Chapter 62

The night deepened. Qi Xing strolled slowly along the quiet street. Passing a small stall selling roasted chestnuts, he bought a bag on a whim, eating as he walked, adding a touch of warmth to the cold night. A street performer was playing guitar by the roadside, singing as he played, and Qi Xing walked over to give a tip of one thousand yen.

Not far away, pedestrians on the street whispered and chatted, their pace leisurely, as if every corner was telling a story of comfort.

If not for the silver coin of [Illusion], Qi Xing would never be able to see these scenes in his daily life—this was not only because he used to have his mind filled only with [doing serious business], having absolutely no time to [rest], but also because after attaining the Sage Body three years ago, as [the strongest man on earth], just walking down the street would cause ordinary people nearby to feel fear, sensing his [aura], making it impossible to maintain a carefree state.

This city was not as bustling and noisy as an international metropolis like Magic City Tokyo. But it was indeed more relaxing, making it easier for people to immerse themselves in the comfort of daily life.

"The Japanese countryside really is quite different from Tokyo."

Eating chestnuts while walking, Qi Xing said thoughtfully, "I've been to Japan several times, but I've only ever been to Tokyo and Kyoto, focusing only on killing those demons and heretics. Magic City Tokyo is simply a complicated, bizarre, hideously ugly, and lust-filled place."

"The more restless people's hearts are, the more power will gather there." The devil floating beside him laughed. "Demons and monsters are actually everywhere. Cities have the evil of cities, and the countryside has the evil of the countryside; how could the types be the same? But the larger the city, the more it is a den of human desire, and the easier it is for various powers to be born from human hearts."

"The bigger the city, the more anxious people become, pushed forward by the clock of society; naturally, it is uglier and more filled with desire."

"I can understand your logic, but you are the designer of this universe." Qi Xing frowned. "You had a choice; why did you design the principles of the universe to be like this?"

"Because the human heart was always meant to be this way."

"I, on the other hand, think it's just because you look down on humanity."

While bickering, Qi Xing handed Sasa a roasted chestnut. Sasa took it with a smile, peeled it, and ate it. Looking down on humanity was one thing, but if things made by humans were offered to her, she would still eat them all the same.

"I certainly do not look down on humanity. On the contrary, I very much hope that the humans I created can fully realize their potential. That is why I added more possibilities to this universe."

"It is a pity that they have not fully realized their possibilities. In fact, they are very easily satisfied. How do you think the daily lives of these students riding bicycles and laughing happily came to be, Qi Xing? As a powerhouse who has sheltered the world from the wind and rain for ten years, surely you know? What have they ever done for you?"

"In the supernatural society, in the hidden world that knows how dark and terrifying the world is, where the law of the jungle prevails, people will indeed revere you because they know you have the power to dominate."

"But in this superficial daily world, they do not know all this. They live in the illusion of daily life; ordinary people are even stupid enough to use recordings to blackmail a Magical Girl. If they truly knew you were the greatest hero in the world, they would only think you were their slave, that it was only natural for you to protect them, and they would be happy to criticize you and nitpick everything you do."

"Because those unmotivated mortals will always fantasize about a powerful slave. Someone who, while far stronger than them, will always protect them and never ask them to pay a price."

"You've gone too far with that."

Qi Xing could certainly understand the devil's implications; the devil's mockery and temptations were always sharp. But only a fool would directly believe the devil's viewpoint.

"Jade must be carved to become a vessel; don't Easterners often say that? You powerhouses actually waste your own strength to maintain the [current] world order. But in reality, can you actually maintain it?"

Sasa pouted. "The human heart is like water, and desire is a flood. The sage kings of old who tamed the waters knew that diversion is better than blockage. You repair the levees every day, smashing the demons and heretics that the overflowing water turns into, but in the end, you cannot stop the day the dam bursts."

"You've gone way off-topic, devil. We were just talking about why the countryside looks more leisurely at the beginning; why do you try to tempt me every chance you get?"

"It is not off-topic, silly boy. You have already collected two silver coins. If you collect all thirty and sit upon the throne, you will be the man who creates a new world."

The evil god narrowed her golden eyes, finally revealing her true intentions. "What kind of new world do you plan to create then? Will you put all of humanity into a bottle to protect them? Or will you delete the underlying code that allows humans to cultivate and gain super powers?"

"Why must the underlying code of the universe be set to use desire to propel power? Can't I change the setting?"

"It's not like you haven't read many manga and novels. Do you really think changing the way to gain power makes it any better?"

Samael scoffed. "At least in my domain, humans wanting to gain power is much fairer and much freer than in the upper universe! If you don't like desire, you can choose ascetic cultivation! In all honesty, Qi Xing—isn't my world fairer and freer? What do you plan to change it to? A cultivation world based on spirit roots and resources? Or just go with the Dragonless Mental Method?"

Qi Xing was momentarily speechless.

Fortunately, at that moment, while the man and the devil were bickering and entangled, a sudden, abrupt noise came from the distance, sharply cutting through the peace in the air. The sound was woven from low, intermittent curses.

Qi Xing stopped, exchanged glances with Sasa, and then cast his gaze and spiritual sense toward the source of the sound.

In a dilapidated vacant lot next to an abandoned warehouse, the moonlight shone down obliquely, illuminating a group of people who were gathering, shouting, and confronting each other.

The devil shrugged. Qi Xing thought about it, and out of curiosity, he walked over, heading toward this sudden, discordant sound.

He saw about fifty people gathered there, with the numbers roughly split in half on each side, holding [weapons] like wooden swords and baseball bats, complete with earrings, long sleeves, high collars, and pompadours—looking like standard delinquent youths who had walked right out of a manga.

It's the seventh year of Reiwa, and there are still delinquent youths with pompadours? Qi Xing was quite surprised.

At first glance, he thought this was about to be a gang fight. But looking closer, Qi Xing realized something was wrong.

"Stop yapping over there, just bring it on!"

They were not fifty people having a gang fight with each other. They were fifty people surrounding one person.

A girl with golden hair, wearing a dark blue spring school uniform, with a chain engraved with strange patterns tied around her waist. She had a very full bust.

However, her long golden hair was obviously not natural; with Qi Xing's superhuman vision, he could clearly see that black new hair had already slightly grown out at her roots. But clearly, this girl belonged to the type of person whose hair cuticles were quite strong, so much so that the golden hair she dyed was almost indistinguishable from natural hair.

There were twenty-five people in front of her and twenty-five behind her. Even while surrounded, there was no fear on the girl's face; instead, she revealed a provocative sneer. Her dyed golden hair was shining, and her blue pupils, which would normally be impossible to appear on a Japanese person, were currently overflowing with a ferocious aura like that of a large predator.

It was obvious that she was likely also a delinquent girl, perhaps even a delinquent girl boss.

"A delinquent girl who claims to be super strong, surrounded by a large group of thugs… Oh my, I can already guess what's going to happen next."

Sasa floated above Qi Xing's head, watching the show with great interest. "How about it, Qi Xing? Are you going to play the hero saving the beauty again?"

"Shut up, let's watch for a while."

Anyway, at this distance, Qi Xing could do whatever he wanted in time. Fifty surrounding one, yet he didn't feel any fear or nervousness from the girl, which was quite unusual even for a delinquent girl, and this piqued Qi Xing's interest. So he stopped and decided to watch how things developed for now.

"Second-years running over to meddle in the business of third-years? Don't you know how to respect your seniors, huh!" The leader of the delinquents said to the girl. Although he was trying very hard to put on a fierce and menacing appearance, anyone could see that he was trembling.

"That's not right, senior." The girl said while taking a pair of motorcycle gloves out of her pocket. "Third-years are running over to extort protection money from second-year students; as the protector of the second-years, how can I pretend I didn't see it?"

"St-stop yapping, you bastard!"

"Senior, your legs are shaking, you know?"

After putting on the gloves on both hands, the girl raised those fierce eyes, and her gaze swept toward the lead delinquent like a blade. The third-year student who had been putting on a brave front earlier felt his breath instantly become disordered as his line of sight met the girl's, feeling as if he were being stared at by a wild beast. The next second, the golf club in his hand [clattered] to the ground, his legs gave way, and he collapsed, his face as pale as paper.

The girl stepped closer and reached out her hand, seemingly wanting to pull him up. But a sound of wind breaking struck from behind her at that moment. Someone held a baseball bat high, fiercely swinging it toward the back of her head with an air of burning bridges—however, before the arc his bat carved in the air could descend, the girl raised her hand and threw a punch, as if she were shooing away an annoying mosquito!

"Bang!" Her fist arrived first despite being thrown later, landing squarely on the attacker's face, smashing his entire face in, sending him flying backward like a kite with a broken string, and slamming him into the abandoned wall nearby, shaking it so hard that dust fell in cascades!

The surroundings were suddenly deathly silent. Her movements had no flashy fighting techniques, and one couldn't even sense a shred of fighting spirit. It was as if she were merely displaying her unparalleled physical strength. And this crude [display] alone was enough to completely shatter the psychological defenses of the group of delinquent youths before her.

She looked down at the leader who was still slumped on the ground, her resolute voice unquestionable: "Give the money back, senior."

The boy shivered violently and nodded repeatedly. But the girl couldn't even be bothered to look at him again.

Facing forty-nine enemies, she lost even the interest to threaten them. She simply took a deep breath and roared out as if thunder had split the sky—"Now, get lost, all of you!!!!!"

Just that one shout. The twenty-five people standing in front of her suddenly reeled backward like grass swept by a gale, fleeing in terror, scrambling to get away, not even caring about the pain if they fell, crawling away as fast as they could. As for the twenty-four in the back, they had already slipped away without a trace the moment she threw her first punch.

In the vacant lot, only the girl remained, standing in place, slightly flexing her wrists and nonchalantly twisting her neck, as if the warm-up hadn't even been satisfying enough.

This girl is truly interesting. For a moment, even Qi Xing couldn't help but be amused.

The delinquent youth who had been punched into the wall by the girl was now motionless, having passed out, with lingering terror still on his face.

—However, just as the girl was preparing to leave and Qi Xing was thinking about how to go up and strike up a conversation, faster than a blink, an indescribable, bizarre aura suddenly erupted from the chest of the unconscious delinquent youth!

At first, it was just a barely perceptible wisp of black mist, rising and falling slightly like a breath, but then it suddenly expanded like thick fog gushing from an abyss, rolling and writhing—and then, that black shadow seemed to come alive, tearing through the air, [hissing] as it erupted from the boy's chest, pulling out a twisted phantom!

It had no specific shape, and one could only barely make out a few weirdly twisting limbs; the incomplete facial outline was hidden in the shadows, with only a pair of blood-red eyes flickering with twisted light in the night.

It made no sound, only crazy panting, like a beast drowning in pain; resentment, anger, and fear intertwined into an invisible scream, making the air become viscous!

Qi Xing, watching the excitement from afar, immediately frowned, raised his true energy, and was about to make a move.

However, just as the monster suddenly opened its twisted, bloodthirsty maw and lunged at the girl—

The girl frowned slightly, raised her fist, and clenched it casually.

The next second— "Boom!!" A ball of blazing fire erupted on her fist. The firelight reflected on her cold face, illuminating those blue eyes that were so calm they didn't ripple at all. She didn't hesitate in the slightest, not even having the thought of taking a step back, and simply threw a punch straight on!

That flaming fist tore through the night like a meteor, slamming fiercely into the monster's body. In an instant, the entire monster was like a shadow evaporated by the scorching sun, not even having time to let out a scream, before it exploded, disintegrated, and turned to ash in the blazing flames!

"Inner Thirteenth Style: Flowing Fire." The girl pulled back her fist, and the flames extinguished accordingly. Although there were no audience members left around, she still coolly announced the name of the technique, looking very dashing.

This scene even surprised Qi Xing a bit. But Sasa was even more shocked than him, shocked to the point of disbelief!

"That fire is… Huh!? How is that possible?!"

064: Demon-Exterminating World-Saving Fist!

"That fire is… Huh!? How is that possible?!"

What is it? Qi Xing certainly wouldn't panic like Sasa. But he did indeed feel that the delinquent girl's fire had a strange power.

At the same time, the delinquent girl finally noticed that someone was watching from afar. She walked over, took a look at Qi Xing, sized him up from head to toe, and then sighed.

"How is it another one possessed by a demon… Oh well." After saying that, she raised her fist!

Huh? You're hitting me? For real?

Qi Xing had actually already realized what this delinquent girl was misunderstanding. Possessed by a demon? Ah, it is shameful to say—Qi Xing seems to really be possessed by the greatest demon in the universe, as the evil creator god is floating right above his head!

Should he explain? No. (Oh well.)

Qi Xing thought about it and instead felt that this was an opportunity.

The delinquent girl had already ignited the fire on her fist again and slammed it straight at Qi Xing. No technique, just the fierce power of a warrior who could overcome an entire army!

So Qi Xing raised his hands, and with one palm, he struck exactly at the wrist of the girl's incoming punch. He stepped forward, his knee like an arrow, striking straight at the girl's lower leg. His other hand raised its elbow joint, like a great spear, stabbing straight toward the girl's chest!

This elbow strike was hard, and the speed and force were so great that the tip of the elbow pushed and compressed the air, actually creating an invisible spiral drill of air!

Only then did the girl finally realize—damn it, this is not an ordinary victim of demonic possession! This must be a major demon!

In the nick of time, her body suddenly swirled gently to the side, as if a swallow returning to its nest, instantly avoiding the sharp edge of Qi Xing's move. From fierce to agile, from no technique to superb skill, it all changed in an instant!