Last Words

But just then—

A familiar, sweet breeze swept over him, gentle yet firm.

"Junior disciple." A warm yet resolute voice sounded from behind him.

He spun around abruptly, seeing Li Hongye rushing towards him, her eyes filled with anxiety.

"You..." Gu Chang'an blinked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

Li Hongye gazed at him quietly, complex emotions flickering in her eyes, but she didn't say much, only softly uttering:

"Let's go... This mission has failed."

Her voice was light, yet it weighed as heavily as a mountain.

Gu Chang'an froze, a moment of struggle, unwillingness, and pain flashing in his eyes. But in the end, he nodded.

He wasn't a fool, nor was he a reckless brute driven by blood energy.

With Wang Hao injured from fighting and Old Zhou dead, the two of them were only Ninth Rank. Even if they risked their lives, they couldn't shake Daoist Chai, who possessed Seventh Rank combat power.

Gu Chang'an said in a low voice, "Let's go."

But, just as the two turned to leave—

"Daoist Chai!!"

A furious roar exploded within the hall!

Wang Hao, bathed in blood, his blood staining his heavy saber and armor.

He knelt on the ground, but suddenly raised his head, his voice hoarse yet booming like a great bell:

"Do you really think you've won?!"

Daoist Chai's brow twitched, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. He stopped, looking coldly at the already weakened Wang Hao, and sneered:

"Wang Hao, are you still trying to bluff? You're practically dead, yet you dare to speak such wild words? I've already formed my core, what about you? You can't even protect your own life."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly swung his sword, a sharp gust of wind rushing straight towards Wang Hao!

And at that very moment—

A cold smile appeared on Wang Hao's lips. He bit his tongue sharply and roared:

"Wind—Thunder—Strike!!!"

He stomped hard on the ground, his last ounce of strength erupting like a storm and thunder. He raised his heavy saber high, as if gathering the last ray of light in the world!

"Slash!!!"

BOOM!!!

Wind and thunder shook, and the hall trembled.

The saber's light cut through the void, like raging thunder splitting mountains, carrying a desperate resolve of utter annihilation, fiercely cleaving towards Daoist Chai!

Daoist Chai's expression changed drastically. He dodged hastily, but it was too late...

CLANG!!

The saber light fell, flesh and blood flew!

Daoist Chai's arm jolted, his long sword flying out of his hand, along with half of his palm, landing on the ground. Blood spurted wildly, and the scent of blood instantly filled the hall!

"Ah—!!"

He cried out in pain, his knees buckling. He half-knelt on the ground, his face contorted and twisted like a demon!

"Old dog Wang—!"

He roared, his eyes blood red.

He unleashed a palm strike, a torrent of wind surging, directly blasting the already exhausted Wang Hao away!

Wang Hao's body slammed heavily against a hall pillar, blood gushing out, his life or death unknown.

Daoist Chai, clutching his severed arm, knelt in a pool of blood, his face pale, his gaze sinister. He roared and wailed, as if possessed by a Mad Demon:

"You old dog... you actually hid another move... Ahhh—!!"

The wind howled in the hall, blood flowed, and chaos reigned.

Gu Chang'an and Li Hongye stood outside the broken hall entrance, witnessing all this, their pupils constricting...

Damn it,

There's actually a reversal?!

Is this... mutual destruction...?

Li Hongye looked at Daoist Chai, severely wounded with a severed arm, kneeling and roaring, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

Just as she was about to move for a surprise attack, Gu Chang'an grabbed her arm.

"Don't!" Gu Chang'an hissed in a low voice, his gaze deep, "This is too dangerous... Even with one arm gone, he's not someone we can easily deal with."

Li Hongye trembled, turning to look at Gu Chang'an, biting her lip in silence.

Indeed, Daoist Chai was not at his peak, but his single palm strike had just sent Wang Hao flying. The power and might of that blow were far beyond what they could currently withstand.

If they rashly tried a sneak attack, they would likely die by his palm before they even got close...

This wasn't a possibility, it was a certainty...

Daoist Chai, a cunning and dangerous individual, wouldn't possibly neglect such a situation.

With this thought, Gu Chang'an and Li Hongye calmed down.

Immediately, the two hid behind broken pillars and scattered tiles, holding their breath and concentrating, not daring to make a sound.

A moment later, Daoist Chai inside the hall clutched the wound on his severed arm, pressing pressure points to stop the bleeding, his gaze as sinister as a snake's.

A sweep of his peripheral vision detected subtle movement in the shadows, and he vaguely knew someone was hiding.

But the fact that the person hadn't attacked yet also made him wary.

"Hmph..."

"Damn it..."

Daoist Chai snorted coldly, then forcefully got up, dragging his injured body. He picked up his severed arm and his long sword.

Afterward, his figure turned into an afterimage, streaking straight towards a secret passage behind the hall, disappearing from Gu Chang'an and Li Hongye's sight within a single breath.

And watching Daoist Chai leave.

Gu Chang'an and Li Hongye remained motionless.

They worried Daoist Chai might double back for a surprise attack, which would be dangerous.

It wasn't until a full incense stick's worth of time had passed in silence that they slowly emerged from behind the stones. They exchanged a look, both letting out a quiet sigh of relief.

"Phew... he's finally gone."

Li Hongye whispered, her forehead beaded with cold sweat.

Gu Chang'an nodded, but his gaze remained vigilant. Only after confirming there was no further movement within the hall did the two turn and quickly rush towards Wang Hao, who lay collapsed by the pillar.

At this moment, Wang Hao was covered in blood, his breathing shallow. His face was as pale as paper, his chest rising and falling weakly. He was on the brink of death.

"Director Wang!"

Gu Chang'an quickly knelt down, supported Wang Hao's upper body, and held him in his arms, calling out softly.

Li Hongye also hurried forward, "Director Wang, you... you... how are you?"

Wang Hao's eyes fluttered open. His vision was blurry, but he could still make out Gu Chang'an and Li Hongye's faces. A barely visible curve tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Gu... Gu Chang'an..., Li... Li... Hongye. Cough cough..."

His voice was so faint it was almost inaudible, and blood foamed at the corners of his mouth.

"Don't talk! Hold on, I'll--" Gu Chang'an urged anxiously.

"...No need..." Wang Hao raised a trembling hand and weakly grabbed Gu Chang'an's sleeve. "Listen to me... Daoist Chai... will come back... His Blood Pill... isn't complete yet, he'll return... You... you should leave quickly..."

"You... don't... don't get involved with... Daoist Chai's... affairs anymore..."

"Director Wang--!"

Li Hongye cried out from the side, her voice almost trembling.

Gu Chang'an reached out and steadily supported Wang Hao's spine, feeling his gradually cooling body, his heart tightening.

"Also..." Wang Hao gasped, speaking with difficulty, "... "

He coughed up some blood foam, his pupils beginning to unfocus, yet he stubbornly held onto Gu Chang'an's wrist.

Seeing this, Gu Chang'an leaned his forehead close to Wang Hao, listening intently to his dying words.