0106 The Demon’s Lair Upgrades (Seeking Sanjiang Votes and Recommendation Votes)

Jiang Feng glanced back at Ning Changkong and said, “If it weren't for you, Changkong, I wouldn't have been able to make so many.”

Ning Changkong had long cultivated the Celestial Calculation Sword Technique, making his mind exceptionally sharp and his control over luminous energy remarkably precise. Just now, as he helped Jiang Feng process the materials, his movements were steady and efficient.

Of course, aside from Ning Changkong's assistance, it was also thanks to Jiang Feng’s prior preparations during their time in Zitong Forest. He had brought along sufficient materials, some of which had already been processed in advance.

Shi Zhongming nodded excitedly. “Of course, of course! You two are both excellent young men!”

Waving his long blade, he declared, “Let’s go back and continue fighting the demon clan!”

The demonic aura thickened noticeably, casting the surroundings into a deeper gloom.

The logistics team distributed the demon-exorcising incense burners to the soldiers, instructing them to carry the devices on their persons. Due to the haste in production, Jiang Feng hadn’t refined them thoroughly. These burners could only protect a limited area around one individual, but on such a chaotic battlefield, that was actually an advantage.

The logistics officer harbored a grudge, blaming the command center for delaying the distribution of medicine and pushing them to the brink. He didn’t hide his resentment but made sure to tell everyone who had crafted these incense burners.

The soldiers felt both anger and a surge of joy. They eagerly strapped on the burners, casting friendly glances at Jiang Feng from afar.

Shi Zhongming stepped forward, hesitating for a moment before turning to Jiang Feng as if struggling to voice a request.

After a pause, he finally gritted his teeth and asked, “Could you make more of these burners?”

Jiang Feng instantly understood. “You mean, other squads might need them as well?”

Shi Zhongming nodded firmly. “The demonic aura is spreading fast, and the command post is indeed both delaying and showing favoritism. But there’s definitely a shortage of medicine. Of the eight squads, half belong to Jin Zifu’s direct followers; the remaining four are probably running low. But you’re still in the final exam…”

The final exam counted only the number of enemies killed. Every incense burner Jiang Feng made was time taken away from killing.

Without hesitation, Jiang Feng said, “Alright, I’ll make them.”

He said earnestly, “This is quite important, Captain Shi. Don’t hesitate.”

Shi Zhongming said nothing further. He took a step back and gave Jiang Feng a deep salute.

Ning Changkong insisted on helping as well.

With righteous fervor, he said, “You said it yourself just now—without me, you wouldn’t have made so many. Since I can be of some help, let me assist. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can return to the fight!”

Jiang Feng looked at him, smiled, and nodded. “Alright!”

He inventoried the materials. Everything was sufficient except for a slight shortage of demon cores.

Here, everything was scarce except for demon cores. At Shi Zhongming’s command, mountains of demon cores quickly piled up before Jiang Feng.

One incense burner after another was crafted. Besides their own squad, three other squads—each with forty men—needed them as well. That meant a total of 120 burners.

Crafting a magical device required delicate control and consumed a great deal of luminous energy. Knowing time was tight, Jiang Feng pushed himself to maintain a rapid pace.

It was his first time making so many identical devices with such prolonged focus.

Mastery brought fluidity, and with his growing skill, a strange sensation arose.

The principle of the demon-exorcising device was to identify the demonic aura, separate it from luminous energy, then channel the luminous energy to repel and expel it from the body.

Hence, the foundation of such a device was luminous energy, usable only by martial cultivators.

A key element was discerning the demonic aura, primarily guided by the demon core embedded within the device.

Prolonged close contact with the demon core allowed Jiang Feng to perceive the demonic aura as a liquid flowing in his hands. It merged with the surrounding aura, forming a net that enveloped him and everyone nearby.

His consciousness flowed with the demonic aura, extending deep into the demon’s lair.

Normally, a martial cultivator’s consciousness extends through luminous energy, which naturally repels demonic aura. Approaching a demon’s lair would cause immediate rejection, making deep penetration impossible.

Yet, now Jiang Feng’s consciousness was unaffected. It delved deeper and deeper into the lair.

Countless demons poured out from within. Numerous consciousnesses streamed past him; neither side approached the other. Like two parallel lines, they crossed without interference.

After a moment, he reached the lair’s midpoint. He sensed something immense and composed lurking even deeper—a powerful will, motionless yet overwhelmingly present.

Suddenly, that will seemed to notice him and “looked up” toward him—

“Jiang Feng, what’s wrong!?”

A voice abruptly pulled Jiang Feng back. He swiftly withdrew his consciousness and met Ning Changkong’s gaze.

Ning Changkong asked, “Tired? Then take a break.”

Earlier, Jiang Feng had suddenly stopped, eyes half-closed, lost in thought.

He had made sixty or seventy burners in one go—fatigue was natural.

Jiang Feng exhaled and nodded. “My luminous energy is somewhat overdrawn. I’ll rest a bit.”

Standing, he walked near the demon’s lair and planted his feet firmly.

He recalled the sensation from moments ago and the words Wen Liangji spoke earlier.

How was the demon’s lair formed? What signs appeared before its emergence? What was the principle behind the Martial Sect’s sealing of the lair? What was the will he sensed deep inside, and how did it relate to the lair?

Jiang Feng faintly felt he had grasped a vital clue.

The demon lairs in Taicang City were peculiar. The twelve lairs were fully interconnected—could this relate to the will hidden deep within?

If only he could enter and take a look…

The thought flashed through Jiang Feng’s mind, but he quickly dismissed it with a curse.

The battle was intensifying; the demonic aura thickened visibly. They were just one battlefield; conditions elsewhere were surely worse.

Jiang Feng rested briefly before returning to craft the burners. After every forty completed, Shi Zhongming dispatched people to deliver them to other squads.

Those who returned were always jubilant, gesturing wildly to express how thrilled the recipients were. Every one solemnly thanked Jiang Feng, their earnestness almost making him embarrassed.

Jiang Feng spent the entire day out of combat, pouring all his energy into production.

His ranking on the Heavenly Ascension List steadily dropped until he was near the bottom. Ning Changkong was in the same predicament. At this rate, neither would pass the final exam!

Midnight came, and the area around the demon’s lair suddenly fell silent.

Jiang Feng’s heart jolted.

He had seen this before and knew exactly what it meant.

This was the calm before the storm—the lair was gathering strength and preparing for a new assault!

Shi Zhongming gripped his long blade tightly and said gravely, “You two, fall back to the rear.”

Jiang Feng shook his head, stretched lazily, and smiled. “I’ve been sitting all day; my bones are stiff. Captain, give me a chance to stretch.”

Shi Zhongming laughed heartily, his voice carrying far in the quiet night. “Alright, come on then! A fight won’t hurt!”

Before his words faded, ten black shadows leapt from the demon’s lair simultaneously. Moonlight poured down, revealing their silhouettes.

The ten demons were identical. They had taken human form, slender and tall, but completely bald with no hair atop their heads. Each wielded two crescent-shaped curved blades that gleamed like moonlight, strangely beautiful despite their menace.

The lair was enormous; they emerged from spaced-apart positions, yet everyone saw them at once.

Ten officer-level demons!

Shi Zhongming shouted, “Charge!”

Without waiting, he swung his blade and sprinted forward.

The demons’ eyes were half-closed as they emerged. Suddenly, they opened them together, lightning seeming to flash from their gaze, brilliant and fierce. Then, with synchronized motion, they moved faster than lightning!

Jiang Feng shouted, “Watch out!”

Reacting swiftly, a bolt of lightning burst from his palm toward the demons. Their bodies were sheathed in black, shell-like armor. Without dodging, the lightning struck one directly, vanishing silently.

But the lightning was followed by a massive shockwave, like a bouncing ball, slamming hard into the demon’s face.

The demon finally sidestepped slightly. At the same time, Jiang Feng’s bowing motion continued, the lightning brushing lightly past Shi Zhongming, severing one of his arms!

Shi Zhongming was, after all, a Dawn Martial Warrior, protected by luminous energy, yet the curved blade sliced through as if cutting tofu—without resistance.

His arm dropped to the ground. The demon grabbed it, brought it to his mouth, and bit down gently. A finger snapped off, chewed twice, then swallowed.

Only then did Shi Zhongming feel the pain. Clutching his shoulder, he let out a miserable scream as blood spouted wildly.

They had only exchanged a brief clash, yet he had already lost an arm!

Though Shi Zhongming was a Dawn Warrior and the demon was an officer-level being roughly equivalent to a Yangming realm, one full level above him, the disparity was stark.

Moreover, if not for Jiang Feng’s timely reaction, it wouldn’t have been just an arm severed—it would have been half his body!

This officer-level demon was stronger than imagined!

He finished devouring Shi Zhongming’s arm like biting sugarcane, blood dripping from his mouth. Swallowing the last bite, he looked around dissatisfied and swung his curved blades, launching another attack.

His target remained Shi Zhongming, who was gravely wounded and no match for him.

Jiang Feng rushed forward, grabbed Shi Zhongming, rolled aside, narrowly dodging the demon’s blade.

The demon tilted his head, meeting Jiang Feng’s gaze.

An officer-level demon facing a Dawn Martial Warrior—two full levels apart, a vast difference in strength.

Shi Zhongming clutched his shoulder and whispered, “You… you run… I’ll hold him off!”

Another confrontation would surely mean death for Jiang Feng!

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