Li Fan looked at the youth, who was even younger than himself, with an evil glint in his eyes.
The Old Blind Man had once said, those who wield a sharp weapon will naturally harbor the intent to kill.
The same could be said for those government officers and out-of-town cultivators; they treated human life like grass.
The old man also looked at Li Fan, squinted his eyes, and said, "Young Master, be cautious. This young man might be the sword cultivator from Li Mountain."
"Didn't you say that Li Mountain was on the brink of collapse?" the youth asked the old man.
"Li Mountain may be on the brink of collapse, but even a lean camel is bigger than a horse, so I remind Young Master to be careful." The old man replied.
"How dare you, you insolent servant! Even a lean camel is bigger than a horse? Are you implying that Li Mountain, despite being in decline, is stronger than my Medicine Cleansing Lake?" the youth harshly reprimanded.
The old man immediately slapped his own face with a crisp sound, saying, "I misspoke, Young Master," and only then did the youth cease his reprimand.
Li Hongyi looked at the two of them, feeling puzzled by their behavior.
Li Fan frowned upon hearing their conversation. Li Mountain on the brink of collapse?
"Old Demon, what nonsense are you spouting?" Li Fan asked the old man, realizing that he was also a demon.
The old man squinted his eyes at Li Fan and asked, "To whom was the sword of Li Mountain passed?"
Li Fan couldn't comprehend.
"Indeed, this matter is not something a young boy like you would know," the old man commented casually upon seeing Li Fan's confusion.
"Is the sword really that powerful?" the youth asked the old man.
"In reply, Young Master, I do not actually know," the old man stated.
"You useless servant, why are you talking about things you don't understand?" the youth habitually scolded.
"It's rumored that the sword protected a millennium of Li Mountain's fortune, allowing Li Mountain Sword Cultivators to thrive for a thousand years. If obtained, it would grant the thousand-year fortune of the Li Mountain Sword Dao. But what the sword truly is, I cannot say." The old man continued, "However, now that Li Mountain is no longer what it was, it is unlikely this sword can continue to protect it."
Li Fan felt even more puzzled by the old demon's words, which revealed much he hadn't known; his senior brothers and sisters had never told him this.
Moreover, he had never heard of Li Mountain possessing such a sword.
How come outsiders know more than he does?
Perhaps due to his lack of talent, he hadn't been exposed to this level of information, but his senior brothers and sisters likely know.
If such a sword indeed exists, is it possible that it would be passed down to his junior brother?
"I've been a bit long-winded," the old demon remarked again.
"Useless servant, you claim Li Mountain Sword Cultivators are powerful. Are they as powerful as me?" the youth asked, staring at Li Fan.
"They aren't as powerful as Young Master, of course, and not all Li Mountain Sword Cultivators are strong. Except for a few noteworthy individuals, how could they compare to you, Young Master?" the old demon flattered.
"I like hearing that," the youth nodded in satisfaction, "In that case, I'll cripple his sword and extract his Sword Seed to see what it is. I am curious."
The old demon hesitated. Though Li Mountain was on the brink of collapse, it hadn't entirely fallen yet, and this youth opposite was a Li Mountain Sword Cultivator. He wasn't sure if some powerful sword cultivator might be watching over him.
However, knowing the young master's temperament, he held his tongue and simply complied, "I will back you up, Young Master."
Li Fan quietly listened to their conversation. Having encountered the Chu State's Vajra Temple earlier, and now seeing the presence of Medicine Cleansing Lake, it was clear that Lin'an County was full of sects beyond just the Court.
Moreover, from the old demon's words, it seemed that those behind them aimed not only at Fulong Manor but also directly at Li Mountain.
"That Sloppy Taoist indeed knew something beforehand," Li Fan recalled the disheveled Taoist who took Qi away.
Could it be that Li Mountain truly faces a disaster?
Li Hongyi's eyes showed a guarded look. These two seem to be strange, and not lightly so, but she sensed they belonged to a major sect.
It seemed Li Mountain also has trouble brewing.
"Finished talking?" Seeing the two finally stop their chatter, Li Fan spoke.
The young master of Medicine Cleansing Lake looked up at Li Fan with an evil grin in his eyes, taking steps toward Li Fan, saying, "Finished, have you prepared yourself?"
"I am prepared," Li Fan nodded. "Your parents didn't raise you well, today I'm afraid I'll have to do it for them."
"You truly don't know what's good for you," the youth from Medicine Cleansing Lake snapped coldly, his body suddenly bursting forward at an extreme speed. A terrifying burst of demon energy suddenly enveloped him, transforming into a massive snake demon that lunged at Li Fan. Simultaneously, his hand morphed into a sharp claw reaching for Li Fan.
The giant snake materialized from demonic mist instantly coiled around Li Fan's body, its forked tongue flickering hideously. The youth's evil eyes showed a cold smile as his claw descended, not expecting the Li Mountain Sword Cultivator to be so easily overpowered.
At that moment, a golden light flashed in Li Fan's eyes. An overwhelming wave of blood energy roared from within him, causing the huge snake coiling around him to tremble violently and struggle before suddenly burrowing into Li Fan's body.
"Hmm?" The youth's expression shifted slightly, noticing Li Fan's arm sliding forward like a nimble serpent, then reversing to clasp the youth's wrist with precise accuracy.
The Medicine Cleansing Lake youth hadn't yet reacted when he saw the giant snake being devoured by Li Fan's body, and his own wrist seized.
With a crunching sound, the youth let out a scream as Li Fan's hand moved swiftly to grip his throat, slamming him forcefully to the ground with a thud… the youth's head hit the ground, blood flowing from the wound.
"Young Master..." The old demon realized something was wrong, but it was already too late. Everything had changed too quickly. Li Fan's body contained fierce demon energy, somewhat similar to the methods of Medicine Cleansing Lake.
That giant snake had been devoured in an instant. Was he not a Li Mountain Sword Cultivator?
"I'll kill you," the youth roared, his head bleeding. As his mana surged and attempted to manifest his Dharma form, Li Fan lifted him by the throat and slammed him again to the ground with a forceful impact, instantly dispersing the mana and causing the emerging Dharma form to vanish.
"Release the young master," shrieked the old demon, sending a torrent of overpowering demon energy that conjured a terrifying giant snake rushing towards Li Fan.
"Pow! Pow! Pow!"
"Too much talk for little substance; if your parents didn't teach you properly, I will," Li Fan said, repeatedly slamming the youth down. Standing up while holding his neck, Li Fan faced the old demon, "Old demon, you also do a poor job of serving."
"Kill... kill him!" The youth, his throat gripped tightly, struggled to speak, his eyes rolling back, voice hoarse and raspy.
"Don't you care about your young master's life?" Li Fan pressed harder, using the youth as a shield in front of him.
"You're seeking death," an overwhelming aura enveloped the courtyard as demon energy surged to the sky. Li Fan felt like he was suffocating, prepared to act as a sword light glimmered in his brow.
Behind him, Li Hongyi watched in astonishment. This Li Fan, facing a Great Demon, had taken the youth hostage in an instant. Clearly, he anticipated the old demon's threat before striking.
The old demon, seeing Li Fan holding a hostage, shifted his focus to Liu Ji. A massive snake tail suddenly whipped toward Liu Ji.
Liu Ji's pupils turned a deep green, demonic mist surged as a green snake demon form appeared, smashing fiercely into the oncoming snake tail.
"Fourth Realm Snake Demon," the old snake transformed into an even uglier form, jealousy flashing in its eyes. It had cultivated for years at Medicine Cleansing Lake, and though it was of considerable age, it was only at the peak of the Fourth Realm. This young and beautiful snake demon had already reached the Fourth Realm.
Its eyes showed a fierce trace, the old demon fully transforming into its true form: an unsightly grayish-white giant snake, opening its fangs wide and suddenly lunging at Liu Ji to bite.
It wanted to devour this young, beautiful snake demon.
The old demon spewed poison as Liu Ji fully transformed into her true form, charging towards the old snake.
In the courtyard, the two giant snakes clashed fiercely, the sound of impact echoing as they moved with extreme speed, turning the courtyard into ruins in no time.
Screams reverberated from afar, indicating that nearby townsfolk had also witnessed the two giant snakes, while government officers watched from a distance, afraid to approach.
A month's salary of a few silver coins, risking their heads to slay demons? Only picking on civilians seemed feasible.
Li Fan watched the two giant snakes battling from the ground to the air; in contrast to humans, demon beasts fought more with their physical bodies. Though Liu Ji appeared delicate, her true form was aggressiv..."