He remembered taking the Bone Marrow Cleansing Liquid that day and faintly hearing responses in a trance. Now, his Barbaric Wilderness Great Success, the manifestation of his Divine Image, the evolution of his Qi Sea, and even the formation of a three-fold Potential Energy Superposition—it was all inextricably linked to that Bone Marrow Cleansing Liquid.

He couldn’t help but check his status panel.

Favors: None

Mixed Element Skill: (0-10000)

Primordial Bloodline (10535-12000)

Wind-Chasing Step (0-6000)

Broken Water Blade (0-1000)

(Remaining Lifespan: 139 years)

Back in the Trial Ground, his Zhenyuan Technique had already reached Perfection. His progression from Qi Sea Minor Achievement to Qi Sea Great Success was inextricably linked to this. His Qi Sea Power had resonated with the Wind and Wave Power, causing his Dantian Qi Sea to evolve. Perhaps that resonance was merely a key unlocking a door, making it all appear as if the Qi Sea’s evolution stemmed from the fusion of these two forces.

"I wonder if I can use the Zhenyuan Technique to make my Qi Sea evolve again, to reach the Perfection realm," Chu Lingguang muttered to himself.

"SCREECH!"

At that moment, the Three-headed Iron Wolf Eagle circling over the dense forest drew closer and closer to the mountain. But upon seeing Chu Lingguang on the summit, they deliberately kept their distance.

’They’re about to make their breakout.’ Chu Lingguang realized Mo Shan and his men were likely about to fight their way out of the forest below. Now that his power had surged, with his Divine Image manifest and Barbaric Wilderness at the Great Success stage, it was the perfect time for him to launch a rescue.

"Hya!"

Chu Lingguang rode Little Red Horse, charging down from the mountain summit.

Little Red Horse seemed to sense the change in its master’s strength, and it charged down with the speed of wind and lightning. It moved like a cheetah, its momentum unstoppable.

Chu Lingguang glanced up at the Three-headed Iron Wolf Eagle in the sky.

The Three-headed Iron Wolf Eagle instantly shot higher into the sky. Down here, only Chu Lingguang posed a threat to them, and his every glance sent a shiver of danger through them.

This was exactly what Chu Lingguang wanted. He had to ensure that when Mo Shan and his men broke out of the forest, they wouldn’t be attacked by the Three-headed Iron Wolf Eagle. Otherwise, crossing this mountain and entering the Great Yuan Territory would become much more difficult.

As he drew closer, Chu Lingguang not only felt the air tremble with shockwaves but also saw sharp glints of blades slicing out from between the leaves. The sound of weapons clashing inside the forest was incessant.

All sorts of powers erupted at once, creating a deafening roar that sent the birds and beasts of the forest scattering in terror.

Chu Lingguang charged all the way down the mountain, but seeing no sign of Mo Shan’s group of four emerging from the forest, he had no choice but to ride Little Red Horse and plunge straight in.

When the Three-headed Iron Wolf Eagle in the sky saw Chu Lingguang enter the forest and disappear from view, they climbed higher still. The deaths of the man with the black mole and his partner were still vivid in their memory.

In their eyes, Chu Lingguang was extremely cunning. The less they could see of him, the more they had to be on guard to avoid being shot down by one of his arrows.

"Ah!"

"Big Brother!"

「Inside the forest.」

Although Mo Shan’s group of four had been fighting their way toward South Mountain, Batu Mu’s forces clung to them like glue, refusing to let go.

Of their original fifty-odd men, fewer than twenty now remained.

Mo Shan and his three brothers were also covered in wounds and drenched in blood. Demon Mark had two arrows lodged in his right thigh and calf, making it difficult for him to move and forcing Mo Shuang to cover him.

Mo Shuang himself bore several blade wounds.

Even the strongest of them, Mo Shan, was a mess of disheveled hair, with wounds on his back, legs, and shoulders. The four brothers fought a bloody, close-quarters battle, their willingness to die for one another inspiring a mixture of admiration and fear in Batu Mu’s men.

Yet, this only strengthened their enemies’ resolve to not let the four brothers escape.

Their leader, Batu Mu, landed three slashes on Mo Shan while covered by his men. Though Batu Mu took a blade to the chest in return, Mo Shan was exhausted; his attack, while breaking Batu Mu’s defense, failed to strike a vital point. It was clear that if they clashed head-on again, Mo Shan would be the one to die.

In Batu Mu’s eyes, Mo Shan was the greatest threat. He was not only the strongest of the four but also their backbone. Kill Mo Shan, and the other three would be nothing more than scattered rabble, easily broken.

Finally, Batu Mu found another opening.

He saw Mo Shan, despite his heavy injuries, still trying to rescue Demon Mark. The attempt created a fatal flaw in Mo Shan’s defense, and Batu Mu saw his chance to kill.

He admired such brotherhood, yet he also felt Mo Shan was wasting his life. In his eyes, Mo Shuang, Demon Mark, and Mo Lei were completely unworthy of fighting alongside him. They were nothing but a burden; Mo Shan had been wounded several times protecting them.

Demon Mark sensed Batu Mu’s intent and screamed desperately, trying to throw himself in front of Mo Shan and take the blow for him.

Unfortunately, Mo Shan was there to save him.

Besides, Batu Mu’s Saber Technique was superb, and his attack had been carefully prepared. Even Mo Shan couldn’t react in time, so how could the injured and immobile Demon Mark possibly save him?

He could almost see Mo Shan being sliced in half by Batu Mu’s blade, and he screamed in a panic.

Mo Shan only felt a wave of deadly aura wash over him. He knew Batu Mu had been waiting for an opening, but he hadn’t expected him to seize it so perfectly. He realized his injuries were too severe, his reactions too slow; a minor flaw had just become a fatal crisis.

But there was no medicine for regret.

Even if he had known this moment would come, he would never have stood by and watched Demon Mark’s throat be slit. The four of them were sworn brothers. They had pledged not only to give their lives for Mr. Du but to share all fortunes, life and death, advancing and retreating as one.

"SWISH!"

"SWISH!"

"SWISH!"

"SWISH!"

But at that exact moment, four blurred arrows shot from behind them with lightning speed. They zipped over their shoulders, aiming straight for the point between Batu Mu’s eyes.