The great battle ended with Chen Chong's death, and the dense forest returned to silence.
Leng Shuangyu spat out a mouthful of blood. The breath she had held until now finally gave way completely, and her body swayed as if she might collapse.
This was her first time facing a Buddhist-worshipping, mutated opponent like Chen Chong. Not knowing the depths of his abilities, she had suffered a major loss and sustained internal injuries.
In terms of blood and qi strength, she had originally crushed Chen Chong. But there was a gap in the power of their martial arts. Chen Chong's hammer technique was some kind of superior hammer art, and his strength had been amplified by Buddhist worship, evening out their combat power. In killing force, Chen Chong had even held the upper hand.
If Li Mu had not intervened, she might have been severely wounded—or even killed.
"Steward, are you all right?" Li Mu supported her, sensing that her injuries were far from light.
"It is nothing serious... Li Mu, thank you for this time."
Pallor showed through Leng Shuangyu's icy face. Supported by Li Mu, she steadied herself and slowly caught her breath.
She took out a small bamboo tube from her robes and lit it. A streak of fire shot whistling into the sky, where an emerald-green flare blossomed overhead.
While waiting for reinforcements from the manor, Leng Shuangyu took medicine and regulated her breathing, while Li Mu waited at her side.
He examined Chen Chong's corpse. The black blood flowing from it dried upon the soil, corroding the weeds and fallen leaves and swiftly devouring the life within them. It was terrifying to behold.
"The path of Buddhist worship is deeply wicked and poisonous, not the righteous path. Great Qian was utterly right to suppress Sacred