Chapter 168 – The Girl's Heartbeat

Demon Hunter Academy, Training Room.

In the center of the high-tech training ground, an intense battle was underway.

“Whoosh!”

“Whoosh!”

Accompanied by sounds resembling the slicing of air, numerous figures darted around at incredible speeds.

Su Ming stood among them, holding Firefang with a calm expression, as if oblivious to the surrounding enemies.

Yet when the surrounding figures suddenly lunged at him, Su Ming instantly sprang into action.

His figure transformed into an arrow released from its bow, shooting forward in an instant.

“Clang!”

A clear blade hum echoed as the alchemical weapon named Firefang became a crimson slash cutting through the air.

That strike was swift as the wind, fierce as thunder, like a fleeting demon shadow carrying a chilling, skin-piercing sense of danger.

Facing this ferocious slash, the figure that had lunged before Su Ming had no time to react before being cleanly struck.

“Rip!”

In the next moment, a tearing sound like rending cloth followed.

It was the sound of the attacking figure being cleaved in two by the crimson demonic slash.

The powerful strike effortlessly bisected the opponent as if tearing through paper, its terrifying force astonishing to behold.

But it didn’t end there.

After successfully cutting down one opponent, Su Ming maintained his momentum, swiftly charging toward the incoming figures.

Firefang sliced through the air, drawing crimson blade lights and unleashing demon-shadow-like slashes that carried overwhelming force, landing on one after another of the attacking figures.

“Rip!” “Rip!” “Rip!”…

Soon, scenes of figures being cleanly severed by demonic slashes frequently appeared across the high-tech training ground.

Su Ming moved like a phantom through the dense crowd of figures, Firefang continuously striking with dangerous aura, weaving together crimson blade lights that formed an elegant spectacle of flashing blades.

Before these swift, thunderous strikes, all attacking figures became fragile existences, being torn apart, cleaved, and bisected without any resistance whatsoever.

When Su Ming finally stopped his flashing movements and the crimson demonic slashes ceased, returning Firefang to its blade form, all the attacking figures on the high-tech training ground had vanished without trace.

“Hiss…”

Amidst steaming sounds, the bisected figures disappeared like mirages.

The high-tech training ground seemed to stop operating as the glowing floor gradually dimmed.

“Hah…”

Su Ming let out a soft breath, showing some satisfaction.

“I’ve finally grasped the basics of the Demon Blade Art.”

Yes.

Just today, Su Ming had finally succeeded in mastering the Demon Blade, obtaining this incredibly powerful blade technique.

Though he had only just reached the basic level, mastery was mastery.

From today onward, Su Ming was no longer that novice Hunter who only possessed Three-Star physical attributes and powerful alchemical weapons but didn’t understand any blade techniques, forced to use his [Silver Arm] to trade blows with others, overcoming skill with brute force.

“Now I finally have a respectable combat technique to use.”

Su Ming raised Firefang, watching the crimson light flowing across the blade, and couldn’t help but smile.

“If it were me now, facing Gao Xu again, I probably wouldn’t be suppressed by his superior blade skills and outstanding combat experience like last time, right?”

Thinking this, Su Ming felt tempted to find Gao Xu and spar with him properly.

He just didn’t know if that ‘Qilin Blade’ had recovered from his injuries yet.

“Unfortunately, this combat simulation device can only create practice puppets, unable to simulate a proper opponent.”

Su Ming glanced around the high-tech training ground, feeling somewhat regretful.

“Meeling!”

At that moment, a petite figure descended from midair, creating ripples of water as it swung its beautiful fishtail, swimming before Su Ming.

“Meeling! Meeling!”

The mermaid girl Little Hai’er descended from above, her small hands actually holding a cup of iced drink, obediently offering it to Su Ming.

“Thank you.”

Su Ming snapped back to reality, naturally accepting the iced drink. Seeing the cold vapor rising from it, he understood this was Little Hai’er’s doing.

After all, there was no refrigerator in the training room. The drink was something Su Ming had brought, just not chilled.

But who could blame her? Little Hai’er could manipulate water vapor and even control ice.

Chilling a drink was simply too easy for her.

Thinking this, Su Ming drank while glancing at Little Hai’er.

Little Hai’er no longer fearfully hid from Su Ming like before. Instead, she stayed close to him, watching with wide, blinking eyes, her aqua-blue eyes filled with expectation and hope.

He had to admit, this mermaid girl was truly adorable. Even now, seeing her like this made Su Ming feel his heart melting.

“Here.”

Su Ming knew why the girl was being so obedient. After finishing his drink, he took out a piece of Red Vein Stone from his backpack and tossed it over.

“Meeling!”

Little Hai’er immediately swung her fishtail, darting forward. Instead of catching it with her hands, she opened her small mouth like a hooked fish, catching the “bait” thrown into the air and swallowing it.

“Meeling meeling!”

With the Red Vein Stone in her stomach, Little Hai’er beamed with joy, creating water ripples as she happily swam through the air, appearing extremely pleased.

Su Ming smiled faintly, then took out another Red Vein Stone for himself and swallowed it.

The red medicinal stone immediately dissolved in his stomach, merging with his limbs and bones, circulating through his body with his blood. His entire bloodstream seemed to heat up, accelerating its flow and releasing magical power.

Thanks to this, Su Ming’s slightly sore body from using the Demon Blade felt nourished, the ache quickly fading.

Su Ming contemplated this silently.

“After taking Red Vein Stones continuously lately, I feel the bloodline’s transformation of my body is nearing some kind of limit.”

He understood what this feeling meant.

“To awaken Demonization, one must first maximize bloodline concentration, bringing the body to human limitations, then find a way to break through these limitations to elevate the body to a superhuman state, advancing the bloodline to another level.”

“At that point, the magical power contained within the bloodline will return to its source, awakening the dormant Phantom Demon Power within.”

“Thus, Demonization will awaken, allowing humans to transform into forms close to Phantom Demons through bloodline power, unleashing several times or even dozens of times their normal strength.”

Su Ming was quite certain.

“My Nightmare Species bloodline already has an extremely high foundation and concentration, not far from the limit.”

“With the help of Red Vein Stones over so many days, my bloodline concentration should have reached its limit.”

“The body transformation is nearly complete, proving my physique is also approaching human limitations.”

In other words, Su Ming had nearly reached the peak attainable by a lower-rank Hunter.

Soon, Su Ming would likely attempt to break through his physical limitations, awaken the demonic factors in his bloodline, and undergo Demonization.

“But how exactly does one break through physical limitations and awaken demonic factors?”

Su Ming pondered this.

Unlike the mysterious awakening of a Sorcerer’s Vision Mark, a Hunter’s Demonization awakening has only one path.

Training.

Training desperately.

Pushing oneself to the limit, even beyond it. Then one day, the accumulated sweat would wash away the physical limitations, stepping into another realm.

From mortal body to extraordinary body.

From mere human to the realm of superhuman.

This was both a transformation and a leap.

“Red Vein Stone is a treasure that affects bloodlines. Phantom Demons consuming it experience accelerated evolution and increased evolution chances, while Hunters consuming it increase bloodline concentration and speed up Demonization awakening.”

“Since that’s the case, if I continuously take Red Vein Stones, will I naturally awaken Demonization?”

“Seems… pretty simple…?”

Su Ming scratched his head, his words enough to infuriate every Hunter.

The logic was sound, but who could consume precious Red Vein Stones like candy like Su Ming?

Even a single Red Vein Stone held immense value – priceless wouldn’t be an exaggeration. These were extremely rare treasures even in the Spirit Demon Abyss, and in the present world they were nearly impossible to find. Ordinary people would consider themselves blessed by their ancestors to obtain just one piece. Who could be as extravagant as Su Ming, continuously consuming them?

If others had this many Red Vein Stones, who wouldn’t awaken?

…Well, not everyone could awaken this way.

Although Red Vein Stones indeed promoted awakening, most Hunters couldn’t even meet the prerequisite conditions.

Because their bloodline rank wasn’t sufficient.

With ordinary lower-rank Phantom Demon bloodlines, even reaching the lower-rank limit was uncertain, let alone maximizing bloodline concentration to bring the body to human limitations.

Therefore, awakening Demonization also depended on bloodline potential – whether the concentration could reach the required level, and whether the bloodline’s transformation of the body could bridge the vast gap between human and superhuman physique, entering another level.

Thus, even if others had the resources to splurge like Su Ming, they wouldn’t have the conditions to do so.

Su Ming found it simple only because he possessed Nightmare Species bloodline with near-infinite potential. Not just advancing from Three-Star to Four-Star – he had the potential to reach the ultimate Seven-Star.

Nightmare Species bloodline was known as the Seven-Star pass. If it lacked awakening potential, that would be strange.

Regardless, Su Ming approaching the limit of lower-rank Hunters and touching the realm of upper-rank Hunters was a fact.

“Perhaps soon, my Demonization will awaken.”

Su Ming naturally looked forward to this.

“Ding dong—Ding dong—Ding dong—”

Just as Su Ming was quietly anticipating, a ringing sound suddenly echoed through the training room.

“Meeling!”

Little Hai’er, who had been happily swimming in the air, was startled, suddenly turning and diving into the swimming pool, disappearing.

“Someone’s here?”

Su Ming was momentarily stunned, then realized.

This was the visitor notification bell.

“Who is it?” Su Ming wondered aloud while calling toward the swimming pool: “Someone’s here, don’t come out.”

The response wasn’t the pleasant “Meeling” sound but splashing water.

Su Ming knew this was Little Hai’er responding to him. Shaking his head, he put away Firefang, picked up a nearby towel, and walked toward the door while wiping sweat.

On the monitor screen beside the door, the lovely figures of three girls appeared before Su Ming’s eyes.

“Brother Su Ming!”

When the training room door opened, An Zijin was the first to call out to Su Ming in her sweet voice, her face blooming like a flower, beautiful and captivating.

“Senior! We came to see you!”

“Hello, Senior.”

Jiang Wanyu’s energetic voice and Yao Beibei’s timid greeting followed closely.

“What brings you here?”

Seeing these three lovely juniors, Su Ming couldn’t help but feel pleased.

As the saying goes, beauty is feast for the eyes. Even Su Ming felt happy seeing pretty juniors coming to visit him.

Meanwhile, An Zijin, Jiang Wanyu, and Yao Beibei showed subtle changes in their eyes upon seeing Su Ming.

It couldn’t be helped.

Having trained all day, Su Ming’s clothes were soaked with sweat. With a towel around his neck and sweat covering his face, he didn’t appear messy at all but rather had the freshness and vitality of a sports-oriented boy.

This contrast from his usual image made An Zijin’s eyes practically form heart shapes, while Jiang Wanyu and Yao Beibei also felt their hearts flutter.

“I never realized Senior Su Ming was so muscular…”

Jiang Wanyu glanced at Su Ming’s clothes, which had become somewhat transparent from sweat, clearly revealing his physique. She felt both surprised and intrigued.

“Ugh…”

Yao Beibei blushed, her gaze shifting away, appearing shy like a maiden in love.

If even Jiang Wanyu and Yao Beibei reacted like this, one could imagine how An Zijin – who already had improper thoughts about Su Ming – must be feeling.

“Brother Su Ming, what kind of training were you doing to sweat so much?”

An Zijin stared intently at the sweat on Su Ming’s body, actually swallowing, giving the impression she wanted to pounce and lick it.

“Nothing much, just random training.”

Su Ming noticed An Zijin’s abnormality and forced a laugh, unconsciously taking half a step back.

Only then did An Zijin snap back to reality, casting a regretful glance at the sweat before looking away.

This made the good mood Su Ming had just felt vanish completely.

Damn, these aren’t lovely juniors – they’re perverts lusting after my body! (*゜Д゜)σ

(End of Chapter)