master!"

"Get up and talk," Gu Zheng said, turning to walk back outside.

"Yes, Master."

Pingbo Bone followed behind him cheerfully, asking as it walked, "Master, the rest of my kin are hiding in caverns deeper inside. I can lead you to them..."

"How many of your kin are left?" Gu Zheng interrupted.

"Um..."

Pingbo Bone thought for a moment. "Well, not many. About a hundred or so are left."

’An entire settlement, and only about a hundred Bone Demons left alive.’

Gu Zheng nodded. "Go and lead the ones that are left. As long as you don’t enter the passage connecting to the human world, you can do whatever you want."

"Yes!"

Pingbo Bone first responded respectfully, then added hesitantly, "Um, there aren’t many of my kin left, but we still have a third-rank elder in the Holy Land."

"There’s another third-rank Silver Bone?"

Gu Zheng stopped in his tracks. "How strong is this third-rank Silver Bone?"

"Average."

Pingbo Bone answered quickly, "Its name is Violent Bone Pingse. It was originally a Steel Bone like me, but it was promoted to Silver Bone after receiving the Holy Weapon left behind by the old Clan Leader. However, even after becoming a Silver Bone, it was severely wounded by a human expert when it tried to cross the passage into your world some time ago. It even left its Silver Bone body behind in your world."

’That must have been Meng Taiqi’s doing!’

A thought struck Gu Zheng. A third-rank Demon Fiend had charged out of the Grand Canyon Mountain passage before, and Meng Taiqi had been the one to fight it back.

"And then?"

Gu Zheng pressed, "Did this Violent Bone Pingse recover immediately after it returned?"

"It did reform its body, but remolding a Silver Bone isn’t a quick process; it’s not as strong as it used to be. It was only thanks to the empowerment of the Holy Weapon that it could even do that," Pingbo Bone explained.

SWOOSH~

Gu Zheng reached out and brought out the weapon fragment. Its sharp aura immediately filled the air. "Is this..."

"The Holy Weapon!"

Pingbo Bone exclaimed in shock. "That’s the Holy Weapon! Our race has five pieces in total. The old Clan Leader and the three elders each had one, and another one was kept in the Holy Land. Only those who advance to Silver Bone are allowed to possess it."

"...So its function is to enhance the strength of your bones?" Gu Zheng raised an eyebrow.

"Not just that."

Pingbo Bone answered respectfully, "This Holy Weapon is said to be the strongest weapon from your world, Master. After it was shattered, the old Clan Leader obtained it by chance. After bringing it back, he divided it into five pieces. Each piece was incomparably sharp. At first, the old Clan Leader and the three elders tried to use them as weapons, but they were too small."

"After some time, the old Clan Leader discovered that these five Holy Weapon pieces had the ability to enhance our bone strength. However, one needed to be a Silver Bone to withstand the empowering effect. Otherwise, you would just get cut by the Holy Weapon."

’I see!’

’The strongest weapon of the human race?’

’Isn’t that just a Divine Weapon!’

’So this fragment really is a Divine Weapon Fragment!’

Gu Zheng had his suspicions before, but now he was certain.

A piece of a Divine Weapon Fragment, chanced upon by the old Clan Leader of the Storm Bone Demon Fiends, was brought back and split into five pieces. They tried to use them as weapons but found them unwieldy.

Bone Demons are all tall and large, and their claws aren’t like human hands with five nimble fingers.

Compared to using the fragments like hidden weapons, absorbing them into their bodies to strengthen their Silver Bones was a way to maximize their effectiveness.

’No wonder the third-rank Silver Bone I just killed had such formidable defenses. It turns out it was enhanced by a Divine Weapon Fragment!’

"Take me to the Holy Land."

Putting the fragment away, Gu Zheng spoke calmly, "Is your old Clan Leader still alive?"

"Dead."

Pingbo Bone answered quickly, "This way, Master. The Holy Land is deep underground."

As it spoke, it took the lead, explaining as it went, "The old Clan Leader died a thousand years ago after a battle with the Thunderous Race. He returned, and his Soul Fire burned out completely."

"The Thunderous Race? You mean the Thunderous Bone Demon Fiends?" Gu Zheng asked.

"Yes, Master. The very same. They are mortal enemies of our tribe," Pingbo Bone replied respectfully.

"Mm."

Gu Zheng nodded and said casually, "Next time I run into them, I’ll help you get revenge."

’Bone Demons have enemies among themselves?’

"Thank you, Master!"

Pingbo Bone prostrated itself gratefully.

It didn’t doubt Gu Zheng was lying. Gu Zheng showed no mercy when killing Bone Demons.

If he encountered the Thunderous Tribe, he would only kill them more viciously.

If Gu Zheng really wiped out the Thunderous Race, then indirectly, the Storm Race would be the winner, the ultimate victor!

...

Following Pingbo Bone, they ventured deeper and deeper underground.

When they arrived at a huge subterranean space, just before a tall stone gate, Pingbo Bone whispered, "Master, Violent Bone Pingse is inside. It will sense you the moment you enter."

"You wait here."

Gu Zheng nodded and strode into the Holy Land of the Storm Bone Demon Fiends.

He passed through the tall stone gate and entered a massive underground space littered with bones.

Wisps of black energy drifted through the air.

An invisible, oppressive aura, tinged with decay, lingered in the air.

"Who’s there!?"

An angry shout suddenly rang out. "This is the Holy Land! No one is allowed to enter without an elder’s permission! You are..."

VMMMM!

The air trembled.

With a flicker of his body, Gu Zheng charged toward the source of the voice.

Rounding a corner, he saw a third-rank Silver Bone—the Storm Bone Demon Fiend named Violent Bone Pingse—standing amidst a pile of bone mountains.

It was surrounded by six bone mountains. The Silver Bone, just under five meters tall, sat in the center, its Soul Fire flickering weakly within its dark, empty eye sockets.

Gu Zheng was so fast that by the time Violent Bone Pingse reacted, he was already in front of it.

"CH-CH-CH~"

Lines of blade light quickly enveloped and submerged Violent Bone Pingse.

"Is that all—"

VMMMM!

An invisible ripple followed close behind, passing through Violent Bone Pingse’s skull.

Spear of the Soul!

With a sharp screech, Violent Bone Pingse’s entire body trembled, and it collapsed to the ground.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG~!

The Sword Gang struck the Silver Bone, leaving behind a series of marks.

SWOOSH~

Amidst the dense Sword Gang, a point of starlight suddenly shot out.

The Divine Weapon Fragment!

Gu Zheng had wrapped the newly acquired Divine Weapon Fragment in his Divine Wondrous energy and was now using it as a hidden weapon.

"PFFT~!"

With a crisp sound, the tough Silver Bone, which the Celestial Frost Blade could only seem to tickle, was pierced like tofu by the Divine Weapon Fragment, which ran straight through Violent Bone Pingse’s skull.

Its weak Soul Fire was instantly extinguished for the most part.

SCHLICK~!

Taking advantage of its weakness to land the killing blow, Gu Zheng decisively guided the Celestial Frost Blade along the fissure torn open by the Divine Weapon Fragment and plunged it into Violent Bone Pingse’s skull.

Then, with a twist and a churn,

CRACK CRACK CRACK~

"BANG!!"

there was a loud explosion.

Violent Bone Pingse’s entire body blew apart into pieces of bone.

Its Soul Fire was completely extinguished, and a new Divine Weapon Fragment flew out from its body.

Spirit Capturing!

[Demon Points +8]

[Demon Points +9]

’So few?’

’Apparently, since it had just reformed its body, its reserves were limited.’

However, Violent Bone Pingse’s Demon Pill was just as rich in energy as the previous one.

When it had been slain by Meng Taiqi, it had left its body behind, but it had undoubtedly brought its Demon Pill back with it.

Now, it was all Gu Zheng’s for the taking.

Compared to the previous third-rank Silver Bone, this third-rank Storm Bone Demon Fiend named Violent Bone Pingse was far weaker.

Fortunately, this didn’t affect the Divine Weapon Fragment inside its body.

Gu Zheng put away the Demon Pill and placed the two Divine Weapon Fragments together.

SWOOSH!

A magical scene unfolded.

The two Divine Weapon Fragments actually fused together automatically.

What was originally half a finger in size was now two fingers long.

He still couldn’t determine the shape of the original Divine Weapon.

Seeing this, Gu Zheng’s gaze swept the surroundings, locking onto a stone platform in the distance.

On the platform sat a Bone Tripod formed from various kinds of bones.

WHOOSH!

With a flicker of his body, Gu Zheng flew over and landed on the stone platform.

"VMM-VMM-VMM~"

The moment Gu Zheng’s feet touched down, the entire stone platform suddenly began to tremble.

"ROAR~!"

With a long roar, the center of the stone platform split open. It swallowed the Bone Tripod and simultaneously transformed into a skeletal giant, reaching for Gu Zheng with a sharp, bony claw!