Awakened by a flying sword, the blood-red hue in the Demon Turtle's eyes slowly faded. It gazed at Zhang Kui, who stood on the water with a menacing aura, and a hint of confusion flashed in its eyes.

This Daoist is clearly only at the Grain Avoidance Realm; how can his Ancient Artifacts be so powerful?

No, this guy must be in the Celestial Tribulation Realm, or how else could he stand on the water without sinking? He must have used some method to conceal his aura.

The Demon Turtle wasn't wrong; only someone in the Celestial Tribulation Realm, who can connect internally and externally, mastering the Spiritual Qi around them, can stand on water. An ordinary Grain Avoidance cultivator might be able to support themselves with Qi, but not with such ease.

But what it didn't know was that Zhang Kui had learned another skill in a short time.

Water Walking Skill (Level 1): Active Skill

Skill Description: Allows you to walk on water as if on solid ground. As skill level increases, duration also increases.

In the Earth Demon 72 Techniques, not all skills are powerful or useful; some even have overlapping functions.

For example, Zhang Kui learned the Forbidden Water Skill, which lets him move unharmed in poisonous water. Learning the Water Entry Skill for water escape just seems redundant, since Water Escape only increases speed.

Also, this Water Walking Skill becomes irrelevant when he can use Sword Flight in the future.

But since skill points were abundant, he didn't mind spending a few to learn it. At least it gave him a slight advantage now.

"Are you the National Guardian True Man of Qian?"

A trace of ferocity appeared in the Demon Turtle's eyes. "You dare provoke our Jingjiang Water Mansion; do you really think the Court can protect you?"

"Jingjiang Water Mansion..."

Facing the giant Demon Turtle, which was as tall as two stories, Zhang Kui showed no fear. He gave a chilling grin and said, "You green-capped turtle, if you want to fight, then fight. Talking all this nonsense, are you scared?"

"Courting death!"

The Demon Turtle was instantly furious, causing another surge on the river's surface.

The Jingjiang Water Mansion was notoriously fierce in this land. It was the first time it had seen such a weak human being so arrogant.

Roar!

The Demon Turtle's huge, stinking maw opened wide, spewing countless basketball-sized green fireballs, raining down like a waterfall.

The previously dark and windy river surface suddenly lit up with green light, eerie and stunning.

Zhang Kui had guessed correctly. Though the Demon Turtle had a strong physique due to its bloodline cultivation, it possessed few innate supernatural abilities.

The rain of green fireballs descended in an instant. Zhang Kui squinted slightly, and his figure disappeared from the water's surface. The next moment, he reappeared dozens of meters away, creating large waves beneath his feet, dodging the fireballs.

Seeing this, the Demon Turtle shook its head, and the fireballs still in the air immediately changed direction, blasting the water surface with loud explosions, sending black water and green fire flying everywhere.

Though Zhang Kui's swiftness allowed him to weave through the waves, he appeared somewhat bedraggled.

Seeing this, the Demon Turtle became even more smug, laughing wildly while spewing out even denser green fireballs.

But it failed to notice that Zhang Kui, moving through the waves, showed no panic on his face as he stared intensely at the Demon Turtle, the ferocity in his eyes growing stronger.

This green demon fire was formidable, but it was far inferior to Tribulation Fire. With his Sitting Fire Skill that renders him invulnerable to fire, how could Zhang Kui be afraid?

The Demon Turtle also didn't notice that the demon ghosts under its command in the water had stopped attacking, their faces displaying sheer terror as they fled.

The water ghosts and water demons struggled, being dragged into the black mist by wildly twisting vines, akin to falling into the Netherworld.

Although the Grain Avoidance Realm demonic creatures were powerful, the swiftly flashing golden light at the riverbed had already terrified them to their cores.

A gigantic toad with bloodshot eyes frantically swelled its belly, emitting ripples that spread endlessly. But as the golden light flashed by, a blood hole appeared on its forehead, and it flipped belly-up with lifeless eyes...

A red-skinned Yaksha with twin horns violently stirred the steel trident in its hand, creating a black vortex. Yet the fearsome feeling had scarcely emerged before its soul's final memory was enveloped in a blanket of gold...

With skill points continuously rising, reaching twelve, Zhang Kui immediately upgraded his Swordsmanship to level two.

At level two, Zhang Kui could continually cultivate the Lu Li Sword internally, though that still wasn't enough!

Skill points began to accumulate once more...

Zhang Kui calculated internally. Each Grain Avoidance Realm demon could provide about six or seven points. Along with the little demons under them, eliminating an entire demon squad yielded roughly ten points.

This meant here, he could acquire fifty points.

Enough to elevate his Flying Sword Skill to level three, making it faster, more powerful, and capable of splitting into three Sword Lights!

Today, this demon must be slain!

Finally, the Demon Turtle sensed something was amiss. After fighting for ages, Zhang Kui remained unharmed, yet the aura of his subordinates had dwindled significantly.

While common water demons were easily replaceable, those in the Grain Avoidance Realm were his elite. Considering the potential punishment, the Demon Turtle flew into a rage.

Roar!

With a furious roar that stirred endless waves, the Demon Turtle's colossal form suddenly rose from the water with a thunderous crash, maw wide open, descending like a falling Mount Tai.

At this moment!

Raising his head to stare at the monster's massive form, with his soaked Daoist bun unraveling, Zhang Kui's eyes flashed with a grim glint,

"You beast, face your death!"

Clang!

A dragon's roar accompanied the sword's cry as a beam of golden light emerged from the water with remarkable evil energy, shooting skyward.

The Demon Turtle, alarmed, promptly shut its mouth, simultaneously swiping out several claw shadows that collided with the golden light.

But then something even more alarming happened to it.

The golden light suddenly split into three, deftly avoiding the claw shadows and accelerating fiercely.

Clang!

The Demon Turtle's nearly meter-thick bronze helmet, already showing cracks, shattered instantly, leaving a trail of blood across its forehead.

Splurt!

The sword light simultaneously pierced both sides of the Demon Turtle's neck, splattering copious blood and flesh.

"Awooo..." The Demon Turtle let out an ear-piercing wail. Its limbs and the bloodied head retracted with a swoosh back into the shell.

What formidable life force!

Zhang Kui was also taken aback.

While Celestial Tribulation Realm bodies are washed by Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, capable of regenerating limbs, even so, his Geng Metal Evil Light Sword Qi was extraordinary.

This old demon was indeed robust, cultivated specifically through its bloodline.

Meanwhile, the vast two-story high giant shell had crashed down, and Zhang Kui swiftly sidestepped the towering tsunami it created.

With a condensed sword gesture, the three Sword Lights hovering in the sky merged once more, shooting into the water with a whoosh.

But unexpectedly, the water's surface began to buzz and vibrate as if boiling.

With a light tap on the water's surface, Zhang Kui soared skyward, his Cave Abyss Skill firmly fixed on the river surface, as a trace of astonishment flickered in his eyes.

On the riverbed, thousands of corpses embedded on the giant turtle shell suddenly flailed their arms and screamed. Their intense resentment formed a layer of black light over the shell's surface.

The golden light of the Lu Li Sword pierced a large expanse of the black energy, but it was deflected back, while the black light of resentment quickly restored itself.

"Hmph, let's see how long you can hide!"

Zhang Kui snorted coldly, twisting his sword gesture as the Lu Li Sword transformed again into three Sword Lights, aiming for the turtle shell.

However, something even more unexpected was about to happen.

With a thunderous boom, the turtle shell, covered in black light, suddenly leaped from the water, spinning vertically like a top.

The airwaves were immense, sending vast torrents of river water flying into the air as the turtle shell sliced through the water surface like a knife through butter, speeding rapidly downstream.

Zhang Kui was momentarily stunned.

Truth be told, it was a powerful move with sweeping momentum. If he couldn't break that layer of black light, even he would have to yield temporarily.

But he never expected the old turtle wouldn't fight and instead chose to flee!

"Damn it..."

Face darkening, Zhang Kui dashed on the waves in pursuit, slashing continuously with his Sword Lights.

After exhausting so much effort today, was he to let a Celestial Tribulation Realm old demon escape?

Atop the nearby mountain peak, Fatty Tiger had just delivered the mortals to safety and returned with resolve to face death.

Having survived in the wild since childhood, drenched in blood, despite being whipped and scolded daily by Zhang Kui, the mere thought of Zhang Kui's potential demise filled Fatty Tiger with a suicidal frenzy.

Yet unexpectedly, upon returning, he witnessed Zhang Kui pursuing and slashing at the Celestial Tribulation Realm old demon.

"Ha ha! Enlightenment Slash of Avoiding Grain, Avoiding Grain slashes Celestial Tribulation Realm. Indeed, my Fatty Tiger has an excellent eye!"

"Ah-woooo!"

Fatty Tiger cheered, standing on the mountain peak with a tiger's roar that echoed through the mountains, before descending fiercely like an enraged tiger in pursuit of Zhang Kui over the waves.

"Kill! Stop running, you turtle up ahead!"

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