Pill Hall

Gu Chang'an and Li Hongye stood atop a massive boulder.

Watching Shen Qingyan and the others slowly descend the mountain until their figures completely vanished into the mountain forest, Gu Chang'an finally withdrew his gaze.

"Let's go," he said in a deep voice.

The two quietly returned along the rugged mountain path toward the battlefield.

The battle in the depths of Black Wind Ridge was still raging, the mountain wind whipping up the stench of blood and a suffocating murderous intent.

Gu Chang'an and Li Hongye concealed themselves in the forest, looking toward the center of the battlefield.

Yin Jiu was clad in a black robe, his forehead covered in cold sweat, his thin icy-silk sword darting like a venomous snake as it repeatedly thrust toward Liang Hu's vital points.

Yet Liang Hu had now gone completely mad, the power of the Blood Pill causing his muscles and bones to swell as he resembled a blood-red fiend, his spiked club swinging wildly with attacks entirely devoid of form, yet possessing monstrous strength and a momentum akin to a collapsing mountain.

"Hah!"

Liang Hu swept his club horizontally, and Yin Jiu hurriedly crossed his steps to retreat, his thin icy-silk sword parrying the blow, yet he was still battered by the surging Qi and blood, his feet gouging deep trenches into the ground as blood spilled from the corners of his mouth.

"Madman..." Yin Jiu muttered through clenched teeth, his complexion ashen.

He had originally thought that even if he could not defeat Liang Hu, he could at least stall him for a moment.

However, he had not expected that after descending into madness, Liang Hu's strength would actually grow to such a terrifying degree.

Not to mention his boundless strength.

Furthermore, his entire body was as hard as steel; even when Yin Jiu's sword struck Liang Hu, it could only break the skin rather than inflict a severe wound.

Yet after Liang Hu was injured, his momentum not only failed to weaken, but instead grew even stronger...

How was he supposed to fight this?

If he continued to battle any longer, he would die here...

Instantly, the thought of fleeing arose within him.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Duan Lie was like a ferocious and baleful beast, howling gales erupting as his giant axe swept horizontally while he engaged in fierce, tangled combat with Leng Zhang and Wei Biao.

Leng Zhang wielded a pair of steel maces, striking with unyielding ferocity, while Wei Biao brandished a refined iron saber, slashing through the wind like thunder, the two cooperating with tacit understanding to assault Duan Lie from front and rear.

"Die!"

Leng Zhang shouted aloud, his twin maces crashing down like thunder.

Duan Lie roared, his blood-red eyes blazing as he slashed horizontally with his axe, batting aside Leng Zhang's mace images before launching a savage, brutal counterattack that directly caved in Leng Zhang's chest. Blood splattered everywhere, and Leng Zhang was sent crashing into the mountain rocks like a piece of torn fabric, expiring on the spot.

"Leng Zhang!"

Wei Biao's eyes widened in fury, his murderous intent surging as he slashed his saber directly at Duan Lie's neck, cleaving the wind. Yet Duan Lie felt no fear whatsoever, allowing the long saber to bite deep into his shoulder as he roared and swept his giant axe upward—

"Plop!"

Wei Biao was cleaved in half at the waist by the edge of the axe. Even in death, he still glared furiously at Duan Lie, his body severed in two as blood gushed like a fountain, collapsing to the ground motionless.

At that moment, seeing how quickly Leng Zhang and Wei Biao had fallen, Yin Jiu cursed angrily, "Useless trash."

Without a moment's hesitation, he flicked his figure, seizing the gap in Liang Hu's fierce assault to bolt into the forest with the intent of making his escape.

He knew that if he kept fighting, not only would he fail to win, but he would even be torn to pieces by this madman.

"Trying to run?"

Gu Chang'an's gaze grew chillingly cold.

He flashed forward, executing Flowing Wind Steps to quietly circle behind Yin Jiu as a flash of cold light erupted and the war saber in his hand slashed through the wind.

"What?!"

Sensing the murderous intent abruptly, Yin Jiu spun around hastily, but he was a step too late.

"Rip!"

The war saber pierced straight through his chest, a chilling glare bursting forth as Yin Jiu's eyes widened and he vomited a mouthful of blood, looking back at Gu Chang'an in disbelief.

"You..."

"That's enough, you may rest in peace..."

Gu Chang'an muttered, pulling his saber free as blood poured like a spout and Yin Jiu's body slumped limply, losing all breath of life.

Just as Gu Chang'an was about to let out a breath, Liang Hu's furious roar exploded thunderously.

"Hahaha! It's you... It's you!!"

Liang Hu's red eyes locked onto Gu Chang'an, a frenzied murderous intent washing over as his spiked club swept through the trees, shattering timber and kicking up a torrent of mud and rocks before he lunged forward ferociously.

Over on the other side, Duan Lie's murderous intent also soared to the heavens after disposing of Leng Zhang and Wei Biao.

Turning back to catch sight of Gu Chang'an, his entire body roiled with battle intent as he let out a roar and charged forward like thunder.

"They've gone mad, both of them coming at once..."

Gu Chang'an's expression shifted, yet he did not retreat. Instead, he drew a deep breath and shouted aloud, "Hongye, find a place to hide. I'll draw their fire!"

Changing his direction, he leaped into the air and executed Flowing Wind Steps, drawing the gazes of the two madmen as his figure darted forth like a ghost, racing straight toward the Pill Hall.

"Rooar!!"

Liang Hu and Duan Lie roared repeatedly, giving chase in hot pursuit!

Even as he fled, Gu Chang'an gripped his long saber tightly, his gaze solemn.

"Go on... and find your 'Chieftain'!"

Meanwhile, deep within the interior of Black Wind Ridge inside the Pill Hall, waves of Qi surged and murderous intent crisscrossed.

Daoist Chai's robes snapped in the wind, his disheveled hair dancing like writhing snakes.

The black iron longsword in his hand spat out bone-chilling sword Qi, and every single slash he delivered seemed to carry an extremely chilling and baleful blood intent.

At this moment, his blood vessels bulged, red veins suffusing his eyes while his expression grew increasingly ecstatic.

"Ke-ke-ke... Old Zhou, Wang Hao, you two... you dogs, do you really think you're qualified to block my Dao?"

"You're truly courting death..."

With a single sword strike, he forced Wang Hao back, immediately followed by a spinning evasion like a phantom as sword light erupted, stabbing toward Old Zhou's throat.

"Clang!" Sparks flew in all directions.

Old Zhou thrust his spear forward, barely managing to bat away that sword strike, his aged face plastered with grim solemnity.

Even with his profound cultivation at the eighth rank, he still could not withstand Daoist Chai's increasingly ferocious momentum.

His heart sank, knowing that Daoist Chai had likely experienced a massive surge in strength after consuming that "unfinished" Blood Spirit Pill!

Even if his realm had not broken through to the seventh rank, his combat power had already reached that level.

"Commander, be careful! He's strong!"

"I know!" Wang Hao roared, his body like a mountain as he swept his heavy saber horizontally, kicking up a howling blade gale to press down with a single strike full of howling might.

Daoist Chai sneered in disdain, his black sword spinning as he met the blow head-on!

"Boom—!"

Qi waves exploded violently, rolling through the walls of Qi inside the Pill Hall and causing the roof to tremble!

Wang Hao felt his tiger's mouth go numb and retreated two paces, his heels grinding two bloody trails into the floor.

"This fellow..." He gritted his teeth, shock filling his heart. "It's truly the power of a madman!"

Daoist Chai let out a shrill, piercing laugh. "Exhilarating! Exhilarating! This is true power! I spent twenty years in cultivation never daring to take that final step. It was you... You forced me to swallow this semi-finished Blood Spirit Pill!"

The aura around him surged wildly, his Dantian churning like an angry ocean tidal wave.

His sword momentum grew increasingly fierce, every strike roaring like a thunderclap.

"All of you... deserve to die! Those who block me shall die—!!"

The black sword swept diagonally, transforming into a hundred strands of cold light that pressed straight toward Wang Hao.

"Hah!!" Wang Hao roared, slashing his heavy saber horizontally to take the blow head-on!

"Bang—!"

Blade and sword clashed, Qi waves lashing out as a sweet taste rose in the back of Wang Hao's throat and he spat a mouthful of blood, staggering back several steps with an ashen face.

Seeing this, anger welled up within Old Zhou. He pointed his long spear straight ahead like a dragon's roar, the spear glint flashing like a rainbow as it thrust toward Daoist Chai's heart.

"Old dog, you dare come seek death as well!"

Daoist Chai wore a ferocious grin, sweeping his sword horizontally and using sheer brute strength to shatter the spear momentum completely.

"Ugh!"

Old Zhou took a sword wound to the chest, his robes instantly stained crimson as he stumbled back three paces, nearly dropping to his knees.

"Old Zhou!" Wang Hao shouted in anger, attempting to step forward to cover him, but Daoist Chai pressed him so closely that he could not get near.

"Hahahaha!!" Daoist Chai laughed wildly, blood Qi roiling around him as his gaze turned deranged. "You court dogs will never understand! Only power is the truth! The Blood Spirit Pill is my righteous path!!"