This lizard demon possessed some skill, using its innate abilities to directly camouflage and disappear.
While the Heavenly Eye could see spirits, it wasn't quite the Fiery Golden Eyes of Senior Brother.
Unable to see it now, I could only rely on other senses to pinpoint the lizard demon's location.
In front of us stood a large bluestone, with several trees beside it.
The bloodstains vanished here.
Although I couldn't see the monster, I knew the fiend was somewhere nearby.
Old Mo stood behind me, wary of the lizard demon ambushing us from behind.
Concentrating, I began to perceive my surroundings.
If my eyes couldn't see, I'd have to use hearing and the surrounding fluctuations of demonic energy to locate it.
The surroundings were unnervingly silent, save for our shallow breaths; there wasn't even the sound of wind.
I sensed my surroundings, sensing the pervasive, fluctuating demonic energy around me.
I tried to enter a state of profound calm, sensing any ripple in my environment.
With myself as the center, I continuously gathered any sounds that appeared around me.
Old Mo stood behind me, gripping his peach wood axe, his eyes wide as he scanned the surroundings.
He paid attention to every tree, every patch of ground.
One minute, two minutes, three minutes...
The time our Uncle-Master gave us was slowly slipping away.
And I, too, had entered that state of tranquility.
The area within ten meters around me was firmly locked down.
Where are you?
I asked myself internally.
Suddenly, I felt a ripple appear in my surroundings.
It was a fluctuation of demonic energy, very faint, so faint it was almost imperceptible.
Not far, about three meters away from us.
It moved, then stopped again.
My ears also caught a faint "rustling" sound.
It sounded like footsteps on fallen leaves, very faint, very quiet.
Yet, a faint smile touched my lips.
I had basically pinpointed the lizard demon's approximate location, but not accurately.
So, I took two steps lightly in the direction I had deduced.
I squinted my eyes slightly and began to scan the surroundings.
At this moment, the very air seemed to have stopped.
As my head slowly turned, on the large bluestone to the left of Old Mo and me, within the blind spot of my vision, a silhouette suddenly appeared.
A monster, resembling a lizard, crouched on the large bluestone, baring its fangs slightly, and suddenly raising its sharp claws.
It struck towards the heads of Old Mo and me.
And in that very instant, I felt the surge of demonic energy again, along with that faint sound.
My expression hardened, and I retaliated with a sword strike.
*Swish.* The sword light flashed as I thrust my blade towards the large bluestone beside us.
I felt a resistance, and a stream of blue blood splattered out of nowhere.
The next second, I heard a scream.
"Ah!"
On the bluestone, a transparent silhouette instantly flickered.
The silhouette quickly solidified, revealing the camouflaged lizard demon.
At this moment, it was crouched on the bluestone.
Its raised claws, before even fully extended, were struck in the chest by my sword.
Seeing this, I spoke with a cold expression:
"Found you!"
With that said, I vibrated the long sword in my hand.
A surge of Taoist energy erupted.
With a *boom*, the lizard demon was directly sent flying.
Old Mo also turned his head, seeing me strike the lizard demon, and excitedly shouted:
"Fiend, perish!"
Saying that, he raised his axe and swung it down at the lizard demon.
The lizard demon, having sustained injuries, could only instinctively block as Old Mo's axe descended.
But it was utterly unable to block it.
A bolt of electricity struck down.
*Crack.* The lizard demon's claw, used for blocking, was directly severed.
Blue blood splattered, the lizard demon screamed continuously, and its body rolled off the bluestone onto the ground.
I wouldn't give it another chance to breathe and quickly moved forward.
Raising my sword, I thrust it into the lizard demon's belly once more.
*Screech...*
The peach wood sword, perfectly aimed, pierced the lizard demon's abdomen, pinning it to the ground.
The lizard demon's face was filled with terror, blood flowing from its mouth and nose, and it let out painful, low growls.
Old Mo also brought his axe down, its edge resting on the lizard demon's neck.
But he didn't strike the killing blow with the axe.
Simultaneously, he looked back towards Uncle-Master.
Old Mo shouted excitedly:
"Master, done!"
The moment we both turned, we noticed Uncle-Master quickly retracting his left hand, placing it behind his back.
His speed was swift, but I still saw it.
In his retracted left hand, he held a red talisman.
Seeing Uncle-Master's movement, a smile played on my lips.
It seemed Uncle-Master had also been vigilant against the lizard demon.
If I hadn't detected the lizard demon and counterattacked just now.
Uncle-Master would likely have used that talisman to protect the two of us...
Uncle-Master is always Uncle-Master, truly caring for our well-being.
Seizing every opportunity to give Old Mo and me practical combat experience.
Only through actual combat is the best way to improve cultivation.
Uncle-Master, while feigning drinking and indifference, was actually in control of everything.
Uncle-Master, at this moment, still pretended to take a sip of wine, appearing nonchalant:
"Oh! Not bad."
With that, he put away his small wine gourd and then walked towards the two of us.
The controlled lizard demon was now covered in wounds.
Its chest, arms, and belly were bleeding, as were its mouth and nose.
It looked utterly lifeless.
Having completely lost the ability to resist.
However, a monster's vitality is indeed much stronger than a human's.
Even with such severe injuries, it was still alive.
A human, in this state, would have already departed this world...