The moment Zhou Kai’s voice faded, a response drifted from the forest.

“Fellow Daoist Han is certainly direct. In that case, it would be petty of us to continue hiding.”

A somewhat flippant voice rang out as three figures slowly emerged from the depths of the dense woods.

Leading them was the scholar-like Fu Sheng, followed by the grim-faced Wu Yong and the burly Xiong Gang.

The three stopped about ten zhang in front of Zhou Kai and Chen Ziyi. Fu Sheng’s gaze swept over Zhou Kai, a meaningful smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

“Fellow Daoist Han’s concealment technique is quite exquisite. If not for the unique properties of my ‘Truth-Seeking Jade,’ I might have been completely fooled.”

Fu Sheng wore his trademark amiable smile, as if the tense atmosphere in the forest moments ago had nothing to do with him. “Fellow Daoist Han, a humble gift, not worthy of your esteem. I hope you will accept it graciously.”

He was referring to Hu Yongyu’s Storage Bag.

Zhou Kai’s expression remained as tranquil as still water. Having already experienced this man’s hypocrisy, he couldn’t even be bothered to feign politeness. Since the other party had already seen through his Cicada Raiment Art, further pretense was pointless.

More words were useless; delays only bred trouble.

To catch bandits, one must first capture their king!

With his mind made up, Zhou Kai hesitated no longer.

His right hand swept out violently. The three small golden swords hovering before him, which had only been emitting a faint glow, suddenly blazed with intense golden light!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three golden streaks tore through the air with sharp whistles, flying in a triangular formation straight for the vital points on Fu Sheng’s upper body!

Zhou Kai either didn’t act, or he acted with overwhelming force!

This sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard. No one expected Zhou Kai to be so decisive, not even uttering a single formal pleasantry before attacking directly!

“You’re courting death!” Xiong Gang roared furiously, his eyes wide with rage.

With a flick of his large hand, the Mountain Crashing Hammer, which was taller than a man, appeared in his grip. Vitality surged within him, muscles bulging as he swung the massive hammer with a howling wind, aiming to smash down on Zhou Kai’s head!

Simultaneously, the three crows perched quietly on Wu Yong’s shoulders suddenly flashed red light from their eyes. With sharp caw-caw shrieks, they transformed into three black shadows pouncing toward Zhou Kai from different directions. They were swift and menacing, their claws and beaks glinting coldly.

Though these two were a moment slower, their coordination was still seamless.

Zhou Kai, however, paid no heed to the incoming hammer or the diving crows. All his focus was concentrated on controlling those three small golden swords.

He was at the Meridian Opening fifth layer; his physical body was formidable. What did it matter if he took a direct hit? That Fu Sheng was too strange; he had to test his depths.

Moreover, he had already secretly sent a mental message to Ziyi, telling her to be ready to assist cautiously.

“Don’t you dare touch my husband!”

Chen Ziyi shouted sharply. The Green Wood Barrier Talisman in her hand activated instantly, a jade-green light screen enveloping her.

Then, instead of retreating, she advanced! Her figure blurred as she actively moved to intercept Xiong Gang and Wu Yong’s spirit beasts. The Fiend Gold Sword Talisman in her hand was primed and ready. “Your opponent is me!”

She knew full well that Zhou Kai was currently focusing all his efforts on dealing with the unfathomable Fu Sheng. She absolutely could not let these two clowns interfere with him.

“Heh heh, so what if it’s a Fiend Gold Sword Talisman?”

Facing the three small golden swords shooting toward him at high speed, Fu Sheng’s smile remained unchanged, but a trace of coldness now tinged his expression.

He lightly flicked his sleeve.

Boom!

An immense spiritual pressure, far exceeding that of mid-stage Qi Condensation, erupted violently from within him! His clothes billowed despite the lack of wind, and his hair whipped wildly!

Qi Condensation Eighth Layer!

This Fu Sheng… was actually at the Qi Condensation Eighth Layer cultivation!

Zhou Kai’s heart shook violently; his pupils contracted sharply! Fu Sheng had hidden himself deeply! He actually also possessed a profound technique to conceal his cultivation level! No wonder he dared to be so confident and unafraid!

Zhou Kai had considered that this person might be at the Qi Condensation fifth or sixth layer… but never this! It was mid-stage versus late-stage of the same major realm; the gap between them was immeasurable!

Now… they were truly in grave danger! The Spirit Breaker black arrow? He couldn’t use it rashly unless the opponent revealed a fatal opening!

In that split second of lightning-fast thought, Zhou Kai had no time for further contemplation. His left hand slapped his Storage Bag; a Green Wood Barrier Talisman activated immediately. A jade-green radiance instantly enveloped him.

“Husband, be careful!” Chen Ziyi cried out in alarm beside him; she, too, felt that imposing pressure.

“So it’s Dual Cultivation of body and magic. Quite rare,” Fu Sheng remarked dismissively as he glanced at Zhou Kai, a hint of mockery in his tone. “A pity. Merely Qi Condensation fourth layer and Meridian Opening fifth layer… before me, how are you any different from ants?”

Before his words even faded, a pitch-black brush appeared in his hand. Black energy faintly coiled around its shaft, emitting a faint fishy odor—it was precisely that top-grade magical artifact: the Rotting Bone Judge’s Brush!

The brush tip lightly tapped. Three ink dots, as solid as physical substance, shot out with pinpoint accuracy, colliding with the three small golden swords controlled by Zhou Kai.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

A series of metallic clangs rang out. The three small golden swords were actually knocked flying back by those ink dots! Their light dimmed considerably!

Even worse, threads of black energy clung to them, greatly diminishing their spiritual nature!

Fu Sheng turned his wrist slightly; the Rotting Bone Judge’s Brush moved again. A stream of even thicker black ink shot like a venomous snake toward the green wood shield protecting Zhou Kai.

Ssss—

As soon as the black ink touched the jade-green shield, it emitted an ear-grating corrosive sound. Visibly, the resilient shield rapidly thinned at an alarming rate. Wisps of foul-smelling black smoke rose from it; the smell alone made one want to retch.

This Fu Sheng actually cultivated an extremely sinister and vicious poison technique!

Zhou Kai’s expression turned grave; the ferocity of this poison technique far exceeded his expectations.

On the other side, though startled, Chen Ziyi did not panic. Seeing Wu Yong and Xiong Gang attack together, she took a deep breath and pushed her Meridian Opening fourth layer Vitality to its limit. Her figure nimbly dodged Xiong Gang’s powerful hammer swing while her right hand pointed swiftly as she shouted sharply: “Go!”

A Fiend Gold Sword Talisman flew from her hand! Three small swords whistled forth directly toward Wu Yong’s face and those three crows! She only wanted to resolve these two quickly so she could help share her husband’s burden.

“I refuse to believe your talismans are truly endless!”

Fu Sheng sneered coldly and flicked two fingers outward. Two beams of spiritual light shot toward Wu Yong and Xiong Gang, respectively.

The spiritual lights transformed into two brilliant golden talismans mid-air before instantly merging into their bodies.

Instantly! A thick layer of golden light shields manifested around both Wu Yong and Xiong Gang! Their defensive power far surpassed that of the Green Wood Barrier Talismans used by Zhou Kai and Chen Ziyi!

“Golden Light Body Protection Talismans!” Chen Ziyi recognized these talismans; her heart sank heavily.

These Golden Light Body Protection Talismans were also second-grade talismans… but they were medium-grade ones! Their toughness was absolutely incomparable to lower-grade ones like the Green Wood Barrier Talismans!

Sure enough… when Chen Ziyi’s three small golden swords struck their golden shields… they only stirred up ripples upon the surface! Though they made the shields waver considerably… they failed to break through them completely!

With this powerful protection bolstering them, Wu Yong and Xiong Gang immediately felt greatly emboldened. Their attacks became increasingly fierce!

Xiong Gang swept his giant hammer horizontally, forcing Chen Ziyi back repeatedly, while Wu Yong directed the crows to harass her from the sides, occasionally spitting thin streams of black poisonous saliva, making Chen Ziyi hard-pressed to cope with it all at once.

For a moment, relying on the Green Wood Barrier and Fiend Gold Sword against the enhanced duo of Wu Yong and Xiong Gang… Chen Ziyi actually fought them to an evenly matched stalemate, the battle exceptionally intense.

Over here, the situation for Zhou Kai was even more perilous.

The first Green Wood Barrier Talisman, under the corrosive poison ink of the Rotting Bone Judge’s Brush, was already teetering on the brink of collapse, its glow dimmed.

Without the slightest hesitation, he activated another new shield just as the old one shattered with a crack, dissolving into specks of green light before dissipating.

From start to finish, in merely the time of a few breaths, he had already used two Green Wood Barrier Talismans!

At this rate, even ten Green Wood Barrier Talismans wouldn’t last long at all!

Fu Sheng’s poison technique was too bizarre and ferocious. The Rotting Bone Judge’s Brush possessed both offense and defense; he was truly a troublesome opponent.

Zhou Kai gritted his teeth. Today, if he didn’t fight desperately, this probably wouldn’t end well!

His left hand formed a seal to maintain the Green Wood Barrier, while his right hand slapped his waist. A crimson-red gourd appeared in his hand.

It was exactly that top-grade magical artifact: the Flame Heart Gourd!

“Open!” Zhou Kai gave a low shout. The Mana within his body poured madly, like there was no tomorrow, into the gourd.

The Flame Heart Gourd flashed with red light. The gourd’s mouth opened, and a wave of scorching heat rushed forth.

“Oh? A top-grade magical artifact?” Seeing this, greed flashed in Fu Sheng’s eyes. “Fellow Daoist Han has truly been blessed with fortuitous encounters. Since we met today, all these treasures shall belong to me!”

Though the Rotting Bone Judge’s Brush was also a top-grade magical artifact, who would mind having more treasures?

Zhou Kai urged the Flame Heart Gourd, and a stream of scarlet red flames erupted from within like a fiery dragon, roaring as it coiled toward Fu Sheng.

“I believe my luck is a bit better than yours!” Zhou Kai urged the flames while coldly retorting.

He could feel a sense of joyful anticipation transmitted from the Flame Heart Gourd; it seemed extremely disgusted by the poison ink.

Seeing the fiery dragon attack, Fu Sheng’s expression turned somewhat serious. He dared not slight it. The Rotting Bone Judge’s Brush shook, and a thicker wave of ink appeared before him, within which faint ghostly faces floated, looking sinister and terrifying.

Sizzle—

As the scarlet flames and the ink wave made contact, a piercing noise erupted. Large clouds of steam, mixing the stench of the ink with a scorched odor, billowed out, enveloping the area between the two men.

Zhou Kai felt a tremendous force recoil back. His Mana consumption rate suddenly accelerated severalfold. The pressure of a Qi Condensation Eighth Layer cultivator exerting full power was like a mountain!

Though both were using top-grade magical artifacts, the difference in Mana between the two was vast. The Flame Heart Gourd, an artifact capable of severely injuring Shen Hanyi in a single blow, was now visibly dimming rapidly under the constant erosion of the ink wave.