Lin Taichu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Taking that blow head-on had shaken his internal organs, and waves of pain shot through his left arm. Blood seeping from the wound had already dyed his sleeve red.
Yet his gaze remained sharp as he fixed his eyes on the Old Man's movements, searching for an opportunity to counterattack.
The soldiers' shouts came from the distance. They had likely reached the valley entrance and were trying to break through the Spirit Locking Formation. Lin Taichu felt slightly relieved. As long as they could get their unconscious companions out, being trapped here himself would be worth it.
"Wishful thinking!" Lin Taichu shouted, taking the initiative to attack. He tossed the Bronze Cauldron fragment into the air, and Xuanhuang Qi spread outward, suppressing the surrounding demonic qi. At the same time, he gripped the Reincarnation Token and charged straight at the Old Man.
The Old Man had not expected him to dare attack after being injured. He hurriedly swung his Bone Staff to block.
Lin Taichu deliberately exposed an opening, allowing the Old Man's Bone Staff to strike his left shoulder. Borrowing the impact, he spun sideways, condensed spiritual power into a fist in his right hand, and slammed it viciously into the Old Man's chest.
A crisp crack rang out. The Old Man let out a muffled groan and staggered back several steps, spitting out blood beneath his mask. But Lin Taichu was not much better off. The searing pain in his left shoulder temporarily numbed his arm, leaving him able to wield the Reincarnation Token with only his right hand.
"Courting death!" Enraged, the Old Man raised his Bone Staff high. The Soul Illusion Flower pollen around them suddenly swelled, forming a column of purple smoke that swept