Chapter 174

Shhh~!

Under the operation of the Five Elements Spirit Transformation Scripture, a razor-sharp, unnaturally crimson blade of light, as if forged from blood itself, tore through the night sky—silent yet swift as lightning, crossing hundreds of meters in an instant, striking with pinpoint accuracy at Fang Hongtu's lower back!

The blade was a war trophy taken from the Eight Extremes Sect, a low-grade spiritual weapon bearing an innate crimson luminescent membrane.

The martial technique deployed was also a war trophy, perfected to the peak of mastery.

How could Chen Mu possibly use his own cultivation art or usual weapon here?

This alias "Li Dashun" would be discarded after this use—let alone anything else?

Zzz~!

The crimson blade of light descended across the void.

Fang Hongtu, who had been countering Sun Chengye's assault, suddenly felt a lethal threat surge from behind—his horror reached its peak, but he was already too late to dodge.

Puch—!

The crimson blade of light sliced through his protective qi like a hot knife through butter, piercing his back and exiting through his chest.

Fang Hongtu's movement froze mid-step; he looked down at the bowl-sized hole in his chest, eyes wide with disbelief and despair, mouth opening but producing no sound, then collapsed to the ground, dead.

Almost at the exact moment Fang Hongtu fell—

High above, Fang Ronghe, who had been intently sensing all around, suddenly narrowed his pupils.

He clearly caught sight of that fleeting, strange, and powerful crimson blade of light, and the instant extinguishing of Fang Hongtu's life force.

"Monster! You finally show yourself!!"

Fang Ronghe's long-suppressed fury and killing intent erupted violently—he plummeted like a meteor from the heavens, shrieking as he tore through the air, transforming into a streak of light, hurtling toward the eastern city gate, toward Chen Mu's hiding spot, with terrifying speed.

Hssshhh~~~

Boom!

The air was ripped apart, emitting a piercing, shrill explosion.

Facing this terrifying assault, Chen Mu's gaze sharpened like a blade—he struck first!

The Five Elements Spirit Transformation Scripture surged wildly, instantly converting his pure Duan Tianhe qi into razor-sharp, murderous metal qi.

Simultaneously, a hatred so profound it pierced the soul erupted skyward.

"Hate Heaven for Its Blindness!"

Chen Mu growled, thrusting both fists forward.

Pong pong pong~!

Amid muffled impacts, several condensed, solid-looking fist seals, glowing with pale golden light, shot forth like meteors chasing the moon, slamming violently toward the diving Fang Ronghe!

Each fist seal carried not only the rending power of sharp metal qi, but also the soul-shaking wave of hatred—dual assault in one.

"Trivial tricks! Do you dare display such spiritual martial arts before me?"

Fang Ronghe roared, eyes brimming with contempt, his descent unslowed—he casually swept his wide sleeves, unleashing a torrent of qi like crashing waves, effortlessly crushing and erasing the golden fist seals midair.

Before the golden sparks from the shattered fist seals had fully faded, Chen Mu's curved blade trembled—a monstrous, eerie crimson blade of light tore through the night, shrieking like a wailing ghost, not aimed at Fang Ronghe's body, but cunningly sealing off every possible path of evasion or continued advance.

"Break!"

Fang Ronghe roared again, pointing his finger like a sword, firing a concentrated fingertip force that struck the core of the crimson blade of light with perfect precision!

The blade of light shuddered violently, then shattered like broken glass, crumbling into fragments.

At this moment, Fang Ronghe had shattered all obstacles—he was less than thirty feet from Chen Mu!

For a Dantian realm cultivator, this distance was but an instant away.

He clearly saw Chen Mu's calm face, and those deep, unfathomable eyes.

Fang Ronghe's eyes first flickered with disdain, then flooded with furious regret!

The disdain: though the assassin's techniques were strange, their power seemed pitiful—nowhere near enough to threaten his Dantian cultivation.

The fury and regret were directed at himself!

He cursed himself—why had he been so cautious before? Why had he been frightened into hiding by this assassin's tricks?

Had he known the enemy was this weak, he should have struck himself long ago and crushed him—how could the Fang family have sunk to this state!

"Die, old man!"

Fang Ronghe bellowed, condensing his primordial qi into his palm, ready to crush this enemy within arm's reach into pulp.

Yet, in the very instant his mind wavered from arrogance and rage—

Chen Mu's eyes suddenly blazed with icy light!

From his third eye, an invisible, intangible, yet supremely condensed spiritual force transformed into an imperceptible spike, moving faster than thought, crossing the short distance in an instant, stabbing deep into the fissure in Fang Ronghe's mind caused by his emotional disturbance.

Shocking Spike!

"Uhh—aaah—"

Fang Ronghe was caught utterly off-guard—he felt as if a red-hot iron spike had been driven into his skull and twisted violently!

The soul-deep agony tore from him a shriek so horrific, so inhuman, it shattered the night.

His plummeting form stiffened abruptly; his condensed primordial qi collapsed instantly—he clutched his head, curling up in midair, writhing in agony.

Now!

Chen Mu did not hesitate—he activated the "Yin Jian" hidden in his dantian—

First, the first "Yin Jian" shot out silently!

Invisible, colorless, intangible—so fast it seemed to ignore spatial distance.

Fang Ronghe, though wracked by mental agony, was still a high-level cultivator—he retained instinctive awareness of danger, and at the last possible moment, twisted his body—

Puch!

The Yin Jian missed his heart, piercing instead through his right chest, leaving behind a strange, front-to-back Kong Dong with no blood flowing—the wound radiated a chilling coldness that seemed to freeze the soul.

Fang Ronghe's eyes had just flickered with a glimmer of relief and deeper terror—

Chen Mu's second "Yin Sword" had already followed in quick succession!

This time, although Fang Ronghe vaguely sensed that lethal chill, his spirit was wounded and his body restrained — he could no longer make any effective evasion.

"No—"

Under his despairing gaze, the second Yin Sword pierced in with perfect precision through the center of his brow!

In an instant, Fang Ronghe's body went completely rigid, the light in his eyes dimming at once, all his pain, fury, and unwillingness frozen on his face.

The vitality of the Earth Altar realm was severed in an instant by this "Yin Sword," which ignored defenses and stabbed straight at the soul!

Thud~!

Fang Ronghe's corpse, like a puppet with cut strings, dropped stiffly from several zhang above the ground, slamming onto the bluestone slabs beneath the bell tower with a dull thud.

【Corpse discovered. Pick up?】

"Yes!"

With the card in hand, Chen Mu stood atop the bell tower, cast a cold glance at the corpse below, and exhaled to steady his spirit.

Fang Ronghe is finally dead!

Chen Mu had always been wary of an Earth Altar realm's burst of power, and from start to finish had never relaxed for a single moment.

Killing Fang Ronghe this time required luck, timing, and strength — all in place — to finish him off quickly.

The Yin Sword of the *Two Forms Sword Qi* is certainly powerful, but if Fang Ronghe had been carrying a high-grade defensive treasure on him — like the Spirit-Protecting Jade Shen Ge carries on his person — its power would have been greatly reduced.

That is also why Chen Mu first unleashed the *Heart of Resentment Fist*, then the "Startling Spirit Thorn," and only released the "Dark Sword" at the very end.

A killing move must take the life in a single strike!

……

"Huu~"

A deep breath, restoring composure.

Chen Mu took out the card he had picked up from Fang Ronghe.

A True Qi Card!

One year and three months of True Qi, no less!