Chapter 991: Controlling the Sword

Chapter 991: Controlling the Sword

Everyone else had scattered or gone home, leaving only Liu Shuqin behind.

She had just arrived, and with the night too restless, she had no desire to go back just yet.

She felt like she was stuck in a weird position.

Li Ruo’er and Ling Meng both had clear identities—one a fairy and the other a demon. Now, while she was indeed a demon, technically speaking, she wasn’t a qualified one. She even did charitable acts for the common folk, shattering the worldview of demon practitioners.

Deep down, she didn’t want to be the kind of cold-hearted demon that indiscriminately slaughtered innocents.

Lin Nuo turned his back to her. A tense silence hung between them, suddenly quiet enough to feel eerie.

“Junior Martial Brother…”

After a long while, Liu Shuqin’s soft words broke the silence.

Her gentle voice reached Lin Nuo’s ears, prompting him to slowly turn around, making eye contact with Liu Shuqin’s enchanting eyes.

“Aren’t you going back to rest?” Lin Nuo asked.

“Not yet. What about you? Planning to rest?”

“I’m used to staying up late.”

“Oh, right. How could I forget? We’ve shared a bed before. I shouldn’t forget such a small detail, please don’t mind me, Junior Martial Brother.”

“…Let’s not talk about that, alright? Good thing there’s no one else around.”

Lin Nuo sighed. It was fortunate Liu Shuqin didn’t dwell on that too much; otherwise, the scene would have spiraled even further.

“Junior Brother, if you’re not sleepy, would you like to take a walk with me?”

Liu Shuqin invited Lin Nuo, under the starlit sky, with the full moon shining above, creating a picturesque scene.

“Take your Demon Sword with you. Go to the river by the back mountain. I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”

“Can’t we walk together?”

“You go ahead first, trust me.”

“Oh, alright, I’ll wait for you, Junior Brother.”

With a slight bow, Liu Shuqin left gracefully, heading toward the river to wait for Lin Nuo.

After watching Liu Shuqin walk away, he didn’t follow directly but took another path, circling around before heading to the back mountain, telling any patrolling demon practitioners or fox people he was out scouting.

The mist in the mountain forest was thick, a state that had persisted for several days. It hadn’t caused any harm to the demon practitioners or fox people, instead adding a layer of protection, making it hard for outsiders to intrude.

Lin Nuo made his way to the Crack of the Demon Realm cave where a few elite demon practitioners stood guard outside.

He had already cast a spell to seal it, but just in case someone was lurking with the ability to break the seal, it was wise to have more demon practitioners stationed.

For now, nothing much was happening; they were quietly on watch.

After observing for a bit, Lin Nuo swiftly departed like the wind.

……

Liu Shuqin soon arrived at the river by the back mountain; the water was clear, reflecting her shape under the moonlight.

She had grown accustomed to her slightly enchanting appearance, a trait of demon women, which she used to despise. But after some time, she realized that whether one was a demon or a human, there were both good and evil beings.

Yet, when a demon turned malicious, it could shatter her worldview. The cruelty and deceit made her even more sympathetic toward Lin Nuo, who had risen among demons. What trials had he endured?

With the mist around, she couldn’t fully appreciate the full moon—a little regrettable.

“Junior Brother, are you not here yet?”

Looking around, soon a figure appeared through the fog.

It was Lin Nuo.

“Did you wait long?”

Lin Nuo’s face gradually came into Liu Shuqin’s view.

“Not at all, I just arrived,” Liu Shuqin smiled and nodded.

“Did you notice anything unusual on your way here?”

“Unusual? No, Junior Brother. Why? Did you sense something?”

“No, just asking.”

Lin Nuo had become much more cautious during his patrols in the mountains, especially with matters concerning the Demon Realm weighing heavily on his mind.

“Where’s your sword?”

“Right here.”

With that, Liu Shuqin performed a Spirit Technique, summoning a spirit ring, and then pulled out the Dragon-patterned Demon Sword from within.

Seeing the Demon Sword again, Lin Nuo felt a strange mix of familiarity and distance—it was just an outward appearance, after all.

“You say you can’t control it?” Lin Nuo inquired.

“Yes, Junior Brother. I always feel like I can’t wield it freely, and the overflowing Demon Soul Power isn’t utilized well.”

“Show me a sword technique.”

“Alright, but Junior Brother, since I can’t control it well, it’s better if you stand a bit farther back. I’m afraid I might accidentally hurt you.”

“It’s fine; you won’t hurt me.”

Lin Nuo spoke confidently, showcasing the aura of a Demon Ruler.

“Okay, I was just being cautious.”

Liu Shuqin gripped the Demon Sword, taking a deep breath. She stepped back intentionally, though not too far, lest Lin Nuo doubt her trustworthiness.

She began to dance with the sword, performing familiar techniques, managing to keep control for the most part. But the more she used the sword, the more she felt the overwhelming surge of powerful Demon Soul Power.

She tried to slow down, but Lin Nuo saw right through it and called out:

“Don’t stop! Just do it as you normally would. You can even treat me as an enemy; why be timid?”

“Um…”

Liu Shuqin took another deep breath. If she danced with the sword now, it was likely to hit Lin Nuo.

Forget thinking too much.

Liu Shuqin then unleashed her full strength, no longer controlling the Demon Sword, and unleashed a torrent of sword energy that dispersed in all directions. It felt as if it could lock onto targets, homing in on Lin Nuo, as the scattered sword energy converged directly upon him.

“Ha, just a Sword Soul.”

Lin Nuo chuckled, not even drawing his own sword. He simply waved his hand down, pressing the sword energy into the ground, as if a fierce beast were subdued by a hunter.

“Ah? Junior Brother, this…”

Liu Shuqin was shocked; Lin Nuo could actually suppress that sword energy!

“You don’t need to stop; keep using the sword. Oh, and just attack me directly as if we were in a duel.”

“Duel with Junior Brother…? I’m no match for you.”

“It’s fine; it’s not a life-or-death fight. Just spar. I won’t strike back, you attack with everything you’ve got, treat me like your sworn enemy, and don’t hold back.”

“Um… I wouldn’t go that far… but I’ll do my best.”

Liu Shuqin took a deep breath, turning her sword dance towards Lin Nuo.

Her sword strikes were quick, but still far inferior compared to Lin Nuo. Whenever he wanted to dodge, she couldn’t even keep up with his figure, let alone land a hit.

However, Lin Nuo slowed down deliberately, giving Liu Shuqin some hope. Multiple times, she seemed on the verge of hitting him, but he dodged at the last second.

It felt like he was toying with her.

Liu Shuqin wasn’t angered; she understood her own limits and knew she couldn’t defeat Lin Nuo.

But her sword seemed to become increasingly agitated, as she noticed her hands were becoming uncontrollable, launching attack after attack toward Lin Nuo, the strikes coming faster and faster.

“Junior Brother, I can’t control my hands!”

“It’s fine. That’s the effect we want.”

With a grin, Lin Nuo drew his own Spirit Sword.