Chapter 30: A Thousand Cuts and a Royal Revelation

“Stop right there—!!!”

Zhang Liang merely snorted, offering no reply. With a single palm strike, Xu Fang’s abdomen caved in, and dark resentment, like a moth breaking free from its cocoon, was forcibly expelled from her body.

Xu Fang’s body slumped forward, lifeless, as if her soul had fled, but Zhang Liang reached out to catch her, gently laying her flat on the ground.

Zhang Liang had no intention of letting her die; she was, after all, a valuable teammate. As long as she lived, she would continue to harbor hatred for Xi Lan, further eroding the latter’s mental state.

High-level personnel deserved high-level treatment.

“No way, right?”

“Is that for real? He actually expelled the possessing demon?”

“This is… unbelievable.”

All three teachers were utterly stunned, for it was common knowledge that expelling a possessing demon typically required the services of a high-level priest and often involved expensive materials for purification.

A demon that had already seized control of a body was even more tenacious.

Even if it wished to leave, it couldn’t.

Yet he had simply forced it out?

Xi Lan, witnessing this scene, did not appear surprised; simultaneously, she understood why Zhang Liang had deliberately taken the demon’s attack.

For a demon like the Resentment Demon, resentment served as its accumulated energy, and depleting it would invariably lead to its weakening.

Zhang Liang’s actions were a deliberate ploy to lure it into launching a full-power attack, thereby weakening it and driving it out of Xu Fang’s body.

Battle qi, a skill capable of defeating even demon gods, rendered a mere demon no match for him; this was truly something only Zhang Liang could accomplish.

Gazing at Zhang Liang’s retreating back, Xi Lan felt an indescribable mix of complex emotions.

Xu Fang’s deep-seated hatred for her had allowed the Resentment Demon to seize its opportunity, and Xi Lan was struck by a profound sadness, having never imagined that a friend she had treated with genuine sincerity could harbor such feelings.

Because of her own thoughtless remark, he had risked his life to save Xu Fang—a crushing guilt.

Added to this was the joy of Xu Fang’s rescue.

These three emotions intertwined, leaving Xi Lan at a loss for how to express her current state of mind.

In Xi Lan’s heart, she now owed Zhang Liang two significant favors.

His manner of speaking was assertive, his words sharp, almost like commands, intimidation, or even threats.

Yet, his actions were remarkably considerate of others, even to the point of disregarding his own safety. That recent strike, had there been even a slight misstep and had he been tainted by even a speck of resentment, would have led to eternal damnation.

He must have been well aware of this, yet he chose to act for the sake of saving a life.

He was the kind of person with a harsh tongue but a kind heart, who might tell you to get lost but secretly arranged everything for your benefit.

However, the situation had now become troublesome.

Ordinary attacks could not harm the ethereal Resentment Demon; only weapons crafted from Soul-Suppressing Stones could vanquish it.

Xi Lan gazed at Zhang Liang, her beautiful cherry-blossom eyes filled with worry.

He had even needed to borrow a weapon from her, so he certainly wouldn’t possess something as rare as a Soul-Suppressing Stone.

If things continued like this, they would be in trouble. The vengeful spirit was unaffected by cold energy, and if it escaped to possess someone else, the situation would become even more dire.

“Teachers, do you have any Soul-Suppressing Stones?” Xi Lan asked urgently.

The teachers shook their heads, their expressions grim.

As teachers, they naturally understood Xi Lan’s meaning, but who would bring such an item to an entrance exam?

If they were to go fetch one now, the Resentment Demon would have long vanished by the time they returned.

They were truly out of options.

“Hahahaha! I don’t know how you did it, but you’ve certainly miscalculated!”

The Resentment Demon hovered in mid-air, its triangular black silhouette marred by an irregularly gaping mouth and terrifyingly hollow eyes.

Its piercing laughter seemed to strike directly at the soul, causing an unbearable stinging sensation throughout their bodies, as if pricked by countless needles.

“Ta-ta for now!” the Resentment Demon sneered, preparing to turn and flee, intending to settle this score another day.

‘This person is unbeatable. If I wait for his companions to retrieve a Soul-Suppressing Stone, it will truly be beyond salvation.’

‘I must make my escape while I still can and secure my position first.’

Before it could even turn its head, its vision split in two.

“Ha! You think an attack like that can harm me? Go eat farts!”

Just as it asserted, though the Resentment Demon was sliced in two, it immediately merged back together like drops of water.

Its triumphant, flailing gestures were filled with provocation; against an opponent without a Soul-Suppressing Stone, it instantly became smug.

“Is that so? Care to guess why I created a thousand clones?” Zhang Liang asked, twirling his ornate sword with ease as he approached the Resentment Demon.

“Hmph, foolish human, who knows how much dung fills your brain.” The Resentment Demon chuckled, then suddenly froze, its expression shifting to alarm as it stammered, “Are you trying to—!”

Sensing the dire turn of events, the Resentment Demon abandoned its smugness, ignoring everything else as it fled at full speed.

Zhang Liang snorted coldly, declaring, “A Thousand Shadows Return to One!”

The next second, a thousand figures converged upon Zhang Liang like gathering rays of light, each delivering a swift blow to the Resentment Demon on their return path.

In a mere instant, the Resentment Demon was struck a thousand times, its ethereal form shredded into countless fragments.

The Resentment Demon’s constitution was exceptionally robust; most attacks had no effect on it.

However, it also possessed a fatal weakness: it could not exist indefinitely in its ethereal form. Much like humans needing to eat, these demons required a host body to rest.

This was why they so desperately craved physical bodies.

What would happen if its ethereal body were to shrink? Its lifespan would rapidly diminish. And now, in just 0.1 seconds, it had been utterly annihilated.

This outcome left everyone dumbfounded, exclaiming, “So this kind of maneuver is possible?”

Theoretically, yes; practically, impossible.

To deliver a thousand strikes in a single instant was a feat impossible to achieve, even if one were to throw it into a meat grinder.

Yet, Zhang Liang had accomplished it.

Physical Exorcism!

The teachers were utterly dumbfounded, their eyes truly opened to a new, shocking reality.

With the battle concluded, Zhang Liang’s anxious heart settled, reassured that the peak demon had not posed a life-threatening danger this time.

This implied that the Xi Lan of seven years later could be easily crushed by his power.

Zhang Liang decided to elaborate on his detailed plans after enrollment; splitting into a thousand clones was incredibly exhausting, and his mind felt sluggish and muddled, like paste, making him disinclined to think about anything.

“This sword isn’t suitable for you.” Zhang Liang yanked the sword from his grasp and handed it to Xi Lan; the next second, blood gushed forth, staining the ground and creating a gruesome sight.

Xi Lan gasped, a cold shiver running through her as she saw the flesh clinging to the sword hilt.

“Clap, clap, clap.”

Applause echoed from behind the group. With water-blue hair as smooth as silk, and accompanied by a cool, fragrant scent, Murong Xue approached them.

She lightly tapped Zhang Liang’s chest twice with her fan, and with a playful tone, she declared, “Your strength has truly impressed me. I desire you more and more.”

Zhang Liang snorted coldly in his heart, thinking, ‘In the future, I will be the master!’

“En… Zhang Liang! Are you alright?!” Ying rushed over, her eyes widening with worry at the sight of Zhang Liang’s profusely bleeding hand.

If this continued, he might go into shock from blood loss. This unusual amount of bleeding suggested he might have severed an artery.

Recalling that Zhang Liang had saved her life, Ying looked at Murong Xue with great urgency.

Murong Xue, understanding Ying’s intent, shifted her gaze to Zhang Liang, Xi Lan, and Heng Naixin, who was still mesmerized by Zhang Liang’s performance.

During the battle with the Resentment Demon, Murong Xue had already sent someone to investigate Heng Naixin, whose background was spotless, revealing her to be honest, naive, and possessing a strong sense of justice.

Xi Lan, though shrouded in mystery, had an excellent reputation; everyone who had interacted with her spoke highly of her.

As for Zhang Liang, there was no need to elaborate.

“Zhang Liang, Xi Lan, Heng Naixin, can the three of you swear not to reveal what you are about to see to anyone else?”

Zhang Liang tore off a piece of his clothing to bandage his wound, but Ying stopped him.

Xi Lan and Heng Naixin exchanged bewildered glances, signaling their lack of understanding.

“We can, but is it something very important?” Xi Lan asked, puzzled.

Heng Naixin, having never witnessed such a serious situation, could only nod frantically.

Murong Xue unfurled her precious fan, fanning herself gently. After a moment of contemplation, she nodded to Ying, instructing, “Ying, go ahead.”

“Mm. Zhang Liang, don’t move.” Ying gently flattened Zhang Liang’s injured hand, placing her own two hands hovering above it. She then chanted, “Oh, compassionate Mother Goddess, please grant me the power to heal all things—Primary Healing!”

The next second, white light emanated from Ying’s palms, and particles like fireflies continuously drifted down from her hands, causing the mangled wound to visibly heal at an astonishing speed.

Witnessing this scene, Zhang Liang’s eyes widened so dramatically it felt as if they might pop out if someone merely tapped the back of his head.

‘Holy crap! Light magic! Healing type! She’s a healer!’

‘Why hasn’t such a rare talent joined Feng Aotian’s team!’

‘Wait…’

‘She said she was from Changbai… Ying… Mingyue… Ying… Mingyue… aren’t they the same person? Holy crap! You’re Princess Mingyue!’

Seeing Zhang Liang’s astonished expression, Ying chuckled softly, then took two steps back and elegantly performed a greeting.

“Please allow me to reintroduce myself. My humble self is Qin, given name Mingyue, the Eldest Princess of the Changbai Kingdom. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

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