Abyss Creatures

The black mist shuddered violently, yet it had only shifted less than thirty feet to the side before collapsing, revealing Yin Jiu's face, twisted with shock and disbelief. Splurt!

Thunder Splendor's battle-axe followed close behind. Its blade cleaved through the bone shield Yin Jiu had hastily gathered without the slightest resistance, slashing diagonally down from his shoulder and nearly splitting him in two!

Yin Jiu opened his mouth, the light in his eyes swiftly dimming. His corpse toppled to the ground, blood gushing out and quickly being absorbed by the forest's "soil," leaving behind only a few charred traces.

From start to finish, the battle had taken fewer than ten breaths.

Of the five Corroding Bone City beings, three were dead and two heavily wounded. The two who had been grievously injured by the backlash of Netherdeath power were now taking more breaths out than in, plainly beyond saving.

Thunder Splendor put away his battle-axe and spat. "Pah! And with that little ability, you dared set an ambush?"

Qingwei dispelled the glow of the Longevity Art and walked over to inspect the two heavily wounded beings. Shaking her head, she said, "The backlash of Netherdeath power, combined with the impact of my vitality, has destroyed their Dao foundations. They can't be saved."

She flicked out a wisp of azure fire, burning the two corpses together with Yin Jiu's to ashes, lest they leave traces that could be tracked.

Chu Ming, meanwhile, walked to the ashes of Yin Jiu's corpse and drew several items from the remains of the storage ring that had not yet completely burned away: an identity token from Corroding Bone City, several bottles of sinister poison pills, some decent-quality Nether-attribute materials, and...

A jade slip recording a crude map of the nearby area and several marked points.