Corpse-Eating Blood Ravens!

The crow's body drifted through the air like a wounded bird with broken wings.

He flapped his black robe, trying to keep himself steady, but it was already too late.

Crack—

The crow's body crashed heavily to the ground, his back slamming against the hard bluestone wall.

Although he had already used Waves Crashing Thousand Sails to propel his body and keep himself from crashing directly into the reef, Li Mu Yang's punch had simply been too fierce and too heavy. It was something his wave-like power could never withstand.

Pain tore through his back, and it felt as though two of his bones had broken.

Although the crow's strength far surpassed Li Mu Yang's—when Li Mu Yang had not erupted with power, the crow could have crushed him to death with a single finger—Li Mu Yang's powerful body, tough flesh, and self-healing ability were beyond what martial artists like them could contend with.

His breathing came fast. His sword-bearing right hand twitched in spasms, and his internal organs churned like rivers and seas, as though they might leap out of his chest at any moment.

His throat tasted salty and sweet. He forcibly tried to hold back the qi and blood that were about to burst out.

But the more he endured, the worse it felt, and the stronger the urge to vomit became.

Pfft—

His mouth opened, and he still spat out a great mouthful of blood right in front of Li Mu Yang.

He hurriedly raised his head and looked over. Black mist filled the space before him, making it impossible to see anything clearly. Only then did he relax: Li Mu Yang could not see his current wretched state.

But when he remembered that Li Mu Yang could hear the sound of him vomiting blood, he grew anxious again.

He could not even successfully snipe an ordinary person. When would the Killer Academy truly feel ashamed of him, put his successful case into the textbooks, and make him an object of study and worship for countless juniors?

The crow had always considered himself an academic-school assassin. Deep in his bones, he possessed lofty ideals and pursuits.

Kill him, the crow thought. Kill him, and none of what happened today will have existed. My injuries, my vomiting blood—including the matter of giving a Gold Coin to my left hand. All of it will be like snow beneath the sun, instantly melting into a puddle of icy water whose original shape no one can discern.

"You've finally shown your true form?" the crow said, staring at Li Mu Yang, who was panting heavily in the fog. He could see Li Mu Yang's position and his facial expression—a ferocious, savage expression. He truly could not imagine how such an expression could appear on a man's face, just as he could not imagine how Li Mu Yang had caught his Cherry Blossom Fall again and again at the Beast-Faced Pavilion. "This state is your true face, isn't it? Who exactly are you?"

Seeing Li Mu Yang's blood-red pupils, the crow could not help asking the question that had puzzled him for so long. "Are you a monster?"

"You deserve to die." Li Mu Yang walked toward the crow one step at a time.

The crow suddenly felt pressured.

He sensed danger.

An assassin's intuition was extremely sharp. He could sense an aura of danger coming from Li Mu Yang.

Just now, Li Mu Yang had shattered his Spirit Snake Sword with a single punch. Although the Spirit Snake Sword was not yet ranked on the Hundred Arms Register, it was still a renowned weapon on the Westwind Continent. He had seized it after killing a master swordsman, never expecting it to be destroyed today by some nameless junior.

It was utterly hateful!

The crow reached up and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, then leaned against the wall and stood.

"Do you think you can kill me like this?" The crow sneered repeatedly. "Utterly foolish."

The crow stretched out both hands, and great amounts of black smoke poured from his body.

His left hand formed the complicated hand seal of Three Rams Arching Horns, while his right hand moved rapidly through the air, pointing and stabbing.

A gate flickering with red light appeared out of thin air in the courtyard. Flames as red as fire burned along its frame, making it look as though it had just been dragged out of hell.

A great swarm of black crows flapped their wings and charged toward Li Mu Yang's position, silent and savage.

"Let me show you the might of the Corpse-Eating Blood Ravens." The crow wore a smug expression. "They'll drain every drop of blood from your body and devour every piece of flesh. They won't even spare your bones. After the Blood Ravens are done, you'll vanish from this world without a trace, as though you had never existed."

The crow had not originally intended to use such a devastating move, because it consumed too much of his true qi and Primordial Spirit. Besides, these dark creatures could not be summoned at any time. Each time, he had to feed them until they were full.

If they emerged and found no food, they would treat the summoner himself as food and a target. His helpers from the previous instant would instantly become murderous fiends he could barely withstand—a sight no master would ever want to see.

The crow was the master who fed these Blood Ravens. When he had first begun raising them, he had indeed needed to feed them with his own blood.

The last time at the Beast-Faced Pavilion, he had summoned them as well. His intention then had been to offer Li Mu Yang and the Cui family's young lady as food.

But the sudden appearance of Myriad Homes' Living Buddha, a Buddhist Sect's Great Brightness Technique, was the natural nemesis of these filthy creatures. If the Blood Ravens had not all been burned to ashes by Myriad Homes' Living Buddha, it was likely that hardly anyone in that Beast-Faced Pavilion would have survived.

The Corpse-Eating Blood Ravens spread their talons and thrust out their sharp beaks, surging toward Li Mu Yang's position like a dark tide.

Some also flew toward where Li Sinian and Li Mu Yang's parents lay. They had spotted prey there.

Li Mu Yang acted as though he had not heard the crow's words. His eyes were blood-red as he charged forward in great strides.

When he saw the black crows trying to block his path, Li Mu Yang threw another punch.

Smack—

The densely packed crows were sent flying and scattered by his punch. Countless crows flew in every direction like countless black marbles, striking walls and doors before tumbling to the ground.

When he saw several Blood Ravens heading to tear at his younger sister, Li Mu Yang's eyes split with fury, and he punched out.

Crack—

The Blood Ravens touched Li Mu Yang's domineering fist force and exploded one after another, torn into pieces.

Black blood splashed through the air, like a shower of black raindrops descending over the little courtyard.

Li Mu Yang crouched and lifted his sister's body from the ground, then walked toward where his father and mother lay.

He placed them together, then straightened his back and stood in front of them.

As long as he was here, no one would hurt them.

As long as he remained alive, no one would hurt them.

Just as they had protected him moments ago.

The Corpse-Eating Blood Ravens were scattered by a single punch, but they quickly gathered again. They liked to attack in swarms.

Under the crow's control through his hand seals, they opened their blood-red eyes and charged at Li Mu Yang once more.

No matter what, they had to tear Li Mu Yang into pieces and swallow him mouthful by mouthful.

Boom—

Li Mu Yang punched out.

The Blood Ravens scattered, then gathered again.

Boom—

Li Mu Yang punched out once more.

Many Blood Ravens were killed or wounded, but even more were summoned from the Void Gate.

The number of Blood Ravens grew larger and larger, nearly filling the entire little courtyard.

That was also why the crow had first laid down the Darkness Veil throughout the courtyard before killing anyone. Without this formation blocking contact with the outside world, the disturbance here would likely have alerted half of Jiangnan City.

Boom—

Boom—

Boom—

Li Mu Yang swung punch after punch, as though he would never know fatigue.

Countless Blood Ravens were blasted apart or killed by his fists. Great quantities of black blood flowed beneath his feet, while piles of bird corpses covered the ground.

Li Mu Yang had become a professional bird-killing machine!

Li Mu Yang's performance was outstanding—so outstanding that it frightened the crow.

Yet because of that fear, the viciousness in the crow's heart was stirred instead.

He had to destroy Li Mu Yang. The more formidable Li Mu Yang appeared, the more he wanted to use the cruelest methods to destroy this formidable man.

The sense of accomplishment from killing an ordinary person and killing a genius was worlds apart.

"Keep killing. Come on, keep killing..." the crow thought. "I have endless, inexhaustible Corpse-Eating Blood Ravens. As long as my true qi can keep the Void Gate from closing, I can continuously summon Blood Ravens to serve me. Once you're exhausted, that will be the moment I deliver the fatal blow."

"A person isn't a mountain or a river. How could he possibly never grow tired?"

The crow waited for an opportunity—an opportunity he believed would appear very soon.

Li Mu Yang grew impatient!

He truly could not stand this kind of slaughter.

These foolish birds, these filthy things, actually dared challenge him. Even though he could kill them with ease, Li Mu Yang still felt insulted.

This was not right!

Battle should not be like this!

They should fight in a fiercer, more domineering manner. He wanted to end this unsatisfactory battle as quickly as possible.

The ferocity within him surged. The scales on the back of Li Mu Yang's hand turned snow-white, then became like crystalline, transparent diamonds embedded in his flesh.

After Li Mu Yang punched apart another wave of Blood Ravens, he glared with blood-red eyes toward the crow's position.

The crow felt that something was wrong.

He rapidly changed his hand seals, and all the Blood Ravens in the sky converged toward the position of his true body.

The crow merged with the Corpse-Eating Blood Ravens, transforming into a gigantic monster radiating a sinister, poisonous aura.

The monster moved toward Li Mu Yang. Its steps made no sound, yet every movement was heart-stopping.

"You insignificant flying insects." Li Mu Yang bit through his own lips, blood streaming from the corners of his mouth. His voice was hoarse and weathered, yet majestic and overbearing. "All of you can die."

Li Mu Yang clenched his right hand into a fist and swung it.

The Blood Ravens sensed danger and flapped their wings, trying to flee.

The crow sensed danger as well and turned his body, attempting to dive into the Void Gate.

Unfortunately, a powerful, unparalleled suction force bound their bodies, leaving them completely unable to move.

Boom—

Lightning flashed like thunder exploding. The black giant monster collapsed to the ground with a crash, like a fragile wall.