92: A dazzling arrow

The appearance of the Evil Daoist was like a cold wind from the Nine Hells, instantly freezing the entire battlefield.

Li Xunya's corpse fell heavily to the ground; his still-warm Jiaojin Realm blood and Qi actually became nourishment for the Devil Head's recovery. This cruel reality made everyone's hearts turn cold with fear.

"E-Evil... Evil Daoist!" County Commandant Wang's voice trembled, and the hand holding his saber shook slightly.

He was only at the Flood Dragon Tendon Realm, Initial Stage. Facing a Devil Head who, at his peak, could withstand a strike from the Star Gazing Platform, he couldn't summon even a shred of courage to resist, even if the opponent was still heavily injured.

"Protect County Commandant Wang! Form a formation!"

Martial Uncle Chen Chuan was, after all, a Constabulary Captain who had weathered many storms. Though shocked, he did not panic. While shouting sternly, he had already stepped forward to stand side-by-side with Zhao Zheng.

The Qi and blood of the two men erupted, linking together as fellow Jiaojin Realm experts like two resilient barriers, attempting to withstand the overwhelming, sinister pressure.

"Hmph, just two slightly larger ants!"

The Evil Daoist gave a strange laugh, his scarlet tongue licking his lips as his greedy gaze swept over Martial Uncle Chen Chuan and Zhao Zheng. "Jiaojin Realm blood and Qi... what a great supplement!"

Without moving his body, he simply struck out with a palm from a distance. In an instant, a howling gale of yin wind erupted as a giant Ghost Claw, condensed from thick black Qi, tore through the air. It carried a terrifying aura that could corrode all things and plunder life force, descending upon Chen and Zhao!

"Careful! Do not take it head-on!" Martial Uncle Chen Chuan was knowledgeable and knew the toxicity of this black Qi. He and Zhao Zheng dodged to the sides simultaneously.

"Boom!"

The Ghost Claw missed, striking the bluestone ground. The hard stone slabs instantly turned pitch-black and brittle, as if all their essence had been drained, leaving a corroded pit about ten feet in diameter.

"Lapdogs of the Constabulary, give me your lives!"

The Evil Daoist's figure flickered, disappearing from his spot like a ghost. The next moment, he appeared beside Martial Uncle Chen Chuan, his withered claws reaching straight for the throat at a speed barely discernible to the naked eye.

"Senior Brother, watch out!"

Zhao Zheng roared, the long saber at his waist unsheathing. The blade light was like snow, carrying the fierce and peerless strength of the Yangwei Martial Arts Hall as it slashed toward the Evil Daoist's ribs, intending to force a rescue by attacking.

Martial Uncle Chen Chuan also reacted with extreme speed, drawing the standard-issue longsword from his waist. The blade vibrated, turning into points of cold starlight that aimed for the vital acupoints on the Evil Daoist's wrist.

The two cooperated perfectly, one attacking and one defending, fully demonstrating their years of bond as Senior and Junior Brothers and their combat experience.

"Trivial tricks!" The Evil Daoist did not dodge. He swept his other sleeve, and a surge of thick, filthy black Qi gushed out like a swamp, firmly entangling and eroding Zhao Zheng's fierce blade light. Meanwhile, the hand clawing at Martial Uncle Chen Chuan didn't change direction, only flashing with a black light at the fingertips.

"Clang!"

Martial Uncle Chen Chuan's longsword struck the Evil Daoist's wrist, but it produced the sound of clashing metal, as if he hadn't struck flesh and blood, but tempered steel!

A counter-shock force traveled back, making his arm go numb and nearly causing the longsword to fly out of his hand.

"His Physical Body..." Martial Uncle Chen Chuan was horrified. The Iron Bone Realm, which tempers the bones of the entire body to be harder than fine steel, was definitely no exaggeration!

Even if he was heavily injured, his physical strength far exceeded the Jiaojin Realm!

In that split second, the Evil Daoist's claw had broken through the sword net and was about to seize Martial Uncle Chen Chuan's neck.

"Hah!" Martial Uncle Chen Chuan suddenly exhaled and shouted. The Constabulary's secret Soul-Shaking Roar erupted, the sound waves becoming almost tangible as they slammed into the Evil Daoist's Divine Soul.

The Evil Daoist's movements stalled slightly, and a flash of annoyance appeared in his eyes. His Divine Soul had already been severely damaged by the strike from the Star Gazing Platform and Shen Rushuang's Spirit-Locking Arrow; he detested this kind of mental shock the most.

Taking advantage of this gap, Zhao Zheng erupted with blood and Qi, forcibly shaking off the black Qi entangling his blade. With a shift in his saber stance, it turned into a streak of white light, slashing resolutely toward the back of the Evil Daoist's neck!

County Commandant Wang see this, also suppressed his fear, swinging his saber to attack from the flank, trying to create a distraction.

"Annoying flies!"

Being besieged by the three of them, the Evil Daoist was not injured but was momentarily pinned down, causing him to fly into a rage.

The black Qi around his body erupted violently, spreading in all directions like a shockwave!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Martial Uncle Chen Chuan, Zhao Zheng, and County Commandant Wang were hit as if by a heavy blow. Their blood and Qi churned, and they were all sent stumbling back. The slightly weaker County Commandant Wang felt a sweetness in his throat and spat out a small mouthful of blood... Just as the battle in the core area fell into a bitter struggle, the wall on one side of the Black Mountain Gang's headquarters suddenly exploded. A disheveled figure scurried out like a stray dog—it was the gang leader, Zhang Zhifeng!

His hair was disheveled, his robes were stained with blood, and his eyes were filled with madness, malice, and a hint of lingering fear from surviving a disaster. He had intended to use the opportunity of the Evil Daoist entangling the Government experts to escape through a secret passage, but he hadn't expected the entrance to have collapsed from the aftershocks of the battle, forcing him to break through the wall.

"Zhang Zhifeng! Where do you think you're going!"

As soon as he landed, five figures arrived like lightning, surrounding him. They were Chen Linsheng, Shi Poyue, Di Moyu, Liu Ruyan, and Zhao Linger!

With the threat from the waterway removed, they had immediately come to reinforce the core battlefield and happened to block Zhang Zhifeng, who was attempting to flee.

"You little brat! And you dogs of the Yangwei Martial Arts Hall!" When Zhang Zhifeng saw who it was, especially Chen Linsheng, old and new grudges surged in his heart, and his eyes nearly split with rage. "It's all because of you! You ruined my great plans! I want you all dead!"

Knowing he had no hope of escape, he fell completely into madness. His Jiaojin Realm blood and Qi erupted without reservation, and his claws instantly became pitch-black as ink. Carrying a foul-smelling yin wind, he lunged first at Chen Linsheng, who appeared the weakest! Pushing the Black Fiend Claw to its limit, he wanted to tear this boy, who had repeatedly thwarted his plans, into pieces!

"Junior Brother!" Shi Poyue and the others cried out in alarm, stepping forward to strike.

However, facing this strike fueled by fury, Chen Linsheng's eyes were as cold as frost. He didn't even use his long spear.

His footwork changed mysteriously as he used the White Crane Wind and Cloud Song. His figure was like willow catkins in the wind, lightly evading the fierce wind of the Black Fiend Claw. Simultaneously, the power of the ninety-six perfected muscles in his body erupted; the Python Dragon Strength surged, the Iron Arm Skill activated, and his right fist struck out, arriving second but hitting first. Like a cannonball leaving the chamber, it slammed resolutely toward Zhang Zhifeng's chest!

The fist and claw did not meet; Chen Linsheng's fist force was incredibly condensed, actually penetrating through the gaps in the claw's wind!

Zhang Zhifeng's pupils constricted as he felt the terrifying power contained in that fist wind, which far exceeded his estimates! He hurriedly changed his Move to block.

"Boom!"

Fist and arm collided, and the energy exploded!

Zhang Zhifeng only felt an overwhelming force surge toward him. His arm throbbed with pain, and he uncontrollably took several steps back, his face filled with disbelief!

"You... your strength?!"

He was in the Jiaojin Realm!

Even if he had just entered this realm and his tendons were not yet at Major Achievement, his strength should definitely not be something the Flesh Refining Realm could compare to!

But from that punch just now, he had actually suffered a loss?

"All together! End this quickly!" Although Shi Poyue was also shocked by Chen Linsheng's strength, he reacted quickly. With a loud shout, the heavy-backed saber in his hand slashed down with the force of splitting a mountain!

Di Moyu's figure was elusive, and the flying daggers in his hands were like ghosts, specifically targeting Zhang Zhifeng's vital points and blind spots.

Liu Ruyan's twin blades fluttered like poisonous butterflies among flowers, her Moves ruthless and cunning.

Zhao Linger's longsword was light and agile, the blade light flickering as she blocked Zhang Zhifeng's retreat.

And Chen Linsheng was the one with the fiercest offensive and the greatest threat among the five!

He no longer held back. With the Solid Iron Long Spear in hand, he unleashed the Startled Swan Spear. The spear thrust out like a dragon, each strike containing the Layered Waves technique. The Triple Wave Surge of force progressed layer by layer, like surging ocean waves, continuous and unending!

Even more terrifying was his Movement Technique. The White Crane Wind and Cloud Song and the Spirit Monkey Hundred Changes had undergone an initial Fusion. At times, he left trails of crane shadows in the air, and at others, he attacked swiftly along the ground like a spirit monkey, making it impossible for Zhang Zhifeng to track his movements, leaving him unable to defend!

Zhang Zhifeng had already consumed much of his energy in the confrontation with Zhao Zheng and the others, and he had lost his mind. Now, facing the incredibly coordinated siege of the five, especially Chen Linsheng—this "monster" whose strength, speed, and defense far exceeded that of an ordinary Flesh Refining Realm Martial Artist—he was suddenly overwhelmed.

"Puchi!"

Di Moyu's flying dagger finally found an opportunity, grazing his shoulder blade and drawing a trail of blood.

"Squelch!"

Liu Ruyan's twin blades carved a deep, bone-deep gash in his ribs.

"Clang!"

Shi Poyue's heavy-backed saber clashed hard with him, making his blood and Qi churn.

And Chen Linsheng's long spear was like a life-taking venomous snake, always appearing at his most uncomfortable moment!

"Agh!"

Zhang Zhifeng let out an unwilling roar, more wounds appearing on his body. His movements grew slower and slower, and his openings became larger and larger.

Finally, a cold light flashed in Chen Linsheng's eyes as he caught the fatal opening exposed when Zhang Zhifeng used all his strength to block Shi Poyue's downward slash!

"Startled Swan Glimpse · Layered Waves!"

The long spear was like black lightning, instantly breaking through Zhang Zhifeng's remaining protective blood and Qi, and pierced his heart with incomparable precision!

The Triple Wave Surge of force contained in the spear tip erupted violently!

Zhang Zhifeng's body suddenly stiffened. He looked down at the spear shaft piercing his chest, his eyes filled with madness, malice, and resentment... which finally turned into a dead silence.

"I... I'm not reconciled..." he murmured before breathing his last.

The leader of the Black Mountain Gang, the Jiaojin Realm Martial Artist Zhang Zhifeng, was executed!

...On the other side, the battle in the core area had already become one-sided.

The Evil Daoist fought with increasing vigor. Although the black Qi around him wasn't as thick as it was at his peak, it was more than enough to deal with the three men including Martial Uncle Chen Chuan.

"Puff!"

County Commandant Wang failed to dodge in time and was struck in the chest by a surge of black Qi. His protective blood and Qi instantly dissipated, his breastbone collapsed, and he sprayed blood wildly as he was sent flying. It looked like he wouldn't survive.

"County Commandant Wang!" Martial Uncle Chen Chuan's eyes nearly split with rage.

"Now it's your turn!"

The Evil Daoist grinned hideously. Just as he was about to use his full strength to finish off Martial Uncle Chen Chuan and Zhao Zheng, his expression suddenly changed. He looked up at the sky, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes.

"That damned girl, she's like a ghost that won't leave!"

He sensed a familiar and fierce aura rapidly approaching! It was Shen Rushuang!

Not daring to linger in the fight any longer, the Evil Daoist didn't hesitate. His body turned into a Black Rainbow, intending to flee far outside the city!

"Devil Head! Don't you dare leave!" Martial Uncle Chen Chuan and Zhao Zheng forced their blood and Qi to surge, trying to stop him.

But the Evil Daoist's Movement Technique was extremely fast, and he was about to escape the battlefield.

At this critical moment—

"Whoosh—!"

A brilliant and dazzling seven-colored light, as if crossing through time and space, shot forth from the distant horizon!

This arrow was even more radiant and swift than the one Chen Linsheng had seen before at the Black Water Ravine. It seemed to condense all the brilliance and righteousness of heaven and earth, locking onto the Evil Daoist's fleeing figure and ignoring the distance of space!

The Evil Daoist let out a desperate and unwilling roar, desperately pushing his black Qi to block.

However, it was all in vain.

The Seven-Colored Arrow was like a hot knife through butter, easily piercing through the layers of black Qi defense he had hastily set up, and accurately buried itself into his vital heart area—

The very spot where he had been wounded by the Spirit-Locking Arrow!

"Agh—!"

The shrill, incomparable scream came to an abrupt halt.

The Evil Daoist's body suddenly stiffened in the air. Then, the thick, filthy black Qi rapidly melted and dissipated like snow under the sun. At his chest, the seven-colored light shone brightly, like a holy flame that purifies all evil, igniting his entire body from the inside out!

In the blink of an eye, the Iron Bone Realm Devil Head "Evil Daoist," who had once caused bloodbaths in the Northern Ancient Dynasty, had been at large in Great Liang for a long time, and severely injured many experts, was completely purified by this Seven-Colored Arrow from beyond the heavens. Before the eyes of the crowd, he turned into ashes and vanished into the world!

The entire battlefield fell into a dead silence.

Everyone was shocked by this heaven-defying, earth-shattering arrow.

Chen Linsheng slowly withdrew his gaze from the sky, where a white figure and a crane shadow seemed to flash and vanish. He murmured in a low voice, his tone carrying a hint of complex meaning:

"Caiyun Zhuifeng... Shen Rushuang."