Zhang Jingchou's heart was in a turmoil.
He could clearly feel his stamina rapidly diminishing, and his offensive power dropping in sync. If he didn't kill Chen JinChao soon, he would die at Chen JinChao's hands.
"Die for me!" Zhang Jingchou roared.
The two clashed again.
However, this time was different from the last. Zhang Jingchou was clearly at a disadvantage, being brutally beaten by Chen JinChao, to the point where he had lost the ability to fight back.
"This is impossible!"
"Why are you so strong? Why can your stamina remain so robust, always at peak condition? Chen JinChao, there must be some secret within your body!"
"That's why you are so powerful!"
Chen JinChao swung his blade again, severing all the blades embedded in Zhang Jingchou's left arm. Zhang Jingchou's eyelids twitched wildly as he cried out again, "How is this possible? What is the origin of the tri-edged dagger in your hand? The implants in my body were made of the hardest special alloy."
And now the situation was this—
All the blades implanted in his body had been cut off, while the Tai Sui remained unharmed, not even a nick.
Chen JinChao also lowered his head to look at the Tai Sui, increasingly feeling that this tri-edged dagger was no simple weapon. But clearly, this was not the time to ponder such things.
"No comment!" Chen JinChao grunted.
Zhang Jingchou roared again, his eyes bloodshot, his muscles bulging once more as he yelled maniacally, "I will kill you! I want greater power! I want to be the strongest under heaven!"
The blood energy surged within him. Chen JinChao, standing three meters away, could feel the potent blood qi. Just as Chen JinChao was about to make a move, he suddenly stopped, standing still and quietly observing Zhang Jingchou's transformation.
Zhang Jingchou had gone mad.
He was desperately boosting his strength, without considering that his physical body could not accommodate such immense power, pushing his body to the brink of collapse.
The next moment.
A tearing sound echoed. Zhang Jingchou's pectoral muscles split open, revealing bone. Even more terrifyingly, as the first wound appeared, a second followed, then a third, a fourth...
Flesh tore, blood vessels burst.
This caused Zhang Jingchou's aura to rapidly decline, no longer as ferocious as before.
His roars turned into wails.
"Ah!!!"
Zhang Jingchou screamed in terror, "My body, why is it like this?"
"I am not reconciled!"
The effects of the injection were quickly fading, causing intense pain to surge throughout his entire body. Even for someone as resolute as Zhang Jingchou, it was unbearable. He collapsed to the ground, writhing.
Chen JinChao, confirming that he had lost the ability to resist, walked towards Zhang Jingchou with the Tai Sui in hand. He looked down at the defeated foe and said calmly, "You are indeed strong, but you have also lost to me again."
"Speak, who sent you!"
Zhang Jingchou was still roaring, almost piercing Chen JinChao's eardrums. Chen JinChao said with some impatience, "If you tell me truthfully, I will give you a quick end."
"You dream!" Zhang Jingchou gritted his teeth.
"Kill me if you have the guts! Don't expect China to get any useful information from me."
"Hahaha!"
Chen JinChao shook his head inwardly, realizing Zhang Jingchou had truly gone mad.
Zhang Jingchou continued to rant, "When I can no longer withstand the powerful effects of the injection and suffer backlash, it means I have no retreat. Even if you don't kill me, I won't live much longer!"
"What a pity!"
"I still couldn't kill you in the end!"
This was Zhang Jingchou's greatest regret in his life.
"Many have tried to take my head; you are neither the first nor the last, nor are you the strongest," Chen JinChao said calmly, his gaunt face showing no emotion.
Zhang Jingchou's pupils contracted sharply.
He could feel an invincible aura emanating from Chen JinChao, a temperament that other S-class powerhouses lacked.
From this, it was evident that Chen JinChao was truly unique.
Zhang Jingchou wanted to say more, but blood began to pour from his mouth, making it difficult to speak.
"Heh..."
"I really should have obeyed the orders from above and not provoked you. I was too arrogant, and this was the most foolish decision of my life." Zhang Jingchou gave a bitter laugh, his face already pale, his aura steadily weakening.
Chen JinChao also stopped making any moves, knowing that Zhang Jingchou was on his last breath and about to meet his end.
"Do you have anything else to say?" he asked.
"Yes!"
A light flickered in Zhang Jingchou's eyes. After taking a deep breath, he spoke with all his remaining strength, "Meeting you was the most damn unlucky thing in my life. Now that I'm finally dying, I won't have to live in your shadow anymore!"
"Chen JinChao, go to hell!"
These last words drained Zhang Jingchou of all his strength. After uttering them, his eyelids grew heavy and he could no longer lift them. His breath hitched and then ceased.
Zhang Jingchou was dead.
Chen JinChao felt a pang of melancholy.
Regardless of anything, Zhang Jingchou had once been a brother to him, and Chen JinChao had considered him kin. Who could have imagined that they would meet again as sworn enemies?
It wasn't so much that time had changed Zhang Jingchou, but rather that Zhang Jingchou had always been this kind of person.
Chen JinChao also breathed a sigh of relief. At least he had killed him; otherwise, this fellow could have caused greater trouble in the future.
However.
The fact that he had failed to uncover the person behind Zhang Jingchou left Chen JinChao feeling agitated.
Moreover, with Zhang Jingchou's death, this lead had been severed, and he had no idea where to start investigating in the future.
"Oh well."
"This is not something I can control. The Wu family should make some moves. With the pursuit of the first family, the mastermind should be exposed."
Chen JinChao collected his thoughts and raised the Tai Sui to his eyes, witnessing a dense mist appear on its surface, washing away the bloodstains on the blade. Soon, it looked as good as new, as if it had never been used.
"Truly peculiar. I've always meant to ask Elder Xu for an explanation but kept forgetting about it." Chen JinChao murmured to himself, resolving to get to the bottom of it this time.
But for now, he had to take Wu Lingyun away first and then reunite with his uncle.
Chen JinChao no longer lingered on the thought and walked towards the previous hilltop.
Upon reaching the summit.
Wu Lingyun cautiously poked her head out and asked in a low voice, "Are you Chen JinChao?"
"It is I."
"You can come out now. I'll take you home," Chen JinChao said calmly.
Hearing this, Wu Lingyun almost burst into tears.
She rushed to Chen JinChao and hugged him tightly. Although she knew Chen JinChao was very strong, she had also feared she might die.
Now that the burden was lifted from her heart, it was hard not to be overjoyed.
"Let go for a moment, I have blood on me, and I'll stain your clothes," Chen JinChao said.
Wu Lingyun's voice choked up, "I don't care. Cousin, you're amazing. I really thought I was going to die. It still feels unreal."
Chen JinChao smiled, "I said I would take you home, and I will keep my word."
"Stop crying for now, let's go find Uncle first."
Wu Lingyun nodded obediently, which made Chen JinChao's opinion of her change again. When they first met, there had been an unpleasant incident, and Chen JinChao had thought Wu Lingyun to be a headstrong girl. Who would have thought she had such a vulnerable side?
"Cousin, are your injuries serious?" Wu Lingyun asked with concern.
Chen JinChao's body and face had knife wounds, making him look gruesome.
"I'm fine."
"It's just superficial flesh wounds, no damage to the bones. It's a minor injury, and I'll recover in a few days." Chen JinChao didn't seem to care at all. He then said to his cousin, "Let's not waste time, we can talk as we walk."
"Okay!"
The two descended the mountain together.
On the way back to the cave, they had to pass through the site of the recent battle. Wu Lingyun caught a glimpse of the scene, which made her scalp tingle and her stomach churn.
She found it even harder to imagine how her cousin could have emerged from such a sea of corpses.
She truly didn't understand him.
After this incident, Wu Lingyun's perception of Chen JinChao had completely changed. She sincerely regarded Chen JinChao as an elder brother and would never oppose him again.
However—
Wu Lingyun's heart was even more conflicted.
If, one day, she was forced to choose between Chen JinChao and Qin Fengwu, how would she make that decision?