Minglong

Chapter 427 The Northern Sea Howls in the Night, Thunder Rises, Swords and Spears Clash, the Sound of the Tide Ends!
Midnight.

The North Sea Lake was transformed into a chaotic mess by the torrential rain, its dark waters churning with turbulent waves that almost merged with the dark sky.

The Valkyrie stood solemnly amidst the storm, raindrops sliding down the inky black blade of her sword. Her figure remained motionless, yet her aura was like a sharp sword piercing through the rain, aimed directly at the brow of her formidable enemy.

The Taoist Kongkong concealed all his aura, his scholar's robe slowly becoming soaked by the rain. The three-foot flying sword beside him hummed, its blade flashing with an uncertain light, as if reminding its master of the danger of this attack.

But the insurmountable wall of death stands tall on all sides, leaving no way out.

After a moment's hesitation, the Taoist Kongkong picked up his wine gourd, drank the last mouthful of strong liquor, and then unleashed a sword intent that was almost tangible, spreading outwards, suppressing the surrounding rain and the surging waves.

"Empty clouds, empty cranes, an empty body; idly fishing for cloud light, forgetting worldly dust. I actually understood the meaning long ago, but unfortunately, I am just an ordinary person in the martial world, and I have not yet reached the level of my master. All I have is my swordsmanship, and I have not failed my master's cultivation..."

As the words were spoken, the expression on the Taoist Kongkong's face gradually sharpened, eventually revealing the arrogance unique to swordsmen. He raised his right hand and roared:

"Sword rises!"

hum-

The flying sword beside her trembled violently, its white light turning the world into daylight. The three-foot-long green blade hung between the chaotic world, its boundless sharpness so dazzling that even Xie Jinhuan, who was behind the Valkyrie, felt a bit of blinding light.

But the Valkyrie's veil fluttered in the wind, and her eyes remained unmoved in the face of the overwhelming sword force capable of splitting rivers and seas.

After all, no matter how grand this spectacle was, compared to the aura of the Corpse Ancestor that shook the south for thousands of miles back then, it was still like a firefly under the bright moon.

Back then, she single-handedly defended herself and charged forward to exchange a blow. Although she died after that one blow, how many martial artists in this world have the ability to kill within seven steps of a figure who has established a sect and become a patriarch?

thunderbolt--

Another bolt of lightning tore through the night sky, illuminating the rain curtain several miles between the two.

As the sword energy clashed, the raindrops were gradually sliced ​​apart and turned into a white mist.

The Valkyrie's right hand trembled slightly on the sword, and a scorching aura emanated from her body. Her full head of red hair seemed to be burning in mid-air, and her eyes also burst forth with crimson light. The power of her aura was so strong that even the boundless water energy that suppressed all living beings retreated at this moment. Then:
"Chong-"

The sword's cry was like a phoenix's lament!
The golden-red light then transformed into a swiftly flying star, its sword tip serving as a bird's beak and its eyes as divine pupils, instantly tearing apart the towering waves.

The Taoist Kongkong then made his move, using his body as a sword to traverse between heaven and earth. With just one engagement, he stirred up a giant tsunami that formed around him, even revealing the silt at the bottom of the lake!
Rumbling--

Xie Jinhuan had retreated nearly ten miles, but the impact of their battle was like a nuclear bomb, instantly flattening the waves around him, followed by a mountain-like tide that pressed in from afar.

Two beams of golden and white sword light weaved through it. Leaving aside the destructive power inside, the impact from the outer perimeter alone was enough to kill any cultivator below the Super Grade level.

Finding that he couldn't get in at all, Xie Jinhuan immediately gave up the idea of ​​helping. To avoid becoming a hindrance, he simply took the coal ball and moved away to avoid being ambushed by Kongkong Daoren and becoming a burden.

Ye Hongshang never takes important matters lightly, because this place is extremely dangerous, and Xie Jinhuan is alone. At this moment, he has transformed into a 'ghost radar', scanning all the movements of the surrounding world.

Upon scanning the area, she indeed sensed something was amiss, her gaze shifting to the turbulent lakebed:

"An opportunity is brewing."

"Ok?"

Xie Jinhuan immediately withdrew his gaze and looked towards the location of Xuanwu Shenci, but the light was too dim to see anything. Therefore, his right hand emitted a dazzling burst of lightning:
Stab la la——

A blinding flash of lightning erupted in the sky, instantly casting blurry light and shadow on the deep lakebed.

"Guji?"

The coal ball, tucked under its armpit, kept trying to investigate. Although the blinding electric light almost blinded it, it could still vaguely see a black ball floating at the bottom of the lake, emitting a dark aura. From a distance, it looked almost identical to the coal ball.

A black and red octopus was holding a black ball with its two tentacles, its six legs opening and closing like a jellyfish, and quietly moving outwards.

Upon discovering it was illuminated by the electric light, the octopus immediately raised its head, then waved the Xuanwu Divine Gift, before its six legs suddenly exerted force:

whoosh-

A black line immediately appeared in the lake and disappeared into the distance in the blink of an eye.

"Hey?!"

Xie Jinhuan had been thinking about the city lord's wife these past few days, thinking he would never see her again. He never expected that two great opportunities would come together.

Isn't this a double celebration?
Seeing that Sister Guo didn't need him to cause trouble, Xie Jinhuan didn't hesitate. He plunged into the lake and, like a swimming dragon, chased after the octopus in the direction it had fled.

The coal briquette tucked under his arm, its eyes eagerly fixed on the teppanyaki ingredients, was suddenly pulled into the water and transformed into:

"Gulu gulu gulu..."

After a short while, realizing that he couldn't drown, Coal Ball was slightly taken aback, and then transformed into a supervisor, frantically urging Xie Jinhuan to run faster.

This octopus clearly belonged to someone else. Knowing the danger of this place, it still ran out to take the opportunity, prompting the lone Xie Jinhuan to give chase. It was obviously for a reason.

Xie Jinhuan had only chased after them for a few dozen miles when Ye Hongshang hurriedly reminded him:
"left!"

Boom——

Xie Jinhuan sensed something was wrong and plummeted to the bottom of the lake, slamming his palm onto the muddy lakebed.

Boom boom boom——

Three towering black walls, each several meters high, rose up from the bottom of the lake!

Before it was fully formed, the black wall burst open one after another, and the burst of energy directly shook out vacuum bubbles in the surrounding area. Then, under the water pressure, the bubbles shrank back, and then smoke, dust and mud drifted outward from the broken earthen wall.

Although the earthen wall failed to stop the unknown attack, it clearly served as a hindrance.

Xie Jinhuan seized the opportunity to dodge behind him, holding his sword and mace, and looked toward the source of the attack. He saw a figure in a black cloak hovering in the lake, with two spherical magical artifacts, one black and one white, rotating around him.

Although the face couldn't be seen, the other party wasn't far away, and the ghost had already sensed their movements. Now, a warning was issued:
"It should be Shang Mingzhen."

Shang Mingzhen?
This is truly a triple celebration...

Xie Jinhuan couldn't believe his luck. Instead of rushing to kill his enemy and steal the baby, he first scanned his surroundings to see if Shang Laomo was there.

While Shang Mingzhen hovered in the lake, he was actually observing the movements of all directions.

As Shang Lianbi's apprentice, the first thing Shang Mingzhen learned was that one should never take risks without absolute certainty. Now that he has stepped out, it is naturally after careful consideration.

At this moment, the opportunity has just appeared. According to the rules of divinely bestowed opportunities, cultivators must first refine it. Even cultivators at the peak of the sixth realm can only greatly shorten the time of separating the power of heaven and earth, but cannot swallow it and leave.

Therefore, either Qixia Zhenren or Huanglin Zhenren would definitely be stopped by Yang Huaxian, and the other would have to quickly refine the opportunity and arrive in at least half an hour. Moreover, the power of heaven and earth is too strong, and the distance is too far to judge the situation here.

Although the Valkyrie was nearby, Kongkong Daoren was fighting to the death to put pressure on her, so she couldn't spare any hands to protect Xie Jinhuan in the distance. If she tried to protect him, she would only be attacked and killed by Kongkong Daoren.

Therefore, Xie Jinhuan is now all alone, with at most one bird by his side.

If he doesn't even dare to come out, then he may never have another chance like this in his life.

Shang Mingzhen sensed it slightly and realized that the various immortals were indeed too busy to pay attention to him, and their imposing aura was gradually becoming apparent. He spoke in a hoarse voice:
"You brat, you've got some nerve. If you know what's good for you, hand over the magical artifact and I'll spare your life. Otherwise..."

Xie Jinhuan, fearing he might scare away a great opportunity, did not immediately step forward, but instead responded from afar:

"Gurgle...?"

Finding it difficult to open his mouth underwater, Xie Jinhuan immediately used his internal energy to block the water flow and continued without changing his expression:

"Young Master Shang has come here to seize this opportunity, why are you pretending to be an old man? Heaven's creations are for the capable to obtain. If you and I die here, it's because we're not skilled enough, it has nothing to do with good or evil, right or wrong, there's no need to put on airs."

Shang Mingzhen didn't expect Xie Jinhuan to be so bold. Before he could even make an excuse, the other party produced a 'disclaimer'.

However, he did find these words agreeable, and seeing that his identity could no longer be concealed, he reverted to his original voice:

"I, Shang, am just here to see what opportunities I have. I never expected to run into Young Master Xie. Since we are old acquaintances, I will speak frankly and openly."

"The masked bird was something I came up with on a whim as a gimmick. Young Master Xie used his supernatural powers to take it away. My master, as the leader of the righteous path, naturally acknowledges it, but it is indeed difficult for me to explain."

"Young Master Xie has already gained both fame and fortune by acquiring two divinely bestowed opportunities. If you are willing to return the Dan Bird privately, we can remain fellow Daoists from now on. This Xuanwu divine gift can also be given to Young Master Xie..."

Although the words sound nice, even if Shang Lianbi didn't personally seize the Xuanwu God's gift, Shang Mingzhen wouldn't be able to keep it once he got his hands on it.

Upon hearing this, Xie Jinhuan realized that Shang Mingzhen was indeed a true disciple; even when committing misdeeds, he didn't forget to distance himself from his master. He immediately responded:

"What if I don't give it?"

"As Young Master Xie said, everyone who comes to this place is seeking opportunities, regardless of good or evil. If Young Master Xie refuses this offer, then I, Shang, will seek them out myself, which will not break the rules."

When you go out to seize opportunities, you are responsible for your own life and death; there is no such thing as "I can kill you" or "You can't kill me."

Seeing that they had both signed the death waiver, Xie Jinhuan had nothing more to say.

However, to prevent Shang Mingzhen from escaping halfway through the fight, Xie Jinhuan took out the mask and Dan Bird from his bosom and put it on. The divine gift of Lingguang within his body was activated, and an invisible heat emanated from his body, causing bubbles to appear in the cold lake water.

With the Zheng Lun Sword and Tian Gang Mace as accompaniments, these three divinely bestowed items, combined with three exclusive amplification immortal artifacts, have surpassed some immortal masters and are comparable to half of Shang Lianbi's.

Shang Mingzhen looked surprised, clearly not expecting Xie Jinhuan to actually carry the immortal artifact, the Pill Bird, with him and even dare to take it out.

This thing isn't very useful in the Northern Sea of ​​Darkness; at most, it can be used as a face shield to prevent headshots. It's also difficult to activate the Supreme Yang Thunder Technique here, and the Zheng Lun Sword poses no threat either.

With so many opportunities and magical artifacts on display, it's hard not to be tempted!

Even if his master didn't want to make things worse, if he snatched Xie Jinhuan, turned around and defected to the Underworld God Sect and the Immortal Transformation Sect, and severed ties with Yanbo City, the righteous path would at most say that his master was not strict enough in disciplining him, and could even be implicated and Yanbo City would be slaughtered.

Even if he's slaughtered, it won't matter to him; he's already gotten the opportunity...

Moreover, Xie Jinhuan's wealth was given to him for free by both of them. If he didn't seize this opportunity, he would probably never have peace of mind for the rest of his life.

Therefore, after a brief eye contact, Shang Mingzhen no longer concealed himself. He took out a short sword from under his cloak, and with a slight flick of his wrist, the hilt emitted a stream of light.

chap——

Then the short sword bounced off and transformed into a twelve-foot-long spear, with a blade two feet long. Just by looking at its smooth shape and texture, you could tell it was no ordinary weapon.

The two spheres he held in his hands all day were now swirling around him, one black and one white like yin and yang fish, emanating energy that constantly shifted among the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, clearly making them suitable magical artifacts for the five religions' supernatural powers.

Upon seeing this scene, Xie Jinhuan's gaze sharpened slightly, and his heart began to beat faster.

After all, with the little octopus and the divine gift from Xuanwu, this is four joys... no, five joys at once!

Moreover, Shang Mingzhen possesses two divine gifts: the Azure Dragon and the White Tiger. Given the immense wealth of Yanbo City, he likely also possesses the Vermilion Bird. This one fellow Daoist alone is almost enough for each of his wives to share a chance.

If Shang Mingzhen were to escape, not only would he be spitting blood, but even the White-Haired Fairy would point at his forehead and curse him:

"I gave you a chance, but you didn't do it..."

Therefore, Xie Jinhuan didn't dare to be too irritable. He first told Coal Ball to step back and keep an eye on the octopus, then leaned forward slightly.
Boom——

A muffled thunderclap echoed from the dark lakebed!
Xie Jinhuan charged through the lake, wielding two weapons. Two points of fire shone through his phoenix-patterned mask. Although he lacked the overwhelming power of the Valkyrie, the impact he generated still caused the surrounding black water to boil instantly.

Shang Mingzhen's path is accessible to all five religions, but it is not based on the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth), but rather on the five elements (Taoism, Buddhism, martial arts, witchcraft, and demonism)!
This method of cultivation requires practicing all the incompatible methods of the five major sects, which is far less efficient than Xie Jinhuan's method of transforming Qi.

However, the advantage is that Shang Mingzhen is truly proficient in all kinds of arts. Not only is he proficient in the Five Elements arts, but his physique and spirit are also perfectly matched. There are no issues such as a weak spirit that cannot control the arts or a body that does not support them.

Seeing Xie Jinhuan charging towards him, Shang Mingzhen didn't waste any time. He spread his feet apart, adopted a wide and powerful stance, and lightly shook the long spear in his hand, creating a crisp hum in the water.

hum-

Xie Jinhuan was not careless, but the expected spear strike did not occur. Instead, a shock ring came straight at him.

Although it looked like a gust of wind from a gun, Ye Hongshang gave a warning at the same time as he made his move:

"Hidden within is the Ghost Cry Curse."

The Ghost Cry Curse is a soul-binding spell used in witchcraft, capable of causing paralysis and dizziness.

Xie Jinhuan, having been warned, did not dodge but instead used his internal energy to block, crashing head-on into the attack!
hum~
The next instant, Xie Jinhuan felt as if he had been struck on the head by a heavy hammer, his vision was distorted and his qi flow was slightly disrupted.

Sa——

At that moment, Shang Mingzhen seized the opportunity and suddenly burst forth, bringing with him a two-foot spear tip, thrusting it towards him with the force of a mountain piercing!
clang--

Xie Jinhuan deliberately feigned weakness and revealed his weakness simply because he was afraid the money-giving boy would wander off too far!

At this moment, the opponent chose to launch a close-range attack, and Xie Jinhuan naturally had no more scruples. A stream of light appeared beneath his feet, and his figure flickered.

Although the power of heaven and earth is suppressed here, and one can only rely on one's own energy to support oneself, the Three Pure Ones' Stepping Step can only dodge a few feet at most. However, the advantage of a martial artist is limited to a few feet, and dodging too far is meaningless.

After dodging Shang Mingzhen's attack from the side, Xie Jinhuan unleashed his Heavenly Mace, while simultaneously unleashing a bolt of black lightning as thick as a bowl from his Zheng Lun Sword.

However, as the direct descendant of the Old Demon Shang, Shang Mingzhen reacted quickly. He realized that Xie Jinhuan was deliberately showing weakness after his attack missed, so he immediately spat out a squid fart and teleported more than ten feet away. He clearly used the demonic 'Mysterious Dark Crow Transformation' technique.

Then the cloaked figure suddenly split to the left and right, one into two, two into four, four into eight...

In an instant, dozens of figures shrouded in black mist appeared at the bottom of the lake, darting in different directions, using the 'Myriad Forms of Yin Demons'!
The shadow generated by this move is identical in shape, energy, and form to the original body, and is specifically designed to counter the targeted killing techniques of various sects.

Unfortunately, Xie Jinhuan had slain countless demons and had seen this method before. Without the slightest hesitation, he used lightning magic to strike the place indicated by the ghost.

Boom——

The black lightning unique to the Xuanjiao has extremely high magical damage and can bypass protective magic artifacts to strike the soul directly. Although the Zhenglun Sword can no longer enhance its power, it has a natural advantage when used in the water, making it almost impossible to dodge.

Shang Mingzhen showed off his agility to dodge the lightning strike, but upon discovering that the boy was indeed using cheat codes to lock onto the head, he immediately changed tactics and roared angrily:

"upbraid!"

Boom——

The moment the black lightning struck, golden light surged from Shang Mingzhen's body, and he transformed into a Vajra wielding a spear.

Although the lightning shattered the cloak, the lower robe and even the body remained unharmed. After the impact, the lower robe and even the body flew forward and launched a frenzied attack. The black and white spheres revolving around the lower robe collided in mid-air under the control of divine sense:

thunderbolt--

A blinding flash of lightning then erupted in the center of the lake, turning the surrounding area for miles into daylight!
Due to the underwater environment, the efficiency of Yang Lei was far inferior to Xie Jinhuan's Yin Lei. The lightning bolt, as thick as a water bucket, dispersed into a net of lightning as soon as it was shot out.

However, this increased range of sluggishness made it difficult for Xie Jinhuan, who was limited by the environment, to dodge even with his stepping technique.

Xie Jinhuan realized that Shang Mingzhen was not there to give away money for nothing when he discovered how quick Shang Mingzhen's reactions were and how easily he could use the various sects' rules.

Seeing that his opponent was tough and he didn't need to suppress his strength, Xie Jinhuan also became serious. Holding the Heavenly Gang Mace like a black dragon breaking through the sea, he instantly pierced a spiral hole in the bottom of the lake, forcefully breaking through the Thunder Pool. Then, his figure flashed back again!
Boom boom——

In the blink of an eye, the domineering white dragon turned back almost at a right angle, turning the vast lake into boiling water!

Shang Mingzhen initially thought Xie Jinhuan hadn't eaten today, but she was genuinely startled by the sudden outburst.

To avoid being caught off guard, Shang Mingzhen was on high alert. He realized Xie Jinhuan's attack was too fast to lock onto, so he immediately muttered to himself:

“Aida, Karakol…”

Ye Hongshang, who had been hovering nearby overseeing the battle, explained as he saw the situation:

"The incantations of the Blessing Sect are used to pray for the Northern Darkness God to bestow blessings and divine power, which can also be understood as inviting the god to possess one's body."

As the incantation was chanted, intricate tattoos appeared on Shang Mingzhen's arms, spreading upwards to his eyes.

Then, he immediately went into a trance, his eyes turning pitch black, as if a god of the underworld had descended to earth!
This was not just a change in appearance. The surrounding endless water flow instantly weakened the suppression on Shang Mingzhen, and his muscles bulged all over his body. He grew several feet taller and became a giant over two meters tall!
Seeing Shang Mingzhen enter the second stage, his momentum soaring and even the Black Dragon Crashing into the Pillar couldn't outrun him, Xie Jinhuan was amazed by the breadth of Shang's knowledge. He immediately stopped holding back and silently shouted:

"Tianji!" As soon as the words were spoken, the aura surged violently, and a terrifying dragon's might emerged from the bottom of the lake.

Xie Jinhuan's momentum surged, and the dragon scale phantoms around his body almost materialized. He immediately turned around and clashed head-on with Shang Mingzhen!

Boom——

When the two sides are within seven zhang (approximately 33 meters) of each other, no supernatural power or spell can match the speed of a martial artist with swords and spears.

Shang Mingzhen locked his dark eyes on Xie Jinhuan, using his long spear to bypass the sharp edge and strike straight at his heart, hoping to kill him with the slight advantage of the weapon's length.

However, being good at everything often means being bad at everything. Human energy is limited, and even with great talent, it is difficult to surpass someone who specializes in one thing.

Xie Jinhuan is a martial arts specialist, while he only dabbles in other areas. In terms of combat skills alone, he is clearly superior to Shang Mingzhen, who is proficient in many styles.

Seeing that the opponent was trying to exploit the opening with a head-on collision, Xie Jinhuan only slightly deflected his Heavenly Gang Mace, which collided with the spearhead, causing the long spear to deflect to the side and tear a hundred-foot-long gash in the lake bottom.

He then spun around and slashed at Shang Mingzhen's waist and abdomen with his sword.

boom--

This sword strike was as fast as lightning, and in the blink of an eye, it was even cut in two by the lake water, splitting into two layers, with an indestructible, scorching sword wave in the middle!

Shang Mingzhen's spear missed again, and he transformed into a black-eyed Vajra. However, the Zheng Lun Sword, which was wrapped in blazing true fire, still tore through his robes when it struck his waist, leaving a two-inch-deep gash.

Xie Jinhuan, having landed a successful blow, did not stop. His left hand swung the Zheng Lun Sword, and his right hand followed with the Tian Gang Mace, aimed directly at his head.

However, Shang Mingzhen was only slightly inferior to Xie Jinhuan in martial arts skills, not that he was incapable of it. Seeing that there was no way to avoid it, he suddenly shortened his long spear and slashed down.

bang——

wipe--

A terrifying aura erupted from the bottom of the lake, instantly blasting a semi-circular crater more than ten feet in diameter into the spot where the two were, before shrinking back under the water pressure.

Shang Mingzhen was struck on the head by the Heavenly Mace, which caused a burst of blood and light. He was shot to the side and before he landed, he flipped in mid-air to stabilize himself. He slid far away in the mud, with blood gushing from his waist and abdomen. Half of his face was also covered in blood and bone, making it almost impossible to see his face.

A circular crater appeared on the spot where Xie Jinhuan had placed his sword in his left hand against his back, blocking the powerful blow that seemed to split Mount Hua in two.

However, this posture, combined with the killing move of a powerful expert of the same realm, was almost impossible to perfectly counter. The spearhead failed to cleave him open, but still left a two-foot-long bloody gash on his left shoulder and back, which almost penetrated into his waist and abdomen, looking as if a shrimp vein had been removed.

Rumble…

The lake water surged in the aftershocks, and the entire body of water was instantly transformed into a chaotic battlefield with crisscrossing ravines.

Xie Jinhuan stared intently at the figure in front of him with a furrowed brow. His body was radiating a bloody aura, and the surging blood energy covered the wound on his back, causing his skin and flesh to heal rapidly.

Shang Mingzhen stood with his spear held horizontally. His waist, abdomen, and head, nourished by the blood and qi, began to recover rapidly, and a hint of solemnity appeared in his eyes.
"Impressive skills. No wonder you can kill so many powerful and evil cultivators. But I know everything you know, and I also know what you don't. You can't break through my moves."

Xie Jinhuan straightened up and sized up the seemingly capable money-bringing boy:

"As expected of Shang Laomo's disciple, you do have some skill. I can injure you once, and I can injure you a hundred times. And your tricks are useless after they've been used. It's not like there's no way to break them."

"..."

Shang Mingzhen frowned secretly. After their exchange, he had actually figured out the details of their situation.

At this moment, being in the Northern Sea of ​​Darkness and suppressed by heaven and earth, he found it difficult to fully utilize the supernatural powers of various sects. However, Xie Jinhuan also found it difficult to control the Thunder and Fire techniques, resulting in the two great weapons not being very effective and neither gaining an advantage.

The two least affected were the 'Martial Demon' and 'Body Cultivation' schools.

He relies on his Buddhist foundation to be good at both offense and defense, but when it comes to martial arts skills, he is just trying to kill himself by using his weakness against his strength.

To win, one must rely on the spiritual arts of demons, Buddhists, and witchcraft, adapting to local conditions and using one's strengths to attack one's weaknesses.

After analyzing for a moment, Shang Mingzhen didn't hesitate any longer. His whole body emanated a surging blood aura, and his dark eyes gradually became more fanatical.

The body, already amplified by the blessing spell, began to mutate again, its shape slowly swelling, revealing impressive arms and chest.

Beneath his robes, his broad chest gradually became as perfect as a sculpture, his long hair turned blood red, and his whole body exuded a soaring bloodthirsty aura, like a Shura warrior who had fought his way out of purgatory!
Yanbo City has collected 'blood tax' for a hundred years, and the blood energy is so abundant that it cannot be used up. Shang Mingzhen's half-demon body is almost entirely forged from the blood energy of strong and powerful warriors, without any impurities.

Since no one had ever collected a blood tax before, such a perfect half-demon body should never have appeared in history.

Xie Jinhuan watched from afar as the Blood Fiend General transformed into its third stage, and finally understood how terrifying Old Demon Shang was.

If Shang Lianbi, who has accumulated a hundred years of experience in Yanbo City, were to add a multitude of spells and reveal his half-demon body, and possess unparalleled mastery of various religions, his combat power would likely rival that of the seventh realm. He wouldn't even know how to fight him.

Fortunately, Shang Mingzhen is not the old devil Shang. He has plenty of resources but his methods are average. It seems that he has been cultivating and living as a master in Yanbo City for many years and has not experienced much life-and-death combat.

The berserk transformation of demonic cultivators is a double-edged sword. Its advantage is that it increases stats, allowing one to easily overwhelm opponents.

However, the downside is that you have to lose your mind. If you don't develop fighting skills into instinct, you can easily make mistakes due to impulsiveness and mania.

Xie Jinhuan was confident that he could handle Shang Mingzhen with his skills, but he only had the second stage, not the third.

Faced with a two-and-a-half-meter-tall half-demon body, relying solely on current resources, it is very likely that one force will overcome ten techniques.

After a moment of silence, Xie Jinhuan planted the two weapons in the ground.
“The path of cultivation emphasizes ‘wealth, companions, methods, and environment.’ We can’t really distinguish which of the other three is better, but when it comes to companions, you are far behind.”

Shang Mingzhen looked around and saw that the Taoist Kongkong was still fighting fiercely, and there was no movement anywhere else. He asked in confusion:
"You brought other helpers with you?"

Xie Jinhuan didn't speak, but instead took out a 'Daoist Cultivation Boosting Pill' from his pocket.

The Daoist cultivation-boosting pill is a damn thing; after consuming it, one loses their mind, becoming indiscriminate in killing men and raping women, friend and foe alike. He only used it when fighting Taishu Dan, and it was subsequently perfectly replaced by the Seven Star Nails.

However, his physique had already been pushed to its limit. If he were to open the sixth level, 'Tianxuan,' he would definitely disintegrate on the spot. But he felt uneasy about fighting this half-demon without improving his physique.

While the Daoist cultivation boosting pill also depletes the body's strength, it's not as ruthless as the 'Old Dragon Pushing the Cart'. The body can recover by using blood and qi while fighting, and can withstand the strain.

As the pill entered his mouth, Xie Jinhuan's body began to steam with sweat and blood, which turned into bubbles and floated to the ground.
Gulu gulu...

His eyes, as still as a deep pool, quickly flashed with fanaticism and madness. Although his physique remained unchanged, his expression was more like that of a demon from hell than Shang Mingzhen, whose blood-red hair flowed freely. After a moment of confrontation, he opened his mouth and said:
"My mother!"

The sudden appearance of the elegant style of the Great Qian Dynasty surprised Shang Mingzhen, who thought that Xie Jinhuan must have been driven to desperation.

But the next moment, he realized that it seemed to have completely gone berserk.

Boom——

After Xie Jinhuan let out a furious curse, he transformed into a blood-red dragon, charging wildly with his bare hands and fists, attacking his opponent once again.

Shang Mingzhen noticed that Xie Jinhuan was acting crazy, with only murderous intent in his eyes and no rationality left. He knew that Xie Jinhuan had completely lost his mind.

Although their combat power has soared, they have lost their ability to think and are unarmed. Placing them on a mountaintop battlefield would be tantamount to suicide.

Shang Mingzhen did not dodge at all and dodged to meet the attack head-on.

As expected, Xie Jinhuan crashed into him. Upon seeing this, Shang Mingzhen immediately raised his long spear, and the black and white spheres collided in mid-air, with lightning striking Xie Jinhuan's body.

boom--

A blinding flash of lightning instantly obscured Xie Jinhuan's vision.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Shang Mingzhen strode forward and thrust his long spear straight forward. With his super long arm span and twelve-foot spear shaft, he arrived in front of Xie Jinhuan almost at the same time as Lei Ting!
But in the next instant, he understood why Xie Jinhuan had abandoned his weapons and turned to bare hands in a desperate situation!

The ultimate martial art is to transform the body into a weapon, capable of killing even with just a single eye or finger.

Normally, a warrior would never endure hardship without a reason; it would be foolish not to use a weapon if one had one.

However, when faced with extreme and desperate situations, the more one relies on external resources, the lower one's combat effectiveness will inevitably be.

Therefore, Xie Jinhuan practiced his skills on the island. He always started with a bird and relied on stealing equipment. He spent most of his time practicing breaking through desperate situations with his bare hands.

In the battle against the half-demon He Man in Luojing, He Man's speed was too fast for his body to keep up with, so he abandoned his weapon in exchange for agility and relied on his extraordinary skills to defeat his enemy.

Facing Shang Mingzhen, whose physique was extraordinary, he knew that there might be a gap in their physical strength. His goal was to abandon all obstacles and focus all his power on speed, using "speed to break all techniques" to shake "force to subdue ten techniques".

Sa——

Just as Shang Mingzhen's spear was about to strike, Xie Jinhuan, who seemed to have gone mad, suddenly had a flash of earthy yellow light beneath his feet, and then:
Sa——

His figure vanished almost out of thin air, moving much faster than before, to the point that Shang Mingzhen lost sight of him on the spot.

When Xie Jinhuan reappeared, he was already in the upper right corner. He swung his leg in a wide arc, like a dragon swinging its tail, and drew out a hollow groove in the lake water!
Boom——

Before the whip kick even landed, the lake water, compressed to its limit, exploded, creating an impact that even caused Shang Mingzhen's imposing body to sway!
The explosive power of this kick far exceeded Xie Jinhuan's physical limits. Even with his dragon-like physique, the kick still shattered his leg bone and strained his tendons, and his right leg could even be seen turning red.

However, such a reckless outburst has an unbelievable impact.

At such close range, Shang Mingzhen had no chance to respond with incantations; he simply raised his long spear and transformed into a golden Asura!
boom--

The next instant, the center of the lake exploded!

The shockwave it created tore through the water layer, creating a huge hole above and revealing torrential rain and the distant red and white sword light!

Shang Ming's true form resembled the Immovable Buddha, but the twelve-foot-long spear in his hand was kicked and bent in mid-air, smashing into his face. He immediately lost his balance and fell to the ground, tumbling dozens of feet into the lake.

By the time he quickly rolled over and stood up, before he could even see who it was, Xie Jinhuan had transformed into a blood-red afterimage, leaping forward and striking him squarely in the jaw with a knee like a battering ram, sending him flying off the ground. Then:

dong dong dong dong-

Xie Jinhuan was as joyful as thunder, his fists like heavy cannons, raining down on Shang Mingzhen's chest and abdomen.

Before the dent from the previous punch could bounce back up, the next punch had already landed.

Such a powerful outburst can instantly strain all the muscles in the body and even crack finger bones, but it can also recover quickly under the pressure of blood pressure that is like draining a pond to catch all the fish.

At this rate, Xie Jinhuan will burn himself out in no time.

But Shang Ming was truly a half-demon, not a weight. If he didn't fight back after being hit like that, even if he was tough, his body would be shattered.

Boom boom boom...

Shang Mingzhen initially tried to hold on with the Immovable Vajra Zen technique, but Xie Jinhuan's punches were too powerful, and he couldn't hold on like a sandbag for long. Therefore, he shrank his long spear into a short sword and tried to fight back at close range.

Despite his apparent madness, Xie Jinhuan's reaction was not slowed down at all. Upon seeing this, he decisively retreated and pulled away.

Upon seeing this, Shang Mingzhen immediately unleashed his weapon again, transforming it into a long spear and thrusting it straight at his target!
But while his mountain-like shape gave him unparalleled power, it also inevitably sacrificed some of his agility.

Xie Jinhuan, unarmed and at near-limit speed, moved with incredible agility, teetering on the edge of the spear and blade. He dodged a thrust with a sidestep, grabbed the spear shaft with his other hand, and then spun around to deliver a side kick. Relying on his leg length, he delivered the kick to Shang Mingzhen's waist and abdomen at almost the maximum distance.

bang——

Shang Mingzhen felt that Xie Jinhuan's fighting style was like playing with fire; if he missed even a hair's breadth, he would die.

But precisely this slight difference was something he couldn't make up for with his skill. He was even overwhelmed by the close-range, rapid punches, losing his ability to react and only wanting to create distance to find room to maneuver.

As a result, Shang Mingzhen suffered a heavy blow to his waist and abdomen, causing his internal energy to stagnate for a moment. He was kicked off the ground again, and the spear shaft left a bloody mark on his palm.

Sizzle...

Xie Jinhuan, having landed a successful blow, barely paused before unleashing a powerful sweeping attack with his spear, creating a massive wave of mud and sand at the bottom of the desolate lake. He then stomped his feet and thrust the spear forward!

Boom——

Shang Mingzhen was blasted back by the attack. The moment he dropped his weapon, he realized that something was wrong and activated his magic weapon before he even landed!
buzz~
The two black and white spheres emitted streams of light, instantly turning the water surface into solid ice wherever they passed, even freezing the ripples.

But in the next instant, the raging dragon, carrying boundless mud and flying water, smashed through the thick ice layer. With its two-foot spearhead in front, carrying blazing true fire, the ice layer collapsed before it even got close, failing to provide any resistance.

? !
Shang Mingzhen never expected that Xie Jinhuan's combat skills would be so outrageous even in his berserk state, with absolutely no flaws.

Seeing that he couldn't stop Xie Jinhuan from engaging in close combat and using his strengths to attack his weaknesses, Shang Mingzhen gritted his teeth, formed hand seals, and created black and white spheres around his body, which then began to rotate around his hands:
buzz~
Amidst the swirling sound, the soul vibrated and surged forth like a tidal wave, forming continuous circular ripples in the lake, cracking the ice wherever it passed!
Xie Jinhuan, who was pressing forward with his spear, collided with an unavoidable impact. His soul was forcibly blasted out of his body. He tried to turn back, but was constantly shaken by the impact. It was as if he had fallen into a meat grinder. Every step he took was like being torn to pieces.

As his soul left his body, Xie Jinhuan's almost crazed eyes immediately became dull, and his unstoppable spear thrust quickly lost its power, causing him to fall forward.

Upon seeing this, Shang Mingzhen was overjoyed. He maintained his spiritual suppression, and at the same time, the black and white spheres shot out from in front of him like two flying stars, bombarding Xie Jinhuan's chest and abdomen.

Boom——

This blow was enough to destroy Xie Jinhuan's body, and given the current situation, there was no way to avoid it. Ye Hongshang, who was overseeing the battle from the side, was already preparing to take over the body.

But this wasn't the first time Xie Jinhuan had fallen into the predicament of "his body flying ahead while his soul chased after him."

The first time can be understood as encountering someone with limited experience, but if you fall into the same trap a second time and have no way to deal with it, relying on your wife to bail you out, then you are beyond redemption.

Although it is difficult to perform the Five Elements spells when the soul is outside the body, it does not hinder the soul's incantations.

This is also a common tactic used by ghost cultivators and spirits.

Seeing that she could not escape, Xie Jinhuan locked her divine sense on Shang Mingzhen and used the supreme killing move taught by Sister Bu!
Shang Mingzhen was focused on observing his opponent's movements, and probably never expected that Xie Jinhuan, a martial artist whose soul was separated from his body, would actually use soul incantations.

As a result of the interference, Shang Mingzhen immediately spotted a grotesque figure with a pointed snout and monkey-like face, even more unattractive than Zitong, standing not far away with one hand behind his back. His beady eyes held a captivating, greasy allure as he spoke in a soft tone:

"The path to immortality is long and uncertain, and traveling alone for thousands of miles only amplifies my loneliness. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Mingzhen..."

? !
vomit--

Shang Mingzhen's eyes widened in surprise. Although this amazing supernatural power could not bewitch anyone, it was enough to be 'amazing'.

The moment the mind was disturbed, the Soul-Scattering Curse created a brief opening.

Xie Jinhuan seized the opportunity to return to his position at lightning speed, dodging the bombardment of the black and white spheres. He then unleashed his full power, shattering the ice layer and giving Shang Mingzhen no further chance to attack. His figure transformed into a blood-red tornado, and his two-foot spear, carrying the power to destroy a city, struck directly at Shang Mingzhen's heart gate!
puff--

Boom——

This shot was delivered without reservation, and the long spear was no ordinary weapon.

With its unparalleled penetrating power, Shang Mingzhen's just-glowing Vajra body was directly pierced through the chest, revealing half a foot of spear tip behind him, which exploded into a cloud of blood mist!
Xie Jinhuan knew the characteristics of the demonic path well. After his successful attack, he did not stop. He twisted his long spear and shattered Shang Mingzhen's heart. Then he pulled the spear back and spun it with all his might.

Sa——

The long spear swept across the vast wilderness, and the surrounding lake water was once again divided into two layers, with the middle filled with crimson flames!
Shang Mingzhen's heart shattered instantly, making it impossible for him to unleash his indestructible golden body again. He didn't even have time to make an effective defense before the flaming spear blade landed on his neck.

puff--

With a muffled thud, the head immediately flew off, and the gushing column of blood was instantly swallowed up by the water and fire.

Rumble…

After Xie Jinhuan fired his first shot, his spinning figure came to an abrupt stop in the turbulent water, the force of which was neither too much nor too little!
The surging energy that had almost turned the lake into a whirlpool subsided instantly after the attack, causing the turbulent tide to gradually calm down, and the sounds of waves and rain from beyond the sky could be heard.

Wow…

Crackling...

Xie Jinhuan stood with his spear across his back, his shoulders lowered, his eyes slightly raised, gazing at the massive body before him, now headless, for a long time.

After confirming that the opponent did not have a fourth stage, he slowly stood up, slung his twelve-foot-long spear over his shoulder, and casually remarked:

"I was so scared I took drugs, but it seems even Taishu Dan is more effective..."

Boom~
The next instant, boundless blood energy erupted from the headless god's body, staining a large area of ​​the lake red, and then gathered around Xie Jinhuan...
-
Ten thousand words, but it might be even less tomorrow!

(End of this chapter)