"I've been waiting for you! You little brat, die!"
Yin Kui's chilling, vicious voice rang out, brimming with murderous intent and greed, certain of his victory.
He wanted more than Li Qingshan's life. He had also set his sights on the Top-Grade Pill Furnace and the unknown pills inside!
However, though Li Qingshan seemed relaxed, he had never stopped circulating the Lesser Heaven-Veiling Secret Art. His divine sense remained vigilant, constantly watching his surroundings.
The instant that black light appeared, he sensed it!
"Mystic Origin Shield, appear!"
With a thought, the Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact Mystic Origin Shield, which had been kept half-activated inside him, shot out. It transformed into a heavy shield of light etched with a tortoise-and-serpent design and precisely blocked the black light!
Clang!!
A piercing clash of metal rang out. The black light was hurled away, revealing a black Bone Spike that reeked of blood!
The force sealing the space was also easily dispelled by the radiance emanating from the Mystic Origin Shield.
Li Qingshan rode the momentum forward several dozen feet, then wheeled around. His expression icy, he stared at Yin Kui, who had emerged from the shadows with a look of astonishment.
"Fellow Daoist Yin, what is the meaning of this? We have no grudge between us. Why launch a sudden attack?" Li Qingshan asked in a low voice. Longevity True Essence surged through him like a river, while the Ice Sword and Soul-Extinguishing Needle stood ready.
He needed to find out why the other man was so determined to pursue him.
The astonishment on Yin Kui's face quickly gave way to even more intense bloodlust and greed. "No grudge? Hmph! Boy, you have the aura of my Yin Luo Sect's unique Baleful Intent on you. It's extremely faint, but there's no way it could escape my senses! You killed someone from my sect! And you still dare play dumb?"
His eyes gleamed with excitement and cruelty. "I only meant to kill you and clean house. I didn't expect this unexpected bonus! This pill furnace and the pills inside it are destined to be mine! You're only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, yet you dare act so arrogantly just because you have a decent shield? Break!"
He let out a shout and formed hand seals. Demonic energy surged around him as a ghastly white Bone Blade flew out from the crown of his head. It swelled in the wind, then slashed viciously at the Mystic Origin Shield amid the shrill wails of ghosts!
The Bone Blade was immensely powerful. It was another Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact, and paired with Yin Kui's Foundation Establishment Late Stage demonic cultivation, its might was astonishing!
Boom!
The Mystic Origin Shield shuddered violently, its ochre radiance rippling. Though it remained intact, the slash had dimmed its light somewhat.
Li Qingshan's blood and qi churned from the impact.
"You've got some tricks, I'll grant you that! Let's see how many hits you can take!" Yin Kui sneered. His attacks grew fiercer, the Bone Blade transforming into a vast sea of blades that fell like a raging storm.
A sharp glint flashed in Li Qingshan's eyes.
Now that he knew the reason—and since his opponent was intent on killing him—there was no need to hold back!
He deliberately showed weakness, controlling the Mystic Origin Shield to struggle from side to side and appear badly pressed. But in secret, he had already made all the necessary preparations.
The instant Yin Kui believed victory was assured and let his guard drop, Li Qingshan struck!
He flipped his left hand, activating two talismans that blazed with dazzling light!
One turned into dozens of enormous, jagged golden trees that crashed toward Yin Kui with the force of deadwood snapping before a storm.
Second-Rank Top-Grade Talisman: Gold-Wood Talisman!
The other unleashed a sky full of ice spikes. Bone-piercing cold sealed off every avenue of escape.
Second-Rank Top-Grade Talisman: Ice Rain Talisman!
These two second-rank talismans, upgraded to top grade by the Wish-Fulfilling Gourd, were far more powerful than ordinary ones!
"What?! Top-grade talismans?! Damn it, how could you have such treasures?"
Yin Kui's expression changed drastically. In his haste, he recalled the Bone Blade to guard himself, while also summoning a black Ghost-Head Shield and pouring demonic energy into it like mad!
Second-rank top-grade talismans were exceedingly rare. Ordinary talisman masters couldn't even draw them. Could this man have a Golden Core True Person backing him?
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Crack! Crash!
The trees slammed into their target, and the ice spikes exploded!
A powerful storm of spiritual energy swept through the entire pill chamber!
Yin Kui's defensive light flickered violently. The Ghost-Head Shield gave a mournful wail, then was blown to pieces!
The impact sent Yin Kui staggering backward again and again. His blood and qi churned, and a thread of blood trickled from his lips. He had suffered internal injuries!
Yet this was only the beginning!
Just as the talismans' bursting radiance had yet to fade—
Whoosh!
A blue-white sword ray, cold enough to freeze the air, shot silently through the turbulent energy like a venomous snake lying in wait. It thrust straight for Yin Kui's chest! The Ice Sword!
At the same time, a nearly transparent glimmer followed close behind, ignoring his remaining demonic defenses as it aimed for the center of his brow! The Soul-Extinguishing Needle!
A surprise attack, a double killing blow!
"No—!" Yin Kui's soul nearly fled his body. He let out a scream of sheer terror.
He twisted desperately, trying to dodge the vital points.
Splurt!
The Ice Sword missed his heart but pierced his right chest. Frigid sword qi erupted, freezing half his body stiff and purplish!
The Soul-Extinguishing Needle grazed past his temple. Though it didn't strike directly, its terrifying force—meant to wound the soul—swept over him. His sea of consciousness felt as if it were being churned by steel needles. His vision went black from the agony, and he screamed as blood seeped from all seven orifices!
Gravely wounded!
In a single exchange, Yin Kui, a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator, had been gravely injured by Li Qingshan's swift, thunderous attack!
"Ah! You little beast! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"
Yin Kui looked like a madman, pain and humiliation overwhelming him completely.
A crazed glint flashed in his eyes. He suddenly slapped his chest and spat out a large mouthful of his vital blood essence.
As the blood essence burned, a terrifying aura far beyond anything before erupted from his body!
His skin turned bloodred, and his veins bulged. His cultivation forcibly surged from Foundation Establishment Late Stage to Foundation Establishment Great Perfection in a matter of moments!
"Get away from me!" he roared, his raging Devil Essence exploding like a storm!
Boom!
The Ice Sword, which bore the brunt of the blast, was sent flying by the terrifying force, its radiance dimmed!
Li Qingshan was also driven backward with the Mystic Origin Shield, his blood and qi churning inside him!
Though Li Qingshan had deep reserves, the gap between their cultivation levels was simply too great.
"Good! Good! Good!"
Yin Kui panted heavily. The sword wound in his chest had been temporarily sealed by the burning blood essence. He stared fixedly at Li Qingshan, his eyes full of savagery, greed, and a trace of uncertainty.
"You're only at Foundation Establishment Early Stage, yet you have so many Top-Grade Spiritual Artifacts and top-grade talismans! Your combat strength is far beyond that of anyone at your level! You must be hiding a tremendous secret! Once I capture you and search your soul, everything will become clear!"
He advanced step by step, his Foundation Establishment Great Perfection spiritual pressure crushing down on Li Qingshan like a tangible force.
Li Qingshan's expression was grave, but his mind remained exceptionally calm.
Burning blood essence to force a breakthrough would not last long and would bring endless troubles afterward.
But at this moment, Yin Kui truly had the strength to overwhelm him.
He couldn't hesitate any longer!
Just as Yin Kui sneered and prepared to unleash a thunderous strike to capture Li Qingshan alive—
A fierce glint flashed in Li Qingshan's eyes. Without hesitation, he brought out his final trump card!
A seemingly ancient red talisman floated in front of him, radiating a heart-stopping power of destruction—Third-Rank Low-Grade Talisman Treasure: True Yang Talisman!
The moment it appeared, the temperature in the entire pill chamber soared, as if it had instantly become a furnace! An aura of Supreme Yang, fierce and unyielding, spread through the chamber, the bane of all evil spirits!
The sneer on Yin Kui's face froze. In its place came boundless fear and shock!
"A talisman... a Talisman Treasure?! A third-rank Talisman Treasure?! How could you possibly have one?! No—!"
He screamed in terror and frantically urged all his demonic energy into defense, retreating as fast as he could in an attempt to flee the pill chamber!
But it was too late!
Li Qingshan's expression remained impassive as he poured every last bit of his Longevity True Essence into the Talisman Treasure.
"Vmm—!"
The True Yang Talisman abruptly shone like a miniature sun!
The next instant, nine condensed streaks of True Yang Fire, burning with a terrifying heat, shot out like nine roaring fire dragons!
This fire was pure Supreme Yang, the natural bane of all demonic arts and ghostly energy!
The demonic barrier Yin Kui had raised was like paper before the True Yang Fire. It was pierced and vaporized in an instant!
"No!! My master is a Golden Core elder of the Yin Luo Sect! He won't let you get away with this—!"
Yin Kui's despairing curse rang out.
His voice cut off abruptly.
The nine streaks of True Yang Fire swallowed him whole!
There were no screams, no struggles.
Before the might of a Talisman Treasure, comparable to a strike from a Golden Core True Person, a Foundation Establishment cultivator was like an ant trying to stop a chariot.
When the flames died down, only a small pile of human-shaped ashes remained.
Even his storage pouch and Bone Blade had been reduced to nothing.
The might of a third-rank Talisman Treasure was plain to see!
Silence returned to the pill chamber. Only the scorching heat left by the True Yang Talisman and a faint smell of burning remained.
Li Qingshan's face paled slightly. He quickly recalled the Ice Sword, Mystic Origin Shield, and Soul-Extinguishing Needle, then snatched up the black Bone Spike that Yin Kui had dropped.
It was a Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact, after all. He couldn't let it go to waste.
Unfortunately, the third-rank Talisman Treasure had been too powerful. Yin Kui's storage pouch had burned to ash, and any treasures inside had vanished with it.
He spared the pile of ashes no more than a glance, then quickly turned his attention back to the Dark Gold Pill Furnace.
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