As Mu Gu's voice fell, the crowd of alchemists instantly erupted into chaos—some shouted in anger, others trembled in fear, and still others' faces twisted with fury and disbelief.
Song Qing was the first to freeze, then his expression turned hideous. 'I still have to win the championship, I still have to get Cao Ying, I still have to become a Pill Tower Giant—I won't die here!'
"This man's blocking our escape—there's no way out unless we fight! Since he wants our lives, then let's take his first. Attack!"
Mu Gu actually clapped his hands and laughed, a mocking glint flickering in his dark eyes. "Heh… such courage. Admirable—but today, not one of you is leaving alive."
Before his words even finished, several heads flew up from the crowd, scarlet fountains of blood spurting into the air. The dead still wore looks of blank disbelief as their bodies collapsed.
Song Qing and even Cao Ying, usually calm and self-possessed, both turned pale. Protected by the Pill Tower for so long, they had rarely seen such bloodshed up close.
Panic spread like wildfire. The remaining alchemists stumbled back as a dozen figures charged out from the shadows—each one radiating killing intent and overwhelming Dou Qi, their teamwork precise and merciless.
Terror filled the survivors' faces as they realized the attacks came from behind.
"Bastard!" Song Qing roared, unleashing his Dou Qi alongside Cao Ying. Two dazzling auras flared out, barely managing to block the assassins' first assault.
In an instant, the ground was painted red. The alchemists, revered and respected outside, were slaughtered here like stray dogs on the roadside.
These attackers were no ordinary participants. Their strikes were clean, ruthless, and efficient—veteran killers. Under their coordinated assault, one alchemist after another fell screaming into the dirt.
Someone finally cracked under the terror and pulled out a Space Stone, crushing it desperately to escape.
Mu Gu sneered. "I said it already—none of you are leaving here alive."
He extended both hands. A violent spatial fluctuation burst outward, freezing those who had activated their stones in place. His fingers clenched, and the space around them twisted violently. A wet explosion followed as their bodies were crushed into clouds of blood.
"The power to twist space… he's really a Dou Zun…"
Despair spread like a poison.
Song Qing's expression flickered with hopelessness. For the first time, he could truly smell death.
Cao Ying's usual allure vanished. Biting down hard on her lip, she hissed, "Senior, must you truly drive us all to extinction?"
Mu Gu's lips curled into a sinister grin. "At this point, how could I let any of you live? You—Cao Ying—have potential enough to reach the level of a Pill Tower Giant one day. Your soul, in particular, interests me greatly…"
Though he could have ended it swiftly, Mu Gu chose to toy with them instead—like a cat playing with its prey. He enjoyed watching their hope fade. That's just how villains are.
All of this was seen by Liu Xi, who had just arrived. The black-clothed man before him was clearly Mu Gu—and at this very moment, the old ghost was unleashing a massacre upon the Pill Tower's younger generation.
"Tch… what deep hatred drives humans to butcher their own kind so completely? Hmph, that man's aura is strong," Xiong Zhan muttered, his tone shifting from amusement to grim focus.
"Big brother, are you going to save them?" Zi Yan asked casually, completely indifferent to the fate of the humans below. As a descendant of the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe, such carnage meant little to her.
"Yes," Liu Xi replied.
Xuan Kongzi had treated him well. If he lacked the strength, he might have stayed out of it—but since he did have the ability, he couldn't just stand by while the man's disciples were slaughtered.
He acted immediately.
Balancing Zi Yan effortlessly on one arm—her small, soft body felt weightless—Liu Xi raised his other hand and flicked it through the air. A blast of force roared forth, sharp enough to tear space itself. It smashed straight into the invisible Soul Barrier ahead.
Crack!
A crystalline shattering sound rang out, echoing through the battlefield. The translucent dome that had sealed the area fractured like glass and burst apart.
Inside, both the defenders and Mu Gu's forces froze in shock.
Cao Ying and Song Qing's remaining allies lit up with joy. Whoever broke that barrier could only be an ally, not another enemy.
Mu Gu's eyes narrowed, half furious, half intrigued. Who in this realm dared meddle in his hunt? 'How irritating…'
Then everyone saw the newcomer descend from the sky—Liu Xi, holding a petite, purple-haired girl in his arms, followed by a towering, muscular man whose aura rolled like thunder.
The reactions were immediate.
Cao Ying's face changed. She glanced at Mu Gu and cried out urgently, "Liu Xi, run! He's the same Dou Zun who ambushed you before! Breaking the barrier for us was enough—go, quickly!"
Song Qing's expression twisted with desperation and calculation. Even as he stepped backward, he shouted loudly, "Master Liu, please hold him off for a moment! I'll repay you in the future! Ying'er, flee now—everyone scatter and run! Don't waste the time he's buying us!"
The other alchemists echoed hurried thanks, but even as they spoke, their feet were already retreating. Within seconds, they turned and fled without looking back.
Seeing Liu Xi, Mu Gu's glee burst into full madness. His face contorted, the old wound in his pride flaring like fire. He remembered vividly how that servant girl had nearly killed him—and though he'd survived by burning his life essence and consuming pills, his foundation had been crippled, his lifespan shortened. This hatred could never fade.
"Liu Xi! You actually dare show yourself? Hahaha! Truly ignorant of life and death! I was just worrying about finding you—and you walk right into my hands. Today, let's see who can save you now!"
"Ahem!"
Xiong Zhan deliberately cleared his throat twice, looking slightly offended. "Hey, what's this? One after another, you people act like I don't exist. Has old Xiong become air to you?"
Sensing the power radiating from Xiong Zhan's massive frame, Mu Gu's grin stiffened. Though slightly weaker, this beast's aura demanded respect—he was no minor foe.
"Go," Mu Gu ordered his subordinates coldly. "Hunt down the rest. Leave none alive. This one's mine."
"Yes, Elder Mu Gu!" his followers answered as one.
Meanwhile, Song Qing—who had fled the furthest—glanced back once. Seeing Cao Ying still standing her ground, his eyes flashed cold. "Foolish woman… staying there to die? Not me. I'll survive. I'll win. I'll become a Pill Tower Giant!"
And with that, he vanished into the distance.
Liu Xi turned his gaze to Cao Ying, intrigued. 'This woman has many schemes… but her courage exceeds most men.'
"You're not running?" he asked.
Cao Ying's expression was conflicted. Her lips curved faintly as she looked at him. "You didn't run either. You could've escaped easily. But since you're staying… at least with me here, plus you and this powerful companion, maybe—just maybe—we can stand against a Dou Zun."
(End of Chapter)
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