Chapter 47: The Scarlet Soul’s Fury

“Clap, clap, clap.”

The sudden applause echoed through the empty inn.

A figure descended the very staircase Bai Jiujiu and her companions had just used.

Her appearance, illuminated by candlelight, revealed short red hair, blue pupils, a scar over her right eye, a demon-suppressing collar around her neck, and a tattoo of the number fifteen on her forehead.

A mocking, wild grin, absent from any bounty poster, now twisted her lips.

This was… Scarlet Soul!

Having seen Scarlet Soul’s bounty poster, Bai Jiujiu and Tong Qiu recognized her instantly.

Tong Qiu nervously took a step back, her tongue flicking across dry lips. Genuine Heaven-tier bounties were only for those ranked six or higher, and only constables who had stabilized in the Core Condensation Realm for a full year were qualified to participate. Bai Jiujiu’s bounty had only been elevated to Heaven-tier under pressure from King Chu, purely for the sake of numbers, thus lacking such restrictions.

This was the first time Tong Qiu had faced a criminal of the Demon Mansion Realm directly.

Bai Jiujiu, however, was still excluded from such considerations. She was, after all, a disgrace among demons, one who couldn’t even use demonic arts.

Yet, Bai Jiujiu felt a mix of excitement and apprehension. Her excitement stemmed from encountering the mastermind behind Su Ling’er’s abduction so quickly. Even if she couldn’t rescue Ling’er, she might glean some information from her.

Her apprehension arose from her inability to use demonic arts, leaving her reliant solely on the magical treasures others had freely given her.

Cloudfall Mountain was home to more than just Bai Jiujiu, a great demon in the Demon Mansion Realm. Many rising talents, relying on their innate strength, had also overcome heavenly tribulations to ascend to the Demon Mansion Realm.

Often, these demons would either openly challenge Bai Jiujiu or attempt to ambush her while she slept.

Invariably, their attacks would rebound with amplified force. According to them, she had been recognized by the thousand-li Cloudfall Mountain, and no demon cultivating by absorbing its spiritual energy could harm her.

A few days prior, when Long Zhi attacked, Bai Jiujiu had been genuinely enraged, momentarily forgetting this peculiar immunity.

This was also why her five wicked disciples, though constantly plotting to sever her snake tendons and limbs to toss her into a basement as their private possession, always sought to control and brainwash her through mental hypnosis.

But now, this was Bai Jiujiu’s first venture outside Cloudfall Mountain, her first direct confrontation with a demon of her own cultivation level.

To be honest, she was a little scared.

After all, a little snake couldn’t use demonic arts, and that was a significant disadvantage.

“Scarlet Soul!”

Though a flicker of fear touched Bai Jiujiu’s heart, even rekindling the thought of digging a hole to bury herself for a hundred years, she refused to let her voice betray her.

She had to believe in her invincibility!

Tong Qiu stood half a step behind Bai Jiujiu, her eyes fixed on Scarlet Soul. One hand was poised to gather spiritual energy, while the other had already drawn the newly purchased sharp blade. She was ready to retaliate the moment Scarlet Soul made a move.

Bai Jiujiu placed her hand on the Yuan Suppressing Banner, simultaneously establishing a connection with the Demon-Binding Rope and Flowing Shadow Sword, holding them ready for deployment.

Though these two treasures were usually frivolous, they were genuine demon-subduing artifacts. They had already prepared to unsheathe themselves the moment Scarlet Soul appeared.

Witnessing Bai Jiujiu and Tong Qiu preparing for battle, Scarlet Soul merely sneered.

Her lower body suddenly blurred, and in the blink of an eye, she appeared before the human and the demon.

‘What?!’ (Tong Qiu)

‘So fast!’ (Bai Jiujiu)

Scarlet Soul and Bai Jiujiu stood face to face, their breaths almost mingling.

The swift movement created a gust of wind that snatched Bai Jiujiu’s veil away, allowing her crimson vertical pupils to meet Scarlet Soul’s burning blue eyes.

“Bai Jiu’er, Bai Jiu’er, I told you, I told you you couldn’t escape me!”

“This time, I will fuse your soul into my heart, making us truly one!”

‘Hey, Demon Suppression Bureau? There’s a pervert here coveting my soul…’

Just as Bai Jiujiu intended to retreat and create distance, she found her feet bound by two rings of eerie crimson flames. Immediately, her soul was suppressed by scorching demonic power. Her body seemed to lose all control, leaving her standing frozen in place.

“Fiend! Keep away from my senior!”

Seeing this, Tong Qiu immediately stepped forward, blocking Bai Jiujiu. Her left hand formed a rigid ‘hand blade,’ and her right held the sharp weapon aloft. Both ‘blades,’ wreathed in flames, slashed towards Scarlet Soul.

Hmph.

But Scarlet Soul merely let out a cold laugh. To Tong Qiu’s astonished gaze, both arcing attacks passed directly through Scarlet Soul’s body.

“‘Hand Blade Dual Slash’? A dual attack using the left hand as a secondary blade in conjunction with the weapon in the right hand?”

“It seems you’re a constable of the Demon Suppression Bureau.”

Scarlet Soul stood still, shifting her gaze from Bai Jiujiu to the frantically attacking Tong Qiu.

“I am not wearing the bureau’s uniform. How do you know my identity?”

“How do I know, hahahahahaha! Good question, good question? How do I know?”

The next second, Scarlet Soul gave a wicked smile, opening her left hand. Eerie blue flames enveloped her sharp claws, and amidst her maniacal laughter, she grabbed Tong Qiu’s shoulder at close range.

Hah!

Tong Qiu gasped, but before she could escape, she was caught by Scarlet Soul’s ghostly figure.

Rip!

Half of Tong Qiu’s sleeve was torn off by Scarlet Soul, along with a chunk of flesh from her arm.

“Ah!!!”

Tong Qiu’s body was sent flying backward, her weapon clattering to the ground. Her left arm was a bloody mess, the bone clearly visible beneath. Blood spurted from her veins, spraying across the floor in the direction she flew.

One strike, an instant kill, and this was with Scarlet Soul holding back her full power.

‘How is this possible…?’ Tong Qiu suppressed the intense pain, lying in a pool of blood as she watched Scarlet Soul approach.

‘The human Core Condensation Realm and the demon Demon Mansion Realm should only be one major realm apart. Even if I’ve just broken through, the difference shouldn’t be this vast?’

Seeing Tong Qiu defeated in a single move, Bai Jiujiu grew anxious.

However, her soul felt bound by the two fiery rings on her feet, preventing her from moving her body.

Bai Jiujiu had never encountered a demon like Scarlet Soul on the mountain, so her understanding of her was almost nonexistent.

Still, Bai Jiujiu had seen Scarlet Soul’s bounty poster with Tong Qiu. As an eight-thousand-year-old demon, she naturally possessed an eidetic memory.

Scarlet Soul’s demonic arts were similar to Long Zhi’s, both focusing on souls and spirits.

‘Wait, similar to Long Zhi.’

‘The fiery rings on my feet are also driven by demonic power to bind my soul.’

‘If that’s the case… Soul fire driven by demonic power, then there’s a way!’

Meanwhile…

Scarlet Soul walked slowly, blue ghost fire burning in her right eye socket, casting a playful gaze at the fallen Tong Qiu. Her short red hair moved without a breeze, and she was still wearing the tattered jailer’s uniform from her escape. Fox ears and a fox tail, wreathed in red souls, materialized with her steps, and the collar around her neck glowed conspicuously under the blue flames.

“The cultivation methods taught in your Demon Suppression Bureau are all based on the Taiching Celestial Meridian, which Bai Jiu’er pioneered. Since it’s related to Bai Jiu’er, how could I not know?”

Scarlet Soul gave Tong Qiu no chance to retaliate, nor did she engage in further verbal sparring. Instead, she raised her sharp claws with a wicked smile, decisively aiming them at Tong Qiu’s head and bringing them down with force.

Above her, flames capable of incinerating a soul crept closer and closer to Tong Qiu.

‘I’m sorry, everyone at the orphanage. Sister has to go first…’

Just then, a charcoal-grey figure blocked Bai Jiujiu’s path.

“My final payment hasn’t been made yet, and the promised subsidy hasn’t been given, Little Tong Qiu. Don’t close your eyes and wait for death.”

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