Chapter 166: For the Teacher's Grand Aspiration (5)

"That day, I washed away my humiliation and chopped those three morons right down to the ground! Sliced them into pieces! By the time I was a thousand years old, I had already reached the legendary realm of the Sword Emperor! Sweeping across the entire Eastern You, anyone who saw Bone-Eroder had to retreat at least thirty miles. But I was tricked by that damned Yuan Hao! Knowing he couldn't kill me, he teamed up with an exorcist to seal me away! I will definitely destroy him! I'll slaughter his entire family!"

Bone-Eroder suddenly exuded a fierce, murderous aura. Watching this, Ye Kun couldn't help but wonder just how many people Yuan Hao had tricked.

Everyone wanted to slaughter his entire family.

It was almost like the universal curse that Brother Kun would die completely bald.

"Why couldn't you be killed?" Ye Kun asked with a puzzled expression.

"Hehe... Actually, I was hacked into pieces by three Sword Ancestors that day." Bone-Eroder grinned broadly, sending a chill down Ye Kun's spine. Chopped into pieces and still not dead?

"Those three old fossils wanted to refine me, and even refine my beloved Bone-Slasher along with me. But all they managed to do was play right into my hands."

With a swift tremor of his right arm, Bone-Eroder instantly recalled the entire sword, merging it directly into his own flesh and blood.

Ye Kun was stunned. How could this be possible! How could a sword possibly merge into a human body?!

Still, his stomach hurt a bit.

"Little Bone."

"Hey." Bone-Eroder froze, then said in a deep voice, "If you call me Little Bone again, I'll chop you to pieces!"

"No, I just wanted to tell you one thing: even if you've lived a long time, you still end up underestimating your opponent." Ye Kun slowly raised his head to look at Bone-Eroder, flashing a benign smile.

Bone-Eroder paused, instinctively wanting to leap back, but Ye Kun's hand was faster, clamping directly onto Bone-Eroder's neck!

The raging flames leaping across his body instantly engulfed Bone-Eroder.

"You! How is this possible!" Bone-Eroder was utterly shocked, having no idea what was happening. To be stabbed through by the Bone-Slasher and yet remain completely unharmed!

Ye Kun's abdomen was recovering at a speed visible to the naked eye. He really had to thank his bodily reinforcement for this.

"Little Bone, acting all elder and wise isn't a good look. Knowing you're up to no good, I had to find a way to make you drop your guard. After all, trying to kill you quietly is genuinely difficult. But seeing you brag and then walk right up to me? That put my mind completely at ease."

"You plotted against me! You despicable villain, you're just like Yuan Hao!" Bone-Eroder began to struggle frantically, stabbing fiercely at Ye Kun's body with the Bone-Slasher in his hand. But Brother Kun felt absolutely nothing—in fact, it even felt rather soothing.

Using an old-fashioned, patronizing tone, Ye Kun said, "Little Bone, be more careful from now on. Honestly, I still prefer it when you're all cheerful and joking around; you were quite entertaining."

With a sudden, violent squeeze of Ye Kun's right hand, Bone-Eroder stopped struggling entirely. Life left his body.

"Stop pretending. I know I can't finish you off that easily," Ye Kun said calmly.

"As expected of Yuan Hao's lackey, you know me inside and out."

The Bone-Eroder who had just perished came back to life, except the skin on his face began to peel away. Ye Kun immediately let go. What on earth was this creature?!

Ye Kun watched as countless tiny bugs crawled out of Bone-Eroder's mouth, even swarming inside his eyeballs and across every single part of his body.

Gradually!

The tiny bugs actually assembled themselves into the shape of a human! It was densely packed and terrifying, though those two eyeballs remained intact!

"Brother Kun, like I just said, I died, but I survived in this form." Bone-Eroder gently stroked the bugs crawling across his face, a gesture that made Brother Kun want to vomit.

Ye Kun pointed the Fire-Cloud Heaven-Incinerator straight at Bone-Eroder.

"Back then, even Yuan Hao couldn't kill me with this thing. Strong as you are, Brother Kun, you probably can't afford to let loose right now." Bone-Eroder seemed certain that Ye Kun didn't dare cause a massive disturbance, and he showed zero fear.

Hearing this, Ye Kun paused for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "It's true that my hands are tied, but I still want to give it a try!"

With that, Ye Kun thrust forward with his sword.

Bone-Eroder's body instantly dissolved, scattering countless bugs across the ground.

"Brother Kun, thanks for letting me out anyway. I'll definitely repay this favor another day, but as for that bastard Yuan Hao, I'm going to finish him first!"

Ye Kun didn't bother chasing him. With so many bugs scattering and fleeing in every direction, how could anyone possibly track them all down?

Yet Bone-Eroder actually possessed a sense of loyalty; even after being nearly killed, he still wanted to repay the debt of liberation?

Whether letting him out would turn out to be a blessing or a curse was anyone's guess.

That's right, Brother Kun had let him go on purpose, a decision he had made just a moment ago.

Perhaps Bone-Eroder understood Brother Kun's underlying message as well.

"Brother Kun, you're awesome!" Little Horse reappeared, arriving right on cue.

Putting the Fire-Cloud Heaven-Incinerator away, Ye Kun smiled and said, "This crisis has finally been resolved."

"Indeed, the rest should be left to Teacher."

Nodding, Ye Kun mounted Little Horse and headed back.

Upon laying eyes on that Green Root Heart once again, Ye Kun cupped his fists and said, "Senior, that Bone-Eroder has escaped!"

"This is already the best possible outcome. Ye Kun, thank you," the Ancient Ginseng Tree said with a grateful tone.

Ye Kun asked in a deep voice, "Senior, what happens next?"

"Ye Kun, leave the rest to us. Keep the Fire-Cloud Heaven-Incinerator; I have no use for it."

Ye Kun paused mid-motion as he reached for his ring, raising his head to ask, "Senior, is there anything I can do to help?"

"Ye Kun, though your strength is formidable, it is entirely confined to your physical body. There is still far too much you need to learn. Once you get outside, study diligently and do not let us down."

Ye Kun was well aware of his own shortcomings. It seemed he really needed to take this seriously—perhaps pick up a superficial understanding of a few things, though not too many, lest his enemies suffer a complete breakdown.

He noticed Little Horse and Sister Spider standing on either side of the Green Root Heart. Brother Ant spoke up in a deep voice, "Teacher, I will assist you as well!"

Sister Spider gazed fixedly at Ye Kun, saying indifferently, "Ye Kun, I loathe humans; I would love nothing more than to slaughter every last one of them. My death as a Fiery Flame Spider is not for the sake of humanity—it is for Teacher's grand vision!"

"My Silver Ancient Steed feels the same!"

"And so does my Profound Emperor Ant!"

The Ancient Ginseng Tree spoke with a tinge of regret, "My only regret in this life, Ye Kun, was never taking you all up to witness the rising and setting of the sun, forcing you to live out your days beneath this earth. In my next life, I shall be your student."

"Teacher! In our next life, we are still willing to be your students!" The three demonic beasts lowered their heads and pressed them against the ground.

Deeply moved, Ye Kun watched the scene unfold.

"Ye Kun, once I stabilize this entire abyss, you must leave. It will not cause a collapse."

"Thank you, Senior!" Ye Kun saluted with cupped hands. To pull off such a monumental feat despite being a Demon King was something even Ye Kun had to admire.

The Ancient Ginseng Tree said no more. Green radiance surged from the Green Root Heart, flowing outward into the surrounding roots and branches. Ye Kun could now clearly perceive the true scale of the abyss—it was indeed as vast as the entire Ankang Prefecture.

Fiery Flame Spider spewed blazing flames from her body, setting all the roots and branches ablaze in a deeply spectacular and awe-inspiring display.

Profound Emperor Ant channeled his cultivation directly into the Ancient Ginseng Tree, causing the roots to grow significantly thicker, though the white fuzz on the ant's body gradually dimmed until it lost its luster entirely.

Silver Ancient Steed let out a long, heavenward neigh, casting one final glance at Sister Spider and Brother Ant. The gazes of the three demonic beasts softened; having lived together for so many years, parting was truly hard to bear.

Yet for the sake of their Teacher!

Boom!