55: Four Tigers of Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain

"Ding! External unknown Technique detected. The System will automatically record it for you..."

Accompanied by the familiar System notification, Hong Yu took the Cultivation Technique from Guan Yi's hand. The Cultivation Technique was a thin booklet.

Hong Yu looked at it closely and found that he could actually understand this Cultivation Technique, unlike the two Cultivation Techniques Xu Jing had given him before.

After careful study, Hong Yu understood the use of this Fire Absorption Guiding Technique.

It was an auxiliary Technique meant for absorbing pill fire and guiding the pill fire during Alchemy.

Once the System finished recording and Hong Yu named it, he sat cross-legged and began attempting to Cultivate.

He didn't plan on using the System. Based on his understanding of the System's quirks, if he used it to Cultivate, it would probably forcibly gift him a wisp of pill fire again, likely this flower in the mirror.

However, Hong Yu kept the dangers Pang Hu mentioned firmly in mind. He didn't want to risk his life, so he was only giving it a try and didn't intend to actually collect it.

Besides, although this flower in the mirror looked different from before, there was no guarantee it was definitely true fire.

While Hong Yu was Cultivating, Guan Yi stood by with a serious expression to act as his Protector.

The Fire Absorption Guiding Technique wasn't complicated, but once Hong Yu started to Cultivate, he realized that mastering it wasn't so simple.

"We finally found you. You guys sure ran fast."

Along with a lazy voice, four men slowly appeared before Hong Yu and the others.

"Wen An, why bother talking to them? Kill them quickly so we can head back and report. The illusory fire has appeared; once the real fire reappears, it'll be hard to leave."

"Yao Cheng, Cheng Xi, Lei Su, Wen An—what do you want?" Guan Yi shouted sternly upon seeing the four of them.

Hong Yu also looked over. He saw the four men opposite them wearing black martial outfits, weapons in hand, their bodies vibrating with spiritual energy, all radiating killing intent.

Upon checking their cultivation, he discovered that all four were masters at the Ninth Layer of Qi Condensation, just like Guan Yi.

"What do we want? Isn't it obvious?" The lazy-looking Wen An said while wiping his longsword. "Big guy, make a Heart Demon blood oath not to reveal anything about this place, and I'll decide to let you go. After all, you're not our target."

"In your dreams! Even if I have to sacrifice my life today, I will protect my Junior Brother's safety." As Guan Yi spoke, he unraveled an iron chain that had been wrapped around his body.

One end of the iron chain spun continuously in his hand; he was already prepared for battle.

"Your target is me. Who exactly sent you?" Hong Yu asked coldly. "At least let me die knowing the truth."

Wen An signaled the other three, who moved quietly in understanding to surround Hong Yu and Guan Yi. Only then did Wen An explain leisurely, "Don't you know who you've offended? Someone paid a high price for your life, so don't blame us brothers. Don't worry, our blades are fast; you won't feel any pain."

Hong Yu quietly reached into his pocket and squeezed the teleportation talisman Pang Hu had given him. "Did Li Fei's family send you?"

Wen An gave a playful smile and teased, "I didn't say that."

"Why waste words? Even if we tell him that Sect Master Zhang and Elder Li sent us, what of it?" The cold-faced Yao Cheng swung his spiked mace and said sinisterly, "Dead men tell no secrets."

"Brothers, let's do it."

At Wen An's command, the four moved in unison. In an instant, attacks from blades and axes, carrying massive spiritual energy, surged toward Hong Yu and Guan Yi's vital points. They had unleashed their ultimate moves right from the start.

Just as Hong Yu took out his seven absolutes sword to resist, he heard Guan Yi's voice transmission: "Junior Brother, run! They are The Four Tigers of Myriad Beast Mountain. I'm no match for them; I can only risk my life to buy you some time."

After saying that, Hong Yu saw Guan Yi let out a roar, then swing his iron chain with such force that it whistled through the air, miraculously blocking all the attacks from the four opponents.

With their ultimate moves broken, Guan Yi immediately unfastened all the iron chains on his body. The chains that had previously bound him instantly wrapped around his hands and feet.

Infused with spiritual energy, they danced like swimming snakes, becoming extensions of Guan Yi's limbs.

Facing four people in the same Realm, Guan Yi attacked aggressively like a madman. The four iron chains locked onto the four enemies, lashing out continuously, and for a moment, Wen An's group was entirely held back by Guan Yi alone.

Guan Yi's urgent urging sounded in Hong Yu's ear again: "Go! Don't worry about me!"

"Guan Yi, have you lost your mind? If you fully release the dragon binding ropes, you'll never be able to reach Foundation Establishment in this lifetime!"

Wen An cursed, the lazy tone completely gone from his voice.

"How funny. If you want to kill my Junior Brother, you must be prepared for death." Guan Yi laughed. His already tall frame expanded several more inches, but dozens of tiny cracks were vaguely visible on his body. Blood poured frantically from the cracks, dyeing him red in an instant.

Crack!

The chains on Guan Yi's body lashed out in all directions as he attacked frantically, disregarding his own safety and forcing Wen An's group into a defensive position.

As one of the chains struck the ground, Hong Yu felt the earth shake. Looking down, he saw a deep crack where the chain had hit.

Such formidable power! Seeing the four of them clash, Hong Yu immediately judged that he was no match. He didn't hesitate further, and spotting an opening, he used the Blood Shadow Movement Technique to slip away.

"I'll chase Hong Yu. You guys just hold him off. He can't last long in this state—at most the time it takes to drink a cup of tea." Cheng Xi was clearly familiar with Guan Yi. After pointing out the flaw in Guan Yi's Technique, the four pulled back, intending to wear him out.

Cheng Xi even broke away from the fight and chased after Hong Yu.

"Don't you dare hurt my Junior Brother!"

Seeing this, Guan Yi's eyes nearly split from rage. He swung his arm in a wide arc. His arm, already thicker than a normal person's thigh, expanded another thirty percent, driving the chain like a spirit snake toward the center of Cheng Xi's back.

"Earth-Splitting Slash!"

Cheng Xi shouted loudly, and the long blade in his hand instantly transformed into several afterimages as he slashed at the incoming chain.

The other three saw Guan Yi concentrating on that one chain while the others stopped moving. Seizing the opportunity, all three used their trump cards to attack Guan Yi's vital points that he had to defend.

To their surprise, Guan Yi ignored them completely. His eyes were fixed on Cheng Xi, a bloodthirsty smile on his lips as he muttered, "Then I'll take you down with me."

Cheng Xi's eyes turned from calm to panicked. Not only did his slash fail to cut Guan Yi's chain as he'd hoped, but sparks flew where the blade and chain met, showing that Cheng Xi had held nothing back.

With his old strength spent and no new strength yet gathered, the chain wrapped around Cheng Xi like a giant python and began to tighten.