The several Houtian Realm members of the Black Tiger Gang were all fairly ordinary in strength.
Under normal circumstances, Han Zheng killed them as easily as butchering chickens and dogs.
But now, working together with He Sheng, they actually had some method to their coordination, making them somewhat troublesome.
So Han Zheng struck with all his strength, intending to sweep them aside first.
"I'll kill you!"
He Sheng's eyes nearly split with rage. Internal force erupted from his entire body, and the might of his tiger roar surged.
The force of Han Zheng's saber did not weaken in the slightest. He met attack with attack, and clanging explosions rang out.
At the same time, Han Zheng suddenly grabbed another Black Tiger Gang member's spear shaft with his left hand. That long spear could not advance even an inch in Han Zheng's grip.
Xiantian Mortal Transformation, Bronze Skin Iron Bones—the disparity in strength was enough for Han Zheng to contend with weapons barehanded.
With a fierce yank, that Black Tiger Gang member could no longer withstand the immense force and was dragged directly before Han Zheng.
Forming the Vajra Demon Subduing Seal with his hand, Han Zheng brought it down, and the wind howled.
The Black Tiger Gang member crossed his fists before himself to block, but Han Zheng's seal smashed apart his arm and head together.
Had he abandoned his spear at once, he might have survived.
But when Houtian faced Xiantian, Han Zheng could make countless mistakes, while he could only make one.
"Fourth Brother!"
He Sheng's eyes had already turned bloodshot.
These were the brothers he trusted most within Black Tiger Hall, yet today they had all died here.
Without those men interfering, Han Zheng's Blood Fiend Saber slashed down in succession.
With the tremendous strength of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill empowering him, He Sheng gradually became unable to withstand that force. His tiger's mouth was already covered in blood.
Pang Feiyan, who had not acted all this time, grew anxious as well.
She had originally believed that with He Sheng at the Xiantian Mortal Transformation Realm, along with three gang members who had all reached Houtian Late Stage, taking down Han Zheng would be effortless.
She had never imagined that four against one would still result in Han Zheng killing three of them in succession. They were simply useless!
Her small swords had already been shattered by Han Zheng. Her concealed weapons were meant to be used by surprise, and she feared that acting now might accidentally injure He Sheng.
Of course, it was not that she cared about He Sheng. She was afraid that if her concealed weapon failed to kill Han Zheng and He Sheng was accidentally injured, she truly would have no one left to use.
Thus, Pang Feiyan took out a small dagger and considered when she should make her move.
Seeing Pang Feiyan itching to try, He Sheng hurriedly shouted, "Feiyan! Be careful! Don't come over!"
He knew Pang Feiyan's strength well. If Han Zheng wanted to kill her, she would not be able to withstand even a single move.
The vitality and blood throughout He Sheng's body boiled and erupted as he suddenly crashed into Han Zheng's embrace.
The internal force on the Gold Wire Great Ring Saber in his hand instantly became incomparably viscous. Its saber force shifted in an instant from violent ferocity into something like an old tree's roots twisting around the earth, clinging tightly to Han Zheng's blade.
Even Han Zheng had not reacted to this sudden shift in saber force, and in his haste, he could not break free.
The next moment, He Sheng was already before Han Zheng. His left hand instantly turned pitch-black, and with grim black demonic qi, he struck toward Han Zheng's chest!
Han Zheng snorted coldly and formed the Vajra Demon Subduing Seal with one hand.
His fist seal descended through the air—Vajra Wrath, suppress demons and slay evil!
He Sheng's Black Fiend Palm was a demonic martial art, and was naturally restrained by Buddhist sect martial arts.
Moreover, although his Black Fiend Palm could be considered an Innate Martial Skill, it was among the lowest grade of Innate Martial Skills. It could not be mentioned in the same breath as the Vajra Demon Subduing Seal.
As the fist seal fell, He Sheng let out a muffled groan, and his arm instantly bent.
Han Zheng's second seal descended immediately afterward. He Sheng forcibly held on and met it with another palm strike, but his arm instantly snapped.
Then Han Zheng's arm lashed out like an Iron Whip. The White Ape Through-Arm Fist struck directly against He Sheng's chest, smashing him so hard that he vomited blood and flew away.
He Sheng still tried to struggle to his feet, but Han Zheng's foot was already planted on his chest in the next instant.
"You've also reached the Innate Realm. Judging by your appearance, you should be one of the Black Tiger Gang's higher-ups. Yet you agreed to such a brainless plan from Pang Feiyan? Pang Heihu actually didn't stop her?"
He Sheng spat out a mouthful of blood and pleaded weakly, "The gang leader knows nothing about this. Feiyan came to me for help because she wanted to rescue Shen Conghai.
"Please, spare Feiyan. As long as you let her go today, I'll agree to anything!"
"Fuck! So you're a simp!"
Han Zheng's face was full of disdain.
He had been wondering earlier: Pang Heihu was the leader of the Black Tiger Gang, a figure who could be called a local tyrant in a small county. How could he possibly agree to such a mindless plan from Pang Feiyan?
So it turned out that Pang Feiyan had called He Sheng over, and the two of them had made this decision on their own.
Although Han Zheng had only met Pang Feiyan twice, he could tell that this woman's entire heart was fixed on Shen Conghai.
Yet He Sheng had actually agreed to ambush him for her sake with such a brainless plan. He was truly the finest specimen among simps.
Han Zheng looked toward the terrified Pang Feiyan, and a trace of killing intent appeared in his eyes.
When he had fought Shen Conghai before, this woman had interfered without knowing her place. At the time, Han Zheng had not intended to kill her, merely thinking her mind did not work properly.
Yet now she had actually dared to ambush him. She was actively courting death.
Did she really think Han Zheng was some kind-hearted man?
Sensing the killing intent radiating from Han Zheng, He Sheng's expression changed at once.
He suddenly wrapped his arms tightly around Han Zheng's leg and roared at Pang Feiyan, "Run! Run back to the Black Tiger Gang and find the gang leader!"
Han Zheng snorted coldly. His internal force erupted, and the dragon elephant stamped the earth.
Even though He Sheng had already cultivated Bronze Skin Iron Bones, Han Zheng's kick directly shattered his heart meridians.
Pang Feiyan let out a terrified scream and took out the Rain Curtain Meteor Needles, activating its mechanism.
Concealed weapons were called concealed weapons because they relied on striking when one least expected it.
Had she used them earlier, while Han Zheng and He Sheng were locked in battle, she might have caught Han Zheng off guard.
But face-to-face like this, it was completely futile.
The Rain Curtain Meteor Needles were fast, but Pang Feiyan was too slow.
The instant she took out the Rain Curtain Meteor Needles, Han Zheng fiercely kicked up He Sheng's corpse beneath his foot and used it as a shield.
In an instant, the densely packed silver needles all pierced into He Sheng's corpse.
Even with his Bronze Skin Iron Bones, those silver needles had still penetrated three inches into his body. One could imagine the power of this concealed weapon.
Before Pang Feiyan could react, Han Zheng had already taken a step forward and appeared before her in an instant. He seized her fair neck and lifted her into the air.
"I actually don't want to kill women, but that doesn't mean I won't kill women!"
There was no hatred on Pang Feiyan's face, only terror.
She no longer wanted to save Shen Conghai. She only wanted to live.
Only at the very end of her life did this love-struck woman realize that her own survival seemed more important.
Perhaps she wanted to beg for mercy, or perhaps she wanted to invoke Pang Heihu to intimidate him.
But before she could utter a single word, Han Zheng tightened his grip and directly crushed Pang Feiyan's throat, casually tossing her to the ground.
Han Zheng truly did not want to kill women. He was actually quite tender toward women.
But when someone wanted to kill him, then what stood before him was no longer a woman, but an enemy!
Killed a mid-stage Houtian Meridian Opening Realm martial artist, obtained ten Vitality Essence. Killed three late-stage Houtian Meridian Opening Realm martial artists, obtained sixty Vitality Essence. Killed an early-stage Xiantian Mortal Transformation Realm martial artist, obtained one hundred Vitality Essence.
Han Zheng looked over the corpses scattered across the ground, and the killing intent in his eyes only grew stronger.
He Sheng and those three Houtian Late Stage martial artists were all Pang Heihu's trusted confidants. He had also killed Pang Heihu's most beloved daughter.
Judging from how much Pang Heihu doted on his daughter, Han Zheng knew that if he learned Han Zheng had killed her, he would surely come after him in a frenzy, even disregarding Zhang Tianyang's dignity.
Strike first, and you gain the advantage; strike later, and you suffer calamity.
Rather than wait for Pang Heihu to seek revenge, it would be better to strike first and catch him off guard!
Summoning the Gluttonous Crucible, Han Zheng exchanged one hundred and seventy Vitality Essence for Satiety. There were still two thousand four hundred points remaining in the Gluttonous Crucible.
It seemed like a lot, but breaking through the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill required four thousand points, the Vajra Demon Subduing Seal required three thousand five hundred points, and breaking through the White Ape Through-Arm Fist while fusing the Nine Heavens Ape Demon Plucking Stars Chart required a terrifying seven thousand points.
And if he used all of it for cultivation, Han Zheng was not confident it would be enough to break through to the middle stage of the Xiantian Mortal Transformation Realm and cultivate Golden Muscles Jade Meridians.
Last time, Han Zheng had consumed a Spirit Nurturing Pill and spent an additional three hundred Satiety points before entering the early stage of the Xiantian Mortal Transformation Realm and cultivating Bronze Skin Iron Bones.
Going from Bronze Skin Iron Bones to Golden Muscles Jade Meridians was ten times more difficult than before. Han Zheng estimated that he would need around five thousand Satiety points to break through in one go.
After thinking it over, Han Zheng chose to use Satiety to break through the Blood Fiend Saber Art.
This was the fastest way he could think of to increase his strength.
Houtian Realm "Blood Fiend Saber Art" breakthrough requires three hundred Satiety points.
The Blood Fiend Saber Art possessed the greatest power among the Houtian martial skills Han Zheng had mastered, and its breakthrough cost was also the highest.
"Break through the Blood Fiend Saber Art!"
The dragon patterns on the Gluttonous Crucible seemed to come alive. They opened their great mouths and chewed continuously, finally spitting out a ball of light that entered Han Zheng's body.
Houtian Realm "Blood Fiend Saber Art" has broken through into Innate Realm "Blood Fiend Asura Saber." Initial proficiency: 10%.
As Han Zheng carefully sensed the saber art within his mind, he suddenly clicked his tongue.
The Blood Fiend Saber Art had originally been a demonic sect saber art, extreme in nature.
But the upgraded Blood Fiend Asura Saber was even more extreme: the saber condensed Baleful Intent, the body transformed into an asura.
Its core held only one word: kill!