41: The Demon Essence Cannon

From dozens of meters away, the sword aura visibly soared skywards, nine streams of Falling Star sword energy swirling around the Zhi Jiang sword, undulating like dragons and phoenixes, dancing across the long night. Chen Longshi had not employed any sword technique or stellar skill. It was with this seemingly ordinary stroke that he unleashed a suffocating pressure upon the entire audience.

The half-demon with the leopard’s body, as the target, felt it most keenly; his breath froze, as if even the air had turned razor-sharp. In his vision, Chen Longshi pointed from afar, and the three-foot Zhi Jiang sword transformed into an infinitely vast celestial blade, spanning thousands of miles, breaking through the void to descend upon him.

“What kind of sword technique is this? To wield a sword in midair and produce such power… But the opponent is only a Bronze-ranked being, and can already launch such a devastating attack?” As the sword light pressed closer, the leopard-bodied half-demon’s expression twisted in horror. The overwhelming sword aura shook him to his core.

Driven by his desperate will to survive, he let out a furious roar, summoning the demon energy within and opening his bloody maw. His throat plunged into darkness, as if a miniature black hole was forming, its center revealing a faint crimson glow.

“Watch out, it’s a Demon Core Cannon!”

“Is he insane? He’s not even at Silver half-demon level, yet he dares to unleash a Demon Core Cannon.”

The Demon Core Cannon, modeled after the breath attacks of great demons, was the signature stellar skill of half-demons—a concentrated beam of stellar demon energy, its destructive force tremendous. Chen Longshi, naturally, was no stranger to this move—villainous half-demons in films often showcased it, always resulting in vast swathes of destruction, the special effects never cheap.

The Demon Core Cannon surged forth with earth-shattering momentum, but when it encountered the Falling Star sword aura midair, it was instantly annihilated. The energy hidden within this seemingly simple stroke was far greater than anyone imagined.

This time, Chen Longshi held nothing back. Over 160 points of mental power guided the sword, fully igniting the swirling Falling Star aura. Any attack that approached was shredded by the sword’s gale before it could even get close.

The Falling Star sword aura descended, cleaving street lamps into pieces. Sword energy roared, scattering fragments of stone across the ground. The onlookers all gasped, marveling at the profound art of sword control.

Nine Star Sword Art.

Chen Longshi’s hand, slender and jade-like, formed a sword sign with index and middle fingers, weaving a sword formula and pointing into the air. In an instant, the sword aura surged like a dragon, its song echoing.

“I’m going to die!” The leopard-bodied half-demon’s face changed dramatically, feeling as if the world before him had lost all color, with nothing left but the vast ocean of sword energy rushing towards him. Summoning his last strength, he roared, his leopard claws slashing cold light across his chest.

A streak of red-and-black light flashed like a fleeting horse, halting his movements abruptly. In the next moment, his head exploded, and his massive body collapsed with a thunderous crash.

“Old Leopard!” Another giant, fat-faced and big-eared, saw his comrade’s tragic death and roared in rage. Under the moonlight, his demon energy boiled uncontrollably, his form swelling larger, signs of demonic transformation intensifying. His limbs thickened like elephant legs, and with a thunderous kick, he knocked aside an attack from a member of the investigation team. Without hesitation, he turned to flee.

“After him!”

“Block him!”

The Zhi Jiang sword swept forth, Falling Star sword aura forming a sword array, enveloping all directions.

The fierce sword energy surged, slicing the road into chaos. The sound of slicing echoed as the elephant-legged half-demon’s rough skin was cut open, blood streaming. In a moment of crisis, a golden protective shield suddenly sprang up around him. The sword energy struck, producing a series of hollow booms, and cracks appeared in the shield at a visible pace.

He was alarmed; this Dragon-Elephant Starlight Shield was his life-saving stellar skill. Within the Alliance, even Silver-ranked half-demons might not break through it—yet encountering a random Sword Bureau operative, he was met with such ferocious attack power.

Blocked by Chen Longshi, the team leader caught up from behind, unleashing a stellar skill—an overwhelming slash landed on the protective shield. That blow was the final straw; the shield shattered.

Chen Longshi’s sword light fell, flashing past. The giant’s body split from head to side, cleaved into two bloody halves.

The Zhi Jiang sword hummed, as if seeking praise, circling in the air before lightning-fast returning to Chen Longshi’s hand atop the building. Producing a white silk cloth from somewhere, he solemnly wiped the spotless blade before sheathing it.

The crowd below stared in awe, as if he had never moved at all.

Silence.

An eerie quiet filled the scene. The battle, though dramatic, lasted only a few seconds in earnest. Two formidable half-demons were not even a match for Chen Longshi’s single stroke, effortlessly slain by his hand.

Especially this technique, reminiscent of the legendary airborne sword attacks, left everyone deeply shaken.

Li Changhuan whistled, “Cool!”

“The younger generation truly surpasses the old—our newest teammate is already so formidable, I feel ancient.”

“Is everyone from the top of Xuan Yuan Military Academy at this level?” The group’s only woman, Liu Ying, asked, tongue in cheek.

Chen Kui said, “I heard the Bureau just received ten first-place recruits this time.”

“Ten?!” Liu Ying’s eyes widened.

Someone chimed in, and the atmosphere revived.

“Hey, your name is Chen Longshi, right?” Li Changhuan beckoned from below.

Chen Longshi leaped down, wearing a fittingly confident smile. “Senior Li, what would you like to ask?”

“You’re the strongest among the ten first-place recruits, aren’t you?”

Chen Longshi smiled, “I haven’t seen the others in battle, so it wouldn’t be proper to judge.”

“Come on, does that even need asking?” Chen Kui, sheathing his blade, walked over. “With this kind of strength, if there’s someone stronger, then I’ve wasted half my life.”

“Lucky we have him in our group, that’s a real boost,” said the team leader Xiao Feng, nodding in satisfaction, flicking blood from his blade. Seeing the destruction around, he frowned slightly, then decided to report, “Wu, the reinforcements have been eliminated.”

Wu Tianyuan replied, “Good. Immediately seal off the subway entrance. The target has broken through the exhaust vent and entered the station, currently blending in with the crowd.”

The other end sounded busy, clearly entering a critical moment.

“Received. Shall we stop the subway?”

“Act as needed; hostages are priority.”

“Understood.”

Xiao Feng glanced at the four, “Follow me into the subway. Yingzi, contact command, lock down the subway section, forbid further entry.”

Still damp from the rain, the group entered the station, the air thick with a bloody, damp odor.

Seeing them enter armed, the passersby scattered away. The station had already been taken over by colleagues from the Azure Dragon team, organizing order and inspecting everyone—only exit, no entry.

Chen Longshi spotted the battle-hardened Wang Ben and approached quietly. “What’s the situation? Where’s the target?”

Wang Ben replied, “One half-demon is very skilled in speed; just now, he took a hostage and entered the station through the vent. We haven’t found the target yet—he might be mixed in with ordinary people, or hiding in the subway tunnel. The captain took a team into the tunnel; we’re following Captain Chu’s orders to check here.”

Chen Longshi glanced at the claw marks on Wang Ben’s chest armor. “You had a run-in?”

Wang Ben’s face soured, “Met a tough one, too fast for me to keep up. Luckily my armor’s sturdy, or I’d have been wounded in the first fight—would’ve disgraced Xuan Yuan Academy. You, though, look spotless.”

Chen Longshi smiled, saying nothing.

Just then, a maglev subway pulled into the station. A surge of passengers poured onto the platform, making it more crowded.

Chen Longshi frowned, “This is bad. Why haven’t they stopped the trains yet?”

Deputy captain Chu Qingyu cursed in anger, hawk-like eyes scanning the crowd. “Who’s responsible for stopping the trains?”

Liu Ying hurried to explain, “Captain Chu, it's already stopped; this is the last one.”

Chu Qingyu waved his hand, stepped forward, and drew his sword, shouting, “Sword Bureau official business! Everyone, squat down immediately for inspection.”

“Disobey, and you’ll be severely punished!”

“Do not challenge the authority of my sword!”

The passengers, confused, stood frozen. Two quick-witted ones squatted first, prompting the others to follow. But before Chu Qingyu finished speaking, two women dressed as pregnant mothers suddenly stood and hurled two spheres into the crowd.

“Damn it!”

“Star crystal bombs—these beasts!”

The two women tore off their disguises, hands clawed like wolves, green light flashing in their fierce eyes. Facing the rushing Chu Qingyu, they threw more spheres.

Chu Qingyu’s eyes blazed with fury, longing to cut them to pieces, but forced to dodge the bombs.

“Squat down!”

“Take cover!”

There were over a hundred ordinary people here—one bomb could cripple the entire station.

How could someone get their hands on such military-grade secret weapons?

But after a few moments, no explosion sounded. A sword light blasted through the ceiling, piercing a hole straight up to the stars outside.

Next, as if an invisible hand swept them up, all the star crystal bombs were snatched and hurled through the hole, soaring higher and higher, hundreds of meters into the sky before exploding in a crimson starburst. The shockwave scattered the clouds, shattering glass on several high-rises.

Nearby, the electricity flickered, stuttering before returning to normal.

What a dazzling display of fireworks!

The sudden turn left everyone stunned.

Chu Qingyu reacted first, sword aura roaring forth, slaying one assailant on the spot.

The other completed their transformation, becoming a massive blood wolf, tearing through the crowd with savage bites. The platform was soon awash in blood and cries echoed everywhere.

“Beast!”

“Die!”

Everyone was enraged, the brutality beyond all humanity.

Wang Ben too was seized by fury, eyes bloodshot. He was nearest, drew his blade and charged, fighting with abandon. But someone was faster.

A sword light sliced through the void, piercing the crazed half-demon’s head.

Chaos reigned; civilians screamed and fled. Outside, the military police had not yet arrived. The squad members guarding the blockade saw bloodied civilians rushing out and froze, unsure whether to stop them. Hesitating, they were pushed aside and the checkpoint was breached.