Zhang Wei was human.

Humans sometimes make erratic mistakes that can devolve into misery or evolve into a major boon.

As for Zhang Wei popping the only luck-booster in his possession after coming eye to eye with a despair-inducing behemoth, now that could fall under the category of a happy mistake.

It had the benefits of him not being munched, but unfortunately, came with a side of 'Oh fuck, that was not according to plan'.

But thankfully, Zhang Wei followed the belief that no plan was perfect, so after the fox lowered its huge head and ignored him, he stopped dwelling on it and made his way up the fox with some haste.

Then, at last, he had managed to reach his goal- The fox's head!

Feeling a tinge of relief, a small sigh left Zhang Wei's mouth and, wasting not a minute longer, he scoured through the contents of his spatial ring and retrieved the essence of his plan!

The item which felt like it shaved off ten years of his life to attain, and the key to the entire situation, looked like a plain and simple wooden stick with a strange peach-coloured fruit attached to one end with a string!

The reason it looked like such a crude piece of equipment was...

...because it was just a stick with a fruit attached to it.

Hehehe, who needs some fancy telekinesis skill and a bunch of high-level cultivators to herd the fox, when you've got a trusty old stick and bait?

As he approached the peak of the fox's head, he tightly clenched onto the beast's fur and carefully cast the stick aiming it such that the fruit was near the fox's nose.

It may be within question why a being so powerful couldn't catch the scent, or soul, of the fruit the moment it was pulled out of the ring, but the reason for that lay in the peculiarities of the fruit.

This peach-coloured, apple-shaped fruit was a Phantom Core Apple.

The phantom part of the name denoted the fact that the apple was almost undetectable unless you saw it with your own two eyes- Just like a phantom.

Now, as a creature with no eyes, this task was almost an impossibility. So the fruit had to be right within its nostrils for it to pick up on it- After all, it was fundamentally a fruit and not a real phantom, therefore it still had a very weak scent.

Incidentally, and ironically, the Phantom Core Apple was a Fourteen Yin Netherworld Fox's favourite food as its effects centred around enhancing the soul of the consumer and purifying it, which was right up the fox's alley.

So the moment it realised that such an unlikely treasure had graced it with its presence, the fox immediately leapt up from its sleeping position and tried to bite the fruit.

Unfortunately for it, every time it raised its head the fruit would also be raised higher preventing it from ever being able to get it!

Soon it stopped its actions and concluded that it simply wasn't close enough to eat it, so it began following the direction from which the scene came.

Seeing the fox's braindead actions, relief swept past him once more and he thought to himself,

Thank god fate specifically designated this creature the role of a mindless beast, otherwise the plot to capture this being in the original story would have been squelched the moment they tried, and similarly, I'd never even dare to think of doing something like this!

...

"So be quick, otherwise, once my patience runs dry I can't guarantee you won't end up as my soup!"

As an authoritative voice resounded throughout the forested area, Fan Lin's heart was thumping louder than drums.

The voice was essentially a death sentence, and Fan Lin was about to fall into despair as this murderous, cannibalistic, demonic sovereign was out for him!

Fan Lin was about to try dashing away from the vicinity, but he inwardly knew it was going to be a futile action so he was delaying doing so as much as possible.

However, the rough steps of the demon were getting louder and louder, making him increasingly nervous as the seconds ticked by.

To hell with it!

As if this lunatic would spare my soul if I revealed myself!

It's now or never!

Fan Lin was about to take the first step to run, but a sudden heroic shout stopped him in his tracks!

"You demonic wretch!

"Know humility, less you end up forcing my hand!

"How dare you even fathom a noble being like me kowtowing to you!

"I kowtow only to my parents, and no one else!

"Not even the high heavens!"

As the voice resounded, a tall, fiercely handsome young man with sky-blue eyes revealed walked out from behind a tree.

After turning around and facing the source of the sound, the demon sovereign's eyes were wide from shock and he said astonishedly,

"You...Are you even aware of how thin the ice you are walking on is, Junior?!

"Even back when all sorts of righteous path sects hunted this sovereign down for days on end, not once did they dare to ask me to humble myself!

"My name brought terror to all in this realm, and everyone but that Old Bastard Azure Profound Patriarch made way for me!

"I was the epitome of power, and no matter what I desired, I always acquired it!

"Though I, Demonic Sovereign Sha Jin, can commend your foolish courage, I simply would not be able to sleep another day if I do not extract your soul and torture it for a minimum of a thousand days and nights!

"Now hurry up an-!"

*BANG!*

Before he could finish his words, a gigantic fist made of glorious red spiritual energy smashed down onto the location where the demon was!

Before the dust and dirt filling the area could clear, an enraged roar could be heard screaming,

"How dare you!

"A mere Spirit Tempering rodent baring its claws at this sovereign is unparalleled treachery!

"Come here and let this sovereign skin you this instant!"

Though that palm was something that even some Spirit Refining cultivators would find difficult to block, and was powerful enough to leave a huge mark in the surrounding ground, the terrifying demon was unscathed!

Charging out from the smog of dust, and hastily approaching Lin Fan, the demon channelled copious amounts of spiritual energy into his fist ready to return what had rudely been sent his way until...

*BANG!*

Another sudden explosion, this one of greater magnitude than the last, occurred but from the confused expression drawn on his face, it was clear that Lin Fan had nothing to do with it this time.

Soon, a cacophony of throaty coughs loudly resounded, accompanied by an enraged, hate-filled roar,

"AZURE PROFOUND!!

"How dare you continue to hinder my path to true domination, even millennia after your death!

"I swear on my dao heart that if you have any descendants, disciples or remnants of your legacy in this era, I will mutilate and torture them all to the point they will be cursing your name!"

While this tirade was happening, from another angle, still stationed behind the same tree- which was thankfully just outside the area of impact- Fan Lin realised it was a do-or-die moment.

Clenching his fists tightly, he took this opportunity to start sprinting away from the scene with all his efforts focused on trying his best to get as far away as possible!

However, moments after starting, his purpose of being there flashed in his mind.

Damn, if I escape now everything will go to shit!

Zhang Wei will be unable to lead the fox over to the demon, and I know for a fact that Lin Fan, though he is incredibly busted, wouldn't be able to defeat that monstrosity at his current level all by himself!

Even if that bastard hasn't fully recovered yet, and is in some buffer period, it is still futile.

He's an ancient demonic cultivator who has reached an unimaginably high cultivation level!

In the novel, the only reason the protagonist was even able to live on after encountering such a calamity, was due to the hidden ancestor sacrificing his remaining lifespan to delay the demon and allow the protagonist and other disciples to escape using the fragmented ancient portal!

Fuck!

Biting his tongue, Fan Lin resolutely dove into a nearby bush and focused his attention back on the fight between the demon and Lin Fan!

Though, as a person, he was a fuck-up, he wasn't about to be a coward who runs away from his responsibilities!

He'd already done enough wrong to his family, there was no chance he was going to betray Zhang Wei and the lot!

Back to the fight.

Although it was clear that the demon was not using any form of spiritual energy or technique, as there were no horrendously terrain-destroying attacks being lobbed around, his overpowering advantage was as clear as day!

No matter how much of his mind-blowing spiritual reserves Lin Fan infused into his incredible techniques, not one was able to penetrate the flesh of the demon nor was able to withstand a simple punch.

At this point, Lin Fan was just getting rag-dolled around the forest without a chance of light back, it was blatantly obvious he was going to lose at this rate- It would be a speedy loss at that!

And all the while he fought this losing battle, the ancient spirit screamed inside his head,

Lin Fan, you damn brat!

What in the nine heavens compelled you to make such a suicidal decision?!!

Praise be the heavens that his spiritual energy and soul essence seem to have some issues and the seal seemed to have significantly deteriorated his body, otherwise, we'd be dead meat!

Do you hear me?

Dead meat!

But even so, the physique of a half-step Tribulation Transcendence stage cultivator is way beyond your greatest fantasies...

...So we're still dead meat for heaven's sake!

Stop being stubborn here you brat, and hand over the reigns to your body for a moment!

The instant Lin Fan blocked what felt like the hundredth punch, and was once again sent flying away, he took the chance to shout in his mind,

God damn it, you old bastard!

I told you this dragon blood was something to be concerned about, but it was you who just played it off as nothing!

Now that it's stuck us in this situation because of pride, my goddamn bloodline is also refusing to hand over my body to anyone but me, the original soul!

It will work against my body the moment I hand it over!

Before he could think of anything else, another huge palm came flying over alongside an irritated snort,

"Junior!

"You seem to be adept at shocking this sovereign, as this is quite possibly the first time I've seen such a resilient rat!

"Regardless of what my current state is, this sovereign genuinely cannot help but commend you on your resilience and endurance!

"As a sign of respect, from one talented Daoist to another, allow this sovereign to give you the honour of being the first to witness the technique I comprehended and consolidated over this long period of isolation!

"A technique which combines the pinnacle of soul essence suffusion and this sovereign's very own enlightenment regarding the realm laws that fundamentally uphold the world around us!

"HAHAHA, this sovereign grants it the moniker, Granular Tremor!"

The moment he called the name, the general vicinity of where Lin Fan was flashed piercingly white for a split-second as if a flashbang had gone off!

Then, the moment white gleaming vanished, a shocking sight laid bare for all who could see!

The area where the light had hit turned discoloured, almost as if it were a scene from a black-and-white movie!

Even more shockingly, everything that was discoloured seemed to stay still, even the things midair, as if time had stopped. However, if you focused on the area closely, and let your eyes get sucked in, then you would gradually be able to see that every single thing in the scene was minutely tremoring!

From within the warm embrace of the bush, Fan Lin's face turned pale as he witnessed the nonsensical scene in front of him!

W-What has just happened?!

I-It's completely colourless, a part of the world has just lost colour!

How is this possible...no... what was I ever thinking ever staying near this heaven-defying monster?!

Fan Lin had never valued the colours that made him, more in his life, than at this moment.

In a strangely timely manner, the demon exclaimed to himself,

"HAHAHA!

"This is fantastic. This is great!

"This sovereign knows you can't hear me, oh ignorant junior. But please do tell, what does it feel like inside my realm-breaking domain?!

"If it works as this sovereign imagined, each time you tremor a minute fraction of yourself should be shaved off and re-integrated back into the realm!

"And slowly, but surely, your entire being will be shredded, your skin, teeth, heart, soul, consciousness, everything!

"The fun thing here is that throughout this entire process, you will not be able to move at all and basically nothing and no one will be able to interfere, meaning you cannot be saved!"

After letting out another hysterical laugh, the demon sovereign decided to give it no more thought and abruptly began to trod back to the formation where he was initially sealed- Clearly planning on destroying it or taking some of the insanely valuable materials used to create it.

As he got there he spotted something out of place, causing one of his eyebrows to raise.

"A stalk of Violent Sapphire Startgrass, hmph, very good you old bastard!

"Scales of a Nine-Clawed True Lizard, truly worthy of restraining this soon-to-be venerable for so long!

"The blood of Hunchback Spiral-Tortoise with a sliver of True Turtle blood, no wonder I'd always get nauseatingly dizzy at full moon!

"And a...

"...a Phantom Apple Core?!

"What's this over here for, and why would such a great treasure be cut in half?

"Wouldn't that just reduce its phantom-like properties, and expose its succulent and soul enchanting properties?

"Had Azure Profound truly added this component to enhance the formation camouflaging abilities?

"Perhaps it could have been to protect it from soul-warding...Or does it assist with another aspect?

"How interesting!

"I never knew you could implement such a peculiar fruit into a formation, I must research this when I get ba-?!"

Once again, before the demon sovereign could finish his thought process- he was interrupted.

This time though, it wasn't a fist that got to him.

...It was the maws of a voracious fox.

*CHOMP!*

...

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Author's Notes:

Thank's for reading, hope you enjoyed the chapter.

And feedback or suggestions is appreciated as always.