Slay Zhao Du!

Xu Jie's face was pale as he used his arm like a blade, savagely stabbing it into Zhao Du's chest.

Like a rolling blade slicing through tofu, it dealt a fatal blow to Zhao Du, a Third-rank Martial Artist.

Splat!

Zhao Du came back to his senses and seized the arm Xu Jie had thrust through his chest in disbelief.

His expression grew increasingly ferocious. The blood within his body boiled madly, even producing the distinct sound of boiling water.

"Xu Jie, let's die together!"

A Bone Forging Realm martial artist's control over their own blood and qi had reached a critical threshold.

They could detonate every drop of blood in their bodies, using self-destruction to perish together with their enemies.

Knowing he was bound to die, Zhao Du clutched Xu Jie's arm tightly, intending to take Xu Jie down with him.

Xu Jie's gaze turned cold as he felt a powerful sense of danger descend upon him.

Without regard for the cost, he drove his blood and qi into motion, spreading the flames born from the profound essence of the Demon Subduing Flame Blade throughout Zhao Du's body, inside and out.

The next moment, Zhao Du's body exploded. Chunks of flesh and blood shot toward Xu Jie's entire body like sharp swords.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Amid a series of metallic clashes, the black scales covering Xu Jie's body slowly receded.

He spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling as if there was not a single part of his body that did not ache.

Heh heh!

He was still alive!

At the final moment, Xu Jie's blood-and-qi flames had burned away nearly half the blood in Zhao Du's body, effectively weakening the power of his self-destruction.

Though Zhao Du's explosion had still injured him, he had survived to the end!

Successfully killed Zhao Du (Talent Multiplier: 2), plundered 540 years of usable Lifespan!

How could there be so much usable Lifespan?

Xu Jie was somewhat astonished. Zhao Du was not young, and his talent was ordinary, yet he had given him more than five hundred years of usable Lifespan?

Did that not mean that, without counting the multiplier, Zhao Du's Lifespan had exceeded two hundred years?

Could it be...

That the third-rank Bone Forging Realm increased a martial artist's Lifespan?

That was very likely!

The further martial artists cultivated, the more Lifespan they gained. The gods of Xia Country and the Outer Regions were said to be eternal, their Lifespans reaching tens of thousands of years.

Not dwelling on it, Xu Jie sat on the ground and rested for a while, using the power of his blood and qi to mend his injuries.

Only after recovering more than half his wounds, when they no longer greatly affected his movements, did he stand and head back.

Nearly six hundred years of Lifespan...

It probably would not be enough to break through with the Muscle-Tendon Changing Scripture, would it?

Xu Jie looked at his usable Lifespan, frowned, then slowly stopped and glanced around.

It would be nice if there were demons nearby!

He had not properly hunted demons since coming out this time!

With that thought, Xu Jie did not immediately return to the city. Instead, he ran toward the south side of the city.

He intended to try his luck and kill a few scattered demons to increase his reserve of usable Lifespan.

Night gradually fell.

On the city wall, Chu Mingyue paced back and forth in agitation. From time to time, she turned to look beyond the city, the unease in her heart growing stronger and stronger.

Why had Xu Jie not returned yet?

Chu Mingyue wanted to leave the city to look for Xu Jie, but she remembered that Xu Jie had ordered her to wait atop the city wall for his return.

Thus, she could only forcibly suppress her panic and wait in silence.

Beside her, Xu Bin's brows were also tightly furrowed, and a cold gleam flashed in the depths of his eyes.

Could Zhao Du have killed Xu Jie, discovered that Xu Jie possessed a great treasure, and then fled with it?

What audacity!

People from the borderlands truly lacked refinement. Every one of them was bold enough to defy heaven, daring to do anything!

Xu Jie's father had been like that, and now Zhao Du was the same!

The reason Xu Bin thought this was actually very simple!

Because Zhao Du's son was dead. He was a lone man with no ties left behind, so he had every reason to flee with the treasure.

As midnight arrived and Zhao Du still had not returned, Xu Bin could no longer restrain himself. He was certain Zhao Du had run off after seizing the treasure!

Thus, Xu Bin turned and prepared to descend the city wall, intending to pursue and kill that outrageously bold Zhao Du in the wilderness.

"Xu Bin, you are not allowed to leave!"

The next moment, Chu Mingyue, her pretty face icy, blocked Xu Bin's path, making him narrow his eyes as he looked her over.

"Heh heh, Chu Mingyue, you do not actually think Xu Jie is still alive, do you? He died long ago! I now suspect Zhao Du ran away with Xu Jie's treasure. Do you dare obstruct the Jiang Family's business?"

Xu Bin's words made Chu Mingyue press her red lips together. She forcefully suppressed the unease in her heart and said coldly,

"Xu Jie cannot be dead! I promised him I would wait for him atop the city wall... In any case, you are not allowed to leave!"

Chu Mingyue was worried that Xu Jie might run into Xu Bin outside the city and suffer an accident.

This man was a low-tier fourth-rank martial artist. If the two encountered each other, Xu Jie would surely die!

Hearing Chu Mingyue make no attempt to hide her feelings for Xu Jie, Xu Bin raised his brows and mockingly said in surprise,

"Chu Mingyue, back when you fled from your marriage, you caused an uproar throughout Central Prefecture. Both the Jiang Family and your Chu Family lost all face because of it. I originally thought highly of you, believing you were proud and arrogant and simply looked down on Young Master Jiang."

"Who would have thought you had taken a fancy to that trash Xu Jie? Is he worth even a single hair on Young Master Jiang's head? If Young Master Jiang uttered one word, countless people would willingly risk life and death to kill Xu Jie!"

"I truly do not know what madness seized you for you to like trash of such lowly birth as Xu Jie. If word of this reached the Chu Family, would your mother not be angered to death by you? Hahaha!"

"Shut up!!!"

Chu Mingyue flew into a rage and fiercely berated the wildly laughing Xu Bin.

"Xu Bin, do not force me to find someone to kill you!"

Did he really think she was a soft persimmon, ripe for the squeezing?

When Chu Mingyue dealt with Xu Jie, her attitude was soft, even weak.

That was because she was an M, and because she had acknowledged a master.

But when dealing with others, Chu Mingyue was still the Chu Family's daughter—rebellious to the extreme, obstinate, and strong-willed.

Xu Bin snorted coldly. With utter disdain, he continued to mock her.

"That little brat had better still be alive. Once Young Master Jiang reaches Jincheng City, he will not die so easily! I advise you to step aside. Do not force me to lay hands on you!"

"I will not! Try touching me if you dare! I mean what I say—I will find someone to slaughter you tomorrow!"

Just as Xu Bin could no longer endure it and was about to teach Chu Mingyue a lesson, steady footsteps suddenly sounded from the stairway.

Chu Mingyue froze, then quickly turned her head. A figure was slowly walking up.

Xu Jie first cast an indifferent glance at Xu Bin, who stood dumbstruck, his face full of disbelief.

Then, facing the ecstatic Chu Mingyue, he casually nodded, as though he had merely gone out to walk a dog around the block.

"Let's go, Chu Mingyue."

"Mhm, mhm!"

Chu Mingyue hurriedly followed Xu Jie down from the city wall. Then, a gloomy voice sounded from behind Xu Jie.

"Xu Jie, you dare do this? You have quite the nerve!"