Slaying Another Person

"Since that's the case, then we'll have to fight." Zou Xin's face turned ugly. He whistled. The black ape pounded its chest a few times with its thick palms, and the black fur on its body and the muscles exposed turned a light gold in an instant. It looked majestic.

Zou Xin was very wary of Lu Xiaotian's hidden moves, so he sent the black ape to attack first.

The black ape roared and charged at Lu Xiaotian, its giant body causing the ground to tremble slightly as it ran. The physical strength of Yao Beasts was usually stronger than cultivators of the same level. After the black ape used the "Golden Armor Technique," its defense increased several times, posing a certain threat even to cultivators in the Mid Qi Refining Stage.

Lu Xiaotian frowned slightly, then quickly relaxed. He flipped his left hand and threw out a few Smoke Fruits, which immediately emitted a dense black mist, completely obscuring an area of several zhang.

"Not good, come back!" Zou Xin's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly ordered the black ape to retreat, avoiding a sneak attack and being picked off one by one by Lu Xiaotian. At the same time, Zou Xin cast a "Whirlwind Technique" and "Spirit Eye Technique" to avoid being ambushed by Lu Xiaotian. However, he didn't notice the faint sound of something falling to the ground.

"Fire Arrow Technique!" As the black smoke dispersed, Lu Xiaotian cast a low-level spell. More than a dozen fire arrows shot towards the black ape.

"Roar!" The black ape roared, dodging left and right with agility unsuited to its body, avoiding most of the fire arrows. However, it was still hit by a few. It was as if the arrows had hit a layer of iron armor, splashing sparks but failing to penetrate the black ape's skin.

The black ape cried out in pain, leaping and jumping. The black mist grew thinner. Lu Xiaotian saw that the black ape's body also had several bloody marks. He couldn't help but smile. This was normal. Even a slightly stronger low-level Yao Beast, after barely blocking his spell, would still suffer some minor injuries.

Zou Xin was furious. He swung the wolf-tooth club in his hand fiercely towards Lu Xiaotian's head.

A flurry of sword and club blows ensued, and in an instant, they had exchanged dozens of moves. Lu Xiaotian's heart sank. He was using a short sword. Although the Brocade Clad Man's weapon was also a mid-grade Spiritual Artifact, the wolf-tooth club had a significant advantage in size. After dozens of clashes, Lu Xiaotian's arms felt numb. He also had to dodge the black ape's harassment, making him quite disheveled by the Brocade Clad Man.

"Is that all? Kid, you're dead."

Zou Xin laughed heartily. He had experienced no less than a hundred battles of various kinds and was extremely experienced. After a few exchanges, he had figured out Lu Xiaotian's strength and cultivation, which were roughly equivalent to his own. Lu Xiaotian was decisive but lacked experience, which was fitting for his age.

However, this person had a very high intelligence. The Big Forehead Monster fell into his hands, mainly because the other party had the antidote for the Shadow Ants and was extremely skilled at laying out plans. He also carried a large number of Spirit Talismans, which led to him capsizing in the gutter, which was truly unfortunate.

"I'm afraid that's not necessarily true." Lu Xiaotian forced Zou Xin back with a sword. A gust of wind flashed behind him. Lu Xiaotian hurriedly dashed forward a few steps. However, he still felt a burning pain on his back. Without looking, he knew he had been injured by the black ape's claws.

"Stubborn as a duck's mouth. Let me show you my methods." Zou Xin raised his hand and took out a strange leather talisman. The pattern on the Spirit Talisman was complex, unlike the spiritual energy fluctuations of ordinary spell Spirit Talismans. This talisman emanated a violent and ferocious Blood Fiend aura.

"Blood Demon Talisman!"

Lu Xiaotian's face showed shock. Ordinary Spirit Talismans could only be used by cultivators, not Yao Beasts. However, a long time ago, some powerful cultivators had researched a type of talisman that could be used by Yao Beasts – the Blood Demon Talisman! It could temporarily stimulate a Yao Beast's potential, greatly increasing its strength. However, using such a talisman also came at a great cost. After the effect of the Blood Demon Talisman wore off, the Spirit Beast's strength would plummet drastically. The black ape, which was originally equivalent to the Qi Refining Third Layer, might fall to the second layer, or even be equivalent to the Qi Refining First Layer.

"That's right, it's the Blood Demon Talisman. You actually recognize it. It's your honor to die by my hand." Zou Xin sneered. He only had two of these Blood Demon Talismans, which he used for self-preservation in critical moments. He was reluctant to use them normally, but due to the tragic death of the Big Forehead Monster, Zou Xin was still somewhat wary of Lu Xiaotian. He was worried that Lu Xiaotian still had a large number of Spirit Talismans and might launch a surprise attack when he was unprepared.

If he was caught off guard and had to deal with dozens of low-level spells, he would suffer the same fate as the Big Forehead Monster, being flustered and killed by a sneak attack. Therefore, Zou Xin chose a relatively safe method: using the Blood Demon Talisman to stimulate the black ape's potential, letting the black ape take the brunt of the attack at a critical moment while he attacked from the side. As long as he could capture Lu Xiaotian, even sacrificing the black ape would be very worthwhile.

Lu Xiaotian quickly thrust several swords at Zou Xin. Zou Xin let out a strange laugh and blocked them one after another. The Blood Demon Talisman in his hand had already been activated.

The Blood Demon Talisman turned into a crimson light in the air, enveloping the black ape.

The black ape roared wildly, its body suddenly growing several feet taller, its fangs extending from its mouth, its appearance terrifying. Its aura surged from a low-level Yao Beast to a second-level Yao Beast, crossing an entire rank.

"Haha, kid, surrender." Seeing the black ape's strength surge, Zou Xin's heart was set. Fighting two against one, no matter how cunning this kid was, he couldn't change the gap in strength.

"Is that so?" Lu Xiaotian coldly smiled. A person is often most careless when they are closest to success. The Brocade Clad Man thought it was a sure victory, but how could he not have prepared?

Lu Xiaotian lunged forward, appearing desperate. Zou Xin casually swung his club a few times, deflecting Lu Xiaotian's attacks, and retreated. With victory assured, he naturally didn't want to risk a close-quarters fight with Lu Xiaotian again. However, Lu Xiaotian's continuous sword attacks were quite fierce.

Zou Xin retreated a few steps. The black ape was about to absorb the power of the Blood Demon Talisman. As soon as his Spirit Beast rushed forward, it would be this kid's death. Zou Xin thought fiercely.

However, as Zou Xin retreated, he suddenly felt a strange movement in his leg. It seemed something had latched onto it. In his haste, he quickly looked down and saw several Shadow Ants crawling onto his leg and biting down. The remaining dozens of ant corpses, which should have been dead, also flapped their wings and flew up from the ground, pouncing at him.

Zou Xin was so terrified that he lost two-thirds of his wits. He hurriedly tried to shake off the Shadow Ants on his leg, but Lu Xiaotian's sword had already stabbed towards his chest like a persistent ulcer. He had no choice. With the Shadow Ants already on his leg, the protective Spirit Shield was useless.

Zou Xin had to swing his wolf-tooth club to repel Lu Xiaotian. The furious blow was powerful, sending Lu Xiaotian back more than ten feet. However, his leg was bitten several times, and the Origin Energy that had been flowing smoothly within him suddenly stagnated. Then, more Shadow Ants flew onto Zou Xin and began biting him. In an instant, he could no longer mobilize any Method Power.

Zou Xin's heart sank to the bottom. He still couldn't understand why. Weren't the Shadow Ants the Big Forehead Monster's spirit insects? The Big Forehead Monster was dead. Even if Lu Xiaotian obtained the remaining spirit insects, without proper refinement, he absolutely couldn't have completed such a precise sneak attack in such a short time, controlling them as if they were his own limbs.

"This kid wasn't afraid of the Big Forehead Monster's Shadow Ants before, he must have taken the antidote beforehand. He might also be an Insect Cultivator."

Zou Xin was startled. The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. However, he couldn't figure out how. From the time Lu Xiaotian fought the Big Forehead Monster until now, he had watched everything clearly from within the formation. Lu Xiaotian had never shown any signs of using Shadow Ants, otherwise, it would have escaped his eyes.

"You, how exactly did you do it?" Zou Xin, seeing Lu Xiaotian approaching again, shouted in anger.

"Die as a confused ghost."

Lu Xiaotian's expression was stern. He swung his sword, intending to end his life. A roar came from behind him. Lu Xiaotian cursed inwardly. The black ape, having absorbed the power of the Blood Demon Talisman, was pouncing at him. Even if he could kill the opponent with one sword, the black ape's current strength was comparable to a second-level Yao Beast, not much inferior to him. Moreover, the black ape's physical strength was originally several times greater than his. Lu Xiaotian dared not take a direct hit from the black ape, or he might perish together with the Brocade Clad Man. This was not the outcome he wanted.

After a brief deliberation, Lu Xiaotian turned and swung his sword. The immense force made him stagger back several steps. The black ape, after all, was a creature of flesh and blood. After taking a direct hit from his sword, its claws also gained a gash, with blood gushing out.

However, the black ape did not slow down despite being injured. Instead, it became even more frenzied. Its originally wild eyes were now blood-red.

"You want to kill me? Not so easy." Zou Xin, however, was in agony. He was now completely incapacitated and could only hope that the black ape could kill Lu Xiaotian. Therefore, he tried to distract Lu Xiaotian with words during the fight.

"Noisy. Killing you will only take a moment." Lu Xiaotian dodged a wild charge from the black ape and glanced at Zou Xin.

"Just showing off your tongue. Kill me now if you have the guts." Zou Xin provoked.

"Do you really think I can't deal with you? As you wish." Lu Xiaotian pressed the Spirit Beast Bag at his waist. A white mist flashed, and the leopard shook its head, revealing its agile form and pouncing at Zou Xin with fierce eyes.

Zou Xin's face turned pale. He hadn't expected Lu Xiaotian to have another Spirit Beast. Although its strength was low, only equivalent to a Qi Refining Second Layer cultivator, to him at this moment, it was no different from a flood or a fierce beast.

The leopard ran a few steps, then leaped, knocking Zou Xin down, and bit off his throat.

"Retreat!" Lu Xiaotian ordered the leopard, which was about to pounce on the black ape, to back down. He feared that if the leopard made a mistake, its strength would not withstand a blow from the black ape, whose strength had already greatly increased.

The strength boosted by the Blood Demon Talisman, after all, was not as natural as one's own strength. Although the black ape's brute force was formidable, Lu Xiaotian had a way to deal with it. He beckoned, and dozens of Shadow Ants flew up from Zou Xin's corpse, buzzing towards the black ape.

The black ape furiously swatted away more than a dozen, but it was ultimately not as agile as a cultivator who could use spells or other tactics to evade. Soon, it was bitten dozens of times by the Shadow Ants.

Lu Xiaotian seized the opportunity and severed the black ape's head with a sword.

The leopard obediently carried Zou Xin's Storage Bag and placed it at Lu Xiaotian's feet.

"You're quite cunning." Finally, having resolved the immediate crisis, Lu Xiaotian showed a relieved smile. He stroked the leopard's head and said, "When we get back, I'll look for methods to refine higher-level Beast Spirit Pills to see if I can improve your strength as well. Go back in."

The leopard happily rubbed its head against Lu Xiaotian's pant leg and entered the Spirit Beast Bag.

Lu Xiaotian beckoned, drawing the storage bag into his hand. He then collected the remaining Shadow Ants and double-checked Zou Xin's corpse, ensuring nothing was missed.

Originally, with his Strength alone, he was indeed not enough to contend with Zou Xin, whose Cultivation was equal to his, plus a Black Ape whose Strength had surged to a second-tier Yao Beast. Furthermore, his skill in controlling Shadow Ants was inferior to the Big Forehead Monster. A direct confrontation would have offered no chance of victory. However, Zou Xin had ultimately become a bit too complacent. In fact, as early as the beginning of their engagement, when he released the Smoke Fruit, a black mist had filled the air. Lu Xiaotian hadn't intended to sneak attack; instead, he used the pretense of a sneak attack to draw Zou Xin's attention while quietly releasing his own Shadow Ants, letting them drop to the ground.

Previously, during the Fierce Battle with the Big Forehead Monster, he had already killed and injured dozens of Shadow Ants, leaving the ground in disarray, pitted and uneven.

Zou Xin, having witnessed Lu Xiaotian's prowess, kept his attention focused solely on Lu Xiaotian, fearing that Lu Xiaotian might suddenly unleash a large number of Spirit Talismans and catch him off guard. During their fierce battle, he had no energy left to spare for the additional Shadow Ant corpses on the ground. Later, when Zou Xin unleashed the Blood Demon Talisman, believing he had secured victory, his vigilance dropped again. Thus, he was outmaneuvered by Lu Xiaotian and lost his life.

Lu Xiaotian flicked his wrist, throwing two small Fireballs. The corpses of the Big Forehead Monster and Zou Xin were instantly incinerated to ash. Lu Xiaotian quickly left the small grove. A series of intense battles had occurred here, and residual Method Power fluctuations might alert passing cultivators to something amiss. It was not a place to linger.

In the evening, Lu Xiaotian arrived at a river valley and inadvertently saw a robust brown bear climb out of the hollow of a towering ancient tree. Lu Xiaotian smiled slightly. It seemed he had found a place to stay for the night; traveling alone in the mountains at night was quite unsafe.

While the brown bear was out foraging, Lu Xiaotian nimbly climbed into the tree hollow. The interior was spacious, enough to accommodate several people of his size. However, there was no light, only darkness. But this did not trouble him. With his Origin Energy circulating within his body, his eyes felt a cool sensation. The light was still dim, but he could see using the "Spirit Eye Technique."

Lu Xiaotian took out two storage bags. The first one he opened belonged to the Brocade Clad Man, Zou Xin. Inside, there were sixty to seventy assorted Spirit Stones, some healing medicine, a large quantity of Spiritual Grass, a few ore fragments for refining artifacts, and some Yao Beast hides and materials, which Lu Xiaotian disdained.

However, several of the Spiritual Grasses were actually quest items from Lingxiao Palace and Green Pill Palace. There was also a Blood Demon Talisman, which was exceptionally precious. He wondered how this Brocade Clad Man had obtained such a valuable item.

Lu Xiaotian unceremoniously sent these items into the Barrier. Then, he opened the Big Forehead Monster's storage bag and was immediately astonished. He was already wealthy as an Alchemist, but he never expected the Big Forehead Monster, who raised over a hundred Shadow Ants, to have such a rich hoard, with hundreds of assorted Spirit Stones. From the storage bag, Lu Xiaotian found several more Lingxiao Palace quest Spiritual Grasses, some of which he already possessed.

Puppet Secret Art FragmentSpiritual Insect True Explanation!