A Killing Spree

The Bloodthirsty Evil Crow before him was terrifying. Fang Chen did not dare let down his guard and poured the true qi within him into the Floating Immortal Sword.

Hum!

The Floating Immortal Sword trembled violently, releasing a fierce Sword Intent.

Flowing Cloud Sword Technique!

Fang Chen shouted inwardly and swung the Floating Immortal Sword.

Whoosh!

An invisible Sword Qi appeared and struck the Bloodthirsty Evil Crow in an instant.

Slash!

The Bloodthirsty Evil Crow was cut in half. The powerful Sword Qi left a sword mark on the Stone House wall three feet long and a finger wide.

The two halves fell to the ground, but the crow did not die at once. It kept struggling, its vitality astonishingly tenacious.

Hum, hum...

After the Bloodthirsty Evil Crow was slain, the Floating Immortal Sword trembled violently. An even stronger surge of scorching energy rushed into Fang Chen. His body jolted, and he felt his dantian swell.

That's powerful!

Fang Chen's eyes brightened, and his spirits soared. He had not expected to absorb so much Spiritual Power from the Floating Immortal Sword by killing that strange bird. The Spiritual Power that had just entered him exceeded what he had gained from a full day of chopping bamboo.

Fang Chen looked up through the hole the Bloodthirsty Evil Crow had smashed in his roof. Red Giant Birds filled the sky.

Those Giant Birds dove from above, attacking the Stone Houses in a frenzy.

Bang, bang, bang...

Two more Bloodthirsty Evil Crows flew through the hole into Fang Chen's Stone House. They beat their wings and charged straight at him.

You're asking for death!

Fang Chen's gaze sharpened. He poured true qi into the Floating Immortal Sword and unleashed the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique again.

Whoosh!

Sword Qi formed from Spiritual Power appeared once more and killed both Bloodthirsty Evil Crows in an instant.

Although Fang Chen had only reached the Second Layer of Qi Refining, he had learned the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique. With the Floating Immortal Sword's aid, killing these Bloodthirsty Evil Crows was easy.

Hum, hum, hum...

The Floating Immortal Sword kept vibrating. A greater torrent of scorching energy than before poured into Fang Chen, filling him with strength and leaving him brimming with vigor.

Looking inward, he saw vast amounts of red energy enter his dantian. His True Qi Vortex absorbed it and refined it into true qi, steadily increasing the true qi within him.

This feels incredible!

Fang Chen threw back his head and roared.

Outside, the Bloodthirsty Evil Crows kept battering Fang Chen's Stone House. Cracks spread across its walls, and it teetered on the verge of collapse.

Fang Chen tapped a toe against the floor and shot through the hole in the roof, leaving an afterimage behind.

The moment he emerged, a Bloodthirsty Evil Crow beat its wings and flew at him, its sharp claws raking toward his face.

Fang Chen's gaze turned cold. The Floating Immortal Sword flashed in his hand.

Slash!

A streak of sword light flashed past, killing the Bloodthirsty Evil Crow instantly.

Fang Chen landed on the roof and looked around. Bloodthirsty Evil Crows were everywhere, blotting out the sky. There was no telling how many there were.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!"

Screams rang out. Fang Chen looked over and saw several Outer Sect Disciples pinned to the ground by Bloodthirsty Evil Crows. As they struggled, the birds tore at their flesh with sharp beaks.

The Outer Sect Disciples who had come to Spirit Flame Valley for the mission were all below the Third Layer of Qi Refining. Fewer than one in ten had reached that layer.

Most of the Outer Sect Disciples could not withstand the Bloodthirsty Evil Crows at all.

Fang Chen also spotted a dozen or so powerful figures fighting through the flock and rescuing people. Each gave off a formidable aura and possessed mid- to late-stage Qi Refining cultivation.

They're so strong!

Fang Chen watched them in awe. Any one of their casual sword strikes could kill more than a dozen Bloodthirsty Evil Crows.

But strong as they were, they could not hold back the Bloodthirsty Evil Crows that blotted out the sky.

Caw, caw...

The Bloodthirsty Evil Crows nearby spotted Fang Chen standing on the roof and swooped toward him.

Kill!

Fang Chen's blood surged and his killing intent soared. He felt no fear. To him, these Bloodthirsty Evil Crows were Spiritual Power that could swiftly raise his cultivation.

When he killed Zhang Qining in Spirit Flame Valley earlier that day, he had wanted a chance to go on a killing spree and rapidly increase his strength. He had never imagined so many strange birds would appear that very night.

Killing people was against the law, but he could slaughter these strange birds without a second thought.

Heaven itself is helping me!

Fang Chen refused to miss this chance to advance quickly. He became a god of slaughter, cutting down the Bloodthirsty Evil Crows in a frenzy. Every flash of his sword killed at least one, sometimes four or five with a single stroke.

As he killed them, scorching energy flowed continuously from the Floating Immortal Sword into his body. The longer Fang Chen fought, the more exhilarated he became.

There were simply too many Bloodthirsty Evil Crows.

He could not kill them all. There was no end to them.

Soon, others noticed Fang Chen. His performance was far too striking to miss.

"Who is that guy?"

"What an incredible sword technique!"

"He's only at the Second Layer of Qi Refining, yet he can kill a Bloodthirsty Evil Crow with a single sword strike!"

They were stunned by Fang Chen's strength. Other Outer Sect Disciples at the Second Layer of the Qi Refining Realm were powerless against these Bloodthirsty Evil Crows, yet Fang Chen killed them with ease. The contrast was stark.

Even Outer Sect Disciples at the Third Layer of Qi Refining paled beside him, let alone those at the second.

The time it took an incense stick to burn passed.

Fang Chen's body suddenly shook. Golden Flames appeared once more within the True Qi Vortex in his dantian, and the vortex began to burn. His dantian felt ready to explode as it expanded under the Golden Flames' force.

The Golden Flames surged through his Meridians and across his body. Countless golden Runes appeared on the walls of his Meridians as they widened.

Fang Chen's body swelled like an inflated ball, veins bulging across his skin.

Under the Golden Flames' influence, everything underwent a Metamorphosis: the true qi in his dantian, his Meridians, his flesh and blood, even his soul.

Three faint layers of Body Protection Spiritual Light appeared around Fang Chen.

Fang Chen had not expected to break through to the Third Layer of Qi Refining so quickly.

"That guy broke through?"

Everyone turned to look at Fang Chen again. They had not expected him to break through at such a critical moment.

Ah!

Fang Chen could not hold back a roar.

Caw, caw...

The Bloodthirsty Evil Crows nearby seemed drawn by the aura Fang Chen radiated. They all flew toward him in a frenzy.

Fang Chen gripped the Floating Immortal Sword and poured his true qi into it.

Sizzle!

A layer of Golden Flames flared across the Floating Immortal Sword, and a fierce Sword Intent burst forth.

Flowing Cloud Rolls Moon, Dominates Nine Heavens!

Fang Chen roared and spun. Countless strands of Sword Qi burst outward, forming a small Sword Qi storm.

The Bloodthirsty Evil Crows that came near him were swept into the storm, their bodies bursting apart one after another.