Chapter 222: He's Here!

Hiss!

Hiss!

The strange sound of air currents slicing through space suddenly rose by the stream.

Accompanying the sound, one after another Acquired Realm martial artists of the "Red Jiao Society" — some clutching their necks, some clutching their chests — eyes wide, unable to cry out, toppled straight over and crashed to the ground.

Dead with eyes unclosed!

The protective true Qi of the Innate Realm martial artists was also torn — or sliced open — at the same instant; the impact force was so great it even sent people flying.

"It's the 'Dark Abyss Dragon Breath'!"

Lu Minghao's pupils dilated, sensing the sharp air currents in the air; his body kept shifting to dodge the assault, his heart both stunned and horrified.

The "Red Water Dragon Killing Dao" is the sect-guarding ultimate art of the "Red Jiao Society," and only the Society Head can cultivate it.

The Society Head went to pursue an unknown enemy…

No news since!

Yet on the scene, a master who could perform the "Red Water Dragon Killing Dao" had appeared!

Releasing the "Dark Abyss Dragon Breath" against every one of them!

The key point was, this person's "Dark Abyss Dragon Breath" was even stronger than what Lu Minghao had seen on the Society Head!

'Damn it, what the hell is going on?'

Lu Minghao's thoughts churned — he couldn't figure it out, couldn't understand.

But he knew he couldn't panic at this moment!

"Run!"

Forcing himself to calm down, Lu Minghao growled in a low voice, "Everyone scatter, run!"

The moment his words fell, he was the first to charge out toward the mountain.

Whoosh~

Whoosh!

The other few Innate Realm martial artists who were still resisting, hearing the shout, immediately scattered and fled each on their own.

However…

Hoo~ hoo~ hoo!

The sharp currents of water weaving through the air suddenly accelerated, giving off steam — like boiling water vapor — rising in curling wisps, and with a thunderous roar burst outward, sweeping across the entire stream valley.

"Boiling Water Dragon Tornado?!"

Lu Minghao, moving at top speed, saw this scene; his pupils contracted, and a chill shot from his spine straight into his brain.

'Impossible…'

Just as Lu Minghao was about to cry out, the boiling water vapor suddenly spiraled, coalescing into a serpent-shaped, ferocious creature that let out a hoarse roar, shaking every person still alive on the scene.

Those who heard it instinctively stiffened and came to a halt.

Everyone except Lu Minghao!

His spiritual force was the strongest, his willpower the highest.

The true Qi in his dantian was mobilized in an instant.

"Whoosh-boom!"

Right in front of Lu Minghao, the vapor-formed mist-dragon had just ferociously pounced toward him.

With nowhere to dodge, Lu Minghao could only grit his teeth and drive his peak Innate Realm true Qi to the utmost; the folding fan in his hand erupted with a blinding light, transforming into a solid barrier to take the blow head-on.

"Boom—"

The mist-dragon and the true Qi barrier slammed into each other fiercely, letting out a dull, massive roar.

High-temperature steam and fierce true Qi wildly intertwined and annihilated each other.

Lu Minghao felt only an irresistible, tremendous force mixed with searing heat pierce through; he let out a muffled grunt, his Hukou split open, the folding fan flew from his hand, and his whole body — like a kite with its string cut — was sent flying backward; still mid-air, he spat out a great mouthful of fresh blood, and his aura instantly withered.

At the instant his body spun out of control, flying backward—

A figure, like a goshawk that had long been lying in wait for prey, shot out from the shadows in the corner.

Whoosh~!

Chen Mu gripped the Frost-Cold Blade, his gaze sharp as a knife; the fierce blade momentum of the "Reverse Fate Blade" erupted, the blade-light cascading like a waterfall, instantly enveloping Lu Minghao.

Even more terrifying — within every physical blade-light was threaded a wisp of formless, intangible "spiritual blade-edge" that stabbed straight at the mind!

Lu Minghao, mid-air, had both his body and spirit shaken into violent, double turmoil.

Facing this follow-up killing blow of dual physical and spiritual destruction, his eyes filled with despair.

"No…"

He barely raised his arm, trying to block the physical blade-light that reached him first.

"Clang!"

The Frost-Cold Blade collided with his arm guard, sending up a spray of sparks.

But that was all it took — just that one strike!

The next instant, several spiritual blade-edges stabbed into his brain like venomous needles, making his movements abruptly stiffen.

The physical blade-lights that followed, like the scythe of the Grim Reaper, swept across his neck with the greatest of ease.

Swish!

The blade-light flashed and was gone.

"Pfft~!"

Lu Minghao's terrified expression froze on his face; a fine head soared skyward, and the headless corpse, along with the gushing fresh blood, crashed heavily into the stream, dyeing a patch of it red.

"Elder Lu!!"

"Run… run, now!"

The few Innate martial artists frozen in place were scared out of their wits by the scene of the elder being cut down in a flash of lightning. No one knew who let out the terrified scream first, but the rest immediately scattered like a kicked hornet's nest, fleeing for their lives out of the ravine without a care for anything else.

However.

Chen Mu had long been prepared. Seven willow-leaf flying darts, poised to strike, transformed into deadly silver threads, empowered with incomparably sharp Metal-attribute true Qi, and shot out at a speed far exceeding the fleeing Innate martial artists!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

"Puchi!"

"Puchi~"

"Ah!"

The willow-leaf flying darts precisely pierced through the back of the heart and the neck; screams rose one after another.

In just a few breaths, the few Innate martial artists who had tried to flee were all slaughtered on the spot, collapsing into pools of blood.

【Corpse discovered. Loot?】

"Yes!"

……

With the card in hand, Chen Mu slowly withdrew his technique.

As for those Acquired martial artists of even lower cultivation, who had long been scared out of their wits and scattered in all directions, he did not bother to chase them down one by one.

The ringleaders removed, the core elites all lost — after this battle, the force known as the "Red Jiao Society" was already a name without substance, essentially finished.

Chen Mu sheathed his blade, returned it to his palm space, and quickly searched the bodies of Lu Minghao and the several Innate martial artists, taking all Valuable Items — pills, silver notes, and some tokens that might signify identity.

Having done all this, he lingered no longer. His figure flickered, turning into a wisp of green smoke, and sped toward the hidden ravine deep in the Great Dragon Mountain where Lu Ziyi and the others were hiding.

Not long after, Chen Mu arrived outside the cave concealed by vines.

He stopped his steps, did not rashly rush in, but instead circulated his true Qi, sending his voice clearly into the cave.

"I am Chen Mu, sent here by Miss Lu Ziyi. The ringleaders of the 'Red Jiao Society' — Peng Qianjiao and his four great elders — have been executed; the rest have scattered. It is safe outside; you may come out."

His voice echoed through the silent mountain forest, clearly transmitted into the cave.

Near the cave entrance, the hidden sentry of the Baihuo Sect on watch duty trembled violently at the words, an expression of utter shock and disbelief crossing his face, almost thinking he was hearing things.

And deep within the cave, the atmosphere that had been dead silent and filled with despair was, like a calm lake into which a boulder had been thrown, instantly shattered!

All the huddled Baihuo Sect members — including the Sect-Protecting Dharma King, Yang Zhu, and Lu Ziyi leaning against the cave wall — all jerked their heads up, their faces filled with shock, bewilderment, and a wild joy as if they had found a way out of a desperate situation, one they dared not believe!

Yang Zhu sprang to his feet, pulling at the wound on his shoulder, the pain making his lips twitch, but he paid it no heed at all. His eyes sharp, he looked toward the cave entrance, his breathing rapid.

Lu Ziyi's delicate frame shook violently; a flush of unhealthy red rushed to her pale face. She struggled to stand, her beautiful eyes fixed on the faint light filtering through the gaps in the vines at the cave entrance, and only one voice echoed madly in her heart.

He came!

He really came!