501 Flesh and blood rapidly spread through the cavern, leaving behind a nauseating stench in its wake. Even the corpses on the ground dissolved into bloody sludge, merging with the encroaching mass.
Li Mo rode atop Huang Donglai, his sword flashing in a cunning arc as he cut down a Blood Refinement Hall disciple. The man collapsed but wasn’t dead yet, still twitching.
Then, the creeping flesh surged forward like quicksand, swallowing him whole.
"This is..."
A sharp sense of danger flared in Li Mo’s mind, his Qi Tian Battle Intent screaming warnings.
The scene felt familiar—reminiscent of Han Zhen’s blood-river transformation in the Blood Phoenix Secret Realm. Though the technique here was cruder, the wielder’s power was far greater.
Thanks to his teacher’s warning, Xiao Qin was the first to react.
"Careful! It’s the Blood Refinement Hall’s Outer Domain! Extremely troublesome! Retreat for now!"
The thick, suffocating stench of blood spread, dizzying the mind.
Everyone except Li Mo was affected to varying degrees.Murong Xiao’s protective aura flickered unsteadily. Xiao Qin grunted as his qi and blood churned violently. Huang Donglai’s movements slowed, and Zhao Jing’s blade dimmed.
"Get out first!" Li Mo decisively ordered.
He was still fine, but he couldn’t just leave the others behind.
Yet as they turned to flee, they found the passage behind them sealing shut like a closing wound.
Ahead, three figures now stood.
At the forefront was an elder, his feet rooted in the flesh-covered ground. His body radiated overwhelming blood qi, his physique shockingly powerful. Despite his white hair, his vitality burned fiercely.
"What a physique! What fine bones! What exceptional talent!"
The elder stared at Li Mo, eyes gleaming with greed, his gloomy expression vanishing.
"So it’s you! Li Mo! I knew you weren’t dead!"
Tan Zhuyin’s voice twisted with fury at the sight of Li Mo.
"Because of you, we’ve been hunted by Jiang Yu and the Sky Patrol for half a month!"
"I told him I just picked up a damn rock, but he wouldn’t believe me! You’re the one who should’ve died!"
"..."
Li Mo thought, Didn’t I compensate you with that instant noodle recipe?
And it’s not like I told you to kill and steal.
While scanning for an escape route, he quietly sheathed his Chixiao Sword and gripped his hammer treasure in his sleeve, ready to fight his way out. If they could hold out until Zhao Jing’s mentor arrived with imperial reinforcements, they’d be fine.
Squelch—
Huang Donglai suddenly felt like a mountain had landed on his back. His knees buckled, and he faceplanted.
He looked up at Li Mo with innocent eyes.
"Sorry, sorry..." Li Mo quickly helped him up.
"So this is the ‘Hammer Tyrant’? Such potent yang energy," the male nun chuckled, licking his lips.
"Leave the Hammer Tyrant to me. The rest are yours, Holy Son and Disciple Tian."
The elder’s tone brooked no argument.
He would claim Li Mo’s body.
Whoosh—
The bloody miasma in the cavern thickened further. Everyone except Li Mo felt their essence being siphoned away.
The elder’s figure swelled even larger.
He advanced slowly, speaking as he walked.
"In my youth, I entered the martial path through body refinement. By nine, I could rip tigers and leopards apart barehanded. Back then, I was as proud and fierce as you. But time withers all. When my vitality waned, my peak faded, and I turned to the Blood God."
"Today, I’ll grant you a warrior’s dignity."
"Come. Fight with your strongest will. Struggle like a cornered beast... and die."
BAM!
Before he could finish, a hammer descended from the heavens, smashing into his skull with world-shattering force.
The elder saw stars, pain exploding in his head.
In his Outer Domain, this exploratory strike wouldn’t kill him—but the pain was real.
"Fight if you’re gonna fight. Evil cultists talk too much."
Li Mo retracted the hammer, unimpressed.
If the elder had died from that, he wouldn’t deserve the title of Fifth Realm.
"Don’t hold back! Fight your way out!" he shouted.
The next moment, the fleshy walls convulsed, reforming the elder’s body mid-air as he lunged at Li Mo, fists like dragons.
"YOU LITTLE SHIT, FIGHT WITH HONOR!" he roared—no, screamed—instead of his earlier grandeur.
Huang Donglai, Xiao Qin, Murong Xiao, and Zhao Jing engaged their own opponents: Tan Zhuyin, the male nun, and their Blood Refinement Hall disciples. Within this Outer Domain, the cultists’ power was amplified.
"Go all out, go all out..."
Zhao Jing unleashed her trump card—a sliver of her mentor’s blade intent, stored in her weapon.
She stepped forward, ready to shield the others.
After all, she was the only one with a powerful master backing her. The others probably didn’t have such aces up their sleeves... right?
Xiao Qin’s body spasmed as his aura shifted, an ancient will surging within him.
He had invoked Spirit Possession!
"Stay focused, girl," Xiao Qin said, his voice now deep and hoarse.
His broken sword’s qi erupted, a blade-light stretching dozens of meters as it clashed with Tan Zhuyin.
"Ugh, I didn’t want to use this..."
"Laughing Half-Step Madness Fist!"
Huang Donglai threw a punch. The male nun paled, dodging behind a disciple.
The disciple took the hit—and died laughing hysterically.
"Blood-Melting Palm!"
Another disciple melted into sludge.
"Double-Love Powder Punch!"
The next victim flushed crimson, lunging at the male nun—only to be reduced to bones by her Yin-Yang Qi.
Murong Xiao was the least busy, pondering a dilemma:
If I use Li Mo’s ‘King of Fights’ taunt, but no one hears it... will anyone attack me?
Does that mean I can’t do anything?
"I really need to learn the Buddhist Lion’s Roar after this..."
Just then, Li Mo’s voice cut through the chaos.
Ever the quick thinker, even mid-battle:
"Brother Huang! A combo move doesn’t have to make you the strongest sword—it can also make you the sturdiest shield!"
"You can combo with Brother Murong too!"
"?"
Murong Xiao blinked.
Huang Donglai’s eyes lit up. He dashed over and hoisted Murong Xiao onto his back.
Clang!
A cultist’s dagger struck—but Huang Donglai pivoted, letting it hit Murong Xiao’s bald head instead.
The attacker’s own body split open as if slashed.
This damn two-faced turtle not only knew martial arts but also wore a thorns effect. How do you counter that?
"..."
Zhao Jing fought in growing silence—and growing concern.
She wasn’t worried about her mentor finding them anymore.
She was worried he’d mistake them for the cultists when he arrived.
Because, honestly? Without context, even she couldn’t tell which side was more demonic right now.
"Good, good! What a shame you didn’t join our Blood Refinement Hall sooner."
The elder sighed. "It seems I can’t grant you a dignified end after all—"
BAM!
The sky-rending hammer struck again.
"Dignity my ass. Shut up and fight."
Li Mo leaped up and swung his hammer once more, smashing the man’s skull.
"Die, old fool!"
The Outer Realm elder roared in fury, causing the entire cavern of flesh and blood to seethe violently.
Clearly, he no longer intended to end this battle in the honorable, one-on-one manner of a true warrior. Instead, he was ready to unleash the full power of the Outer Realm.
Yet, at that very moment—
Li Mo’s upper body suddenly swelled, and the hammer in his hand flew free! Like a divine mountain crashing down, it carried the boundless force of the world’s weight and the limitless might of the "Law of Heaven and Earth Manifestation."
Even the Outer Realm’s domain trembled under the impact.
Countless tendrils of flesh were torn apart, truly clearing a path! Though the flesh mended at an alarming speed, it couldn’t fully restore itself in an instant.
"Now’s our chance!"
The others instantly understood and immediately fled toward the opening Li Mo’s hammer had created.
Li Mo had been provoking the elder all along—just to push him to this breaking point.
"Stay where you are!"
It was clear the tactic had worked. The old man was truly enraged.
Meaty sprouts burst from the cavern walls, writhing like vines as they madly stretched out, attempting to ensnare the fleeing group.
"Go on ahead!"
"Brother Li!"
Carried on Huang Donglai’s back, Murong Xiao’s eyes nearly split from fury.
He watched as Li Mo halted, turning to face the encroaching flesh-vines—leaving them only his steadfast back as their shield.