Elder Kumu watched the light that had already vanished, turned around calmly, and without needing to look, he knew he had won.
Seeing the cracks in the light barrier growing wider, it was only a matter of time before it broke.
Elder Kumu was about to strike.
Boom—
A massive explosion erupted behind him.
Elder Kumu’s movements froze as if time had stopped. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
‘How is this possible!’
His ultimate technique had been nullified! Even with his current power greatly diminished, it should have been impossible!
No matter how much Elder Kumu’s True Qi refused to believe it, the fact remained—the forest he had condensed from True Qi had dissolved into specks of light in the air.
A young man was suspended midair, looking extremely disheveled, panting heavily.
“Heh, I almost bit the dust.”
Qin Mu’s entire body was now covered in blood. If one looked closely, they would notice a hint of gold mixed into the crimson.
“Human boy, your body has reached its limit. Stop fighting.”
The Divine Dragon clearly sensed that Qin Mu’s Sea of Consciousness was in great turmoil. If not for his power sustaining him, Qin Mu would have collapsed by now.
“Senior Divine Dragon, I haven’t said I’ve lost yet.”
Qin Mu forced himself upright, his gaze passing over Elder Kumu to the cracking light barrier. He knew Miss Ruoshuang and Miss Mengyu were attacking it. If he withdrew now, not only would their efforts be wasted, but he would also be captured.
All his life, Miss Ruoshuang and Miss Mengyu had protected him. If, when faced with such a situation, he chose to flee, he would never forgive himself.
Elder Kumu’s face darkened. This junior had truly exceeded his expectations.
Suddenly, Elder Kumu felt something drawing him—something on this junior’s person.
“Whatever it is, I only need to capture you, junior, and that’s enough.”
Elder Kumu struck again.
“Good!”
Qin Mu dashed toward Elder Kumu.
With a thought, Elder Kumu’s walking stick automatically thrust at the approaching Qin Mu.
Swish—
The walking stick sliced through the air, but no blood splattered. Qin Mu’s figure dissipated like a spec of light.
An afterimage!
Elder Kumu’s heart raced in alarm, but the next moment, Qin Mu appeared behind him.
“Mountain Splitter!”
Qin Mu’s palm struck Elder Kumu’s back. Surging, violent True Qi exploded instantly.
“Ah!”
For the first time, Elder Kumu screamed—something he hadn’t even done when Elder Luoye had gravely injured him.
This palm strike was not just a simple hit. It also dispersed the stagnant True Qi inside Elder Kumu’s body, causing the energy to run wild and worsening his injuries.
Thud!
Elder Kumu plummeted from the air and crashed into the ground.
“No time to waste! One more blow!”
Qin Mu’s speed skyrocketed as he charged at Elder Kumu.
“Junior, you dare!”
Elder Kumu spat blood. He wanted to dodge, but his body was temporarily paralyzed.
Just as Qin Mu was about to finish off Elder Kumu, his internal True Qi suddenly ran dry, and a wave of exhaustion crashed over him like a tidal wave.
“Sigh, human boy, you’ve hit the limit.”
The Divine Dragon’s greatest fear had come to pass. Qin Mu could no longer endure his power for long.
“Damn it! No!”
Qin Mu wanted to keep moving forward, but his body wouldn’t allow it.
Thud.
The boy’s body drifted down like a falling leaf.
“Haha! Junior, it seems this old man still has the upper hand!”
Elder Kumu staggered to his feet and limped toward Qin Mu.
“Earlier, I felt something on you that attracted me. Now I know what it is—it’s your blood!”
Elder Kumu stared at the blood on Qin Mu, greed filling his eyes.
“I have never seen such bloodline before. Once I refine your blood, maybe—no, definitely—that Luoye will be no match for me!”
Damn it!
Hearing Elder Kumu’s words, Qin Mu’s heart sank. This old man wanted to drain his blood dry!
He tried to pull out a Talisman to escape, but now he had no True Qi left at all; he couldn’t even open his Storage Pouch.
Just in the nick of time, a Gu Insect suddenly shot from the side toward Elder Kumu.
“Old geezer! Don’t forget about me!”
A clear shout accompanied a graceful figure quickly arriving beside Qin Mu.
“Oh?”
Elder Kumu raised an eyebrow, looking at the figure with a faint smile.
“Miss Shuanger, I was just looking for you. Since you’ve appeared, you may as well come with me too.”
As he spoke, he merely raised a hand and crushed the Gu Insect Lu Shuanger had released.
“Miss Shuanger, your Gu Insects are far inferior to the High Priest’s.”
“Ha! If my master were here, would you still be standing?”
Lu Shuanger had heard Elder Kumu say he wanted Qin Mu’s blood, and she had rushed over instinctively.
Seeing Lu Shuanger stand in front of him, Qin Mu felt a surge of gratitude.
‘Lu Shuanger, you truly are my best buddy!’
“Sharp-tongued girl. It seems this old man must teach you a lesson on behalf of the High Priest.”
Elder Kumu’s tattered sleeves billowed. Just as he was about to strike, the space around them suddenly froze.
Not good!
Elder Kumu’s previously calm expression shifted drastically. Luoye had found him!
“Kumu, surrender now!”
A voice pierced through the space, echoing all around.
The next moment, space shattered, and Elder Luoye stepped out.
Seeing the worsened injuries on Elder Kumu, Elder Luoye turned his gaze to Qin Mu, who was lying on the ground, unable to move. He hadn’t expected this little one to possess such skill. He had witnessed everything that had happened. The reason he hadn’t acted earlier was that Elder Kumu had sealed off the space here, and it had taken him some time to break through.
However…
Elder Luoye shifted his gaze to Lu Shuanger. He hadn’t expected the High Priest’s personal disciple to be here either.
“Luoye! This old man hasn’t lost yet!”
Elder Kumu crushed his walking stick, and the fragments merged into his body one by one.
“Shattering your own lifebound Fabao…”
Elder Luoye looked at Elder Kumu, who was making his last stand. This was a Cultivator’s final trump card at the brink of life and death—if he died, he would drag someone down with him.
“Pity. If you had been in your earlier state, this move would have been troublesome for me. But as you are now, I’m afraid it won’t be enough.”
Facing Elder Kumu, who had shattered his own lifebound Fabao, Elder Luoye simply opened his mouth and spat out a verdant green leaf.
“Ha ha ha! Fine, fine! Luoye, let this old man see whether your lifebound Fabao is stronger, or mine!”
Elder Kumu’s figure shot directly at Elder Luoye.
“All things in the end cannot escape the fate of falling leaves, just like you, Kumu.”
Elder Luoye flicked the leaf lightly with his finger. It drifted through the air like a leaf carried by the wind, flying toward Elder Kumu.