Chapter 49: Eliminate the Enemy

The ugly man gasped in shock, instinctively swinging his silver hammer in front of him—but nothing met the blade. Instead, he felt a heavy blow strike his neck, a tremendous force surging through him.

It was Wang Yu who had rushed forward, his long blade slashing hard against the yellow barrier, forcing the man’s body to stagger backward, the barrier flickering wildly as he struggled to regain his footing.

Enraged, the ugly man raised his hand, aiming at Wang Yu’s abdomen. A sharp *click* sounded from his sleeve, and a dense hail of icy needles shot out.

Without hesitation, Wang Yu shifted his feet and sidestepped two paces.

The icy needles vanished in a flash, striking the empty ground several feet away—dozens of green steel needles, faintly emitting a foul, stinking odor.

Seizing the opportunity, the ugly man took two stumbling steps and finally halted—but before he could raise his silver hammer again, another shadow flickered before his eyes.

*Swish. Swish. Swish.*

Wang Yu once again closed the distance at an impossible speed, slashing three lightning-fast cuts.

Each cut was faster and crueler than the last.

*Boom.*

After the third slash, the long blade suddenly shattered. The already flickering yellow barrier trembled violently, on the verge of collapsing.

This sight left both Wang Yu, now holding only the hilt, and the ugly man momentarily stunned.

But the ugly man let out a shrill cry and slammed his silver hammer hard into the ground.

A deafening *boom* echoed.

A ring of shockwaves erupted from the man, tearing the earth apart and carving out a deep crater.

Caught off guard, Wang Yu was thrown back by the blast, while dust and dirt swirled thickly, blurring the air in a yellow haze.

Seizing the moment, the ugly man’s face twisted with malice. He pulled out a finely crafted yellow talisman, muttered incantations, and silently sank into the ground.

But at that instant, Wang Yu had already regained his stance. He kicked off the earth again, his body soaring into the air as if nothing blocked his vision, lunging straight at the ugly man.

The ugly man gasped, swinging his silver hammer upward with all his strength, while his other hand flung out another stream of black liquid.

Mid-air, Wang Yu twisted his body unnaturally, like a beast leaping sideways three feet, dodging both the hammer and the black fluid. He landed on all fours, steady and close, then surged forward again.

The ugly man’s body had already sunk halfway underground when he felt his wrist seized—Wang Yu had gripped his hammer-wielding arm. Panic surged through him; he strained desperately to pull free, but his wrist felt bound by iron bands, unmoving.

At that moment, Wang Yu drew a deep breath. His upper garments burst apart, revealing his body swelling larger by a full measure. His back muscles writhed, and a tiger’s head pattern faintly formed.

Simultaneously, the veins on Wang Yu’s arm gripping the man’s wrist bulged violently as he yanked hard.

*Plop.*

The ugly man felt his arm grow hot, his body suddenly light—as if pulled up by the roots like a radish, he was ripped straight out of the ground.

Then the world spun violently. His body crashed *thud* onto the nearby ground. The yellow barrier on his skin flickered twice, then *popped*—shattered and vanished.

“Ahh!”

The ugly man, furious and terrified, tried to react—when suddenly, his wrist tightened again.

*Crack.* His wrist bones shattered outright; the silver hammer clattered to the ground.

His scream had barely escaped his lips when his body was flung airborne once more, slammed hard onto the earth again.

*Thud. Thud…*

Enlarged and monstrous, Wang Yu gripped the ugly man’s arm in one hand and hurled him like a sack of trash against the ground, smashing him repeatedly.

At first, the ugly man could still cry out, but after seven or eight impacts, no sound came.

Wang Yu paid no heed. He kept slamming the man over a dozen more times before finally releasing him, tossing the now-mangled corpse aside like a pile of mud.

He was certain—the man was dead, beyond any doubt.

The Black Tiger Breathing Method was far more powerful than he’d imagined. The moment he used it, he effortlessly slew a mid-stage Qi Refiner.

Of course, without the Overclock Sync Mode to precisely control the Black Tiger Breathing Method, he would never have dared deploy it in actual combat.

“Exit Overclock.”

Wang Yu silently murmured. The crystal glow in his eyes faded. He exhaled deeply; a white mist poured from his mouth as his body returned to its normal form.

Then he glanced toward the white-robed woman.

The Princess of Tianhe had been left speechless.

The mid-stage Qi Refiner who had relentlessly hunted her had just been smashed to death like a helpless chick.

So easily dead!

So pitifully dead!

The Princess of Tianhe opened her mouth, as if to speak to Wang Yu.

But Wang Yu had already picked up the ugly man’s fallen silver hammer, rummaged through the corpse like mud, retrieved a yellow storage pouch, two talismans, and two black cylindrical objects, then walked straight toward his donkey, clearly ignoring the Princess of Tianhe entirely.

This woman was a major nuisance.

Besides, he hadn’t forgotten her claim—that the ugly man had a companion, a bandit cultivator. Whether true or not, he’d flee first.

“Young friend, your skills are truly impressive. I didn’t misjudge—you just used an ancient Qi Refiner technique, didn’t you?” A frail male voice suddenly emerged from the nearby woods. A gray-robed elder, carrying a sword case on his back, stepped forward slowly.

“Who are you?” Wang Yu turned, pupils contracting.

Behind the gray-robed elder dragged a black-clad corpse, drenched in fresh blood, face down, limbs severed.

“Master Hua, you’re unharmed! Thank heavens—you’ve already dealt with the other bandit!” The Princess of Tianhe, overjoyed at the elder’s appearance, found sudden strength, rose to her feet, and hurried forward with a bright smile.

“Thank you for your concern, my lady. This bandit was merely a Qi Refiner of the fifth layer. Aside from his poisonous arts and venomous insects, which delayed me slightly, he was no great challenge. I’m sorry you were so frightened.” The gray-robed elder smiled at the white-robed woman.

“Of course! With Master Hua’s abilities, defeating a mere bandit is no trouble at all.” The Princess of Tianhe circled the elder, beaming.

“But I didn’t expect someone would carry a special earth-penetrating talisman designed to counter your Earth Traveler’s Ruler. I nearly arrived too late. Young friend, you’re heading to Guangyuan Market too, aren’t you? Why not travel together? You’ve saved the Princess of Tianhe—Tianhe Mansion will surely reward you.” The gray-robed elder smiled at Wang Yu.

Could someone who effortlessly slew a Qi Refiner of the fifth layer be a mid-stage or late-stage cultivator?

Wang Yu couldn’t judge the elder’s cultivation level. After a moment’s thought, he smiled and replied:

“Since the elder invites me, I gladly accept. I didn’t even know the exact location of Guangyuan Market.”