Star Gate

Sharpened raindrops smashed into Chen Jian’s shield, leaving it a pockmarked mess. They were exceedingly deadly and could’ve drilled countless bloody holes into flesh and blood.

“We charge together!” Liu Yan roared, stabbing with one of her daggers. “Forget Li Hao, they won’t kill him yet! They’re waiting for the right timing!”

“Smart!” chuckled the supernatural. So what if he was surrounded and they’d guessed the truth? He waved a shield of water into being in front of him; it fully dispersed the force behind Liu Yan’s dagger when she pierced through it. The dagger could not penetrate closer to him.

“The era of martial masters is over!” chuckled Ghostface. He waved another surge of mysterious power forward—a rainy night was his perfect battlefield! He could deploy greater strength than otherwise!

Water arrows shot in all directions!

Chen Jian roared angrily and stepped up, raising the shield over everyone. The Demon Hunters were well coordinated. Wu Chao grit his teeth against pain from his organs, swiftly circling around their opponent like a wraith wielding a black shortsword. He would take any opportunity that presented itself!

Four Slayers found themselves on the back foot when facing a Darkmoon, but they acted in unspoken accord. With Chen Jian in front of them, he could just manage to withstand the fearsome water arrows. The portly man could hold on for a bit so long as properties such as fire did not appear.

Liu Yan also brought her full strength to bear. She strode forward and cracked her legs like a whip, shattering the water shield so she could stab both daggers in!

The five waged battle as one team!

……

In the distance.

Li Hao ran for his life, but the scarlet shadow was just as fast. It caught up to the young man in the blink of an eye. Panther chased them down from behind, barking its head off at the shadow!

The human slowed to a pause, looked around him, then cast a resigned look at the dog. What are you barking for? I can see it! It’s not like your barking is of any use! You can’t touch the shadow!

He gripped the jade sword with nervousness. He didn’t know if it’d be of any use. Would he have to wait for his teacher to save him if it couldn’t eliminate the shadow either?

The scarlet shadow didn’t seem to possess a consciousness of its own. It hovered in place, awaiting orders. Upon seeing the young man stop, it swiftly drew near.

The hairs rose on the back of Li Hao’s neck! He didn’t try to instinctively dodge it—the shadow might be the most difficult part of tonight. It was a thornier opponent than the supernaturals! They would be in a pickle if he didn’t kill the shadow.

“Arf arf arf!” Panther started up a racket again.

Li Hao ignored the dog and jerked the jade sword off its chain. He pinched it tightly and aimed the tip at the shadow. It was do or die! This thing had burned his best friend to death! Although he didn’t know if it was the same one, all scarlet shadows deserved death!

He clenched his teeth and stabbed forward the moment the shadow drew near!

“……” There was no reaction. It was as if the scarlet shadow suffered no injury.

Li Hao reeled with shock. There’s no effect?? This couldn’t be! The jade sword was ready to jump into battle the previous times, how was it ineffective now?

But such was reality. The sword stabbed through the shadow without any outcome.

“Is it… still sealed? Is the bloodline needed to unseal it?” The young man suddenly thought back to his teacher speaking of the sword being sealed. Should he stab his heart for his heart blood? Or perhaps he should try agitating his blood. That might unseal the jade sword at a certain level.

Li Hao’s blood frothed when his thoughts traveled here. He was only a Slayer, so he couldn’t reach Liu Long’s level of forcing the shadow back, but the sensation in his blood seemed to bring something new. Stellaris trembled in his hand!

“Kill!” Li Hao grunted, stabbing once more. There was an effect this time!

The scarlet shadow suffered a blow when it drew near his chest. It sounded like something was punctured when Stellaris connected; crimson smoke rose from the hole. The shadow now seemed… tangible?

Due to always being able to see the shadow, Li Hao didn’t know if this meant it was visible to the naked eye. It did seem much clearer than before, however.

Panther suddenly waved its paws around and pounced forward, swinging its paws rapidly and catching the shadow with sharp claws! A fissure appeared in the shadow with yet more deflating sounds. Joy dawned in the dog’s eyes! So this worked too?

Li Hao tightened his pinch without another word and propelled his internal force, decisively stabbing forward!

Pfft!

More scarlet smoke rose. The shadow seemed to sense danger and sought to flee. Panther waved its paws behind it and forced the entity back.

Li Hao put the sword away and attempted a punch. It connected solidly with the scarlet shadow!

The shadow really was tangible now!

Stellaris could force the scarlet shadow into taking form! The shadow didn’t seem too strong—it was just difficult to kill. Li Hao and Panther’s attacks inflicted consistent damage and always raised wisps of bloody smoke!

“So… this is all there is to you?” Li Hao suddenly laughed. I’ve been scared shitless for a year, but this is what this thing is? It’s so weak! I thought you were a god or something!

It was on par with a Slayer of Tens and impossible to deal with only because ordinary people were unable to see it. No wonder these people hadn’t been able to kill Liu Long even though they sent scarlet shadows!

“Die!!” Li Hao attacked frenetically, bringing out the dagger he’d taken from the martial master. He slashed in a random frenzy, swiftly pulverizing it to pieces with Panther’s help. However, the human-sized cloud of smoke slowly came back together.

Li Hao furrowed his brow. Were these things undying? How come it lived through that barrage? What the hell is it?

The jade sword didn’t seem to be fully unsealed as it ceased to be useful after piercing through the shadow’s invisibility. Could it be that the shadows were impossible to exterminate?

A faint tendril of bloody smoke landed on Li Hao’s hand. He was operating the Breathing Method of the Five Styles all this time and circulating cosmic power inside his body. When the bloody smoke drifted to his hand, he accidentally absorbed it.

Once inside his body, it combined with cosmic power and transmuted to a unique energy. The energy was very special as it enhanced neither the body nor organs. It swiftly melded with blood—Li Hao felt that his blood brimmed with energy ever since the blood transfusion. With the injection of the blood-red energy, his blood agitated anew!

“Huh?” The young man blinked, was the scarlet shadow also a special energy? His blood was growing stronger and his eyes turned red!

Martial masters strengthened tendons and bones, enhanced internal force, underwent a blood transfusion, and trained their body…

Yet blood was the most difficult to improve.

So this thing is energy? Cosmic power can nullify and turn it into unique energy for me to absorb?

Hot damn!!

Glee shone from Li Hao’s eyes. His head was aching over how to handle the thing as it didn’t seem it would die. Let’s see how you manage to resurrect if I absorb all of you!

Breathing Method of the Five Styles at full strength!

Li Hao grabbed the shadow and devoured it with all of his might! I’ll assimilate you to death!

The scarlet shadow struggled fiercely, as if sensing danger. Tendrils of red smoke arose and churned toward Li Hao; the young man’s blood agitated violently! He underwent a similar experience when strengthening the spleen, but there’d been too little energy then to highlight the effects of a blood transfusion.

This time, however, the scarlet shadow was more than enough. Blood bubbled from Li Hao’s pores! New blood geysered at the same time—blood surged through his body like lava. The young man overflowed with strength!

“Let’s eat more!” Li Hao nearly danced for joy. The scarlet shadow might be key to growing stronger! He already felt more capable after less than one tenth of it—what if he absorbed an entire shadow?

How many supernaturals had come on this mission?

The young man suddenly wished for a dozen scarlet shadows to be after him. C’mere, all of you, I’ll eat you all!

Babump, babump!

His heart pounded violently. Blood rushed around his body like a water current. Li Hao could tell that he was stronger, but his meridians, bones, and skin didn’t seem up to the task yet. His blood vessels strained with the load.

Off to the side, while there was no possibility of Panther sharing the spoils, the dog seemed to understand that Li Hao was obtaining something good. Seeing the young man covered in an increasing amount of blood, Panther… suddenly licked Li Hao.

It was just a lick, maybe it’d gain something for its efforts.

Emotions of both man and dog ran high. After a few licks that seemed to prove effective, Panther gave full rein to its tongue.

Bloody smoke filled the air as the scarlet shadow began to shrink amid struggles. It was the size of a human being to begin with, but gradually diminished to the size of a head. Li Hao was almost drunk on what he’d absorbed.

This was a marvelous treasure! It wasn’t any worse than cosmic power and might be better as it was the equivalent of absorbing several hundred cubes of mysterious power all at once, but with no pain!

Li Hao swung his fist again and shattered the last bit of the shadow. He could clearly sense that he’d grown stronger.

“I’ve improved?” He smiled happily. He placed himself at Slayer of Thirties, maybe even forties. The young man was much stronger than before.

Li Hao quickly pivoted on his heel to run back to where he came from. The scarlet shadow was no more. Who knew if the supernatural could sense that? Don’t worry about it, let’s go back for a look first. Panth is a Slayer, which makes for six Slayers total. Maybe we’ll be able to take that guy down!