Volume One: The Emperor's Sword Chapter 107: Laying a Trap to Leap Into

The body occupied by the Yaksha was that of Si Chen, the younger brother of Si Ruonan. This corpse was remarkably well-preserved, showing no signs of decay and appearing lifelike. Yet, no matter how perfect a body, it was still a corpse, and over the years, it inevitably emitted the stench of death.

From previous encounters, Yun Que had deduced several clues about the Yaksha. First, the Netherworld Yaksha had no physical form. It resembled a spirit body and was summoned by Si Ruonan’s grand formation. It had to rely on a corporeal vessel from the mortal realm to act; otherwise, it would face numerous limitations and its abilities would be diminished. Otherwise, this Fire Demon would not cling so persistently to a dead body—if it could freely move as a spirit, the corpse would be a burden.

Second, the Netherworld Yaksha preferred to feed on blood—specifically, living, fresh blood. Cultivators like Si Ruonan, full of vital energy, would be the most delectable prey. This was easy to infer. The dead infant doll crafted by Si Ruonan always hid in the corner, ignored even by the Yaksha.

Putting these points together, Yun Que at least understood the enemy’s preferences: it craved living beings and despised dead ones. With this knowledge, the Fire Demon’s occupation of Si Chen’s corpse could be turned to Yun Que’s advantage, allowing him to set a trap and wait patiently for the enemy to fall in.

Sure enough, when the Fire Demon heard that the corpse was rotting and stinking, it immediately showed disdain. It lifted its hand and sniffed its own body, then grew even more repulsed, as if it had stepped in dog feces. The Fire Demon fixed its cold gaze on Yun Que, taunting, “This body truly stinks. Perhaps I should consider switching to a new one. You two aren’t bad choices—who should I pick?”

Yun Que scoffed, “Do you even have to ask? Could it be that a mighty Netherworld Yaksha wants to become a woman in the mortal realm?”

“Good! I choose you!” The Fire Demon discarded Si Ruonan and crouched low like a wild beast ready to spring.

Buzz! A harsh buzzing sound pierced the air as a humanoid figure made entirely of blazing flames lunged at Yun Que. At the same time, Si Chen’s corpse collapsed and rapidly decayed. Without Si Ruonan’s secret preservation arts and now possessed by the Yaksha, the corpse could no longer be preserved and soon reduced to a pile of white bones.

The fiery assault engulfed Yun Que swiftly. In the next moment, Yun Que transformed into a being of fire, blazing all over. He could feel the scorching heat, but his clothes remained untouched.

The Fire Demon’s flames were no ordinary fire; they were fundamentally different from mundane flames, resembling the unique spiritual energy of cultivators, far more potent and dangerous. Thanks to the protective power of the Six Jia Profound Art, Yun Que could temporarily withstand the flames, but not for long.

The Fire Demon was cunning. After wrapping Yun Que in flames, it did not immediately invade his spirit sea. Instead, it planned to let the fire penetrate his flesh and bones first, transforming his physical body.

Seeing Yun Que in danger, Si Ruonan tried to help. She used her remaining spiritual energy to cast an ice-sealing spell, but it was futile; she could not extinguish the blazing fire enveloping him.

“Let him go! I offer you my body!” Despite inwardly blaming Yun Que’s foolish back-and-forth actions, Si Ruonan was willing to sacrifice herself to buy him a chance of survival. Her brother had lost all hope of revival, and she had unwittingly unleashed the monstrous Yaksha. She did not know how many would die because of her, and she wanted to atone with her own life—even if it was just to save one person.

But what returned to Si Ruonan was the Yaksha’s chilling, mocking laughter. “I love to eat women, but I have no desire to become one. This body is quite good—it has cultivated a protective art! Though weak, it can help me resist some of the mortal realm’s energy corrosion. Excellent! Excellent, ha ha ha!”

The flames controlled by the Yaksha flickered without wind, crackling ominously. Though a powerful ghost from another realm, the Netherworld Yaksha was not afraid of scorching sun or yang energy, yet it was still gradually eroded by the mortal realm’s aura until ultimately extinguished. This was the power of the realms: unless one was strong enough to withstand the realm’s assault, one could not exist permanently in another world.

Fortunately, the Yaksha discovered a feature on Yun Que’s body. The invisible internal armor forged by the Six Jia Profound Art could resist much of the realm’s erosion, allowing it to linger longer in the mortal realm.

Si Ruonan slumped slowly, her eyes vacant. She gave up struggling and awaited the moment when the Yaksha would occupy Yun Que before devouring her.

“What are you afraid of?” Yun Que’s voice came through the flames, full of contempt. “My protective art won’t withstand your fire. If you want a complete body, you’d better occupy my spirit sea first, then transform this body from within outwards. That’s the best method.”

At his words, the flames enveloping his body twisted sharply.

“Could it be that a powerful Netherworld Yaksha fears a level-five Qi Refining human cultivator? It doesn’t even dare to seize my spirit sea and instead wastes effort transforming the body first? Tsk tsk, to think even a Netherworld Yaksha is so timid—how laughable.”

As Yun Que spoke, the flames around him surged, intensifying many times over.

“Nonsense! I’m not afraid of you, a mere Qi Refining cultivator! I’m just curious about your cultivation method and am letting you live a little longer. To call my mercy cowardice is the biggest joke of all!” The Fire Demon’s tone turned petulant and defiant, like a mischievous child caught in a trap.

“What’s the point of living longer? I want to die. If you’ve got guts, just finish me off quickly,” Yun Que taunted.

“Fine! I will assimilate your spirit sea and fully seize your body!” The Netherworld Yaksha roared, gathering its flames into a compact fiery figure that dove straight into Yun Que’s forehead.

“No!” Si Ruonan witnessed everything and let out a desperate wail. The Yaksha’s power was so great that even seasoned Golden Core experts might not resist it, much less a humble Qi Refining cultivator like Yun Que. If it had been her, her spirit sea would be destroyed instantly, her body possessed, turning her into a puppet. Her soul would dissipate forever. Even if her body remained alive, it would never awaken. Spirit sea destruction was equivalent to soul theft, leading only to utter annihilation.

A solitary tear slid down Si Ruonan’s cheek. The familiar helplessness washed over her again—the same feeling she had during the desperate flight ten years ago. She had fled with her brother across many places, hiding her identity, living in seclusion in deep mountains, even changing appearances to blend into villages. Yet in the end, she could not save her brother’s life. Si Chen had found eternal rest during that flight for survival. She had no way to undo it and could only watch her loved one die, trapped in guilt and sorrow—just like now.

While Si Ruonan was engulfed in despair, the Netherworld Yaksha was elated. It was thrilled at the prospect of acquiring a perfect body, enabling it to remain longer in the mortal realm and feast on more fresh blood.

“Delicious female cultivator, just thinking about you makes my mouth water!” it cackled. “At last, I can eat my fill! Ha ha ha ha!”

Transforming into a fiery shadow, the Fire Demon quickly entered the spirit sea’s space. There, it saw a terrifying figure nearly its own size.