"ARGH! ARGH! ARGH..."

Elder Ghost’s eyes were bloodshot and his face twisted as he let out a hysterical roar, as if his own son had just died.

Once the Blood-Stealing Curse began, it was irreversible. The survivor would take everything from the other person.

Now,

Zhu Ju was the one who survived, so one could only imagine Dugu Ming’s fate.

"Young Master!"

Elder Ghost roared in fury.

"I want you dead!"

SWOOSH!

In an instant, he pushed his Phantom Step to its absolute limit. His body lunged forward like a specter, leaving a trail of afterimages in his wake.

Soul-Slaying Ghost Claw!

Vast, masculine Qi Blood, driven by a Secret Technique, erupted from his body, transforming into a howling, ghostly wind that chilled one to the bone.

As an Elder of the Red Blood Sect, Elder Ghost’s strength ranked high in the Martial World. Moreover, he had decades of rich experience in life-or-death combat. As long as he didn’t encounter someone on Fu Huanlian’s level, an ordinary Gui Cang expert was no match for him.

Facing the incoming assault, Zhu Ju tensed up. He swung his arm, and a whistling, Powerful Qi burst from his body as his Palm Technique unfolded.

Sideways Inch Bridge!

Supporting Palm!

Double Concealing Hand!

...

Without any conscious thought, the moment Elder Ghost moved, Zhu Ju’s body spontaneously executed the corresponding Palm Technique to defend.

Fluid!

Coordinated!

As smooth as flowing water!

The fierce and brutal Palm Technique, when performed by Zhu Ju now, possessed an indescribable, unique charm. And his formidable power gave him an overwhelming advantage.

BANG!

CRACK...

The two exchanged blows rapidly within a few feet of each other. Palms and claws clashed, Powerful Qi surged, and their figures suddenly broke apart.

*Pant... Pant...*

Elder Ghost gasped for air, his arms trembling uncontrollably. His eyes were filled with utter shock.

He had reached the Gui Cang Realm nearly forty years ago. Although his Talent couldn’t compare to some of the top powerhouses in the Martial World, to think a mere Noble Young Master from Yue City...

’I’m actually losing!’

’All of this...’

’This should have all belonged to the Young Master!’

"ARGH!"

Resentment, fury, and regret flooded his heart. Elder Ghost gritted his teeth and roared, striking several major Acupoints on his body.

"Seven-Star Acupoint!"

"Explode!"

Instantly, the injuries he had sustained from Fu Huanlian were forcibly suppressed. His aura surged, becoming even stronger than he was at his peak.

Ghost Claw—Netherworld’s Grudge!

The ghostly wind rose again, the Powerful Qi even more formidable and condensed than before. In Zhu Ju’s eyes, all he could see were claw attacks.

"Bring it on!"

With a low shout, he advanced instead of retreating.

If he only had his Gui Cang Realm Cultivation, Zhu Ju wouldn’t have dared to clash head-on. But in addition to Qi Blood Martial Arts, he also cultivated the Thirteen Body Refinement. His External Training had reached the Perfection of the third level, and he had already stepped into the fourth: the Blood Marrow Realm.

A head-on clash...

What was there to fear!

The Qi Blood of the Gui Cang Realm was like a high-powered engine, driving his Physical Body to execute the Mixed Element Iron Hand.

One Foot Soldier, One Inch Iron!

Golden Spear and Iron Horse!

...

The benefits of the Blood-Stealing Curse clearly weren’t limited to increasing Zhu Ju’s Cultivation; it had also enhanced his Martial Arts Talent.

The Palm Technique that once seemed impossibly complex and obscure was now performed with complete mastery. He could change moves at will, with no hindrance whatsoever.

Qi and Will Integration!

The Third Realm of Martial Arts!

This Martial Arts Realm, coveted by countless martial artists, had manifested in Zhu Ju so naturally.

When facing an attack, sometimes his body would react before his mind even had time to process it—a sign that his skills were trained into his very bones.

BANG!

HISS...

The claw’s shadow scraped across the hard rock, leaving deep marks. While mid-air, Elder Ghost’s body suddenly twisted.

Soul Slaughter—O Soul, Return!

A strange sense of sorrow welled up in his heart, causing Zhu Ju’s expression to darken. The technique of his palms changed in response.

The many variations of the Palm Technique flashed through his mind in an instant. One of them silently leaped to the forefront and was executed through his hands.

One of the three great Killing Moves of the Mixed Element Iron Hand—Iron Tree Silver Flower!

In a flash, jet-black palm prints filled the area like an iron tree blossoming with silver flowers, converging mid-air into a multitude of palm shadows.

The moment Elder Ghost’s profound and unpredictable Soul-Slaying Claw touched them, it silently dissipated like snow under a scorching sun.

He had almost no power to resist.

In the next instant, another of the three great Killing Moves—Ten Thousand Ridges Return to One!

The countless palm shadows in the sky suddenly converged, forming a single, unremarkable forward push. Yet, it caused Elder Ghost’s expression to change drastically.

BOOM!

The air roared.

"Pfft!"

Elder Ghost spat blood and stumbled back, his eyes wide with terror.

"What is this Palm Technique?"

For a split second just now, he had felt an oppressive might from Zhu Ju that only the Sect Leader possessed.

Tyrannical and invincible!

Why had he never heard of such a Palm Technique?

"Mixed Element Iron Hand," Zhu Ju said with a sigh, landing lightly on the ground.

"I originally thought it would take at least ten more years before I could use these Killing Moves. I never expected..."

"Trying to escape?"

But the moment Zhu Ju spoke, Elder Ghost slapped the ground and shot outwards like a slippery loach.

His Body Technique was unique; the fact that he had escaped from top-tier masters several times was a testament to its effectiveness.

But this time was clearly an exception.

BANG!

With a dull thud, Elder Ghost was sent flying back even faster than he had left. He landed, unable to move, and then two figures came into view.

"Sect Leader Fu? Hero Ye?"

"Young Master Zhu?"

The two who had walked in stared at Zhu Ju in mutual astonishment.

*

*

*

"So that’s what happened!"

After hearing Zhu Ju’s explanation, Fu Huanlian looked astonished and shook her head repeatedly.

"Brother Ye and I were tracking clues about the Red Blood Sect and came here. We never thought... we’d run into you, Young Master Zhu."

"Young Master Zhu, your fortuitous encounter is truly a rare sight in this world."

She didn’t doubt Zhu Ju’s words. After all, Elder Ghost wasn’t quite dead yet, and traces of the Blood-Stealing Curse and the battle remained.

"A Grandmaster Gui Cang under the age of twenty," Ye Liuyun said, also filled with emotion.

"Young Master Zhu will surely be able to Break the Limit one day. Perhaps you might even glimpse the realm of an Unparalleled Grandmaster. It’s truly enviable."

"You two are too kind," Zhu Ju said, shaking his head. He then frowned and asked, "This Blood-Stealing Curse seems far too domineering. It can actually seize another’s Cultivation and Talent. If so, wouldn’t the Red Blood Sect be invincible?"

Stealing someone’s Cultivation was one thing, but to steal even their Talent was simply unreasonable. As long as they were willing to kill, couldn’t they just create a batch of peerless experts in no time?

"It’s not that simple," Ye Liuyun said with a smile.

"From what I know, setting up a Blood-Stealing Curse has all sorts of restrictions. In each generation of the Red Blood Sect, only one or two people at most get this opportunity."

"That’s right," Fu Huanlian nodded.

"Besides, a person can only undergo the Blood-Stealing Curse once. A second time means certain death. If it could be used multiple times, Dugu Wuwang would have become invincible long ago!"

"I see..." Zhu Ju finally breathed a sigh of relief, then raised an eyebrow.

"Dugu Wuwang?"

"The current Sect Leader of the Red Blood Sect, a Peak Limit-Breaking Powerhouse," Fu Huanlian explained. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"He’s also Dugu Ming’s father."

Zhu Ju’s expression darkened once again.

"Young Master Zhu, there’s no need to worry," Ye Liuyun consoled from the side.

"Ten years ago, Dugu Wuwang fought a duel with Master Yuanding of Jinlun Temple and lost by a single move. Afterward, he promised he would never leave his seclusion as long as Master Yuanding was alive."

"Although Dugu Wuwang is ruthless and vicious, he keeps his promises. He hasn’t reappeared in the Martial World for all these years, and even his Three Capitals Guardians have vanished along with him."

"I see..." Zhu Ju asked a critical question, "How old is Master Yuanding this year?"

"Heh..." Fu Huanlian chuckled.

"Seventy-two."

Seventy-two!

For an ordinary person, that age meant one foot in the grave and not long for this world. But for a Martial Arts master, he was still a long way from the end of his lifespan.

Qi Blood Martial Arts were excellent for nourishing the body. The higher the Cultivation, the longer the lifespan. It wouldn’t be surprising if Master Yuanding lived to be over a hundred.

In other words, he wouldn’t have to worry about Dugu Wuwang’s revenge for the next few decades.

As for what might happen a few decades from now...

Zhu Ju would likely have long since cultivated Inner Qi. By then, who in this world would be his match?

As they spoke, the three of them searched the cave. This was likely a secret base for the Red Blood Sect. There wasn’t much of value, but there were some ledgers for human trafficking and various books.

"Red Blood Divine Claw!"

Ye Liuyun picked up a booklet, a surprised look on his face.

"It’s actually this Cultivation Technique."

"Hm?" Fu Huanlian moved closer.

"Top-tier Methods like this are usually passed down orally, not written down. This Secret Manual was probably written by Dugu Ming for his own convenience during Cultivation. It even has annotations."

"Young Master Zhu, another stroke of fortune has come your way!"

As the Sect Leader of the Five Elements Fist Sect, whose Five Elements Gang Fist could be called the pinnacle of Martial Arts, she naturally wouldn’t covet other techniques. As a disciple of the Ye Family, Ye Liuyun also had no shortage of top-tier inheritances.

"Thank you," Zhu Ju said without being overly polite.

"I will make two copies for you both."

Fu Huanlian looked at Ye Liuyun. Their eyes met for a moment before they instinctively looked away.

Their relationship was rather complicated. They once had a romance, but as the Sect Leader of the Five Elements Fist Sect and the Patriarch of the Fu Family for this generation, Fu Huanlian’s husband could only be someone who married into her family.

And Ye Liuyun, as a disciple of the Ye Family and a candidate for the next Patriarch, certainly could not marry into another family. As a result, both of them remained single to this day.