Chapter 220: – The Death of Su Mo

Jiangnan roared, a fist thundered out.

Golden fist light blazed like the scorching sun, bearing a force that could fell trees, and surged straight toward Su Mo.

Su Mo's complexion shifted slightly; feeling the punch's power, he dared not meet it head‑on and hurried to dodge.

Yet the Zhengyang Divine Fist was too fast; he only avoided part of it, the fist light grazing his shoulder.

Swoosh!

With a light sound, Su Mo's black robe was torn by the fist light, a charred wound appeared on his shoulder, and thin black vapors drifted from the wound.

Ah!

Su Mo cried out in pain, and at last a look of terror flashed in his eyes.

He hadn't expected Jiangnan's strength to have risen so much!

This single punch was already enough to threaten him!

"What, Sect Leader, are you scared now?"

Jiangnan sneered, showing no mercy, lunged again, his assault rolling like a tide.

Zhengyang Divine Fist, fist after fist, rained down like a storm, hammering Su Mo.

Su Mo fell back step by step, barely parrying, his injuries mounting. His heart was filled with dread; he had thought he could easily crush Jiangnan, yet the situation had completely reversed!

"I won't believe it! I won't believe I will lose to you!"

Su Mo roared, his eyes filled with madness.

He snapped his tongue, spitting a mouthful of refined blood, which merged into the black vapors surrounding him.

In an instant, the black vapors surged like thick ink, enveloping Su Mo entirely.

Heh heh heh… this is because you forced me!

From within the Black Fog came Su Mo's sinister laugh,

"I originally planned to save this move for those old bastards, never thought I'd have to use it on you!"

The Black Fog churned, coalescing into a gigantic skull, its massive blood‑filled maw opening toward Jiangnan to devour him.

"That Black Fog again?"

Jiangnan frowned; the last time he fell victim to that Black Fog, he was nearly killed by a hidden death, and this time he would not be careless.

He immediately activated the Zhengyang Technique, golden Qi shielding his body, and simultaneously summoned a treasure he had found in the secret chamber.

It was an ancient bronze mirror, its surface engraved with intricate patterns, a defensive treasure of the Zhengyang Sect—the Zhengyang Mirror.

"Zhengyang Mirror, protect!"

Jiangnan bellowed, pouring Qi into the bronze mirror.

The bronze mirror instantly flared, a golden light shield enveloped Jiangnan, repelling the Black Fog's erosion.

Yet this Black Fog was stronger than before; the skull's massive mouth slammed hard against the golden shield.

Clack clack clack…

The shield quivered violently, emitting a strained sound as if it would shatter at any moment.

Jiangnan's face grew solemn as he continuously increased Qi output,

maintaining the Zhengyang Mirror's defense.

Heh heh heh… useless! This Black Fog is powered by my refined blood, far stronger than before; your broken mirror cannot block it!

The Black Fog Skull let out a triumphant laugh, its assault intensifying, the golden shield wavering.

Just as Jiangnan felt the pressure multiply and prepared to employ other means,

a sudden anomaly occurred!

The Pixiu Stone Carving that had been quietly lying in the corner trembled faintly, emitting a soft glow.

Immediately, an invisible force surged from the carving, instantly enveloping the entire secret chamber. The once ferocious Black Fog, upon contacting this force, seemed to meet its nemesis and began to dissipate rapidly!

The Black Fog Skull let out a mournful wail, its form twisting violently as if being torn apart.

"What… what's happening?"

Su Mo's voice was filled with terror and disbelief,

"My Black Fog… how could it vanish?"

He frantically tried to drive the Black Fog, hoping to stop its dispersal, but found it futile.

The Black Fog was being devoured by a mysterious power,

shrinking at a visible speed until it vanished completely.

That mysterious power originated from the Pixiu Stone Carving!

The carving acted like a bottomless pit, absorbing all the Black Fog without leaving a trace.

"No! Impossible! This cannot be!"

Su Mo let out a desperate howl; his strongest tactic had been neutralized like this?

And by a baffling stone carving?

How could he accept that!

Jiangnan also looked at the Pixiu Stone Carving with some surprise,

He hadn't expected the carving to possess such divine effect.

Yet, surprise aside, he did not linger.

The opportunity was rare; he seized it at once,

his form flashed like an arrow released from a bow, soaring toward Su Mo.

"Now, it ends!"

Jiangnan's voice was cold and ruthless; the Zhengyang Divine Fist thundered again, aimed straight at Su Mo's chest.

Having lost the protection of Black Fog, Su Mo was like a tiger with its teeth pulled out,

He could not possibly withstand Jiangnan's onslaught.

"No..."

Su Mo let out a desperate wail, trying to dodge, but it was already too late.

"Bang!"

The Zhengyang Divine Fist struck solidly onto his chest.

"Crack!"

A clear sound of bones cracking rang out, and Su Mo's chest collapsed,

his whole body flew out like a torn sack, crashing heavily against the stone wall.

"Puff!"

Su Mo opened his mouth and spewed a huge mouthful of fresh blood, mixed with shattered organ fragments; his breath instantly withered to the extreme.

He struggled to get up, but it was futile; he could only collapse helplessly on the ground, his gaze scattered, full of resentment and despair.

Jiangnan walked slowly to Su Mo's front, looking down at him from a height,

his eyes cold as if looking at a corpse.

"You... you..."

Su Mo opened his mouth, trying to say something, but could only emit an indistinct sound.

"Any last words?"

Jiangnan asked coldly.

Su Mo's mouth twitched a few times, a trace of venomous resentment flashing in his eyes, and he used his last strength to say:

"Jiangnan... you think... you won? Ha ha... you know nothing... you... know nothing..."

After saying that, Su Mo's head tilted, and his breath completely ceased.

The illustrious Sect Leader of Qijiu Sect, Su Mo, was thus slain by Jiangnan inside a secret chamber of the Zhengyang Gate Ruins.

Jiangnan quietly stared at Su Mo's corpse, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

Su Mo's words before death made him feel uneasy.

"Know nothing? What does he refer to?"

Jiangnan felt puzzled in his heart, always thinking Su Mo's words,

seemed to hint at something, not merely dying ramblings.

He looked around, his gaze falling again on the Pixiu Stone Carving.

It was this stone carving that had absorbed Black Fog, giving him the chance to turn the tide.

"What is the origin of this stone carving?"

Jiangnan walked up to the stone carving and examined it closely.

The stone carving was entirely jet black, its material unknown, depicting a fiercely majestic Pixiu, lifelike.

He reached out to touch the carving; it was icy cold, yet he vaguely sensed a warm breath circulating within.

"Could this stone carving also be a treasure of Zhengyang Sect?"

Jiangnan speculated in his mind that Zhengyang Sect, after all, was once a major orthodox school, so leaving behind some powerful treasures was reasonable.

He tried to inject his true qi into the stone carving, hoping to probe its secret.

However, the carving gave no reaction, as if it were an ordinary stone, with no special qualities.

"Hmm? No reaction?"