Chapter 83: Chapter 81: The Fall of an Innate

Chen Sheng nodded slightly, quite satisfied with Li Huai Sheng’s methods.

"You deserve the primary credit for this success."

At critical moments, this poison-wielding subordinate was indeed far more effective than several Marrow Transformation Martial Masters who only knew how to engage in direct combat.

"Should... should I also join the siege and completely eliminate any chance he has of survival?"

Li Huai Sheng watched the unfolding situation, tempted. To personally participate in killing an Innate master would undoubtedly be a huge accomplishment.

"Unnecessary."

Chen Sheng raised a hand to stop him, his tone leaving no room for argument.

’Why take risks when we can simply overwhelm him?’

He had always been one to act with caution, a firm believer in using one’s full strength even to hunt a rabbit. He preferred to crush his opponents with absolute superiority rather than personally risk his life chasing the empty glory of slaying an enemy commander in the field.

The only times he was truly willing to act personally were either in a situation of guaranteed, risk-free victory... or now, when his prey had already fallen into a trap and was in its final death throes.

Besides...

Chen Sheng subconsciously touched the Blood Evil Demon Talisman hidden beneath the bracer on his left arm, a cold smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

’This trap has multiple layers, and what they see now is only the beginning.’

’The true killing blow has yet to be struck.’

...

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The battle in the clearing had reached a fever pitch.

The soldiers were a tireless tide, one wave falling only to be replaced by another surging forward.

Shanxin brandished his longspear, its shadow a mountain of death. Every sweep sent several men flying and unleashed a spray of bloody rain.

But his own condition was growing dire. His face had turned from pale to ashen, his breathing ragged. The Innate True Qi in his Dantian was nearly exhausted, and his Protective Qi Force had weakened to the point of being almost invisible.

The immense shadow of death loomed over him.

Shanxin could clearly feel his Life Force rapidly draining away as his True Qi dissipated.

He wouldn’t last a hundred breaths. No, perhaps not even fifty before he was completely finished.

A crazed, desperate light flashed in Shanxin’s eyes.

’I can’t just die here so easily.’

’I still have my revenge to claim, my ambitions to fulfill.’

’I must return to Ning’an Prefecture and seize the Profound Yin Blood Fiend! I must refine the Nine Nether Yin Fiend! I will make those blind old fools at Golden Spring Temple regret everything! I will prove that I, Shanxin, am the most brilliant disciple the Golden Spring Temple has seen in thirty years!’

Cornered with no way out, Shanxin held back no longer. He brutally activated his life-saving Secret Technique: the Blood Burning Secret Technique.

This technique could instantly burn his blood essence to stimulate the Spirit Seed in his Dantian, forcibly unlocking his potential. It would allow him to recover, or even temporarily surpass, his former strength. However, the cost was devastating. Afterward, his Primordial Qi would be gravely injured and his foundation damaged. It could even destroy his Spirit Seed, severing his path of cultivation forever.

But at this moment, he couldn’t afford to care.

’My only hope is to risk it all!’

VMMMM—!

A violent aura suddenly erupted from Shanxin’s body. His skin instantly turned crimson, and a visible, blood-red mist began to steam from his body. His previously scattered Innate True Qi was forcibly re-condensed, becoming a surging, majestic torrent once more.

He knew this state could last for a hundred breaths at most, and even then, he still couldn’t possibly fight his way through the Military Preparation Camp.

But his intention was never to break out. During the chaos of the battle, he had already pinpointed Chen Sheng’s location, just a hundred meters away.

A vicious gleam in Shanxin’s eyes intensified. If he could heavily injure or capture Chen Sheng and take him hostage before the Secret Technique wore off, no matter the cost, he might just be able to secure a sliver of hope for survival.

And this was his last chance.

"Die!"

With most of his strength temporarily restored, Shanxin’s presence was overwhelming. The longspear in his hands became a blur of black lightning. With one incomparably ferocious sweep, he obliterated several charging soldiers, pulverizing them, armor and all.

A thick mist of blood, bone fragments, and severed limbs filled the air, a truly gruesome sight.

Using the brief opening created by his thunderous strike, Shanxin stomped his feet hard and launched himself into the air once more. He wasn’t as agile as he was at his peak, but he was still as fast as an arrow loosed from a bow. Blood-soaked longspear in hand, filled with a desperate, all-or-nothing ferocity, he shot straight toward Chen Sheng.

His gaze locked onto his target, radiating chilling killing intent.

"My lord, watch out!"

The Demon Monk had suddenly recovered his strength and was breaking through the encirclement, heading straight for the command position. Li Huai Sheng’s expression changed drastically. In his shock, he reflexively flung his hand, unleashing a dense cloud of fine Poison Needles that shimmered with a faint blue light, showering them toward Shanxin like a fine mist.

However, although the Innate Body-Protecting Golden Bell Shield that Shanxin had forcibly manifested was flickering unsteadily, it was still not something such hidden weapons could easily pierce. The Poison Needles struck the shield with a series of sharp TINK-TINK-TINK sounds before being repelled and shattered.

"Hah!"

While still in the air, Shanxin unleashed another Lion’s Roar, this one like a sonic boom. The sound wave was focused, aimed directly at Chen Sheng. It was far more concentrated and lethal than the previous area-of-effect roar.

Chen Sheng’s ears rang and his blood roiled slightly, but he seemed prepared. He only swayed for a moment before steadying himself.

Facing this seemingly unstoppable killing blow, one that held all of Shanxin’s remaining power, Chen Sheng showed no signs of panic. Instead, a cold, confident smirk spread across his face.

’Finally.’

’I was waiting for this final, desperate attack!’

In the next moment, to the utter shock of Li Huai Sheng and the surrounding guards, Chen Sheng did not retreat from the attack’s spearhead. Instead, he took a sudden step forward, actively meeting Shanxin’s aerial assault.

His own movement was shockingly swift!

"You’re courting death!"

Shanxin was shocked at first, but then a wave of ecstasy washed over him.

’He actually dares to meet my final, desperate attack—empowered by the Blood Burning Secret Technique—with his mere Foundation Establishment body? It’s like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, utter suicide! But this is good for me.’

The distance between them closed in a flash: fifty feet, forty, thirty...

In that fraction of a second.

Chen Sheng’s left arm suddenly trembled. The sleeve and bracer wrapped around it were instantly blasted to smithereens by an overflowing Force.

In the next instant, a beam of crimson light—incredibly condensed and reeking of blood and malice—erupted from a bizarre glyph on the skin of his left arm.

The bloody light shot out like an arrow, its speed too fast for the naked eye to follow.

The instant it appeared, it tore through the air, crossing the final thirty feet to shoot directly at Shanxin’s chest.

’No!!!’

The ecstasy on Shanxin’s face froze instantly, replaced by sheer terror.

’I never imagined he was hiding such a strange and terrifying killing blow!’

At such close range, with such a sudden attack, and while he was still airborne—he had no time to react, no way to dodge.

PFFT—!

A faint sound, like silk being torn, followed.

The condensed Innate Body-Protecting Golden Bell Shield was as fragile as paper in the face of the crimson light. It shattered on contact, and the light plunged, unimpeded, into Shanxin’s chest.

"Ugh—!"

Shanxin’s expression changed drastically. He let out a horrifying shriek as his body convulsed violently.

The moment the Blood Evil Demon Talisman entered his body, a violent Blood Evil Power erupted within him like ten thousand poison needles, rampaging and tearing through his insides. His heart was instantly pierced and shredded.

The fatal blow from the Blood Evil Demon Talisman instantly destroyed the Blood Burning Secret Technique he had forcibly activated.

His Dantian Qi Sea was like ice dropped into boiling oil; it melted and collapsed with astonishing speed, even faster than before.

The powerful aura he had forcibly summoned vanished in an instant, like air from a punctured balloon. His crimson skin rapidly turned a deathly gray, the crazed light in his eyes replaced by utter despair and indignation.

Ptoo—!

A large mouthful of black blood, mixed with fragments of his internal organs, sprayed violently from his lips.

He could no longer maintain his flight. Like a puppet with its strings cut, he fell rigidly from ten feet in the air, crashing heavily to the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Hkk... hkk..."

Shanxin’s eyes were filled with bitter regret as he stared fixedly at Chen Sheng, as if trying to say something but unable to form the words. In the final moment before his life faded completely... 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

...his past flashed before his eyes. Then, the light faded from his gaze, and he died, his last breath expiring.