Chapter 109: Heart Demon, Blood Grin
Dawn broke over Dragonspire Forest.
Within the hidden cave, Su Tianhao stood tall and unwavering, azure robes fluttering around him like drifting clouds. His long black hair flowed down his back, sword-like brows furrowed, golden eyes sharp and piercing—as if they could see through the very fabric of space itself.
His figure was refined, sturdy, and dignified.
But beyond his physical bearing was a clear, unmistakable shift. Though he radiated the aura of a Peak-stage Martial Disciple, his presence carried something deeper—profound, commanding, the kind that demanded reverence and stoked envy in equal measure.
It didn't stem solely from his bloodline.
It came from his very being.
After breaking through to 9th level Martial Disciple Realm the day before, he had spent the entire night cultivating and stabilizing his foundation. And during that quiet refinement, he had noticed it—his comprehension of the Supreme Dragon Essence Refinement Art had finally stepped into Small Success.
But that wasn't what stirred him most.
He was now just one step away from completing the Untainted Body.
Once he reached Perfection in the Supreme Dragon Essence Refinement Art and broke through to the Martial Adept Realm, the transformation would be complete. His physique, bloodline, and comprehension—every aspect of his talent—would undergo a massive leap forward.
Anyone else would be bursting with anticipation, already dreaming of the power to come.
But Su Tianhao remained calm and composed—like a blade sheathed in velvet. Silent. Still. Ready.
And beneath that calm exterior was a terrifying, bone-deep coldness.
"It's high time I settled scores with you—Blood Grin," he murmured, his voice carrying an eerie quiet.
Just one week ago, he had been powerless—hunted like prey through Dragonspire, forced to flee with his life barely in his hands. He couldn't retaliate. All he could do was run and endure while his enemy toyed with his fate like a cat tormenting its prey.
Every dragon has a reverse scale—that one thing, if touched, that ignites unrestrained fury. For Su Tianhao, that scale was his pride. And Blood Grin had trampled it without mercy.
Only the sudden awakening of his bloodline had saved his life that day. But humiliation festered. The sting of helplessness had carved itself deep into his bones.
Now, that time was over.
"...I doubt you'd ever imagine I could grow this strong in just one week."
With Shadowfang strapped firmly at his waist, Su Tianhao stepped out of the cave. His golden eyes were cold and clear. He made no move to activate Illusory Flow—that would defeat the purpose entirely.
This time, he wasn't the hunted.
He was the hunter.
---
His steps carried him swiftly through the outer edge of the inner region. Low-level grade three beasts lurked throughout—but despite their natural aggression, many recoiled instinctively at his pressure, animal instincts screaming at them to flee even as their senses told them he was weaker.
A few—too bold or too foolish—charged anyway.
They didn't last long. Heads fell. Blood stained the leaves. Su Tianhao didn't break stride, didn't devour their essence, didn't spare them a second glance. Their corpses hadn't even touched the forest floor before he was already gone.
This wasn't a hunt for nourishment. It was a path of domination.
Hours passed.
He swept through the outer edge like a phantom, and then pushed beyond into the outer region—the widest and most expansive stretch of Dragonspire Forest. The land here spread endlessly, scattered with gorges, jagged hills, and towering trees reaching toward the clouds.
It took several more hours to sweep through it. But along the way, the forest offered something unexpected—numerous spiritual herbs growing wild and unclaimed. Fire-bloom roots, soulleaf petals, bloodvine stalks. Some were so rare that even skilled alchemists would compete fiercely to obtain them. Each one held immense medicinal value—foundations for pills that could stabilize cultivation, clear meridians, refine spiritual energy.
Su Tianhao harvested them without slowing down, storing each one in his storage pouch with clean, practiced efficiency.
Useful later. Not now.
His goal hadn't changed.
Only one figure remained in his mind.
---
By the time his search was complete, evening had fallen. The golden sun dipped low beyond the treetops, long shadows stretching through the ancient woods. Shafts of amber light pierced the canopy, painting the forest floor in deep orange and gold. The air had grown cool, carrying a faint scent of earth, blood, and distant beast cries.
"Where is he?" Su Tianhao muttered, brows furrowing.
He had searched for hours without picking up even the faintest trace of Blood Grin.
'Don't tell me he already left...'
The thought deepened his frown. A few days ago, that possibility might have brought relief. Now it only brought irritation. If Blood Grin had truly left, revenge would have to wait—and waiting was something Su Tianhao had no patience for. Not anymore.
"Tsk." He clicked his tongue. "The psycho is already gone."
And he was right.
Blood Grin had abandoned his search three days into Su Tianhao's time in the cave. After an intense, fruitless sweep of the forest, he had concluded his prey had already escaped and departed without hesitation. Now he had returned to his base—waiting. His plan was simple: the moment Su Tianhao showed his face in Oakwood City, he would strike. Swift. Merciless. Final. He had absolute confidence in his own strength.
What Blood Grin couldn't begin to imagine was that the helpless boy he had once toyed with was now strong enough to kill him.
---
Su Tianhao sighed, then set it aside. Unwilling as he was to accept it, the truth was clear—Blood Grin was gone.
"Since I can't find him now, I'll make sure to thoroughly crush him when I do," he said quietly.
His thoughts shifted back to cultivation.
Reaching Perfection in the Supreme Dragon Essence Refinement Art and breaking through to the Martial Adept Realm remained his primary objective. But he hadn't forgotten his other techniques. By day, he would hunt beasts and absorb their essence, using constant combat to refine his swordsmanship and sharpen his killing intent. Deeper comprehension of Killing Sword Sense would naturally elevate his mastery of the Shadow-Splitting Flash. By night, he would turn inward—deepening his understanding of the Shrouded Dragon Veil and driving the Essence Refinement Art toward Perfection.
A rigorous schedule. A clear path forward.
Su Tianhao vanished back into the depths of the forest.
---
One week passed in the blink of an eye.
The world was still wrapped in darkness. Dawn had yet to break, and the forest slumbered beneath a sky of fading stars. Cold, damp air carried the scent of moss and dew. A soft wind moved through the trees, stirring the mist that clung to the undergrowth like a living veil. Somewhere in the distance, the lone cry of a spirit beast echoed faintly—and then fell silent.
Inside the cave, Su Tianhao's eyes slowly opened.
But this time, there was no clarity. No enlightenment.
Only confusion.
During the past week, his comprehension of the Shrouded Dragon Veil had advanced considerably—the technique reaching Great Success and unlocking its Third Layer.
---
**Shrouded Dragon Veil — Third Layer: Phantom Cloak**
*Grants the ability to completely suppress all traces of internal energy and presence. To any observer, no matter how perceptive, the user appears utterly ordinary—indistinguishable from a powerless mortal.*
*When mastered, Phantom Cloak allows the user to fully conceal their existence—moving like a ghost beyond detection. Unless the user willingly reveals themselves or is directly seen, their presence remains imperceptible.*
*Effective against cultivators within or below the Great Divide. Ineffective against those in the Martial Lord Realm or above.*
---
The third layer built upon the first two while surpassing them entirely. Silent Pulse concealed cultivation, yet others could still sense a cultivator's presence. Illusory Flow could fake Qi fluctuations and subtly mask presence—but imperfectly. Phantom Cloak accomplished both at once: cultivation base hidden, presence erased, the user rendered completely mortal to any observer below the Martial Lord Realm.
In the hands of an assassin, it would be heaven-defying.
But beyond this advancement, the week had yielded nothing else.
His cultivation base hadn't improved despite devouring the essence of countless 5th level grade three beasts. His killing intent showed no progress—and so his mastery of the Shadow-Splitting Flash remained stagnant alongside it. Most frustrating of all, the Supreme Dragon Essence Refinement Art refused to advance to Great Success even though he could clearly feel how close he was. It was like standing before a paper-thin wall—so fragile it should tear at the slightest touch, yet stubbornly intact no matter how hard he pushed.
"What is going on?" Su Tianhao frowned. "Could it be a bottleneck?"
He dismissed the thought almost immediately.
"I have the Heavenly Devouring Dragon Physique—bottlenecks shouldn't be possible." His expression darkened. "Then what am I missing..."
His thoughts churned inward like a storm.
Then his eyes lit up—realization striking like lightning splitting open a dark sky.
"Blood Grin."
The name arrived with quiet certainty. His brows tightened.
"That must be it. Since I haven't taken my revenge, my mind isn't at peace. My progress... it's being stalled."
A slow breath of cold air left his lips as the realization settled deeper.
"A Heart Demon. He's become my Heart Demon."
He was no stranger to the term. Heart demons were internal obstacles born from deep emotional scars or unresolved conflicts—capable of crippling a cultivator's growth, halting breakthroughs, or sending cultivation backfiring entirely.
"To think even I would encounter such a thing."
His gaze grew solemn, heavy with something close to self-reflection.
"I can't keep waiting. I should return to Oakwood City—if I'm lucky, I might find clues about his whereabouts."
With resolve firming in his chest, Su Tianhao picked up Shadowfang and turned to leave. At the cave's entrance, he paused—golden eyes moving back across the dark chamber that had sheltered his transformation.
Then, in a rare and quiet gesture, he bowed slightly.
Without another word, he stepped out into the forest. His silhouette faded into the morning mist—silent and swift.