Xiao Chen feigned wariness as he opened his eyes, visibly relaxing when he recognized Wu Wanli. Letting out a bitter chuckle, he said, "I thought I could handle those two puppets, but I ended up in this sorry state. While I barely managed to kill them, my spiritual energy is almost completely drained. Combined with my injuries, I'm afraid I can't continue with you all. I just need some time to recover while meditating—there's no need to trouble yourself on my account." Xiao Chen's face showed weariness, as if even speaking those words had drained what little strength he had left.
Wu Wanli visibly relaxed, his lips curling into a sly smile. "Oh, I'll help you recover, all right—permanently," he sneered, his eyes glinting with murderous intent.
"What do you mean by that?" Xiao Chen's expression shifted to one of shock and anger, his voice trembling with disbelief.
Wu Wanli's smile grew wider as he took a step closer. His voice carried a hint of excitement. "Perhaps you don't recall, but we met before this expedition. At the trade market, I acquired some pills from you in exchange for a damaged scroll. Thanks to those pills, I broke through to the eighth level of Qi Refinement. So today, I think it's only fair that you hand over that storage pouch of yours."
"You… you're working with Chu Kuang! What is this place, and what's your plan? Why bring us here?" Xiao Chen's mind raced, though his face was a mask of terror. His acting was flawless, his voice trembling as though consumed by fear.
Wu Wanli, confident in his upper hand, laughed heartily. "Ha! Since you're about to die anyway, I might as well tell you everything. No harm in letting a dead man know the truth." His tone shifted, taking on an almost reverent quality.
"Three years ago, Chu Kuang and I were nobodies in the sect—low-ranking disciples with poor spiritual roots. Our cultivation had stagnated at the third and fourth levels of Qi Refinement, and we were destined to be nothing but fodder. Then, during a routine training mission, we stumbled upon this cavern while fleeing for our lives. That's when we met the Master." Wu Wanli's eyes glazed over with reverence, his voice trembling with emotion. "The Master was flawless, invincible, and unimaginably powerful. With his guidance, we gained strength beyond our wildest dreams. In the past three years, we've used treasures gifted by the Master to lure countless cultivators here to weaken the seals binding him. Now, the time has come—the seal is nearly broken, and the Master will soon rise again."
Wu Wanli's reverent expression turned cold as he stared at Xiao Chen. "With all this explained, you can die without regrets." Without warning, his hand shot toward Xiao Chen's head, suffused with deadly spiritual energy.
"Indeed," Xiao Chen said coldly as an overwhelming aura erupted from him, freezing Wu Wanli in his tracks. "With this much revealed, it's only fitting you should die as well."
"You… you weren't injured at all!" Wu Wanli's face turned pale, his body trembling under Xiao Chen's crushing spiritual pressure. His energy seemed frozen, his limbs unresponsive.
"Master, save me!" Wu Wanli suddenly cried, desperation in his voice.
A strange ripple of energy spread through the air, and Xiao Chen's mind was struck by a sharp, searing pain.
A spiritual attack!
Xiao Chen's heart clenched. Before he could react, the golden seal embedded in his consciousness flared to life, releasing a faint golden glow. He heard a muffled groan echo in his mind, and the oppressive pain dissipated instantly.
That was close. Xiao Chen's breath came in sharp bursts. The attack wasn't overwhelmingly strong, but it was enough to paralyze him entirely. If not for the seal's intervention, he would've been dead.
Eyes blazing with fury, he turned his attention back to Wu Wanli. The man stood there, stunned and disbelieving, clearly unable to comprehend how Xiao Chen had survived.
"You've run out of luck," Xiao Chen said icily. His rage bubbled over, and he unleashed his most powerful attack without hesitation. "Devouring Heaven Finger!"
The spiritual energy within Xiao Chen surged wildly, spiraling into his arm and concentrating into a single, devastating attack. A massive, ethereal finger formed, radiating an oppressive force that caused the air itself to tremble as it sped toward Wu Wanli.
"Run!" Wu Wanli screamed, spitting a mouthful of blood to activate a secret technique. His speed multiplied several times as he desperately fled down the corridor.
Xiao Chen's face remained calm, though his expression carried a trace of mockery. The Devouring Heaven Finger was incredibly draining, but his abundant reserves could sustain it. Watching Wu Wanli flee, Xiao Chen muttered under his breath, "Do you really think you can escape?"
As if responding to his words, the enormous spiritual finger accelerated, drawing in ambient energy to grow stronger with each passing moment.
"No! I can't outrun it!" Wu Wanli's mind was consumed by fear. Despite his enhanced speed, which rivaled that of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, he could feel the attack gaining on him. Turning around abruptly, his eyes blazed with grim determination.
"If I'm going to die, I'll take you with me!" Wu Wanli roared. His body convulsed violently as bones cracked and shifted.
"Moon Howl Demon Arts!"
Wu Wanli's previously handsome face twisted grotesquely, black scales erupting across his skin. Bony spikes jutted from his elbows, knees, and back, while his aura surged to a level just shy of Foundation Establishment.
"RAWRRR!"
When the transformation was complete, what stood before Xiao Chen was no longer human—a black-scaled, bone-spiked demon with glowing green eyes and fangs.
Xiao Chen's brows furrowed as he tightened his grip on his spiritual energy, preparing for the real battle ahead. "So, this is what the Master made of you… a beast."