A Compendium of One Hundred Demons: My Path to Immortality in a World of Demons and Monsters

The official road stretched out before dawn.

Xu Yuan rode north, the outline of Qingyang County behind him gradually blurring until it became a pale gray silhouette on the horizon.

He didn't turn around.

It's not that I don't miss it, but some paths are better walked alone.

The horse's hooves pounded the water on the road, startling the birds that were foraging for food by the roadside.

The early autumn wind already carried a chill, sweeping across the barren fields on both sides of the official road, swirling up a few withered leaves.

Xu Yuan looked down at the tattered Qingyang Army flag at his waist, then carefully folded it and put it into his pocket.

"A seventh-rank loyal and distinguished captain..."

Xu Yuan looked down at the silver epaulette on his left shoulder and couldn't help but chuckle.

Two months ago, he was just a starving villager in Shuangshan Village who ate grass roots and tree bark.

Two months later, he had condensed the three apertures and obtained an official position. At this time, he was riding his horse to the Cangzhou Prefecture of the Great Qian Dynasty—one of the few places in this chaotic world that could still be called "stable".

Xu Yuan knew in his heart that the current peace and stability was just a facade.

The Netherworld Palace opened three years later, the missing Li Ergou, the Xu Changming whose fate is unknown, the Netherworld Guide that has merged with his soul, and even "that person" warned by the Hundred Ghosts Painting before he fell into a coma...

These mysteries are like invisible chains, one end binding him, the other sinking into unfathomable darkness.

He needs strength.

We need more powerful forces.

"Hissing sound—"

As Xu Yuan was thinking, his yellow horse suddenly reared up and let out an uneasy neigh.

Xu Yuan's eyes narrowed, and his [Yin Qi Perception] spread out instantly like a spider web.

When he was in the Blood Refining Realm, his perception could only cover a radius of ten feet, barely enough to sense the presence of evil aura.

Now, with the three apertures condensed, the Divine Court aperture open, and the Divine Soul solidified, the range of perception has expanded to more than fifty feet.

At this moment, he clearly "saw"—

Three miles ahead, beside the official road, a dense mass of demonic energy was slowly writhing.

It wasn't the ferocious aura of a demonized beast, but rather a kind of aura that was close to maturity... of a demon.

"I'm lucky." Xu Yuan smiled slightly.

Instead of taking a detour, he spurred his horse and accelerated toward the demonic aura.

The journey of three miles took only a short time.

The official road bends here. To the left is a desolate field, with wild wormwood growing up to waist height on the ridges; to the right is an abandoned teahouse with collapsed eaves and tilted doors, abandoned for who knows how many years.

Outside the tea stall, there was an inconspicuous blue-curtained carriage.

Beside the carriage, an elderly man who looked like a steward was anxiously talking to the coachman.

Figures could be vaguely seen inside the tea stall, suggesting that someone was taking a break there.

Meanwhile, the demonic energy that Xu Yuan sensed was dripping down in wisps from the crossbeam at the top of the teahouse in front of him.

He reined in his horse and stopped.

"Young master..." The old steward hurried forward upon seeing someone approaching, "May I ask if the main road ahead is still clear? My young lady is on her way to visit relatives in Cangzhou Prefecture, but her carriage has come to a standstill here..."

He kept rambling on, but his eyes kept glancing at the silver epaulettes on Xu Yuan's shoulder, his voice tinged with a hint of probing.

Xu Yuan didn't look at him.

His gaze fell on a shadowy spot on the crossbeam of the tea stall.

The shadow shouldn't have been so intense in the sunlight, but at that moment it seemed as if someone had smeared ink there, remaining as black as an abyss no matter how the light shone upon it.

"Young master?" The old steward asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Step back." Xu Yuan spoke slowly, his voice calm yet containing an undeniable sense of power. "Immediately."

The old butler was taken aback, then followed his gaze—

The shadow on the crossbeam of the teahouse had begun to wriggle and swell, as if something was squeezing out of nothingness!

"ah--!"

The old butler cried out in surprise, staggered backward, and fell to the ground.

A woman's exclamation came from inside the tea stall, followed by the clatter of a cup falling to the ground.

Xu Yuan dismounted, his left hand still gripping the reins, while his right hand rested on the hilt of his sword at his waist.

He did not draw his sword.

I just quietly watched that shadow.

Three breaths later.

"hiss---"

A sharp screech rang out, and the shadow finally broke free of its restraints, swooping down from the crossbeam!

What came into Xu Yuan's view was a completely black raccoon cat, three times the size of an ordinary raccoon cat, with blood-red eyes and protruding fangs. Most strangely, it had three large tails that kept swaying behind it.

Xu Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly, and his [Yin Qi Perception] simultaneously transmitted the following information:

【Three-Tailed Demon Cat (Tier 7 Demon Soldier)】

【Characteristics: Night Travel, Speed, Mind Control】

[Weaknesses: Lightning magic, Pure Yang True Essence]

After breaking through to the Condensation Realm, Xu Yuan's current encyclopedia entries and abilities have all been upgraded.

However, perhaps due to the consumption of the phantom of the god, only the Hungry Ghost Encyclopedia underwent an evolution.

The seventh rank of the demonic soldier corresponds to the seventh to eighth level of a martial artist's Blood Refinement.

For Xu Yuan a month ago, it might have been a fierce battle.

But for now—

Xu Yuan made a move.

He didn't even draw his sword.

He simply raised his hand and pressed forward lightly.

A pale golden true essence gushed out from his palm. There were no fancy moves or dazzling special effects, just pure power, carrying the suppressive might unique to the Condensation Realm.

The three-tailed cat demon was still in mid-air when it seemed to have crashed into an invisible wall, and its entire body suddenly froze.

A flicker of fear flashed in its crimson eyes, and its three tails bristled as it desperately tried to turn and flee.

But it's too late.

Xu Yuan took a step forward.

This step, landing on the ground, felt as if it had stepped on the heart of the three-tailed cat demon.

"thump---"

The three-tailed demon cat fell from the sky, its four paws twitching and blood seeping from its mouth and nose.

It struggled desperately to get up, but the pressure of Xu Yuan's true essence pinned it to the ground, rendering it unable to move.

"A seventh-tier demonic weapon, already showing initial signs of intelligence." Xu Yuan looked down at it. "Can it understand human speech?"

The three-tailed cat let out a low whimper, its crimson eyes filled with pleading and pleas for mercy.

Xu Yuan nodded.

"Unfortunately, you're unlucky."

A flash of light.

The three-tailed cat's head rolled off, and the headless corpse twitched for a few breaths before finally ceasing to move.

[Slaying a seventh-tier demon soldier, the three-tailed demon cat...]

[The Hungry Ghost illustration is being converted...]

[Qi and Blood Essence +37]

[Absorbing Soul Eater illustrations...]

[Soul Strength +1%]

Xu Yuan sheathed his sword, his expression unchanged.

From encountering the monster to slaying it and sheathing the sword, it took no more than ten breaths.

He didn't even startle his yellow horse.

Inside and outside the teahouse, there was utter silence.

The old butler slumped to the ground, mouth agape, unable to utter a single word.

The driver trembled so badly he almost knelt down.

Inside the teahouse, the "lady" who had never shown herself finally lifted a corner of the carriage curtain.

Xu Yuan did not turn around.

He put the corpse of the three-tailed demon cat into his storage bag. The fur, fangs, and bones of the seventh-level demon soldier were all worth some silver.

Now that he's heading to Cangzhou Prefecture, he certainly can't waste the opportunity.

After doing all this, he turned to look at the old butler.

"Are you going to Cangzhou Prefecture?"