Chapter Sixty-Four: Severed at the Root

Leng Tian let out a cold laugh and snorted, “Serves you right…”

Judas rubbed his hands together, grinning wickedly. “Boss, can I finally have a good meal this time?”

Casting a glance at Judas, and seeing his eager face, Leng Tian’s good mood instantly turned to storm clouds. He scowled, “No.”

Judas’s hopeful expression immediately twisted into one of utter misery. With a tone full of grievance, he moaned, “You never let me eat any of them. Do you want to starve me to death?”

A kick flew out, landing squarely between his legs! A wail rang out, echoing for several meters, before Judas crashed to the ground without raising a speck of dust—it was as if he were weightless, incapable of stirring even a ripple.

“Boss, can you not go for the vital parts? That’s my lifeblood! I’m ruined…” Judas clutched his groin in despair, rolling on the ground, crying in pain.

Leng Tian almost snorted with rage, barking, “What are you wailing for? Are you trying to announce it to the world? Get back here, now!”

At Leng Tian’s words, Judas immediately ceased his dramatic display, and in a blink, appeared at Leng Tian’s side. “Boss, what’s our next move?” His previous misery had vanished, replaced by a fawning smile.

“Just you wait, boy. Once I regain control, I’ll rip your soul out and torment it a hundred times over. A hundred times…” Outwardly, Judas tried his best to please, but inside, he swore vicious oaths. He’d had no good intentions since making the contract with Leng Tian; his true purpose remained a mystery.

Whenever Leng Tian looked at Judas’s lecherous face, disgust welled up within him. He was convinced Judas had chosen this form on purpose—why else would he look exactly like the Third Demon?

“Enough nonsense. Take me to a secluded spot; I need to return to the Inferno to check on the Fox Sisters—and figure out what to do with this Demon Leopard.”

“Heh… On this endless grassland, the most hidden places are the dens of demon beasts.” Judas once again put on his sly, greasy look.

“Less talk, get moving!” If not for needing his assistance, Leng Tian would have thrown him into the Inferno to suffer endless thunder punishment.

Judas shuddered under Leng Tian’s menacing glare, quickly closed his mouth, and his incorporeal form faded into nothingness, leading Leng Tian away at great speed.

Soon after, they found a concealed cave among man-high grass, the lair of a demon bear. When Leng Tian arrived, the bear was just about to head out for lunch.

Judas, upon seeing the beast, could barely contain himself—he wanted to pounce and devour its soul to satisfy his long-standing hunger. But Leng Tian’s words, cold as ice in the heat of summer, instantly snuffed out his desire.

“Leave it.”

“Ah…” Judas nearly went mad inside, thinking this was pure torment. He was on the verge of exploding, but dared not rebel. He squatted miserably by the cave wall, scratching at it compulsively.

The cave’s owner, the demon bear, was stunned by the sudden appearance of these two, especially Judas’s absurd scratching. Fresh from sleep and still dreaming of food, the bear found itself bewildered, thinking, “Did I go to the wrong place?”

Its slow mind could only form one thought: “Did I take a wrong turn?”

Leng Tian watched Judas’s crazed scratching and the bear’s sluggish confusion, and couldn’t help but laugh, even pitying the creature. “Forget it! If it’s this dimwitted, it’s no use keeping it. It’s yours.”

Judas, still clawing at the wall, leapt with joy at this divine gift. Even the tears in his eyes seemed to reverse course, flowing back inside—a sight that made Leng Tian gape in admiration for such a bizarre skill.

The demon bear, startled by Judas’s sudden change, finally realized the two were intruders. Enraged, it let out a bellow and charged at Leng Tian, who was closest.

“You dare act fierce?” Judas’s eyes gleamed green with ravenous hunger. With a shout, he lunged at the demon bear.

The bear, seeing Judas pounce, shifted its attack, the massive body slamming toward him. Yet Judas’s eyes flickered with disdain, and when the two collided, the bear was shocked to find there was no solid impact—worse, its own body went numb and refused to move.

“Fool, you think you can match your Lord Judas? What a joke!” As he spoke, twin green beams shot from his eyes into the bear’s.

The bear’s body trembled, its eyes turning ashen. Its soul was drawn out and devoured by Judas. The huge corpse crashed down, gouging a pit in the earth.

Leng Tian frowned. He wasn’t surprised that Judas subdued the bear so easily, but he felt a chill at the Void Shadow Demon’s soul-devouring powers. If not for their contract, he would never have allowed Judas to remain by his side.

Judas licked his lips, savoring the taste. “Too weak. I’m still hungry.” He cast a meaningful glance at Leng Tian, making his intentions all too clear.

Leng Tian ignored him and strode deeper into the cave, while Judas muttered curses and followed sullenly.

Inside, the cave was dry, a slab of stone covered with animal hides, bones scattered everywhere, and a foul stench hung in the air. Leng Tian wrinkled his brow, then waved Judas into the Inferno.

Out on the grassland, the Demon Leopard, previously unconscious, had come to. Shaking his heavy head, he looked around and relaxed upon realizing he was still on the plains.

Moments later, rage overtook him. “Who was it? Come out! How dare you ambush me? Come out, I’ll tear you apart!”

Boom!

A crimson bolt of heavenly punishment crashed down, striking the Demon Leopard’s head and cutting off his roar in a blast of lightning.

Struck by the bolt, the beast only shook his head and leapt up, howling, “Damn it! Show yourself if you have the guts! Ambushing me…”

Boom!

Another bolt crashed down, this time striking his open mouth, cutting off his words.

Black smoke curled from his jaws, his tongue scorched. His eyes bulged, bloodshot with pain.

Furious, he snorted white breath, stamping in circles. His throat, numbed by lightning, could only produce a low whine.

Boom! Boom!

Two more bolts struck the Demon Leopard, but he seemed unfazed, and, unable to find his attacker, began slamming his head into the ground in frustration.

“What the—he’s gone mad,” Judas muttered, his green eyes glinting with greed.

Leng Tian’s face remained expressionless as he watched the maddened Demon Leopard below. With a thought, he summoned a dozen more lightning strikes.

Under the relentless barrage, the beast finally ceased his rampage, his body smoking, eyes cold and voice low, “Whoever you are, do you think such tricks can harm me?”

“Whether you can be harmed is for me to decide,” Leng Tian’s voice drifted ethereally through the void.

“If you have the guts, come out and face me!”

“Isn’t that obvious? If I wanted a fair fight, why would I bother with ambushes? Seems beast intelligence really is subpar,” Leng Tian replied with mocking scorn.

The Demon Leopard fell silent, not provoked by Leng Tian’s taunts. Suddenly, he looked up and cast two beams of black light from his eyes—the Death Stare—into the void.

The deathly beams crossed the distance and exploded, whipping the sky into stormy chaos. Leng Tian’s startled voice echoed, “Not bad, you can sense my hiding place. But if you think that’s enough to force me out, you’re mistaken.”

The Demon Leopard only snorted in reply, standing still as he searched for Leng Tian’s position.

“You’re doomed to die by my hand,” Leng Tian’s voice turned icy, and a storm of thunderbolts rained down.

Faced with such overwhelming punishment, the Demon Leopard felt a trace of fear. After his battle with Du Qingfeng, he was in no state to resist, forced to endure the onslaught with sheer physical strength.

“Heh, who knew the boss could be so shameless—it’s enough to make ghosts and gods weep,” Judas snickered slyly.

“The real shamelessness is yet to come,” Leng Tian replied with a wicked grin.

After the lightning barrage, the Demon Leopard was left blackened, smoke rising from his body and the scent of roasted meat drifting in the air.

“Wow, smells like it’s ready to eat!” Judas inhaled deeply, though his words carried another meaning entirely.

Leng Tian’s smile was radiant, but his face suddenly turned icy cold. The abrupt shift made Judas blink and mutter inwardly, “Someone’s about to have a bad day.” His gaze drifted to the Demon Leopard.

Leng Tian’s body was suddenly enveloped in tri-colored energy. In a flash, he appeared before the Demon Leopard and, without mercy, smashed his fist into the beast’s waist.

Bang!

The Demon Leopard, severely weakened and drained by the Death Stare, had no strength left to resist. He watched in helpless fury, unable to retaliate.

The massive body was sent flying, bones cracking audibly. Leng Tian leapt upward in a streak of rainbow light, overtaking the Demon Leopard mid-air. Raising his right leg, he brought it crashing down on the beast’s spine.

With an earth-shattering blow, the Demon Leopard’s back collapsed, blood spraying from his mouth. Behind Leng Tian, a colossal phantom mountain appeared, its crushing pressure bearing down on the beast.

It was as if a mountain pressed upon him—his bones trembled, as if about to shatter. Terror filled his heart: “What technique is this, to nearly break my body with sheer force of will?”

His body crashed to the ground. Leng Tian landed after, and seeing the Demon Leopard chest-up and gasping, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He raised his fist once more and smashed it between the beast’s hind legs.

Bang!

A spray of blood burst forth, mixed with bits of flesh. The Demon Leopard’s wail was heartrending.

“It’s over—he’s truly been cut off,” Judas sighed, seeing where Leng Tian’s blow had landed.

Martial Peak, Chapter 64: Severed for Good.