Chapter 75: Another Foundation Establishment Pops Up?

Upon hearing his daughter Mu Chunfeng's name, Mu Renjie seemed to regain some sanity, a look of struggle appearing in his eyes as he kept shaking his head and twisting, as if trying to wrest back control of his body.

Gong Wansheng was pleased at the sight and ceased threatening, "Mu Renjie, I understand now—you didn't join an Evil Cultivator, you were merely used by one. If you can awaken, I can guarantee that the Luoxia Sect will forgive your past deeds! Your daughter is now safe, her life is not in danger, everything can still be salvaged…"

"In time, in time…" Mu Renjie's aura flickered, his face twisted in extreme pain as the absorbed Nether Saint Stone slowly forced its way back out of his body.

Gong Wansheng, seeing this, rejoiced, halted his retreat, and stared unblinkingly at the scene.

He wasn't deceiving Mu Renjie; if Mu Renjie truly could turn back from the brink and stop falling into the abyss, he could indeed be forgiven, even the death of Zhou Changkong could be overlooked.

After all, comparatively, a bizarre evil spirit comparable to the Golden Core Realm makes the safety of the entire Nanshan Fang and Zhou Changkong's death trivial.

Even the sect could be explained away.

But in the next instant, the delight on Gong Wansheng's face turned to terror; he cursed "Damn it," and turned to flee.

Mu Renjie, after a brief struggle, still could not resist the onslaught of black mist; the Nether Saint Stone returned to his body, his face turning a bizarre pallor, and his whole being exuded a gloomy, ominous aura.

Even cultivators, with a single glance, would feel immense pressure, as if haunted by an evil spirit.

Watching Gong Wansheng flee, his head cracked and twisted, a strange smile curled his lips: "Don't run, be buried with my daughter. Moreover, I still need your soul…"

Then, riding the black mist, he pursued Gong Wansheng.

He ignored his injuries, endured the excruciating pain of Soul Transformation splitting from using a secret technique, and fully powered his Flying Sword, turning it into a blade of light that raced from the Jia-level Cave Dwelling toward the Yi-level Cave Dwelling, escaping Nanshan Fang.

He could not afford any hesitation; he had to flee.

The cultivators of Nanshan Fang should just pray for luck! When he eventually reaches the Golden Core, Mu Renjie's evil spirit will still exist, and he will surely seek revenge for today's grievance.

Gong Wansheng excels at Flying Sword; his attack power is top‑tier within the Foundation Establishment Realm, with few rivals. If he employs a secret technique, his attack can barely reach the Golden Core threshold.

At the same time, his escape ability is also first‑rate within the Foundation Establishment Realm!

However, after Mu Renjie's metamorphosis, he was already extremely close to the Golden Core Realm, his magical power hardly differing from Golden Core cultivators. Unfortunately, his condition was poor; the wound from Gong Wansheng's sword slash could not be healed for the time being.

Moreover, Mu Renjie's personality had not yet fully vanished, causing his flight speed to be slightly sluggish.

He could only barely keep up with Gong Wansheng's blade of light, not being flung too far away.

"Keeping after me?"

Gong Wansheng glanced back, realized he couldn't shake the distance, and felt a sudden anxiety.

If he weren't injured, Mu Renjie's pursuit wouldn't frighten him.

If he had the skill, he could chase him for ten days or half a month, follow him back to the Luoxia Sect! But now he's gravely wounded and can't hold out long.

"Didn't they say evil spirits are mindless and attack indiscriminately?"

"Mu Renjie's case is special; he can only be counted as half an evil spirit!"

"What to do? Keep fleeing outside Nanshan Fang, or go to the Cao family, summon the two Cao members, and fight?"

Gong Wansheng was burning with anxiety.

Currently, aside from him, the only other cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Realm in Nanshan Fang are the two members of the Cao family.

The head of the Cao family, Cao Hao, is at the mid‑stage of Foundation Establishment, which is fairly decent.

However, against Mu Renjie, he would likely struggle to fend off even a few moves.

But aside from Cao Hao, Nanshan Fang can find no other allies! …

…

This is destined to be a sleepless night.

Xiao Zhangqing, after battling the Lin sisters in the hot spring, immediately fell into a deep shared slumber.

Very comfortable.

He had expected a wonderful night, but was startled awake shortly after.

At first, when Mu Renjie crushed and killed Zhou Changkong, he made almost no noise, no ripple.

But later, when Gong Wansheng arrived, the aftershocks of their massive battle, the booming magical flux of the Late Stage of Qi Refining within the Foundation Establishment Realm, and the interweaving sword energy and evil energy, stirred almost half of Nanshan Fang.

Not to mention the Jia-level Cave Dwelling is relatively close to the Yi-level Cave Dwelling, so it naturally could not remain unaware.

The cultivators residing in the Yi-level Cave Dwelling were all at least Late Stage of Lian Qi, with many at the ninth layer of Lian Qi, and even experts like Han Yu who could spar with Foundation Establishment Initial Stage cultivators.

However.

These cultivators, usually among the top in Nanshan Fang, were so terrified by tonight's battle that they dared not even draw a breath! To say this clash was not an exaggeration would be to claim it was the strongest many have ever witnessed in their lives! Forget intervening; even a stray sword qi or evil qi would be enough to kill them multiple times! The crowd was uneasy, clueless about what was happening.

Wasn't it said that Nanshan Fang was as solid as gold, that Evil Cultivators couldn't break in?

How did they breach the stronghold so directly? Reaching the Jia-level Cave Dwelling?

One side of the battle seemed to be the current top cultivator of Nanshan Fang, Mu family head Mu Renjie! Could an Evil Cultivator have silently infiltrated Nanshan Fang, aiming to capture the king before the thief, and seize the whole place at once? Only a few numbers before the Yi-level Cave Dwelling, being close enough, we heard some dialogue and realized the situation was different.

It wasn't Mu Renjie battling an Evil Cultivator; rather, it seemed Mu Renjie had aligned himself with one.

This is… utterly inconceivable!

If that's true, why speak of Nanshan Fang being impregnable against Evil Cultivator invasion? They might as well surrender and join the Evil Cultivator ranks!

What a joke! It's the biggest farce under the sky! But who was the other cultivator that fought Mu Renjie? Where did they come from?

When did Nanshan Fang get another Late Stage of Lian Qi cultivator? Could it be a hidden strongman sent by the Luoxia Sect or Baihua Valley? Everyone prayed that this mysterious Foundation Establishment cultivator could defeat Mu Renjie, or even slay him outright.

But soon, everyone was disappointed.

Watching Gong Wansheng scramble away, the ominous Mu Renjie pursued relentlessly from behind; as the two moved front‑to‑back from the Jia-level Cave Dwelling to the Yi-level Cave Dwelling, every cultivator in Nanshan Fang who could normally command wind and rain wished they could crawl into a cellar.

They dared not make any sound, their auras fully retracted, let alone intervene or lend assistance.

In Yi-number One Cave Dwelling, Ruan Qingzhu from Baihua Valley was like that, and Han Yu, who possessed two first‑stage Late Stage spirit pets, was the same.

Xiao Zhangqing, of course, was no exception.

Because his Soul Transformation far exceeds that of ordinary Late Stage of Lian Qi cultivators, having already reached the Foundation Establishment level, his perception is also far stronger.

Thus he knew far more clearly than the other Yi-level Cave Dwelling cultivators just how powerful the two combatants were tonight! No matter what happened, he must hold on now; even if Nanshan Fang truly falls to Evil Cultivators tomorrow, that can wait until tomorrow.

At worst, he can figure out a way to run away tomorrow.

What Xiao Zhangqing never imagined was that, no matter how well he concealed himself, his powerful Soul Transformation made him, in Mu Renjie's eyes, like a pearl in the night—standing out starkly, instantly catching his attention…

……

"He runs quite fast."

Mu Renjie locked onto Gong Wansheng tightly; he no longer harbored any hatred toward Gong Wansheng. Having gradually lost his humanity, his sole obsession was to devour more powerful souls, to make himself stronger and undergo a complete transformation.

Thus his pursuit of Gong Wansheng was more because Gong Wansheng "attracted" him, not out of vengeance.

Sword light, black light, one ahead, one behind.

When passing the Yi‑shaped Cave Residence, originally Mu Renjie's perception range contained only Gong Wansheng as a target.

Suddenly……

A look of surprise flashed across Mu Renjie's face.

Because a second target appeared within his perception range!

"There's even an unfamiliar Foundation Establishment Realm soul? Since when has Nanshan Fang had so many unfamiliar Foundation Establishment Realms?"

Mu Renjie glanced at the wildly fleeing Gong Wansheng, whose speed was so great that he could not catch him at that moment, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth, "Then I'll give you some time, let you run for a while."

Gong Wansheng carries his evil aura; even if he runs far away, Mu Renjie can still pursue him along the direction.

Now, he will first devour this unfamiliar, fresh Foundation Establishment Realm soul, and after fully merging it with the Nether Saint Stone, he will completely attain the power of the Nascent Soul Realm, and then slowly hunt down Gong Wansheng without delay.

Swish! Mu Renjie suddenly halted the chase, turned his direction off the path, and soon arrived at the entrance of the Yi‑ten Cave Residence.

The defensive formation of the Yi‑shaped Cave Residence was originally very weak, usually serving only to block sight and create an illusion.

As Mu Renjie raised his hand, black mist billowed, and the formation was instantly shattered. He flickered his figure, and in the next instant was already inside the courtyard, his pitch‑black eyes fixed on Xiao Zhangqing's bedroom, a strange grin on his face as if he could see through the wall.

"So… unlucky?"

A thin layer of sweat broke out on Xiao Zhangqing's forehead; he was both startled and angry.

His perception was extremely strong, so he naturally knew that Mu Renjie was in the courtyard staring straight at him, and that terrifying, dense, hair‑raising aura made him feel extreme danger.

He often encountered the Foundation Establishment Realm proprietor Zhou Changkong, and Zhou Changkong had repeatedly made examples at Lingfu Pavilion, demonstrating the deterrent power of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

But compared with the Mu Renjie before him, who seemed to be the head of the Mu family, Zhou Changkong's threat was negligible.

As Mu Renjie stepped closer to the bedroom, the target was undeniably himself.

Xiao Zhangqing finally no longer clung to any hope of luck.

"You two, don't move!"

Xiao Zhangqing barked low at the Lin family sisters and then rushed outward.

He didn't know why Mu Renjie had become this ghostly figure, as ominous as the world's most inauspicious creature, bizarre to the extreme, beyond the definition of an Evil Cultivator; nor did he know why Mu Renjie had abandoned the chase midway and set his sights on himself…

But don't think you can have Xiao Zhangqing surrender hands‑bound, waiting to be slain!

(End of Chapter)