The Pill Hall

Gu Chang'an and Li Hongye stood on the giant rocks.

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

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

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

The battle in the depths of Black Wind Ridge had not yet stopped. The mountain wind stirred the smell of blood and killing intent, making it suffocating.

Gu Chang'an and Li Hongye hid in the woods, looking at the center of the battlefield.

They saw Yin Jiu, clad in a black robe, covered in cold sweat. The ice-silk rapier in his hand moved like a venomous snake, repeatedly stabbing at Liang Hu's vital points.

But Liang Hu was now completely mad. The power of the Blood Pill caused his muscles and bones to swell, making him like a blood demon. His spiked mace swung ferociously, his moves completely lacking any pattern, yet he possessed immense strength and an unstoppable momentum like a collapsing mountain.

"Haa!"

Liang Hu swept his mace horizontally. Yin Jiu quickly sidestepped back, blocking with his ice-silk rapier, but he was still shaken, his qi and blood churning. Deep grooves appeared under his feet, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Madman..." Yin Jiu gritted his teeth and whispered, his face ashen.

He had originally thought that even if he couldn't defeat Liang Hu, he could at least hold him off for a moment.

However, he hadn't expected that Liang Hu, after going mad, would have his strength increase to such a terrifying degree.

Not to mention his immense strength.

His entire body was like steel. Even if his sword struck Liang Hu, it could only break the skin, not cause a serious injury.

And after Liang Hu was injured, his momentum didn't weaken at all; instead, it grew stronger...

How was he supposed to fight this?

If he continued to fight, he would die...

Suddenly, he had the thought of escaping.

On the other side of the battlefield, Duan Lie, like a fierce beast, swept his giant axe, causing the wind to roar as he fiercely clashed with Leng Zhang and Wei Biao.

Leng Zhang wielded twin maces, his attacks fierce. Wei Biao, on the other hand, wielded a heavy iron saber, his slashes like thunder. The two cooperated seamlessly, attacking Duan Lie from front and back.

"Kill!"

Leng Zhang shouted, his twin maces smashing down like thunder.

Duan Lie roared, his eyes blood-red. He swung his axe horizontally, deflecting Leng Zhang's mace strikes. With a counterattack of savage force, he directly caved in Leng Zhang's chest. Blood splattered, and Leng Zhang was sent flying like a rag doll towards the rocks, dying on the spot.

"Leng Zhang!"

Wei Biao's eyes widened in rage, his killing intent boiling. He slashed his saber through the wind, aiming for Duan Lie's neck. But Duan Lie was fearless, allowing the saber to cut into his shoulder. With a roar, he swung his giant axe upwards—

"Pfft!"

Wei Biao was severed at the waist by half of the axe blade. Even as he died, he glared at Duan Lie, his body split in two, blood gushing like a fountain, falling to the ground.

At this moment, Yin Jiu saw Leng Zhang and Wei Biao defeated so quickly. He cursed, "Useless."

Then, he no longer hesitated. His figure flashed, and taking advantage of a gap in Liang Hu's fierce assault, he darted into the woods, intending to escape.

He knew that if he continued to fight, not only would he be unable to win, but he would also be torn to shreds by this madman.

"Trying to escape?"

Gu Chang'an's eyes turned cold.

He flickered forward, employing the Flowing Wind Steps, and quietly circled behind Yin Jiu. A cold light flashed, and the battle saber in his hand cut through the air.

"What?!"

Yin Jiu suddenly sensed the killing intent. He hastily turned around, but it was already too late.

"Ch-ch!"

The battle saber pierced through his chest. Cold light exploded. Yin Jiu's eyes widened, blood spurted from his mouth, and he looked back at Gu Chang'an in disbelief.

"You..."

"It's over. Rest in peace..."

Gu Chang'an whispered, withdrawing his saber. Blood poured out, and Yin Jiu's body went limp, his breath lost.

Just as Gu Chang'an was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Liang Hu's furious roar exploded.

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

Liang Hu's red eyes locked onto Gu Chang'an, and a ferocious killing intent surged towards him. His spiked mace swept through the trees, shattering them and kicking up a torrent of mud and rocks as he charged.

And over there, Duan Lie's killing intent was also sky-high. After dealing with Leng Zhang and Wei Biao.

He turned and saw Gu Chang'an. His body surged with fighting spirit, and with a roar, he charged forward like lightning.

"They're crazy, both of them coming at me..."

Gu Chang'an's expression changed, but he didn't retreat. Instead, he took a deep breath and shouted:

"Hongye, you stay hidden. I'll draw their fire!"

He changed direction, leaped out, and employed the Flowing Wind Steps, drawing the attention of the two madmen. His figure darted out like a phantom, heading straight for the direction of the Pill Hall.

"Roar!!"

Liang Hu and Duan Lie roared repeatedly, giving chase!

Gu Chang'an fled, tightly gripping his long saber, his eyes solemn:

"I'll let you... go find your 'leader'!"

Meanwhile, deep within the Black Wind Ridge, inside the Pill Hall, waves of energy surged, and killing intent ran rampant.

Daoist Chai's robes fluttered, his hair disheveled like a nest of snakes.

A black iron sword in his hand spewed forth chilling sword energy. With every swing, it seemed to carry an extremely cold and malevolent aura.

At this moment, his bloodline surged, bloodshot veins filled his eyes, and his face grew increasingly excited.

"Heh heh... Old dog Zhou, Wang Hao, you two... curs, you think you're worthy of blocking my great path?"

"You're simply asking for death..."

He forced Wang Hao back with a sword strike, then his body twisted like a phantom. Sword light flashed, stabbing towards Old Zhou's throat.

"Clang!" Sparks flew.

Old Zhou raised his spear, barely deflecting the strike. His old face was filled with solemnity.

Even with his profound cultivation at the Eighth Rank, he couldn't withstand Daoist Chai's increasingly fierce momentum.

His heart sank, knowing that Daoist Chai's strength had likely surged after consuming that "unfinished" Blood Spirit Pill!

Even if his realm hadn't broken through to the Seventh Rank, his combat power had already reached it.

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

"I know!" Wang Hao roared, his body like a mountain. He swung his heavy saber horizontally, generating whistling blade energy. The strike pressed down with powerful force.

Daoist Chai sneered dismissively, twirling his black sword to meet it head-on!

"Boom--!"

The airwaves exploded, energy walls rolled within the Pill Hall, and the roof trembled!

Wang Hao's tiger mouth went numb, and he stumbled back two steps, his feet leaving two bloody tracks on the ground.

"This guy..." he gritted his teeth, shocked in his heart, "It really is the power of the Mad Demon!"

Daoist Chai let out a sharp, long laugh: "Exhilarating! Exhilarating! This is power! I cultivated for twenty years, never daring to take that step. It was you... it was you who forced me to swallow this half-finished Blood Spirit Pill!"

His aura surged around him, his dantian churning like a raging sea.

His sword intent grew fiercer, each strike like a roaring thunderclap.

"You... all deserve to die! Those who block me, die--!!"

The black sword swept out diagonally, transforming into a hundred beams of cold light, directly at Wang Hao.

"Haa!!" Wang Hao roared, his heavy saber slashing horizontally, meeting the attack head-on!

"Bang--!!"

Blade and sword clashed, energy waves surged, Wang Hao's throat felt sweet, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. He staggered back several steps, his face deathly pale.

Seeing this, Old Zhou's anger flared. He pointed his spear straight, like a dragon's roar, its tip like a rainbow, stabbing towards Daoist Chai's chest.

"Old man, you dare to come and die!"

Daoist Chai bared a sinister grin and swept his sword horizontally, actually using his strength to forcibly shatter the spear's momentum.

"Pfft!"

Old Zhou's chest was struck by the sword, his robes instantly stained red. He staggered back three steps, almost falling to his knees.

"Old Zhou!" Wang Hao roared, wanting to move forward to cover him, but Daoist Chai forced him back, unable to get close.

"Hahahaha!!" Daoist Chai cackled wildly, blood energy surging around him, his eyes manic. "You dogs of the imperial court will never understand! Only power is truth! The Blood Spirit Pill is my true path!!"