Defeat

"Alright, Qing'er, that's enough. I want to take my time playing with this bitch. Don't drown her in venom."

Green Snake walked over and gently patted the head of the giant snake named Qing'er.

Then he looked at Huang Rongyue, whose lips had turned purple. She had no strength left and was barely clinging to life, completely at his mercy.

Huang Rongyue's long hair hung loose.

She was already stunning, and dressed in a white gown, she looked like a pure lotus flower.

Her utter weakness only made her all the more heartbreakingly beautiful.

Green Snake clicked his tongue again and again, his eyes shining. She was a sight to behold.

"Submit to me, or die." Green Snake tossed his dagger up and down, speaking with mocking amusement.

Just then, Huang He's voice rang out again. "If you've got the guts, fight me one-on-one!"

The next moment, he let out another scream. He was clearly outmatched and had fallen into the enemy's trap.

Huang Rongyue was frantic and tried to struggle.

But all she could manage was a feeble twitch. Her weakness made what little strength she had drain away even faster, and her breathing grew labored as she grew more and more feeble.

That fragile, broken look was utterly captivating!

She had given up all hope. The Huang Family had already lost its momentum, and there was no turning back!

Green Snake's heart raced.

"Miss Huang, don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit."

"I'll give you two choices."

"First, submit to me willingly and hand over that desperate technique of yours. I'll spare the Huang Family."

"Second, I'll take you by force, then make you watch the Huang Family fall and your father die right before your eyes. How about that?"

He grinned wickedly, bringing his Green Snake mask close until it was pressed against Huang Rongyue.

Just then, an alarm bell suddenly rang in his heart. He hurriedly turned around.

A ghostly figure came gliding toward him, slamming a fist down at him.

In the blink of an eye, Green Snake dodged.

With a deafening crash, the spot where he'd been standing collapsed, sending dust billowing into the air.

Green Python received the signal too. Releasing Huang Rongyue, it quickly slithered away and reached Green Snake's side.

"Blood Ghost, you son of a bitch, you finally showed up!" Green Snake landed steadily and glared at the Blood-Colored Mask, instantly flying into a rage.

"My little Qing was about to break through to the Blood-Changing Realm, but you snatched the opportunity from me."

"You stole my Sandalwood Purple Bamboo. I'll kill you!"

Lu Li gave a disdainful sneer, unwilling to waste words on this madman.

His gaze flashed like lightning as he took a long, hard look at Green Snake.

He saw that Green Snake's strength was roughly on par with Huang Rongyue's.

His confidence soared. Victory was already in his grasp.

When Green Snake saw that Lu Li wasn't responding, he continued on his own. "Blood Ghost, you're still at the Organ-Refining stage, aren't you?"

He glanced at the Blood-Qi Wolf Smoke surrounding him. "I've already set out for the Blood-Exchange Realm. See the Blood-Qi Wolf Smoke around me?"

"I'll give you a chance. Work for me, or you'll die."

Lu Li ignored him, taking a small bottle from his sleeve and pouring some Detoxification Powder into Huang Rongyue's mouth.

At once, Huang Rongyue's complexion visibly began to improve, and the purplish black color of her lips gradually faded.

Green Snake's pupils abruptly contracted at the sight.

"Qing'er, attack!" Green Snake shouted.

He hadn't expected Lu Li to be so skilled in the use of poisons as well—to actually be able to neutralize his Green Snake Saliva Powder!

It wasn't that he feared Lu Li. He feared Huang Rongyue once she had fully recovered.

Huang Rongyue's Mountain-Sinking Peak-Breaking technique was truly overbearing. If he faced it head-on, he wasn't confident he could evade it.

If he took a hit and lost some of his fighting strength, that would be troublesome.

More importantly, he'd come here as an assassin.

Among his collaborators were even forces from the imperial authorities.

As an assassin despised by everyone, he had no choice but to preserve as much of his strength as possible.

"Leave that beast to you." Lu Li spoke to Huang Rongyue in a hoarse voice.

Most of the poison in Huang Rongyue's body had been neutralized. She flipped herself up and looked at Blood Ghost with an extremely complicated expression.

At his words, her lips moved, as if she wanted to say something.

But then she remembered that both Green Snake and Green Python were on the verge of breaking through, and that their strength was evenly matched. So she said nothing more.

A trace of concern surfaced in her heart at the thought of Blood Ghost facing Green Snake.

All she could do now was quickly deal with the beast, so she could free her hands and help Blood Ghost.

"Be careful. Don't meet him head-on. I'll come help you as soon as I'm free!" she said quickly, then struck the giant python lunging at her with a palm.

Lu Li pushed Flying Swallow Step to its limit and stamped down hard.

His tremendous strength whipped up a gale, sending roof tiles flying in every direction.

He charged at Green Snake, unleashing all his strength. His very first strike brimmed with killing intent and the confidence to win in one blow.

Green Snake had thought little of him and thrust his dagger straight at Lu Li.

But Lu Li struck it with a straight punch, bending the blade out of shape.

The dagger had been transformed into a miniature Malay Kris.

"What?" They hadn't clashed directly before because Green Snake's attention had been on Huang Rongyue. He'd believed she was the real threat.

As for Blood Ghost, he'd thought of him as little more than an afterthought.

He hadn't expected Lu Li to destroy his weapon with a single punch. His heart bled at the sight.

He had spent forty-nine days coating that dagger with poison!

And that wasn't all. The force traveled through the dagger into his hand, instantly splitting his palm and sending blood gushing out.

The shock traveled from his hand to his forearm and then his shoulder. His entire arm trembled, numb and aching.

"What domineering strength!"

Just as he stood aghast, Blood Ghost suddenly vanished from before his eyes. When he reappeared, he was behind him.

Green Snake hurriedly used his movement technique, but Lu Li caught up with ease.

With no other choice, Green Snake turned and threw a punch.

With a bang, a vast cloud of white powder burst out, blotting out the sky and sun.

It was all the Green Snake Saliva Powder he had. In this quantity, it was enough to poison half a city.

A shrill cry suddenly sounded by his ear, like the bellow of a giant elephant, deafening him.

A gust of wind swept through, scattering the powder. Green Snake's arm twisted violently, and his body staggered backward.

His feet scraped a deep furrow across the rooftop.

At last, he dug his heels in and only just managed to stop at the edge of the roof.

His left arm was now shattered, and he could barely still use his right.

He looked at Lu Li, who stood tall and steady, brimming with strength and unmoving as a mountain. Green Snake's heart tightened.

Lu Li had long expected his opponent to use poison. He had kept Detoxification Powder in his mouth the entire time.

He'd used this trick several times already. Naturally, he wasn't going to fall for it.

"Blood Ghost, I admit defeat." Green Snake began to beg for mercy. "I'll trade you a secret for my life."

Lu Li's footsteps slowed slightly.

In that instant, Green Snake suddenly leaped up and lunged at Huang Rongyue.

As long as he and Qing'er could seize Huang Rongyue, he'd be able to trade her for his life with Blood Ghost.

But he'd underestimated Lu Li's speed and vigilance.

The instant Green Snake moved, Lu Li moved too. In a flash, he grabbed him and smashed him to the ground with a punch.

At the same time, Huang Rongyue unleashed her full strength.

She swung out Mountain-Sinking Peak-Breaking with immense force. A sonic boom cracked through the air, and her savage strike smashed the giant python's head.

Blood poured everywhere, and yellow-white matter sprayed in all directions as the great serpent's body convulsed and spasmed.

She spat out a mouthful of blood, her aura growing faint.

She glanced at Blood Ghost, gritted her teeth, and made her way to his side.