124: Chapter 124 Zhang Huaiyuan...

Murong Yue had been using a special method to buff Murong Cheng, allowing him to unleash the power of the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment while he was only at the Early Stage.

During the battle, Murong Yue's eyes flashed as she noticed something unusual.

"Brother Cheng, its power source seems to be in its abdomen!"

Upon hearing this, Murong Cheng thrust his spear through the joint of one of the Black Scorpion's front legs, then immediately locked his gaze onto its abdomen.

There, within the gaps of the carapace, a mass of dark red light could be faintly seen pulsing, resembling a heart, or perhaps a sealed flame.

Twisted, crooked runes spread from that mass of light toward its limbs.

"I see it!"

Murong Cheng forced the Black Scorpion's tail back with a strike of his spear, took a deep breath, and poured his Spiritual Qi, which surged like a tidal wave, entirely into the spear.

The silver-white spear shaft lit up with a blinding light, and the runes on the tip began to glow one by one, emitting a low hum as if an army of thousands was roaring within the weapon.

"Now is the time!"

Murong Cheng kicked off the ground with both feet, his body shooting out like an arrow as he thrust his spear directly toward the Black Scorpion's abdomen.

The Black Scorpion seemed to sense the threat; its eight long legs bent simultaneously, its body contracted sharply, and its tail whipped in from the side, attempting to block the strike.

But Murong Cheng's speed was too fast—too fast for the tail to react in time.

"Long Rainbow Breaks the Army!"

"Boom!"

The spear tip pierced into the gap in the Black Scorpion's abdominal carapace.

The runes on the carapace flickered violently, as if short-circuited, flashing on and off before shattering.

The spear tip penetrated the carapace and pierced the mass of dark red light. The orb exploded, scattering dark red light everywhere like a shattered lantern.

The Black Scorpion's body stiffened abruptly, its eight legs stopping in unison. Its tail remained raised high, the stinger still gleaming with a faint blue light, but it never struck down again.

"Gaga ga..."

The Black Scorpion's body emitted a series of rapid "gaga" sounds, like rusted gears spinning frantically, before coming to a halt.

Its body slowly toppled over, its eight long legs curling together, and the runes on its carapace dimmed completely. A plume of black smoke drifted from the cracks in the carapace, giving off a burnt smell.

Murong Cheng pulled out his spear, leaned on it, and gasped for air.

The wound on his severed arm still throbbed with pain, but the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing a pale smile.

"Brother Cheng!"

Murong Yue rushed forward to support Murong Cheng, her eyes filled with heartache and lingering fear. Murong Cheng shook his head, his gaze landing on the pale blue bead on the stone platform, his voice raspy and calm.

"Yue'er, go quickly and collect the bead; that thing should be at the Spirit Treasure level."

Murong Yue bit her lip and nodded.

Murong Yue released her hold on Murong Cheng and turned to walk toward the stone platform, but just as she reached the halfway point...

From behind...

"Puchi!!!"

A piercing sound rang out, like the dull thud of flesh being run through.

Murong Yue's footsteps froze.

She turned her head, her pupils suddenly shrinking to the size of needlepoints.

A hand, entirely blood-red, had pierced through Murong Cheng's back and emerged from his chest.

Its five fingers were splayed, palm facing upward, as if grasping something.

Fresh blood streamed down the fingers, dripping onto the floor with a rhythmic patter.

Murong Cheng's body shuddered violently; he looked down at the bloody hand protruding from his chest, his mouth agape, but he could not make a sound.

The bloody hand flashed with red light, and a powerful suction force emanated from its palm.

Murong Cheng's blood, as if drawn by something, surged frantically from the wound, flowing along the bloody hand into the darkness behind him. His face twisted, veins bulged, and his eyes bloodshot, he finally let out a heart-wrenching scream.

"Ah!"

"Brother Cheng!"

Murong Yue's voice was piercingly shrill, and tears instantly welled up.

Without hesitation, she waved both hands, shooting two beams of green Spiritual Qi from her palms straight toward the owner of that bloody hand.

Wherever the Spiritual Qi passed, the air was torn apart, emitting a sharp whistling sound.

The bloody hand retracted sharply, pulling out of Murong Cheng's chest and kicking up a spray of blood mist.

Murong Cheng's body lost its support and collapsed limply to the ground, a fist-sized hole in his chest from which blood gushed out.

His eyes remained open, pupils dilated, and his lips trembled as if trying to say something, but it was no longer audible.

From the darkness, a figure slowly stepped out.

The newcomer's skin was a sickly, almost translucent pale.

There was a deep crimson around his eyes, and his lips curled slightly into a cold, sinister smile; the man himself was like a blade just pulled from a pool of blood, radiating a heavy scent of gore.

This person was none other than Zhang Huaiyuan, who had been bestowed the Blood Seal Pagoda by Wu Li.

Murong Yue stared at that unfamiliar face, her eyes filled with anger and confusion, her voice shrill: "Who are you? You are not from the Four Great Sects!"

The aura on Zhang Huaiyuan was too eerie; it was easy to distinguish.

To this.

Zhang Huaiyuan did not answer.

He lowered his gaze to the fist-sized bloody hole in Murong Cheng's chest, and the smile on his lips deepened.

As that pure Foundation Establishment essence blood surged into his body, the blood seed in his Dantian pulsed slightly, like a greedy heart frantically devouring the newly arrived nutrients.

"Who are you! I'm asking you a question!"

Murong Yue's voice rose, her eyes red-rimmed; her hands were trembling, not from fear, but from rage.

Zhang Huaiyuan finally raised his head and glanced at her.

"I am a... how should I put it, a pitiful person, perhaps."

"No matter who you are, I want you to pay with your life for Brother Cheng!" Murong Yue's voice suddenly turned cold, and the tears in her eyes were instantly evaporated by her fury.

To this.

Zhang Huaiyuan tilted his head in confusion, "If you don't care who I am, why do you keep asking who I am?"

"Boom!"

Facing Zhang Huaiyuan's words, Murong Yue did not answer either; she raised her hand and waved it, her Storage Ring flashed with light, and three Spiritual Artifacts flew out simultaneously.

A cyan longsword, three silver-white flying daggers, and a verdant green feather fan.

The three Spiritual Artifacts circled around her, their Spiritual Qi blazing intensely; the ringing of the sword, the hum of the blades, and the rushing of the fan wind intertwined, causing the entire great hall to tremble slightly.

"Die!"

With a sharp cry, Murong Yue sent the cyan longsword transforming into a streak of light, thrusting straight toward Zhang Huaiyuan's face.

The three flying daggers flew out simultaneously, instantly transforming into nine blade shadows in mid-air, sealing off all of Zhang Huaiyuan's escape routes from every direction.

The verdant green feather fan followed behind; with a gentle wave of the fan, a cyan hurricane surged forth, carrying Sword Qi and blade light as it bore down upon Zhang Huaiyuan, covering the sky and earth.

Zhang Huaiyuan stood where he was, unmoving.

The cold, sinister smile still hung on his lips, and his body suddenly flashed with a red light, beginning to melt from the soles of his feet like an ice cube under sunlight.

He melted silently into the cracks of the bluestone floor. In the blink of an eye, only a pool of dark red blood remained where he had stood, along with the heavy scent of gore permeating the air.

The longsword missed, striking the hall pillar and sending a spray of stone fragments flying.

The nine blade shadows slashed through the air, leaving only several deep gouges in the ground.

The cyan hurricane swept past, blowing debris and dust throughout the hall, but it hit nothing at all.

Murong Yue's pupils contracted sharply as her Spiritual Sense flooded out, searching every corner of the great hall, but she found nothing.