Struggle for the Dan Xian Pool

At the summit of a deep mountain in eastern Flame City.

This place was rarely visited, shrouded in mist and clouds. The atmosphere atop a steep mountain platform was grave.

On one side of the platform stood Xia Wanjin, president of the Myriad Gold Merchant Guild, with his hands behind his back. He was around fifty, with a square face and a presence as steady as a mountain. Sharp light flickered in his eyes as they opened and closed. He was clearly a Great Perfection of the Core Formation Realm expert.

Xuan Su, Xia Zhilan, and several guild experts stood beside him.

On the other side of the platform stood Yue Shan, leader of the Blood Wolf Gang. He was broad and powerfully built, his face sinister. Blood-red Primal Energy circulated faintly around him, radiating a dense baleful aura. He too was at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation Realm.

Behind him, Yue Feng, Yue Ling, and Jiang Li stood in a row, their powerful auras and hostile gazes fixed on the opposing side.

At the center of the platform, Luo Heng stood alone in silence. Dressed in green, his expression was calm, as though what was about to begin was not a life-and-death battle against three opponents, but merely an ordinary spar.

"President Xia, Leader Yue, since both sides are present, the contest may begin." An elderly man whom both parties had jointly invited as a witness spoke loudly. He was a fairly renowned independent cultivator in Flame City, at the Small Perfection of the Core Formation Realm, and had no close ties to either side.

Xia Wanjin nodded slightly and looked at Luo Heng, his gaze carrying a trace of concern and inquiry.

Luo Heng nodded gently, indicating that there was no problem.

Yue Shan merely sneered and said to Yue Feng and the other two behind him, "Remember what I told you. In this battle, victory is the only option."

"Don't worry, Father!" Killing intent blazed in Yue Feng's eyes as he growled, "Today, I'll make his blood spill across this ground and wash away the humiliation of the Blood Wolf Gang!"

Yue Ling wore red, her features beautiful but her gaze proud and icy. She cast Luo Heng a disdainful glance and said to Yue Feng, "Brother, why waste words on a brat who doesn't know his limits? Finish this quickly so we can enjoy the Dan Xian Pool."

Jiang Li said nothing. He merely adjusted his breathing in silence, his eyes as cold as a venomous snake as they continuously swept over Luo Heng, searching for a possible opening.

"The contest begins! Life and death are left to fate. It ends when one side concedes or loses the ability to fight!" the elderly witness declared loudly.

The moment his words fell, Yue Feng moved first!

"Luo Heng! Die!"

With a furious roar, the blood-red spear in his hand shot forth like a venomous dragon leaving its lair. Blood light flickered from its tip as he moved with the spear, turning into a crimson afterimage that stabbed straight for Luo Heng's heart!

This time, he held nothing back. His Late Heaven Yuan Realm cultivation erupted at full force, and his spear momentum was far stronger than it had been three months ago! More frighteningly, as the spear shaft trembled, it formed four incredibly solid blood-red spear shadows!

Shadowing Spear Fourth Form: Four Shadows Unite!

The four spear shadows shifted between real and illusory, sealing off every path of retreat. The howling spear wind carried dense, bloody killing intent!

At the same time, Yue Ling moved as well.

Her figure flickered like a ghost as her hands formed seals. Blood-red Primal Energy gathered around her into countless tiny crimson petals. Their edges were sharp as blades, and they spun with a shriek as they swept toward Luo Heng from the side like a tidal wave!

Blood Shadow Flying Flowers!

This was Yue Ling's most proficient wide-range martial technique. Every petal contained razor-sharp Primal Energy. Once caught within them, one would be like a person trapped amid mountains of blades and seas of blood, unable to escape!

The siblings worked in perfect coordination, one launching a frontal assault and the other attacking from the side. In an instant, they forced Luo Heng into peril!

Jiang Li did not attack immediately. He prowled around the edge of the battle, his gaze locked tightly onto Luo Heng like a lurking venomous snake waiting for the chance to deliver a fatal blow.

Facing this fierce combined attack, Luo Heng's eyes remained calm as still water.

He lightly stepped forward, perfectly merging the Flowing Cloud and Soaring Goose Steps with the Soaring Dragon Steps. His figure instantly became elusive and unpredictable.

Facing the four blood-red spear shadows rushing at him, he neither dodged nor retreated. He extended his right hand, pressed his index and middle fingers together, and lightly tapped the densest point of the spear shadows with faint gray light curling around his fingertips.

Tai Xu Swordplay: Void Blade!

He did not use a sword, but used his fingers in its place!

"Clang!"

An incomparably crisp sound rang out, like jade beads falling onto a tray.

At the center of those four seemingly unstoppable spear shadows, a tiny spatial crack that was nearly impossible to see quietly appeared.

The next moment, the four spear shadows burst apart simultaneously like punctured bubbles!

Yue Feng only felt a strange yet razor-sharp force travel up the spear shaft. It numbed the web between his thumb and forefinger, churned his blood and energy, and instantly shattered his spear momentum!

"What?!" Yue Feng was horrified. His all-out Shadowing Spear Fourth Form had been broken by a single finger?!

At that moment, Luo Heng's body spun like a ghost, evading most of the blood-red petals. With a sweep of his left sleeve, a wave of bone-piercing Mysterious Nether Qi surged forth!

"Pssh, pssh, pssh—"

The sharp blood-red petals struck the freezing current, their speed dropping sharply. Frost rapidly formed across their surfaces, and they immediately lost their force, falling one after another.

Yue Ling's expression changed as well. Her Blood Shadow Flying Flowers had been neutralized so easily?

His strength... was greater than the intelligence suggested! Alarm bells rang in Yue Ling's heart.

At the instant the two of their attacks were thwarted, Jiang Li, who had been circling outside the battle, moved!

A fierce glint flashed through his eyes. The Primal Energy in his body began circulating wildly in a strange manner. An unnatural flush appeared on his skin, and his aura abruptly surged!

Blood-Transforming Origin Technique!

At the very start of the battle, he had directly used this wicked secret art that harmed both himself and his enemy!

His Middle Heaven Yuan Realm aura soared as though launched into the sky, instantly breaking through the Late Heaven Yuan Realm threshold and faintly reaching the edge of the Lesser Yuan Core Realm!

Blood Fiend Finger!

Jiang Li growled as he shot forward like lightning, thrusting a finger toward Luo Heng's back! His fingertip was black as ink, emitting a dense stench and corrosive aura. Its speed was terrifying, its angle vicious, impossible to guard against!

That finger strike gathered all his current power and the toxicity of his wicked art, aiming to kill in a single blow!

"Watch out!" Xia Zhilan cried out in alarm.

Xia Wanjin and Xuan Su's expressions changed slightly as well. They had not expected Jiang Li to be so ruthless and decisive, using such a self-damaging secret technique right from the beginning!

Yet Luo Heng, who had his back to Jiang Li, seemed to have eyes behind him.

Just as that black finger wind was about to touch his robes, Luo Heng suddenly shifted three feet to the left and struck backward with his palm!

Within his palm, icy blue Mysterious Nether Qi intertwined with dark golden Primal Energy, while faint sparks of electricity flickered between them!

Tiangang Thunderclap Fist: Thunderbolt Strike!

Though he used a palm in place of a fist, its power was not diminished in the slightest!

"Boom!"

Palm and finger collided with a muffled explosion!

Freezing cold, thunder, and devouring force madly clashed and eroded against the bloody, corrosive, baleful power!

Jiang Li felt an incomparably domineering force rush up his arm. The freezing Qi instantly froze part of his meridians, while the thunderous force churned his blood and energy. Worse still, an odd devouring power was frantically swallowing the Primal Energy he had forcibly raised through the secret technique!

"Pff!"

Jiang Li groaned and spat out blood. He flew backward like a kite with its string cut, slamming heavily into a boulder and shattering it!

His eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. He had used a secret technique, raising his strength to near the Lesser Yuan Core Realm, yet he had been... sent flying by a single palm strike?!

Yue Feng and Yue Ling were stunned as well.

They knew Luo Heng was strong, but they had not expected him to be this strong!

One finger broke Yue Feng's killing move, one burst of Qi froze Yue Ling's petals, and one palm defeated Jiang Li after he had activated his secret technique!

This was simply... unimaginable!

Xia Wanjin's eyes flashed brightly as he clapped his hands and praised, "Excellent! What brilliant movement techniques! What exquisite control over Primal Energy! This boy's use of power has reached perfection!"

Yue Shan's face darkened until it seemed as though water could drip from it. He stared fixedly at the green-robed figure in the arena, while turbulent waves rose in his heart.

Luo Heng's strength far exceeded his estimates!

This was absolutely not combat power that an ordinary Late Heaven Yuan Realm cultivator could possess! He might even... be no weaker than someone who had just entered the Core Formation Realm!

This boy cannot be allowed to live! Killing intent boiled within Yue Shan's heart.

In the arena, Luo Heng slowly turned around. His gaze swept over Yue Feng and Yue Ling's ugly expressions, then Jiang Li, who was struggling to rise. His tone remained calm.

"Is that all you can do? If this is all, then this contest can end now."

"Arrogant!" Yue Feng and Yue Ling shouted at the same time.

The siblings exchanged a glance, and resolve flashed through both their eyes.

Yue Feng took a deep breath, bit the tip of his tongue, and sprayed a mouthful of blood essence onto the blood-red spear in his hand!

Blood Sacrifice: Wolf Soul Possession!

The spear let out a piercing hum as blood light burst from its shaft. A vague phantom of a savage blood wolf seemed to merge into Yue Feng's body. His aura rose once more, his eyes turning completely blood-red and filling with violence and hostility!

Yue Ling formed seals with both hands as well. The blood-red petals around her no longer scattered apart, but instead gathered frantically, condensing behind her into the phantom of an enormous Blood Datura Flower. The flower slowly revolved, releasing a demonic and dangerous aura.

Blood Datura: Bloom!

The two had clearly both activated secret arts that damaged their foundations, forcibly raising their strength to a level near the Lesser Yuan Core Realm!

Jiang Li also struggled to his feet and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. His gaze became even more sinister as he activated the Blood-Transforming Origin Technique again. The veins beneath his skin bulged faintly. Although his aura was not as powerful as during his first eruption, it became even stranger and more unstable.

"Now this is a little more interesting."

Luo Heng looked at the three figures brimming with murderous momentum, and at last a trace of seriousness flashed through his eyes.

He made a grasping motion with his right hand, and the Silver Feather Sword left its sheath.

The sword trembled gently, letting out a clear sword cry.

An invisible "intent" quietly spread through the air.

Even the mountain wind seemed to freeze for an instant.

"Sword Intent?!" Xia Wanjin and Yue Shan's pupils shrank simultaneously as they cried out in shock!