The Crane Pen Elder thrust his hand straight into his heart, then stared fixedly at Lin Yu, as if engraving his features into his mind. Finally, wearing a诡异 (sinister) smile of venom, he used his last strength to crush the bloody heart in his hand.
The Crane Pen Elder's heart transformed into a mist of blood, lunging directly at Lin Yu. This was the curse he left behind: once the blood mist entered Lin Yu's body, any future injury would cause his blood to burst from his veins—a vicious hex.
At that moment, a wisp of golden light burst from Lin Yu's sea of consciousness. The God-Eating Cauldron emerged from the light, swallowing the blood mist whole. Starlight ripples shimmered, spreading toward the Crane Pen Elder at incredible speed.
Seeing his bloodline curse easily dispelled, the Crane Pen Elder despaired completely before being drawn into the God-Eating Cauldron by the starlight ripples.
Over the next few months, Lin Yu visited the Demon-Sealing Pagoda on every full moon night, lying in wait. In two years, over twenty demons had died by his hand, and his cultivation had advanced to the Sixth Rank of the Purple Mansion.
Now, the crack in the Demon-Sealing Pagoda could accommodate warriors up to the Fifth Rank of the Purple Mansion. All demons below the Fifth Rank had been slaughtered.
...
Outside the Demon-Sealing Pagoda, imperial guards on duty whispered as they watched Wu Jingtao, Xu Gongfeng, and other Innate/Purple Mansion realm experts hurry over. In the past two years, these guards and dark sentries had witnessed the pagoda's changes firsthand.
Previously, even from a thousand zhang away, they could faintly hear the demons' wails and curses, struggling to suppress their murderous urges. But in the past year or two, the sounds had grown increasingly faint until they vanished entirely beyond a thousand zhang.
Someone even tested approaching within a thousand zhang—still no sounds. Only when nearing a hundred zhang did faint, venomous whispers reach their ears. Sensing something amiss, they reported up, summoning royal experts to investigate.
The Demon-Sealing Pagoda concerned all living beings; no mistake could be tolerated. If the imprisoned demons escaped, it would be a catastrophe.
Wu Jingtao led Xu Gongfeng and others over the wall, their expressions growing grave.
"Senior Wu, the demons' wails and curses have indeed weakened significantly. What's happening?" Xu Gongfeng asked, puzzled.
Others also looked to Wu Jingtao, their anchor in this moment.
Wu Jingtao suddenly smiled in relief, as if recalling something. "There's no need to panic. Have you forgotten the Demon-Sealing Pagoda's purpose beyond imprisoning demons?"
"Refining demons?" someone exclaimed.
"Precisely. The fading sounds suggest the demons are gradually being refined by the pagoda after all these years," Wu Jingtao speculated with a smile.
"That makes sense! The more demons refined, the fewer remain, so their cries grow weaker. Why didn't I think of that?" Xu Gongfeng nodded repeatedly.
"Inform the imperial guards the pagoda is safe—no need for alarm," Wu Jingtao waved, leading the group away.
...
Half a year later, on a full moon night, Lin Yu waited outside the pagoda for that night's prey. At the moon's zenith, a thick surge of demonic energy poured from the pagoda's crack, followed by a blurred figure flickering in and out of the mist.
"I'm out! After waiting so long, the Dragon-Horned Demon King has finally escaped the Demon-Sealing Pagoda!" The figure in the demonic energy cackled wildly before fully forming. If not for Lin Yu sealing the area, even imperial guards a thousand zhang away would have heard the laughter.
"Um, excuse me—are there any others left in the pagoda's lower level?" a voice came from behind the Dragon-Horned Demon King.
"No one's left! Who are you?" The Dragon-Horned Demon King answered instinctively before realizing. He materialized from the mist, turning to see Lin Yu emerging from behind the pagoda. His eyes flashed凶光 (fierce intent) as he沉声 (said gravely), "Are you a Great Han royal expert guarding the pagoda?"
He quickly shook his head, sneering, "No—you have no spiritual energy. Impossible." His eyes lit up greedily, nearly drooling. "No matter. I haven't tasted blood in centuries! Escaping the pagoda, fresh meat falls into my hands. Boy, I'll devour you alive!"
As he spoke, he swiped at Lin Yu. Black mist surged from his palm, forming a vortex that swept toward Lin Yu.
Lin Yu snorted. The pressure of a Sixth Rank Purple Mansion warrior erupted, halting the mist vortex like a wall, which then dissipated.
"Purple Mansion realm?" The Dragon-Horned Demon King's face changed, then he laughed wildly. "Perfect! Purple Mansion flesh is more nourishing. Eating you might restore my Sixth Rank!"
After two years of thunder refinement, his cultivation had weakened to the Fifth Rank of the Purple Mansion, allowing escape through the crack. Discovering Lin Yu was Purple Mansion realm, he was delighted, eager to feast and recover.
With a roar, the Dragon-Horned Demon King's aura surged. He raised his right hand, a pitch-black light凝聚 (condensing) in his palm as demonic energy swirled into a one-horned dragon behind him.
"Die!" He grasped at Lin Yu, the dragon and black light merging into a black thunderbolt that slammed into Lin Yu. The sky roiled outside the pagoda, thunder轰鸣 (roaring), as the dragon left dark lightning streaks in the air. A Fifth Rank Purple Mansion warrior's full strike was fearsome.
Lin Yu sneered, unleashing a Wind Sword Intent. Advanced to Sixth Rank, the intent's power暴涨 (soared). A cyan streak闪过 (flashed), shattering the black dragon. Dark lightning rippled outward, dissipating under Lin Yu's pressure. The Wind Sword Intent pierced the dragon,呼啸而至 (whistling) to pierce the Dragon-Horned Demon King's brow and destroy his soul before he could react.