Xu Yunfan’s throat bobbed slightly as he secretly swallowed a Red Blood Essence Pill from the Medicine Hall. A low rumble echoed from his stomach as trickles of heat began to spread from his abdomen throughout his body, invigorating his muscles and bones and replenishing the Blood Qi he had expended.

The Celestial Craft Cave was not the Medicine King Valley, after all. Although the Medicine Hall was under Hong Baichuan’s exclusive control and not part of the Six Ministries, it only had two or three master alchemists. This elixir was extremely precious—a potential lifesaver in a critical moment.

Just then, Yan Yuwei whispered, "Cui Bo City is the state capital of Cangzhou. The Celestial Craft Cave has a dense concentration of businesses run by the Foreign Affairs Hall here. Logically, no matter how strong the Incense and Candle Sect is, there’s no way the Celestial Craft Cave would have received no news at all from Cui Bo City, and what’s more..."

She looked into the distance, her expression incredibly grim.

"A city’s Governor, a Captain, and ten thousand soldiers of the Defense Army... all taken down by the Incense and Candle Sect without a fight. I refuse to believe it."

Although Yan Yuwei didn’t say it outright, she glanced at the civilian followers gathering around them, her meaning perfectly clear.

’There are enemies among the crowd, and spies from the Incense and Candle Sect in our Foreign Affairs Hall.’

He glanced over and saw Yan Yuwei using her greatblade to support herself. The blood seeping from the wound on her right leg had already stained half her pant leg red. Although she had used her muscles to close the wound, it would undoubtedly tear open again in a fierce battle.

"Forget the thanks," Xu Yunfan said, his expression calm. "Why don’t you make way and let us wash the dust of our journey off by the lake?"

As he spoke, he glanced at the ruins of Cui Bo Tower, where disciples of the Celestial Craft Cave were still trying to rescue their comrades from beneath the rubble. He sighed inwardly.

The Bright King Spear suddenly swept out, and the powerful gust knocked over a nearby wine banner. The banner instantly disintegrated, its fragments shooting forward like sharp arrows.

Xu Yunfan grabbed Yan Yuwei and leaped back thirty feet. The spot where they had been standing exploded as the banner fragments struck it, sending stone shards flying like darts into the brick walls on either side.

His expression grew solemn. An attack like that was no threat to him, but the spear thrust moments before had sent a chill down his spine.

’It could easily break through my Horizontal Training Body.’

"No need to rush."

The Blood Exchange Realm master from the Incense and Candle Sect gently stroked his horse’s mane. The Jiao Horse snorted, breathing out a puff of white, sulfur-scented mist.

"After I take your heads, I will personally send you both to sleep forever at the bottom of the lake."

Before his words had even faded, earth-shattering wails erupted from the west side of the city.

Xu Yunfan lifted his gaze slightly. About a mile away, thick black smoke billowed up from the residential district, mixed with the piercing screams of women and children.

A blood-soaked peddler stumbled out from a street corner, the swaddled infant in his arms already drenched in blood.

In an instant, Cui Bo City was plunged into a cacophony of tragic howls and cries as a great slaughter enveloped the entire city.

Yet amid the screams of slaughter, the civilian followers who had gathered around began to murmur, their expressions feverishly devout.

"The Ming Venerable descends, the red lotus paves the way;

White bones form the road, Karmic Fire cleanses the dust.

The seven passions are the kindling, the six desires are the fuel;

Flesh and blood become the candle, illuminating the darkness of ignorance.

Those who follow shall transcend; those who resist shall sink into oblivion.

This mortal world is a land of filth; only we are pure."

"You’re slaughtering the whole city!"

Yan Yuwei’s eyes looked ready to split with rage as she slammed her heavy, long-handled Straight Blade into the ground, shattering the paving stones.

"This is a baptism before the Ming Venerable’s arrival. It’s a pity you are not pious, that you don’t believe in the Wisdom King. Otherwise, you would know His greatness and omnipotence."

The figure on horseback chuckled. "By the way, are you expecting the commander of the Cui Bo City garrison to come leading his troops..."

He suddenly raised his spear and pointed south. "He’s currently at the General’s Mansion, ’exchanging pointers’ on spear techniques with our Great Dharma Protector. If not for him..."

The figure looked down at the corpse whose head Xu Yunfan had smashed, his gaze turning icy.

"If it weren’t for that old dog, why would my Incense and Candle Sect have to be so hasty? Beheading him ten thousand times wouldn’t be enough."

Xu Yunfan’s knuckles turned white as he clenched his right fist.

The distress signal flare for Celestial Craft City was hidden in a pouch at his waist, but its fuse took three breaths’ time to ignite.

The aura of the Blood Exchange Realm expert before him was as deep as an abyss, as vast as the sea. The slightest mistake would mean utter doom.

"Take this and fire it." He shoved it into Yan Yuwei’s hands, suddenly lowering his voice. "I’ll cover our retreat."

Before Yan Yuwei could speak, the Bright King Spear had already transformed into a streak of blood-red light.

Xu Yunfan spun and threw his Thunderfire Qilin Hammer. The instant the hammer’s chain wrapped around the spear shaft, the entire chain snapped taut like a steel cable, pulling down and startling the Jiao Horse.

The Jiao Horse shrieked and reared up. As its iron hooves shattered the street, Xu Yunfan used the momentum to launch himself into the air, whipping out his left arm like a lash.

CRACK!

The Mechanical Crossbow at his hip fired a volley of seven bolts, aiming for the Jiao Horse’s eyes and the guards surrounding it!

’The Mechanical Hall of the Celestial Craft Cave has countless mechanisms and Hidden Weapons. It would be a real shame for a True Inheritor like me not to carry a few for self-defense.’

"Trifling tricks."

The Blood Exchange Realm expert was forced to retract his Bright King Spear. With a few quick thrusts, he deflected the crossbow bolts aimed at his personal guards, then flicked his fingers, causing the seven Refined Steel bolts to explode into iron dust in mid-air.

But Xu Yunfan had already used the opportunity to close in on the horse’s flank, his right leg chopping toward the rider’s waist like a battle axe.

This strike secretly contained the Nine-layered Wave Strength—a technique he had developed while studying the Pure Yang Qi Skill. He had twisted three practices into one: using Celestial Cicada for the bones, Red Rope for the skin, and Flying Leg for the tendons. His muscles contracted and rippled, his bones vibrated with a cicada’s hum, and his great tendons twanged like bowstrings—all three forces twisted together into one!

The Blood Exchange Realm master sneered as Xu Yunfan closed in, yet he made no move to defend himself.

THUD!

The muffled impact sounded like the beat of a giant drum, and the resulting blast of force sent dust, wood splinters, and gravel flying everywhere.

Xu Yunfan’s face flushed a deep red as he staggered back several steps. The Blood Exchange Realm master on the Jiao Horse hadn’t moved an inch.

His pupils shrank as he finally got a clear look. Through the gaps in the man’s Profound Iron Armor, he could faintly see the abdominal muscles. They were moving slowly under the iron plating like living pythons, pushing the plates up and down in a wave-like motion and dispersing the force of the blow across the man’s entire body.

"Not bad strength. If I weren’t on my Jiao Horse, you might have knocked me back three steps. And you’re clever, too. If you had used your hammer, I’d have already put my spear through your skull."

KLAK.

The sound of the Jiao Horse’s iron hooves was piercingly sharp.

The Incense and Candle Sect master’s chilling voice rang out, sending a shiver through Xu Yunfan’s heart. He had just tried everything he could, but nothing had worked.

At that moment, Yan Yuwei’s greatblade sliced through the air.

With one sweep, she took down three crossbow-wielding followers. She seized the opportunity to crash into a Heavy Shield Array, her long blade whirling like a windmill.

Pushing her Melting Gold and Forging Iron skill to its limit, beads of blood seeped from her pores and coagulated on her skin into a rust-colored shell, allowing her to withstand two thrusts from a Hook and Scythe Spear.

’Idiot.’

Xu Yunfan couldn’t help but glance at Yan Yuwei. He had risked himself to buy her time to fire the signal, but it seemed that hearing about the slaughter in Cui Bo City had thrown her into disarray, her reason consumed by rage.

’I can’t beat him with brute force. Perhaps if I draw the Gilded Mace from my back and enter the Linn Character State, I’ll stand a fighting chance.’

’But these Incense Followers next to me aren’t just for show.’

"Alright. You’re a True Disciple of the Celestial Craft Cave. I’ll give you a dignified death."

With no warning, the Bright King Spear shot through the air. The trembling spear tip tore through the morning mist, searing three afterimages onto Xu Yunfan’s retinas.

In an instant, the surrounding air felt as thick as a viscous liquid. The spear tip carved through it, kicking up a clearly visible wave of murky white air. The three-foot-long spear gleam that pulsed from its tip was even more terrifying.

’So fast!!’

Xu Yunfan’s pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks. His left hand, which had been swaying idly before his chest, suddenly snapped into a hand seal with a sound like a string of firecrackers.

"Lin!"