Blood for Blood

"Godfather!"

Outside the Poplar Forest, Lin Qi listened to Luo Tai's shrieks, so agonized they no longer sounded human.

Lin Qi's face turned extremely ugly. His body instinctively lunged toward the forest, but after taking just one step, he forcibly stopped himself!

How long had it been since his godfather went in? Yet he had already met with disaster. What difference would there be between charging in now and throwing his life away?

Run!

Once that thought surfaced, it spread through his mind like wild grass!

He did not hesitate in the slightest. He did not even have the courage to look back one last time before turning and running.

Just as he rounded a low sand dune, a figure abruptly appeared before him.

Lin Qi's pupils contracted, and his feet came to an abrupt halt.

"Since you're already here, why leave in such a hurry? Shouldn't you at least say hello first?" Xiao Ding slowly said, holding a heavy greatsword as he calmly watched him.

"Xiao Ding!"

Lin Qi gritted his teeth as he stared at him. Why was he here?

If he was here, then who had set the trap inside the Poplar Forest?

Could it be that the Desert Iron Mercenary Group had some hidden expert backing them, one he knew nothing about?

"Lin Qi!" Xiao Ding raised his greatsword and pointed its tip directly at his opponent's throat. "It's time to settle the score between us!"

Before his words faded, the ground beneath Xiao Ding's feet collapsed. With an unstoppable momentum, he charged at Lin Qi!

Seeing this, Lin Qi knew there was no peaceful end to this matter today. A fierce glint flashed through his eyes.

A crimson Dou Qi veil emerged over his body, while the silver spear in his hand began to hum.

Clang!

Blades collided with a deafening crash!

A violent shockwave of energy erupted from the two men and spread madly outward, scraping away an entire layer of sand from the surrounding ground!

Xiao Ding's wood-element Dou Qi possessed remarkable endurance.

His greatsword swung in broad, powerful arcs, every strike carrying crushing force that drove Lin Qi steadily backward. Lin Qi did not dare meet him head-on at all.

Fire-element Dou Qi was known for its ferocity, explosiveness, and powerful aggression, while Lin Qi's attacks were sinister and vicious, targeting Xiao Ding's vital points.

The two were evenly matched in strength.

But now, Xiao Ding attacked with reckless abandon. His eyes were bloodshot, and he had completely abandoned defense. Every move was an exchange of life for life, with no concern for the consumption of his own Dou Qi.

"Madman! You fucking madman!"

Lin Qi was driven into peril again and again by Xiao Ding's suicidal fighting style, filled with both shock and fury!

His Dou Qi had not fully recovered to begin with. Under Xiao Ding's frenzied assault, he found himself increasingly unable to cope, forced into passive defense as the Dou Qi within him drained at an astonishing rate.

He grew more and more anxious! Xiao Ding, that madman, was relentlessly hounding him from the front, while an unknown mysterious expert waited within the Poplar Forest behind him. If this dragged on until his Dou Qi ran dry, he would undoubtedly die!

He could not wait any longer!

A resolute glint flashed through Lin Qi's eyes! He swung his spear with all his strength, forcing Xiao Ding back temporarily before swiftly widening the distance between them.

He drew a deep breath and poured every last trace of Dou Qi in his body into the spear in his hand without reservation!

High Yellow-Tier Dou Technique, Flame Python Coiling Spear!

In an instant, crimson fire Dou Qi spiraled and condensed madly around his spear. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a translucent giant flaming python.

"Die!"

Lin Qi roared as he violently thrust his spear forward!

Facing this fierce attack, Xiao Ding did not panic. He likewise drove the Dou Qi within him to its limit!

Low Black-Tier Dou Technique, Wooden Prism Shield!

A Dou Qi shield covered in profound patterns appeared before him.

Boom!

Lin Qi's giant flaming python slammed viciously into Xiao Ding's Wooden Prism Shield.

Violent energy swept up sand that filled the sky, engulfing an area dozens of meters wide!

Pfft!

Xiao Ding only felt a violent force explode against the Wooden Prism Shield. His chest felt as though it had been smashed by a massive hammer. A sweetness rose in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. He staggered back more than ten steps before barely steadying himself.

Lin Qi did not fare much better! Although he had been the attacker, the rebounding force from the Wooden Prism Shield still made his blood and Qi churn. Even the arm holding his spear trembled uncontrollably!

Now!

Suppressing the discomfort in his chest, Lin Qi desperately fled forward while the sandstorm spread around them and obstructed Xiao Ding's vision.

"Don't even think about it!"

How could Xiao Ding let him get his way? He spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, gripped the greatsword with both hands, and began spinning rapidly. Once he reached a critical point, he hurled it fiercely at the center of Lin Qi's back.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A fierce sound of tearing wind suddenly came from behind him. Lin Qi was scared out of his wits. His vision was completely blocked, so how the hell had Xiao Ding located him so precisely?

Lin Qi could not understand it, but he had no time to figure it out.

He did not dare slacken in the slightest. He turned around awkwardly and held his spear horizontally before him.

Clang!

The greatsword crashed heavily against the shaft like a boulder. The terrifying force split Lin Qi's tiger's mouth open, sending blood streaming down!

Lin Qi clenched his teeth and resisted with all his might. Borrowing the immense force of the impact, his body shot away like an arrow loosed from a bow, fleeing even faster into the distance.

Watching Xiao Ding grow farther and farther away until his figure became blurred, Lin Qi finally let out a breath of relief.

As long as there's life, there's hope!

As long as he could return alive to Stone Desert City, pack his things, and leave this troubled place at once!

Godfather, brothers—none of them mattered more than his own life.

Just as he let his guard down for an instant!

A dazzling silver spear light shot toward him from behind a sand dune to his side.

Lin Qi's face stiffened. Without time to think, he frantically raised his spear to block.

Clang!

Another sharp crash rang out!

This time, he was not so fortunate.

Three violent arcs of lightning raced along the spear shaft, quickly spreading to his arm before coursing through his entire body.

Lin Qi's body stiffened, and he immediately lost control of it.

Not good!

Lin Qi's expression changed drastically! The earlier battle had already consumed most of his Dou Qi. He could not even maintain the Dou Qi veil over his body steadily anymore! As a result, he was completely unable to move now.

"Lin Qi! Pay with your life!"

Xiao Li's furious roar exploded beside his ear like a thunderclap!

He turned his head with difficulty and saw a bright silver spear growing larger and larger in his pupils.

Pfft!

The sharp spear tip pierced straight through his heart without resistance.

"You... urgh!"

Lin Qi spat out a huge mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs, staring in terror at the spear that had pierced his body.

He reached out and weakly grasped the spear shaft, seemingly still trying to make one final struggle.

But Xiao Li would not give him another chance. He yanked out the spear, then immediately thrust again, this strike piercing through Lin Qi's throat.

Lin Qi's body shuddered, and the light in his eyes swiftly dimmed.

With a thud, his corpse fell onto the yellow sand. He was dead beyond doubt.

"Haha... cough, cough! Good! Well done!"

Xiao Ding's swaying figure emerged from the yellow sand.

Looking at Lin Qi lying motionless on the ground, he could not help laughing aloud. But his excitement tugged at his internal injuries, triggering a violent coughing fit as a thread of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

"Big Brother!" Without even glancing at the corpse beneath his feet, Xiao Li rushed forward and caught Xiao Ding, who was nearly falling.

Xiao Ding looked at Lin Qi's corpse, then at his younger brother beside him. A glimmer of moisture appeared in his eyes.

"Brothers... we... have avenged you!"

He raised a hand and heavily patted Xiao Li on the shoulder. The two brothers exchanged a look, and everything was understood without a word.