Corpse Dissolving Water

"A Flying Sword!"

Fang Chen's gaze sharpened. The Sword Control Technique could only be practiced after reaching the Third Layer of Qi Refining. Flying Swords generally came in two kinds: one for riding through the air, the other for combat.

Flying Swords meant for riding were longer and wider. Those meant for combat were shorter, roughly two feet long and two fingers wide.

Flying Swords were powerful, but they consumed enormous mental energy. The farther they flew, the greater the drain, and most could not keep attacking for long.

Fang Chen spun around and looked up, his gaze landing on a large boulder in the distance. The hidden weapon had come from that direction. The surrounding ground was open, and that boulder was the only place someone could hide.

"Run!"

Fang Chen did not know who had attacked him, so he dared not rush over blindly. He immediately used the Misty Turtle Step and ran toward lower ground.

Bzzz!

The Flying Sword embedded in the Fire Spirit Sword Bamboo vibrated, then pulled free. It became a streak of cold light and shot toward Fang Chen again.

Fang Chen turned and fixed his eyes on the incoming sword. His gaze sharpened, and he swung the Floating Immortal Sword, striking the Flying Sword head-on.

Clang!

Sparks flew. The Floating Immortal Sword knocked the Flying Sword backward, and it fell to the ground, its glow dimmed and a huge notch cut into its blade.

A fierce force surged from the Floating Immortal Sword's hilt into Fang Chen's body, leaving him suddenly invigorated.

"Pfft... Ah..."

A scream came from behind the boulder. Zhang Qining lay on the ground, clutching his head as he rolled in agony. The Flying Sword was his Natal Spirit Treasure. When Fang Chen struck it with the Floating Immortal Sword, the damage had lashed back at his soul, leaving his head feeling as though it would split open.

Fang Chen looked up. His gaze sharpened as he recognized Zhang Qining at once.

"Damn it!"

Fang Chen charged over with the Floating Immortal Sword and swung straight at Zhang Qining.

Sensing movement, Zhang Qining forced himself through the pain and rolled hard across the ground.

Clang!

The Floating Immortal Sword grazed Zhang Qining and struck the ground. Fierce Sword Intent burst outward, sending dirt and stones flying and leaving a large crater behind.

Seeing his first strike miss, Fang Chen swung at Zhang Qining again.

Zhang Qining sprang to his feet like a carp leaping from the water. White light flashed in his palm, and a long sword appeared to block the Floating Immortal Sword.

Clang!

A powerful force surged through the Floating Immortal Sword and sent Zhang Qining flying.

He crashed to the ground and stared up at the two layers of Body Protection Spiritual Light surrounding Fang Chen. Shock spread across his face.

"The Second Layer of Qi Refining?"

Zhang Qining's expression changed drastically. Zhang Tielin had told him Fang Chen had no Spiritual Root and had only stumbled into the Qi Refining Realm through some stroke of dogshit luck two days ago. None of the outer sect's stronger peaks at Azure Cloud Peak had wanted him, so he had ended up on Dog Head Ridge.

Yet after only two days, Fang Chen had reached the Second Layer of Qi Refining?

Zhang Qining strongly suspected he was seeing things. He could not believe a good-for-nothing without a Spiritual Root had advanced so quickly. But the strength Fang Chen displayed before his eyes left him no choice but to believe it.

Just then, Fang Chen leaped into the air. Holding the Floating Immortal Sword in one hand, he slashed at Zhang Qining from a distance.

Hiss!

An invisible streak of Sword Qi appeared. Sand and dirt sprayed up along its path, and a deep sword mark opened in the ground.

Zhang Qining's face changed. He immediately raised his sword across his chest.

Clang!

His sword blocked the Sword Qi, sending sparks flying, but the force still knocked him tumbling.

Fang Chen dropped from the sky and drove his right foot into Zhang Qining's lower abdomen. Zhang Qining's body folded like a bow, and blood burst from his mouth.

"Ah..."

Zhang Qining screamed and reached his left hand toward his chest, as though trying to take something out.

Swish!

A flash of sword light severed Zhang Qining's neck. His head parted from his body.

Bright red blood spurted from Zhang Qining's neck and splashed across the Floating Immortal Sword. The sword shuddered, sending a stream of scorching energy into Fang Chen's body.

Fang Chen had moved swiftly and without the slightest hesitation. Li Yanshan had told him that mercy to an enemy was cruelty to oneself.

This man had come specifically to kill him. Fang Chen could not afford to be softhearted. Whatever consequences killing him might bring, he had to deal with the enemy first.

Only after killing Zhang Qining did Fang Chen realize he had slain a Cultivator at the Third Layer of Qi Refining.

After Zhang Qining's ambush, Fang Chen had been so tense that he had no time to think about anything else. He had only wanted to fight back. His opponent was a Cultivator at the Third Layer of Qi Refining, and Fang Chen had not dared let his guard down. He had never expected to kill him in just a few moves.

Were Cultivators at the Third Layer of Qi Refining really this weak?

Fang Chen thought back over the fight. The man he had killed truly had been weak.

His own cultivation was lower, yet Zhang Qining had died beneath his sword.

Fang Chen knew the Floating Immortal Sword deserved most of the credit for how easily he had won. If he had not damaged Zhang Qining's Flying Sword at the start and caused the backlash, he could never have killed him so easily.

He quickly glanced around. Finding no one there, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Bzzz...

The Floating Immortal Sword kept vibrating as scorching energy poured wildly into Fang Chen's body. His heart raced, his muscles swelled, and his skin reddened. Wisps of white mist rose from him.

Looking inward, Fang Chen saw great quantities of red gas flow along his meridians into his dantian. He pushed the Glazed Qi Refining Art to its limit. The True Qi Vortex spun rapidly, refining the red gas at a furious pace.

Only after twenty full breaths did Fang Chen finish refining all the red gas in his body.

Fang Chen felt brimming with strength and more alert than ever. His True Qi Vortex had grown by a full circle.

"That felt incredible!"

Fang Chen could not help exclaiming. If more people lined up for him to kill, he would probably reach the Third Layer of Qi Refining soon. But he knew that was hardly realistic.

He walked to Zhang Qining's corpse and struck it again with the Floating Immortal Sword. The sword responded, but the energy flowing from it into his body was much weaker.

Fang Chen frowned slightly, crouched down, and searched Zhang Qining's body. From inside his robe, he found an Identity Token, a cloth pouch, and several bottles.

Zhang Qining's name was written on the Identity Token.

The pouch held Spirit Stones—thirty of them.

"I'm rich!"

Fang Chen's eyes lit up. He picked up the bottles and examined them closely. Each had small characters carved into it.

Qi Gathering Pill, Great Return Pill, Detoxification Pill...

When he read the writing on a round Black Porcelain Bottle, his gaze sharpened and surprise crossed his face. Three words were written on it: "Corpse Dissolving Water."