A Path Through Death

"Ugh!"

Duan Yi's sneering face froze. A flash of silver streaked across his neck, and under everyone's horrified gaze, his head came tumbling to the ground.

"Bastard! Die!"

The red-clad woman went wild at the sight. Her whole body twisted as she let out a shrill scream, wildly lashing her whip at Lin Yiqing as if the blow had driven her out of her mind.

With his powerful mental strength, Lin Yiqing managed to dodge each attack at just the right moment. Nearby, the Refined Iron Dagger circled through the air like a swimming dragon.

"Slash!"

After several exchanges, a glint flashed through Lin Yiqing's deep-set eyes. At last, the red-clad woman had left an opening.

The Refined Iron Dagger traced a strange arc and pierced through her smooth forehead, scattering a mist of blood.

As for Zhou Han, the instant he fell, Tie Hu cleaved him in two with a single stroke.

"Whew! Good heavens, he killed three Heaven Origin Realm cultivators in a row while only at the Late Earth Yuan Stage. This kid is terrifying!"

Old Smoke Ghost secretly drew a sharp breath, then put on a flattering smile and said, "Young Master Lin is truly blessed with peerless talent. Your strength is unfathomable—this old man can only look up to you like a mountain. Thank you for saving us today!"

"That's right, that's right! Young Master Lin is amazing! I have to thank you too!"

Hearing that, Tie Hu hurriedly added his thanks. Without Lin Yiqing's help, he would have been killed under their combined assault by now.

"Now isn't the time for thanks. We should get out of here first! It'll be trouble if that Origin Pill powerhouse comes after us."

Lin Yiqing didn't dare keep trading compliments with them. If the battle over there ended, their opponent might come after them at any moment.

"Bang!"

Before he could think further, a figure shot out of the woods and crashed heavily to the ground. He was clearly breathing his last.

Lin Yiqing took a look and recognized one of the several Late Heaven Origin Realm powerhouses who had been traveling with them.

"Young Master Lin, this old man has a suggestion. Rather than the three of us fleeing, wouldn't it be better to go help them?"

Old Smoke Ghost's expression changed too. After pondering briefly, he said, "I've heard of Duan Wuxin. He should have only recently broken through to the Lesser Origin Pellet Realm."

"The Lesser Origin Pellet Realm... Then it might indeed be worth a try."

At that, Tie Hu's eyes lit up. He gripped the long saber in his hand, his fighting spirit soaring as he looked at the other two.

"Exactly. Instead of letting him finish off the merchant caravan and then come after us, we should all join forces and attack him. Besides, with Young Master Lin here, our chances are better!"

Lin Yiqing was moved by what he heard. Old Smoke Ghost's analysis made sense.

"The Lesser Origin Pellet Realm..."

He silently weighed their respective strengths. This really was the best option available.

"Indeed. The Origin Pellet Realm is divided into three levels. The first is for cultivators who have only just advanced to this realm, and it's called the Lesser Origin Pellet Realm."

Though Old Smoke Ghost knew Lin Yiqing was surely familiar with this, he explained patiently anyway. "After the Lesser Origin Pellet Realm come the Small Perfection and Great Perfection stages. The president of our Wanjin Chamber of Commerce is a powerhouse at that level."

"Our Wanjin Chamber of Commerce..." Lin Yiqing keenly caught the oddity in the other man's words.

After all, most people in this group should have been hired cultivators, but the way Old Smoke Ghost had spoken suggested otherwise.

"Unless this Smoke Ghost is actually with the Chamber of Commerce, hiding in the caravan."

Thinking this, Lin Yiqing gave him a long look. Come to think of it, he had yet to see Old Smoke Ghost fight with all his might.

"In that case, I'll follow your advice, senior! Let's hurry over and lend them a hand!"

Lin Yiqing kept his suspicions to himself, then turned and dashed toward the heart of the battle.

"Rumble!"

In the distance, the clashes of elemental energy grew ever more intense. The three exchanged glances, then hurried forward to help. Everywhere, people were fighting; the scene was utter chaos.

By now, everyone in the caravan was tied to the same rope. They would either rise or fall together.

"Ha ha! Old Dog Xia, is that all you've got? Weren't you always so good at throwing your weight around?"

Several Heaven Origin Realm powerhouses lay dead in the field. Steward Xia crawled along the ground, his hair disheveled and his body covered in blood, while Duan Wuxin, his own body streaked with blood, laughed wildly behind him.

"Steward Xia!"

Seeing this, Lin Yiqing's expression turned grave. Lesser Origin Pellet Realm powerhouses truly were terrifying!

He wasted no time thinking further. The three charged at Duan Wuxin, and Lin Yiqing swept out a hand, his mental strength wrapping around the sword as it shot toward their opponent.

Duan Wuxin raised his right hand and swept out a blood-red palm print dozens of meters across, knocking the sword flying. Then he glared ferociously at Lin Yiqing. If the three of them had made it here, then Duan Yi and the others were likely dead or captured.

"Hmph! You little brat, you're asking for death!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Duan Wuxin lunged in front of Lin Yiqing and raised his right palm to strike. Seeing this, Tie Hu hurriedly swung his saber at Duan Wuxin's arm.

With a twist of his body, Duan Wuxin suddenly thrust out his right palm. The blood-red glow of his elemental energy stood out starkly in the night.

Lin Yiqing tightened his grip on the long sword and poured Greater Yin True Essence into its blade. Several sword shadows slashed out. On a battlefield, life and death were decided in an instant; he couldn't afford to be careless.

Duan Wuxin frowned deeply. The blood-red glow in his hand grew brighter and brighter. He actually intended to take those sword shadows head-on.

"Boom!"

The clash of elemental energy rippled outward. Lin Yiqing seized the chance to retreat, while Old Smoke Ghost took the opportunity to flick several yellow flashes from his sleeve.

"Armor-Piercing Yuan Daggers!"

Only then did Lin Yiqing realize that Old Smoke Ghost was a Talisman Master hiding his true abilities—and at least a Two-Seal Symbol Master!

The yellow lights flashed. Sensing danger, Duan Wuxin rolled aside, then thrust out several blood-red palm prints to meet them.

"Boom... boom!"

Only then did Lin Yiqing see that the yellow flashes were tiny yellow daggers, each about the size of a thumb. Every one was engraved with runes designed to pierce armor and shatter elemental energy. They were clearly Old Smoke Ghost's deadly weapons.

"Thousand River Moon Reflection Sword!"

Lin Yiqing desperately circulated the Taiyin Scripture. The Greater Yin True Essence inside him boiled, and threads of silver-white moonlight surged from the sword. Raising it before him, he drew a great arc of moonlight as all his elemental energy poured into it.

Soon, a dim, incomplete crescent appeared in front of him. Lin Yiqing flicked his sword point, and the crescent transformed into a silver-white sword shadow several meters long, slashing toward Duan Wuxin in the middle of the battlefield.

"Fourth-Rank Martial Art, Ten Thousand Jun Heavy Strike!"

Tie Hu seized the opening as well. Yellow-brown light glimmered from his great saber as he swung it toward the battlefield.

"Boom!"

The silver-white sword shadow collided with Duan Wuxin, unleashing a violent explosion. The surrounding elemental energy surged outward, and the scattered sword qi tore through the earth as thick clouds of dust billowed across the battlefield.

"Cough, cough, cough! You little ants actually dare to hurt me! Blood Shadow Slash!"

A harsh voice rang out through the dust. A streak of blood-red sword light instantly struck Tie Hu, opening a huge gash across his chest.

Blood sprayed out. The sword light had nearly split Tie Hu in two.

"Uncle Tie!"

Lin Yiqing couldn't help shouting in alarm, but he knew he had to keep his eyes on Duan Wuxin. Otherwise, he would be the next one hit.

Duan Wuxin emerged from the dust, his expression twisted with rage. His body was covered in blood, and he looked badly injured. In his hand was a bizarre, entirely red longsword, lending him a sinister air.

Pain throbbed throughout his body. He could no longer remember the last time he'd been hurt this badly.

"You little brat, I'll tear you limb from limb!"

Duan Wuxin stared at Lin Yiqing with killing intent so intense it seemed almost tangible. He raised his blood-red sword, flashed forward, and lunged at him.

At this critical moment, Lin Yiqing's heart instead grew calm as still water. Since he couldn't dodge, he would fight. A ghostly light flickered in his eyes as mental strength surged out from his Mud Pill Palace, hammering toward Duan Wuxin's sea of consciousness.

At the same time, silver light shone from the long sword in his hand. Greater Yin True Essence surged into the blade. When two foes met on a narrow path, the braver one prevailed!

"Boom!"

The two sword lights collided with a deafening crash. In that instant, mental strength surged through Lin Yiqing's Mud Pill Palace. It compressed again and again, finally taking the shape of a needle before shooting toward Duan Wuxin.

"Spirit-Grade Mental Secret Technique, Spirit-Transforming Needle!"