Fang Xi reached into his robes and produced a small medicine bottle. He poured out a pink pill, swiftly cing it into Chunyu’s mouth.


    Despite being unconscious, Chunyu subtly resisted.


    However, Fang Xi didn’t hesitate; he forcefully pried open her jaw and pushed the pill inside with his finger…


    Additionally, he took out several gold needles and inserted them into various points on her head.


    “Umm…” Chunyu’s eyelids trembled violently before suddenly opening, revealing hazy eyes that were once clear.


    “Tell me, what is your name…”


    Fang Xi’s gaze intensified, his words carrying a peculiar power.


    This was the ‘Soul Confusion Technique’!


    A skill he had learned from Nine Profound Reverend. Not only did it require the use of specific drugs and acupuncture, but it could only be employed by cultivators with spiritual sense on non-cultivating mortals. If the target was even a basic Qi Refinement cultivator, the technique would bepletely ineffective, thus having numerous limitations.


    As for the legendary Soul Search Technique, said to work on cultivators, Fang Xi had never encountered it.


    “Chunyu…”


    A faint blue glow appeared in Chunyu’s eyes as she replied nkly.


    “Tell me, your position within Yuanhe Mountain…” Fang Xi continued questioning.


    “Yuanhe Mountain honor guard stationed at ckstone City…”


    “What was the purpose of your mission this time?”


    “To capture Zhang Junming. The Protector-shishu instructed to keep him alive…”


    “Capture? That seems odd…” Fang Xi stroked his chin thoughtfully. “List all martial arts you know… And if there are any manuals or Divine Intent Diagrams, tell me their locations…”


    After nearly an hour,


    “What a pity…” Fang Xi gazed at Chunyu Meihao’s form and sighed.


    Based on her confession under the Soul Confusion Technique, she had not learned Yuanhe Mountain’s renowned secret art—the Yuanhe Five Thunders Hand!


    In fact, within the entire Yuanhe Mountain branch, only Linghu Yang possessed its true传承, albeit an iplete version. It reached up to True Force Martial Artist level butcked subsequent teachings for Martial Saint advancement.


    Interestingly, in Chunyu’s mind, Zongshi carried another title—True Astral Martial Saint!


    Apart from this revtion, the woman held little further value.


    Fang Xi gently caressed her silky hair, his hand moving past her rounded earlobes, delicate chin, and finally reaching her swan-like graceful neck.


    With a sharp crack, expressionless, he snapped it.


    A once-gorgeous figure met her untimely demise, fading like a withered flower.


    No melodramatic twists urred.


    “It seems I must confront Linghu Yang head-on after all.”


    Fang Xi genuinely wished to avoid engaging a True Force Martial Artist equivalent to secondyer body refinement.


    Despite not being a cultivator, such opponents still posed numerous challenges.


    However, now there was no other choice.


    Half a month swiftly passed.


    At Yuanhe Mountain’s outpost, one by one, each dispatched team vanished without returning.


    Even the most dim-witted disciples began noticing something amiss.


    The disappearance of one or two teams could be attributed to bad luck. However, with all search parties sent out for supplies going missing, it was clearly beyond the capabilities of mindless wooden figures and cursed beings!


    Outside, there must be a terrifying enemy systematically hunting down Yuanhe Mountain’s forces!


    Moreover, this adversary’s tracking skills were exceptionally cunning. Linghu Yang had repeatedly conducted furious patrols, even disguising himself as an ordinary disciple to act as bait within the teams, yet he never managed to catch a glimpse of their sly foe!


    In response, the previouslymitted alliance of dojos quickly shifted to a cautious wait-and-see stance. After all, those old foxes excelled at adapting to circumstances, like reeds swaying in the wind.


    As Linghu Yang grew increasingly irritable, his treatment of ordinary disciples escted from verbal abuse to physical punishment. Unable to bear the mounting pressure, many disciples fled the outpost.


    This led to a disheartening situation where the once-mighty Yuanhe Mountain resembled a crumbling tree shedding its monkeys…


    “Damn!”


    Qiao Wuchang gazed at the outpost’s entrance.


    Once an ordinary boundary, it now seemed like the gateway to a terrifying abyss. Beyond Yuanhe Mountain’s defenses lurked countless unseen monsters, ready to prey on them.


    Only staying close to Linghu Yang provided any semnce of safety. Qiao Wuchang dared not venture out anymore, but as their food supplies dwindled day by day, his anxiety steadily grew.


    “Sir, our provisions are nearly depleted. What should we do?” A Yuanhe Mountain disciple approached Qiao Wuchang and whispered urgently.


    “How is that possible?” Qiao Wuchang instinctively dismissed the im, considering they had the most well-stocked reserves among all factions.


    After a moment’s thought, however, his face turned from pale to flushed with a hint of ferocity. “Today, I’ll personally lead a search through each disciple’s quarters. We’ll ughter all the captured women; let’s start with mine… That should save us a significant amount, wouldn’t you agree?”


    “Yes…” The disciple hesitated, wanting to say more, but with the honor guard himself leading the execution of the Assistant Minister’s concubines, he found no words.


    “You may leave now…”


    After dismissing the disciple, Qiao Wuchang felt an increasing frustration within him. He muttered to himself, “No… I must speak with the Protector-shishu. This situation cannot continue!”


    Linghu Yang’s recent behavior had been peculiar as well, but Qiao Wuchang unconsciously overlooked these anomalies.


    Gathering his thoughts carefully, he approached Linghu Yang’s door and respectfully knocked three times, calling out, “Linghu-shishu, Qiao Wuchang requests an audience!”


    “Enter!” Linghu Yang’s voice was remarkably calm, like an undercurrent beneath an iceberg.


    Qiao Wuchang pushed open the door and found Linghu Yang donning his outer robe, smiling at him. “Wuchang, how long have we known each other?”


    “Since the day you arrived in ckstone City, sir, Wuchang has been by your side. It has been three years and six months,” Qiao Wuchang replied, bowing deeply.


    “But… you have betrayed my trust,” Linghu Yang said mildly.


    Immediately, Qiao Wuchang fell to his knees. “Please forgive me, sir. It is truly due to that ndestine viin causing mischief… which resulted in insufficient captives…”


    Half a month ago, when orders were ryed to various dojo masters, Linghu Yang had assigned Qiao Wuchang a specific task.


    With Yuanhe Mountain’s strength, capturing solitary cultivators should have been effortless. However, since their dreaded nemesis reappeared recently, Qiao Wuchang dared not even step outside, let alone attempt any capturings.


    “Enough. I’ll forgive you if you help me with one more thing.” Linghu Yang walked over to a corner of the room, lifted a section of the floor, revealing a dark hole, and gestured for Qiao Wuchang to follow. “Come along!”


    “Your subordinate is willing to sacrifice all, enduring death without hesitation!” Qiao Wuchang promptlyplied, feeling somewhat puzzled. When did Linghu Yang dig a tunnel beneath his bedroom?


    The tunnel was short; upon entering, they arrived at a cer.


    Inside the cery…


    Qiao Wuchang’s eyes widened slightly.


    Linghu Yang’s eerie voice echoed, “Didn’t you say… you would willingly sacrifice everything for me? Then let me grant your wish!”


    “Ahh!”


    A spine-chilling scream suddenly reverberated from within the cer.


    “Brother Fang!”


    Zhang Junming stood shoulder to shoulder with Fang Xi, gazing at the Yuanhe Mountain outpost under the gloomy sky.


    Over recent days, they had teamed up and decimated Yuanhe Mountain’s scouting parties, forcing them to retreat and hunker down. This vengeance brought immense satisfaction, lifting their spirits considerably. “Now, Yuanhe Mountain has few remaining disciples, with only Qiao Wuchang posing any real threat, but even he is holed up. What should we do next?”


    “It’s simple,” Fang Xi replied, assessing the strength disparity between both sides. “We’ll charge through the main gate. You hold off Qiao Wuchang while I take care of Linghu Yang - just that straightforward!”


    The bnce of power had shifted, making it the opportune time to strike without hesitation!


    Currently, the Yuanhe Mountain outpost had very few disciples left, undermining their previous advantage of overwhelming numbers.


    “Perfect! Count me as the vanguard!” Zhang Junmingughed heartily, striding confidently towards the main entrance of the Yuanhe Mountain outpost.


    With a deep breath, his muscles rippled, bulging into numerous flesh knots along his arms. As if channeling all his might into one punch, he unleashed it with devastating force!


    With one punch to split the heavens…


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The sturdy gate shattered instantly.


    Zhang Junming charged into the Yuanhe Mountain outpost like a war chariot, eliciting numerous screams from the disciples within.


    “Hm?”


    Fang Xi lightly stepped and leaped several meters,nding atop the wall. As he observed Zhang Junming’s brutal ughter of Yuanhe Mountain disciples, he felt somewhat puzzled.


    ‘Where is Linghu Yang?’


    ‘And Qiao Wuchang, why haven’t they made a move yet?’


    Sensing something amiss, Fang Xi restrained himself from intervening and stealthily followed behind the rampaging Zhang Junming.


    “Ha ha… you cowardly bunch, daring to ambush me?” Zhang Junming punched down another Yuanhe Mountain disciple and then viciously stomped on them.


    The head beneath his foot exploded like a watermelon, sttering red and white fragments everywhere.


    Though the scene was horrifying, as a True Force martial artist, it did not faze him in the slightest. Even if he had slightly kinder inclinations, encountering enemies intent on killing him would never evoke mercy.


    In an era where starvation was always looming, showingpassion towards others often meant cruelty to oneself.


    Zhang Junming carved a bloody path all the way to the Inner Court, sensing something amiss. He bellowed, “Linghu Yang, Qiao Wuchang… get your asses out here!”


    In the next instant, a door shattered.


    Amidst flying splinters of wood, a figure emerged and unleashed a powerful palm strike.


    Zhang Junming’s muscles tensed as he met it with his fist.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    The moment their strikes connected, Zhang Junming felt an overwhelming force, akin to mountains crumbling and seas surging, effortlessly shattering even his peak true force.


    <em>Pffft!</em>


    His Cloud Whale Soft Body technique was breached, sending him hurtling backward, coughing up a mouthful of blood.


    Kneeling on one knee, Zhang Junming stared at the figure before him and forcefully eximed, “L-Linghu-Yang?”


    Only a True Force Martial Artist could so easily dismantle his full burst of true force.


    “So you’re the rat who’s been hiding outside?” Linghu Yang, d in a green coat, turned towards Zhang Junming, disappointment flickering in his eyes. “Not much of a challenge after all…”