Blood Refining

Ning Gongdao didn't hesitate much in the plaza.

Chiii!

Inner Qi swirled around his fingertips.

The Inner Qi, like clouds and mist, seemed sentient as it seeped into the Anomaly Seeking Talisman.

The Anomaly Seeking Talisman was an entry-level talisman with the ability to locate anomalous positions, making it very precious.

Whoosh!

The Anomaly Seeking Talisman instantly burned, turning to ash. Simultaneously, small green light particles condensed, forming a tiny green arrow.

The arrow was spirited. Its tip spun in the air, pausing in all four cardinal directions.

"It paused in all four directions, meaning anomalies have appeared around the entire Qingshan Village."

Finally, the arrowhead settled in the west. Then, the entire arrow body shifted slightly, causing the surrounding air to ripple. The next moment, the arrow transformed into a green thread of light and flew into the far distance.

Boom!

A sonic boom erupted on the spot, the white shockwave kicking up dust across the entire plaza.

"Let's go!"

"The arrow can hold the anomaly in place for fifty breaths. If I can find it before it breaks free, I can kill it easily."

"Remember to drive the villagers away." With a reminder, Ning Gongdao's figure floated away, moving as fast as a wisp of breeze, clearly employing a profound movement technique.

If I can find the anomaly early, I can save myself a tough fight, Ning Gongdao thought, accelerating.

Boom!

Forty-five breaths later, Ning Gongdao abruptly stopped, halting at a blue brick courtyard.

Silently calculating the time, he sighed, "Too late."

Although there were still five breaths left, entering the courtyard and searching for the anomaly would take longer than that. Rushing into the courtyard now would likely result in a surprise attack.

Staring at the crimson-red main gate of the courtyard, Ning Gongdao sneered, "Too bad, little thing, you can't escape now."

He forcefully pulled the Little Willow Tree from his shoulder and tossed it into the sky.

The willow tree ascended. In an instant...

Buzz!

The Little Willow Tree's body remained unchanged, but countless hair-thin aerial roots grew wildly, spreading densely and covering everything.

In the sky, mid-air, countless aerial roots even burrowed into the ground, sealing off roughly three hundred meters around.

Stepping into the sealed area, Ning Gongdao gently grasped the door lock.

Click! The lock shattered, falling to the ground with a crisp sound.

He pushed the door open.

At the same time, on the main door of the large house, a hollowed-out door also made a crisp sound. The door opened simultaneously.

Hmm?

The atmosphere in the courtyard suddenly fell silent.

Ning Gongdao stared expressionlessly at the door. The room inside was dark, and he couldn't see anything.

Creak! Creak!

The door opened wider.

"Hee hee hee... Hee hee hee."

A sharp, piercing female voice emerged. "So, I've been discovered again."

The hem of a white dress appeared, followed by a small foot stepping out.

Ning Gongdao's body was suffused with Inner Qi. He clenched his fists, and one could clearly see that he wore a pair of transparent, soft leather gloves.

Those were his weapons.

"Hee hee... Originally, I wanted to spare you. I already gave you a chance..."

"I already gave you a chance... If you don't leave, then die..."

Boom! Before it could finish speaking, the door was suddenly blasted to smithereens by an immense force. A large hand, passing through the scattering wood chips, grabbed its neck.

Ning Gongdao looked indifferently at the anomaly hanging from his arm, surprise in his eyes. "When I found you before, you weren't like this. But it doesn't matter, as long as it's you. I really didn't expect you to be an anomaly with a bit of intelligence."

"Little thing, don't you think you talk too much?"

Without waiting for the anomaly to speak, his Inner Qi surged, gathering in his palm.

Chichichichi!

Streams of black smoke emerged. This was the violent reaction from the Inner Qi interweaving and consuming the anomaly's Black Membrane.

Unlike Martial Apprentices who killed anomalies with talisman power, even the Blazing Flames Talisman's talisman power, being equivalent to Body Refining Inner Qi, was superior to the Black Membrane of a Sha-level anomaly. Thus, it could break through the anomaly's Black Membrane and kill the anomaly without much effort.

The Black Membrane of a Sha-level anomaly was equivalent in level to the strength of Body Refining Inner Qi. When fighting at the same level, whether to shatter each other's Body Refining Inner Qi or the anomaly's Black Membrane, it would come down to attrition.

Killing a Sha-level anomaly with the Blazing Flames Talisman is like slicing tofu, but killing a Blood Sha-level anomaly is like hacking at it with a knife – the difficulty is worlds apart.

"Aaaah!" The white-robed anomaly reacted, letting out a furious roar as its fingernails began to grow rapidly and turn black.

A nauseatingly foul odor filled the air.

"Die!"

A flash of dark light, and its sharp claws lunged towards Ning Gongdao.

Before it could strike, Ning Gongdao loosened his grip on its neck.

He raised his palm and unleashed a powerful blow, slamming it into the anomaly's chest.

BOOM!

Instantly, a force like an overwhelming tidal wave, accompanied by a piercing howl, crashed into its chest.

The air exploded, and sound waves rippled outwards.

Along with this immense power came a ferociously violent surge of Inner Qi.

After Blood Refining, his Inner Qi's quality had been immensely enhanced. Now, his rolling Inner Qi acted like a bomb, detonating within the anomaly's chest.

The anomaly shrieked as its entire body was sent flying.

CRASH! It slammed directly into the wall, the impact shattering it into pieces.

Ning Gongdao took a step forward, raising his arm and throwing a punch.

With the same terrifying power and speed, before the anomaly even hit the ground, he punched it again, striking its body.

RUMBLE!

Still airborne, the anomaly was blasted away again by Ning Gongdao's punch, causing the wall to crumble. The entire room began to collapse with a roar.

The anomaly watched helplessly as this human, this "predecessor," subdued it. The overwhelming, mountain-crushing power of the combo left it with the illusion of being buried under a great mountain.

SWISH! Ning Gongdao slammed his palm onto the anomaly's head, pressing it fiercely into the ground.

His incredibly violent Inner Qi continued to assault its Black Membrane.

"Aaaah!" The anomaly screamed and howled, its hair growing long and sharp like steel needles, stabbing downwards.

STAB, STAB, STAB, STAB!! Black spots appeared on Ning Gongdao's body. His protective Inner Qi surged and churned, shielding him. The anomaly's frenzied assault couldn't break through his guard.

Dark specks flickered across Ning Gongdao's body, but to no avail.

"You're weaker than I imagined."

"Much weaker. You don't seem like a Blood Sha anomaly at all, more like a regular Severe Sha."

"Tell me, how did you defeat a Body Refining Realm martial artist in just a few moves before?"

Looking at the anomaly screaming furiously but unable to struggle or escape, a sudden thought struck him. "Let me guess..."

"You weren't in this form before, and you didn't seem to have much intelligence."

He had found this anomaly before using the Anomaly Seeking Talisman, and Xia Fengshe had tested it. It hadn't been in its current state then.

"Is it because you've gained this sliver of pathetic intelligence, or because changing your form consumed too much evolutionary power?"

"Or perhaps you've cursed too many people, scattering your power too widely?"

As he spoke, his incredibly violent Inner Qi continued to batter the anomaly's Black Membrane.

Finally...

CRACK!

The Black Membrane shattered.

Ning Gongdao's gaze was indifferent. Infinite power gathered, and even stronger Inner Qi erupted, striking directly at the anomaly!

"Die for me!"

PS: Let's let the anomaly die for today. I'll ask for recommendation votes in the meantime. Readers should give them, right? (＾▽＾) Thank you!