If he didn't take the pill soon, and was ambushed by Hu Nan and his backer, he would surely perish here.
Thinking this, Li Hu didn't hesitate. He tilted his head back and swallowed the Blood Demon Pill in his hand. The pill melted instantly in his mouth, and a violently powerful, malevolent spiritual energy erupted from his abdomen like a volcanic eruption, engulfing his entire body.
"Ah—!" A shrill and violent roar escaped Li Hu's lips. Unlike his previous screams of pain, this roar was filled with a surge of power and extreme resentment.
His originally weak aura rose rapidly, like a rocket, becoming increasingly powerful and violent.
The pressure emanating from his body broke through the Qi Refining Realm, soaring towards a higher realm. A powerful pressure belonging to the early Foundation Establishment stage instantly swept through the entire servants' hall.
"Early Foundation Establishment stage!" Qin Changsheng's expression changed drastically.
He never expected that Li Hu would actually take such a pill.
At the same time, Qin Changsheng understood that it would be difficult for him to kill Li Hu today.
After all, the difference between a Foundation Establishment cultivator and a Qi Refining cultivator was enormous.
However, Qin Changsheng had already achieved his goal for today.
He and Hu Nan had already severely injured Li Hu.
Furthermore, with Li Hu having taken this kind of pill, Hu Nan would definitely be able to easily win the championship in tomorrow's competition.
Just then, shouts came from outside the servants' hall, clearly Li Hu's men had heard the commotion and rushed over.
Qin Changsheng made a decisive move, quickly ordering Hu Nan beside him, "Hu Nan, go forward immediately and stop Li Hu with all your might!"
After saying this, Qin Changsheng quickly ran off into the distance, without any intention of stopping.
Li Hu also noticed Qin Changsheng fleeing, and without the slightest hesitation, he charged towards him.
He hated Qin Changsheng intensely.
After all, it was Qin Changsheng who had driven him to this desperate situation.
If it weren't for the Blood Demon Pill, he would probably have perished here.
However, Hu Nan, like a ghost, instantly rushed in front of Li Hu. His Black Wind Sword was drawn again, its sharp light accompanied by a whistling wind, stabbing towards Li Hu's body. He didn't aim to inflict serious injury, but only to buy time, creating an opportunity for Qin Changsheng to retreat.
Entangled by Hu Nan's swordplay, Li Hu was instantly enraged, and his own longsword slashed fiercely at Hu Nan.
Although Li Hu had already reached the early stage of Foundation Establishment after taking the pill, Hu Nan, relying on the speed of his Gale Sword Technique, constantly maneuvered, dodging Li Hu's ferocious attacks, desperately trying to buy time.
Li Hu's eyes were filled with killing intent and resentment, yet he couldn't completely shake off Hu Nan's entanglement.
He completely didn't understand why Hu Nan was covering the mysterious person's retreat?
Even when injured, he remained unmoved.
Could that mysterious person's identity be even higher than Hu Nan's?
"Young Master..." Ma Yingjie's voice came from afar.
Ma Yingjie's face was terribly grim.
He never expected that while he was ambushing Hu Nan, someone would actually attack his young master.
A few breaths later, Ma Yingjie led more than ten people into the main hall.
Upon entering the hall, Ma Yingjie was completely dumbfounded.
Because he saw Hu Nan fighting with Li Hu.
"Hu Nan?" Ma Yingjie exclaimed in shock.
He never expected Hu Nan to appear here.
He had directly killed Hu Nan.
And he had been guarding Hu Nan's courtyard ever since.
In Ma Yingjie's view, even if Hu Nan possessed the ancient supernatural power of rebirth, it would take him at least an hour to revive.
And even then, revival would only be possible on the same spot.
"You're courting death!" Ma Yingjie roared, rushing towards Hu Nan's back.
At this moment, disguised as Hu Nan, he was completely focused on entangled with Li Hu, desperately trying to buy time, utterly unaware of the killing intent behind him.
In an instant, Ma Yingjie was behind Hu Nan, only a few feet away.
A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, and his palm slammed heavily into Hu Nan's back.
"Bang—!" A dull thud, the powerful force instantly engulfing Hu Nan's entire body.
Hu Nan shuddered, and without a second thought, he immediately stored the Black Wind Sword in his storage space.
A ruthless glint flashed in Li Hu's eyes. He swiftly raised his hand, and the longsword pierced Hu Nan's chest, penetrating his heart.
Hu Nan's body convulsed violently, and in the next instant, he disintegrated into fragments, vanishing before their eyes.
Li Hu stared at Hu Nan's vanished corpse, his face terribly grim.
He never imagined that such a prodigy as Hu Nan would exist within the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Not only was his strength immense, but he also possessed the ancient divine ability of rebirth.
His first step in their Blood Demon Sect's revival had failed.
At the same time, Li Hu knew that the championship of tomorrow's outer sect competition was out of his reach.
After all, his injuries were severe, and he had also taken the forbidden Blood Demon Pill.
Although the Blood Demon Pill is a secret treasure, capable of forcibly boosting cultivation, it is also extremely domineering, depleting a cultivator's vital energy and leaving irreparable injuries.
It would take him at least a year to recover to his peak.
But besides this, another question weighed heavily on Li Hu's mind like a boulder, filling him with both immense curiosity and dread—the identity of the mysterious man.
He could clearly sense that the man's strength was higher than Hu Nan's.
Moreover, his use of magic was far more skillful than Hu Nan's.
Even Hu Nan seemed very concerned about that man.
After the mysterious man retreated, Hu Nan continued to buy him time.
"Your subordinate is late in protecting you, please forgive me, young master!" Ma Yingjie immediately knelt down.
The other subordinates also knelt down.
"Ma Yingjie, immediately go to the west to investigate!"
"There's still someone who attacked there!" Li Hu coldly shouted.
"Yes, sir!" Ma Yingjie didn't hesitate and rushed westward.
The instant Ma Yingjie charged, a sharp pain suddenly swept through Li Hu's body, causing him to stiffen and cough up blood.
"Young Master!" Several subordinates rushed forward to help Li Hu.
But Li Hu coldly pushed them away.
Li Hu slowly opened his eyes, a hint of weariness and resentment flashing in them. He pressed his hand to his chest, forcibly suppressing the excruciating pain: "Don't worry about me."
...
Heavenly Sword Sect.
Inside the courtyard.
Qin Changsheng had fully returned.
His eyes were filled with relief.
Fortunately, he saw Li Hu take the Blood Demon Pill and then quickly retreated.
If he had been a moment later, Ma Yingjie would definitely have discovered him.
At the same time, Qin Changsheng understood that today's ambush mission had been a complete success.
Li Hu was severely injured twice by the fireball spell.
Adding to that, the aftereffects of the Blood Demon Pill.
Li Hu would definitely be unable to fight tomorrow.
Tomorrow's champion would undoubtedly be Hu Nan.
And Qin Changsheng's only loss was two spirit stones.
The Black Wind Sword had already been stored in his storage space when Hu Nan died.
Qin Changsheng gently waved his hand, and a spirit stone appeared in his palm.
As Qin Changsheng chanted an incantation, Hu Nan's figure appeared not far away in the next instant.
"Greetings, Lord!" Hu Nan respectfully bowed to Qin Changsheng.
"Go, rest well!" Qin Changsheng waved his hand.
Hu Nan cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and then withdrew.