Chapter 100: Brutal Clash (I)

Neigh.

A shrill whinny pierced the air as another steed had its heart torn out by the living corpse. Terror twisted the faces of the Feihong Gang brothers all around, and some even turned as if to flee.

Puff.

A blade pierced the belly of a man who tried to run. The blade belonged to Jia Yanyong, his expression feral.

“Run? The hell you are! Anyone who tries to run dies!” shouted Jia Yanyong. He had always been a vicious, battle-hungry man. Loyalty to his brothers was absolute, but anyone who fled was no brother of his.

Squelch.

Xie Jiang’s blade swept across a man’s throat, and his savage eyes swept over the rest who were thinking of turning tail. Though he often joked and laughed with Lin Zheyu, looking no different from any ordinary man, no one who lived the gang life was ever truly kind.

It wasn’t just them. Even the Bone Forging Realm experts had all taken action. Those whose fear had driven them to flee faltered, tightened their grip on their blades, and gave up the thought of escape.

Beyond the defensive line, dozens of bandits circled without attacking, their eyes gleaming like hungry beasts from afar. The living corpse prowled as if in an empty land. No one dared shoot an arrow for fear of drawing his attention.

Roar.

The living corpse let out a furious roar, sprang forward on its legs, and charged at the last remaining horse. These steeds had been carefully chosen for their vigorous qi and blood, exactly the kind of prey the living corpse craved most. Once he had slain the horses, the powerful warriors nearby would be next.

“Are those lords still not here yet?” muttered Jia Yanyong. His expression grew solemn as he watched the living corpse chase the last horse, and his body trembled despite himself.

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Neigh.

Before long, the last horse was overtaken by the living corpse, letting out a scream before collapsing into a pool of blood. The steeds were swift, but they were far too slow compared to the living corpse.

If not for the fact that he always stopped to devour his favorite organ, the heart, after each kill, he would have been even faster. The living corpse favored hearts above all. Once he finished the heart, if no other creatures with vigorous qi and blood were nearby, he would turn to devour other parts. But if such prey existed, he would continue his hunt for more hearts.

“Not good!”

Qiu Gaoxuan, who had been watching intently from the side, felt his expression shift as the living corpse turned his violet-black eyes toward him, baring a savage grin.

Boom.

The living corpse stomped down and shot forward like a cannonball, his right palm crashing toward Qiu Gaoxuan’s head with terrifying speed.

Bang.

Qiu Gaoxuan hastily raised his blade to block, but the sheer force sent both man and weapon flying, slamming him into a distant tree before he finally stopped. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his face twisting in pain.

A chilling aura surged from the living corpse’s palm into his body, a wave of numbness rendering him immobile in an instant. Despair flooded Qiu Gaoxuan’s heart.

He had heard tales of the living corpse from the older members of the Feihong Gang, about how the living corpse possessed terrifying strength, skin like bronze, and bones like iron. He had also heard how anyone struck by a living corpse’s palm seldom survived.

Eyes wide with unwillingness, he stared at the living corpse rushing toward him and struggled to dodge, but it was useless, as his body was frozen stiff.

Bang.

Suddenly, a heavy thud rang out. At that critical moment, a figure burst forward, swinging a massive spiked club and smashing the living corpse away with a thunderous crash.

“Lord Ren Jie!” shouted Qiu Gaoxuan.

Recognizing the person who had arrived, Qiu Gaoxuan felt a surge of desperate relief.

“Hold your positions! Leave this monster to me!” shouted Ren Jie.

The deep, powerful voice filled the terrified Feihong Gang brothers with newfound confidence. Seeing the living corpse hurled away by Ren Jie’s strike dispelled much of their fear. The monster wasn’t invincible after all!

Roar.

After being flung away, the living corpse slammed a palm into the ground, vaulting back into the air. His face twisted into a grotesque snarl, and threads of crimson light flickered within his violet-black eyes. His lips curled back, revealing sharp, beastlike fangs.

“This monster...” muttered Ren Jie. His eyes hardened at the sight, and his arm tingled slightly.

That strike had unleashed the full might of his blood qi and his greatest strength, yet the monster seemed completely unaffected. Thankfully, the living corpse had no intelligence and relied solely on instinct to fight and kill. Otherwise, with such overwhelming strength and impenetrable defense, he would have been unstoppable.

Whoosh.

The living corpse’s speed was terrifying, the wind howling as he lunged at Ren Jie like a humanoid beast, pressing down on him with immense force. Ren Jie’s expression turned grim as he tightened his grip on the spiked club to block the blow.

Palm techniques were his specialty, yet he dared not use them recklessly against the living corpse. The creature’s body carried deadly poison, and once his Baleful Yin force seeped into the body, it caused paralysis.

Though one’s blood qi could quickly dispel the numbness, even a momentary lapse could lead to disaster. Ren Jie dared to use only blunt weapons for attack and defense, avoiding direct contact or being struck by his palm.

Bang.

The living corpse’s palm slammed into the club with a heavy thud, the terrifying force hurling Ren Jie backward. Ren Jie dug deep footprints into the ground as he skidded back, finally halting his retreat.

“Damn it!” He spat a curse and quickly turned to flee.

This living corpse could not be fought head-on. While his blood qi remained full, he could still rely on its explosive force to clash with the living corpse a few times. But once it was depleted, he would be in grave danger.

Roar.

The living corpse let out a furious roar and charged after Ren Jie. The thick blood qi flowing within Ren Jie’s body drew it like a moth to flame; it was more enticing than even the many ferocious beasts of Beast Roar Mountain.

“

Huff...

”

“Everyone, back to your positions! Stay alert!” commanded Qiu Gaoxuan weakly.

The paralysis had eased somewhat. Qiu Gaoxuan struggled to his feet, his voice faint. His upper body remained stiff, and his face was ashen. Tearing open his clothes, he saw his chest stained a deep violet-black, the discoloration spreading outward and already numb to sensation.

With the living corpse lured away by Lord Ren Jie and reinforcements finally arriving, Qiu Gaoxuan let out a breath of relief. Just then, a flare shot into the night sky not far away, bursting into a spray of sparks.

“It’s the eastern defenses! They’re facing a powerful enemy, too!” Qiu Gaoxuan’s expression shifted sharply.

He turned to the reinforcements and said, “The living corpse here has been drawn away by Lord Ren Jie. Go support the Eastern Front.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“My Lord, leave things here to us. You should see to your wounds,” said one of the men, pointing to Qiu Gaoxuan’s chest.

Qiu Gaoxuan offered no protest, merely nodding with a blank face before heading back toward the camp.

***

At the southern foot of Baishi Mountain, Lin Zheyu narrowed his eyes as he watched the dozen agile bandits below. The bandits from Lion Valley seemed to have allied; otherwise, they could never have fielded so many Bone Forging Realm experts.

There were already this many just here. Counting the other fronts, the number of Bone Forging Realm experts might well exceed a hundred. It was nearly twice as many as the Feihong Gang had.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Arrows rained down on the bandits, but they moved with agile precision, using the darkness to conceal their movements. They advanced as if through unguarded land, triggering none of the many traps and mechanisms laid below.

Is there a traitor?

thought Lin Zheyu, his brows furrowing.

For them to know the layout of the traps so precisely, there had to be a traitor leaking information. Xu She’s figure surfaced in his mind unbidden. The man had always left a poor impression on him. Yet Xu She’s behavior had been proper and by-the-book, leaving Lin Zheyu with no evidence but only suspicion.