Chapter Sixty-Six: The Demon Realm’s Wine, “Ghost Devourer”

Then, with a flick of his right hand, a Spirit Bullet shot from Qin Xiaochuan’s index finger toward the ceiling of the arena. The immense destructive power of the Spirit Bullet instantly blasted a large hole in the roof above the stands. This Spirit Bullet seemed at least twice as powerful as the one Qin Xiaochuan had fired during his match with Vermilion Bird. After releasing the Spirit Bullet, Qin Xiaochuan grinned at Jiu and said, “That’s also my ultimate move—the Spirit Bullet.” It seemed the man had been affected by Jiu’s drunkenness, carelessly revealing even his most formidable trump card. Glancing at his right hand, where three glowing fingers remained, Qin Xiaochuan continued, “I’ve got three left. It looks like four is my daily limit. But if I focus my spiritual power, the next one could be even stronger, so you’d better watch out!”

“This is… absolutely insane!” Lingling, gripped with excitement, nearly dropped her microphone as she heard Qin Xiaochuan announce his ultimate technique. She had never before seen competitors openly reveal their finishing moves to each other during a match—let alone with such candor. “Contestant Qin Xiaochuan has just unveiled his secret technique! The martial spirit and integrity of these two fighters is truly remarkable—unprecedented since the tournament began! It’s absolutely admirable!”

“You idiot, Qin Xiaochuan!” Zhang Yang could hardly believe his eyes as he saw Qin Xiaochuan demonstrate his Spirit Bullet and even fire one off as a test. “You’re out of your mind, fooling around with a drunk like that!”

“You… hahahahaha!” Jiu, surprised by Qin Xiaochuan’s open display of his Spirit Bullet, burst into uncontrollable laughter. “You’re exactly my kind of guy, kid! I like you—hahahaha!” He reached into his clothes and produced a thumb-sized glass vial filled with a cloudy yellow liquid, its purpose unclear. Savoring Qin Xiaochuan’s puzzled expression, Jiu said with smug pride, “In return for your respect, let me show you my true finishing move!” With that, he flicked the cap off the vial with his thumb and declared, “This is ‘Ghost Devourer,’ the strongest liquor in the Demon Realm—especially effective for my Drunken Fist!” Without hesitation, he threw back his head and downed the entire bottle.

“Jiu! Surely you’re not…” Lingju leapt to her feet in alarm as she watched Jiu chug the liquor he’d brought from the Demon Realm. Was the man courting death?

Though both are called liquor, Demon Realm spirits are nothing like human spirits. For humans, drinking usually leads to sleep, chattiness, excitement, or brawling. But a mortal who drinks Demon Realm liquor faces a very different fate. Only those with profound demon or spiritual power can survive it; without such strength, the liquor’s potency will either cause the body to erupt in a bloody death or completely overwhelm the drinker’s will, turning them into someone else entirely—someone who acts on desires they would otherwise never dare fulfill. Demon Realm liquor is said to draw out the deepest cravings of heart and soul, compelling the drinker to act upon them. Its effects are truly formidable.

After downing the ‘Ghost Devourer,’ Jiu’s body suddenly convulsed violently—the alcohol was taking hold. His movements grew erratic and uncontrollable, as if in the throes of a seizure, his body swaying wildly atop the arena platform. The legendary potency of Demon Realm liquor was on full display; even a seasoned drinker like Jiu seemed unable to withstand its onslaught, appearing almost out of control.

Witnessing Jiu’s loss of composure, Qin Xiaochuan, Lingling, Zhang Yang, Bai Ying, Feiyan, Lingju, and even the cheering monsters in the audience fell silent, staring in anticipation. What would happen to Jiu after consuming ‘Ghost Devourer’? Would he turn into a raging demon and swallow Qin Xiaochuan whole, or simply collapse foaming at the mouth? The suspense was palpable.

But after a tense pause, Jiu, struggling to contain the liquor’s force within him, staggered to the edge of the arena and began vomiting violently, prompting a chorus of jeers from the stands. The ‘Ghost Devourer’ was simply too potent—even Jiu couldn’t stomach its ferocity and was forced to retch.

“Again with the vomiting…” Lingju, having scrambled to her feet, wiped the cold sweat from her brow with a wry smile. “It’s always the same every time he drinks. I thought it might be different this time, but no—he still winds up puking. There’s nothing for it, though. Without this, Jiu can’t absorb the power of the ‘Ghost Devourer’ to reach his ultimate state as the God of Wine. Only after getting thoroughly drunk does Jiu unleash his true strength—Qin Xiaochuan doesn’t stand a chance.”

“The scent of liquor is fading!” Bai Ying, sensing the shift in Jiu’s demonic aura, broke into a cold sweat. The power within Jiu now completely overshadowed his own. The mingled scent of alcohol and demon energy was being drawn into Jiu’s body, transforming into a more concentrated and lethal force. He was now a different being altogether—his demon energy had multiplied several times over, and even his skin had turned a deep crimson, as if his whole body were engorged with blood, presenting a truly terrifying sight. Was this the final state of ‘Ghost Devourer’? It was almost beyond belief.

Having finished vomiting, Jiu rose from the edge of the arena and exhaled deeply, appearing to have mastered the rampaging energy within. He turned to Qin Xiaochuan and said, “Ah… that feels much better. This is my ultimate state as the God of Wine. Watch closely, Qin Xiaochuan! I’ll face you with my strongest technique!” As he spoke, Jiu began to knead his hands together before his chest, as if working cotton candy, gathering the wispy white demon energy and liquor vapor swirling around him into his palms. Gradually, a glowing white orb formed between his hands.

“What an astonishing scene!” Lingling exclaimed, her voice filled with awe as she watched the light gather in Jiu’s hands. “Just what is contestant Jiu crafting with his hands? See how the demon energy and alcohol vapor are spun together like cotton candy in his palms—simply incredible! Is he creating a massive cotton-candy liquor bomb? I can hardly wait to see!”

“Drunken Fist Sorcerer Jiu! Such a terrifying display of demon energy!” Feiyan’s usually impassive face showed rare surprise as he watched Jiu kneading the energy. Few techniques could impress him, but Jiu’s was one. “He’s actually using the power of alcohol to boost his demon energy—I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Zhang Yang, standing beside Feiyan, wore an even more exaggerated look of shock, his arm bent as he pointed at the glowing sphere in Jiu’s hands. “This guy has crafted an energy sphere almost identical to Qin Xiaochuan’s Spirit Bullet—it looks just as powerful!”

Cradling the energy sphere, Jiu glanced across at Qin Xiaochuan, raised the ball in one hand, and announced, “See this? This is my Thunder Spirit Bomb, forged from demon energy and liquor vapor. Its power is immense—be on your guard! Ready?” Seeing Qin Xiaochuan nod and give a thumbs-up in reply, Jiu gripped the Thunder Spirit Bomb with his right hand and hid it behind his back. “Then let’s begin!”

“Alright!” Qin Xiaochuan, seeing Jiu crouch and hide the sphere, also dropped into a defensive stance. He could sense the danger in Jiu’s hands—the energy ball seemed as powerful as his own Spirit Bullet. If he were struck, it would surely hurt like hell.

Jiu, keeping the Thunder Spirit Bomb hidden behind him, bent low and began to sidestep, moving like a pitcher seeking an opening for his throw. Observing this, Qin Xiaochuan realized Jiu’s intent and mirrored his movements.

“Take this!” Jiu, having built up his speed, hurled the Thunder Spirit Bomb at Qin Xiaochuan with all his might. The force of the throw twisted the ball’s shape, and it flew at Qin Xiaochuan with the speed of light—almost too fast to track.

“Fire!” Watching Jiu’s movement, Qin Xiaochuan didn’t hesitate. He raised his hand and fired his second Spirit Bullet.

The Spirit Bullet and the oncoming Thunder Spirit Bomb collided midway, two forces clashing at the center of the arena, each vying for supremacy. The two orbs pressed against each other in a struggle, evenly matched at first, then gradually entwining, their powers pushing and grinding against each other. Finally, like two overinflated balloons, both the Spirit Bullet and Thunder Spirit Bomb exploded simultaneously in a flash of light, their energies dissipating in the center of the ring. It seemed their powers were indeed equal.

The moment the orbs exploded, Qin Xiaochuan sprang forward, landing directly before Jiu and unleashing a flurry of punches like a machine gun.

“Incredible…” Zhang Yang was left speechless as the two men exchanged furious blows. “Are these two insane? They don’t even bother defending—just relentless attacks. This is madness!”