Chapter 760: Seizing the Fiend (3)

The other man was exceptionally fat. He wore a fine robe, and his round belly was so large it threatened to burst his sash. A shrewd glint, however, would occasionally flash from within his narrow, squinted eyes.

Lü Hanyin was refining the Evil Qi, but he still kept a sliver of his Heart and Spirit focused on his surroundings. “We have Brother Feng’s Soul-Seeking Compass to thank for leading us to this spring of Nine Nether Yin Fiend.”

Hearing this, the man named Feng Yu felt the fat on his face jiggle. He laughed and said, “Brother Lü, you’re too kind. It was nothing. Just as long as you don’t forget what you promised me.”

A cold, imperceptible glint flashed in the depths of Lü Hanyin’s heart, but he smiled and said, “Of course. Rest assured, Brother Feng, Brother Zhang. As soon as I successfully absorb this wisp of Nine Nether Yin Fiend and my Power greatly increases, I will certainly not forget what I promised you both. Your shares of the Nether Iron and Black Water Sinking Gold will be delivered into your hands.”

Feng Yu nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Zhang Huaguo, whose expression had been grim for a while. “Brother Zhang, what’s wrong? You’ve seemed troubled ever since you returned.”

Zhang Huaguo glanced at Lü Hanyin, who was busy refining the Evil Qi, and said in a low voice, “A few days ago, I ran into two True Disciples from the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect. I was at a disadvantage when we fought. Since they’ve appeared at Longze Lake, their target is likely this place as well. I suspect they’re not here with good intentions.”

“The Celestial Treasure Upper Sect?”

Hearing this, Lü Hanyin’s closed eyelids twitched, and his brow furrowed. “Brother Zhang, do you know who they were?” Although he was at a critical moment in his refining, he was well-informed and quite wary of the top experts among the younger generation of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect.

“One was a woman whose Cultivation Technique was of the Water Attribute. The other… was a kid who uses a spear. His Spear Technique is fierce and powerful, and his True Essence is strangely robust and immense.”

Zhang Huaguo’s heart still pounded with fear as he recalled Chen Qing’s strength.

“Oh?”

Hearing the description, Lü Hanyin carefully recalled the intelligence Within the Sect about the Celestial Treasure True Inheritance disciples and felt slightly relieved. ‘The one with the spear… The one whose reputation has soared in the past year seems to be that newly ranked eighth, Chen Qing. I heard he just recently broke through to the True Essence Realm. The woman should be Ruan Lingxiu of the Jade Celestial Lineage. Her strength is decent, but she’s only at about the first True Essence Refining. Hmph, two juniors from the bottom of the True Disciple rankings. Their strength is nothing to worry about!’

A great weight lifted from his heart, and he focused even more on absorbing the Nine Nether Yin Fiend.

However, just as the words left his mouth, Feng Yu’s expression suddenly hardened. He whipped his head toward the direction where Chen Qing and Ruan Lingxiu were hiding and roared, “Someone’s here!”

Before his voice had even faded, his thick, fleshy palm had already struck out through the air toward a dense, black-misted reef area several dozen yards away!

BOOM!

A vast and heavy, earth-yellow True Essence Palm Seal materialized out of thin air. It crushed forward like a small mountain, sending out shockwaves that made the surrounding reefs tremble. Countless fragments of rock shot out, and a large area of the black mist was forcibly dispersed.

Forced out by the palm’s wind, two figures had no choice but to reveal themselves. It was Chen Qing and Ruan Lingxiu.

Ruan Lingxiu’s gaze immediately locked onto Lü Hanyin above the spring. “Brother Chen,” she said coldly, “that’s the Demon Sect’s Tenth Elder, Lü Hanyin!”

Chen Qing’s gaze swept across the scene, taking in the Cultivation of all three individuals. He now had a firm grasp of the situation.

Zhang Huaguo and the fat man were only at the Secondary True Essence Refining. They were no cause for alarm.

And right now, Lü Hanyin was too preoccupied to be a threat.

Chen Qing said in a low voice, “Send the signal first.”

“Understood.”

Without hesitation, Ruan Lingxiu immediately took a signal flare from her robes.

With a sharp WHOOSH, a streak of red light shot into the sky, exploding into a conspicuous ball of fire against the gloomy canopy.

Zhang Huaguo’s face changed slightly. “The people from the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect really tracked us down?!”

Lü Hanyin cursed inwardly. He was at the most critical juncture of absorbing the Nine Nether Yin Fiend. If he was forced to stop, not only would all his previous efforts be wasted, but he might also suffer a backlash from the Evil Qi that could damage his foundation.

He gritted his teeth and said urgently, “Brother Zhang, Brother Feng! Please, help me hold these two off for a moment! As long as you can stall until I finish refining, I, Lü Hanyin, am willing to double the reward I promised you!”

Zhang Huaguo and Feng Yu exchanged a look.

Double the reward was enough to tempt them into taking the risk.

“Alright! Brother Lü, be quick!”

Feng Yu licked his thick lips, a vicious light revealing itself in his small eyes. “I’ll deal with the woman. The kid with the spear is all yours, Brother Zhang!”

Zhang Huaguo silently cursed Feng Yu’s cunning. He knew Chen Qing was a tough opponent, yet he’d been thrown the hard bone to chew. But there was no time to refuse; he could only brace himself and agree.

His figure flickered, and he took the initiative to charge toward Chen Qing.

Seeing Zhang Huaguo rush toward him, a thought flickered in Chen Qing’s mind.

ROAR!

The blood and qi in his body roared like an erupting volcano. The low cries of a dragon and an elephant echoed from within him as a Dark Gold Luster flowed across the surface of his skin. The ferocious aura of a primordial beast radiated outward.

He joined his fingers like a sword. Combining the immense blood and qi in his body with his True Essence, he jabbed a finger forward!

Nine Heavens Thunder Shocking Finger!

This was the very same Upper-Grade Martial Arts he had learned in his early years at the Wutai Sect. Now, empowered by his incomparably powerful Flesh Body’s blood and qi and his pure True Essence, its might was a world apart from what it once was!

The Finger Wind was as sharp as lightning, its ear-piercing shriek tearing through the air. It was as if it had truly summoned a wisp of Nine Heavens Thunder Fiend. A beam of incomparably condensed, violet-white Finger Light shot straight for Zhang Huaguo’s face like a Thunder Shock tearing through the gloom!

Zhang Huaguo dared not be careless. He knew how formidable Chen Qing was and immediately circulated his True Essence at full Power, throwing a punch. A cyan-black Fist Gang tried to block the Finger Light.

BANG!

The Finger Light and the Fist Gang collided with a muffled thud.

Zhang Huaguo felt a tyrannical and scorching Power penetrate his body. The shock made his arm go numb and his blood churn. He stumbled back several steps, his face a mask of horror and disbelief.

“How is this possible!?”

He cried out in shock.

They hadn’t seen each other for just a few short days, yet Chen Qing’s strength had increased to a terrifying degree?!

The ferocity and violence of this Finger Power far surpassed the Spear Technique he had used in their previous fight. It was simply appalling!

Having gained the upper hand, Chen Qing pressed his advantage, giving Zhang Huaguo no chance to breathe.

He suddenly splayed his five fingers before clenching them into a fist. The blood, qi, and True Essence throughout his body gathered madly into his right fist, which erupted with a brilliant Dark Gold Luster.

Dragon Elephant Power!

He didn’t use any complex moves, just a simple punch thrown through the air!

The fist seal left his body, instantly transforming into a tangible stream of dark gold light wreathed in the phantoms of a dragon and an elephant. Its speed was too fast for the eye to follow!

Everywhere it passed, the air roared violently as if under an unbearable load, as if a vacuum tunnel had been forcibly punched through it. Even the frigid surface of the Yin River below was pressed down, forming a deep trench!

Zhang Huaguo’s pupils shrank. The shadow of death instantly enveloped his heart.

He let out a low roar. No longer holding back, he bit the tip of his tongue and spat out a mouthful of Essence Blood. The aura around his body suddenly surged!

Cyan Heaven Palm Seal! Infinite Ruler!

He simultaneously unleashed his Divine Secret Technique and his last-resort Magical Treasure!

A cyan palm seal, even more solid and massive than before, materialized in the air. Its palm lines were clear, looking like the cyan sky itself descending as it fearlessly slapped toward the Startled Swan Fist Seal!

At the same time, a short ruler radiating a faint black light flew out from his sleeve. It transformed into a black stream of light and stabbed straight for Chen Qing’s heart—an attack on a vital point the enemy would be forced to defend!

BOOOM—!!!

The Fist Force, empowered by the Dragon Elephant Power, was the first to collide with the Cyan Heaven Palm Seal!

Like a meteor striking the earth, the terrifying boom shook the entire Ghost Cry Ravine.

The seemingly invincible Cyan Heaven Palm Seal, when faced with the Startled Swan Fist Seal containing the Dragon Elephant Power, was like paper-mâché. It held for less than half a breath before it began to crumble from the center, disintegrating into a sky full of cyan specks of light.

And the black light of the ruler was sent flying back by the aftershock of the fist seal, letting out a mournful cry as its Spiritual Light dimmed.

The fist seal’s momentum barely lessened as it continued onward with unstoppable Power, brutally stamping itself onto Zhang Huaguo’s chest!

PFFT—!

His Protective True Essence shattered like a soap bubble.

Zhang Huaguo’s chest caved in, a depression visible to the naked eye. The sound of his bones shattering was like firecrackers popping.

His whole body was sent flying backward like a kite with a snapped string, smashing heavily into a massive black reef behind him.

CRACK! The reef fractured from the impact. Zhang Huaguo was embedded within it, blood pouring from his seven orifices. His head drooped lifelessly, his breath completely extinguished.