Chapter Ninety-Six: The True Face of the Black Yaksha

Joyce was overwhelmingly powerful, far beyond Cheng Feng’s ability to match. No one could have expected that the sudden arrival of this mysterious figure would turn the tide so completely.

In nothing more than a single exchange, the battle came to an end.

Joyce was destroyed without even the chance to resist. The gray-black armored figure had disposed of him with a mere lift of a hand, proof of just how terrifyingly strong this mysterious presence was.

Staring at the figure standing ahead, Cheng Feng was reminded of the person Xue Ju had been searching for all this time.

He was certain now that the armored silhouette before him was none other than the fourth Abyssal One: Black Yaksha.

The five great Abyssal Ones were all monsters of unimaginable horror, each one having razed cities and claimed countless lives. They could truly be called the strongest monsters in the world.

Since the establishment of the Supernatural Disaster Association, the Abyssal Ones had always been its foremost concern. Information about them was widely circulated online and could be found with ease.

Most Abyssal Ones rarely appeared in person, though a few were notorious enough to make themselves known.

Take the fifth Abyssal One, the Bloodthirsty Monarch, Dracula, for example: he occupied Romania in the west and built a vampire kingdom there as his own realm.

Or the third Abyssal One, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, Tamamo Yukihime, who seized Crimson Moon City and established a kingdom of yokai.

As for the first Abyssal One, Urukia, and the second, Mostima, there had been no news at all.

Those two great demons had appeared only once, ten years ago in the capital, during the battle known as the Hundred Demons’ Night Parade, and then vanished as if they had been swallowed by the world.

And now, the fourth Abyssal One stood right before Cheng Feng.

“You are the fourth Abyssal One... Black Yaksha.” Cheng Feng looked warily at the figure in gray-black armor.

Though he was familiar with Xue Ju, Cheng Feng did not assume Black Yaksha would therefore come to his aid.

After all, by reputation, every Abyssal One was a true calamity-class demon, with no reason whatsoever to help a human.

And if one ever did, it would certainly be for some sinister purpose.

Black Yaksha turned its head, revealing a gray-white skull mask. Beneath it, those crimson eyes were calm and unreadable.

Cheng Feng recalled the Spirit Blade, Thunder-Splitting Slash, and drew it back to his side. The side effects from the bloodline power had not fully subsided, and he was somewhat worried Black Yaksha might strike.

Seeing Cheng Feng’s guarded expression, Black Yaksha spoke in a faint, aged voice. “You need not worry. I mean you no harm.”

“That voice... you are...” Hearing that familiar tone, Cheng Feng froze slightly. It sounded oddly familiar, as though he had heard it somewhere before.

In the next instant, the image of an old man he had once seen in some place flashed through his mind.

Cheng Feng relaxed just a little. “Could you be... that shop owner?”

Black Yaksha gave a slight nod.

The old proprietor of the Cat Maid Cafe.

Cheng Feng had once visited that cafe with Liu Shiyu during his very first mission. Just before they left, the owner, a complete stranger to him, even treated him for free.

That had been their first encounter.

Later, after resolving Lin Xiaoqin’s incident, Cheng Feng accompanied his class monitor, Xia Qingyao, on the way home. Halfway there, a sudden downpour forced them to seek shelter, and Cheng Feng went with Xia Qingyao to the maid cafe a second time.

That day, while Xia Qingyao was in the restroom, the owner had taken the initiative to speak with him. That became their second meeting.

Cheng Feng still remembered the kindly old shop owner vividly.

He recalled that at the time, the owner believed Cheng Feng had already discovered the cafe’s true nature through Mao Xiaojie.

The owner had taken the initiative to admit that all the maid servers in the cafe, including the owner himself, were not human.

But they were different from other evil monsters, and he hoped Cheng Feng would not lump them together with the rest.

The owner had assured him that they would never harm humans. The human customers who entered the cafe were always treated politely, and all they wanted was to live ordinary lives in harmony with humankind.

He hoped Cheng Feng, as a demon hunter, would not interfere with or destroy their world.

Cheng Feng had later looked into it. That maid cafe had been open and operating for nearly ten years, and there had never once been a case of a missing customer or any other problem.

That proved the owner had told the truth. Since they truly meant no harm, and since Cheng Feng was not an inflexible demon hunter, he had not objected.

He had not exposed the cafe, effectively tacitly accepting the existence of those monsters.

And now, what Cheng Feng had never expected was that the old shop owner’s true identity would turn out to be the fourth Abyssal One, Black Yaksha, known as the Tyrant.

Looking at the gray-black armored figure before him, Cheng Feng confirmed through its voice that Black Yaksha’s true identity was indeed that of the cafe’s owner.

This shocked him deeply.

If it was truly such a terrifying evil being as Black Yaksha, how had it so completely changed its image and become a kind, approachable shop owner?

And how could it have lived so quietly, so dutifully, in a cafe?

The contrast between the dreadful image of an Abyssal One and the gentle image of the shop owner could hardly have been more extreme.

“I know you have many questions,” Black Yaksha said. “But this is not the time for them. Xue Ju is safe. She should already be back.”

Cheng Feng said in a low voice, “The cafe owner... that was you, wasn’t it? Black Yaksha is your true identity...”

“I hope you will not misunderstand me.”

Black Yaksha seemed to understand what Cheng Feng was about to say. “I saved you. You were nearly devoured by your bloodline power just now.”

“I know. I am grateful that you saved me. But...” Cheng Feng clenched Thunder-Splitting Slash, his feelings complicated.

You are far too dangerous for humans.

He did not say the rest aloud. His condition was poor, and he was no match for Black Yaksha. If he spoke recklessly and angered it, things would only get worse.

Before, Cheng Feng had believed the shop owner was merely a monster that had never harmed anyone, which was why he had chosen to look the other way and not expose the maid cafe.

But now that he knew the owner’s true form was Black Yaksha, the situation was entirely different, and far more serious than he had imagined.

The bloodshed and suffering the five great Abyssal Ones had brought upon humanity were beyond calculation, and the enmity between them and mankind had long since been sealed in blood. As the fourth Abyssal One, Black Yaksha had undoubtedly caused the deaths of who knew how many people.

This could not simply be ignored.

Suddenly, a blue car came driving up from the distance.

“Looks like your friend is here,” Black Yaksha said, glancing at the approaching vehicle. “Xue Ju asked me to save you. Tomorrow morning, she will come to the cafe to see me. I hope you will come as well. I will explain everything.”

Cheng Feng’s tone was somewhat cold. “Shop owner, I am sorry, but I no longer trust you.”

Although the other side had saved him, the infamous deeds and terror of the Abyssal Ones were known to all. Countless tragedies had been born from them. How could he possibly let down his guard against Black Yaksha?

“I only meant to help you. The choice is yours.”

With those words, Black Yaksha’s figure vanished in an instant.