Gu Chuhhao's purplish-black lips parted, and he spat out words in a sinister tone: "Strategy of the Corpse-Ghoul - Seven Scrolls Technique One, Curse of the Butcher."
His cold physique swelled as if inflated, growing taller inch by inch, his muscles bulging and expanding, instantly transforming into a colossal figure tens of feet high.
Resembling the mutated beastmen of Beiyu, his gray-white hair cascaded over his shoulders, a pair of devilishly enchanting snow-blue eyes, and the asura markings on his face spread from the corners of his eyes across his fair cheeks. His mouth was split by demonic, serrated fangs stretching back behind his ears.
"..."
Mom, oh mom!
The disciples of the Dayuan Sect, newly graduated and venturing out for the first time, encountered such a thrilling and perilous scene. Looking up, their legs went weak, their teeth ached, and their scalps tingled.
Elder Jiuli was not a combat-hardened veteran; he had always positioned himself as a refined diplomat, skilled in handling affairs. Fighting and killing were not his forte.
Their initially valiant battle formation suddenly felt like a timid retreat against overwhelming odds, a pure sacrifice.
As expected, the opponent stomped a foot onto the ground, triggering an earthquake.
The spiritual attacks and sword lights they launched struck him, but they were like children's toys, utterly harmless. Instead, they were repelled by a surge of energy that sent them flying back.
Several disciples of the Void Sect, cowardly and hiding at the very rear, were completely flipped and tossed into the air. With the cliff edge behind them, their panicked screams were swallowed by their chaotic descent.
Elder Jiuli's face turned ashen. He twisted his head around. Due to the "Heart Questioning" bridge being in that direction, his spiritual power could not reach them. The Dayuan Sect disciples could only watch helplessly as they plummeted down the cliff.
Ziying, however, mused that falling off this cliff would not be fatal, but it would be difficult to leave "Laishan Stream" intact.
The others were unaware of the conditions below the cliff, only believing that those Void Sect disciples were likely beyond saving.
"...Elder, are we still going up?" an elite disciple stammered, his voice quivering.
Elder Jiuli's brows knitted into a tight knot. He declared righteously, "How can we ignore the lives and deaths of our fellow sect disciples—"
They all stared in disbelief.
Did that mean they could disregard the lives of their own sect disciples?
The opponent was one flying ghoul, and additionally, he had cultivated the Asura Ghost Path from some unknown origin. This was clearly an insurmountable battle!
Elder Jiuli took a deep breath and then added, "However, we must also act at the right moment. With this demon currently at the peak of his power, it's best to retreat for now."
Right, right.
All the disciples of the Dayuan Sect agreed.
Upon hearing their sudden change of heart, Chen Daoshan's veins bulged on his forehead. His face pale and ferocious, he looked up at the transformed Asura Gu Chuhhao. Now that he couldn't escape, he had only one choice: to fight to the death.
He leaped into the air, quickly forming seals with his hands, and his battle axe grew to its maximum size.
Life or death, it all came down to this one blow.
He held nothing back.
Pale green spiritual energy surged into his entire body. His wild hair flew, his face contorted into a grimace, and a star formation appeared between the axe blades. Chen Daoshan let out a breath, gripped the axe handle with all his might, and the surrounding currents swirled and gathered before him.
"Ugh ah—"
A roar from his chest, accompanied by a giant axe silhouette, caused the cliff face to crack and indent. With sharp, aggressive energy, it cleaved towards Gu Chuhhao.
"Tiger Leopard Star Axe - Blazing Kill."
As a flurry of axe shadows approached Gu Chuhhao, they transformed into spiritual energy, erupting as a blazing sea of fire from the star formation.
Gu Chuhhao was engulfed by the inferno. The intensely burning spiritual fire and smoke licked at him, and he cried out in pain, with nowhere to escape.
At this moment, Elder Jiuli's eyes lit up. Amidst the crimson glare of the fire, he seized the opportunity. Knowing it wasn't the time to conserve his strength, he flipped his palm, and a pale yellow light appeared. A spiritual artifact floated out.
It was a Jade Spirit Brush, a lower-tier fourth-grade artifact, his innate Dharma treasure. He crouched slightly, channeling spiritual energy to the tip of the brush and rapidly drawing a talisman in the air with cursive strokes.
As soon as the talisman was complete, the spiritual energy surged with a violent flash, demonstrating its immense power. With a low growl, he pushed it forward with his palm.
As the talisman flew forward, it grew larger and larger, then plastered itself onto the gigantic figure within the fire. A thunderous explosion erupted from the intense heat, and torrents of energy were unleashed.
Elder Jiuli had truly given his all. His spiritual energy was utterly depleted, leaving him gasping for breath and sweating profusely.
He thought to himself.
Surely, this would be enough.
Chen Daoshan's situation was similar to Elder Jiuli's; he had also exhausted his spiritual energy to unleash the move "Blazing Kill."
As they waited with trepidation and fervent anticipation, through the obscuring haze of fire and smoke, a blast of energy swept away the covering mist and flames. A pale, bony hand with bulging veins reached out towards Chen Daoshan.
It moved so fast that it split the wind itself. Without any warning, it shattered the spiritual light covering Chen Daoshan and the Tiger Leopard Star Axe.
"Ah—" Fang Rui cried out in alarm.
Chen Daoshan was lifted into the air, grasped by a force that nearly snapped his waist.
He was like a powerless puppet, struggling and cursing furiously, but his life still rested in another's hands.
A low, evil, and gleeful rumble echoed from the sky.
"Chen Daoshan, you severed my tendons and sinews, destroyed my true body and spiritual roots. Now... I shall return all that you have done to me!"
With that single sentence, no more words were needed.
The next second, blood splattered across the scene.
"Ugh ah—"
As the heart-wrenching screams echoed, everyone shivered in dread.
With a "plop," a bloody, mangled mass fell to the ground.
Ziying quickly closed her eyes with Fang Rui, the two sisters embracing each other and trembling.
So, so evil, uh, so cruel!
Chen Daoshan was not dead, but his limbs were gone. The stumps were ragged, clearly torn off by hand.
He vomited blood, his eyes rolled back, but he was still alive.
Gu Chuhhao had not killed him. Instead, he had paid him back in kind, destroying Chen Daoshan's spiritual roots and severing his limbs.
He did not kill him because he wanted Chen Daoshan to be like him.
To be alive, yet as if dead.
He slowly shrank back to his flying ghoul form, his entire body radiating a palpable death aura from the recent battle. He was baring his fangs and brandishing his claws, his eyes chillingly cold, as if ready to open his maw and devour someone at any moment.
Seeing Chen Daoshan's tragic fate, the hearts of the Dayuan Sect disciples were gripped with fear. They acted as if facing a formidable enemy, huddling together and continuously retreating.
Yet, after taking revenge on the people of the Void Sect, this demonic being became quiescent and did not attack the Dayuan Sect disciples further.
Gu Chuhhao's great revenge was exacted, but his mind was not clouded by the bloodlust. Protected by the golden light of merit, he had not completely fallen into true demonic ways. He did not kill for the sake of killing, nor did he devour souls for evil. He maintained his original nature and thoughts.
However, he stood there motionlessly. What was he waiting for?
Gu Junshi saw that Gu Er had resolved his personal grievances and it was time to return to the original plot. She said to Liu Jiang Fusheng, "Husband, it's your turn to act."
Liu Jiang Fusheng looked at her, his eyes clear and questioning.
"Act?"
Gu Junshi saw his beautiful expression, yet he showed no trace of the righteous indignation that the situation should have evoked.
Had his inner sense of justice gone to the dogs?
Thus, Gu Junshi gently reminded him, "Gu Chuhhao has now fallen into the ways of a ruthless demon, killing anyone he sees. Do you not care for the lives of your Dayuan Sect comrades?"