Thorn Swamp

"Gang Leader Tie."

Tie Wuqing turned to look at Ye Xiaofan in confusion, her eyes questioning him.

"Evil's target is me. You should leave. If I can survive this ordeal, I'll surely repay your kindness in the future."

After weighing his words, Ye Xiaofan spoke with a solemn expression.

Tie Wuqing said nothing, only quickened her pace slightly.

How could Tie Wuqing not know that as long as she stayed away from Ye Xiaofan, she would be in no danger?

But she had promised Xiao Qiaofeng. Naturally, she had to do everything in her power to safely deliver Ye Xiaofan to Jinyang Prefecture.

Besides, Ye Xiaofan was someone she had set her sights on. She had already made an investment in him, and he concerned her grand plan for future revenge.

How could she abandon him so easily?

"Gang Leader Tie..."

"You needn't say such things again. A promise made by me, Tie Wuqing, will never be abandoned halfway unless I die."

Tie Wuqing cut Ye Xiaofan off, her tone somewhat cold.

"Thank you!"

"Heh, don't flatter yourself. I accepted benefits from Xiao Qiaofeng."

Ye Xiaofan said nothing. He merely followed quietly behind Tie Wuqing, staring blankly at her back.

On the road to the mining district, Tie Wuqing had not hesitated to take out a medicinal pill and help him detoxify.

Inside the mining district, she had warned him that Evil had set its sights on him.

And now, she was risking her life to help him.

Ye Xiaofan knew that Tie Wuqing had designs on him ever since she witnessed his combat strength.

But so what?

No one would help another for no reason.

At least since he had met Tie Wuqing, she had been the one giving, while he had given nothing in return.

So long as she did not ask for his life in the future, he would repay her tenfold.

The two traveled in silence, each with different thoughts, heading toward Thorn Swamp—the only route out of Qingyang County.

The Gray Eagle Demonic Beast in the sky followed them without leaving so much as a step.

Qingyang County, Underground Purgatory Demon Den.

The County Lord stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the person in the stone cave who had been tortured until they could neither live nor die.

Four demonic beasts stood behind him, each emanating a powerful aura.

They were all formidable demonic beasts at the Ninth Level Body Refinement, having undergone two blood exchanges.

"Venerable One, we have discovered Ye Xiaofan and Xiao Qiaofeng's whereabouts."

"Ye Xiaofan and a woman in a faceless mask are heading toward Thorn Crocodile Turtle's territory. They are expected to reach Thorn Swamp by tomorrow morning."

"Xiao Qiaofeng, meanwhile, is heading alone toward Mountain Lord's territory."

"This subordinate has already sent word for Thorn Crocodile Turtle and Mountain Lord to set up defenses. Those three will never escape Qingyang County."

The Great Black Eagle Demonic Beast, enormous in build and covered in black feathers like scales, lowered its head and spoke respectfully.

"You have done very well."

The County Lord turned around and placed a fair hand upon Black Eagle's head. A force even more advanced than demonic beast energy poured into Black Eagle's body.

The other three humanoid demonic beasts watched with immense envy. After today, Black Eagle, having received the baptism of evil energy, would far surpass them in strength. Breaking through to the Qi Condensation stage was already a certainty carved in stone.

A moment later,

"Thank you, Venerable One."

Black Eagle hurriedly dropped to one knee.

He could feel a force within him, more advanced than the qi and blood he had cultivated himself, continuously tempering his flesh and blood.

Originally, he had only a forty percent chance of breaking through to the Qi Condensation stage.

Now, with the Venerable One's assistance, he had a ninety percent chance.

"Rise. Sun Wenliang and Qian Tianyou, take two Gray Eagles and assist Mountain Lord in bringing Xiao Qiaofeng back. I want him alive."

"Yes, Venerable One!"

After saluting the County Lord, Sun Wenliang and Qian Tianyou departed.

"Come, Black Eagle. Take me to capture Ye Xiaofan, that restless little rat. Blood Demon, remain in Qingyang County City and continue spreading panic. When I return, I want the fear, despair, and resentment in Qingyang County City to be one degree thicker."

Night fell, and another day slipped away.

A pale yellow waning moon reluctantly climbed over the mountaintop.

"Once we cross this mountain, Thorn Swamp lies ahead. We'll rest and recover first, then move out. Thorn Crocodile Turtle is manageable enough, but if Evil catches up to us, we'll both be finished."

After speaking, Tie Wuqing found a towering tree, leaped onto a branch, and sat cross-legged to recover her strength.

Ye Xiaofan nodded and leaned against the roots, closing his eyes to rest without truly sleeping.

The Gray Eagle Demonic Beast overhead seemed incapable of exhaustion, circling above them for the entire day.

The two had tried to lure it down to a lower altitude and kill it.

Unfortunately, this Gray Eagle Demonic Beast had already reached the seventh level of Body Refinement and possessed no small measure of intelligence.

Instead, it mocked them from the sky, occasionally driving wandering demonic beasts from the mountains toward them to interfere with their journey.

Though they posed no real threat, they had left Ye Xiaofan and Tie Wuqing utterly fed up.

Their mindsets were nearing collapse, endless fury piling up in their chests.

An hour later,

"Move!"

Tie Wuqing leaped down from the tree and darted ahead.

Ye Xiaofan looked up at the Gray Eagle high in the sky, cold light flickering in his eyes, his killing intent nearly solidifying into substance.

Their whereabouts had already been exposed. Passing through Thorn Swamp without a sound was no longer possible.

Tonight,

A bloody battle awaited them!

Thorn Swamp was a natural barrier stretching across the north of Qingyang County.

At this time on ordinary nights, it would have been a time of revelry for demonic beasts and venomous insects.

Yet for some unknown reason, the entire swamp was unusually quiet tonight. Not a single insect chirp or demonic beast's howl could be heard.

Only poisonous gas from bursting bubbles in the swamp pools drifted continuously into the air.

Deep within the swamp, a small mountain shook its body and extended a hooked-beak head toward the star-filled sky.

Thorn Crocodile Turtle, the absolute ruler of Thorn Swamp.

He knew that the people sought by the Venerable One had arrived.

West of Qingyang County, Mountain Lord Mountain Range.

Xiao Qiaofeng abruptly halted, staring fixedly at the white-furred tiger ahead.

His expression was so grim it seemed water could drip from it.

The ruler of Mountain Lord Mountain Range, Mountain Lord!

He had not sensed Mountain Lord's aura at all until now. That could only mean Mountain Lord had already broken through to the Qi Condensation stage.

"Baihu Xiao, where are you going?"

A frivolous, mocking voice emerged from Mountain Lord's blood basin of a mouth.

Mountain Lord dearly wished to devour this human who had killed nine of his children, but unfortunately, this man was someone the Venerable One wanted.

Moreover, this man might very well become one of them.

At that thought, boundless killing intent flashed within Mountain Lord's blood-red pupils.

He could not kill him, but beating him half to death should not prompt any complaints from the Venerable One.

After all, he had already broken through to the first level of the Qi Condensation stage and was the foremost demonic beast beneath the Venerable One.

Even if punished, the punishment would not be too severe.

Xiao Qiaofeng fell silent, his thoughts turning a hundred times as he considered how to escape.

The instant Mountain Lord appeared, his entire plan had gone down the drain.

"In the end, my strength still isn't enough."

Xiao Qiaofeng sighed helplessly to himself. His hope of survival was basically nil.

Suddenly,

A sharp killing intent locked onto him.

"Let's gamble on it!"

Resolve filled Xiao Qiaofeng's eyes as he pulled five qi-and-blood pills from his robes and swallowed them.

At the same time,

Terrifying qi-and-blood power erupted around him in an instant, like a great sun driving away the surrounding darkness.

A secret technique!

Blood Burning!

In an instant,

The great sun became even more blazing, and a dragon-shaped phantom could vaguely be seen soaring within its center.

By unleashing the Blood Burning Secret Technique and burning his source blood essence, he could erupt with more than twice his combat power.

He would never be able to achieve a third blood exchange again. Years of bitter cultivation and persistence had turned to bubbles with a single move.

As the qi and blood in his body continued to burn,

Xiao Qiaofeng's aura reached its peak. He pushed the superior movement technique Phantom Steps to its limit, instantly transforming into six figures that fled rapidly in different directions.

"A petty trick, and you dare flaunt it before an expert!"

Mountain Lord sneered, a glimmer of black light flashing through his blood-colored pupils.

Then he pounced toward one of the figures.