Only I Cultivate
Chapter 60: The Monster Identity

Chapter 60: The Monster Identity

Lai Niu knelt close to the ground, her hands pressed firmly against the soil as she channeled spiritual energy into it.

"Protect me!" she commanded, her voice steady despite the chaos around her.

Feng Fan gave a nod and moved closer to her, positioning himself to guard her against any approaching threats. Wu Yunru crushed one more zombie’s skull with his baton before stepping back as well, forming a defensive line alongside Feng Fan.

To Feng Fan’s surprise, the freshly killed zombie’s remains crawled toward the amalgamation fighting Luo Li, merging into the grotesque mass.

"What the hell? These dead things are empowering that monster over there? Why are we even bothering to kill them?!" Feng Fan growled, irritation flaring in his voice.

Wu Yunru shot him an annoyed glance. "You prefer to be overrun by zombies? Just hold the line until Lai Niu finishes the closing ritual. For now... just keep killing!"

Clicking his tongue in frustration, Feng Fan did as told. Black flames surged from his hands as he smashed his fist into a zombie’s head. This time, the creature fell and remained motionless, its body consumed by the dark fire until only ashes remained.

Feng Fan’s eyes lit up with realization. His flames had an exorcising effect, completely purging the zombie’s corrupt energy and making it impossible for the amalgamation to absorb the remains.

A grin spread across his face.

"Wu Yunru, send those bastards to me!" Feng Fan shouted, igniting his fists once more.

Though individually weak, the swarm of zombies made them formidable. One slip-up would mean death. Wu Yunru glanced back and quickly understood what Feng Fan was planning.

’That bastard can kill them for good!’

Without exchanging more words, the two formed a seamless strategy. Wu Yunru incapacitated the zombies with precise strikes, while Feng Fan delivered the finishing blow, reducing them to smoldering ashes.

"I’m almost done closing the passage! Hold on for just one more minute!" Lai Niu called out, a hint of relief in her voice as the ritual neared completion.

Her words allowed a fleeting sense of calm to wash over them—a grave mistake.

Suddenly, something materialized behind Lai Niu, as if stepping out of the shadows themselves. Its clawed hand tore through her back as if slicing paper, blood erupting in a crimson spray and almost exposing the bone beneath. If not for Lai Niu’s lightning-fast reflexes, propelling herself forward just as her instincts screamed danger, she would have been cleaved in half.

"Aaah!" Lai Niu’s scream pierced the air, drawing the attention of both Feng Fan and Wu Yunru.

They turned and froze at the sight. The creature standing over her was no ordinary monster—it was the very being Huang Xiaotong had sketched with trembling hands.

Feng Fan’s face darkened, his eyes narrowing in grim recognition. ’It’s him... The Rake!’

Even the slightest glimpse of the creature could send chills down a Hunter’s spine, while a mere mortal might succumb to despair or have suicidal thoughts just from looking at it.

Gritting his teeth, Feng Fan made a split-second decision. "Wu Yunru, protect Lai Niu and help her close the passage! I’ll handle that monster!"

Whether Wu Yunru agreed with letting Feng Fan face the monster alone or doubted his ability to succeed didn’t matter—in such a situation, hesitation could only mean death.

Their strongest fighter, Luo Li, was already fully occupied battling the amalgamation, which refused to die no matter how many times she shredded it to pieces. Lai Niu, their second strongest, was barely holding on after suffering a severe injury.

Wu Yunru quickly pulled a small, blood-red pill from his pocket and forced it into Lai Niu’s mouth.

"This won’t heal you, but it’ll at least purge that monster’s spiritual energy from your body. Make it worth it—these damn things cost a fortune!"

Lai Niu’s eyes widened in surprise. She knew exactly what it was: a Spiritual Purge Pill. Even for her, the daughter of the SIF’s president, getting her hands on one was no easy feat.

She didn’t bother questioning how Wu Yunru had obtained such a precious item. Instead, she swallowed it without hesitation. Almost immediately, the invasive, ghostly spiritual energy within her began to dissipate, leaving her senses sharper and her mind clearer.

Taking advantage of the relief, Lai Niu focused her own spiritual energy on staunching her wounds, preventing herself from bleeding out. Once certain that she wouldn’t collapse, Wu Yunru returned to striking down zombies, resuming his role as a protector while Lai Niu continued channeling energy to seal the passage.

The most worrisome situation was undoubtedly Feng Fan’s. Despite his meager strength at the Opening The Inner Palace realm, he was now face-to-face with a Fierce Ghost—an existence far beyond his current level.

A single mistake would spell his end.

But there was no time for doubt. Feng Fan’s eyes burned with determination as he tightened his fists, black flames igniting around his hands once more. He was well aware that this battle was beyond him. Yet, if he faltered now, they would all die.

"Come at me, you freak!" Feng Fan growled, bracing himself as The Rake’s piercing gaze locked onto him.

Feng Fan knew The Rake wasn’t taking him seriously. To the monster, he was nothing but easy prey—a weak, insignificant obstacle to be crushed.

Before Feng Fan could even process his next move, The Rake lunged forward with blinding speed, its left claw aimed straight at his heart. The aura emitted by the monster was enough to freeze weak-minded warriors in place.

A cold chill shot down Feng Fan’s spine as he realized that if the attack connected, he’d be dead in an instant. He reacted on pure instinct, kicking off the ground with his right leg and twisting his body to the side.

The claw narrowly missed his heart, but sharp pain erupted across his chest as the monstrous hand tore through flesh and muscle.

Ghostly spiritual energy flooded into his body through the wound, spreading like icy tendrils determined to corrode his insides. Gritting his teeth, Feng Fan summoned his black flames, desperately directing them inward to combat the invasive energy.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he struggled to contain the corrosion. Every breath felt like inhaling shards of glass, but he forced himself to remain steady.

He couldn’t afford to fall here—his comrades’ lives depended on him holding the line.

This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om