Chapter 293: Bu Nantian, Dead!

The black-robed man's body suddenly stiffened, his forward momentum halting abruptly.

He looked down, disbelieving, at the rapidly expanding blood hole in his abdomen, black-red blood gushing forth like a fountain, splattering the sky.

Immediately, he let out a pained, venomous groan; his demonic aura instantly chaotic, his flight aura wavering precariously.

Yet he still held on, transforming his true energy into qi to envelop himself, carrying the stench of blood, breaking through the air as he staggered away at high speed.

And just as Chen Mu diverted his attention to intercept the black-robed man in that fleeting instant—

"Boundless sea of blood, open!"

Bu Nantian seized this once-in-a-millennium opportunity, a flash of madness in his eyes; he ignited his essence blood and unleashed his entire Earth Altar realm cultivation without reservation!

"Boom—"

Vast torrents of blood-demonic energy erupted like a volcanic blast, coalescing into countless furious crimson blade-qi, radiating outward from Bu Nantian himself in all directions, wildly sweeping and slicing!

In an instant, the space dozens of meters around Bu Nantian seemed transformed into a boiling crimson hell, blade-qi, demonic aura, and blood-qi interweaving and lashing out, churning every substance and even spatial fluctuations into utter chaos, attempting to disrupt or even break Chen Mu's strange spatial teleportation through sheer brute force.

This explosion was immensely powerful; the spatial fluctuations indeed rippled violently, like boiling water.

But Chen Mu had anticipated this.

In the instant before Bu Nantian erupted, he had already used the Star Token, his form flashing away, effortlessly escaping the core coverage of the crimson blade-qi, reappearing at the edge of the attack zone.

As the furious crimson energy slightly subsided and the spatial fluctuations calmed momentarily—

"Shhh!"

Chen Mu's figure vanished again like a phantom.

The next moment, he precisely teleported back to Bu Nantian's left side.

At this moment, Bu Nantian, having just expended all his strength, was in an extremely brief power vacuum, his defenses wide open.

Chen Mu pushed his Hidden Sword Art to its peak, completely concealing all aura and killing intent.

On the Immortal Dragon Sword, the blazing flame of the True Martial Cleansing Demon Sword Art surged to its zenith, its crimson glow igniting like a second sun, illuminating Bu Nantian's horrified face with a deathly pallor!

"No—!"

Bu Nantian had only time to let out a desperate scream.

The sword-light cascaded like a river falling from heaven, instantly swallowing him whole.

"Puch! Puch! Puch!"

A series of grating, sickening slicing sounds rang out.

Bu Nantian's wild blood-sword swings froze rigid, his expression locked in endless terror and defiance.

The next instant, his body split apart midair, severed by the ruthless sword-qi into several charred fragments, mixed with a rain of blood, helplessly scattered from the high sky.

The infamous "Blood Hand Pagoda," Bu Nantian, perished here and now!

【Corpse detected. Collect?】

"Yes!"

Card acquired, rapid inspection.

Soul-Enhancing Card!

Not bad…

Chen Mu used the card, feeling the increase in spiritual power.

…

Far away.

On and around Wulong Fucheng's city walls, when all witnesses saw Bu Nantian's mangled body mixed with blood rain falling from the sky, there was a moment of deathly silence—as if unable to believe what they saw—then—

"Boom!"

A thunderous roar of celebration erupted like a mountain tide, surging toward the clouds.

"Dead! Bu Nantian is dead!"

"Lord Chen is mighty! So strong!"

"Incredible! That was the 'Blood Hand Pagoda'—a former Top 6 on the Qianlong List, just cut down by Lord Chen!"

"What technique was that? Vanishing and reappearing out of thin air! It's divine magic!"

"Lord Chen's spatial power—never heard of, never seen! Truly miraculous!"

"Bu Nantian was unlucky—he met Lord Chen, a monster like this…"

"Tsk tsk, extraordinary. Truly extraordinary."

…

On the walls and below, cries, exclamations, sighs, and envy intertwined; every face glowed with excitement and fervor, eyes reverent as they gazed at the tall, sword-wielding figure standing in midair.

Chen Mu's name, after this battle, would spread far and wide in even more brilliant fashion.

…

Almost at the same moment Bu Nantian fell, the news that Chen Mu was alive and had broken through to the Earth Altar realm spread rapidly across all directions via Heart Bamboo, Voice Stones, Ten-Thousand-Mile Sky Mirrors, carrier pigeons, and other communication channels.

In Shannan Dao, on a remote mountain path.

Di Di Chunlei, dusty and weary, was about to investigate a possible lead on the Liu brothers' whereabouts when the Heart Bamboo fragment in his chest suddenly shook violently.

He pulled it out to read, his entire body freezing in place as if petrified, his fatigue and Solemn expression instantly replaced by stunned disbelief.

The next instant, this towering man's eyes rapidly reddened; he threw his head back and let out a deafening, joyous, cathartic howl toward the boundless mountains!

"Aaah—"

The howl rolled like thunder, startling countless birds into flight.

…

In a hidden mechanical workshop.

Brothers Liu Xianbo and Liu Xiankang were fiercely debating over several newly designed mechanical blueprints when a bamboo fragment beside them suddenly glowed.

After reading the information, the two were stunned as if struck by lightning, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.

"He… he didn't die? And he broke through to Earth Altar Realm?" Liu Xianbo's voice was dry.

"It's over… it's really over…" Liu Xiankang's face turned ashen; he didn't even notice the blueprint slipping from his hands to the ground.

The brothers stared at each other, seeing deep fear and panic in each other's eyes.

After a brief silence, Liu Xianbo slammed his fist on the table, his voice trembling, "Go! Pack your things immediately! We can't stay here—let's find somewhere no one knows us and lie low until this storm passes!"

…

Bai Yun City, Hua Residence, a quiet courtyard.

Hua Baobao lifted her skirt and dashed into the courtyard like a cheerful pink butterfly, waving excitedly at Su Donglai, who was meditating in the center, regulating his Qi.

"Donglai! Donglai! Good news! Terrible good news! Chen Mu didn't die! He's still alive!"

"…"

Su Donglai's smoothly circulating Qi suddenly churned wildly; his face flushed slightly as he forcibly suppressed the surging blood, swiftly ending his cultivation and rising to look at Hua Baobao, his eyes filled with astonishment and urgency.

"Baobao, what did you say? Is Chen Brother really still alive?"

"Absolutely true!"

Hua Baobao nodded vigorously, her cheeks flushed from running and excitement, "Not only is he alive—he broke through to Earth Altar Realm! He's out there right now hunting down 'Blood Hand Futo' Bu Nantian!"

Su Donglai froze again.

Chen Mu being alive filled his heart with sincere, indescribable joy, as if a great stone had been lifted from his chest.

But the news that followed—

Chen Mu breaking through to Earth Altar Realm—

struck his spirit like a heavy hammer.

How much time had even passed?