The Corrupt Mire Blood Battle, The Muscle-Refining Evil Cultivator

# Chapter 21: Bloody Battle at the Rotten Mud Pool, Tendon Refining Evil Cultivator

On the moonless night, beside the Rotten Mud Pool, the yin wind howled mournfully and evil qi permeated the air.

With Li Yifan's command, the Seventh Squad burst from their hiding spots like hunting leopards!

"Kill!"

Zhao Xiong roared, shoulder to shoulder with Sun Shi, shields and blades raised like a rock-solid vanguard, meeting the first two Water Ghost Hags charging at them. The hags' claws scraped across the shields with a grating screech but were firmly blocked.

Qian Xiaoliu hid behind a tree, bowstring twanging in rapid succession. Two arrows streaked through the air, precisely aimed at the eye sockets of two more Water Ghost Hags! One hag reacted a beat too slow—the arrow punched through her eye, eliciting a bloodcurdling scream. The other swatted the arrow away with a claw.

Chen Feng and Zhang Tie struck from the flanks, long sabers flashing, tying up the remaining Water Ghost Hags to prevent them from encircling the squad.

Li Yifan's target was clear. He activated Spirit Fox Steps, his form like lightning, charging straight at the hag Qian Xiaoliu had shot in the eye! Strike while the iron was hot! His waist saber blazed with scorching Nine Yang True Qi as he executed "Flowing Fire Style," aiming straight for its throat!

Though wounded, the hag's ferocity remained undimmed. She swung her sticky claws at the blade!

"Riiip!"

Nine Yang True Qi countered evil beings. Where the blade passed, black smoke billowed. The hag's claws were severed clean at the wrist! Before she could scream, Li Yifan shifted his saber momentum—"Prairie Fire Style" followed in an instant, blazing saber-light sweeping across her throat!

A hideous head flew into the air. Stinking blood sprayed. The Water Ghost Hag died on the spot!

[Killed Water Ghost Hag. Nine Yang True Qi's evil-countering effect is significant!]

Without pausing, Li Yifan lunged at the next one. His Bone Forging Late cultivation erupted at full force, combined with his Minor Accomplishment Iron Bone Technique. His movements were agile while his defense soared. Occasionally tanking a Water Ghost Hag's attack, he only felt a slight tremor—nothing serious. This let him focus entirely on offense.

Burning Wood Saber Technique unfolded, saber-light sweeping like a wildfire. Wherever it passed, Water Ghost Hags fell one after another. Zhao Xiong and Sun Shi held the line steadily. Qian Xiaoliu's arrows never missed. Chen Feng and Zhang Tie coordinated seamlessly. Each squad member did their part, and soon the five or six Water Ghost Hags that had crawled ashore were completely cleared.

But the battle wasn't over. From the nest at the center of the mire, rustling sounds came again. Three or four more Water Ghost Hags crawled out, one of them notably larger, its aura approaching Bone Forging Initial! More importantly, the pure evil qi seeping from the depths of the swamp suddenly thickened, carrying a heart-stopping pressure!

"Careful! The real one's coming!" Li Yifan warned sharply, his gaze fixed grimly on the direction of the evil qi.

Through the thick fog, a dark silhouette slowly emerged. The newcomer also wore a black robe, but his frame was taller and thinner than the one from Linshan County. His face was hidden beneath his hood's shadow, only a pair of eyes flickering with ghastly green ghost-fire visible. The evil qi coiled around him was pitch-black like ink, icy and bone-piercing—far beyond the Water Ghost Hags. His aura was unmistakably Tendon Refining Initial! A full two minor realms above Li Yifan!

"Hehehe... a bunch of Xuntian Guard small fry, daring to kill my pets?" The black-robed man let out a rasping, grating laugh. His gaze swept over the corpses of Water Ghost Hags and finally fixed on Li Yifan. "Especially you, boy... your yang energy is quite abundant. Excellent material for refining a 'Mysterious Yin Corpse Puppet'!"

Mysterious Yin Corpse Puppet? Li Yifan's heart tightened. The name alone sounded far more formidable than an ordinary corpse puppet! A Tendon Refining Initial Evil Cultivator! The pressure was immense, but his eyes remained sharp, betraying no fear.

"Form up!" Li Yifan ordered in a low voice. The squad members immediately contracted into a defensive formation. Li Yifan stood at the front, saber held horizontally. His Nine Yang Burning Heaven Technique and Iron Bone Technique activated simultaneously, his aura sinking like a mountain.

"Hmph, putting up a futile resistance!" The black-robed man snorted. His form blurred, turning into a puff of black smoke as he lunged forward with astonishing speed! A withered hand shot out, five pitch-black fingers dripping with corrosive evil qi, clawing straight at Li Yifan's face!

Li Yifan's pupils contracted. Spirit Fox Steps dodged frantically as his waist saber slashed out. His Major Accomplishment Burning Wood Saber Technique was pushed to its limit, the blade glowing crimson as it met the claw!

"Clang!"

A piercing metallic clash rang out! Saber and claw met, sparks flying! Li Yifan felt a surge of yin-cold force rush through him, his arm shuddering violently. But his lower body was rooted like a boulder—his Minor Accomplishment Iron Bone Technique's defense showed its worth as he weathered the impact, retreating only half a step! The black-robed man's palm also went slightly numb from the scorching true qi transmitted through the blade, his offensive momentum stalling!

"Oh? Tough bones! Scorching true qi!" Surprise flickered in the black-robed man's eyes. He hadn't expected a mere Bone Forging Late brat to withstand his blow without being defeated!

At that moment, Zhao Xiong and Sun Shi's blade-and-shield attacks came from both flanks, sealing his escape routes. Qian Xiaoliu's stealth arrow arrived silently, aimed at his back. Chen Feng and Zhang Tie slashed at his lower body! The squad's coordination was flawless, their assault like a tidal wave!

The black-robed man roared in fury, exploding with evil qi that knocked back Zhao Xiong and Sun Shi, swatting away Qian Xiaoliu's arrow. But Chen Feng and Zhang Tie's blades were already upon him—he had to split his focus to dodge. Li Yifan seized the opportunity, saber-light rising again. "Burning Wind Style" followed like a shadow, targeting his vital points!

Though the black-robed man's cultivation was higher, Li Yifan's Nine Yang True Qi inherently countered his evil arts. Coupled with the Iron Bone Technique's formidable defense, his saber technique at Major Accomplishment, and his seasoned moves, the man found himself unable to gain the upper hand for the moment. Meanwhile, the Xuntian Guard squad members, though weaker, fought fearlessly with seamless coordination, constantly harassing him and fraying his nerves.

The battle became a stalemate. Several times the black-robed man launched fierce assaults, but Li Yifan neutralized them with his solid foundation and agile footwork. When they did clash head-on, it was evenly matched. Some squad members were wounded, but their formation held.

"Damn it!" The black-robed man grew increasingly agitated as his attacks failed to break through. Though he held the advantage, taking down this tightly coordinated group—especially that brat with the abnormally solid foundation—in a short time was no easy task. This was still Xuntian Guard territory. If things dragged on, unexpected trouble might arise.

He feinted, forcing Li Yifan back, and stared at him with cold eyes: "Boy, I didn't expect your foundation to be this solid! You're lucky today! Once my 'Mysterious Yin Great Technique' reaches completion, I'll come back for your life!"

With that, he swept his sleeve, releasing a thick cloud of black smoke that shrouded the area. When the smoke cleared, he and the remaining Water Ghost Hags had vanished without a trace.

Seeing the Evil Cultivator retreat, Li Yifan let out a breath. The hand gripping his saber trembled slightly. What had seemed like an evenly matched fight was actually him going all-out, his consumption enormous. The squad members were also wounded, panting heavily.

"Captain, you alright?" Qian Xiaoliu asked with concern.

"I'm fine." Li Yifan shook his head, but his heart was grim. The Tendon Refining Realm was indeed powerful. If not for his Minor Accomplishment Iron Bone Technique greatly boosting his defense, his Major Accomplishment Burning Wood Saber Technique giving him sharp offense, and his teammates fighting with their lives, today might have ended very differently.

"Clean up the battlefield. Withdraw to Fishery Salt Town as fast as possible!" Though they had driven off the Evil Cultivator, this battle had exposed the gap in their strength. He had to raise his cultivation faster!