Qin Bo's gaze was resolute, and his footsteps suddenly shifted.
His entire body shot toward the ghostly green flames like a black bolt of lightning.
He raised the pig-slaughtering knife high, frantically pouring his qi and blood into it.
The killing intent atop the blade grew denser and denser, faintly taking the shape of a hideous beast's phantom.
With Qin Bo's movements, the beast phantom also lunged at the flames, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws.
The blade flashed, splitting the flames in two.
Qin Bo's figure passed through the flames.
The red-clad apparition failed to dodge in time and was cleaved apart by Qin Bo's knife.
[ Ding, slain resentful spirit Red Fiend ] [ Obtained 2 years of lifespan ]
Qin Bo was stunned. How come it was only two years?!
And this was an apparition of the resentful-spirit level? Old Man Song had said it was evil-spirit level, hadn't he?
Whatever. He would kill them all first and worry about the rest later!
For a time, Qin Bo was as if he had entered a land with no one in it.
The pig-slaughtering knife in his hand danced wildly, as though the Red Fiends before him were nothing but piglets beneath his blade.
The remaining Red Fiends around them saw one of their own killed.
They immediately fell into a panic, but soon, driven by instinct, they bared their fangs and brandished their claws as they pounced toward Qin Bo.
Qin Bo showed no fear, and a ruthless edge gleamed in his eyes.
The pig-slaughtering knife in his hand carried a biting killing intent. Every swing stirred up a storm of blood and slaughter.
A Red Fiend quietly approached Qin Bo from the side, trying to take advantage of the opportunity to launch a sneak attack.
Qin Bo seemed to sense it. His foot shifted, his body spun rapidly, and the pig-slaughtering knife swept out with the momentum.
With a wet pfft, the ambushing Red Fiend was cut in half at the waist, turning into a wisp of black smoke that dispersed.
At the same time, the system notification rang out beside Qin Bo's ear once more:
[ Ding, slain resentful spirit Red Fiend ] [ Obtained 1 year of lifespan ]
Damn, why was it only one year?!
Old Man Li had only given him one year of lifespan too!!
The Red and White Twin Evils had such a resounding reputation, so why were they about the same as Old Man Li?
Forget it. Their only advantage was that they had numbers!
At this thought, Qin Bo's murderous intent surged.
Before long, the Red Fiends had been slaughtered to the last.
Altogether, they had provided Qin Bo with eighteen years of lifespan.
Chen Song and the other man looked at each other in dismay. Was this kid really that strong? Although the Red and White Twin Evils weren't particularly powerful?!
They made up for it with numbers. Even an ordinary Blood Condensation Realm cultivator would be worn to death by them, yet this kid could kill an apparition with one slash before even breaking through to the Blood Condensation Realm.
Old Taoist Song, meanwhile, remained expressionless as he looked at Chen Song and the other man, as if asking why they looked like country bumpkins who had never seen the world.
When the White Fiends on the opposite side saw how easily the Red Fiends had been wiped out, the entire group suddenly faltered.
Then they turned around, no longer playing their suonas.
White mist billowed as they fled.
Seeing this, Qin Bo gritted his teeth until they creaked. How could he let them escape when they had delivered their lives straight to his door?
"Trying to run? Not a chance!"
Qin Bo roared and stomped his foot hard.
Several cracks instantly appeared in the ground, and his entire body shot after the White Fiends like an arrow loosed from its string.
Little Black Charcoal excitedly cried "meow, meow" on the ground, as if cheering on the battle about to begin.
The White Fiends fled desperately under the cover of the white mist.
But relying on his keen senses, Qin Bo wove through the white mist like a ghost, gradually closing the distance between himself and the White Fiends.
One of the White Fiends glanced back and saw Qin Bo drawing closer and closer.
Its eyes were filled with terror. In its panic, a white candle somehow appeared in its hand, and it hurled it forcefully toward Qin Bo.
Qin Bo gave a cold snort and lightly swung the pig-slaughtering knife in his hand. With a puff, the candle was sliced down onto the ground.
Qin Bo did not slow down. In an instant, he closed in on the White Fiend and drove the pig-slaughtering knife viciously forward.
The White Fiend had no time to dodge and was pierced through the chest by Qin Bo's knife.
[ Ding, slain resentful spirit White Fiend ] [ Obtained 1 year of lifespan ]
Seeing this, the other White Fiends ran even faster. Soon, they vanished into the white mist.
Qin Bo was stunned.
"Damn, they ran so fast. I haven't finished harvesting his lifespan yet!"
Just then, Little Black Charcoal leaped out and ran toward the woods.
"Hm?!"
"Qin, this black cat is highly perceptive and can track apparitions. Follow it!"
Old Taoist Song spoke up at that moment.
Qin Bo nodded and followed the black cat into the woods.
After Qin Bo left, Du Sanniang finally turned to the old Taoist.
"I say, Old Taoist Song, where did you meet this kid? How is he so strong?"
Old Taoist Songhe smiled faintly, stroking his beard as he said:
"That is a long story. That day, I happened to pass through a small mountain village and found it shrouded in an eerie force."
"As someone who exorcises demons and defends the righteous, I naturally had to lend a hand."
"Later, by a twist of fate, I encountered this kid coming to help."
"Later, I chased them to a Mass Grave. After the evil spirits within fused and devoured one another, they became a malevolent spirit. I, this old Taoist, was originally no match for it and could only use this trump card."
"Who would have thought that this kid would charge into the Ghost Domain wielding nothing but a kitchen knife? In the end, that earth-shaking slash of his slew the malevolent spirit."
Du Sanniang's eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief:
"What did you say? He did it? With a kitchen knife? Just how weak could that malevolent spirit have been?"
Old Taoist Songhe rolled his eyes at her, annoyed:
"Don't underestimate that malevolent spirit. It had fused with countless resentful spirits, and its strength was terrifying. The ghostly aura surrounding it was so dense that it seemed capable of devouring every trace of life in the world."
"When I fought it, I gradually fell into a disadvantageous position. I had no choice but to bring out my treasured heirloom, the Fire Spirit Gourd, and only then could I barely hold it at bay."
Du Sanniang frowned slightly, secretly pondering.
She knew Old Taoist Songhe's strength well. For him to be forced into such dire straits, that malevolent spirit had certainly been no simple matter.
Yet this young man had actually slain it with nothing but a kitchen knife. It was simply beyond her imagination.
Old Taoist Songhe continued:
"When that kid charged into the Ghost Domain, even I broke out in a cold sweat for him.
"But who could have expected an astonishing force of qi and blood to erupt from his body? That qi and blood was almost tangible, forming a layer of golden light around him."
"His body-tempering method must be extraordinary. Even this old Taoist's qi and blood cannot compare!"
"There is only one possibility: his body-tempering method is a limit-breaking method."
Du Sanniang's expression grew solemn as she murmured:
"A limit-breaking method? That is a legendary body-tempering art. It is said that, when cultivated to the extreme, it can break through the limits of the human body and remake the flesh, causing one's qi and blood to surge severalfold."
Old Taoist Songhe nodded slightly. "I am only guessing, but judging from his performance, it is highly likely."
"Ever since I encountered him, I have kept a close eye on him. I discovered that his qi and blood are not only vigorous but also contain a unique power, like some primordial savage beast."
Du Sanniang's eyes flickered as she secretly calculated something:
"If that is truly the case, this kid's future is limitless. Perhaps we can even borrow his strength to accomplish some things we have always wanted to do but could never manage."
Old Taoist Songhe glanced at Du Sanniang, seemingly guessing what she was thinking:
"Sanniang, I know exactly what you are planning!
"But this kid has a tenacious character and a mind of his own. We must not force him to do anything."
Before you continue