"Zi Qing" was the only top-grade spiritual weapon that Chongyangzi had left to Yan Huo. A medium-grade flying sword was simply no match for it.
"Poof!" The flying sword shattered into pieces, and Mu Jun, unable to contain himself, spat out a mouthful of blood. But Yan Huo, exuding an aura of killing intent, swung his sword again. In an instant, five shadowy figures formed around Mu Jun, each attacking simultaneously. Five copies of Yan Huo, each wielding a flying sword, struck Mu Jun with precision. Mu Jun's expression froze as his true energy weakened under the onslaught.
"It's impossible!" Mu Jun, still in disbelief, couldn't accept the fact that he was going to die at Yan Huo's hands.
"Boom!" Yan Huo's attack blew Mu Jun's body apart, turning him into a cloud of blood mist that scattered in all directions. "Hmph, idiot!" Yan Huo coldly muttered.
After dealing with Mu Jun, Yan Huo didn't dare linger. He immediately sped toward the southern part of the city.
"I wonder if the fox is dead yet… Heh!" Yan Huo chuckled. He didn't believe for a moment that Hu Bai would be easily captured by the enemy. With his sword in hand, Yan Huo soared through the air like a shooting star, while using his spiritual sense to search for Hu Bai and Wei Liuhen. A faint smile appeared on his face as he said, "Seems like Brother Hu Bai is running faster than I thought."
Could he not be fast? He was fleeing for his life, not playing around. Hu Bai darted through the woods outside the city, moving like the wind, with Wei Liuhen hot on his heels. Wei Liuhen was surprised at how quick Hu Bai was. He also didn't anticipate that someone would be following him. He had focused his spiritual sense on tracking Hu Bai's movements, completely unaware that a comet-like figure was rapidly closing in on him.
When Wei Liuhen finally sensed the approaching wind pressure, Yan Huo was already right in front of him, with the "Zi Qing" sword poised at his throat.
"Shing!" The sword swept through the air, decapitating Wei Liuhen. Blood sprayed in all directions, and his body fell to the ground like a broken kite, scattering blood everywhere.
"Junior Brother! You really are efficient," Hu Bai said from behind a tree, speaking to Yan Huo.
"This Wei Liuhen was no match for Mu Jun," Yan Huo said dismissively.
Hu Bai couldn't help but laugh bitterly. "Big Brother, in terms of strength, he was only slightly stronger than me. If not for his medium-grade flying sword, I could've given him a run for his money. But how could he compare to you, wielding a top-grade sword? You're already in the early stage of Golden Core, your attack power is many times stronger than in the Dan Transformation stage. A step up in cultivation completely changes the game!"
Yan Huo grinned. "Heh, Brother, you're right. Now let's observe and wait for a few days. We should see what happens at Longshan."
Yan Huo's sole objective now was the two cultivators at Longshan. For now, he wasn't in a hurry; he wanted to wait and observe the movements at Longshan for a few more days.
"I wonder how they knew I killed their disciples. Did they use spiritual sense? But that's impossible; Jing City is over a thousand miles from Yanshan. There's no way they could sense it. Sigh! I should've kept one alive to ask," Yan Huo muttered with a sigh.
Five days later, the shocking events in Jing City were still fresh in people's minds. The death of the prince's heir, the injuries of thousands of city defenders, the destruction of Xiangque Tower, and, most terrifying of all, the 'immortal' who came to save the people from Longshan, only to be torn apart by demons in public—these incidents had left everyone in a state of fear.
The city was under martial law, and no one dared to go out onto the streets. Even the imperial palace had heightened its security, with two thousand Imperial Guards on constant watch.
Despite this, the diligent Imperial Guards failed to notice two figures openly entering the palace through the main gate. Yan Huo and Hu Bai, having hidden their identities, casually roamed around the palace, admiring its grandeur.
Hu Bai hadn't wanted to come, but what could he do? His strength was no match for Yan Huo's, so he had no choice but to follow.
"Junior Brother, you need to protect me," Hu Bai said nervously.
"Of course, Brother." Yan Huo replied, although he could sense his brother's anxiety.
"Junior Brother, promise me—if something goes wrong, you must prioritize escaping," Hu Bai continued, his voice full of concern.
"Got it, Brother."
"Remember to take me with you when you run," Hu Bai added.
"Brother, I've heard you repeat this a hundred times. Let me enjoy the scenery for once," Yan Huo complained.
"Who told you to force me to come here?" Hu Bai grumbled inwardly, though he only said, "I'm just worried you'll forget."
"Alright, we're here," Yan Huo said as they reached their destination.
Without realizing it, they had arrived at the end of the palace garden, where a secret passage awaited them. The entrance to Longshan was hidden here. Yan Huo and Hu Bai followed the narrow passage, ascending to the peak of Longshan, where a white jade palace came into view. Not only was the palace made of white jade, but the platform at the peak was also paved with white jade tiles.
"Such grandeur! What a magnificent place!" Yan Huo thought to himself, marveling at the spectacle.
"Junior… Junior Brother, I think there's some kind of restriction at the top of the mountain," Hu Bai said with a shiver. As a spirit fox, Hu Bai's senses were exceptionally sharp.
"Restriction?" Yan Huo immediately activated his spiritual sense.
"Yes, the entire mountaintop seems to be surrounded by some sort of barrier."
"Since you've come, why not sit down and have a chat?" A drifting voice suddenly came from within the palace.
"Not good! Those two cultivators are still in seclusion," Hu Bai shouted before turning to flee down the secret passage.
"Bang!" The seemingly closed entrance to the passage opened, but Hu Bai crashed into someone, sending him tumbling to the ground, dazed and seeing stars.
"Ha ha! You think you can leave? No one leaves Dragon Mountain without my permission. Didn't my four disciples tell you that before they died?" the voice continued, filled with amusement.
"It's over!" Hu Bai cried in despair, fainting on the spot.
"Looking at your cultivation levels, I truly can't imagine how my four disciples died. Heh, unless Chongyangzi really left behind some earth-shattering treasures. If that's the case, I'd love to see them today," the voice chuckled ominously.
"How do you know about the death of your disciples?" Yan Huo asked, his senses on high alert, preparing for an impending attack.
"Heh, looks like you don't know about the life tokens. Let me explain," the voice continued, its tone mocking. It then went on to explain the purpose of the life tokens.