"Old man, I've been waiting for this day for a long time!"
Completely abandoning all restraint, Xie Feng revealed a ferocious expression, his gaze towards the four elders brimming with murderous intent.
Sensing Xie Feng's resolute determination, the four elders felt a jolt of unease.
" Xie Feng, you have been poisoned by our ' Heartbreak Powder.' If we all die, without the antidote, you won't live more than six months!"
Elder Zhang stared menacingly at Xie Feng, attempting a final effort.
Since Xie Feng seemed determined to break off all pretense, there was nothing more for him to hold back on; he could simply threaten him directly.
They had long known that Xie Feng was exceptionally talented, and that if left to develop, he would eventually become Peak Grandmaster, and it was even possible that he could glimpse the realm of the Half-step Innate.
Therefore, although they recommended him to succeed as the gang leader, they left behind a means of checks and balances, secretly poisoning him with the deadly poison "Heartbreak Powder".
The Heartbreak Powder" was a formula they obtained from a master of poisons. It was colorless and odorless, and its effects did not manifest immediately after ingestion; instead, death would occur a year later due to intestinal perforation and rotting.
Furthermore, the effects of this drug are extremely subtle, and those who are affected cannot detect it at all. The previous leader of the Beggars' Sect' Sect was killed by them using this drug.
This deadly poison can only be suppressed with an antidote every year; otherwise, death is certain.
Currently, only the four of them can concoct the antidote for the Heartbreak Powder. If they die, Xie Feng will also have to perish with them.
If it weren't for the extreme difficulty in preparing the Heartbreak Powder and the preciousness of the required materials, they would have wanted to get it for Xie Feng's wife and daughters as well.
"Hmph! Do you really think I don't know that once poisoned by the Heartbreak Powder, even with an antidote to suppress it, one won't live past ten years? Rather than linger on in agony, I'd rather die with you old dogs!"
With a cold snort, Xie Feng's killing intent surged again, now tinged with a tragic grandeur.
He has been poisoned with the Heartbreak Powder" for two years, which means he has at most eight years left to live.
Moreover, he has to keep those four old dogs happy; otherwise, if they turn their backs on him and stop giving him the antidote, he'll die.
Rather than being controlled by these four old dogs, it's better to go down in Jade and Stone Burn Together now, at least then I won't have to bear the infamy after I die.
And if he were to die, his wife and daughter would certainly not fare well.
Therefore, he must seize this golden opportunity!
Upon hearing this, the four elders' expressions turned even uglier. They exchanged glances and, without any warning, suddenly attacked Xie Feng, intending to eliminate this troublesome enemy first and then find a way to escape.
"We've been waiting for you to make your move!"
Unexpectedly, faced with the coordinated attack of the four elders, Xie Feng grinned maliciously, his body suddenly swelled up strangely, emitting a heat, and his whole body turned as red as a boiled shrimp.
Its aura surged several times over, and its power was now comparable to that of Half-step Innate level expert.
However, judging from its twisted and ferocious face, this enhancement clearly came at a price.
" Three Entries into Purgatory!"
With a soft shout, enduring the excruciating pain in his meridians, Xie Feng bent his right thumb and little finger, and used the remaining three fingers to point at Elder Zhang, unleashing a burst of scorching finger force.
This time, the finger force was no longer in its previous formless state, but instead took on a crimson color, like a laser beam, and radiated a terrifying heat.
The three finger strikes were faster than anyone could imagine. Elder Zhang only managed to dodge two of them before the third strike pierced his throat.
Strangely, no blood flowed from the wound in his throat; instead, it emitted a burnt smell.
After delivering this blow, Xie Feng immediately retreated, dodging the attacks of the other three elders, but ultimately a wound was still slashed across his right rib.
Although it was just a small wound, it brought Xie Feng unimaginable pain, and a spicy sensation spread throughout his body.
He knew that this was Elder Wu's unique poison, which could not only cause intense pain but also corrode muscles, bones, and flesh.
If left unchecked, the person will eventually be corroded into pus.
However, Xie Feng was also a Ruthless. He pointed his fingers like a knife and directly sliced off the skin and flesh around the wound on his right rib. Then he channeled his scorching Fortune into his palm and pressed it down to stop the bleeding.
The three elders on the other side did not pursue, but looked at Elder Zhang, who lay dead with his eyes wide open, with fear and apprehension.
It should be noted that Elder Zhang was the most powerful among the four of them, having reached the Mid Grandmaster Level, only slightly weaker than Xie Feng.
But now they were wiped out in one move, which was far beyond their expectations.
Faced with such a powerful Xie Feng, they hesitated, unsure whether they should continue their assault.
The three hesitated for a moment, then glanced around instinctively. When they saw the thick walls made of piled-up rocks, they almost wanted to curse.
The original purpose of building this hall for gathering righteousness was to divide the spoils, which was done in secret. Therefore, apart from the main gate, no exits were built, and there weren't even any windows.
The walls were made of huge bluestone blocks, several feet thick, and they couldn't possibly break through them with their strength.
Now that there's such a formidable person blocking the entrance, we're really going to be trapped like fish in a barrel!
Unfortunately, they hesitated, but Xie Feng did not.
After roughly treating the injury under his ribs, he charged forward without stopping, unleashing the same move, Three Entries into Purgatory.
This time, the three elders were on guard. Elder Wang, who was the main attacker, retreated rapidly, dodging the three scorching finger strikes with uncanny speed. But before he could even rejoice, he heard two shouts of "Watch out!"
Sensing something was wrong, Elder Wang tried to dodge by rolling on the ground like a lazy donkey, but it was too late.
Taking advantage of the moment he dodged, Xie Feng flashed forward and pointed a finger at Elder Wang's dantian.
Having done all that, Xie Feng ignored the old man and turned to attack Elder Tan, who was closest to him and whose movement technique was the worst among the four elders.
Elder Wang eventually resorted to his "Rolling on the Donkey" technique, but he didn't stop rolling. He let out a hoarse roar, his old face twisted like a vengeful ghost, and his skin turned blood red, radiating a heat that was very similar to Xie Feng's current appearance.
After struggling for a few moments, Elder Wang's body was steamed with water vapor, and in the blink of an eye, he turned into a dried-up corpse. All the moisture inside was burned away, and there was even a burnt smell coming from it.
This is precisely the killing move of Xie Feng King of Hell Finger, which uses his own scorching finger force to ignite the opponent's true energy, causing it to burn fiercely, and anyone hit by it will undoubtedly die.
Seeing Elder Wang's miserable state, the remaining two elders were terrified. Without thinking, they turned around and rushed towards the many branch leaders behind them, partly to escape Xie Feng's pursuit, and partly to use their numbers to surround and kill Xie Feng.
Elder Sikong, with his superior agility, successfully slipped into the crowd, but Elder Tan, who was targeted by Xie Feng, was not so lucky. After being caught by Xie Feng, he was killed with a single finger after only a few exchanges.
Under normal circumstances, with Elder Tan's Early-Stage Grandmaster cultivation and various underhanded methods, he could fight Xie Feng for over a hundred moves. If he were determined to escape, it wouldn't be easy for Xie Feng to capture him.
But now, Xie Feng has used some secret technique, and his strength has increased dramatically, making him comparable to Half-step Innate expert.
In this way, killing Elder Tan, who was at the Early-Stage Grandmaster, would naturally not be a difficult task.
Before Xie Feng could even catch his breath after killing Elder Tan, a barrage of sharp and insidious Hidden Weapon shot towards him.
It was Elder Sikong who organized the chaotic and terrified counterattack launched by the many branch leaders, intending to kill Xie Feng using Hidden Weapon.
None of them were weak, and with someone organizing them, the Hidden Weapon they unleashed almost completely blocked all of Xie Feng's escape routes.
Logically speaking, there was absolutely no way Xie Feng could withstand this fatal blow, unless the opponent possessed a powerful move like the Dragon Emperor Divine Fist, forcibly knocking these Hidden Weapon away from a distance.
It was obvious that Xie Feng didn't have such means, but he used another method to break this seemingly inescapable predicament.
Xie Feng managed to dodge most of the Hidden Weapon by rolling on the ground like a lazy donkey, and the rest were covered by his outer garment. In the end, only one silver needle pierced his abdomen.
Ignoring the silver needles in his abdomen, Xie Feng launched his attack, unleashing dozens of scorching finger strikes before the other leaders could react.
This laser-like finger strike was exceptionally sharp; those struck by it would be crippled even if they didn't die. In just one strike, more than a dozen people died, and more than twenty others wailed in agony.
Ignoring all that, Xie Feng seized the opportunity to rush into the crowd and engage in close combat with everyone.
He didn't use the Three Entries into Purgatory again. Although that move was incredibly powerful and a rare ranged attack, it consumed a lot of true energy. It was best to avoid using it if possible, otherwise he wouldn't be able to sustain it for long.
Even so, the leaders, including Elder Sikong, were filled with fear, because compared to the Three Entries into Hell move, Xie Feng's other killing move Purgatory Burns the Body, was even more terrifying.
Those who are poisoned almost certainly die, and what's most terrifying is that they will all eventually turn into mummies, a gruesome sight that nearly drives everyone to despair.
Wang Hao at the entrance already put immense psychological pressure on them, and now their gang leader has transformed into a killing machine, slaughtering them with such brutal methods.
Although they are all masters of evil arts, each with at least a hundred lives on their hands and extremely strong mental fortitude, there are still limits. Clearly, today's scene has exceeded their limits.
Fortunately, Xie Feng's burst of power also had its limits. After killing most of the people present, Xie Feng's aura began to decline rapidly, and his attacks were no longer as swift and fierce as before.
This scene brought great joy to the crowd who were on the verge of despair. They rallied their spirits and intensified their attack on Xie Feng. Even Elder Sikong, who had been directing from the rear, stepped forward to join the offensive.
However, he was rather cunning, only launching Hidden Weapon from several feet away for ranged attacks, avoiding close combat with Xie Feng to prevent being ambushed.
" Young Master Zhu, a hero like Chief Jie should not die at the hands of a villain!"
Looking at the battle unfolding in the hall, Zhang Yi couldn't help but speak in a low voice.
After all, Xie Feng had saved his life before, and he acknowledged that favor. Now that he saw Xie Feng in danger, he couldn't bear it.
However, Wang Hao was in charge today, and he was only trying to redeem himself, so he dared not take action on his own.
"Keep a close watch on the door, don't let anyone escape."
Wang Hao did not give a direct response, but simply instructed Zhang Yi to continue guarding the main gate and not let a single person escape.
Although he didn't receive a definite response, Zhang Yi smiled.
Because he knew that Wang Hao had decided to take action.
On the other side of the hall, in the battlefield, Xie Feng still couldn't lure Elder Sikong closer. With a determined heart, he unleashed his last bit of true energy and used the move " Three Entries into Hell ".
Three laser-like finger strikes shot out in a triangular pattern, blocking all of Elder Sikong's escape routes. This was Xie Feng's final, deadly attack!
However, faced with this deadly move, Elder Sikong did not dodge at all. Instead, as if he had expected it, he grabbed with both hands and threw the two helmsmen beside him out to block the three finger strikes.
That wasn't all. Elder Sikong grabbed with both hands and flung seven or eight people over in succession before finally dissipating the three scorching finger strikes.
"Well!"
Seeing that his final, desperate attack had failed, Xie Feng sighed and collapsed to the ground. His breath plummeted to an all-time low, leaving him on the verge of death, with the possibility of taking his last breath at any moment.
"Heh heh... You're still too green to try and outsmart me, kid!"
Elder Sikong chuckled coldly; as a seasoned veteran, he always maintained a certain level of vigilance.
He had been on guard against Xie Feng suddenly launching an attack. Although it was just a cautious precaution, it was better to have one than nothing, no matter what the specific situation was.
As expected, Xie Feng had a trick up his sleeve. If he had rashly joined the battle, he would have been seriously injured, if not killed.
The remaining twenty-odd Beggars' Sect' Sect leaders chuckled, but kept a few steps away from Elder Sikong, displaying a deep wariness towards him.
They had all witnessed what happened. Even as members of the evil path, they found such tactic of pushing their own people out to take the fall utterly despicable.
"Laugh, laugh more, or you won't have another chance!"
Just as everyone was feeling smug, a playful voice suddenly rang out, making everyone Instinct as if their hearts had been clenched, and their joy froze on their faces.
At some point, Wang Hao stood beside Xie Feng, coldly looking at them.