Martial King

Mu Bai and Langya Xing were walking toward the carriage. The Crimson Spirit Fruit had already been secured, yet a trace of doubt still lingered in Mu Bai's heart.

"Langya Xing, why did you tell me to exchange the Crimson Spirit Fruit for resources instead of gathering ingredients to refine an Innate Pill?" Mu Bai could not help asking.

Langya Xing first gave him a puzzled look, then suddenly understood. "I remember now. You practice Zhao Gang's Eight Swords of Lightness, right? No wonder..."

He shook his head and explained, "Zhao Gang was merely a fortunate man of the mundane world. He broke through only because he happened upon an Innate Pill, so naturally he knew nothing of other methods. In truth, while an Innate Pill can help someone break through, it is ultimately an external aid, far less stable than one's own comprehension. Breaking through with an Innate Pill is tantamount to cutting off the road ahead. True Martial Dao experts rarely force a breakthrough with pills. Rather—"

Before he could finish, Langya Xing's expression changed drastically!

Whoosh—!

An incomparably fierce burst of force tore through the air, so fast that even Mu Bai failed to react, and slammed directly into Langya Xing's abdomen!

Bang—!

Langya Xing was blasted more than fifty feet away, crashing heavily into an ancient tree. The trunk instantly exploded apart!

Pfft—! He spat out a mouthful of blood, his face pale as paper.

Mu Bai was shocked. He immediately drew his sword and rushed toward Langya Xing.

The Langya Family's servants reacted swiftly as well. The gray-robed elder led several guards over at once, surrounding Langya Xing and protecting him in the middle.

"Young Master!" The gray-robed elder quickly took an exquisite jade vial from his robes and poured out a pill—it was the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Pill.

He hurriedly fed it to Langya Xing.

Langya Xing gritted his teeth and swallowed the pill. His complexion improved slightly, but the composure he usually possessed was gone, replaced by grave solemnity.

Forcing himself to his feet, he was supported by two servants as he cupped his hands toward the front and bowed with difficulty, his voice low.

"This junior is Langya Xing of the Langya Aristocratic Family. May I ask which Martial King senior has arrived? If there is some misunderstanding, please reveal yourself and allow this junior to explain!"

The surroundings fell deathly silent.

A few seconds later, a sinister laugh slowly rang out. The voice was hoarse, like dry wood scraping together, chilling one to the bone.

"I was wondering who had the nerve to snatch this ancestor's Crimson Spirit Fruit. So it was a brat from the Langya Family..."

As the voice fell, a figure slowly emerged from the depths of the forest.

Mu Bai's pupils contracted sharply.

The newcomer was a hunched old man draped in a tattered blood-red robe. His face was gaunt as a skull, his deeply sunken eyes glimmering with an eerie green light, cold and venomous like a serpent's.

His skin was a strange grayish white, covered in bizarre dark-red patterns like dried bloodstains.

Most terrifying of all was the faint blood-colored mist that wreathed his body. Wherever he passed, the grass and trees withered and died at a visible rate!

"Blood Spirit Martial King!" Langya Xing's expression changed drastically, a trace of irrepressible fear in his voice.

Mu Bai's heart jolted—Martial King?!

What realm was a Martial King? Could it be a realm above Innate?!

The Blood Spirit Martial King chuckled darkly, his gaze landing on Langya Xing. "Brat of the Langya Family, you've got some nerve. You even dared to snatch something this ancestor had set his eyes on?"

Suppressing his injuries, Langya Xing respectfully replied, "Senior misunderstands. This junior did not know the item belonged to you. Otherwise, I would never have dared lay a hand on it."

"Hmph!" The Blood Spirit Martial King snorted coldly. "Enough nonsense. Hand over the Crimson Spirit Fruit, then sever one of your own arms. If this ancestor is in a good mood, perhaps I'll spare your life."

Langya Xing's face darkened.

Mu Bai tightened his grip on the Qinglin Sword, his mind racing for a solution.

Against a Martial King-level expert, they had no chance of victory whatsoever. Yet if they surrendered without resistance, their fate would likely be even worse!

After a moment of silence, Langya Xing suddenly said in a low voice, "Senior, I can give you the Crimson Spirit Fruit, but severing an arm... forgive this junior, but I cannot comply."

The Blood Spirit Martial King narrowed his eyes and smiled sinisterly. "Oh? Then you wish to die?"

Before his words had faded, he lightly raised a withered finger. A stream of blood-colored force instantly condensed, pointing straight at Langya Xing's brow!

"Watch out!" Mu Bai shouted, slashing out with his sword without the slightest hesitation!

Clang—!

The Sword Qi collided with the blood-colored force, only to be shattered in an instant!

The aftermath split Mu Bai's tiger's mouth, and the Qinglin Sword nearly flew from his hand!

"Even an ant dares stand in this ancestor's way?" The Blood Spirit Martial King cast Mu Bai a disdainful glance, then casually waved his hand. A cloud of blood mist coiled toward him like a venomous serpent!

Mu Bai had no time to dodge. The blood mist instantly wrapped around his arm, and in the blink of an eye, excruciating pain shot through him as his skin began to corrode and rot!

"Ah—!" He groaned, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

"Mu Bai!" Langya Xing gritted his teeth, suddenly shoving away the servants supporting him. His hands formed seals, and a radiant pure lotus blossomed in his palms!

Pure Lotus Heart Sutra!

In an instant, a pure lotus flew out and formed a circling formation, temporarily blocking off the blood mist.

A hint of surprise flashed through the Blood Spirit Martial King's eyes. "Oh? At such a young age, you've actually mastered the Pure Lotus Heart Sutra? The Langya Family has produced quite a good seed."

He smiled sinisterly. "What a pity. Today, you'll be buried here!"

With that, his figure flickered. Like a ghost, he instantly appeared before Langya Xing, his withered hand reaching straight for his throat!

At the critical moment—

"Buzz—!"

A clear, ringing sword cry suddenly resounded. Immediately after, a snow-bright streak of sword light descended like a falling galaxy, slashing horizontally at the Blood Spirit Martial King!

The Blood Spirit Martial King's expression shifted slightly, and he had no choice but to withdraw his hand and retreat.

"Who?!" he barked.

A tall figure strode through the air. Clad in white whiter than snow, his features were cold and stern, while the long sword in his hand gleamed with chilling light.

"A descendant of the Langya Family is not for you to lay a hand on," the newcomer said indifferently.

Langya Xing looked up, delight flashing through his eyes. "Eleventh Elder!"

Enduring the searing pain, Mu Bai looked at the man, his heart shaken—this man's aura was as deep and vast as an abyssal sea. He was also an Innate-level expert!

The Blood Spirit Martial King stared at the newcomer and said coldly, "Langya Xuan, you intend to interfere?"

Langya Xuan's expression remained detached. "Old Ghost Blood Spirit, what skill is there in bullying juniors? If you want a fight, I'll accompany you."

The Blood Spirit Martial King's face darkened and lightened by turns. At last, he gave a cold snort. "Fine, very fine! Langya Family, this ancestor will remember this!"

With that, his body flickered, transforming into a streak of blood-colored shadow that fled into the forest and vanished from sight.

Only after he had left did Langya Xuan turn to Langya Xing, frowning. "How badly are you hurt?"

Langya Xing gave a bitter smile. "Fortunately, Eleventh Elder arrived in time. Otherwise, I truly would have fallen here today."

Langya Xuan nodded. His gaze swept over Mu Bai, and when he saw the blood mist corroding his arm, his brows furrowed. Raising a hand, he sent a stream of gentle true essence into him, forcing the blood mist out at once.

"Thank you, Senior." Mu Bai heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly expressed his gratitude.

Langya Xuan said flatly, "Why did you run into the Qingming Mountain Range? If I hadn't happened to be practicing my swordsmanship here today, I'm afraid all of you would have perished here."

With a bitter smile, Langya Xing recounted how a landslide had destroyed the road ahead, leaving them with no choice but to enter the Qingming Mountain Range.

Upon hearing this, Langya Xuan said no more. He turned and said, "Let's go. This is not a place to linger. Old Ghost Blood Spirit nurses grudges over the smallest slight; he will not let this go easily."

Langya Xing nodded and, supported by his servants, climbed into the carriage.

Mu Bai followed close behind, though lingering fear still churned in his heart.

Today's battle had allowed him to truly witness the terror of an Innate-level expert.

Had Langya Xuan not arrived in time, they would likely have faced grave danger!

The carriage set off once more. Langya Xing leaned against the inside of the carriage, his face still somewhat pale.

"I never expected to encounter the Blood Spirit Martial King here..." he murmured.

Mu Bai asked gravely, "Who is he? And what is a Martial King?"

Langya Xing smiled bitterly. "A notorious evil cultivator. He specializes in blood-path techniques, cultivating by devouring the blood essence of others. He has long been wanted by all the great families, yet I never imagined he was hiding in the Qingming Mountain Range."

"As for Martial Kings..." Langya Xing paused before continuing, "Didn't I tell you before that while swallowing an Innate Pill can allow one to break through, there is a difference as vast as cloud and mud between that and an Innate expert who breaks through by relying on their own strength?"

"They can only be called Pseudo-Innate!"

"And Martial Dao experts who truly break through to the Innate level through their own ability—only they can be called 'Martial Kings'!"

Mu Bai's heart tightened. So Martial Kings were the true Innate experts!

Langya Xing looked at him and said solemnly, "Mu Bai, thank you for helping us today."

Mu Bai shook his head. "If your family's elder had not arrived, I'm afraid none of us would have escaped this calamity."

Langya Xing smiled. "No matter what, I'll remember this favor."

Mu Bai nodded and said nothing more.

The carriage continued onward, passing through the deep, shadowy forest.

And within the shadows behind them, a pair of scarlet eyes silently watched the direction they had gone. The Blood Spirit Martial King's voice drifted through the air like an evil ghost's whisper—

"Langya Family... sooner or later, this ancestor will make you pay the price!"