Turns Out I'm the Real Monster?!

Just two breaths later, it had transferred to a white horse.

’Damn it. It’s pretty clever, able to transfer its main body at will.’

Jiang Mu sneered, sweeping down from the rooftop and making a covert hand gesture toward Tang Guixin.

Tang Guixin faltered for a moment, then instantly understood. She subtly shifted her position, moving closer in the direction Jiang Mu had indicated.

The two of them formed a pincer attack.

Wielding his saber, Jiang Mu effortlessly cut down several charging puppet Horse Demons to protect his injured comrades, his eyes locked on the constantly leaping "Omen" character.

The Blood River True Qi within him began to circulate as his Star Power surged to its peak, ready to be unleashed.

The "Omen" character jumped rapidly among the herd of horses.

Finally, just as it flashed above the head of a mottled gray horse—the closest it had been to Jiang Mu yet—

A sharp light flashed in Jiang Mu’s eyes.

SWISH—!

Heaven-Breaking Slash!

The Saber Aura he had been building, like a river of blood bursting its banks, was unleashed with a terrifying power that seemed capable of tearing anything apart!

At the same time, Tang Guixin, who was already in position, sprang into action. Her longsword became a streak of light, cutting off all of the gray horse’s escape routes.

SPLURT!

Unsurprisingly, the mottled gray horse was cleaved in two by Jiang Mu’s terrifying Saber Aura, its blood and entrails splattering across the ground.

"NEIGHHHH—!"

As the gray horse’s corpse hit the ground, a shrill, mournful wail rang out.

The surrounding herd, which had been attacking frantically, also let out cries of pain, their movements faltering in unison.

But Jiang Mu didn’t stop.

The "Omen" character in his sight had not vanished. The instant the gray horse died, it had transformed into a wisp of black smoke, attempting to slip into a nearby horse.

’Trying to run?’

Jiang Mu snorted, his long saber a blur as he gave chase.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

With three more slashes, the three horses the black smoke had just possessed dropped dead.

Only after Jiang Mu beheaded a fifth horse did the black smoke find it had nowhere left to run. It convulsed in midair before crashing heavily to the ground.

The black smoke dissipated, revealing a strange pony, only the size of a large dog. It was pitch-black, its mane standing on end like steel needles.

Its eyes were as cold and venomous as a snake’s, and its body radiated a sinister, chilling aura.

The Horse Demon’s true form had finally been revealed!

The Horse Demon dug its hooves into the ground and glared at Jiang Mu, its voice hoarse and dripping with venom.

"You brat! My Divine Abilities are flawless! How could you pinpoint my true body every single time!?"

Jiang Mu flicked the blood from his saber.

"You look like a pile of shit. I can smell your stench from a mile away! You think I even needed to try?"

"Bastard! I’ll swallow you whole!"

Humiliated, the Horse Demon flew into a rage. It kicked off its hind legs, spun around, and fled toward the wilderness outside the village.

’Too many of them. Can’t win.’

’A horse’s greatest strength is running.’

’Once it gets going, not even a Fifth Realm Cultivator can catch it!’

"Running? Did I say you could?"

Jiang Mu flicked his left wrist.

He produced the Magical Treasure Folding Fan that Yang Tianci had given him.

He opened the fan and waved it gently in the direction of the fleeing Horse Demon.

[Spatial Lock!]

HUMMM—!

Space itself seemed to solidify.

An imprisoning force pressed in from all sides.

The Horse Demon, once as fast as lightning, suddenly faltered as if trapped in a viscous bog. Its speed plummeted, and even lifting its legs became an immense struggle.

"A Spatial Magical Treasure!"

The Horse Demon’s eyes widened in terror as it let out a desperate shriek.

"Now!"

Tang Guixin cried out, her longsword a series of flourishes that formed an impenetrable net of steel, sealing off the Horse Demon’s movements to the left and right.

Not to be outdone, Xu Fu began forming hand seals and muttering an incantation.

Several golden ropes, condensed from Star Power, materialized out of thin air and wrapped precisely around the Horse Demon’s four hooves, pinning it firmly to the ground.

"ARGHH!!"

The Horse Demon struggled desperately, its demonic aura flaring as it tried to break free from its bonds.

But suppressed by two masters and trapped by the spatial lock, it could only watch in despair as the man with the Blood Saber walked toward it, step by step.

Jiang Mu gripped his saber with both hands and raised it high.

No more words were needed.

THWACK!

The blade fell.

He lopped off the Horse Demon’s savage head.

The Horse Demon’s head rolled into the dust, its malevolent eyes wide with disbelief and bitter indignation.

With the death of its true form,

the infected horses that were still struggling and screaming suddenly went limp, as if their very souls had been torn away. They let out one final, mournful cry before collapsing to the ground, melting into pools of blood and pus.

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"Hah..."

Only then did everyone finally breathe a collective sigh of relief.

"Quick! Tend to the wounded!" Tang Guixin shouted.

The others wasted no time, rushing to care for their comrades who had been injured in the chaos.

Jiang Mu crouched, cut open the Horse Demon’s corpse, and pulled out a Demon Pill that pulsed with a black light.

After absorbing the Demonic Qi from it, he casually tossed the Demon Pill to Tang Guixin as she walked over.

"Aunt Tang, this is for you," he said. "Count this thing as a contribution for your Hall. Just consider it a little welcome gift from me."

Tang Guixin instinctively caught the Demon Pill and froze, stunned by the pure Demonic Power she could feel contained within it.

This was the Demon Pill of a Tier Five Great Perfection Demon. It was incredibly valuable.

She was about to politely decline, but his words warmed her heart. She smiled and accepted it graciously without further protest.

Then, a playful glint appeared in her eyes, and she smiled teasingly.

"Alright, Aunt Tang will accept it. But I can’t just take it for free. We’ll call it an early betrothal gift from you. Wait a couple more years for my daughter to grow up, and I’ll make sure she comes with a generous dowry!"

"..."

The corner of Jiang Mu’s mouth twitched. He was utterly speechless.