The sword formation shrunk faster, compressing to within a zhang’s range, completely trapping Ah Gou. As the sword descended, the sword qi converged into a single stream that merged into the sword. The sword’s sharpness completely faded as it was about to land on Ah Gou. Cold light flashed again, but the sword severed, sending it flying. A streak of light that seemed to be a dagger fragment flashed by.
The sword landed on Ah Gou, twisting his shadow form. However, in the next instant, Gu Han's own shadow briefly twisted as well. Gu Han could feel his swing slowing down considerably, causing his aim to deviate. The moment the sword force erupted, Ah Gou flew far away.
Chongming stared at Gu Han, lost in thought. “Did he control your shadow just now?”
Gu Han nodded. In fact, Ah Gou did more than just that. Gu Han had never seen or heard of such a thing.
A small, slender boy staggered over from a distance. Ah Gou had revealed his true appearance. His face was deathly pale, and his eyes were wide with shock. A chi-long wound spread across his chest, so deep it nearly slashed him in two. Blood gushed down and stained his beast hide red.
Under the continuous erosion of the Mortal World Intent, his qi was rapidly dissipating. Even so, he still gritted his teeth and stubbornly staggered toward Gu Han.
Chongming was stunned. “Huh? Isn’t he just a dog demon?”
Gu Han corrected him, “Master Rooster, that’s a half-human, half-demon hybrid.”
He had seen Wei Fang before, so he could tell that Ah Gou still carried human blood in his veins.
Chongming rolled his eyes, then sighed. “What’s the difference? I never expected the world to have such a strong dog demon. How rare!”
Gu Han was speechless. That’s rare?? I’ve seen a rooster demon stronger than even the Profound Heaven Sword Chief!
Chongming asked again, “What does he want?”
Gu Han shook his head. “No idea.”
Ah Gou kept drawing nearer, barely hanging there. He seemed preoccupied, as though they didn't exist in his eyes. There wasn’t the slightest trace of killing intent in his eyes. Finally, he couldn’t hold on and collapsed to the ground.
Nevertheless, he didn’t stop.
Clawing into the ground, he crawled forward with difficulty, his eyes fixed stubbornly ahead. The bewilderment and savagery in his gaze had completely transformed into obsession. One chi, then another chi. A long bloodstained trail appeared behind him. Eventually, his qi grew fainter, his strength dwindled, and the distance he covered shrank from a chi to a cun.
For some reason, Gu Han had mixed emotions after seeing the obsession in those eyes and that face full of childishness.
Chongming was taken aback, seeming a bit moved as well. “How about we give him a quick death?”
Meanwhile, Gu Han had already realized that Ah Gou wasn’t trying to attack him, but was looking for something instead.
His heart stirred, and his divine sense swept across the area immediately. Could it be that dagger?
He spotted a sharp fang about an inch long in the grass a zhang ahead. A small hole had been drilled through the end, strung with several colorful threads woven together. However, the threads were now broken, seemingly severed by his sword earlier.
The sharp fang carried a faint trace of exceptionally pure demonic qi, while the colorful threads seemed to come from the mortal world. By now, Ah Gou could no longer crawl as he stopped ten zhang away, his eyes still fixed stubbornly ahead. The bloodstained path stretched almost endlessly behind him.
With a sigh, Gu Han snatched the sharp fang and appeared before Ah Gou. “You want this?”
Ah Gou blankly stared at the colorful threads. Reflected in his eyes were the threads swaying gently in the wind, adding a hint of color to his otherwise lifeless gaze. Only at this moment did he finally have a trace of human appearance.
Gu Han handed the sharp fang to him. “Here.”
Ah Gou struggled to wipe his hands on the beast hide, trying to clean the blood and dust from his palms. Only after his palms seemed somewhat cleaner did he pick up the sharp fang. Carefully, he cradled it in his palm and pressed it against his cheek, slowly closing his eyes. A trace of happiness crossed his pale face.
Gu Han hesitated briefly. With a thought, he raised his hand and dispersed the small bit of Mortal World Intent remaining in Ah Gou, preserving the last shred of vitality within him.
Chongming was curious. “Kid, you’re acting weird. Since when did you start showing mercy to your enemies?”
From the day Gu Han had left Tianwu City, everyone who wanted him dead had died by his hand. When it came to enemies, he never showed mercy, nor did he hesitate. Those he could kill, he killed on the spot. Those he couldn’t, he’d find a chance to kill later.
However, Ah Gou alone seemed to be an exception. He didn't tell Chongming that the real reason he had spared Ah Gou was the glimmer of color that had appeared in the boy’s eyes earlier. It was very similar to what he had seen in Mo Chenyin’s eyes. And that color was called hope.
Pushing aside his thoughts, he glanced at Ah Gou expressionlessly. “I’ll spare you just this once. Next time, I’ll definitely kill you.”
With that, Gu Han turned and left. “Master Rooster, let’s go.”
“Where to?”
“Scavenging, healing, and then killing our way through to the Hehuan Sect!”
Putting Ah Gou aside, Gu Han had to settle scores, and the sooner, the better.
Chongming’s eyes lit up as he shot Ah Gou a fierce glare. “Good! Go back and tell that stinking woman to wash up and wait for me!”
A long while later, Ah Gou slowly came to his senses. He struggled to his feet, still clutching the sharp fang in his hand. The boy then stared blankly in the direction the man and the rooster had gone.
***
In the main hall of the Hehuan Sect, voices laced with pain and pleasure rose and fell, echoing ceaselessly through the hall. Moments later, the sounds stopped abruptly. Draped in light gauze, the Hehuan Sect Master treaded barefoot down from the jade bed, satisfaction lingering in her face. The gruesome, bloody hole in her chest had vanished without a trace.
As she arrived outside, a few handsome male disciples immediately brought over a white jade seat and offered a cup of spirit tea. Silently, a patch of shadow descended, taking the form of Ah Gou. He dropped to his knees.
Upon seeing Ah Gou’s deathly state, the Hehuan Sect Master turned cold. “Did you kill him?” ⅇ𝒃𝚗ℴ
“No.”
“And the rooster?”
When she saw that Ah Gou didn’t answer, a wisp of cultivation leaked out, reducing her teacup into powder. 𝔣𝖗ⅇℯ
“Useless dog!” The Hehuan Sect Master’s eyes were filled with resentment, disappointment, and agitation. She strode over to Ah Gou and struck down toward his brow. “Where is my rooster?!”