45: Don't worry, she won't survive.

Palace Master and Ouyang Yaoxi were both stunned.

They looked toward the entrance of the hall.

At some point, Wang Ming had appeared there, carrying a qinggang sword as he charged at Zhang Wanyi.

"You little bastard, you think you're worthy?!"

Zhang Wanyi snorted disdainfully and didn't even dodge; she simply turned sideways and waved her sleeve, sending out a wave of thick spiritual power to disperse the sword light.

"Wang Ming! Watch out!" Ouyang Yaoxi cried out in alarm, her heart leaping into her throat.

She knew Wang Ming was strong, but that was the Core Formation Stage!

How did he dare!

The black-misted figure of the Shadow Guard, Du Yue, moved slightly and looked toward the Palace Master, waiting for orders.

The Palace Master's eyes flickered, and she raised her hand to stop the Shadow Guard's movement.

She looked at Wang Ming, a thought suddenly rising in her mind: "Let's see exactly where this boy's limit lies."

The sword light and spiritual power collided, exploding with a bang!

Wang Ming was shaken back several steps, his blood and Qi churning.

Zhang Wanyi's robes only fluttered slightly; she was completely unharmed, and the mockery on her face deepened. "An ant trying to shake a tree—overestimating your own strength!"

Wang Ming steadied himself and took a deep breath, Battle Intent surging in his eyes.

He indeed lacked combat experience, but he had the ultimate Realm bestowed by the System and the terrifying Physical Body brought by the Desolate War Body!

Although Zhang Wanyi was strong, it wasn't enough to kill him!

He, however, could trade injuries for a kill!

Shattering Moon shifted in his hands as Destruction Sword Intent coiled around the blade, and he slashed at Zhang Wanyi again.

Zhang Wanyi remained contemptuous, casually blocking and counterattacking.

Her spiritual power was vast and her Moves were seasoned, striking Wang Ming several times.

But what made her pupils shrink was that Wang Ming only swayed slightly, his face turning a bit pale, yet he didn't even spit out a single drop of blood!

Where he was hit, his clothes were torn, but the exposed skin only showed faint red marks that vanished in an instant!

"What?!" Zhang Wanyi was horrified.

This physical strength was actually comparable to a Body Refining Yao Beast of the same rank!

No, it was even stronger!

Wang Ming endured the attacks without retreating a single step!

The terrifying defensive power of the Desolate War Body's fifty-fold amplification was now fully revealed!

Like a Vicious Beast that knew no pain, he completely abandoned defense. His sword style became increasingly broad and powerful, with Destruction Sword Intent crisscrossing and cutting through the air, forcing Zhang Wanyi into a momentary scramble where she had to take him seriously.

"Boom!"

Sword light and spiritual power continuously collided!

Although Wang Ming was at a disadvantage and was hit repeatedly, he fought with increasing courage!

He was rapidly adapting to the attack rhythm and power of the Core Formation Stage!

The combination of Destruction Sword Intent and the Shattering Moon sword technique grew more proficient, occasionally managing to tear through Zhang Wanyi's spiritual defense and leave shallow bloodstains on her!

"He... he can actually fight the Core Formation Stage Grand Elder like this?!"

Ouyang Yaoxi's beautiful eyes widened, almost unable to believe what she was seeing.

She knew Wang Ming was fierce.

But she never thought he could be fierce to this extent!

A Foundation Establishment fighting a Core Formation without falling behind?!

At some point, the Palace Master's seated posture had leaned forward slightly.

The excitement in her eyes could no longer be hidden!

This boy is definitely no ordinary person!

His future achievements would definitely far surpass Gu Qingyi's, and he might even lead Qingxin Palace to an unprecedented height!

"At any cost!" the Palace Master shouted in her heart. "He must be firmly tied to Qingxin Palace's chariot! Resources, status, and even... marriage!"

On the field, the battle was intense.

During a fierce exchange, Zhang Wanyi revealed a tiny, imperceptible flaw.

Cold light exploded from Wang Ming's eyes!

"Shattering Moon!"

The sword style suddenly changed—faster!

Sharper!

The aura of destruction condensed into a single point!

"Chii—!"

Blood splattered!

A severed arm, wrapped in a torn sleeve, flew high into the air!

Zhang Wanyi screamed and stumbled back, her right arm severed at the shoulder, blood spraying wildly!

A few droplets of blood splashed onto Wang Ming's cheek.

Wang Ming halted his offensive and reached up to wipe his face with disgust. Looking at the blood on his fingertips, he frowned and muttered softly, "How filthy."

This undisguised disgust was the final straw that completely crushed Zhang Wanyi's sanity!

"You little bastard, I'll kill you!!!" she let out a beast-like roar, appearing like a madwoman!

At the same time, she also understood.

The Palace Master had no intention of having the Shadow Guard take her down immediately!

Instead, she was using her as a sparring partner for Wang Ming!

Under normal circumstances, with the Palace Master and Shadow Guard by his side, she couldn't kill Wang Ming at all!

And after today, even if she didn't die, what awaited her would be the dark, sunless Water Dungeon!

"You forced me into this!!!"

Zhang Wanyi slammed her single arm against her Dantian, a hideous smile appearing on her face!

In the next moment, her originally chaotic spiritual power suddenly surged back into her body at an abnormal speed, and then... it exploded outward!

An aura of destruction erupted from her body!

The surrounding air began to warp!

"Not good!" The Palace Master's expression changed drastically, and she stood up abruptly. "She's going to self-detonate! Shadow Guard, stop her quickly! Protect Wang Ming!"

The self-detonation of a Core Formation Stage expert was powerful enough to level half of the Qingxin Hall!

Wang Ming was too close!

The black-misted Shadow Guard, Du Yue, instantly turned into a black line and, at a speed difficult to catch with the naked eye, blocked the path between Wang Ming and Zhang Wanyi, who was gathering power for her self-detonation!

However—

At the moment the Shadow Guard blocked the way, the violent aura on Zhang Wanyi's body suddenly retracted, returning to calm!

A cold sneer appeared on her face, and her figure, like a ghost, shot out toward the exterior of the Qingxin Hall!

"Damn it, it's a trick!" The Palace Master hadn't expected her to be so decisive and ruthless; her expression was extremely grim. "Shadow Guard, after her! Capture her at all costs, dead or alive!"

The Shadow Guard's black mist rippled as she was about to give chase.

"No need."

A calm voice sounded.

Wang Ming stood with his sword sheathed, showing no trace of anxiety on his face, only indifference.

He looked at the Palace Master and raised the qinggang sword in his hand, which had just severed Zhang Wanyi's arm.

"She won't survive."

The Palace Master was stunned and looked at him. "You mean...?"

Wang Ming smiled. "My sword was coated in poison."

The Palace Master frowned. "Ordinary poisons have limited effects on Core Formation Stage experts; she can completely suppress or even expel it temporarily using her spiritual power."

Wang Ming shook his head. "This is no ordinary poison."

"This is Spirit-Dissolving Blood-Corroding Powder, a mixture refined repeatedly from thirteen toxic substances like Spirit-Corroding Grass, Bone-Eroding Flower, Seven-Step Viper Gall, and Century-Old Corpse Fungus, supplemented by the essence blood of three types of Yao Beasts with conflicting properties."

He paused, watching the Palace Master's slightly changing expression, and continued, "This poison is colorless and odorless, melting upon contact with blood. Once it enters the bloodstream through a wound, as long as the victim circulates their spiritual power—even just a sliver—the toxin will flow with it, spreading to every part of the body in an instant, corroding the Meridians, rotting the Dantian, and dissolving the spiritual power."

"Even the Core Formation Stage," Wang Ming chuckled, "will still die!"

"Calculating the time from when she was struck and fled to her desperately pushing her spiritual power just now... the toxin should have already spread to every corner of her body by now."

"The faster she runs, the faster she dies!"