Chapter 97: Danger Strikes Again

“Humans, you can’t escape!” A bird demon swooped down, spewing a torrent of flames from its beak.

Gu Xiaoyao and Xie Jinxuan dodged in a panic but still caught the edge of the fire. Their clothes ignited instantly, sending thick smoke billowing around them.

“Not good, we’ve been discovered! Run!” Without daring to stop, the two dashed forward.

“Foolish humans, just be good and turn yourselves into our food!” The bird demons chased after them relentlessly, their shrieks echoing through the clouds.

More and more bird demons joined the hunt, making their situation even more perilous.

Breathless and weary, Gu Xiaoyao and Xie Jinxuan knew that getting caught meant certain death—there wouldn’t even be enough left of them for a grave.

“Jinxuan, look—a cave up ahead! Let’s hide in there.” At the critical moment, Gu Xiaoyao spotted a cave and dragged Xie Jinxuan inside.

The cave was pitch black. Not even a finger could be seen in front of their faces.

The only sounds were their ragged breathing and frantic heartbeats, tension thick in the air.

They had no idea if the bird demons would chase them in, all they could do was silently pray.

“Xiaoyao, thank the heavens for this cave, or those awful bird demons would have torn us apart!” Xie Jinxuan slumped to the ground with relief, glancing warily at the mouth of the cave.

“Jinxuan, something feels off. There’s a dangerous aura in here. My gut says there’s a bigger threat hiding somewhere.” Gu Xiaoyao stayed alert, scanning the darkness, searching for the source of that eerie feeling.

…………………

Suddenly, a pair of blood-red eyes flared up in the depths behind them—a mid-stage sixth-tier bear demon lay hidden, its fierce gaze locking with Gu Xiaoyao’s.

“Damn humans, how dare you enter my territory? You’ve got no clue how foolish you are!” The bear demon fixed them with a murderous glare, letting out a furious roar that threatened to tear them apart at any moment.

“So it’s this guy… Not going to be easy. If we’re not careful, this mid sixth-tier bear demon could end us today.” Gu Xiaoyao braced himself, meeting the beast’s gaze with gritted teeth.

“All out! We’re fighting our way through!” Sensing the bear demon’s bloodlust, both men snapped into battle mode.

Gu Xiaoyao charged forward, sword in hand, while Xie Jinxuan unleashed his spells from behind, covering his advance.

“You shameless humans, ganging up on me like this! I’ll tear you to pieces!” The bear demon roared in frenzy, lunging at Gu Xiaoyao with its gaping jaws.

Gu Xiaoyao twisted to the side, barely dodging the attack, and struck his sword straight at the bear demon.

“You damned humans! How dare you wound me! I’ll see you dead!” Blood spurted from the gash on the bear demon’s body, rage swelling as it raised its massive paw to pummel Gu Xiaoyao.

“Watch out, Xiaoyao! I’m coming!” Seeing Gu Xiaoyao in danger, Xie Jinxuan quickly activated his family’s life-saving treasure.

A shimmering shield appeared, blocking Gu Xiaoyao from harm.

The bear demon’s paw slammed down hard on the shield, drawing a deep, echoing thud. A crack splintered across the shield but it held strong.

“What is this thing? I can’t even break it in one hit!” The bear demon stared in disbelief.

“Time to send you packing, beast!” Seizing the moment, Gu Xiaoyao renewed his assault, sword strokes raining down like a violent storm.

“How can this be? I’m a mid sixth-tier beast and I’m losing to a mere Sword Emperor Realm! What trickery is this?” The bear demon reeled backwards, more wounds opening up across its bulk, disbelief in its eyes.

“No… my cultivation just dropped to the fourth tier!” The bear demon gaped, fear and confusion flooding its face.

It couldn’t comprehend why its strength had plummeted out of nowhere, leaving it panicked and exposed.

“Better to run and fight another day! You damned humans, just wait—I swear I’ll be back for revenge!” Realizing it was outmatched, the bear demon turned and bolted for the depths of the cave.

“Running now, beast? Not a chance!” Neither man was about to let it escape. Shouting furiously, they took off after it.

During the chase, Xie Jinxuan cast another spell—a bolt of lightning shot from his hand, hitting the bear demon and slowing its retreat with a cry of pain.

“Die, beast!” Gu Xiaoyao closed in, plunging his sword into the bear demon’s back.

The bear demon howled in agony, spun around, eyes blazing with hatred.

It opened its jaws, desperate for one last counterattack.

Gu Xiaoyao darted aside, dodging its strike, then drove his sword home again.

The bear demon shuddered, then collapsed in a heap.

Even as life faded, its eyes locked on Gu Xiaoyao, muttering, “You—you ruthless humans, cheating me out of my strength and ambushing me… This isn’t fair!” After one last struggle, the bear demon moved no more.

“That hide’s thick as armor—even weakened, it could really take a beating.” Both men breathed a sigh of relief and slumped to the ground.

“Jinxuan, what sort of treasure is that? It actually crushed the bear demon’s cultivation by two entire tiers. We’d never have beaten it otherwise.” Gu Xiaoyao turned to Xie Jinxuan, curiosity clear in his voice.

“Oh, that? It’s the Heaven and Earth Shield, an heirloom of the Xie family. It can forcibly suppress an enemy’s cultivation by two ranks.” Xie Jinxuan gave the Heaven and Earth Shield a lazy shake, his tone light.

………………

Gu Xiaoyao walked over to the bear demon’s corpse, a swirl of emotion stirring inside.

Powerful as it was, its own greed and savagery had brought about its doom.

He stood in silence, reflecting on the once-mighty creature laying defeated at his feet.

The bear demon’s massive body had collapsed, blood soaking into the ground, its fierce eyes now forever dim.

Crouching down, Gu Xiaoyao pried loose the bear demon’s inner core—the concentrated essence of its power.

The core glowed faintly in his palm like a priceless gemstone.

He tucked it away with care, awash in a flood of mixed feelings.

That core held the strength and lifeforce of the bear demon—a hard-fought prize paid for in sweat and danger.

“Couldn’t have done this without you. If not for your help, I never would’ve stood a chance.” Gu Xiaoyao glanced at the corpse, then turned gratefully to Xie Jinxuan.

Xie Jinxuan smiled. “We’re as close as brothers, Xiaoyao. There’s no need to thank me.”

They moved to inspect the bear demon’s body, making sure it was really dead.

Their gazes fell on its pelt—a thick, golden hide that shimmered in the firelight.

Gu Xiaoyao ran his hand over the warm, soft fur, feeling the strength woven into every strand.

That hide was the beast’s greatest armor—and a rare material, perfect for crafting powerful equipment.

Then, they noticed its fangs and claws.

Once weapons of terror, these were now well-earned trophies.

Gu Xiaoyao picked up one of the teeth, marveling at its sharpness and strength.

It could easily be worked into deadly arrows or daggers.

The claws, meanwhile, could be turned into bladed weapons of fearsome power.

After collecting their spoils, the two decided to roast some of the bear demon’s meat.

Peeking outside the cave, they made sure the coast was clear, then gathered dry wood and built a fire nearby.

They cut the meat into chunks, skewered it on branches, and set it roasting over the flames.

Before long, the savory aroma of cooked meat filled the air.

“This is a real treat—can’t believe how good it smells.” They dug in with gusto, savoring every juicy bite.

On that quiet night, Gu Xiaoyao and Xie Jinxuan sat by the fire, sharing food and memories of their near-fatal battle.

After all the fighting, as Gu Xiaoyao ate the bear demon’s meat, he suddenly felt his cultivation loosen—like a dam giving way after years under pressure.

He quickly sat down cross-legged, eyes squeezed shut. A surge of golden light burst from him as he threw his head back with a roar and snapped his eyes open.

In an instant, he broke through two minor bottlenecks—from the fifth to the seventh stage of the Sword Emperor Realm.

“Xiaoyao, am I seeing things or did your aura just skyrocket?” Xie Jinxuan set his meat aside to stare in amazement. “I can feel it too—my own cultivation is stirring. I’m about to break through as well!”

He quickly sat cross-legged, shutting his eyes as an echoing dragon’s cry flickered and gold light spread across his body.

“I did it—I just advanced from the first to the third stage of the Sword Emperor Realm!” Xie Jinxuan opened his eyes, unable to contain his joy.

“Hahaha, who would’ve thought—mid sixth-tier bear demon meat can help us make breakthroughs!” The two exchanged a knowing grin and glanced at the leftovers with hungry eyes.