"Where is Cao De?"
"Li Mo, I know you're Cao De's trusted aide. If you're willing to testify against him and identify him here and now, I'll petition the Longyuan Prefecture Jinyiwei Commander's Office to go easy on you!"
Chen Fan fixed his gaze on Li Mo and spoke in a deep voice.
The seven Jinyiwei Xiaoqi Officers who had fought alongside Li Mo had either been killed or captured under the surrounding Jinyiwei's assault. The dozen or so Demonic Creatures were also being driven back step by step by Lu Xuenning, Huang Chengyue, Wang Chao, Qin Yuan, and the others working together.
The strongest among the Demonic Creatures had reached the Spirit Concealment Realm Fourth Stage. There were three of them, but the strongest, the Black Gorilla, had already been kicked to death by Chen Fan.
The two remaining ones were also being firmly suppressed by Lu Xuenning, a Martial Artist at the Spirit Concealment Realm Peak.
With those two top fighters gone, the Demonic Creatures at the Second and Third Passes of the Spirit Concealment Realm had lost much of their morale. Huang Chengyue and the others had them on the back foot. But these creatures had thick hides and an absurd amount of vitality; killing them all in a short time was no easy feat.
The tide of battle was slowly turning in Chen Fan's favor.
"You want me to betray Captain Cao? You're dreaming!"
"I'll go on ahead down the road to the Yellow Springs. Soon, you'll be joining me!"
Li Mo reached out with his left hand, grabbed the blade of Chen Fan's Embroidered Spring Blade, and drove it hard into his own throat. Then he collapsed to the ground.
"He was a tough one, at least."
Chen Fan found himself thinking more highly of Li Mo.
"Cao De, even if you don't show yourself, everything that happened today will be laid at your feet. You colluded with Demonic Creatures, eliminated your rivals, seized control of Ping'an County, trampled human lives, and slaughtered the innocent. Everyone knows the truth!"
"Cao De, weren't you coming to kill me? Why haven't you made a move? Could it be you're afraid?"
Chen Fan swept his gaze around and called out loudly.
He knew Cao De had to be nearby. He'd gathered such a force tonight to kill him, so why was he hiding at this critical moment?
Chen Fan looked at the Demonic Creatures still fighting desperately around them and decided to deal with them first. He covered the ground in three strides, cutting down one creature with each swing, and killed all eight of them. The remaining few fell to the blades of Lu Xuenning, Huang Chengyue, and the others!
"Hahaha!"
"Hahahaha!"
"Chen Fan, what will you do now that I'm here?!"
Cao De wore the uniform of a Baihu Officer and held a straight Meteorite Iron Blade. He stepped out from a corner.
Terrifying blood mist swirled around him, spreading in every direction.
The blood inside the dead Demonic Creatures and Martial Artists quickly drained out, leaving behind dried husks.
The blood that flowed from them merged with the mist, making it grow denser and larger. Cao De sucked in a sharp breath and swallowed the blood mist. His aura surged, and a terrifying presence radiated from him!
"Blood Sha Skill!"
"That's the Blood Sha Skill of the Blood Sha Sect—a genuine Spirit Aperture Realm Cultivation Method!"
"To cultivate it, you need to find a place rich in Yin Sha Qi and draw that energy into your body. Then, with the aid of fresh blood, you refine Blood Sha. Using its power to open your acupoints, you draw in the vitality of heaven and earth, allowing you to break through to the Spirit Aperture Realm in one leap!"
"But this is an evil, heretical path. Those who break through to the Spirit Aperture Realm this way are destined to have limited prospects."
"Besides, Blood Sha will eat away at your entire body. Once it reaches your brain, a Blood Demon will be born. By then, anyone cultivating this method will have completely lost themselves!"
"Cao De cultivated this method using the blood of all sorts of Demonic Creatures as well as Human Race Martial Artists. This kind of Blood Sha is especially impure. Though it may be more effective and pack a formidable punch, it only makes the risk of demonic possession greater!"
Seeing Cao De in that state, Lu Xuenning couldn't help speaking up.
The Longyuan Prefecture Jinyiwei Commander's Office had orthodox Spirit Aperture Realm Cultivation Methods, and they had hardly any obvious side effects. Yet Cao De had chosen to cultivate demonic magic!
The Great Zhou Dynasty strictly forbade such methods. That alone was enough to cost Cao De his life.
But since Cao De had dared to reveal himself in front of everyone tonight, he had no intention of letting anyone present leave alive!
"Little girl, you're young, but you know your stuff."
"That's right. I cultivate the Blood Sha Skill!"
"I know the court won't tolerate this Cultivation Method, but I had no choice!"
"I worked diligently for twenty years as the Jinyiwei Baihu of Ping'an County, and I went to the Longyuan Prefecture Jinyiwei Commander's Office armory several times to exchange Merit Points for Spirit Aperture Realm Cultivation Methods."
"But I was too dull-witted! I exchanged for three whole Spirit Aperture Realm Cultivation Methods, and I couldn't master a single one."
"In the end, even the Spirit Aperture Realm senior guarding the armory told me plainly that if I couldn't even get started on the three simplest methods, exchanging Merit Points for other Spirit Aperture Realm Cultivation Methods would be a waste, with no point to it."
"So was I supposed to spend my whole life stuck in this godforsaken place, unable ever to become a Spirit Aperture Realm Martial Artist?"
"No!"
"I refused!"
"I wasn't willing to accept it. I would defy the heavens!"
"And now I've succeeded. I used the Blood Sha Skill to open my acupoints and connect with the vitality of heaven and earth. I've become a true Spirit Aperture Realm Martial Artist!"
"Afterward, I can switch to another Spirit Aperture Realm Cultivation Method and convert the Blood Sha in my body. I may never make another step forward after that, but I'll be satisfied."
"Speaking of which, I should thank you for slaughtering your way through Ping'an County and eliminating the Demonic Creatures."
"The reason I arrived late tonight was that I first went to the Government Office and refined the essence and blood of every Demonic Creature there."
"Now I've refined the essence and blood of the Demonic Creatures and Martial Artists here as well. The Blood Sha in my body has grown even stronger. I've opened three acupoints, and the vitality of heaven and earth I can draw in has grown more abundant."
"Are you ready to welcome death?"
Cao De strode forward like a dragon and a tiger, brimming with confidence. Blood Sha Qi billowed around him as he gripped the Meteorite Iron Blade, his force surging from his body and his clothes fluttering in the windless air.
"Go!"
"Cao De has become a Spirit Aperture Realm Martial Artist, and he's already opened three acupoints. Even if he took a shortcut down an evil, heretical path, he is still a genuine Spirit Aperture Realm Martial Artist."
"The five passes of the Spirit Concealment Realm are only the starting point of the Martial Dao. The Spirit Aperture Realm and the Spirit Concealment Realm are worlds apart!"
"I've already sent for help from Longyuan Prefecture. Don't be rash for the sake of momentary courage. Take a step back, and the world opens up. As long as the green hills remain, there'll be no shortage of firewood!"
Lu Xuenning grabbed Chen Fan's arm and spoke in a grave voice. But no matter how hard she pulled, Chen Fan didn't budge, making her all the more anxious.
"Go?"
"I can leave, but what about all of you?"
"What about our Jinyiwei brothers who trusted us and followed us here to stand against Cao De?"
"Anyone can leave today. Anyone but me, Chen Fan!"
Chen Fan spoke with unwavering resolve.
The Jinyiwei looked at him with shining eyes. They knew they had made the right choice. They hadn't followed the wrong man!
"Hahaha!"
"None of you are getting away. You're all going to die!"
"Blood Sha Palm!"
Cao De laughed loudly. He sprang into the air, light as a swallow, and shot toward Chen Fan like a streak of light!
"I said I wouldn't leave, but I don't remember saying I was staying here to let you butcher me!"
"So what if you're a Spirit Aperture Realm Martial Artist?"
"Let's see whether my Ten Realms of Martial Dao can beat your crooked path!"
Facing Cao De's attack, Chen Fan remained perfectly calm. He unleashed the Heaven and Earth Grinding Disc Fist. His punch burst forth, carrying the surging vitality of heaven and earth, its terrifying force seeming capable of smashing the world and tearing the sky apart!
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