Supreme Alchemist-Chapter 2426 - 2416: Killed?

"The so-called cultivators are merely those who steal the wonders of heaven and earth. They are accustomed to relying on the True Qi within their bodies but often forget the innate abilities they already possess."

Old Madman’s words, drifting within the Blood Mist, turned eerily ethereal, as though mocking and yet seemingly offering guidance to Long Yan.

As an overwhelming killing intent emerged to Long Yan’s right, his Demon Spear merely stabbed into empty air. fгeewёbnoѵel_cσm

"Not the right side?"

Though Long Yan was taken aback, he quickly adjusted his stance. Clearly, this was no simple matter. However, Long Yan’s strike had successfully disrupted Old Madman’s original attack.

"Did you sense my killing intent?"

Old Madman’s voice maintained its hollow resonance. How he achieved this effect in the vast, empty Bamboo Forest was unclear. The sound echoed endlessly, yet Long Yan remained silent, as a creeping, wordless fear slowly clawed its way to his heart.

The White Tiger’s Secret failed to provide any assistance. The thin Blood Mist, though dispersible with a mere wave, obstructed clarity and made the surroundings murky. Perhaps it was a trick of Long Yan’s mind, but the mist felt thicker than before.

Now, Long Yan’s visibility had dropped to a critically low level. The surrounding scene had become completely indecipherable, and even his normally sharp perception had been forced to narrow to his immediate vicinity.

But that wasn’t nearly enough—Old Madman’s weapon was a greatsword, far surpassing Long Yan’s sensory range in both attack distance and reach. In such circumstances, even the slightest enhancement to his perception could mean the difference between survival and death.

After all, that greatsword wasn’t something to take lightly. If struck by it, Long Yan might very well perish. During his earlier close escape, despite pushing his Protective True Qi to its absolute limit, it had proved useless against Old Madman’s sword. The blade seemed to carry an essence that absorbed True Qi upon contact.

Yet Old Madman wasn’t in a hurry to attack Long Yan directly. Instead, he probed him from the perimeter, addressing him intermittently. Couldn’t pinpoint the direction of the sound’s origin amidst the Blood Mist; after futile attempts at counterattacks, Long Yan had no choice but to abandon them and quietly wait for Old Madman’s strike.

"How perceptive."

For once, Old Madman genuinely praised Long Yan. Despite the compliment, Long Yan didn’t respond, remaining on high alert in his stationary position.

"No need to be so wary of me. If I truly wanted to kill you, it wouldn’t take more than an instant."

A probing strike with the greatsword emerged from within the Blood Mist, aimed at Long Yan’s back. Although the attack came from behind, Long Yan had anticipated it. His Demon Spear was positioned against his back, perfectly intercepting the sword’s thrust. This Old Madman was truly unpredictable.

Ordinarily, users of large weapons like greatswords would favor hacking or cleaving strikes. Few would opt for thrusting—greatswords were long, and a misstep leading to close quarters would leave the wielder defenseless, with little time to recover.

Long Yan seized this opening. Letting the blade of the greatsword slide along the Demon Spear’s edge in a circular motion, Long Yan momentarily released the spear with his hand. Now, with his entire body low and crouched like a leopard, he turned and charged toward the direction the sword had come from.

In a flash, Long Yan calculated the greatsword’s length, executing his counterattack in a split second. Even he hadn’t expected his movements to be so swift, especially since his body had been completely paralyzed by fear only moments ago.

But there was no time for hesitation. In his now empty hands, two swords suddenly materialized—the Lu Xian Sword and the Trap Immortal Sword, respectively gripped in his left and right hands. The Trap Immortal Sword was a gift from Jiang Chen—a fee to seal his lips. Despite binding himself to the weapon, Long Yan rarely used it, as the Lu Xian Sword alone was typically sufficient for combat. He didn’t favor wielding dual swords.

Unexpectedly, the Lu Xian Sword found its calling here. Long Yan’s right hand wielded the Trap Immortal Sword to counter the returning greatsword. Though the Trap Immortal Sword effectively blocked the strike, a sickening crunch of bone emanated from Long Yan’s right hand, sending sharp waves of pain through his arm.

The tremendous force transmitted from the greatsword left Long Yan deeply alarmed. Gritting his teeth, he maintained his grip on the right-handed sword while driving the Lu Xian Sword in his left hand toward Old Madman’s chest. When the Lu Xian Sword pierced Old Madman’s chest, Long Yan exhaled heavily.

Finally, it was over. This monstrously powerful madman.

As Old Madman’s body collapsed to the ground, Long Yan slumped onto the earth too, instinctively clutching his injured right hand. What had this lunatic eaten to grow so terrifyingly strong? Despite the Martial God Array’s reinforcement, Long Yan had stood no chance against him in raw strength.

Sweat poured down Long Yan’s forehead, dripping incessantly. His right hand was entirely immobilized; even the tiniest motion of his wrist brought unbearable pain. Yet curiously, the surrounding Blood Mist showed no signs of dissipating.

"What’s going on?"

Long Yan could clearly see Old Madman’s corpse lying on the ground, so why hadn’t the Blood Mist vanished? Could it be lingering due to a lack of control?

Just as he began to rise, a sudden pang of dread gripped Long Yan’s heart. Reacting instinctively, he bounded sideways like a startled rabbit. The ground where he had been standing erupted in a spray of earth, a jagged stone grazing his cheek and leaving a sharp sting.

"Impossible... You’re supposed to be dead."

As Old Madman reappeared before him, Long Yan found himself at a loss for words. The corpse he had seen earlier... and even now, the Lu Xian Sword was still firmly lodged in Old Madman’s chest.

"You nearly killed me."

Old Madman spoke, then slowly curled his lips into a horrifying smile.

"Fortunately, my heart isn’t there."

The chilling grin sent a shiver through Long Yan. His hard-earned counterattack had struck the wrong spot, leaving him in utter despair. The piercing pain in his wrist hinted at internal damage, possibly even dislocation.

"Why don’t you obediently accept death?"

Old Madman swung his greatsword in a mock cleaving motion, his tone oddly casual.

"Stay still and don’t move now, alright?"

With that, Old Madman took a step forward, positioning himself directly before Long Yan. The murderous aura emanating from him scattered a flock of terrified birds overhead, even prompting nearby airborne Demon Beasts to avoid the Bamboo Forest, lest its deadly master notice their presence.

"Your suggestion is certainly tempting, but I’m sorry—I’m not the type to give up without a fight!"

Long Yan pulled himself up from the ground, and gripping his left hand tightly, wrenched his dislocated right wrist back into place. The sickening crack of bone sent chills down one’s spine, while droplets of blood oozed from his tightly bitten lip, painting him as a grim figure amidst the Blood Mist.

Ignoring his appearance entirely, Long Yan straightened his posture, and his Demon Spear shimmered with fierce, radiant light.

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