Over the years, Lu Xingzhou had seen a wide variety of creatures, including numerous demons and monsters such as flame, shadow, and iron demons. He understood that these beings were essentially life forms condensed from specific elements in the world. Those with benevolent qualities were often referred to as “spirits,” while those with malevolent qualities were “demons.”

Based on this understanding of their origin, heart demons could also be considered a type of spiritual element, falling within the realm of comprehensible phenomena.

But what exactly was a succubus?

Was lust considered an element? If so, wouldn’t everyone in the reader’s chat group be a demon?

A hormone demon? An ox demon? A cave troll?

This didn’t seem to fit the established system at all. He could only roughly deduce that a succubus was a spirit condensed from a specific desire, in this case, lust. If so, was her expressive power similar to the Enchantress Xuan Gong technique? What then, was the difference?

The crucial difference was that Pei Chuyun was a human with genuine human emotions and a consistent set of values, whereas a succubus possessed none of these.

Furthermore, Pei Chuyun had not yet reached the third rank, so she couldn’t utilize certain mind-based spells. This succubus, however, had devolved from the third rank, making it uncertain whether she retained the ability to use such techniques.

It was bizarre. The iron demon, oozing magma, clearly exerted a far more imposing and oppressive presence, yet everyone’s gaze was fixed on the succubus. Still, it was probably accurate to assume that, given the succubus’s nature, the iron demon might even be her subordinate.

So, a bloody pair of “lovebirds”?

As these thoughts flickered through his mind, the succubus across from them whimpered, seemingly on the verge of tears, “Young Master… save me…”

The chains seemingly wrapped around her body were strategically placed to cover only essential areas, paradoxically making her appear even more enticing. Combined with her pleading tone, it was enough to make any man’s heart ache with longing.

Sheng Yuanyao’s ponytail almost stood on end; the act was sickeningly familiar. Someone she knew at home acted just like this, sending shivers down her spine the moment she heard it.

She swiftly drew her saber. “Divide and conquer! I’ll handle this one. You and A’Nuo deal with the iron demon quickly!”

Lu Xingzhou grabbed her ponytail and tugged her back. “A’Nuo will go. She’s the least susceptible to desire and won’t be exploited. She’s also the strongest among us. You’re just a fifth-rank cultivator; have some self-awareness! Are you risking your life just to prevent me from going?”

Sheng Yuanyao was speechless.

“ROAR!” The iron demon, which had been striking a pose for quite some time, was finally enraged by their highly suspicious flirtatious banter. It stomped two steps out of the magma, charging forward and unleashing a direct punch at Lu Xingzhou’s head.

“Hehe… You two are so affectionate; it truly makes this servant’s heart flutter,” the succubus giggled, leaning against a pillar.

A’Nuo zipped in front of her and slammed her with a large pancake. “Shameless! Who are you fluttering for? Go to hell!”

The chains wrapped around the succubus suddenly began to spin, forming a swirling, nebula-like protective barrier that deflected A’Nuo’s pancake. The interior was indeed empty; in the midst of the chaos, Lu Xingzhou fleetingly caught a glimpse of what reminded him of a Cherry MX Red switch on a keyboard.

The succubus seemed unfazed by being seen completely, continuing to laugh. “Big sister doesn’t bully children. Tell your daddy to come here…”

Her flirtatious “oh” didn’t even finish before it abruptly transformed into a tremor.

The chains, seemingly spinning robustly, suddenly became unresponsive when the pancake connected, wilting and falling away—a literal “dropping of the chain.”

The succubus’s expression immediately shifted. She twisted and dodged by a hair’s breadth, the pancake grazing past her and narrowly missing her “red switch.”

A cold sweat broke out on the succubus’s body. Only then did she begin to take the child seriously. “Brat, you’re asking for a death wish!”

A’Nuo eyed her up and down with utter disdain. “With that figure, any one of my master’s wives is better than you!”

“I don’t believe it,” the succubus muttered, glancing at Sheng Yuanyao. But her voice caught in her throat.

While succubi were naturally formed spirits with inherently perfect figures, claiming someone was better than her might seem like an unfair criticism. However, visually, Sheng Yuanyao certainly wasn’t inferior. Her physique was well-proportioned and athletic, with a slender waist and long legs. Although her chest wasn’t as large as the succubus’s, it was perfectly ample and shapely.

Many men preferred her type, not necessarily favoring exaggerated curves.

The succubus was somewhat deflated, realizing that “any random one” seemed to be her equal, if not better.

“Nya nya nya!” A’Nuo made a face. Her pancake transformed into a spinning frisbee, flying forward, while she followed close behind, her small fist coiled for a “Yama’s Kill.”

The succubus no longer dared to use her chains. From somewhere, she produced a white silk sash, using its pliancy to counter the disc’s rigidity, wrapping it around the spinning object.

She was perplexed, wondering how such a small human could possess such strength; it simply shouldn’t be possible. What was truly infuriating was that despite being a child, the brat remained entirely unaffected by the lustful mist she had been emitting for so long. The child simply hadn’t “opened her mind” to such things.

How could a fourth-rank child suddenly emerge as her opponent? This was surely a natural counter!

As this battle intensified, Lu Xingzhou and Sheng Yuanyao’s two-on-one fight against the iron demon also reached a critical juncture.

Lu Xingzhou thought the succubus and the iron demon looked like a bloody, conniving pair. The iron demon, however, felt that Lu Xingzhou and Sheng Yuanyao were the truly annoying couple.

While both humans were only at mid-fifth rank cultivation, a significant gap in raw power compared to the iron demon, the iron demon was surprised to find them surprisingly difficult to handle.

“Swish!” Sheng Yuanyao wielded her ancestral thick-backed saber, the blade whistling as she delivered a horizontal slash.

The iron demon’s body was as hard as steel. It casually parried, yet with a sharp “crack,” the saber cut into its metallic skin, and magma trickled from within.

Sheng Yuanyao couldn’t hold her ground and flew back, but the strike confirmed her saber could pierce its defenses!

“A third-rank treasured saber!” The thought flashed through the iron demon’s mind as it quickly withdrew its hand. Yet, the rush of wind returned to its ears; Lu Xingzhou’s aerial flying kick was already aimed at its face.

The iron demon blocked with its other hand, and when their attacks met, their power was surprisingly evenly matched.

When Lu Xingzhou used his fists, he could unleash fourth-rank power through special techniques from his fifth-rank cultivation, but this was only a temporary effect and not consistently repeatable with every attack. His legs, however, were different. A casual kick from him could exert power beyond his own cultivation level, thanks to his not-yet-fully-digested water-fire bones. Previously, even two casual kicks had left Ye Wufeng in extreme discomfort.

Outsiders never suspected that the crippled Lu Xingzhou’s greatest strength lay in his legs, and this was likely to remain true for his entire life. Even if his cultivation later became balanced, his leg bones would still be superior to his other bones.

Lu Xingzhou’s initial kick was imbued with water spirit energy, a test to gauge its effect on the magma-infused iron demon.

A “sizzling” sound emanated from the point of impact, as if steam was rising. It appeared to have minimal effect, akin to a drop in the ocean.

Lu Xingzhou spun with the momentum, delivering another kick infused with fire. Simultaneously, he secretly conjured a “Slowness Talisman” in his hand.

Meanwhile, Sheng Yuanyao dragged her saber in a sweeping horizontal arc. The iron demon, whose fist had been whistling towards her face, intending to strike simultaneously with her saber’s impact, was startled to realize its punch had significantly slowed.

Sheng Yuanyao, a seasoned fighter, immediately capitalized on this. She increased the momentum of her saber by three points, striking the iron demon’s waist just before its slowed fist could reach her.

Lu Xingzhou’s fire-infused kick also landed directly on the iron demon’s chest.

There was another “crack” as the steel at its waist was pierced, and magma flowed. Yet, the iron demon seemed devoid of pain, its face twisting into a ferocious grin as its fist hurtled towards Sheng Yuanyao’s face.

Sheng Yuanyao immediately abandoned her saber and rolled away. Meanwhile, Lu Xingzhou’s fire-infused leg had already connected with the iron demon’s chest.

This particular kick wasn’t aimed for explosive force; it was still a test. He injected the fire spirit energy from his leg into the iron demon’s body, observing for any unique reaction.

Surprisingly, the iron demon, which hadn’t registered pain from Sheng Yuanyao’s saber slash, now let out a muffled roar of discomfort. It stumbled back two steps, dislodging the saber that had been lodged in its waist, which Sheng Yuanyao swiftly recovered.

Lu Xingzhou had a plan. This iron demon thrived on heat, but he realized he couldn’t keep intensifying the flames, or its temperature tolerance would be exceeded.

The problem was that his own flames weren’t hot enough, and even the nature of his black flames didn’t offer the extreme heat required. It simply didn’t meet the need.

As for Sheng Yuanyao’s physical damage, while effective at piercing its defenses, it lacked the necessary force to inflict fatal wounds.

Both of their attacks were just slightly insufficient. How should they proceed?

Sheng Yuanyao continued her assault with her large saber, while Lu Xingzhou maintained pressure with a barrage of flying kicks, all the while pondering their next move.

He knew a prolonged battle against such a monster was unwinnable for two humans, given its near-tireless nature. They had to end it quickly.

He could only try one thing. Lu Xingzhou subtly delved into his mind, isolating the fire seed that the flame demon had just absorbed.

This particular fire seed had continuously scorched one layer of the environment, creating a desert over time. It was an extremely stable and durable flame, though its temperature was unremarkable, and absorbing it hadn’t significantly empowered the flame demon. If he absorbed it for his own use, he could likely forge a stable alchemical flame. But would it be useful in combat?

Yes, it would.

“Yuanyao, its speed is moderate. Attack its lower body.”

Sheng Yuanyao received the instruction. Disregarding the molten lava beneath her, she executed a low, sweeping saber cut, aiming for the iron demon’s calf.

The iron demon instinctively took a step back and looked down.

Lu Xingzhou leaped into the air, delivering a spring kick aimed at the iron demon’s chin.

The iron demon instinctively leaned back once more, evading the kick.

As it looked up, a black flame demon materialized before its eyes, grinning as it released a ball of fire, almost as if defecating it, directly into the iron demon’s mouth.

The iron demon blinked in confusion.

The next instant, scorching pain erupted, extending from its mouth deep into its abdomen. The iron demon let out a wild roar, spewing magma as a wave of violent power surged outwards, forcing both Lu Xingzhou and Sheng Yuanyao to shield their faces and swiftly retreat.

While the fire seed’s flame output as a mere source wasn’t impressive, what if the *entire* fire seed entered the iron demon’s body?

Could it possibly withstand endless, ceaseless scorching flames from within?

“ROAR!” Almost visibly, the iron demon’s steel-like skin armor began to dissolve, gradually liquefying.

But if it completely liquefied, it wouldn’t be able to stand!

The iron demon instantly flew into a crazed rage. Before its steel could fully melt, it abruptly launched a punch at Sheng Yuanyao.

It recognized that between the two “humans,” the woman was slightly weaker. If it were to take one down before its own demise, it would have to be her.

This enraged punch, born of its frenzy, possessed speed and power far exceeding its previous attacks. Sheng Yuanyao hastily raised her saber to block, but an immense force surged through her, and she “poofed” out a mouthful of blood, sent flying backward with her weapon.

Lu Xingzhou flew forward to catch her, but the iron demon’s other fist was already hurtling towards Sheng Yuanyao’s face.

Trapped in mid-air with no room to maneuver, Lu Xingzhou gritted his teeth and directly flipped over, positioning himself in front of Sheng Yuanyao. He had no time to use talismans, managing only to summon his nearly useless Soul Banner behind him for a fleeting block.

“Bang!” The iron fist brutally slammed into Lu Xingzhou’s back, tearing a large hole through both his Soul Banner and his clothes. Lu Xingzhou’s throat tasted sweet with blood, and he too spat out a mouthful of crimson, splattering Sheng Yuanyao’s face.

With a heavy “thud,” both were thrown to the ground. Sheng Yuanyao stared blankly up at Lu Xingzhou, who lay pale above her, her thoughts momentarily scattered.

Lu Xingzhou, however, had no time for slow-motion drama. He propped himself up with his hands on the scorched ground and delivered a backward fire-infused kick, hitting the iron demon’s pursuing fist directly.

As fist and leg collided, Lu Xingzhou’s fire-infused leg power fully erupted, once more blasting into the iron demon’s body.

Consumed by fire from both within and without, the iron demon finally let out an earth-shattering roar. Its entire body melted into molten iron, dissolving into the magma pool.

“Not dead!” Lu Xingzhou gasped for breath. “It can still regenerate, just like those annoying lovebirds… Quickly, concentrate your power with A’Nuo to finish off the succubus. We’ll deal with this thing later!”

Sheng Yuanyao struggled to roll over and get up. Just as she was about to join Lu Xingzhou in attacking the succubus, both their legs suddenly went weak, and they nearly collapsed.

They exchanged startled glances, only to see burgeoning desire in each other’s eyes.

Lustful at a time like this?

The succubus’s mind-affecting technique to incite desire, though difficult for her to fully employ at her reduced fourth-rank level, had continuously permeated the area with mental charm throughout the prolonged battle.

While they might have been able to shield themselves and endure when unharmed, what happened when they were injured?