Before I could react, Nine Paths Top Scholar unleashed his *Soldier* Hand Seal.
I quickly formed the same seal, but mine was only a superficial imitation. His technique shattered mine effortlessly, and the residual force slammed into my chest.
For a moment, my heart seemed to stop. All strength drained from my body.
Had he followed up with another strike, I would've been completely defenseless.
But he was the *Nine Paths Top Scholar*—how could he prove his superiority without defeating me head-on?
Seeing me stagger back, he halted and sneered, *"Everything you know, I know. What you don't, I still do. That's the difference between heaven and earth."*
I used the brief respite to steady my breathing.
There was no denying he was stronger than me.
But his arrogance was his flaw.
What I'd learned wasn't inferior to any orthodox sect's teachings.
The only difference was time.
Besides, my expertise lay in feng shui, not combat.
Given proper preparation, he wouldn't even have the right to act so smug in front of me.
Regaining some strength, I drew the Blood Thorn, gripping it in a reverse hold as I assumed a fighting stance. I tilted my chin up in challenge.
Nine Paths Top Scholar scoffed, releasing his hand seal and mirroring my stance.
A single glance told me he was a trained fighter.
Backed by a major sect, he'd been practicing martial arts since childhood. Meanwhile, I'd only spent ten-odd days stabbing wooden dummies. Beating him was nearly impossible.
But I had another plan.
Nine Paths Top Scholar struck first—wide, sweeping moves.
I avoided direct clashes, waiting for openings to thrust the Blood Thorn.
Though my training had been brief, my speed and precision weren't lacking.
Besides, no matter how skilled, everyone feared a blade.
I aimed for his joints and vital points, disrupting his attacks before they fully formed. His movements soon turned erratic, almost comical.
But he quickly adapted, abandoning brute force for fluid, serpentine motions—likely some form of grappling.
And that was exactly what I wanted—for him to seize the Blood Thorn.
After a few exchanges, I deliberately left an opening.
Nine Paths Top Scholar took the bait, disarming me with a swift joint lock.
But the moment he grasped the Blood Thorn, he froze.
I broke free and retreated several steps.
His face went blank, pupils dilating rapidly. Seizing the chance, I gathered my Dao energy into my fist and lunged forward, driving it into his abdomen.
*Crack.*
Like shattering glass, his dantian ruptured, his Dao energy dissipating instantly.
Seconds later, the Blood Thorn's divine guardian spirits withdrew from his consciousness.
Agony hit him. He let out a piercing scream, collapsing into a writhing heap.
I reclaimed the Blood Thorn, sheathing it coldly. *"Don't touch what you don't understand."*
Though I could only summon the Earth Hound Star from the 108 Divine Generals, that didn't mean the others were powerless.
Unauthorized contact with the Blood Thorn triggered their retaliation.
A hundred and eight vengeful spirits invading one's mind? Even Hu Wenhui wouldn't walk away unscathed.
I ignored Nine Paths Top Scholar. His shattered dantian would leave his meridians in ruins—the pain alone would knock him unconscious. Interrogation was pointless.
Lai Youwei paled as I turned to him.
He Xiaolong, however, remained eerily calm, hands resting on the wheelchair's armrests.
But I didn't let my guard down.
Last time at my shop, He Xiaolong had not only lost his dantian but taken a stab to the heart—yet he'd survived.
Huang Xian'er had warned me to watch him.
Now, after being deceived again, I suspected his earlier defeat—being taken down by a single punch—had been an act.
As for being outsmarted, I didn't blame myself.
This wasn't arrogance—it was a lack of information.
Stopping seven paces away, I noted Lai Youwei's panic. If he were truly desperate, he'd have started begging for mercy by now.
People could fake expressions, but not their core instincts.
He Xiaolong met my gaze, his voice unsettlingly composed. *"Do you realize the consequences of repeatedly crippling Dragon Tiger Mountain disciples?"*
His calmness put me on edge. *"And do you understand what'll happen if word of this gets out?"*
He Xiaolong replied, *"I'm a Dragon Tiger Mountain disciple. You're just a rogue Daoist. Who do you think they'll believe?"*
His words implied Hu Wenyao was trapped—for now.
But it also suggested he lacked the means to kill me.
Still, after one blunder, I wouldn't gamble on assumptions again.
*"Can you guarantee the Three Yin Sect can keep Hu Wenyao locked up?"***
As if on cue, a thunderous crash came from the next room—the hidden door reappeared, its concealment broken.
He Xiaolong and Lai Youwei tensed.
I pressed on, *"Hu Wenyao comes from Canglong Mountain. If he dies here, they will investigate."*
*"If he has a Soul Lamp, they'll trace everything back to you."*
*"And once Canglong Mountain finds out you colluded with the Three Yin Sect, there'll be no escape."*
Seeing their hesitation, I offered, *"Let me leave, and today never happened."*
He Xiaolong's face twitched. The muscles in his arms bulged unnaturally, as if something alive slithered beneath his skin.
I activated my Spirit Eye's third layer—and saw a dense, seething blood energy gathering around him.
But before I could analyze it further, a deep *"thud"* resonated from within that energy, shaking my soul and forcing my Spirit Eye shut.
I kept my composure, but internally, I was stunned.
That level of blood energy… no ordinary human could possess it.
His selection by Dragon Tiger Mountain wasn't just about talent—there were darker secrets at play.
*The He family… I need to dig deeper.*
The commotion from the inner room grew louder. I repeated, *"Let me go, or I'll stall you until Hu Wenyao breaks free. Once he talks, no one will doubt him."*
My grip tightened on the Blood Thorn.
In this situation, He Xiaolong might risk killing me to silence the truth.
To deter him, I formed the *Soldier* Hand Seal. Golden light erupted, coalescing into a radiant, spectral Blood Thorn.
It struck me as odd—Nine Paths Top Scholar's technique had manifested an axe, while mine took the form of the dagger.
*Did I practice it wrong?*
But I quickly understood—the *Soldier* Seal's manifestation reflected the wielder's intent.
The Blood Thorn was my weapon of choice, so naturally, it took its shape.
He Xiaolong's pupils constricted. After a tense pause, he finally said, *"Go. I won't stop you."*