315: sneak attack

Outside the cave, the battle was exceptionally fierce.

Jiang Donghua suppressed his cultivation to the level of a Three-star Dou Zong, relying on the mysterious and unpredictable dark blue flames in his hand, along with his superb combat techniques. He was actually fighting Gloomy Spring and Elder Gui Ying, two Five-star Dou Zongs, to a standstill, not losing ground in the short term.

The dark blue flames occasionally transformed into ice walls for defense, and at other times condensed into piercing spears. That extreme cold attribute made Gloomy Spring and Elder Gui Ying quite wary; every time they clashed, a portion of their Dou Qi would be frozen and eroded, making them extremely uncomfortable.

"Hmph, kid, your flames certainly have some tricks; they're bone-chillingly cold!"

Elder Gloomy Spring scattered a blue fire snake with a palm strike and laughed sinisterly.

"If not for that, with your Three-star Dou Zong cultivation, you should have been captured by this old man dozens of moves ago!"

Elder Gui Ying's movement technique was like a ghost's, constantly launching attacks from tricky angles, his voice hoarse.

"That's right, while the flames are strange, they aren't enough to make up for the two-star gap! Let's see how long you can hold out!"

Although the two spoke casually, their attacks were merciless, and their offensive grew even fiercer.

They had already figured out that while the blue flames were troublesome, the opponent's Dou Qi reserves were indeed only at the Three-star Dou Zong level. If the fight dragged on, defeat was certain!

What they needed to do now was deplete him, then seize the opportunity for a fatal blow!

Just as the battle reached a stalemate, two subtle auras quietly appeared on the hillside to the right of the battlefield.

The space slightly fluctuated, and Xiao Zhen and Xiao Han, dressed in black robes, revealed themselves.

Xiao Han immediately spotted Jiang Donghua, who was still standing tall and fighting fiercely while controlling the blue flames under the siege of the two Five-star Dou Zongs. His face instantly showed extreme anxiety. He grabbed his grandfather's arm and pleaded, almost weeping.

"Grandpa! It's him! I beg you, save him quickly! He is the Jiang Donghua I told you about! My good friend!"

Hearing this, Old Master Xiao Zhen frowned deeply. His gaze first swept over the battlefield, then confusingly turned toward the young man below, who was being watched by Chen Ming and was slumped in a pit, barely alive. He was utterly confused.

"Wait! Han'er, which one are you saying is Jiang Donghua? The one in the pit below is clearly emitting pure Wood Attribute Dou Qi fluctuations. Although weak, it cannot be wrong."

Xiao Han was taken aback by his grandfather's question. He followed his grandfather's gaze toward the heavily injured Mu Chen at the bottom of the pit.

Utilizing the light flashing from the battle, he carefully distinguished the blood-stained face and hesitated uncertainly.

"That seems to be Mu Chen from Jia Nan Academy? I remember him; he always kept to himself at the academy, looking a bit sickly and not very noticeable!"

But then he shook his head violently, pointing at Jiang Donghua, who was fiercely fighting the two elders, his tone utterly certain.

"No! Grandpa, I am certain that the one above is Jiang Donghua!"

"Besides, Wood Attribute Dou Qi Mu Chen? How could he possibly have the strength of a Three-star Dou Zong? That is absolutely impossible!"

Old Master Xiao Zhen looked at the chaotic situation before him and sensed that Chen Ming, the Peak Dou Zong deep inside the cave, had already locked onto the entire area. His expression became incomparably solemn.

He said in a deep voice.

"Han'er, the situation is more complicated than we imagined! Chen Ming of the Xuanming Sect is here; the young man below is their real target. Are you sure that Jiang Donghua above is the one you want to save?"

"I'm sure! Grandpa, please make your move quickly! He can't hold out much longer!"

Xiao Zhen took a deep breath, a sharp light flickering in his eyes as he seemed to weigh the pros and cons.

Saving an unknown genius while thoroughly offending the Xuanming Sect was too high a price, but looking at his grandson's nearly desperate eyes, he finally grit his teeth.

"Fine! This old man will be crazy with you this one time! But remember, if things become impossible, leave immediately!"

Xiao Zhen's powerful aura, belonging to a Peak Dou Zong, swept out like a volcanic eruption, instantly scattering the energy fluctuations that had previously been deadlocked in the field!

This powerful pressure caused the expressions of Gloomy Spring and Elder Gui Ying, who were fighting fiercely, to change drastically, and their movements involuntarily paused!

"A Peak Dou Zong?! There are accomplices?!"

Elder Gloomy Spring cried out in shock.

However, Xiao Zhen gave the opponent no time to react.

Since he decided to act, his attack was like thunder striking ten thousand tons!

His figure was like lightning. He directly ignored Elder Gui Ying, who was slightly farther away, his target clear: Gloomy Spring, who had just spoken arrogantly!

The palm extending from beneath his black robe looked ordinary, yet it was instantly enveloped in dazzling golden Dou Qi, condensing a terrifying aura of unparalleled sharpness that seemed capable of tearing everything apart!

"middle-rank earth tier Dou Technique — Heaven-Splitting Golden Strength Palm!"

Xiao Zhen shouted softly and struck out with his palm!

A golden palm print, condensed to the extreme and only about ten feet in size, appeared instantly before Elder Gloomy Spring, as if teleported!

Wherever the palm print passed, the space emitted faint sounds of unbearable distortion!

Elder Gloomy Spring was scared witless. He never expected this suddenly appearing black-robed Peak Dou Zong to immediately unleash such a powerful killing move against him!

He frantically mobilized all the Dou Qi within his body, rapidly forming seals with his hands. A thick black ice shield instantly condensed in front of him, attempting to block the attack!

"Xuanming Ice Armor! Block it for this old man!"

"Boom—!!!"

However, how terrifying was the power of a middle-rank earth tier Dou Technique unleashed by a Peak Dou Zong expert?

The seemingly solid Xuanming Ice Shield instantly shattered like paper upon contact with the golden palm print!

The golden palm print continued its momentum, landing squarely on Elder Gloomy Spring's chest under his desperate and terrified gaze!

"Pfft!"

There was no violent explosion, only a muffled thud.

Elder Gloomy Spring's chest instantly caved in, and a bloody hole burst open on the corresponding spot on his back!

The light in his eyes instantly dimmed; his internal organs had been completely shattered by the invincible Golden Strength palm force!

"Ugh..."

He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but only black blood mixed with fragments of internal organs poured out.

Immediately afterward, his corpse fell straight down from the air like a broken sack, smashing onto the ground, lifeless.

Gloomy Spring, a Five-star Dou Zong, was instantly killed by a single move from Xiao Zhen!

All of this happened too quickly; from Xiao Zhen's eruption to Gloomy Spring's death, it was merely the blink of an eye!

Inside the cave, Chen Ming had just completely sealed Mu Chen's Dou Qi using profound methods and was about to drag him out to properly torture him.

The sudden eruption of a Peak Dou Zong aura outside, along with the energy fluctuation caused by Gloomy Spring's instant demise, caused his face to change drastically!

"Who is it?!"

Both shocked and enraged, he no longer cared about Mu Chen on the ground and rushed out of the cave like a phantom.

The moment he emerged, the sight that greeted him was Gloomy Spring's corpse hitting the ground, and that mysterious black-robed, masked Peak Dou Zong whose aura was as deep as the sea!

Chen Ming's heart instantly sank to the bottom, and his rage and murderous intent soared skyward!

He stared fixedly at Xiao Zhen, his voice like the chilling ice of the netherworld.

"Good! Very good! To dare kill an elder of my Xuanming Sect, no matter who you are, you will leave your life here today!"

Without hesitation, he casually tossed Mu Chen, who was like a dead dog in his hands, to the side. The terrifying aura of a Peak Dou Zong fully erupted, and his figure transformed into a black streak, charging straight at Xiao Zhen with monstrous malice and a determination to kill!

"Old Eighth! Join forces with me, let's first kill this secretive bastard!"

Elder Gui Ying also recovered from his shock, his face filled with dread and hatred. Hearing the call, he immediately formed a pincer attack with Chen Ming and jointly assaulted Xiao Zhen!