Chương 49: Hong Lie's Defeat

The stench of blood in the air was so strong it was almost impossible to dissipate.

Chu Zhaoxue tilted her long neck back, and the scarlet "Blood God Pearl," as red as a blood diamond, slid down her throat.

The next moment, a bizarre scene unfolded.

On the ground, the pool of thick blood that had not yet congealed from the Blood God Cult leader seemed to be drawn by some force, defying gravity and flowing upwards, transforming into hundreds of thin, hair-like blood threads that frantically burrowed into Chu Zhaoxue's originally pale skin.

As the blood flowed in, her previously broken aura began to rise steadily, and her once cold and aloof eyes were now tinged with a chillingly alluring and sinister quality.

"Chu Zhaoxue! You actually dared to swallow the Blood God Pearl alive, using this evil pearl to replenish your energy!"

Hong Lie, on the other side, was first shocked, then turned into boundless rage!

He seemed to have found a perfect excuse and sternly rebuked Chu Zhaoxue:

"As the Vice Hall Master of the National Martial Hall, you willingly fell into the evil path, devouring human blood! If I kill you today, it will be to rid the world of this scourge! The Blood God Pearl is inside you. Even if I take your corpse back to the National Martial Hall headquarters, I will still be in the right! I will dissect your body to retrieve the pearl; that is acting on behalf of Heaven!

Even if your master, He Baiweng, comes in person, faced with this irrefutable evidence, he will not be able to touch me in the slightest!"

Although his words were eloquent and respectable, the sinister and greedy murderous intent in his eyes could not be concealed.

At this moment, Chu Zhaoxue was seriously injured and was at her weakest.

While you are sick, I will kill you!

"Die! Remember this in your next life, don't be so shameless!"

Hong Lie grinned maliciously, unleashing his full power as a Dan Jin expert, and shot out a finger through the air.

A semi-transparent, highly condensed stream of energy instantly detached from his fingertips, tearing through the air with a sharp screech!

This finger strike was like an invisible armor-piercing bullet, swift as lightning, shooting through the air with enough power to pierce through steel plates and strike Chu Zhaoxue's forehead!

This finger strike was ruthless and aimed to kill with a single blow!

It is a martial art technique – the Qi Finger!

Chu Zhaoxue, who had kept her eyes tightly closed, suddenly opened them the instant the powerful energy struck her.

In those eyes, golden light and blood mingled, as if a god or demon had awakened.

"You mere Dan Jin cultivator dares to kill me?"

She didn't flinch, but coldly raised her blood-stained right hand.

"Buzz—!"

A dazzling golden stream of light shot out from the fingertip, followed by a sharp tearing sound in the air.

Qi!

That was a killing move that surpassed Dan Jin and could only be unleashed by a Gang Jin expert!

Its power is simply incomparable to any internal energy!

If Hong Lie's internal energy is an indestructible blade, then this golden aura is the blazing sun that melts all things!

At the moment of their collision in mid-air, instead of the expected violent explosion, the two forces crushed each other in a way that was utterly devastating.

The translucent energy finger, upon touching the golden qi, melted and disintegrated instantly, like ice and snow meeting the scorching sun, leaving not a trace behind!

The golden aura continued its relentless advance, carrying immense divine might, and hurtled straight towards Hong Lie's face!

"What?!"

The pure and domineering power contained in that golden light made him feel a fatal threat! Hong Lie didn't dare to resist it head-on. He let out a strange cry and rolled to the side, barely avoiding the golden light.

boom!

A golden light flashed past his clothes, instantly piercing through a boulder behind him, leaving a perfectly smooth round hole!

"You... you... you can still unleash qi?!" Hong Lie was filled with doubt and his face turned pale. He dared not step forward again.

A person's name, a tree's shadow.

Chu Zhaoxue's reputation in the National Martial Arts Hall was earned through sheer hard work and skill.

This is a true dragon. Even though she is on her deathbed at this moment, as long as she opens her eyes, the trace of dragon might she exudes is enough to make all beasts tremble and dare not cross the line.

"Killing someone like you..."

Chu Zhaoxue slightly raised her chin, her voice cold and aloof, carrying an indifference as if looking down on ants:

"Only one-tenth of your strength is needed."

The wind blew, and the smell of blood became even stronger.

Hong Lie's expression shifted between light and dark. Overwhelmed by this imposing aura, he froze in place, caught between a rock and a hard place.

However, Cang Lian, standing beside Chu Zhaoxue, felt his heart sink to the bottom.

He was closest and saw it most clearly.

Chu Zhaoxue's composure was feigned.

Her hand, which was gripping his shirt at the back of his waist, was clenched tightly, her knuckles white from the force, and she was trembling uncontrollably in a fine, high-frequency manner.

That wasn't murderous intent; it was a sign of exhaustion.

That golden aura just now wasn't "one-tenth of her strength" at all; it was a life-saving attack that she forced out by squeezing out the last bit of strength in her body!

She was weaker than anyone else!

Cang Lian's gaze swept quickly across the ground. The Blood God Sect leader had been seriously injured in the previous battle with Chu Zhaoxue, and had lost most of his blood. Now his body was completely shriveled, sticking to the ground like withered tree bark. All the blood in his body had been drained, and there was no more blood left to absorb.

There's no blood left to suck.

The oil has run out and the lamp is extinguished.

If Hong Lie were to strike again at this moment, even with just a simple punch, this proud daughter of the National Martial Arts Hall would likely perish on the spot, like a shattered porcelain doll!

Cang Lian's mind was working faster than ever at this moment!

He instantly understood the perilous nature of the situation.

Today, he witnessed all these secrets: the Blood God Pearl, the internal strife within the National Martial Hall... Once Chu Zhaoxue is killed, in order to silence her, he, Cang Lian, will surely also face death!

The principle of "if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold" is self-evident!

Without the slightest hesitation, Cang Lian gritted her teeth, pinched her fingers like a knife, and slashed her left arm fiercely!

A deep wound, exposing the bone, instantly split open!

"puff!"

Fresh blood gushed out.

Unlike the foul-smelling blood of ordinary people, Cang Lian's blood was scalding hot, with a bright red color and a faint, exotic fragrance of "pure yang".

His body is a precious body sculpted by the essence of the sun, and the abundance and purity of his qi and blood far surpass that of ordinary people!

Ignoring the pain, he directly extended his bleeding arm behind Chu Zhaoxue's back.

Drawn by the greedy "Blood God Pearl" within her body, the surging hot blood didn't need to be swallowed at all; it transformed into countless wisps of red mist, frantically drilling into Chu Zhaoxue's pores.

boom!

Chu Zhaoxue's consciousness, which had been slightly clouded by blood loss, suddenly became aware of another surge of fresh blood!

This flow of energy is like sweet dew falling from the sky!

Her previously ashen face instantly flushed with color, and her almost dried-up dantian began to boil again under the infusion of this extremely pure energy.

She glanced sideways in surprise, taking a deep look at the pale-faced boy beside her, a strange light flashing in her eyes.

Blood!

I really want to smoke it!

With strength restored, confidence returned.

Chu Zhaoxue turned her head sharply, her previously unfocused pupils refocusing and locking onto Hong Lie, her voice as cold as the depths of hell:

"Hong Lie, how dare you! If I don't kill you today, I'll change my name, Chu Zhaoxue!"

Hong Lie felt a tremor in his heart under that gaze, but after all, he was a seasoned veteran at the peak of Dan Jin, and his willpower was far beyond that of ordinary martial artists.

He noticed Chu Zhaoxue's weakness and concluded that her previous attack was a last gasp before death, so he immediately attacked again!

"Bluster! I don't believe you can unleash a second burst of energy when you're already at your limit!"

"Die!"

Hong Lie let out a sharp cry and tapped his hands repeatedly, creating a series of explosions in the air.

This time, he held nothing back. More than a dozen semi-transparent "energy fingers" poured out like a storm, blocking all of Chu Zhaoxue's escape routes!

"A trivial skill."

Chu Zhaoxue snorted coldly, without even raising her hand, but with a thought.

hum!

A faint golden light instantly covered his entire body.

Protect your body with protective energy!

"Ding ding ding ding ding!"

The powerful finger strike, strong enough to pierce steel plates, struck the thin layer of golden light, producing a crisp metallic clang before shattering completely, without even lifting the hem of Chu Zhaoxue's clothes.

"You still have the energy to maintain your protective aura?!"

The madness on Hong Lie's face froze instantly, replaced by deep horror.

How is that possible?

She was clearly at her last gasp!

Before he could react, a cruel smile appeared on Chu Zhaoxue's cold and beautiful face.

"It's only polite to retaliate. You dodged that finger strike just now, but what about this one?"

She raised her right hand, her five fingers suddenly spread open, and golden light burst forth from her fingertips, so dazzling that it was impossible to look directly at her.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh—!"

No longer one, but five!

Five incomparably sharp golden energies, like the legendary Six Meridian Divine Sword, tore through the air with a piercing shriek, instantly weaving into a net of death, rushing straight towards Hong Lie!

At that moment, the heat wave generated by the qi cutting through the air even caused the surrounding space to distort.

Hong Lie felt his scalp tingle; how could he dare to take the hit head-on?

He let out a strange cry, frantically channeling his inner energy into his legs, his figure transforming into a blur as he desperately dodged to the left.

However, the speed of the qi was too fast!

"Pfft!"

A muffled thud, and blood splattered everywhere.

Even though Hong Lie avoided the vital points, his left waist and abdomen were still struck by the edge of a burst of energy. The tough protective energy shattered like paper, and a large chunk of flesh was sliced off, revealing the white bones. Blood instantly stained half of his body red.

"Ah—Chu Zhaoxue!!!"

A sharp pain shot through him, and Hong Lie let out a piercing scream.

Seeing Chu Zhaoxue's still cold eyes, as if she could unleash another round of qi at any moment, Hong Lie's last line of defense completely collapsed.

She really could kill me!

She really still has energy to spare!

Hong Lie was utterly terrified!

He was already under immense psychological pressure facing this killing god, and now, severely injured, he could no longer muster the will to resist!

Hong Lie clutched his wound, no longer daring to linger. Like a stray dog, he unleashed his fastest speed ever, disappearing into the mist at the town's entrance in just a few leaps.

They continued until they confirmed that Hong Lie's aura had completely disappeared from their sensing range.

Chu Zhaoxue, who had been holding on with all her might, suddenly collapsed, her straight back slumping completely, and she fell backward like a kite with a broken string.

"General!"

With quick reflexes, Cang Lian caught her in his arms.

At this moment, Chu Zhaoxue no longer resembled the female killing god she had just been.

Her face was ashen, and her breath was extremely weak, clearly indicating that her outburst had exhausted all her strength.

Her lips moved, and with her last ounce of strength, she uttered two words:

"Hurry... go..."

As the last word fell, her head lolled to the side, and she fainted completely in Cang Lian's arms.