Outmatched Head-On, I'll Win Through Wits.

Huang Yao's indifferent gaze fell upon Wang Yuan.

Especially when she saw those eyes of his, whose coldness could not be concealed even behind a mask, and the savage Black Dragon Spear in his hand.

She first frowned slightly, then seemed to recall something and suddenly let out a soft laugh.

Yet there was not the slightest warmth in that laughter—only icy killing intent.

"So I was wondering who had such nerve. Turns out it's you, you little rascal."

Huang Yao's tone carried a trace of mockery, but her gaze was sharp as a blade.

She had clearly recognized Wang Yuan.

"So it was you who killed that useless steward of my Huang family."

"I never expected you to put on such a convincing show of cowardice this morning. You nearly fooled even me."

"If I'd known, I should have slapped you to death then and there. It would have saved me all this trouble."

She shook her head lightly, as if regretful.

"But no matter. Old debts and new—let's settle them all today."

"Tell me where Black Tai Sui is, and I can grant you a quick death."

Seeing that his identity had been exposed, Wang Yuan stopped hiding. He tore off the black cloth, revealing his face.

But he did not answer. He merely held the Black Dragon Spear horizontally before him, declaring his stance through action.

Surrender without a fight?

Absolutely impossible!

Having lived a second life, he was determined to behold the sights from the pinnacle of martial arts.

Just then, Zhang Mingyuan's Paternal Uncle suddenly shoved Zhang Mingyuan away and rasped, "Mingyuan, get out of here! All of you, run!"

He knew he was already an arrow at the end of its flight. Staying behind would only make him a burden.

Now, he could only risk his life to carve out a sliver of survival for Zhang Mingyuan and Wang Yuan!

With a furious roar, he ignored his wounds and burned his remaining blood qi, charging at Huang Yao like a moth flying into flame.

"An arm raised to stop a chariot."

Huang Yao snorted coldly. She did not even draw a weapon, merely casually striking out with her palm.

Her palm force was condensed and swift, launched later yet arriving first, landing lightly upon Paternal Uncle's chest.

Bang!

Paternal Uncle's charging body flew backward at an even greater speed. Blood sprayed wildly from his mouth, his chest caved deeply inward, and by the time he hit the ground, he had already ceased breathing.

One palm!

Just one palm!

A Second Blood Change martial artist making a desperate final stand had been effortlessly killed in an instant.

This was the strength of a true elite disciple from a great family.

Zhang Mingyuan's eyes nearly split apart, grief tearing through him.

"What terrifying palm force!"

Wang Yuan's pupils contracted sharply, the sense of crisis in his heart soaring to its peak.

Huang Yao slowly withdrew her hand without even glancing at the corpse.

She slowly drew the icy, slender sword at her waist, its tip pointed directly at Wang Yuan.

"Now, it's your turn."

Before her words had faded, she moved. Sword light poured down like a waterfall, instantly engulfing Wang Yuan.

Huang Yao's swordsmanship was fast and ruthless, its angles viciously tricky.

Every stroke contained the mighty blood qi of the Third Blood Change as well as exquisite swordsmanship.

The pressure on Wang Yuan immediately surged. He could only whirl the Black Dragon Spear into an impenetrable barrier, trying to fend off Huang Yao's swordsmanship.

Yet Huang Yao was a top-tier great martial artist of the Third Blood Change. How could Wang Yuan, who had only just entered the Second Blood Change, possibly face her head-on?

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The clash of metal rang out without end, sparks continually bursting through the night.

At this moment, Wang Yuan was completely on the defensive.

He could only rely on the formidable physique and extraordinary strength granted by Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone to forcefully endure sword strikes he could not fully evade.

The Black Silkworm Silk Inner Armor blocked several slashes of her blade as well, but the force transmitted through it still shook his blood qi into turmoil.

Some places were even pierced with several horrifying bloody holes.

Wang Yuan fought as he retreated, his footsteps leaving deep tracks through the woods. He looked thoroughly bedraggled.

On the surface, Huang Yao held an absolute advantage. Her swordsmanship flowed freely, pinning Wang Yuan down completely.

Yet deep inside, stormy waves had risen!

"How is this brat... even possible?!"

The longer Huang Yao fought, the more alarmed she became.

"He clearly only entered the Second Blood Change not long ago, yet this brute strength... it's simply inhuman."

"The sheer abundance of his blood and qi far surpasses those of the same rank."

"I possess a High Grade Bone Structure and cultivate the Huang family's direct-line technique, yet I still can't take him down in such a short time?"

She could clearly sense that Wang Yuan's foundation was terrifyingly solid, his physique unbelievably tough.

This was definitely not something that could be explained merely by good talent!

"He must be hiding a secret—a huge secret!"

A trace of greed flashed through Huang Yao's eyes.

Wang Yuan was equally anxious. He was now covered in wounds; if the battle dragged on, defeat was inevitable.

Seeing himself forced to retreat again and again, Wang Yuan gritted his teeth, a plan forming in his mind. Deliberately or otherwise, he began leading the battle toward denser woods and more rugged terrain.

"Hmph, trying to run?"

"You don't have the chance."

Seeing that Wang Yuan seemed to be running out of strength and wanted to use the terrain to escape, Huang Yao gave a cold snort. Her sword attacks tightened further as she pursued him like a shadow, intent on killing him.

Wang Yuan forcibly suppressed his churning blood and qi, continuously shifting his footing with the Chasing Wind Leg.

The two fought as they moved, sword light and spear shadows flashing amid the forest. In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged dozens of moves, destroying who knew how many grasses and trees.

Wang Yuan forcibly suppressed his churning blood and qi, continuously shifting his footing with the Chasing Wind Leg.

Huang Yao sensed that Wang Yuan's aura was beginning to grow disordered, while his spear technique had lost its former agility. He was clearly an arrow at the end of its flight.

Her heart settled, and she spoke indifferently:

"It's time to end this, Wang Yuan."

"Your talent truly is astonishing, but once a genius dies, he is no longer a genius."

"You have two choices now: submit to me, or die!"

"Pah!"

Hearing this, Wang Yuan merely smiled faintly and spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm.

"You really are courting death!"

Seeing Wang Yuan provoke her so blatantly, Huang Yao's eyes filled with savagery.

Her nickname in the inner city was Mother Yaksha, which showed just how terrible her temper was.

Before her words had even faded, Huang Yao suddenly drove her blood and qi, and light flowed across the slender sword.

A Sword Qi, incomparably condensed and peerlessly sharp, slashed out like a crescent moon, aimed straight for Wang Yuan's head.

She had used eighty percent of her strength in this strike, determined to kill Wang Yuan in one blow!

Yet in the face of this fatal attack, there was not the slightest fear on Wang Yuan's face.

Instead, a cold smile of triumph appeared.

Rather than retreating, he advanced. His left hand suddenly swept forward!

A vast cloud of pungent red chili powder mixed with white quicklime swept down over Huang Yao's head and face.

"Hmph! A petty trick!"

Huang Yao sneered disdainfully. She did not even bother to dodge, merely flicking her wrist as the slender sword trembled lightly.

A supple yet precise gust of sword wind arose from nowhere, forming a barrier that easily blew the powder away.

"Such lowly tricks are useless against me now!"

As the powder dispersed, Wang Yuan's calm face was revealed behind it.

The cold smile at his lips grew more pronounced, carrying a hint of mockery.

"Is that so?"

"Then have you felt... weak all over, as though your blood and qi can no longer circulate smoothly?"

"What?"

Huang Yao froze at his words and instinctively circulated her blood and qi. Her expression instantly changed drastically.

She felt an obvious wave of aching weakness spread through her limbs and bones.

Her blood and qi, once as obedient as her own arms and fingers, now seemed to have sunk into a mire, its circulation speed suddenly slowing by several degrees.

Nearly half of her strength was weakened in an instant!

"You... you actually poisoned me?"

"What a despicable trick!"

Huang Yao jerked her head up, glaring at Wang Yuan in shock and fury, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Proud of her profound martial cultivation and keen senses, she had not noticed at all when he had poisoned her.

Only then did Wang Yuan let out a long breath, his tightly wound body relaxing slightly.

Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he muttered with lingering fear:

"This damned bitch was fucking hard to poison!"

"I pretended I couldn't beat her, scattering the powder in secret while running. I used a full two bottles of Soft Muscle Powder, and she only noticed now..."

So, his bedraggled state from the very beginning, and his later fighting retreat, had all been an act.

His true killing move had been hidden within those seemingly futile movements.

Using the terrain and the battle as cover, he had silently dispersed the potent Soft Muscle Powder he bought from the Black Market into the air, allowing Huang Yao to inhale it without realizing.

Now, the poison had finally taken effect. In an instant, the tide of offense and defense had reversed!