The mountain wind howled, whipping the forest sea into surging waves of green.

“That rocky valley ahead is a choke point. If they want to escape the mountains, they have to pass through it. We ambush them there.”

Zhou Kai’s Divine Sense was fully extended, mapping every inch of the surrounding terrain.

“Why bother with this ‘waiting by a stump for a hare’ nonsense?” Wu Hongxiao leveled her long spear horizontally, her spirit soaring to the clouds. “Let’s just charge straight in! One spear strike each, skewer them like kebabs!”

Zhou Kai ignored her reckless enthusiasm and verified the plan one last time. “Junior Sister Hongxiao, do you remember what I told you?”

“I remember, I remember! My ears are growing calluses from hearing it!” Wu Hongxiao rolled her eyes. “I hold off that grandson surnamed Yun. No killing moves, just harassment, so he doesn’t get desperate and throw out a trump card to drag me down with him. You use your fastest speed to slaughter his two dogs first!”

This time, Zhou Kai was determined to put Yun Kang in the ground. They said nothing should happen more than three times, but that good-for-nothing scion had ambushed him far more than thrice. This wasn’t just for Shen Hanyi anymore; Zhou Kai was holding a bellyful of fire himself.

A pitch-black flying shuttle tore through the air at high speed. As predicted, Yun Kang was accompanied only by the two Bone Forging Grand Perfection guards from before.

“They’re here!” Wu Hongxiao licked her lips, her fighting intent piercing the heavens.

A cold glint flashed in Zhou Kai’s eyes. Dropping all concealment, he erupted with the full power of the Second Realm Seventh Layer. His Mana and Vitality surged simultaneously, and he shot into the sky like an unsheathed sword to meet them head-on.

Yun Kang didn’t recognize the masked attacker, but the killing intent was unmistakable. He didn’t hesitate.

“Kill him!”

The two death warriors moved instantly, flanking Zhou Kai from the left and right. Their bodies swelled explosively, transforming in the blink of an eye. Skin tore and muscles expanded until they stood twelve zhang tall—single-horned, covered in demonic tattoos.

Heavenly Demon True Bodies!

One wielded a mountain-splitting giant axe, the other a massive spiked club. Vast Heavenly Demon Qi stirred the wind and clouds. They intended to end this quickly.

But Zhou Kai intended to crush them with the momentum of thunder and lightning!

“Good timing.”

Instead of retreating, Zhou Kai charged. Five-colored divine light erupted from his core, and his body expanded rapidly, dwarfing the demons.

Five Emperors Prison-Suppressing Body—Eighteen zhang tall!

Zhou Kai raised the Chaotic Sky Hammer. The sheer mass of his form and the weapon created a terrifying pressure that suppressed heaven and earth, causing the two death warriors to freeze for a split second.

“Hongxiao, now!”

“On it!”

From the shadows, Wu Hongxiao let out a sharp cry. Her silver spear flashed, transforming into a streak of light aimed straight for Yun Kang on the shuttle.

Yun Kang’s expression twisted. He abandoned the shuttle, fighting while fleeing.

On Zhou Kai’s side, the battle exploded instantly.

The axe-wielding Heavenly Demon roared, suppressing his fear. The giant axe cleaved down, tearing the air with a screeching whistle.

Zhou Kai didn’t even look. He swung his hammer backhand, channeling the heavy, immovable force of the Earth Element.

CLANG!

The sound of metal colliding rang out like a temple bell. The axe-wielder felt an irresistible force travel up the handle, shattering the bones in his arm. His twelve-zhang demonic body was lifted off its feet by the impact and sent tumbling backward through the air.

The club-wielding demon attacked from behind, aiming for Zhou Kai’s skull.

Zhou Kai shifted slightly. The Chaotic Sky Hammer traced a deadly arc. The Earth power vanished, replaced instantly by blazing crimson fire.

BOOM!

The hammer swept horizontally, striking the spiked club dead center. The metal spikes melted instantly in the intense heat, and the demon was blasted sideways, his waist caved in by the force of the blow.

Having knocked both back, Zhou Kai took a step forward. The earth groaned under his weight as he leaped high into the air!

On the head of the hammer, dazzling golden light blazed, manifesting phantoms of a thousand armored cavalrymen charging into battle. A tragic, overwhelming aura of slaughter swept the battlefield.

Hammer Art: Starfall Myriad Forms — Golden Armor and Iron Horses!

With a single strike, he smashed the club-wielding demon out of the sky. The Heavenly Demon Body cracked inch by inch before exploding.

Before the corpse could hit the ground, a streak of starlight—the flying sword—shot through the cloud of blood, piercing the demon’s heart to ensure death.

The axe-wielder watched in horror. He stumbled back, his will to fight shattering.

Zhou Kai gave him no quarter. He took another massive step, descending like a god of war.

SPLAT.

Having dealt with the “dogs,” Zhou Kai didn’t waste a glance on the remains. He transformed into a streak of light, chasing after Yun Kang.

“Junior Sister, flank him! He has too many trump cards, don’t face him head-on!”

Yun Kang’s Heavenly Demon Body was only eight zhang tall. Before Zhou Kai’s eighteen-zhang Emperor form, he looked like a toddler facing an adult.

“Who are you?!” Yun Kang gnashed his teeth. A black shield covered in talisman markings materialized, blocking his front.

Zhou Kai didn’t waste breath on words. The Chaotic Sky Hammer, carrying the force of a collapsing mountain, smashed down.

BANG!

The Profound Turtle Demon Shield flashed wildly, actually managing to block the thunderous strike.

Yun Kang stumbled back several steps but laughed. “Hahaha! My shield is a High-Grade Dharma Treasure! You think a barbarian like you can break it?”

Before his laughter could fade, the Hundred Beast Banner unfurled. A swarm of Split Back Katydids surged out like a black cloud, bypassing the shield to bite at Yun Kang’s face.

Yun Kang panicked. He hurriedly pulled out a dusty gray bag. A fierce gale erupted from the opening, forming a whirlwind that sucked the insects in, keeping them at bay.

Zhou Kai frowned. He swung the hammer again.

BANG!

Second strike. The shield’s light dimmed.

CRACK!

Third strike. Spiderweb fractures appeared on the surface.

SHATTER!

The Profound Turtle Demon Shield exploded into fragments. Seizing the opening, Zhou Kai released the hammer, letting it fly autonomously to harass the enemy.

Panic flickered in Yun Kang’s eyes, replaced quickly by viciousness. “Let’s see how you break my Demon Blood Body Protection Talisman!”

A blood-red light exploded from his body, forming an airtight crimson sphere.

Zhou Kai ignored the barrier. He reached out with his massive hands, grabbing the wind bag that was still spewing gales. With a surge of Vitality and crushing Divine Sense, he ripped.

“Break! For! Me!”

RIIIP!

The Dharma Treasure was torn in half by his bare hands. The gale died instantly.

“Go!”

The Split Back Katydids swarmed again.

Yun Kang drew a bone saber, its blade pale and radiating misfortune, slashing wildly to keep the bugs away.

Zhou Kai charged.

CLANG!

His hammer smashed down, only to be stopped by the blood-red barrier.

“Damn spoiled scion!” Zhou Kai cursed. “How many turtle shells do you have?!”

The two were locked in a stalemate.

Seeing the Demon Blood Body Protection Talisman dimming, a look of heartache crossed Yun Kang’s eyes, and he reached into his bag to pull out another identical talisman!

Zhou Kai’s eyes turned cold. I cannot let him use that!

His massive body leaned forward, legs compressing like springs. The ground shattered beneath him.

BOOM!

He launched himself like a cannonball, using no magic, only the purest, rawest physical mass of the Five Emperors Prison-Suppressing Body.

He was going to break the defense with kinetic energy alone!

THUD!

Like a battering ram hitting a gong, Yun Kang and his barrier were sent flying. The impact churned Yun Kang’s insides, forcing blood up his throat. The flickering barrier shattered!

NOW!

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Three nearly invisible black shadows flashed past.

Under the dual amplification of the Cicada Scripture and the Hundred Beast Banner, the Jade Arm Mantises—who had been waiting in stealth for this exact moment—erupted with horrifying speed.

“AHHH!”

Yun Kang screamed. The right hand of his Heavenly Demon Body was cleanly severed at the wrist. The unactivated talisman fell uselessly to the ground.

“Now!”

Wu Hongxiao saw the opening. With a sharp cry, her silver spear hummed, merging with her body into a bolt of silver lightning aimed at Yun Kang’s heart.

“Retreat! GET BACK!” Zhou Kai roared.

Yun Kang, despite having his defense broken and hand severed, wasn’t trying to flee. That was wrong.

Sure enough, Yun Kang ignored the fatal spear thrust. He ignored his severed wrist.

He laughed maniacally as a single, ancient talisman floated before him. It bore a simple ink drawing of a solitary black pagoda.

“ALL OF YOU, DIE!”

Yun Kang poured his Vitality into the paper.

A terrifying pressure, far exceeding the Foundation Establishment realm, exploded outward. The ink pagoda seemed to peel off the paper, radiating an aura that could suppress all living things.

Wu Hongxiao’s expression changed drastically. Under the crushing pressure, her charge faltered as if she had hit a wall of mud.

“Talisman Treasure!” Zhou Kai’s face darkened completely.

A consumable item created by a Golden Core cultivator, containing a portion of a magical treasure’s full power. Even the weakest one was lethal to anyone in the Foundation Establishment realm.

Judging by the aura, the original Black Pagoda was no Mortal Grade item!

The pressure locked onto them. There was no escape.

In that split second, Zhou Kai didn’t hesitate. Dragon Roaming the Void!

He flashed forward, placing his massive body directly in front of Wu Hongxiao.

Simultaneously, a sharp, piercing mental blast shot straight into Yun Kang’s Consciousness Sea.

Cicada Cry!

“ARGH!” Yun Kang’s mind reeled in excruciating pain, and the flow of energy to the Talisman Treasure stuttered.

That momentary lag saved them. The light of the Black Pagoda dimmed slightly.

A twenty-zhang phantom of a black pagoda materialized in the sky and crashed down.

Zhou Kai’s Prison-Suppressing Body flared with blood-colored flames. Muscles bulged, veins standing out like dragons. He gripped the Chaotic Sky Hammer with both hands, pumping every ounce of Mana and Vitality into it.

Instead of blocking, he thrust the hammer upward to meet the falling sky!

“Zhou Kai!”

Wu Hongxiao reacted, thrusting her spear desperately against the pagoda, but her attacks were like fireflies trying to shake a giant tree—instantly extinguished.

BOOM!

The Black Pagoda landed.

Zhou Kai’s eighteen-zhang body was instantly compressed by half its height. The ground collapsed. Five-colored light flickered wildly as his skin cracked inch by inch, blood spraying like a fountain.

Wu Hongxiao was blown away by the shockwave, her armor tearing, blood spraying from her mouth.

Yun Kang, bleeding from all seven orifices due to the mental attack, shook his head to clear the dizziness. “Haha… HAHAHA! DIE!”

He poured the last of his energy into the Talisman Treasure. The dimming pagoda solidified again, crushing down on the bloody Zhou Kai.

Zhou Kai panicked. He turned and fled.

“Trying to run? TOO LATE!”

Pfft!

Before Yun Kang could finish gloating, a streak of light shot from behind him, piercing his chest.

He stiffened, turning around in disbelief.

Behind him stood a “Zhou Kai” without the giant Emperor body—neat clothes, ethereal aura. It was a Cicada Shell illusion!

“A clone? SO WHAT?! YOU STILL DIE!”

Yun Kang went mad. He slashed backward, severing the Cicada Shell, then willed the Black Pagoda to smash the fleeing, bloody giant.

CRASH!

Yun Kang watched with maniacal glee as the eighteen-zhang giant crumbled into powder.

“Dead! Finally dead!”

But then, over a dozen venomous Split Back Katydids landed on him, injecting toxins. From the shadows, the three Jade Arm Mantises struck and vanished, slashing him repeatedly.

The pain brought a sliver of clarity to Yun Kang’s mind.

Wrong.

If the master dies, the Spirit Insects should scatter or weaken. They shouldn’t be attacking with such disciplined coordination!

The one I killed… was fake!

His Heavenly Demon Body finally collapsed, dissipating into black smoke. Yun Kang staggered back, terror flooding his face. He fumbled for his Void-Breaking Talisman.

But as his hand reached his waist, a swarm of insects slammed into his arm, knocking it away and biting frantically.

“You’re not dead! WHERE ARE YOU?!” Yun Kang screamed.

The Black Pagoda, its energy spent, hovered in the air, fading.

At that moment, the insect swarm scattered.

The pressure vanished.

Replacing it was a giant shadow.

Zhou Kai stood not far away, as if he had never moved. His Five Emperors Prison-Suppressing Body was intact.

In his hands, the pitch-black giant hammer was raised high. On the hammerhead, five-colored light swirled, manifesting scenes of dragons roaring and mountains collapsing.

Yun Kang finally understood.

The Cicada Cry hadn’t just hurt him; it had planted a seed of hallucination. The “Zhou Kai” that fled and died was a lie. The real Zhou Kai had tanked the first hit and waited right under his nose for the Talisman to expire.

“You…”

Yun Kang only got one word out.

The hammer fell.

There was no earth-shattering roar. All the violent energy was compressed into a single point.

Pop.

The moment the hammer touched Yun Kang, his body silently vanished into nothingness. Only his head remained, rolling on the ground.

Zhou Kai retracted his hammer, his expression stony.

With a wave of his hand, he collected the loot—the bone blade, the broken talisman, the head, and the storage bag. Then, he walked over and scooped Wu Hongxiao up into his arms.

He fed her a Green Blood Dragon Saliva Pill. Looking down at her powerful, athletic curves and the blood on her lips, he grinned.

“Wu Hongxiao, that makes three lives you owe me! At this point, even if you don’t want to be my woman, I’m claiming you by force!”

In his arms, Wu Hongxiao’s eyelashes fluttered. She pursed her lips, blushing furiously, and turned her head away.