Chapter 38: A Great Harvest

Luffy’s clothes fluttered without wind, his power growing ever stronger and more domineering. He drove fifteen percent of the dragon energy within his body, unleashing the Dragon Emperor’s domineering technique. In that instant, he stood before the evil corpse beast like the Dragon Emperor himself, exuding an unrivaled aura, his presence wild and violent. Nearby, the young Dragon Maiden’s mouth hung open in astonishment, never expecting Luffy to display such a heroic side, his strength rising to such heights.

“Wow… So handsome!” she exclaimed, stars shining in her eyes as she gazed at him.

“You… you… how is this possible?” The evil corpse beast stared at Luffy in shock. Though its humanoid avatar had transformed, boosting its power, eliminating this young man still posed a challenge. He was simply too formidable; he had to be destroyed before he could grow into a terrifying adversary.

With a cold gaze, its humanoid form surged forward, shrouded in sinister energy.

“Wow…” The Dragon Maiden couldn’t even see how it charged at Luffy—it was unbelievably fast.

Luffy’s left eye activated the Reincarnation Heavenly Eye, and as his full power emerged, he instantly locked onto the humanoid monster’s figure. He drew the Thousand Thunder Sword and thrust it at the creature.

Clang! The monster recoiled, its long nails clashing with the sword, driving it back five meters, surprise etched across its face.

“How is this possible… How did you see through my attack?”

“There’s nothing impossible about it. You may be strong, but I have my own strengths,” Luffy replied, wielding the Thousand Thunder Sword and radiating power, resembling the Dragon Emperor incarnate. In a flash, he appeared before the monster and stabbed with his sword.

The creature dodged sharply, then kicked at Luffy.

Luffy’s sword missed, but he twisted aside, evading the kick, and punched the monster in the abdomen.

“How… How did you anticipate my technique?” The monster had employed unpredictable attacks, yet the youth saw through and avoided them.

With a thunderous boom, like a drumbeat, the monster was blasted away like a cannonball, face contorted, blood spraying from its mouth, eyes wide with shock.

“There’s nothing impossible—only what you haven’t imagined,” Luffy said seriously. He didn’t pause, charging forward to catch up with the monster he had knocked back, delivering a devastating punch to its head.

Dragon energy swirled around his fist. With this domineering strike, he smashed the monster into the ground.

Dirt flew, dust billowed.

“Ah—!”

The monster screamed in agony.

Luffy didn’t stop—he relentlessly pummeled with his fists.

Boom! Boom! The sounds echoed like drums, continuing until the monster was reduced to a mangled pulp.

Only then did Luffy rise, approach the evil corpse beast, and clap the dust from his hands, looking at it.

“Do you have any stronger avatars?” he asked coolly, standing before the beast.

“You… you…” The evil corpse beast now had little strength left, all spent on its humanoid form, and hadn’t expected defeat to come so swiftly. It was simply rotten luck.

“Heh… Then prepare to die,” Luffy’s eyes chilled as he raised the Thousand Thunder Sword high.

“You—!” the beast roared in fury.

But Luffy would not let it live. Its heart was a valuable prize, and obtaining it would greatly enhance his power.

With that thought, he sliced the beast’s body in two. Now weakened to the point of near death, it was easily dispatched.

Blood sprayed as the sword fell. Luffy dug out its heart.

After such a long battle, it was finally over.

He stored the heart in a temporary storage compartment and collapsed onto the ground, exhausted.

The monster was finally dealt with.

Sweat drenched Luffy, and he gasped for breath.

The evil corpse beast had been the holy beast of the Heavenly Evil Sect. Had it not been trapped and suppressed here, Luffy would never have been able to destroy it. Its power was too greatly limited, and luck was on Luffy’s side.

He felt as though he’d been granted a cheat.

Just then, he heard the sound of hurried footsteps outside. A group of black-robed figures rushed in, surrounding Luffy and the Dragon Maiden.

The leader, seeing the dead beast, stared in fury, her eyes wide and nearly bursting.

“You dared to destroy our holy beast—today, you will not leave this place,” she declared, her voice unmistakably female, perhaps in her twenties or thirties, though her face was hidden by her robe.

But Luffy could see her with the Reincarnation Heavenly Eye: a voluptuous figure, dangerous curves, her body strikingly alluring.

Yet her eyes were icy cold.

She was dressed in golden silk lingerie, outrageously seductive. Luffy nearly had a nosebleed, but the situation was far from favorable. He had spent all his strength battling the beast, leaving him with little energy.

However, he had the liquid from the third-tier banyan tree to restore his stamina.

Even so, this group was formidable—fighting was not an option; escape was the only plan.

With that in mind, Luffy quickly took out the liquid and drank it, feeling his strength slowly return.

The Dragon Maiden moved to his side, the Teddy Divine Beast leapt onto his shoulder, barking at the group.

“Who are you, to dare slay the holy beast of our Heavenly Evil Sect?” the leader demanded. She knew the beast had been weakened, but now it was dead—only by killing these two could she bury the holy beast.

“Who are we? Heh… We’re good people, of course,” Luffy replied, withholding his true name.

“Yes, just good people,” the Dragon Maiden said, stepping in front of Luffy and giving him a quick kiss, leaving him stunned.

“You…” Luffy was speechless.

“These shameless lovers—kill them both!” the leader roared in fury.

“We’re leaving, not fighting,” Luffy said, instantly slapping an invisibility talisman onto himself and darting toward the exit.

“No! They can turn invisible—block the door!” the leader shouted.

But it was too late; Luffy and the Dragon Maiden had already slipped out.

Like ghosts, they vanished into the cavern.

The Dragon Maiden naturally possessed invisibility, and Luffy had his talisman, so their escape was relatively easy.

This time, Luffy had reaped great rewards: dragon blood and items to enhance medicinal effects—a tremendous windfall.

They left the villa area, heading toward the outskirts of town, returning to the building where Luffy had previously told Zeng Hongsen and the others to hide.