Realm Advancement

Chen Guan faced Guo Pin's attack, gritted his teeth, and took the blade on his shoulder.

Already weakened by excessive blood loss, he was now bleeding like a spring!

"Haha, boy, if that's all you've got, how do you expect to stand against the County Office?"

Guo Pin grew even more smug!

That was the might of a fifth-layer Blood Forging Realm expert!

Chen Guan clutched his wound and got to his feet. He tore off a strip of clothing and wrapped it around the wound to stop the bleeding.

He took several deep breaths, his mind racing as he tried to figure out how to face such a powerful enemy!

But with only thirty years of Demon Lifespan left, and no way to advance his realm, facing Guo Pin meant certain death!

[The host has encountered a life-threatening danger. You may immediately consume all Demon Lifespan to temporarily enter the third layer of the Blood Forging Realm. Side effect: weakness for three hours.]

The system's voice rang out in his mind!

Chen Guan heard it and immediately smiled. Sure enough, when one door closed, another opened!

Though the sound of that side effect made him uneasy,

he had no choice if he wanted to survive!

"Advance my realm!"

He gave the order in his mind.

Power surged through his entire body in an instant, and his blood and qi roiled!

Golden dragon and elephant shadows flickered across him!

He had now entered the third layer of the Blood Forging Realm, and his strength had reached a full seven hundred catties!

With the Dragon Elephant Subduing Demon Art bolstering him, his strength was no weaker than that of a fifth-layer Blood Forging Realm expert!

"Whirlwind Sky Slash!"

Guo Pin hadn't noticed the change in Chen Guan's body. He gripped his long saber and charged at him again.

He had already made up his mind: this strike would end Chen Guan's life!

Qin Yanran watched the scene, her face as pale as paper. She retreated a few steps; all she could do now was watch helplessly as Chen Guan met his end.

Guo Pin brought his saber down, but Chen Guan didn't dodge.

Instead, he raised both hands and blocked the attack!

With a bang, dust billowed all around them. Guo Pin's eyes flashed with murderous intent as he pressed down harder!

But he didn't feel the blade biting into flesh!

Just as he began to wonder, the dust around them cleared!

Chen Guan's arms were wrapped in golden light, holding back the long saber!

"This..."

Guo Pin stared at the sight, utterly astonished!

"The fifth layer of the Blood Forging Realm is nothing special!"

Chen Guan's voice sounded as though it had come from the Nine Heavens Purgatory, reaching Guo Pin's ears.

Then he slammed a fist into Guo Pin's stomach.

The immense force sent Guo Pin flying, and he smashed into a thick tree, snapping it in half!

Chen Guan swung his fists, the corners of his mouth curling into an eerie smile.

"How is this possible? You're only at the second layer of the Blood Forging Realm! How can you unleash such tremendous strength?"

Guo Pin got up and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, roaring in disbelief.

Chen Guan only shook his head. "Come on, then!"

Seeing that Chen Guan wouldn't be swayed, Guo Pin let out another howl and charged with his saber!

Although Chen Guan was still two layers below Guo Pin,

the difference in their cultivation arts was enough to make up for those two layers. Now, Guo Pin's movements seemed to Chen Guan to be in slow motion.

He used Whirlwind Wind Steps to easily evade the attack.

"Pecking Sparrow Strength!"

Chen Guan held his right hand in a sword-finger gesture and jabbed a burst of force into Guo Pin's body.

Guo Pin cried out and stumbled back several steps. That one jab had nearly scattered his inner power!

After catching his breath, Guo Pin glared viciously at Chen Guan. "Boy, you forced me to do this!"

As he spoke, blood-red light shimmered across his body.

The subordinates Chen Guan had knocked down moments earlier began rising one after another.

Blood-red light gleamed in their eyes, and they let out roars like demons.

Chen Guan frowned at the strange sight, but didn't attack. He decided to watch and see what was going on.

The clothes on those men began to fall away.

Their hands tore through their own flesh, and one by one they transformed into demons, snarling at Chen Guan.

"Young master, be careful. These men cultivated demonic arts. The arts have long since corroded their minds; now they're no different from demons!"

Qin Yanran, who had seen plenty in her time, recognized what was happening at a glance.

Her cry made Chen Guan suddenly understand.

"Boy, you think that advancing your realm means you can escape from here? This mountain belongs to us!"

Guo Pin spoke smugly, then joined the demons around him in attacking Chen Guan.

Chen Guan could sense that these demons were no different from the White Wolf he'd fought earlier: they were at the first layer of the Blood Forging Realm.

But with Guo Pin supporting them, they were far harder to deal with!

Facing their attacks, Chen Guan could only use Whirlwind Wind Steps to dodge. He had no opening to counterattack!

And the realm he'd forcibly advanced with the system had a time limit.

Once the time ran out and the side effect hit, he and Qin Yanran would be at their mercy!

"Dragon Elephant Subduing Demon Art!"

Chen Guan's thoughts stirred, and golden light shimmered across his body.

A wild wolf charged at him. He neither dodged nor blocked, letting its gaping jaws clamp down on his arm!

Pain set every nerve alight, yet he was calmer than he'd ever been!

"Pecking Sparrow Strength!"

He swung his arm, pouring Pecking Sparrow Strength straight into the wolf's body.

Then he hurled the wolf away like a stone.

The wolf tumbled through the air and crashed into the other demons.

The tremendous force stirred up a raging gale, sweeping all the demons into it and tearing at their bodies.

Chen Guan paid no heed to his own pain.

Using the agility of Whirlwind Wind Steps, he appeared behind the stunned Guo Pin. His fist, charged with the power of his art, slammed into Guo Pin's back.

With that one punch, he broke Guo Pin's spine. Guo Pin flew through the air and landed on the ground, motionless!

[Slain a first-layer Blood Forging Realm demon. Demon Lifespan awarded: eighty years.]

[Sixty years of Demon Lifespan deducted for the forced realm advancement. Demon Lifespan remaining: twenty years.]

The system's voice entered his mind!

Chen Guan nodded in sudden understanding.

The thirty years of Demon Lifespan he'd had left weren't enough to force an advancement, so he'd effectively borrowed some.

Now that he'd gained more Demon Lifespan, the system had deducted what he'd used to force the advancement. That seemed fair!

"Young master, are you all right?"

After seeing the others dealt with, Qin Yanran finally relaxed and came over to ask.

Chen Guan shook his head. "I'm fine, Miss Qin. Don't worry!"

But just as they thought the matter was finally settled,

Guo Pin, who had been lying motionless, suddenly sprang up and charged at Qin Yanran, the nearest target, his right fist aimed straight at her heart!