Chapter 110: Slaying the Inner Core Realm! Touching the Corpse

In the blink of an eye, his hands were crippled.

The middle-aged man's head broke out in a cold sweat from the pain, and his heart was filled with sheer terror.

He never imagined that he would encounter something so bizarre.

Even now, he still didn't know what had inflicted such severe injuries on him.

That small white claw may have looked cute, but its lethality was terrifying.

Whether it was steel or his thousand-forged flesh, neither could withstand even a fraction of its power, both being sliced through like soft tofu.

The most frightening part was that, until now, he still couldn't figure out how this mysterious creature had appeared.

Its ghostly appearance and disappearance made it impossible to capture its traces.

Even if he wanted to counter-attack, he couldn't find any opportunity at all.

How was he supposed to fight like this?

Could it be that this eerie and formidable creature was the guardian assigned by the mysterious land to protect its disciples on their training journey? The middle-aged man's heart turned icy cold.

Magu, standing by, was shocked to see the middle-aged man's hands crippled in the blink of an eye.

He could hardly believe his eyes. What kind of creature was that, capable of instantly inflicting such severe injuries even on an Inner Core Realm warrior?

What shocked Magu even more were the middle-aged man's next words.

"Young friend, I have wronged you just now. May I ask you to spare me this time?"

Sensing the lingering chill in his heart, the middle-aged man didn't dare to be careless.

He could tell that this eerie and formidable monster seemed to be under Lu Qing's command, so he quickly begged for mercy.

With his hands crippled, he had no means of defense if that bizarre creature attacked again.

Lu Qing didn't respond to the middle-aged man's pleas. Instead, a hint of ridicule flashed in his eyes.

As expected, these so-called Inner Core Realm experts were no different from ordinary people.

When they had strength, they bullied others and acted arrogantly.

But when their lives were threatened, they knelt and begged for mercy, revealing their true colors.

If it weren't for Xiao Li here today, he and Magu would have likely suffered torture and died miserably.

So how could he possibly feel compassion for such a person?

"Kid, don't push your luck. If you want me dead, I'll kill you first!"

Seeing the coldness in Lu Qing's eyes, the middle-aged man knew that begging for mercy was futile.

In desperation, a vicious thought emerged in his heart.

He roared and suddenly unleashed a powerful aura, having resorted to his sect's unique secret art to stimulate his qi and blood, forcefully boosting his strength by opening his major acupoints.

After using the secret art, the middle-aged man felt a twinge of regret.

He regretted underestimating his opponent.

If he had used the secret art from the very beginning and fought Lu Qing with full force, even if Lu Qing's knife technique was superior, he wouldn't have been able to withstand a single move.

If he had captured or killed Lu Qing right from the start, perhaps he wouldn't have ended up in this predicament.

But alas, there was no medicine for regret in this world.

Now, with his hands crippled, even with the secret art, he couldn't fend off that mysterious creature.

The only thing he could do was to risk his life and kill Lu Qing, the root of all his troubles!

After using the secret art, the middle-aged man stomped his feet, and a powerful force erupted, creating a large pit in the ground, causing the entire riverbed to tremble slightly.

Riding on this powerful burst of energy, the middle-aged man's figure suddenly vanished from his original spot, only to reappear not far in front of Lu Qing.

So fast!

Lu Qing had already taken a step back when he sensed the surge in the middle-aged man's aura.

Yet, he was still caught up to in an instant.

Indeed, the Inner Core Realm experts were formidable. Even with his hands crippled, his explosive power was barely affected.

Feeling the middle-aged man's formidable speed, Lu Qing praised inwardly.

However...

When it came to speed, who among the Postnatal Realm warriors in this world could match Xiao Li?

Facing the middle-aged man's murderous intent, Lu Qing remained calm.

Because at that moment, Xiao Li was perched on his shoulder.

The middle-aged man rushed towards Lu Qing with the speed boosted by the secret art.

As Lu Qing came into view, instead of using any other technique, the middle-aged man, with his hands crippled, lowered his body and used his shoulder like a spear, crashing straight into Lu Qing!

This collision was executed with the middle-aged man's determination to kill, and its might was fierce.

The air in front of him was compressed, and even before the man made contact, the violent currents of air made Lu Qing's figure slightly unstable.

"Xiao Li!"

Sensing this formidable force, Lu Qing's expression turned solemn as he called out.

He himself retreated even faster.

"Do you think you can escape?"

The middle-aged man's eyes turned bloodshot as the secret art surged within him. He stared intently at Lu Qing, intending to crash into him and smash him to pieces.

However, just as his shoulder was about to touch Lu Qing and end his life, he felt a sharp pain in his heart.

Chapter: Death in the Ravine

Before he knew it, all his strength had fled, like a collapsing floodwall, rapidly draining away.

As his strength waned, the middle-aged man's speed plummeted, and he could only watch helplessly as Lu Qing, who had been within arm's reach, slowly moved away from him.

The man felt his body go weak, and he stumbled, finding it difficult even to stand.

Clinging to the last shred of a warrior's dignity, the middle-aged man refused to let himself fall to the ground.

He stood there, looking down at his body.

Only then did he notice that his chest had somehow been pierced, a gaping hole extending all the way through to his back.

And his heart, that vital organ, was nowhere to be found.

Gazing at the gaping hole in his chest, the man could only manage a bitter smile.

He knew his life was slipping away.

Of the five vital organs, the heart was the most revered.

It governed the qi and blood, and for any warrior, it was of utmost importance.

Even a Precelestial Realm cultivator would have no hope of survival without their heart.

And this man, only an Inner Core Realm cultivator, was surely doomed with his heart torn out.

That he hadn't died instantly was only due to his profound cultivation, which allowed him to barely maintain control over his qi and blood, keeping him alive a little longer.

Unbeknownst to him, he would meet his end not at the hands of the Silver Moon Guards but in this unassuming valley.

The middle-aged man felt a sense of absurdity wash over him.

He turned to Lu Qing, "Kid, you've won. But before I die, can you answer a few questions for me?"

Lu Qing looked at him silently, neither nodding nor shaking his head.

However, he maintained his distance and did not approach the man.

Seeing this, the middle-aged man took it as a tacit agreement and asked, "Are you really not a disciple from one of those mysterious lands?"

Lu Qing's heart stirred as he recalled the man's earlier change in attitude.

It seemed that he had mistaken him for an heir of some secretive sect out on a training journey.

Lu Qing thought for a moment before ultimately shaking his head, "No."

Magu, standing nearby, knew his origins all too well, so there was no need for deception.

"So, you really aren't," the middle-aged man's eyes narrowed.

He didn't think Lu Qing would lie to him now that he was at death's door.

If Lu Qing said he wasn't, then he most certainly wasn't.

Reflecting on his previous fears and speculations, the man couldn't help but find the situation laughable.

He gave a self-deprecating laugh and continued, "Then, what was that mysterious creature? Can you let me see it before I die?"

Without hesitation, Lu Qing shook his head.

Xiao Li was one of his most valuable trump cards, and maintaining its secrecy was crucial.

He didn't want his enemies to know its true form, not even one on his deathbed.

"I never thought that I, Wang Qingshan, who has roamed the world for so long, would not even have the right to see the one who defeated me before I die." Regret filled the middle-aged man's eyes.

Seeing Lu Qing's refusal, he couldn't help but feel disappointed.

However, he knew that he was at Lu Qing's mercy, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Forget it. What's the point of holding onto these things when we're both about to die?" The man shook his head, letting go of his final attachment. His gaze fell on the corpse of the youth in leather armor not far away.

"Junior brother, who would've thought that both of us would meet our end in this small valley? At least we kept the oath we made when we became sworn brothers."

With that, the middle-aged man released the last of his control over his qi and blood.

The qi and blood that had been forcibly restrained within his body by his strong will suddenly gushed out from the wounds in his chest and hands.

As his qi and blood dissipated, the man's eyes glazed over, and he collapsed to the ground, his blood staining the earth red.

Even with the man's death, Lu Qing remained vigilant.

He activated his ability, scanning the body.

Soon, white light illuminated several slips of paper that floated into view.

[Wang QingShan: Disciple of the Northern Border's Azure (Celestial Sect), adopted son of Precelestial Realm cultivator Wang Cang, renowned for his overbearing, protective, ruthless, and lethal personality.]



【Cultivation: Late-stage Inner Core Realm. Possesses an explosive secret art that temporarily doubles his combat prowess.】

【Due to Tong Canglang's deliberate flattery and praise, Wang QingShan favored him, considering him a brother.】

【Cause of death: Severe injury, heart destroyed, qi and blood collapse, and dissipation of willpower.】

Only after reading the last slip did Lu Qing finally relax, convinced that the man was truly dead.

He couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.

The man's performance had been too astonishing.

Even with his heart destroyed, he had remained conscious and conversed with Lu Qing.

Lu Qing had been worried that the man was feigning death to catch him off guard.

Now, with his ability confirming the man's demise, Lu Qing could finally lower his guard.

At the same time, he couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

He could tell that if the man hadn't chosen to let go of his qi and blood, he could have clung to life a little longer.

Chapter: A Narrow Escape

"He's dead." Lu Qing nodded.

"Phew!"

Hearing Lu Qing's words, Magu finally collapsed to the ground, feeling relieved after such a harrowing experience.

The formidable aura unleashed by the middle-aged man earlier had been truly terrifying.

Even though it wasn't directed at him, Magu still felt immense pressure weighing down on his mind.

Now that the formidable Inner Core Realm warrior was dead, he could finally relax and let go of the tension he had been holding in his body.

After a moment of relief, Magu turned to look at Lu Qing, his eyes filled with disbelief.

He couldn't fathom how Lu Qing, whom he had last seen a while ago, had already reached the Postnatal Realm.

Moreover, he wasn't just any Postnatal Realm cultivator but a monstrous genius capable of effortlessly killing his peers and forcing an Inner Core Realm expert to retreat with a single strike of his knife!

Recalling Lu Qing's knife technique, Magu's heart still raced with excitement.

He didn't understand what the leather-armored youth and the middle-aged man had meant by their description of Lu Qing's knife technique as being both gentle and powerful, intricate and profound.

However, he could tell that Lu Qing's knife technique had reached a level far beyond his imagination.

And that mysterious creature with the white claws!

Although Magu had witnessed firsthand how the Inner Core Realm expert had been killed, he still couldn't figure out what that creature was from start to finish.

What was even more terrifying was that the mysterious creature seemed to be under Lu Qing's command. How had he achieved that? Magu looked at Lu Qing, feeling like he had become somewhat of a stranger, now shrouded in an air of mystery.

He recalled the middle-aged man's earlier words, and a thought suddenly occurred to him.

"Could it be that he really is the heir of some secretive sect out on a training journey?" Magu thought to himself, unable to shake off the idea.

However, he immediately dismissed the notion.

He knew Lu Qing's background and origins all too well, having investigated them thoroughly.

Lu Qing was just a rural boy from Jiuli Village.

If he were truly the heir of a secretive sect, his parents wouldn't have been killed by a small force like Happy Fort.

Furthermore, heirs of secretive sects wouldn't be so destitute that they couldn't even fill their stomachs.

Magu hadn't forgotten Lu Qing's emaciated appearance the first time they met.

Therefore, Lu Qing's background was definitely not suspicious.

His current strength must have been achieved through his own hard work and cultivation.

But even so, Magu still felt a sense of dread.

To reach such a level of strength through one's own cultivation in just a few months was truly terrifying.

Magu wondered just how monstrous Lu Qing's talent for cultivation was.

Unbeknownst to Magu, Lu Qing was unaware of the myriad thoughts running through his mind.

After confirming the middle-aged man's death, Lu Qing searched his body and then went over to the leather-armored youth to check on him as well.

Soon, he had made some discoveries.

After searching the bodies, Lu Qing retrieved a backpack from under a large rock by the waterfall and placed the items he had found into it. Then, he turned to Magu and said, "Let's not stay here any longer, Elder Magu. We should leave now."

"Yes, let's go!" Magu exclaimed, jolted back to his senses.

The commotion caused by the middle-aged man earlier had been quite loud.

Who knew if it might attract someone else?

Magu recalled that quite a few warriors had been chasing after Madam Wei and her group earlier.

Without further ado, the two men left the area, not even bothering to bury the bodies of their enemies.

After all, they were in the depths of the mountains, where wild beasts were abundant. Even if they left the bodies untouched, within a couple of days, there would be nothing left of them.

Since they were enemies, Lu Qing and Magu saw no reason to risk their own safety to bury them.

Both men were familiar with the mountains and forests, especially Lu Qing, who had been coming here frequently lately to practice his martial arts and gather medicinal herbs.

Soon, they found their way to a hidden cave.

"Elder Magu, your injury doesn't look minor. Let me treat it first," Lu Qing said as he took out a box from his backpack, retrieving a needle pouch from within.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Lu Qing," Magu replied.

Magu's shoulder wound, inflicted by the leather-armored youth's arrow using a hidden weapon technique, was quite severe.

As Lu Qing was a direct disciple of the renowned Doctor Chen, Magu had full confidence in his medical skills.

Lu Qing first used silver needles to alleviate Magu's pain before cleaning the wound and applying a medicinal ointment.

After treating Magu's injury, the two men finally had time to chat.

"Brother Lu Qing, what brings you here?" Magu asked.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end