Blood Gu, Sword Come

"Great Fortune Bearer?"

Ren Xiaoyao saw the text information before him.

A realization immediately dawned on him.

According to what the text information conveyed,

if he stood by and watched her die, the danger of his future Heavenly Tribulations would double.

But conversely,

if he acted to save Tantai Pudu and gained her favor, then when crossing Heavenly Tribulations in the future, he could use Tantai Pudu's fortune to weaken them.

Ren Xiaoyao naturally did not hesitate and directly chose the second option.

Ren Xiaoyao had already witnessed the terror of Heavenly Tribulations.

And according to the guidance,

Accompanied By Ren Xiaoyao growing ever stronger,

the Heavenly Tribulations he needed to cross would also become increasingly terrifying.

Under such circumstances,

if the Heavenly Tribulations doubled again,

Ren Xiaoyao did not dare guarantee that he could endure it. Besides, there was no need to force himself to suffer for nothing.

Gaining the favor of a Great Fortune Bearer

to weaken the Heavenly Tribulations was the optimal solution.

And at this moment,

within the True Martial Sect,

Ren Xuanji looked teasingly at Tantai Pudu and said, "Tantai Pudu, aren't you curious why we knew you would come to the True Martial Sect today?"

"The one who provided me with the clue was the Devil Master. That Devil Master has most likely also pledged allegiance to the Imperial Court, hasn't he?"

Tantai Pudu's gaze remained calm as she spoke.

"In fact, before coming here, I already knew this might be a trap. But the disaster of the Blood Gu involves far too much, so I had no choice but to come here and investigate."

"Hehe, it's not because the Devil Master pledged allegiance to the Imperial Court. Rather, the Devil Master you contacted was fake from the very beginning."

Ren Xuanji Snorted Coldly.

"However, the Blood Gu is indeed real. The True Martial Sect truly has been secretly cultivating Blood Gu for the Empress, and Blood Gu is an indispensable raw material for condensing Blood Pills. If the information had not been half true and half false, how could it have lured in a Martial Saint Realm expert like you?"

Blood Gu!

Upon hearing this, Tantai Pudu's expression turned extremely ugly as she said,

"Madness! I think all of you have gone mad! To expand your influence in such a short time, you would stoop to anything! Aren't you afraid of harming the harmony of Heaven, suffering Heaven's condemnation, and leaving behind a stench for ten thousand years?"

"Leave behind a stench for ten thousand years?"

Hearing this, Ren Xuanji burst into hearty laughter and said,

"Foolish woman, you inherited the previous holder's Martial Dao True Essence, yet you did not inherit their wisdom! In this world, only strength is justice. History is written by the victors. I could even have the court historians record an entry on you, Tantai Pudu, and make you bear endless infamy!"

Afterward,

Ren Xuanji looked toward Shi Jiuchong and said, "Elder Shi, everything depends on you!"

Shi Jiuchong nodded as well.

He then cast a meaningful look at the other seven or eight Heavenly Human Realm Martial Artists present. They immediately understood, spreading out to Seal Off Tantai Pudu's paths of retreat.

Tantai Pudu let out a sigh and said,

"What a Great Absorption Technique. It can absorb another's True Essence—it truly is a supreme divine art. It seems I will be unable to escape this calamity today."

"Though the Great Absorption Technique is Profound and Mysterious, it has its limits."

Shi Jiuchong believed Tantai Pudu was already prey in his grasp, and in high spirits, he explained,

"The True Essence in every person's body differs. Though the Great Absorption Technique can forcibly extract another person's True Essence, it also leaves Completely Different True Essences within the extractor's body. Absorbing from only a few people can still be forcibly accommodated, but if one absorbs too many and leaves behind too much chaotic True Essence, then at best one will Go Astray, and at worst one's body and soul will perish!"

At this point,

Elder Shi chuckled and said,

"Therefore, among the outer disciples of Qianqiu Pavilion, there are not many who cultivate the Great Absorption Technique. After all, Qianqiu Pavilion is a holy land of the martial world, and it possesses other divine arts that can also reach great heights."

"Only when one truly encounters a bottleneck that cannot be overcome would one cultivate the Great Absorption Technique and force a breakthrough. After all, once the Great Absorption Technique has been used, different True Essences remain within the body. It then becomes impossible to raise one's realm through one's own cultivation."

After hearing this, Tantai Pudu nodded.

Though the Great Absorption Technique was miraculous, it indeed carried serious drawbacks.

Next,

Elder Shi looked at Tantai Pudu and said,

"However, my Cultivation Path has already reached its end. I originally had no hope of advancing further from the Martial Saint Realm through my own efforts, but by absorbing your True Essence, Tantai Pudu, I may be able to advance another step!"

Afterward,

Shi Jiuchong did not hesitate in the slightest. He transformed into an Afterimage and blasted a palm toward Tantai Pudu.

That palm exploded through the void. Amid a piercing boom, Shi Jiuchong had already arrived before Tantai Pudu, and a scarlet Palm Wind struck out to kill her.

Tantai Pudu Snorted Coldly. Holding a whisk in her Left Hand, she unleashed True Essence from her Right Hand and exchanged a palm strike with Shi Jiuchong.

Boom!

A heaven-shattering sound erupted.

Where Shi Chongjiu and Tantai Pudu's palms met, countless violent gusts of force sprayed wildly in every direction, bombarding the ground and blasting savage, terrifying cracks into the stone floor.

After Shi Chongjiu and Tantai Pudu exchanged that palm strike,

Shi Chongjiu retreated half a step through the air, yet his body remained steady.

Tantai Pudu, meanwhile, took a step back on the ground, her body swaying.

The stone-brick floor Underfoot shattered into four pieces and five fragments.

With that single palm strike,

the difference in their strength had already become clear.

Yet surprise appeared on Tantai Pudu's face. Though Shi Jiuchong was stronger than her, he was not strong enough to crush her completely.

Then,

Tantai Pudu still had a chance of survival.

It was also at this moment

that the seven Heavenly Human Realm Martial Artists following Shi Jiuchong did not hesitate in the slightest, charging directly at Tantai Pudu.

In an instant,

seven savage and terrifying currents of True Essence surged forth, as though they would Devour and drown Tantai Pudu.

Yet seeing the seven Heavenly Human Realm Martial Artists join forces, Tantai Pudu did not take them too seriously.

She flicked the whisk in her hand.

At once, the terrifying might of the Martial Saint Realm overflowed from the whisk, shattering the killing True Essence of the seven Heavenly Humans.

Boom!

The True Essence lashed out from the whisk did not disperse. Instead, it struck three Heavenly Human Realm Martial Artists.

The three Heavenly Human Realm Martial Artists Only Felt their protective True Essence shatter. They then spat blood and suffered severe injuries.

This sight Made One's Scalp Tingle for Ren Xuanji.

One had to know that although he had barely entered the Heavenly Human Realm through the Great Absorption Technique,

in terms of combat power,

he was absolutely no match for any one of the seven Heavenly Humans who had just besieged Tantai Pudu.

That meant

that if Tantai Pudu wished it,

a casual flick of her whisk could leave Ren Xuanji dead without a burial place.

Having understood this,

Ren Xuanji immediately became much more low-key.

He hid behind the crowd and stopped speaking,

Afraid Of drawing Tantai Pudu's attention.

"Trifling Heavenly Humans, and you dare raise a hand against me?"

Tantai Pudu Snorted Coldly. She then focused all her attention on Shi Jiuchong, knowing that whether she could retreat unscathed today depended on this battle with Shi Chongjiu.

Shi Jiuchong looked at Tantai Pudu with considerable admiration and said, "Tantai Pudu, you truly have some skill. That is all the better—there will be greater use in swallowing you!"

"Hmph!"

Tantai Pudu Snorted Coldly and said, "In an all-out battle, who wins and who loses is still unknown!"

At this moment,

Tantai Pudu gathered her True Essence. Her Daoist robe billowed, and her long hair drifted in the wind.

"No, you are destined to lose!"

Shi Chongjiu smiled coldly and said, "When Martial Artists fight, apart from True Essence, another key factor that determines victory or defeat is martial arts. I am inherently stronger than you, and I have mastered powerful martial arts from Qianqiu Pavilion. What do you have to contend with me?"

As his words fell,

countless Blood Red Auras surged from Shi Chongjiu's body.

Within those Blood Red Auras,

Tantai Pudu sensed an unprecedented and enormous threat.

"What kind of demonic art is this?"

Tantai Pudu took a deep breath.

For some reason, upon sensing this blood-red mist, even as a Martial Saint Realm expert, she felt a Bone-Chilling dread.

"Demonic art?"

"Hahahaha, how short-sighted. This is not a demonic art—it is a Superior Martial Art bestowed upon me by an Elder of the Inner Cabinet!"

Then, Shi Chongjiu's gaze became incomparably solemn as he roared, "Blood Shadow Divine Skill!"

At once,

before everyone's eyes,

Shi Jiuchong within the mist seemed to gain one Afterimage after another. Like his true body, every one of these Afterimages possessed the power of the Martial Saint Realm.

No one could distinguish them.

Within the mist,

among those countless Afterimages,

no one could tell which was Shi Jiuchong's true body. At that moment, the countless Afterimages charged toward Tantai Pudu to kill her.

Tantai Pudu could not distinguish which Afterimage was Shi Jiuchong's true body at all and could only guard against every single one.

But no matter how thoroughly she defended herself, there would always be one oversight among a hundred precautions.

Then,

one Afterimage shifted from illusion into reality.

With a single palm, it blasted Tantai Pudu's left arm. Caught unprepared, Tantai Pudu was sent flying by the strike. She crashed heavily to the ground, smashing a Giant Fissure into the stone-brick floor.

At this moment,

Tantai Pudu coughed up blood in great mouthfuls. Her left arm had Lost Sensation. She climbed up from the ground with difficulty and stared fixedly at Shi Jiuchong within the blood-red mist.

Shi Jiuchong smiled sinisterly and said, "Tantai Pudu, I know you must feel utterly unwilling in your heart, but what use is unwillingness?"

The others, seeing this scene, also burst into laughter, feeling incomparably delighted.

Seeing that Tantai Pudu was already half crippled, Ren Xuanji finally stepped out and said ingratiatingly, "Elder Shi, your divine skill truly reigns supreme. This junior admires you greatly. Next, please absorb all of Tantai Pudu's True Essence and achieve a Breakthrough in One Go into the Through Profound Realm!"

"Hahaha, good!"

Shi Chongjiu was naturally in high spirits as well.

He then extended his hand.

An incomparably terrifying suction force surged from his palm.

At the same time, Tantai Pudu Only Felt her own True Essence being drawn by that enormous suction force.

Sorrow filled Tantai Pudu's eyes. She knew she would be unable to escape calamity today, but she did not wish for all her True Essence to benefit Shi Chongjiu. Thus, a stream of True Essence condensed in her palm, and she aimed it at her Crown of the Head, intending to take her own life.

"You want to die?"

"Dream on!"

Shi Chongjiu noticed this as well.

His face immediately twisted in savagery. Transforming into an Afterimage, he appeared before Tantai Pudu and kicked away her Right Hand.

Tantai Pudu's face instantly turned ashen.

She knew

that even if she wished to die, she no longer had the ability to do so.

A miserable smile emerged on Tantai Pudu's face.

Afterward,

Shi Chongjiu once more operated the Great Absorption Technique.

That powerful suction force

immediately made Tantai Pudu suffocate.

Just then,

from above the void,

an indifferent voice rang out.

"Sword Come!"

Then, the longsword hanging at Ren Xuanji's waist instantly flew out. The sword tore through the air, ripping apart everything, and also shattered the Great Absorption Technique's suction force upon Tantai Pudu.

"This wasn't me!"

Ren Xuanji's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly tried to explain.

But Shi Chongjiu's attention was not on Ren Xuanji at all. Instead, he stared at the longsword standing proudly in the void, his brows tightly furrowed as he murmured,

"Controlling a sword from afar—this... this seems to be the Sword Control Technique from the Legends?"