A Beautiful Counterkill!

"You dare!"

Zhang Xuantong was so enraged he spat blood. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Tumei, my Zhang Clan of Qingfeng Mountain has served the Liu Immortal Clan for three hundred years."

"If you kill my Zhang Clan, the Liu Immortal Clan will surely issue a kill order against you. It will not end until one side is dead."

"When that time comes, not only will there be no place for you, Tumei, on Willow Crane Island—even across the entire Five Islands of the Sea, you will have nowhere to hide."

At those words, Tumei's eyes narrowed.

What Zhang Xuantong said was true.

Decades ago, a Bandit Cultivator had relied on his Qi Condensation Ninth Layer cultivation to run wild, even leading his subordinates to wipe out a Second-rate Qi Condensation Family.

On Willow Crane Island, aside from Rogue Cultivators and the various merchant associations, all major Qi Condensation Families were vassal forces of the Liu Immortal Clan, handing over generous quantities of Spirit Stones every year.

Thus, that Qi Condensation Ninth Layer Bandit Cultivator's destruction of a Qi Condensation Family had provoked public outrage, filling numerous Qi Condensation Families with burning fury.

At the same time, such an act had challenged the Liu Immortal Clan's rule, slapped the Liu Immortal Clan across the face, and damaged the Liu Immortal Clan's interests.

The Liu Immortal Clan had therefore issued a kill order and dispatched a Qi Condensation Tenth Layer expert to lead the pursuit, chasing them throughout the Sea Domain Archipelago, including Willow Crane Island, day and night.

In the end, that Qi Condensation Ninth Layer Bandit Cultivator had died an unnatural death. Every cultivator under his command had also died. All their heads had been severed and displayed publicly to soothe the people's hearts.

It was precisely because of this that, as long as Zhang Xuantong could return to his clan, he could calmly prepare for a breakthrough without worrying about Bandit Cultivators attacking the clan to plunder its pills.

Behind a Qi Condensation Family stood a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan. That was indeed a formidable deterrent.

Tumei said coldly, "Hmph, old bastard, don't think you can use the Liu Immortal Clan's reputation to suppress me."

"If you anger me, I'll slaughter your entire family, then join the Black Mountain Bandits."

"Do you think those lofty Foundation Establishment Venerables would make such a huge fuss over your tiny Zhang family, even paying any price to storm Black Mountain?"

Zhang Xuantong's expression froze.

The Black Mountain Bandits' chief was at Qi Condensation Tenth Layer Perfection, infamous far and wide and known as the number one man beneath Foundation Establishment.

Their second chief was also a great Qi Condensation Tenth Layer expert, not someone to be trifled with.

Tumei said coldly, "I'll count to ten."

"If you don't hand over the pill, I'll slaughter your entire family."

"One, two, three..."

Zhang Xuantong had lost an arm. His face was pale from excessive blood loss, and cold sweat beaded across his brow.

I was wrong.

I should not have staked the clan's entire savings on a single gamble, all for the sake of advancing to Late Qi Condensation.

I was too naive. I overlooked the risks brought by the Spirit Nurturing Pill.

Tumei said indifferently, "Seven, eight, nine..."

Zhang Xuantong took a deep breath, bent at the waist, and bowed. "This old man, Zhang Xuantong, is willing to offer up the Spirit Nurturing Pill."

"Furthermore, this old man has suffered grave injuries, and the clan's younger generation cannot shoulder great responsibility, making it difficult to guard the family estate..." Zhang Xuantong said. "I humbly ask Fellow Daoist Tumei to join my Zhang family as a guest elder."

Tumei was startled, then his heart blossomed with joy. He laughed aloud. "Hahaha, Zhang Family Head, you truly know which way the wind blows."

"This proposal greatly interests me."

"Fine. I agree."

Zhang Xuantong slowly stepped forward, spread open his palm, and presented the pill. "Fellow Daoist Tumei, this is the Spirit Nurturing Pill."

Tumei swaggered forward and reached out for the pill.

The next second, spiritual power erupted from Zhang Xuantong's body. He seized Tumei's hand, his spiritual power surging wildly within him. Blood poured from his seven orifices, while crimson spiritual power gushed explosively from his mouth and nose.

"Tumei, let's die together!" Zhang Xuantong roared. "Spirit Detonation Technique!"

The Spirit Detonation Technique was a secret technique passed down by the Zhang Clan, a killing art meant to perish together with one's enemy.

Using a secret art to detonate all one's spiritual power and vital blood, it unleashed strength more than ten times beyond one's own, killing a powerful foe in a single strike.

"Old bastard, you're courting death!" Tumei's expression changed. With his other hand, he hurriedly took out a defensive talisman and activated it.

"Golden Bell Talisman!"

Dong!

A golden bell appeared out of thin air, perfectly covering Tumei's body.

Boom!

The instant the heavy golden bell materialized, Zhang Xuantong's Spirit Detonation Technique finished gathering force. The human bomb exploded in an instant, producing a powerful spiritual-energy shockwave that swept through all directions.

Bang! Bang! Bang...

Within a radius of ten zhang, stone pillars throughout the stone forest exploded one after another, snapping at the waist.

Amid the dust filling the sky, Tumei slowly emerged, fury blazing in his heart. "Damn it, killing a mere Qi Condensation Sixth Layer actually cost me a High-grade Talisman Paper."

"This talisman was for saving my life—a First-grade High-rank talisman of Genuine Quality, capable of blocking a full-power strike from a Qi Condensation Eighth Layer cultivator."

"Fucking bad luck. This Spirit Detonation Technique even blew up the Storage Bag and magic tools along with him."

Tumei's right sleeve was shredded. The tiger's mouth of his hand was split open, blood streaming down in trickles. His five fingers opened, and a Spirit Nurturing Pill lay quietly in his palm.

"Fortunately, I got the Spirit Nurturing Pill."

Whoosh!

Tumei drove his Flying Wheel Magic Tool in pursuit. "Everyone has to die."

"Grandpa Clan Leader, let's split up!"

Li Qingyuan said, "If you join forces with Second Elder Grandpa, you will surely be able to kill one of them."

"For the remaining one, Father and I can join forces to hold them off for a while and buy you time."

Clan Leader Li Guangao made his decision without hesitation. "Good."

While Tumei was being held back by Zhang Xuantong, they could seize this chance to separate the two and defeat them one by one.

Otherwise, once those two entangled them and prevented them from escaping, Tumei would catch up from behind. With his Qi Condensation Level 7 cultivation, everyone present would die.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Father and son Li Dingzhou and Li Qingyuan broke away from the group on their own, fleeing deep into the stone forest and weaving between giant boulders. From time to time, they threw out First-grade Low-rank Talisman Paper to interfere.

Skinny Monkey chuckled and chased after them. "Little beauty, don't be in such a hurry to leave."

"Second Sister, leave this to me."

With that, the lecherous man flew out on his sword, pursuing them at full speed.

The Heavily Made-up Woman flew out on her sword to attack, chasing Li Guangao and Li Guangzong.

Suddenly, Li Guangao and Li Guangzong turned around at the same time, driving talismans forward in attack, their magic tools following close behind as they struck at the Female Cultivator.

The two brothers joined forces, suppressing the Female Cultivator and gaining the upper hand. Given enough time, they would surely be able to kill her.

Deep within the stone forest, Li Qingyuan said softly, "Father, get ready. The counterkill begins!"

At that moment, the lecherous Male Cultivator who looked like a Skinny Monkey chuckled. "Little beauty, why not submit to me? We can have some fun together, hehehe."

Li Qingyuan turned around, no longer disguising his voice. With a simultaneous sweep of both hands, ten talismans flew out as he cursed, "Submit to your mother."

Skinny Monkey froze for a moment. "You're a man?"

"Tier 1 Mid-grade Talisman Paper?" Skinny Monkey was shocked. He immediately circulated his spiritual power and drove his magic tool forward to block the talismans.

Bang! Bang! Bang...

The talismans exploded one after another. Each was no weaker than a Qi Condensation Fifth Layer cultivator's attack, and their firepower was densely packed, bombarding him without pause and leaving him scrambling.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Seizing the opportunity, Li Qingyuan swept his hand and unleashed five Premium Talisman Papers—Wind Blade Talismans and Explosive Fire Talismans—comparable to five Qi Condensation Sixth Layer cultivators attacking at once.

"This power!?" Skinny Monkey's expression changed. The talismans exploded before him with astonishing force, blasting him away.

The talismans exploded almost simultaneously, directly shattering his defensive spell and heavily injuring him until he spat blood.

At the same time, Li Dingzhou had already applied a Premium Diamond Talisman for defense. With a Lightness Talisman and the clan's Tier 1 Spell, the Moon Shadow Technique, he closed in and slashed out with his long saber.

"Eight Slashes of the Blood Saber!"

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Eight streams of saber qi erupted in an instant, weaving into a net. The saber net sliced across him, chopping him into eight large pieces.

"Ah!" Skinny Monkey screamed. Flesh and blood splattered everywhere, and he became a puddle of mangled meat.

Li Qingyuan gave a thumbs-up. "Father, that was rock-solid!"

Even though he could have killed with a single blow, to be even more certain and avoid injury, his old dad had still instinctively applied a Diamond Talisman for defense.

It was even Masterwork Quality, capable of withstanding a full-power attack from a Qi Condensation Sixth Layer cultivator.

Li Dingzhou said, "Yuan'er, come on. Let's hurry and help your Grandpa Clan Leader and the others."

Li Qingyuan shook his head. "No."

"Father, let's change targets."