Urban Martial Saint

Luan Ping placed the bait carefully, then immediately moved to the side of the Corpse Ghost Dragon, hiding behind a large stone with it, nervously watching the exit of the Demon Hideout Cave.

Earlier, most of the True Qi in his body had been absorbed by the Corpse Ghost Dragon, leaving Luan Ping with less than thirty percent of his strength, and his face now looked significantly older. His skin was tightly wrinkled, his face full of continuous wrinkles, and his skin had lost its luster, with a faintly dark green hue that made it look almost like the complexion of a corpse.

In truth, Luan Ping’s lifespan was nearing its end, and death was not far away. If it weren’t for his exquisite Inner Strength and his years of cultivating himself, he would probably have died long ago. This time, with the soon-to-be-opened Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates presenting a rare opportunity, he decided to take a chance and see if he could extend his life. However, instead of extending his life, most of his Inner Strength was absorbed, leaving him now relying solely on a breath of True Qi to hold on. If he lost this breath of True Qi, he would collapse and die at any moment.

”Grand Master, will these herbs really attract the Demon Pet?” After waiting for a while without any movement, Luan Ping couldn’t help but ask.

”I don’t know.” The Corpse Ghost Dragon shook its head and said in a deep voice, ”When I was in the Demon Hideout Cave, I saw the Demon Pet come out to look for food. These herbs are all part of what it has eaten, so I brought them as bait. However, it’s hard to say if they will actually attract it out.”

”Does the Demon Pet really feed on these things?” Luan Ping glanced at the herbs, curiously asking, ”These herbs all grow on the outskirts of the Stone Mountain. If the Demon Pet feeds only on these things, it must come out often to collect food. Why has nobody captured this Demon Pet for such a long time? Grand Master, do you think perhaps the Demon Pet is also very powerful?”

The Corpse Ghost Dragon frowned slightly; Luan Ping’s words indeed raised some doubts in his mind. He only knew that the Demon Pet controlled the Demon Hideout Cave but didn’t know the specific details or strength of the Demon Pet. If, as Luan Ping suggested, the Demon Pet constantly needed to seek food outside, surely someone would have seen it or attempted to capture it. Yet, despite all this time, no one has managed to catch it, causing one to ponder the actual strength of the Demon Pet!

Just then, a sparse, crackling sound suddenly came from within the Demon Hideout Cave. The Corpse Ghost Dragon’s face changed, and he immediately pressed down on Luan Ping, whispering, ”The Demon Pet is coming out!”

Luan Ping’s expression also changed drastically; he held his breath, staring fixedly at the exit of the Demon Hideout Cave. Although he had heard about the Demon Pet from the Corpse Ghost Dragon for a long time, he still didn’t know exactly what the Demon Pet was. Now with the Demon Pet about to emerge, he was eager to see its true form!

The sparse sound gradually grew louder, like something crawling out of the Demon Hideout Cave. However, the sound stopped at the entrance, as if the Demon Pet was observing the situation outside.

Both the Corpse Ghost Dragon and Luan Ping held their breath, nervously watching the exit of the Demon Hideout Cave. They hoped the Demon Pet would come out, yet feared its power might be beyond their capability to handle.

After a long while, the sparse sound started again, but it did not come outside the Demon Hideout Cave. Instead, it moved back and forth near the exit, seemingly wanting to come out but worried about the dangers outside, pacing as if indecisive.

Luan Ping couldn’t help but glance at the Corpse Ghost Dragon, who gestured for him to be patient. Luan Ping dared not say anything more, squatting behind the large rock, anxiously watching the exit of the Demon Hideout Cave.

The Demon Pet paced back and forth inside for over half an hour but never came out or showed any intention of leaving. Luan Ping and the Corpse Ghost Dragon had waited outside for so long that they were beginning to feel restless, admiring the Demon Pet’s patience.

Finally, as the Corpse Ghost Dragon and Luan Ping hesitated over whether to leave, the Demon Pet stopped its pacing, and the sparse sound ceased.

Their hearts immediately hung in suspense, clearly indicating that the Demon Pet had made a decision. Whether it would come out depended on the next moment.

After about three minutes, the sparse sound inside resumed, but instead of coming toward the exit, the sound gradually moved away, as if the Demon Pet had abandoned the outside herbs and decided to leave.

Luan Ping’s eyes widened, and he turned to the Corpse Ghost Dragon, whispering, ”Is this Demon Pet really so shrewd? The bait didn’t even lure it out!”

The Corpse Ghost Dragon also frowned deeply, saying in a solemn voice, ”This creature truly is wily. It looks like capturing it is no easy task. This Demon Hideout Cave is its territory, and if it doesn’t leave the cave, we can do nothing. It seems I’ll have to wait until my strength returns to its peak to make another attempt inside!”

”Grand Master, thirty years ago when you came here, did you attempt to capture it?” Luan Ping asked.

”At that time, I had no idea this thing existed.” The Corpse Ghost Dragon sighed helplessly and said, ”When I first came here, I just wanted to use the Devouring Demon Flower to preserve my physical body. I didn’t know there was a demon pet inside. It took these thirty years for me to gradually uncover some secrets of the Demon Hideout Cave and learn about this demon pet’s existence. Honestly, even with my full strength, I’m not sure if I could capture it within this cave.”

”With your power as a Grand Master, catching a little demon pet should be a walk in the park!” Luan Ping flattered.

”Hmph, what do you know!” The Corpse Ghost Dragon remained unmoved and said in a deep voice, ”The most terrifying thing in this Demon Hideout Cave isn’t those Devouring Demon Flowers. To be honest, if it were just those flowers, I wouldn’t be worried. What truly makes me wary is something else!”

”What is it? It can’t be the demon pet, can it?” Luan Ping quickly asked, having never entered the Demon Hideout Cave and unaware of its exact condition.

”Of course not!” The Corpse Ghost Dragon shook his head and said in a deep voice, ”The most terrifying thing in this cave is a coffin!”

”A coffin?” Luan Ping was surprised, not understanding why a coffin would be frightening.

The Corpse Ghost Dragon replied solemnly, ”Inside this coffin lies the body of the Great Demon King!”

”The body of the Great Demon King!?” Luan Ping’s expression changed as he stared at the Corpse Ghost Dragon for a while, then whispered, ”What’s so scary about a dead body?”

”Hmph, you haven’t seen it, so you naturally don’t know!” The Corpse Ghost Dragon said in a deep voice, ”When I first entered the Demon Hideout Cave, I was ignorant and actually ventured into the cave where the Great Demon King’s body is stored, seeking the secrets he left behind. As I moved forward, I felt an inexplicable pressure growing stronger with each step. By the time I saw the Great Demon King’s coffin, the pressure was so great I could barely move. Each step further doubled the pressure. At that time, I was invincible under the heavens, just as naive as you are, thinking a corpse was nothing to fear. But the pressure completely pinned me to the ground, immobilizing me, even my fingers couldn’t move, utterly trapped by the pressure, unable to retreat an inch!”

”Ah?” Luan Ping widened his eyes, only expressing surprise after a long pause, ”Where did this... this pressure come from?”

The Corpse Ghost Dragon said, ”I’ve heard that masters in Huaxia, when their martial arts reach a certain level, can have their True Qi persist even after death, exerting intense pressure on anyone nearby!”

”That’s true.” Luan Ping nodded, ”When my master passed away, his Inner Strength remained concentrated within him, not dissipating for seven days and nights. Even peak masters who got close felt shackled by the pressure, it was incredibly formidable!”

The Corpse Ghost Dragon said, ”I assume the Great Demon King’s body must be in a similar condition.”

”This...” Luan Ping scratched his head, ”How could that be possible? The Great Demon King has been dead for thousands of years. Even with extraordinary power, how could Inner Strength remain concentrated for millennia?”

”Who knows?” The Corpse Ghost Dragon sighed, ”The Great Demon King’s body is indeed the most frightening existence in this cave. In my prime, there was no rival for me worldwide. Yet before a corpse dead for thousands of years, I couldn’t even step closer. That time, I truly acknowledged the Great Demon King. To establish a sect, one must be extraordinarily talented, beyond my comparison!”

The Corpse Ghost Dragon’s continuous sighs showed his genuine admiration for the Great Demon King. This person, dead for thousands of years, left behind a Demon Sect that continues to influence future generations. It is not something an ordinary person could achieve!

”Actually, haven’t you, Grand Master, also founded a sect?” Luan Ping laughed awkwardly from the side, ”Now all Southeast Asian Sorcerers regard you as the supreme leader. You alone represent all the sorcerers in Nanyang, this is the school of thought you created!”

”Hahaha...” This flattery pleased the Corpse Ghost Dragon, who laughed heartily and said, ”The development of sorcery is still not complete. I must enter the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates, obtain the Supreme Secret Manual of the Taoist Sect, and rectify some hidden flaws in sorcery so it can reach perfection. Only then will I have truly created a school of thought. But this is not far off. Once I regain my strength, who else in this world can contend with me for the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates!”

”Of course, Grand Master, you are invincible under the heavens!” Luan Ping quickly said, ”Today, with Nalan Jingwei’s escape, the news of your reappearance in the world will surely spread across the globe immediately. I think, by now, many must already be trembling in fear of your famous might!”

”Heh heh heh...” The Corpse Ghost Dragon sneered, looking up at the sky, and said in a deep voice, ”Now that I’ve reappeared, I will hunt down each of my old enemies, one by one!”