Common sense suggests that Ming Qi, at this point, would be unable to defeat the innate-level Protector Mo. However, retreat was simply not in Ming Qi's vocabulary!
Once the battle had begun, there could be no retreat!
He had been obsessed with this principle throughout his previous life. In that final battle beneath the towering tower of the Silver Spear Empire, even though he knew a mastermind was behind the scenes, he remained undeterred.
In that final battle, he unleashed the legendary seventh bullet.
The seventh bullet caused a mysterious annihilation of space and time.
The world's foremost guardian, Thorn Eagle, and Xiao Hongyi, known for her subtle genius and strategic planning, were both reduced to dust in that moment of space and time annihilation.
Even in that battle, even though he knew the outcome, he chose not to avoid it.
He would certainly not do so now!
Although Protector Mo was an innate powerhouse, he knew he had not yet reached his limit, relying on the blood control techniques within the Supreme Mountain and Sea Map! Besides this, Ming Qi had another reason not to fight.
The root of Protector Mo's immense combat power was simply his innate energy. However, the consumption of innate energy was always limited. Once it was depleted, Protector Mo would be at the end of his rope!
But Ming Qi was different. He was surrounded by corpses, each drenched in blood!
And all this blood would fuel his battle!
Furthermore, Ming Qi's physical foundation was exceptional, his physical refinement unprecedented. He was confident that with the Blood Shadow Step, he would have room to maneuver!
To be honest, the Blood Shadow Step was truly exceptional. Even with Protector Mo's magical powers, he still couldn't firmly suppress Ming Qi. There were always a few narrow openings where his blood-red shadow could slip back and forth. While the Yin Snake could inflict damage, it wasn't fatal.
"Hmph!"
Protector Mo was displeased. Such a mere acquired ant dared to flaunt itself before him, a formidable innate being. This was a slap in the face.
Thinking of this, Protector Mo's hands moved swiftly, pointing at the Yin Snake transformed from the Molten Gold Yin Snake Hook in the air, unleashing another magical power.
"Yin Gold Snake Seal!"
This Yin Gold Snake Seal was Protector Mo's most powerful move, specifically designed to complement the magical power of the Molten Gold Yin Snake Hook. As the surge of Yuanli merged, the massive Yin Snake in the air suddenly transformed into a square seal platform the size of a millstone. Simultaneously, the six smaller Yin Snakes that had been besieging Ming Qi with the giant Yin Snake also merged into the massive snake seal in an instant.
Innate Yuanli, a higher form of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, now transformed from virtual to real. The Yin Gold Snake Seal emanated a dazzling golden light, and immense energy swirled within it.
The Snake Seal took shape, and Protector Mo curved his fingers, draping them over Ming Qi's head.
At this moment, Duan Feng, standing behind Protector Mo, was already filled with surprise, but the surprise soon turned to disdain.
"You're able to force Protector Mo to even unleash the Yin-Gold Snake Seal. It seems your talent rivals mine. But what a pity! Since Protector Mo has unleashed the Yin-Gold Snake Seal, even with your extraordinary skills, you can't escape death!"
Duan Feng was considered a genius in Wandering Soul Valley, admired and respected everywhere. Unexpectedly, in such a small town as Qinglong, he would be completely suppressed by an unknown individual whose strength was even lower than his.
How could the arrogant Duan Feng tolerate this?
Although he was currently respectful to Protector Mo, it was all a facade!
Duanfeng knew full well that Protector Mo was, at best, only at the first level of the Xiantian realm, with weak combat power and few cultivated magical powers. Now, even against a post-natal cultivator, he had to resort to his ultimate weapon. Duanfeng was outwardly respectful, but inwardly he harbored deep disdain.
For a Xiantian cultivator to reach this level was truly remarkable.
Duanfeng was confident that if he ever reached the Xiantian realm, even if it was only the first level, he would be able to easily suppress Protector Mo.
While Duanfeng was calculating, Mingqi had already begun his final stand.
He could sense the surrounding Yuanli fluctuations significantly intensifying; it seemed Protector Mo was serious.
Come to think of it, a post-natal versus a Xiantian battle reaching this point was truly embarrassing.
The Yin-Gold Snake Seal condensed into shape!
A ferocious power!
Mingqi dared not neglect his position, gathering 200% of his strength, but he stopped swinging the Nifeng Sword.
Suddenly, he swung his sword and leaped backwards with the Blood Shadow Step.
The Blood Shadow Step, fueled by blood energy, was incredibly fast. Ming Qi's leap caused the Yin-Gold Snake Seal, floating above him, to noticeably slow down.
But at that moment, Protector Mo suddenly shouted, and Ming Qi felt the Snake Seal's speed rapidly increase, almost instantly catching up with the Blood Shadow Step.
"So fast!"
Ming Qi's heart trembled, his expression growing graver.
It seemed that relying on speed was no longer enough to gain the upper hand.
Although maintaining the Snake Seal's chain of attacks required constant energy consumption, judging by the current situation, he was likely to be struck down by the Snake Seal before Protector Mo's energy was exhausted.
Despite the dire situation, Ming Qi continued to advance with the Blood Shadow Step, occasionally incorporating the Nine Steps of the Great Void into his movements.
Both were physical techniques, but the Blood Shadow Step, with its energizing force, was clearly superior to the Nine Steps of the Great Void.
As Ming Qi dodged the massive snake marks, changes began to occur within him.
The first to change was his arm, previously lacerated by Duan Feng's sharp weapon. The wound, which had previously clotted and stopped bleeding, began to crack, and blood began to flow down his arm.
Then, the wounds on his body, lacerated by the Yin Snake during his movements, continued to ooze blood.
"Can't hold on any longer?"
Duan Feng, observing this from a distance, was immediately surprised.
But he could clearly see that Ming Qi's footwork wasn't particularly disrupted, and it seemed he was still some distance from collapse.
"Strange."
Duan Feng was a little confused.
Just as Duan Feng was lost in thought, Ming Qi made an unexpected move.
He suddenly stopped. Yes, his feet were frozen, and he didn't move.
"Looking for death?"
Duan Feng couldn't believe it. Even if he secretly despised Protector Mo, he was, after all, a congenitally powerful being. The gap between congenital and acquired was insurmountable, at least in his opinion.
So, for Ming Qi, who stopped dodging at this moment, the only outcome was death.
However!
"Use blood to wait for the sword, and fight against the sky!"
After a brief but profound moment of deliberation, Ming Qi finally made a decision, unlocking the final hurdle in his blood control technique!
Using the blood and energy of others was relying on external forces, but burning one's own blood and energy was another—more precisely, possessing a demon.
Among demonic cultivation, there's a blood path, a form of self-mutilation. Burning one's own blood and energy to unleash forbidden magical powers. While their combat power was formidable, every step was terrifying and despised by everyone.
Demons, in any era and in any dimension, are beings that walk on the brink of death, beings spurned by the world.
However, Ming Qi knew he was neither a genius nor an outlier. Under normal circumstances, he couldn't defeat the innately powerful Mo Protector. But reality told him he had to defeat him, so he had no choice!
Not a genius, not a demon, but he had a choice!
The Blood Control Technique, though it brought him ever closer to the forbidden word "demon" with just one move, didn't matter to him.
He didn't know what a demon actually was. He only knew that his mind was perfectly clear, and his judgment was correct!
Burning his own blood, feeding his sword with blood, under the influence of the Blood Control Technique, the blood flowing from every part of Ming Qi's body instantly transformed into vibrant flowers, dancing at a speed indiscernible to the naked eye, and darting towards the Nifeng Longsword.
The longsword drank blood, its light radiating!
Then, Ming Qi stepped forward with his left leg, slashing the sword's edge.
With a single move, resembling a magical power, yet not quite one, the blood-drinking blade rose. It seemed slow, but it carried an unstoppable momentum.
At Ming Qi's current level, he couldn't unleash his magical powers without Yuanli support. However, he could clearly feel the surrounding spiritual energy frantically converging, swallowed up by the blood-red sword in an inconceivable, substantial form.
The sword's tip rose high, finally meeting the Great Seal.
At this moment, the Yin-Gold Snake Seal also radiated a dazzling golden light, its pressure overwhelming the heavens.
Ming Qi didn't pause, raising the sword's tip high. With a slight curve of his body, a streak of bloody light shot up from the tip of the sword, soaring into the sky!
"Blue Blood Sky Slash!"
Indeed, Ming Qi's Blue Blood Sky Slash was entirely derived from the mysterious art of blood control.
Burning blood, he fed his blood to the sword, transforming it into a mighty strike!
An acquired strike, countering the innate!
Ming Qi wasn't sure if this strike was a sure thing, nor did he know what the consequences would be. In short, he felt he had reached his limit. Even attempting to increase the power of this strike by even a fraction would be incredibly difficult!
The sword's edge was drenched in blood, and the sky was azure!
At this moment, the sword in Ming Qi's hand became exceptionally dazzling, its crimson edge rising like a streak of silk.
From afar, one could see a sword beam like a blood dragon soaring into the sky, plunging headfirst into Protector Mo's Yin-Gold Snake Seal.
Red blood swirled, Yin-Gold energy surged. The intertwining of red and gold in the air was a testament to the life-and-death struggle between Protector Mo and Ming Qi.
With a single strike, the Blood-Blurred Sky Slash swung forth. Ming Qi knelt on one knee, his upper body straightened. In his right hand, he held high the fiery red Nifeng Sword, his gaze fixed intently on the snake seal above his head.
Though his face was pale, a resolute determination was written across his face.
The Yin-Gold Snake Seal seemed to have received a tremendous impact, hovering above Ming Qi's head, unable to descend even a fraction. However, the sword energy that had penetrated the seal didn't dissipate immediately, seemingly embodying Ming Qi's unyielding will as he fought the seal to the death.
The sword energy and the snake seal became the entire battlefield.
Even Zi Yue and Zi Yuan, who had been engaged in a distant battle, simultaneously slowed their pace and gazed in astonishment.
This battle was destined to be legendary!
And Ming Qi's ability to survive the attacks of the innate masters was only the beginning of a legend!