Chapter 13: The "Dying of Natural Causes" Gift Pack

As the two clashed, a violent surge of spiritual energy erupted in an instant.

Pitch-black demonic qi collided with crimson divine flames, and the entire forest was swallowed by the two forces.

Having already run several thousand meters, Zheng Tuo felt the duel behind him... and accelerated. He accelerated even more.

Too reckless, too reckless.

A second-tier cultivator fighting a third-tier demonic cultivator was like a hungry dog finding a latrine—looking for shit.

Suddenly!

A wave of heat came from behind.

A graceful figure, with a *whoosh*, flew past him.

Then, she crashed heavily right in front of him.

"Pfft..."

Chi Xiao spat out blood, her eyes glazed and weary.

All her previous heroism had vanished; she was heavily injured.

One round. In just one single round, Chi Xiao had been defeated.

The strength of a demonic cultivator far exceeded imagination.

Seeing this, Zheng Tuo said nothing. He turned around and ran in the opposite direction.

He didn't give a damn about the injured Chi Xiao lying before him.

*I can barely look after myself; sister, you're on your own.*

Chi Xiao endured the pain and forced herself up.

Her beautiful eyes glanced at Zheng Tuo, who was running for his life without even sparing her a look.

Suppressing her anger, she turned to face the approaching Mo Jiu.

Without a word, she transformed into a streak of crimson light and charged at Mo Jiu once more.

"You've got character. I like that."

Watching the fearless Chi Xiao charge, Mo Jiu licked his lips, his eyes full of appreciation.

The Demon Race respects only the strong, unlike the Human Race, which honors teachers and morality. Among demons, strength is king. You can seize everything you desire, including women.

A heavy punch landed. No flashy divine abilities, just raw power.

*Boom!*

Chi Xiao was sent flying once again.

In his True Demon form, he had once slain a fourth-tier demonic cultivator. A mere second-tier cultivator had never been in his sights.

While Zheng Tuo was fleeing, a whistling sound suddenly tore through the air near his ear.

*Whoosh... Boom!*

Chi Xiao traced an elegant arc through the sky before landing with a *splat* at Zheng Tuo's feet.

This time, Chi Xiao looked even more wretched. Her bright red Feathered Battle Armor was torn in multiple places, revealing patches of snow-white skin. Her red hair was a mess, and her exquisite face was covered in dust. She looked as if she had suffered a great injustice, making her appear pitiable and endearing.

And Zheng Tuo?

The guy had already bolted; all that could be seen was a hurried silhouette disappearing into the forest with practiced efficiency.

"Pfft..."

Chi Xiao hadn't been about to spit blood, but seeing Zheng Tuo ignore her and run straight away, she was so angry she actually coughed up a mouthful of blood.

*I at least saved your life just now! I don't expect you to charge ahead for me, but can't you at least say something caring? Who did he inherit that personality from—running off without even a glance?*

Chi Xiao couldn't help but complain; she had never seen anyone like this.

"Little girl, surrender peacefully. Don't make me angry."

Mo Jiu reached out a massive hand to grab Chi Xiao.

Chi Xiao tried to move, only to find her body stiff. She had exhausted a massive amount of spiritual energy during her fight with the Wolf King, and her body was injured. Facing Mo Jiu now, she was at the end of her rope. If not for her stubborn pride and her refusal to watch someone die before her eyes, she never would have stepped in.

Thinking of this, she thought of that guy who had run away without looking back. She found it hard to believe that a man existed who, upon seeing her injured, wouldn't step in to help but would instead turn and run.

Regarding her own beauty, she possessed absolute confidence.

Words were useless.

As Mo Jiu's massive hand struck, the red light in Chi Xiao's eyes grew even more intense. At this moment, she would rather self-detonate than fall into the hands of the Demon Race. To fall into their hands would be a humiliation more torturous than death.

"So fierce. I like it."

A smile played on Mo Jiu's lips as he reached to seize her.

At the critical moment, Chi Xiao felt the ground beneath her shift—it felt surprisingly comfortable. Then, her body felt light, as if something were carrying her away, causing Mo Jiu's hand to grasp empty air.

"In the prime of your life, what else could you do but self-detonate? Have you eaten too many immortal pills? Are you just feeling bloated?"

Zheng Tuo had Chi Xiao slung over his shoulder. His body was covered in spiritual talismans: Strength Talismans, Wind-Chasing Talismans, Breath-Concealing Talismans, Earth-Escape Talismans...

Thanks to ten years of preparation, he had plenty of talismans, and he hadn't neglected his physical training. Otherwise, the weight of so many talismans on his body would have likely killed him.

Chi Xiao was stunned!

There was a surprise! An unexpected turn! And a hint of bashfulness!

Though this guy seemed unreliable, he had actually returned to save her at the critical moment. *Don't say it, but I'm actually a little moved,* Chi Xiao thought.

"Wow! Senior Sister, you're so heavy. You really need to lose weight."

*Ugh! Forget I said anything.*

Chi Xiao rolled her eyes, feeling like she had nothing to say.

Zheng Tuo sprinted wildly. Weaving through the trees, he dove into a thicket and vanished. From the moment he picked up Chi Xiao to the moment they disappeared, the entire process took less than five seconds. It was clearly a meticulously planned maneuver.

Mo Jiu stood frozen for a full three seconds!

"You little brat! You've ruined my business again!"

Seeing his prize snatched away, Mo Jiu flew into a rage. With a burst of movement, he gave chase to Zheng Tuo. Even though Zheng Tuo had struck first and was running fast, Mo Jiu was, after all, a third-tier demonic cultivator in his True Demon form.

"If you want to fight, fight. Why the insults? So uncultured," Zheng Tuo grumbled.

He suddenly stomped his foot.

*Boom!*

A Mist-Hiding Talisman exploded, turning the surroundings into a thick cloud of smoke. This time, it covered a diameter of two hundred meters.

Mo Jiu frowned. How did this guy have so many tricks? He was like a hedgehog, making it impossible to land a hit.

By the time the smoke cleared, neither Zheng Tuo nor Chi Xiao were anywhere to be seen in the forest.

"Hide, then!"

Mo Jiu's eyes turned ruthless. He raised his hand and fired a beam of demonic light at the ground.

*Boom!*

A crater two meters wide was blasted into the earth. He followed up with several more beams of demonic light, creating a series of craters.

"Let's see how long you can hide."

Deep underground in a certain location, Zheng Tuo and Chi Xiao were hiding in a safe house.

Zheng Tuo's flight wasn't aimless. He had seven safe houses in the vicinity, and he naturally prioritized entering one to hide. However... safe houses were usually designed for one person. For two people, it was extremely cramped.

Thus, the following scene unfolded: Zheng Tuo held Chi Xiao in his arms, her legs wrapped around his waist, their heads interlaced, and their bodies pressed tightly together. Though the posture wasn't very elegant, it was the only way.

"Cough, cough..."

Chi Xiao was too heavily injured and couldn't help but cough.

"Shh... Senior Sister, don't make a sound."

"It hurts!"

Chi Xiao had never had such intimate contact with a man. Combined with her severe injuries, her voice carried a faint, trembling tremor.

"So you *do* know how to feel pain," Zheng Tuo rolled his eyes. "Look at your own strength—charging in to go head-to-head with him. It's a miracle you're not dead, and yet you're complaining about pain," he muttered under his breath.

"What are you mumbling about!" Chi Xiao's annoyed voice came through.

"Nothing, Senior Sister. I was just saying your skin is really good. It's so smooth... like cement."

"You are insulting me."

"No, I'm complimenting you."

"You are definitely insulting me."

"Fine, I am insulting you."

"You..."

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Violent explosions were gradually approaching. Suddenly, the roof of the safe house was ripped open.

"Hehehe... Found you."

Mo Jiu's eyes gleamed with joy as he looked down at the panicked pair. "Ooh... looks like I've interrupted your little moment." He licked his lips.

"No interruption. This is a special gift prepared just for you, called the 'Final Rest Grand Package.' Enjoy it slowly."

A panicked Zheng Tuo flashed a "you idiot, you fell for it" smile. Then, his and Chi Xiao's bodies began to fade. Finally, they both transformed into two spiritual talismans.

"Substitute Talismans!"

Before the words had even finished, *BOOM!*

Five hundred explosive talismans detonated simultaneously. Even if they were only first-grade, the power was enough to shake the surroundings. A massive mushroom cloud rose, brilliant and shocking.

To add to the spectacle, there was itching powder, arsenic, stink bombs, and three hundred bone-piercing steel nails coated in lethal poison. With such a "gift," even if one didn't die, they would certainly be left in a bad way.

In another safe house, Zheng Tuo held Chi Xiao and counted on his fingers, calculating the power of the trap. Even a third-tier demonic cultivator would likely be heavily injured by his second-strongest trap. After all, this was his most prized of the thirty-six trump cards: the "Final Rest Grand Package." There was no reason it wouldn't wound a third-tier demon.