Having just separated, it wasn't the right time to act. This was a perfect opportunity to lead these four on a tour through the palace complex. While searching for fortuitous locations, he could also understand the layout of the underground palace.
Perhaps there were formation restrictions he could leverage.
Of course, it didn't matter if there weren't. He was confident in his ability to kill these four. Although far from invincible in his cultivation journey so far, few within the Qi Refining realm were his match.
His various Perfected spells and secret arts were all part of his combat strength.
Especially the power gained after reattaching his limb, which completely transcended a whole tier. If he didn't fight now, then when?!
Three incense sticks' time later.
The moment he rounded a palace corner, Wang Yu activated the Night Concealment Charm at full power from the shadows. His aura instantly vanished, his entire person seeming to merge with the shadows, achieving visual invisibility.
Pressing tightly against the palace wall, he even halted his breathing. Before long, Su Qingshan and the other three rushed over, their expressions ugly:
"Cunning brat, how can he be so fast!"
"His aura's gone too."
"Did we lose him?"
Su Qingshan's face was dark. As he turned his head to speak, his pupils contracted. Renowned for his combat skills in the outer sect, he now felt his skin tighten, a sense of extreme danger coming from his neck.
He immediately flew backward while simultaneously summoning a high-grade magical instrument in the shape of an ice-blue longsword, positioning it vertically in front of him as a defensive measure!
The next instant, his pupils constricted sharply.
A giant ice sword, nearly three *zhang* (ten meters) long, swept horizontally towards them, aiming directly for their heads. From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed the hilt.
It was Wang Yu, gripping the sword with his left hand, swinging it with immense force.
This was another form variation of the Perfected Ice Sword Technique—condensing scattered swords into one—far more powerful than an ordinary high-grade spell.
One person reacted in time, leaning backward to dodge, but his chest was still covered in patches of frost.
Another tapped his toes on the ground, executing an exquisite movement technique to also evade the sudden attack.
However, one seventh-level Qi Refining cultivator, in a panic, chose to follow Su Qingshan's example and summoned a mid-grade magical instrument, a saber, to block.
Then, the others witnessed a scene that filled them with horror.
The giant ice sword was unstoppable, shattering the precious saber into fragments. The cultivator also exploded into a mist of blood, scattering chunks of flesh and organs. The sheer force was utterly appalling!
"Ahem—"
Su Qingshan, who had blocked with his instrument, knelt on one knee, vomiting several mouthfuls of blood, his face full of wariness as he stared at Wang Yu.
He could roughly guess how Xu Jiaojiao had died.
It was likely a contest of brute strength where she was slightly outmatched. Along with his wariness, greed for Wang Yu's left hand arose within him. Its abnormal swelling and dense Corpse Qi greatly resembled a special type of magical instrument.
"He must be spent after going all out.
"Attack!"
The one with the exquisite movement technique pulled out a series of afterimages, lifting his leg and sweeping it forward, kicking out a visible nine-foot步罡 (Bu Gang - ritual steps) like the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.
This was a physical body technique unique to the Savage Ghost Peak.
Wind-Splitting Bu Gang.
The Reverse Spirit Blood Sect didn't only have dark-themed inheritances; it also had normal techniques. Facing the attack, Wang Yu shook his body, splitting into three figures that rapidly scattered.
The Perfected Illusory Form Step created perfect illusions. One figure actively met the Wind-Splitting force head-on, while the other illusory figures closed in on the attacker like butterflies flitting through flowers.
In an instant.
Wang Yu's left hand grabbed the kicking leg. With a mighty shake and a series of *crack* sounds, the bones and tendons were dislocated. Then he slammed the man onto the ground.
*Splat—*
The body was directly broken into three segments, the upper torso completely turned into pulp. Such ferocity made the others gasp in shock!
The one with the frozen chest grew even more inclined to retreat. When Wang Yu's pitch-black, green-tinged eyes swept over him, he couldn't help but tremble, his legs shaking, his will to fight crumbling.
"Die!"
At that moment, Su Qingshan, holding the ice-blue longsword, charged forward with a powerful slash. Empowered by spiritual power, the magical instrument emitted a faint, fluctuating glow, surprisingly similar in principle to the Ice Sword Technique.
A giant ice sword materialized and slashed down from behind. Wang Yu's old force was spent, new force not yet generated. Driven by his spiritual sense, the bronze bell magical instrument he had refined from his spoils was summoned.
*Dong—*
The ice sword collided with the bronze bell, producing a metallic clang. Both were high-grade magical instruments, but Wang Yu's cultivation was weaker. In the direct clash, he was suppressed by Su Qingshan and forced to his knees.
Overjoyed, Su Qingshan shouted, "Brother Zhicai, now!"
Xi Zhicai, who had initially wanted to flee, saw Wang Yu struggling to defend himself. Greed resurfaced, and after a moment's hesitation, he suddenly acted.
He was an inner disciple of the Evil God Peak. As he circulated his power, his forehead became covered with sinister black patterns, as if a vertical eye had opened, releasing a beam of漆黑 (pitch-black) light directly at Wang Yu.
Wang Yu's pupils also contracted. Although he hadn't been in the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect for long and couldn't claim deep understanding of the nine peaks' inheritances,
he had lived in the Evil God District for a considerable time and had some knowledge of the Evil God Peak. Its inheritance focused primarily on spiritual sense, nurturing Yin ghosts into fierce deities, referred to as [Evil Gods]!
It allowed a human body to utilize the abilities of these Evil Gods, specifically targeting a cultivator's spiritual sense.
Spiritual sense was difficult to cultivate. Typically, only Foundation Establishment cultivators would consciously begin strengthening it. The Evil God Peak's inheritance was profound, starting spiritual sense cultivation at the Qi Refining stage, resulting in an exceptionally high barrier to entry.
Without talent in this specific path, it was hard to reach a profound level.
This was also one of the reasons why it lacked a Nascent Soul expert.
Apart from the growth from alchemy, Wang Yu had no other means to enhance his spiritual sense. This person happened to strike at his weakness.
Seeing the black light beam approaching, Wang Yu gritted his teeth and pushed.
The instant his palm struck the ground, his entire body shifted horizontally. Although he dodged the black beam, the bronze bell was sent flying by Su Qingshan's sword slash. It became covered in ice crystals mid-air and was frozen solid.
The opportunity was fleeting. Su Qingshan immediately pursued, slashing down with his sword again. Sword light, cold gleams, and successive *zhang*-long blade energies came incessantly.
Wang Yu used his left arm to block. The mountain-ridge iron armor inherent to the Strength Corpse arm produced a harsh scraping sound against the attacks, once again demonstrating the utility of the second-grade Armored Corpse arm.
Seeing his prolonged inability to secure victory, Su Qingshan grew anxious.
Back then, dealing with an eighth-level opponent while he was at the sixth level hadn't been this difficult. Now, here he was at the eighth level, unable to subdue a mere fifth-level cultivator.
He immediately called out, "Brother Zhicai, what are you doing!"
*BOOM—*
A forceful exchange sent both combatants stumbling back.
Su Qingshan's pupils contracted, looking in disbelief behind Wang Yu. It turned out Xi Zhicai had been bound and killed by an ice coffin. Three thick ice spikes pierced through the coffin, staining it crimson.
"When did he…"
"During our defensive exchange, of course. Senior Brother Qingshan didn't think you had me completely suppressed just now, did you?"
Covering his mouth with his sleeve, he swallowed a top-grade Spirit Restoration Pill.
The spiritual power consumed by repeatedly casting high-grade spells rapidly replenished. Wang Yu once again created multiple phantom copies, positioning them in ten directions. His right hand formed seals, and over a hundred hiltless ice swords shot forth volley after volley.
Su Qingshan swept his sword, shattering all the incoming ice swords, his face grim. "Don't get cocky. I, Su, am renowned in the outer sect. How could a mere fifth-level Qi Refining cultivator like you be my match?"
"Mysterious Yin Hand!"
**(End of Chapter)**