The Life of Lust Demon

The moment Anos unsheathed the Celestial Serpent Blade, a surge of cold rage flared across Owen's face. That sword-it was unmistakably Sofia's. Owen had long suspected a connection between them, but now, seeing her blade in Anos's hand, his suspicions solidified into bitter certainty. His fingers tightened around his own weapon, a wicked grin twisting his lips as he watched Anos, his mind spiraling into darker thoughts.

So this was the brat Sofia had grown fond of. Owen seethed, the idea grating against his ego. "If she thinks I'll stand by while some little upstart takes her, she's deluded," he sneered internally. "Fine. I'll crush him, right here. And when I'm done, I'll make Sofia regret ever laying eyes on him." As far as Owen was concerned, Sofia was fair game- someone to toy with until he was bored, then discard like yesterday's trash. Letting her see just how easily he could erase her so-called "champion" would make that victory all the sweeter.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh-

As if on cue, the others surged forward, eager for battle.

Anos felt the weight of the Celestial Serpent Blade steady in his hand, a calming contrast to the chaotic energy around him. Though this was his first real encounter wielding the blade, his rigorous training allowed each movement to flow naturally. His grip was firm, his stance prepared, as he readied himself to face the approaching Frostfang Rodents.

Bang!

The blade flashed forward, aimed directly at one of the creatures. But just as it was about to make contact, the Frostfang Rodent retaliated, releasing a burst of sharp, glistening ice shards directly toward him. The icy assault narrowly deflected Anos's strike, forcing him to pivot, his initial stab missing by mere inches.

"Stellar Smash!" he called, adjusting his stance and charging up a new attack. In an instant, he closed the distance, driving his fist with precision into the creature's head. The impact sent a reverberating shock through his arm, and the Frostfang Rodent stilled as its life flickered out.

Nearby, Zoey watched Anos intently, a faint smirk forming at the corners of her mouth as she noticed something curious about his technique. She clicked her tongue in mild disappointment. "Tsk," she muttered, observing the power behind his punch. From what she could sense, it only held the strength of a mid-level Elemental Foundation Realm Cultivator—far below her own level at Stage-Nine Elemental Foundation Realm. "Is he seriously challenging me with that?"

Anos caught the sound and let a slight, amused smile cross his lips. "Underestimating me, huh?" he thought. Keeping a low profile was his plan; after all, he'd rather surprise her when it mattered. Let her think he was weaker than he truly was—if it meant Zoey would be more inclined to spar, then holding back was worth it. Otherwise, she might feel outmatched and lose interest in the duel he looked forward to.

Even with the restrained blow, Anos's punch, paired with his Stellar Smash technique, proved more than enough. The Frostfang Rodent collapsed instantly, the force of his attack shattering the creature's crystalline defenses into glittering shards.

"Listen up, everyone!" Zoey's voice rang out, steady and commanding. "Don't target the crystal hump on the back of these Frostfang Rodents. If you hit it, it'll explode, sending ice shards in every direction. Highly dangerous!"

"Got it!" Anos replied, his voice firm. He was already aware of this from his virtual training; he'd been caught off guard by that exact trap before. Learning from experience, he purposely avoided the sensitive crystal spot on the creatures' backs, aiming his attacks elsewhere to avoid triggering the explosive reaction.

Within minutes, the group had managed to clear the Frostfang Rodents. Anos himself had taken down three of the beasts—not a staggering number, but enough to show his dedication and focus. Despite his progress, however, he couldn't ignore the glaring flaw in his fighting style. He needed more than brute force and raw skill; he needed finesse, and that required a proper sword technique.

The Celestial Serpent Blade was powerful, capable of enhancing both his range and his impact. Yet, without swordsmanship training, he felt like he was missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. He could wield the blade, yes, but true mastery eluded him. Sword techniques were essential to unlock the weapon's full potential, transforming each strike into a coordinated, lethal attack. Without it, he might as well be swinging a blunt tool.

If he could develop or learn an advanced sword technique, his lethality in battle would easily double, perhaps even more. He knew every warrior with a weapon relied not just on the weapon itself, but on the martial techniques that gave each swing purpose and precision. For now, he made a mental note: mastering swordsmanship had to be his next priority.

Bodhi and the others carefully extracted shimmering, blue crystal-like objects from the backs of the Frostfang Rodents, each piece glinting like polished ice in the dim light. They tucked these precious shards away in their backpacks, handling them with the reverence one would reserve for valuables.

"What exactly are those?" Anos asked, his curiosity piqued.

Owen glanced over and answered, "Frost Crystals. They're something unique to these Frostfang Rodents. Think of them as condensed ice energy, crystallized within the creatures. They're valuable enough to fetch a decent price if you know where to sell them."

Anos nodded, understanding the practicality behind collecting them. "Makes sense! Thanks, Brother Owen."

Owen offered a thin smile, keeping his tone friendly but calculated. He wanted to give off the impression of camaraderie with Anos, as if they were allies. The truth was darker, though. If anything were to happen to Anos here, with no witnesses to suspect foul play, Owen would benefit greatly from being seen as an unlikely friend.

The group, now a little richer in resources, stowed away the Frost Crystals and resumed their journey, pushing further into the dense, icy wilderness. The deeper they went, the colder the air became, each breath misting visibly in front of them as the forest shadows grew thicker and darker.

Time drifted by. Thirty minutes. Then an hour. They had already covered a good distance, trekking deeper into the heart of the valley. Zoey's main role was to keep an eye on their surroundings with a scanning device capable of detecting movement up to three thousand meters away. This advanced tech was their insurance, alerting them to potential threats so they could decide whether to press forward or adjust their path.

Within this hour, they had encountered no fewer than fifty creatures. Most were manageable threats, nothing too serious, though the encounters kept them on edge. The toughest so far was a beast at the Stage-Seven Elemental Foundation Realm—a towering creature with hardened scales and razor-sharp claws. Bodhi had dispatched it swiftly, needing only two decisive strikes to bring it down. As a Stage-Four Spirit Core Realm cultivator, his power was unmatched by anything they'd faced so far.

Each encounter served as a reminder of the dangers lurking in the valley's depths, but so far, their progress had been steady. With every step, though, they knew the beasts would only get stronger.

Anos couldn't help but feel a bit left out. Watching Bodhi and the others effortlessly slay beasts left him itching for action. He needed to take down powerful creatures too—after all, that's how he could earn experience points and strengthen himself. But with the others making short work of anything that crossed their path, it felt pointless to try and get in on the action. He couldn't exactly start snatching kills from them, either; they'd have his head if he did.

"Whatever," he muttered, trying to shrug off the frustration. "I came here for the Chillwater Shards, not to go on a monster-hunting spree. I'll just focus on that."

Zoey's fingers flew across the keyboard as she examined the data on her screen. Her eyes narrowed, then she spoke up, "We're about a thousand meters away from reaching the valley's core," she said, her voice calm but carrying a note of urgency. The rest of the group tensed, knowing that the deeper they went into the valley, the more dangerous the environment—and the creatures—would become.

Bodhi raised an eyebrow, his expression puzzled. "Already? The last time we came here, it took us nearly two hours just to reach the edge of Chillwater Valley. How are we almost at the core already?"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Owen, who had been quietly observing up until then, gave a casual shrug. "I've never been here myself, so I can't say for sure. But I guess we're about to find out."

Zoey, her eyes glued to her screen, let out a light scoff. "That's because all you ever care about is fighting. You should pay more attention to the news and trends. It's not all about muscle and combat, you know." Her voice carried a teasing edge, but her words held a serious undertone. Find exclusive stories on empire

Anos gave a slight nod, acknowledging Zoey's point. He was beginning to see how important it was to consider the broader picture—not just the immediate danger around them. As they ventured further into the valley, the need to stay alert to both their environment and the growing threats became even more critical.