Total annihilation

The leader of the Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang, a first-rate master with an Impervious Body.

Blood Eagle, who had swept across a prefecture and looked down on all opposition, had become a corpse.

The instant Li Xian's punch shattered Blood Eagle's throat and cervical vertebrae, all nine other surviving members of the Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang felt their hearts shudder.

It was as though an invisible giant hand had seized their hearts and yanked hard, leaving them in so much pain they could barely breathe.

Was this love?

No!

This was utter panic, fear overloading their nerve signals and setting their hearts trembling.

"Boss!"

"Big brother!?"

"H-how could this happen..."

An unprecedented emotional storm swept through the nine survivors' minds, crushing their composure and reason.

The shadow of death was like January's bitter cold, making all nine involuntarily widen their eyes and gape, their eyes filled with irrepressible horror!

Even their boss, Blood Eagle, had been beaten to death!

Even with their third brother Sparrowhawk and sixth brother Gray Eagle, two Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing experts, attacking together, they had failed to salvage the situation in the slightest. What about the rest of them?

With only Vulture left at Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing, and the rest of them merely at Internal Organ Refinement, what could they possibly use to fight a monster so savage he could beat even a Body Without Leaks Realm expert to death!?

"Damn it!"

Vulture reacted extremely quickly!

Fear in his eyes, he immediately rushed toward the fine horses they had ridden here.

"Trying to leave? Have you asked my permission!?"

Zhou Juechen swept out his hand, blood and qi surging as he instantly reached to seize Vulture.

His vicious claw technique seemed capable of piercing a skull. The hair-raising dread it inspired before even touching him forced Vulture, who had wanted to pull back and retreat, to turn and defend himself.

"Bullying the weak!"

Meanwhile, having beaten Blood Eagle to death, Li Xian showed little emotion beyond disappointment.

These Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang really only knew how to bully the weak.

They had made such a name for themselves around Luoyang that he had figured they must at least be veterans of a hundred battles, peerlessly brave and fierce. Their boss Blood Eagle, with his Impervious Body, ought at least to have attained Blood and Qi Mastery and reached Leakless Great Accomplishment.

He had never imagined the man would merely have an ordinary Impervious Body.

He could not take a beating at all.

And now...

With their boss Blood Eagle beaten to death, their fourth brother, the only remaining Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing expert, was not even thinking of rallying the others to fight him to the death and avenge their boss. Instead, he wanted to flee?

He had utterly disgraced the Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang!

Did they really do nothing but bully the weak, unable to withstand any opposition with even a little strength?

"Since you've thrown away all your dignity, let me give you a hand!"

Li Xian strode forward like a shooting star, heading straight for the many Internal Organ Refinement experts surrounding Zhou Juechen.

Seeing that Zhou Juechen had him pinned down and unable to escape, Vulture immediately shouted, "Form up! Nine Baleful Forces of Tiandu! Zhao Tianming, Bai Yup an, stop him!"

"Me? Stop Li Xian!?"

Zhao Tianming and Bai Yup an both paled.

The fates of Mighty Eagle and Sparrowhawk were still vivid before their eyes.

They were supposed to stop Li Xian!?

Were they to seek their own deaths!?

"Go!"

Rather than stepping forward, the two Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing experts took advantage of Zhou Juechen's attention being focused on Vulture to pull away and retreat.

Not only did they withdraw from the encirclement of Zhou Juechen, but their feet never slowed as they sprinted in great strides straight toward the city.

And not just them!

Among the remaining eight members of the Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang, after witnessing Li Xian's ferocity firsthand and seeing that even Vulture had tried to flee... four whose "loyalty reached the heavens" did form up to try to intercept Li Xian, while the other four...

They felt their own lives mattered more than the brotherhood in their hearts.

They immediately withdrew and rushed straight toward their respective horses.

Seeing this, Zhou Juechen ignored Zhao Tianming and Bai Yup an.

Zhao Tianming and Bai Yup an had substantial households and holdings. They could not leave so quickly.

But the Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang came and went like the wind, without ties or attachments. If even some slipped through the net, they would inevitably leave endless trouble behind.

Since they had already struck, they had to pull up the weeds by the roots and leave not a single one alive!

With that thought, Zhou Juechen drew a deep breath.

"Five Elements United as One!"

He abruptly unleashed the secret technique in the Five Elements Art meant for staking one's life in battle. His five organs resonated, unleashing a blow far beyond his limits that smashed through Vulture's defenses.

Under the terrified gaze of this martial master who had perfected Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing, the thunderous blow crashed into his chest.

"Pfft!"

Vulture spat blood and flew backward.

Having blasted Vulture away, Zhou Juechen maintained the tremendous explosive power of Five Elements United as One and sprang forward, instantly catching the four Eagles fleeing for their lives.

His body slammed heavily into the ground, and Vulture felt as though all his organs were burning. He struggled to raise his head, only to see Zhou Juechen crushing the four Eagles with every move.

As for the four brothers on the other side, who could not even set up the Nine Baleful Forces of Tiandu Formation, facing the incomparably ferocious Li Xian...

It was a slaughter!

One man's slaughter of four!

Almost every time Li Xian raised his hand, a brother inevitably died.

Every punch was accompanied by a brother's death.

In less than two breaths of lightning-fast clashes, he had killed all four Internal Organ Refinement experts on the spot, sweeping through them like rotten wood and dry grass.

Vulture's face was filled with anguish.

That power, that dominance, that ferocity...

They plunged the heart of this Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing expert, who had run rampant without restraint, into unprecedented despair.

"It's over! It's over! To think we Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang would die here!"

He cried out in grief.

Yet blood surged unstoppably from his mouth as he cried.

Walk by the river long enough, and how could your shoes stay dry?

This time, the Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang had fallen utterly!

The price...

Total annihilation.

"I'll leave things here to you."

Li Xian spoke as he watched Zhao Tianming and Bai Yup an running toward the city gate.

Zhou Juechen nodded without saying much, only uttering a grave, "Be careful!"

"All right!"

Li Xian sprang up and chased straight after the two Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing martial masters.

Watching Li Xian set off in pursuit, Zhou Juechen looked somewhat conflicted, and somewhat wistful.

"I should have thought of it sooner."

How could someone like Li Xian, with such a clear mind and pure conviction, possibly be held back by the barrier of Primordial Unity?

Especially after he had read so many books earlier.

Once he perfected Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing, advancing to Impervious Body would come as naturally as water flowing into a channel.

What surprised him a little was Li Xian's strength...

It was too great!

He had only just advanced, yet he could beat Blood Eagle, a first-rate expert renowned for years, to death!

Such combat prowess...

Even compared to experts who had attained Blood and Qi Mastery and reached Leakless Great Accomplishment, it was in no way inferior.

In fact, in a desperate battle where only one could live, with Li Xian's single-minded conviction in combat and blazing battle will, he might well be the one who ultimately survived as the victor.

"Twenty-two years old, and he's already pushed his martial attainments to such heights! Truly inconceivable! If a prodigy like you can't become Fish Leaping Over the Dragon Gate, who else could qualify!?"

In fact...

A bold thought flashed through Zhou Juechen's mind.

There was no need to wait five years!

Li Xian could attend the Dragon Gate Convention in just one month!

With combat prowess in no way inferior to someone who had attained Leakless Great Accomplishment, he might even have the last laugh, claim one of the three Dragon Gate Tokens still available to contest, and ascend to the heavens in a single step, entering that entirely new world!

Elsewhere.

Li Xian was pursuing Zhao Tianming and Bai Yup an.

But...

He was not pursuing them very quickly.

For one thing, he was condensing the Core Force he had just unleashed once more, recovering his stamina.

For another...

He was waiting.

Waiting for Bai Yup an's reinforcements.

This Prince's Mansion Attendant was currently in mortal danger. It would be perfectly normal for him to send someone to the Prince's Mansion for help immediately, would it not?

With even Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing experts fleeing for their lives from him, it would also be reasonable for the Prince's Mansion to send Zhang Shuheng, who was in the Body Without Leaks Realm, to rescue them.

And as commander of the Prince's Mansion's several hundred guards, a Commandery Prince Consort whom the Prince of Yueyang had been willing to recruit even at the cost of marrying off a daughter with a dowry, it would be perfectly reasonable for him to have attained Blood and Qi Mastery and reached Leakless Great Accomplishment long ago with the Prince's Mansion's financial support.

Thus, Li Xian pursued them at an unhurried pace.

But just as he was about to follow them into the city, he sensed something wrong.

They had split up.

Zhao Tianming and Bai Yup an had actually chosen to divide their forces, running in two different directions.

That would not do.

Li Xian's gaze settled on Zhao Tianming.

He had seen this martial master who had perfected Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing when he went to Canglang Mountain over half a month ago.

The man had ridden a tall, fine horse, kicking up dust as they passed each other.

Even then, he had been keeping company with Fang Xin, a guard from the Marquis's Residence, invited by the residence to kill him.

It was just that Li Xian had been hurrying to Canglang Mountain to broaden his horizons, and they had happened to miss each other.

Now...

Power erupted beneath Li Xian's feet, and he sprang forward, instantly closing the distance between them.

Seeing that Li Xian had actually chosen to pursue him, a flicker of fear crossed Zhao Tianming's eyes.

But in the end, he stopped.

"A debt of favors."

He sighed.

Sure enough...

The Marquis's Residence's investment was not so easily accepted.

If he had not accepted the Dingfeng Marquis Estate's investment back then...

Perhaps he would not have cultivated to Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing so quickly, but at least he would not have had to run about for the Marquis's Residence and deal with Li Xian today to repay his debt.

Likewise, he would not have ended up as he was now, facing the fate of dying violently in the street before reaching fifty.

Things had come to this. Regret was useless.

"Practicing martial arts! What are martial arts?"

He faced Li Xian head-on!

Practicing martial arts was precisely so that, when threatened with death, one had the right and the ability to fight back!

Just like now...

The blood and qi within him seemed to be detonated all at once by some secret technique. A blazing, immense power, like a surging tsunami, instantly filled every corner of his body.

"Li Xian!"

Zhao Tianming let out a low roar.

The next moment, he abruptly charged forward, carrying that power surging to its utmost as he punched toward Li Xian, who had closed in to kill him.

Force erupted!

The force of his punch pierced the air, its violent friction producing a muffled thunderclap.

"Heaven and Earth Tyrant Fist!"

Li Xian, however, seemed to understand Zhao Tianming's intent.

His original tactic of first breaking the move and then taking the man's life was instantly cast aside.

He too chose almost exactly the same way of fighting as Zhao Tianming...

A punch!

He did not use the Limit-Breaking State.

Nor did he use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique.

But the Core Force he had just condensed erupted once more, transforming into thunderous power that poured out through his punch.

"Bang!"

Force burst outward, distinctly a notch weaker in its clash with Blood Eagle's punching force.

The sleeve on Zhao Tianming's arm split apart inch by inch at a speed visible to the naked eye, turning to shreds.

Before the sound of shattering bones could spread, this martial master who had attained major accomplishment in blood exchange and marrow washing was already stumbling backward uncontrollably.

The instant Zhao Tianming's punching force collapsed, the force piercing through his arm drove farther into his internal organs with the momentum of a blade splitting bamboo.

"Pfft!"

Blood sprayed from his mouth.

He staggered, the chain reaction from his ruptured viscera leaving him unable to hold himself upright, and dropped to one knee in an instant.

Blood kept spilling from the corners of his mouth as he raised his head with difficulty and looked at Li Xian.

At last...

Trembling slightly, he gritted his teeth and spat out two words.

"That's power!"

A moment later, he collapsed facedown.

(End of chapter)