In the moonlit night,
A ghost-like woman suddenly leaped from a pile of corpses, her face eerily pale.
Hiss!
A chill crept into everyone's hearts.
"This is the Three Killers' 'Soul Scattering Fragrance'..."
Protector Uncle Fang and Uncle Chen wavered unsteadily, nearly unable to stand, while the other two Body Refining Stage protectors had already fainted.
"This woman actually hid among the corpses, setting the 'Soul Scattering Fragrance' in advance."
The two Meridian Passage Stage cultivators, Uncle Fang and Uncle Chen, were horrified and gritted their teeth, a hint of despair in their expressions.
Despair!
The Soul Scattering Fragrance was a famous lethal weapon of the Three Killers, reportedly hard to resist even for those at the Meridian Passage Stage.
Once inhaled, the mind would become sluggish, limbs would weaken, and one would lose control over their body.
With their cultivation, they could barely stay awake, preventing coma.
"Miss, Young Master, you must run—"
Protector Uncle Fang cried out softly, holding his shield tightly, standing before Chen Ying'er and Chen Yu.
Even in death, he would shield the two geniuses of the clan.
"Cackle, after getting hit by my 'Soul Scattering Fragrance', where do you think you can run?"
The pale woman sneered as she approached them menacingly.
Smack!
The pale woman turned suddenly and struck at Uncle Chen.
This move was a surprise.
She neither attacked the shielded Uncle Fang nor targeted the protected, significant Chen Ying'er and Chen Yu.
Her target was the solitary Uncle Chen.
"Not good!"
Cold sweat dripped from Uncle Chen's forehead as he struggled to draw his sword, but his arm was too limp and weak to swing it.
"Stay away from Uncle Chen!"
A fierce shout came, followed by a surge of gentle inner strength.
Chen Ying'er's petite figure flashed to the side, launching a palm at the Three Killers' "Soul Scattering Fragrance."
Should the Three Killers strike Uncle Chen, even she would struggle to escape unharmed.
Moreover, she sensed something significant in the attack behind her; despite being hit by the Soul Scattering Fragrance, the enemy still showed such skill.
Smack bang!
The Three Killers had to turn around, clashing palms with Chen Ying'er, creating a strong gust of wind that dispersed around them.
Chen Ying'er groaned, stumbling back a few steps, her face flushing red.
"Oh! You, young girl, so young yet already at the late-stage Meridian Passage..."
The Three Killers uttered in surprise.
She herself was at the late-stage Meridian Passage; her advantage earlier was due to the opponent being affected by the Soul Scattering Fragrance.
"Little girl... You're reckless to channel your inner strength after inhaling the Soul Scattering Fragrance. Doing so will only enhance its potency."
The Three Killers spoke sinisterly.
Chen Ying'er's body swayed, her face changing drastically.
Initially, though affected by the Soul Scattering Fragrance, she could suppress it with her sect's advanced techniques, retaining five or six parts of her strength.
Yet her reckless move earlier caused the fragrance to rebound, reaching full strength.
"I'll kill you first!"
With a murderous look, the Three Killers floated menacingly towards the weakened Chen Ying'er.
Chen Ying'er's profound skills made the Three Killers uneasy; this girl's origin might be extraordinary, and she had to be eliminated quickly.
Just then,
Another palm strike from the Three Killers was about to hit Chen Ying'er. Given her state, she couldn't last more than a few moves.
At that moment,
A lighthearted voice came from the side, "The power of this Soul Scattering Fragrance isn't as great as I'd heard..."
What!
In mid-air, the Three Killers' body froze.
Swoosh!
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a tall young man flit to the rear.
Cloud Evil Fist!
The youth's fist surged with an eerie, domineering wind, a murderous intent locked onto her.
For a moment, the Three Killers felt as though she heard a beast roaring beside her ear.
The powerful blow brought a chilling sense of Evil Qi to her, a potentially deadly crisis.
"Get away!"
Chilled to the bone, the Three Killers abandoned Chen Ying'er and hastily countered with a palm strike aimed at Chen Yu.
Her palm seemed soft, yet it concealed a yin internal force akin to Ding Jiuhui's 'Willow Shadow Finger,' but stronger.
"Copper Hand!"
Chen Yu's lips curled into a mocking smile.
Whoosh!
His fist inflated out of nowhere, gleaming with a bronze metallic sheen, exuding overwhelming power.
"Not quick enough!"
The Three Killers' entire energy and blood sank, sensing danger.
Boom, crack!
The massive copper hand crashed with such force, sending the Three Killers spinning in the air.
Amid the chaos, those nearby heard the creaking of wood breaking.
"Ah—"
A piercing scream shattered the night sky.
A pale woman fell to the ground, her arm dripping blood.
Upon closer inspection,
One of the Three Killers' arms hung limply, shattered by a single punch!
"You little brat... You actually broke my arm. It's been years since anyone has!"
Bloodshot eyes, the Three Killers' gaze fixed hatefully on Chen Yu.
Meanwhile,
The other three from the Chen family, Chen Ying'er, Protector Uncle Fang, and Uncle Chen, looked at Chen Yu with disbelief and uncertainty.
In that instant, they all felt as if there was a mismatch with the boy in their memories.
One punch!
He actually broke the Three Killers' arm with one punch!
"Tsk tsk! Breaking your arm, so what. I'll break your legs too!"
Chen Yu blew hot air on his fist.
Swoosh!
His figure blurred, rushing fiercely toward the injured pale woman.
"No!"
Horrified, the pale woman couldn't believe how ruthless Chen Yu was, still wanting to break her legs.
What shocked her the most was Chen Yu's speed, far exceeding expectations.
Under normal circumstances, with her movement technique, she wouldn't fear Chen Yu's pursuit; but now, her arm was broken, suffering internal injuries. Her speed was down to sixty percent of her peak.
Watching Chen Yu, like a beast, pounce on the Three Killers.
Whoosh—
The night air filled with the sharp sound of breaking wind.
A cold gleam shot towards Chen Yu's neck from a crafty angle.
"Watch out!"
"It's Second Evil's 'Blood Poison Dart'!"
Uncle Fang and Uncle Chen shouted loudly.
"Hmm?"
Chen Yu reacted with extraordinary speed, his expression turning serious.
He extended a hand, channeling the Copper Statue Technique, his entire palm shimmering with a copper glaze.
Ding, bang!
In the night, the sound of metal clashing resounded.
A Three-Edged Dart was shattered by a hand graced with a metallic sheen.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
Several more Three-Edged Darts followed, aiming for Chen Yu's head, waist, and lower body.
Ding, ding, ding...
These hidden attacks were forcefully deflected by Chen Yu.
However,
In that brief moment, the injured Three Killers escaped several dozen meters, darting into the forest ahead, meeting another figure.
"Yu'er, don't chase desperate foes."
Uncle Chen's voice discouraged Chen Yu's pursuit.
"Very well, these Three Killers won't fetch the City Lord Mansion's bonus bounty if killed anyway."
Chen Yu dusted off his hands, leisurely returning.
The City Lord Mansion's bounty targeted the leader of the Honghu Three Killers, the "Life-taking Hand."
It was rumored among the Honghu Three Killers, the Great Evil "Life-taking Hand" had unfathomable skills.
When Chen Yu returned, Chen Ying'er had returned to normal, and Uncle Chen and Uncle Fang had also somewhat recovered.
He learned that Chen Ying'er had used a secret Heart Cleansing Pill from the Water Moon Sect.
"Why didn't you produce this elixir earlier?"
Chen Yu was speechless.
Chen Ying'er's cheeks reddened, huffing, "The situation was urgent. I didn't have time to react. Besides, even after taking the Heart Cleansing Pill, it takes some time for the effect to set in."
"And you didn't even need an antidote!"
Pouting, Chen Ying'er looked away.
The people present exchanged strange glances towards Chen Yu.
The Soul Scattering Fragrance was a notorious lethal weapon, having caused many skilled individuals to lament its effects.
Here, those seven or eight corpses had fallen due to this very fragrance.
On the spot,
The four rested briefly.
"Miss, Young Master Chen, I believe this venture is highly dangerous. The Second and Third Evils are so formidable, it's hard to imagine the Great Evil's terror..."
Uncle Fang and Uncle Chen exchanged looks, showing signs of retreat.
The duo clearly wanted to back out.
Earlier, without Chen Yu and Chen Ying'er, they might have perished in the Netherworld.
"Can't even handle the mere Three Killers? How can this lady have the face to return to the sect? Besides, didn't Brother Yu just cripple the Three Killers?"
Chen Ying'er shook her head defiantly.
"If we're going back, it must be after getting the Great Evil's head."
Chen Yu shook his head.
During the brief skirmish, using the "Cloud Evil Fist Technique," he brought out his ferocity, grasping a hint of Cloud Evil Fist style.
This would elevate his Cloud Evil Fist realm, benefiting his future "Cloud Evil Internal Force" practice.
"Even without a bounty, I'm determined to continue attacking the Honghu Three Killers."
A slight trace of Evil Qi flickered on Chen Yu's brow, causing a shiver in Uncle Fang and Uncle Chen's hearts.
...
Simultaneously, two figures traversed the forest.
"Sister, are you alright?"
A black-clad youth supported a pale woman beside him.
The pale woman was none other than the Three Killers' "Soul Scattering Fragrance," whose arm Chen Yu had broken.
"No major concerns. The 'Bone Healing Ointment' I applied earlier worked wonders, acquired from a disciple I killed before..."
Her arm was now bandaged and fixed.
Her face turned stern again, harboring resentment, "That young brat was truly abnormal, his strength horrifying, practically a beast."
"No worries, people like him, trained in the external horizontal techniques, are restrained by the boss. If the boss was here, he'd take his life with a single palm."
The black-clad youth sneered.
Just then, a distant whistle echoed from the forest peak.
"Quick! The boss is summoning us!"
Startled, the black-clad youth and pale woman dashed toward the location.
...
At the same time.
A black-faced middle-aged man stood atop a mountain, hands behind his back, his eyes chilly and cold.
Behind him, tied to a stake, was a graceful woman, her luxurious dress torn, her silhouette only partially visible in the moonlight.
"Release the young lady!"
Four Meridian Passage stage experts stood ready against the black-faced middle-aged man.
It's hard to fathom that this unassuming man was actually the formidable leader of the Honghu Three Killers.
Attack!
The leading elder, a late-stage Meridian Passage expert, spearheaded the charge against the black-faced middle-aged man.
Facing their assault, the black-faced middle-aged man stood still, making no attempt to dodge. Closer inspection would reveal a fleeting trace of pity in his eyes.
For a moment, figures clashed on the mountain peak.
The black-faced man remained still, only lightly countering each attacker with a palm.
Ah!
The lead late-stage Meridian Passage elder suddenly screamed, coughing blood, and died!
From just one palm strike with the black-faced man.
Thump! Thump!
The other three Meridian Passage experts, who made contact with the black-faced man's hand, all immediately spit blood and collapsed.