A scorching stream of fire drilled in along Li Xuan's fingers, and the magic blood on the ground, like magma, was slowly cooling, as if losing its magic power.
The young man did not reveal his original appearance but maintained his current demonic form.
The rain had long washed his black hair, but large beads of sweat emerged on his back, chest, abdomen, and forehead.
The mixture of rain and sweat made it difficult to distinguish between the two.
Additionally, there were some shallow knife marks on his chest and abdomen; blood had flowed, staining his gray cloak red, but the high temperature within his body had already fused it into narrow blood scabs.
Previously, during his swift battle with the demon monkey, he hadn't noticed; only now did he feel a slight delayed pain.
Li Xuan gradually steadied his breathing, glanced at his own condition, his expression slightly condensed, revealing some joy.
[Li Xuan]
[Realm: Out of Flow]
[Demon Points: 8]
[Strength: 10/10]
[Agility: 15/15]
[Physique: 10/10]
[Spirit: 9/10]
Here, the previously exhausted "Demon Points" had already become "8" points, but the realm was still "Out of Flow". He didn't know what the next realm was or how to break through.
In the "Nine Grid Blood Bar", the first grid, which was lit, contained the magic blood of the "Mist Concealing Phantom Leopard (Young Demon)", while the other eight grids were dark.
However, in the second dark grid, a new pattern suddenly appeared.
It was "a brown monkey in shadows, with a sly face and a playful expression".
Beside the monkey, information appeared: Mutated Demon Monkey (Young Demon).
Below, more information appeared:
Injecting the complete blood of the Young Demon Mutated Demon Monkey can provide 16 additional spirit points and the mastery of the demon technique [Illusion Skill].
...
'16 Spirit points? Illusion Skill?'
Li Xuan casually glanced over it.
Strength, physique, agility, he understood all these.
Now, it seemed that "Spirit" was likely directly related to the casting of certain magic.
At the same time, the "Mutated Demon Monkey" also confirmed his thoughts: these magic blood could only grant him some of the demon's main attributes and their demon techniques.
Many thoughts flashed through his mind but were quickly dismissed.
This occasion, this timing, was not suitable for deep thinking and studying these gains.
Having completed the slaughter and successfully dealt with the flower thief, what he needed to do now was quickly handle the scene, check the surroundings for any third party witnessing the slaughter, and then return unnoticed and undetected.
Li Xuan looked at the blood and flesh scattered on the ground; this was the wilderness, and the wilderness of Xiongshan County was not lacking in wild beasts.
Those beasts would be attracted by the smell of blood, serving as adequate cleaners, consuming the demon monkey's flesh and blood that had lost its magic power.
He looked at the blood and flesh, suddenly picking up a piece.
It was the demon monkey's organ, disconnected intestines.
He leaped up a tree, hanging several pieces of intestine separately on high branches.
The forest faced north toward the official road, while the south was a vast stretch, extending to hills, and winding paths could even reach Chaotic Crow Ridge.
And at this time, the cold wind was from the north.
The intestines had a heavy stench, hanging high made it easier for the north wind to diffuse the smell into the forest, thereby quicker attracting the "cleaners".
After doing these things, he hid in the mist, patrolled the surrounding area, finding no "unknowing third party observing this scene", then swiftly departed.
...
...
Two incense sticks later, Li Xuan returned to the inner house of the Li family in Xiongshan County.
The entire small county was unaware that just now... the demonic shadow looming over them had already died.
Even the Li family showed no reaction.
Li Xuan silently lamented in his heart that the world had truly changed; this world had begun to have more demons, and a single young demon could toy with an entire county, making it its playground for casual enjoyment.
He was lucky, extremely lucky, to have slain that demon monkey.
Recalling the details of the slaughter, a sense of fear crept in. Because if the demon monkey sensed something amiss and hid within the county, then... he would be in a position of absolute disadvantage. What would happen after that was unimaginable.
But now... the demon monkey's magic blood was his.
Li Xuan thought of this as he lit the stove, tearing off his cloak and throwing it into the fire.
Then, he removed his undergarments, rolled them into a ball, and wiped them over his wounds, cleaning the blood stains, then threw them into the stove, burning them clean.
After changing into new clothes, he comfortably lay on the couch, covering himself with a quilt.
Outside the window, the rain hadn't stopped, pattering against the oiled-paper window, but the earlier chill was gone.
The mist was long gone, evident that "Exhale Smoke" was merely temporary and only enveloped him.
Suddenly, Li Xuan thought of his missing older sister.
Red Flower Mountain didn't find the bodies of his sister and her maidservants, which meant his sister might not have been killed by the "Mist Concealing Demon Leopard".
Given the demon monkey's behavior, even if his sister was defiled by it, it should have been arrogantly displayed, but it wasn't, indicating his sister likely didn't encounter the "Mutated Demon Monkey".
So, where did his sister go?
Could she have encountered other demons?
Could she... still be alive?
Li Xuan also thought of his deceased uncle, his second aunt who cried until her eyes were swollen, his mood suddenly heavy again, muttering: 'This damned world... seems impossible to lie still.'
After a while, he yawned.
Originally planning to research the new abilities, but a strong drowsiness attacked like a tide, a double exhaustion of body and spirit.
"Forget it, I'll deal with it tomorrow."
Li Xuan curled into the quilt, falling asleep deeply...
...
...
Li Xuan slept until the afternoon the next day, getting up.
No one found it strange, because Master Li also rose at this time.
Why?
Fear.
Afraid of not being able to sleep at night, terrified that his head would suddenly vanish.
So, when Li Xuan rises late, no one says anything, not even mentioning it, for fear of embarrassing the hosts.
At this time, Eldest Young Master Li sits in the dining hall, served by the maids for his meal.
His gaze sweeps across the surroundings, where he sees the maids' fearful expressions nearby and hears the frequent footsteps of the Martial Artists patrolling from afar.
Clearly, the entire Li Mansion, and even the whole Xiongshan County, is still gripped by intense fear.
No one knows the flower thief is already dead.
Li Xuan is unwilling to reveal this.
He is curious to see how the court will react upon learning the situation in Xiongshan County, and whether there are forces in this world that can counter the demon techniques.
...
...
After the meal.
Li Xuan goes to greet his parents, encounters Su Qiang, and there's a playful exchange of looks.
When he comes to the small courtyard on the side, he hears the whistling gunshots, which cease as he approaches, and he looks from behind the arched gate to meet Wei Yao's eyes.
"Sir." Wei Yao salutes with fists clasped, her demeanor seems to have undergone a transformation, becoming more sharp yet deeper.
Li Xuan asks, "Why did you stop the gun dance? I was about to compliment it."
Wei Yao unexpectedly laughs, her cheeks blooming like peach blossoms, she says, "Of course, knowing you've arrived, I came to greet you."
Li Xuan looks at her smile and smiles as well.
He recognizes the changes in Wei Yao.
He knows Wei Yao hasn't spoken.
But since Wei Yao is silent, she must have her reasons, and he is willing to wait until she opens up.
A woman who can save his life is worth such treatment.
Not all human interactions require words.
So, Li Xuan smiles happily.
The Buddha smiled while holding a flower, he smiles at beauties, so what's the harm?
Wei Yao rolls her eyes, carries her gun and runs over.
Li Xuan turns and runs.
Wei Yao arrives at the door, but Li Xuan has already darted far away.
The girl retains her heroic spirit tinged with a shadowy atmosphere as she looks at the youth running away and calls out, "Sir, I'm not stabbing you, why are you running?"
Li Xuan turns and calls out a cheesy line, teasing, "I just want to be good with you."
Wei Yao is stunned, then her face reddens and she chases after him without a word, holding her gun high.
As the chase continues, Li Xuan disappears from sight, while Wei Yao pauses, her expression showing a bit of struggle, a darkened look of stubbornness, yet she turns back.
Soon, the courtyard resounds with the whistling gun practice again.
...
After teasing Wei Yao, Li Xuan feels much more relaxed, almost reclaiming the life of a privileged scion.
He likes women like Wei Yao, because she's a chivalrous woman who has licked blood from the blade, bearing an aura of "unreachable wealth", unlike other maids who only act timid before him.
He returns to the inner room, looking at his own panel.
The "Nine Grid Blood Bar" only has one grid lit, which possibly means he can temporarily only activate a certain type of magic blood.
He tries it.
Sure enough, with a slight thought, the "Mutated Strange Monkey (Young Demon)" icon moves to the lit grid, while the "Fog Lurking Mystic Leopard (Young Demon)" shifts to the adjacent gray grid.
'Inject.'
Li Xuan murmurs.
With a slight thought, a surge of scorching flow enters his body.
Unlike before, this time... he experiences no physical changes.
Yet his mind is unprecedentedly clear.
Li Xuan looks at himself in the mirror, feeling satisfied in his heart.
Because...no physical transformations mean this magic blood can remain in his body constantly.
Suddenly, he darts out of the room, into second aunt's room, hearing from afar his younger brother reading aloud animatedly.
He bursts into the yard.
Li Zhili stops reading, salutes him and says, "Brother."
Li Xuan says, "Zhili."
Li Zhili adopts an old fashioned look, saying formally, "Brother, what brings you here today?"
Li Xuan says, "These days, I find myself idle, so I suddenly want to read, thus I want to borrow a book from you."
Li Zhili is surprised and delighted, says, "Brother, you want to read books?"
Li Xuan waves and says, "Not read, just take a look."
Li Zhili coughs twice, concealing his inadvertent joy, takes out a hefty volume and hands it to Li Xuan, solemnly saying, "Brother, reading is quite interesting."
Li Xuan nods, then holding the book, flips two pages.
The dense vertical script, which was once exceedingly hard to bear, but this moment...he reads, overviews, memorizing every word perfectly.
This is, photographic memory!
...
From a distant, hidden attic, Li Xuan silently watches the interaction between the "illusion skill dummy" he conjured and Li Zhili, shaking his head slightly.
The distance of illusion skill can reach around a hundred meters, moreover, this illusion skill doesn't merely target one person, but acts like a "real presence."
It doesn't change sight or hearing, but instead truly weaves a "dummy" there that moves according to your will, only that this "dummy" lacks attack power.
In other words, even if the second aunt is watching from the room, she can see him truly interacting with Li Zhili.