Fierce Battle

Yan Zhengping's gaze, completely undisguised in its murderous intent, sent a profound chill straight through Song Wen's entire body.

He was not nearly arrogant enough to believe he could withstand a direct strike from a cultivator at the ninth layer of Qi Refining like Yan Zhengping.

Song Wen couldn't help but inwardly curse. This Gui San was a absolute madman.

If he shared a blood feud with the Yan family and had already grasped their weakness, why not simply expose their betrayal to the Corpse Demon Sect? The sect would have naturally wiped the Yan family out for him. Why did he have to take such a risk to seek personal vengeance?

This made Song Wen highly suspect that Gui San's gathering of so many desperate rogue cultivators was less about revenge and more about plundering the Yan family's foundational wealth.

The Yan family's Foundation Establishment ancestor had not shown his face in the world for years, and now that the family had betrayed the Corpse Demon Sect, they had lost their greatest backer. This was what gave Gui San the confidence that he and his band of rogue cultivators could clash head-on with the Yan family and win.

Right at that moment, Gui San's accumulated strike finally erupted. The Demon Subduing Pestle pierced through the air, tearing a path forward with lightning speed, and slammed directly into the defensive barrier.

The barrier was already tottering on the verge of collapse from the relentless siege of the rogue cultivators. Under the full-force strike of Gui San, it instantly shattered with a resounding crack, dissolving into countless motes of light that scattered into the air.

Though its momentum was slightly dulled after breaching the barrier, the Demon Subduing Pestle still carried a terrifying, oppressive force. Accompanied by a piercing shriek, it continued its trajectory straight toward Yan Zhengping.

Yan Zhengping's eyes turned ice-cold. The Demon Subduing Pestle was enveloped in an overwhelming baleful energy and thick, ghostly aura. He did not dare treat it lightly and had to meet it with his full strength.

Billows of green mist erupted from Yan Zhengping's body, completely enveloping him within moments. This was a strange phenomenon that manifested only when one's poison cultivation reached a profound level.

Ten steel needles, each half a Zhang long, appeared in Yan Zhengping's hands. The needles were pitch-black but shined with a ghastly green light, appearing exceptionally sinister. Clearly, they were laced with an incredibly lethal toxin.

With a swift wave of his sleeves, the ten steel needles flew out simultaneously, intercepting the oncoming Demon Subduing Pestle.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

A rapid succession of crisp, ear-piercing metallic clashes rang out.

The steel needles repeatedly slammed into the Demon Subduing Pestle, deflecting one after another, though each impact chipped away at the pestle's terrifying momentum.

While Yan Zhengping and Gui San fought to a standstill, the others on the vessel bore the brunt of the suffering.

The shockwaves unleashed by the full-force clash of two ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivators were not something ordinary men could easily withstand.

The Yan family's mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators were fortunate enough to have their late-stage seniors shield them from the residual force.

As for Song Wen, the very instant the Demon Subduing Pestle breached the barrier, he activated the flying talisman held tightly in his left hand. Simultaneously, he channeled his strength into his legs, violently leaping toward a massive tree located diagonally behind the vessel.

The Corpse Puppet remained glued to Song Wen's back, acting as a shield against any attacks from behind.

When the residual shockwave finally erupted, Song Wen was still nearly three Zhang away from the nearest tree.

The violent gale slammed heavily against the Corpse Puppet, instantly shredding its muscles, which had been as tough as old tree roots. The impact tore open its flesh, exposing a decayed internal cavity and stark white bones.

The Corpse Puppet that Song Wen had spent an immense amount of resources to refine was nearly severed at the waist the very first time it was revealed to outsiders.

Yet, the kinetic force of the shockwave was not entirely spent; it penetrated through the Corpse Puppet and slammed directly into Song Wen.

Mid-air, Song Wen had already pushed the Corpse King Blood Refining Art to its absolute limit.

His entire body became shrouded in thick corpse Qi as his blood vitality surged violently.

His skin turned a dark, iron-blue hue, shriveling up as though completely dehydrated. Thick, powerful muscle fibers bulged beneath the surface, looking as though they might burst through his skin at any moment.

The nails on his hands and feet grew long, black, and razor-sharp, glinting with a cold, metallic sheen.

This was the physical transformation brought about by the Corpse King Blood Refining Art after Song Wen broke through to the fourth layer of Qi Refining. It drastically enhanced his physical conditioning, enabling him to withstand the techniques of cultivators within the same realm.

The force transmitted through the Corpse Puppet was no longer enough to threaten Song Wen's life. Instead, he utilized the kinetic thrust to accelerate his flight toward the massive tree.

Song Wen slammed onto the tree trunk, gripping it with all four limbs. Without daring to pause for a single breath, he exerted force through his arms and legs, leaping deeper into the dense forest like an agile ape.

With the assistance of the flying talisman, Song Wen could entirely disregard the vast distances between the branches. He selected the shortest paths, driven by the sole desire to distance himself from the battlefield as quickly as possible.

Behind him, the collisions of various techniques and Magical Artifacts produced a continuous barrage of deafening explosions. Water splashed high into the air, and towering ancient trees were shattered one after another.

Song Wen had no time to pay attention to the chaos behind him. Only by putting enough distance between himself and this place could he secure a sliver of hope for survival.

The collective strength of the rogue cultivators was visibly superior to that of the Yan family. At this moment, the Yan family was struggling just to survive, making it impossible for them to dispatch anyone to pursue Song Wen.

As for the rogue cultivators, when they perceived that Song Wen possessed a mere third-layer Qi Refining cultivation, they did not care in the slightest. Mistaking him for an insignificant low-level member of the Yan family who had no bearing on the grand scheme of things, they simply let him flee.

Without any interference, it took only a few breaths for Song Wen's figure to completely vanish into the depths of the dense forest, leaving no trace behind.

Meanwhile, the Yan family cultivators had been gathered together by Yan Zhengping, joining their forces to resist the onslaught of the rogue cultivators. Because their top-tier combatants were significantly outnumbered, the family's defenses quickly became heavily strained.

Yan Zhengping, who had initially maintained a calm and composed demeanor, now looked increasingly anxious.

He frequently scanned the surroundings with a look of frantic hope, as if waiting for reinforcements to arrive.

Yan Zhengping's hopes did not fall flat. In the distance, across the misty waters of the swamp, a group of cultivators clad in the Yan family's uniform was rushing forward, skimming across the water.

Each of them stood atop a surfboard-like artifact, speeding across the water at an incredible velocity.

The Seven-Color Grass spirit field was the Yan family's most vital resource; it was impossible for it to be left unguarded under normal circumstances. These incoming cultivators were the garrison tasked with protecting the field.

Ordinarily, they remained hidden within the dense forests surrounding the spirit field, guarding against the swamp's Demon Beasts and rogue cultivators looking to steal the spiritual herbs.

Seeing their reinforcements arrive, the spirits of the Yan family members lifted dramatically.

Yan Zhengping roared at the top of his lungs, "Gui San, today will be the day you die!"

Gui San cast a cold glance toward the twenty-odd Yan family cultivators rushing over. Among them, the one with the highest cultivation was merely at the eighth layer of Qi Refining, and there were only about five late-stage Qi Refining cultivators in total. The rest were entirely composed of mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

Gui San's expression grew somewhat grim, yet he showed no panic. Everything that had transpired so far was well within his calculations.

"Brothers, we have already entered an irreconcilable blood feud with the Yan family. Our only path forward is to completely slaughter them to the last man. Unleash your hidden techniques and trump cards now, lest prolonged delays breed further complications!"

"The Yan family has occupied this Poisonous Miasma Swamp for over a century. Their treasury must be overflowing with wealth. As long as we crush them today, whatever treasures you expend in this battle will surely be repaid tenfold or even a hundredfold!"

The numerous rogue cultivators exchanged glances. Greed flared unchecked within the eyes of these desperate outlaws.

Their natural aptitudes were mediocre at best. To have survived to this day in the cruel cultivation world and achieved the late-stage Qi Refining realm, they had relied entirely on being ruthless, cold-blooded, and unscrupulous.

The rogue cultivators' offensive instantly grew several times more vicious. Sinister methods—including talismans, vicious ghosts, and vengeful spirits—were unleashed without restraint.

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