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With the four Blood Servants dead, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The remaining leader of the Black Evil Sect, though formidable, was no longer a threat. Even in the late Foundation Building stage, he couldn't stand against their combined strength.
Qi Yuan wasted no time. With a wave of his hand, several pangolin puppet beasts scuttled forward. They retrieved the storage bags from the Blood Servants' bodies, then spat out beams of light that incinerated the corpses. From the ashes, they extracted four sparkling beads — each glowing in the five elements' colors — before returning to Qi Yuan's side.
Han Li's heart skipped a beat when he saw the beads. He remembered what the young prince of Prince Xin's Mansion had once said — those beads were crucial for forming an elixir.
*If those beads are in Senior Brother Qi's hands... what should I do?* Han Li thought grimly. *Taking them by force? Impossible. The odds are against me.*
Qi Yuan studied the beads in his hand, then turned to the group. "I don't need these four storage bags," he said. "But these beads are mine. Any objections?"
Liu Jing and the others exchanged glances. Given Qi Yuan's overwhelming strength — and the fact that he'd killed most of the Blood Servants — they decided it was fair.
"I have no problem with that," Liu Jing said firmly.
Song Meng and Zhong Weiniang quickly echoed their agreement.
Han Li, unwilling yet powerless to protest, nodded reluctantly. He knew he'd have to find another way to obtain the Blood Coagulation Five Elements Pill.
With the treasures divided, the group prepared to track down the Black Evil Sect leader.
Just then, two figures emerged from the shadows.
An elderly man in a blue robe held a middle-aged man clad in a dragon robe hostage. The old man's face was pale, filled with panic and desperation.
"Emperor Yue?" Liu Jing muttered, eyes widening.
The blue-robed man kept his body behind Emperor Yue, using him as a shield. His dagger pressed against the emperor's throat, drawing a thin line of blood.
"I'll kill him!" the old man snarled. "If you want to keep him alive, toss me those four beads!" His eyes locked onto Qi Yuan with a mix of greed and hatred.
Liu Jing's expression hardened. "Release the Emperor of Yue, and I'll grant you a swift death."
Emperor Yue wasn't just a political figure — he was a puppet ruler installed by the six major sects. Without the approval of their masters, they couldn't afford to let him die.
But the blue-robed man sneered. "Don't test me! If you want him alive, hand over the beads!"
The tension thickened. Liu Jing and the others turned to Qi Yuan, silently waiting for his decision.
Qi Yuan studied the scene for a moment. Without a word, he flicked the Blood Coagulation Five Elements Pill forward.
The blue-robed man grinned, shoving Emperor Yue toward Liu Jing as he lunged for the pill.
But in the same instant, Qi Yuan sprang into action. His twelve Poison Dragon Swords shot into the air, streaking toward the Emperor of Yue like a violent storm.
"Senior Brother Qi, stop!" Liu Jing shouted. "You can't kill him!"
Zhong Weiniang gasped, covering her mouth in shock.
But the blue-robed man's grin faltered. Realizing the trap, he abandoned the pill and released a gray cloak that flashed with eerie light. The cloak wrapped around Emperor Yue and vanished in a gust of wind — taking the emperor with it.
Qi Yuan's Poison Dragon Swords circled back to his side, humming softly in frustration.
Qi Yuan caught the falling Blood Coagulation Five Elements Pill with ease, smirking as he turned toward Emperor Yue, who now stood several paces away.
The emperor's expression was no longer fearful. Instead, his eyes gleamed with cold malice. Blood energy surged around him, his aura twisted and unnatural.
"Impressive," Emperor Yue said, clapping his hands. "I underestimated you."
He turned to the blue-robed man. "This man's troublesome. You'll have to make the sacrifice."
The old man's face twisted in resignation. "What's mine is yours, isn't it? Just take it."
Without hesitation, Emperor Yue drove his hand into the blue-robed man's chest. Blood energy surged wildly as the old man's body withered like a dried husk, his life force draining into the emperor.
*He's the leader of the Black Evil Sect...* The realization hit Liu Jing and the others like a hammer.
Han Li clenched his fists. *This isn't good.*
"You want to grow stronger?" Qi Yuan's voice cut through the tension. "Then ask me if I agree first."
Without warning, he hurled three Sky Thunder Seeds. The seeds ignited in midair, crackling with golden lightning as they hurtled toward Emperor Yue.
Eyes wide, Emperor Yue detonated the remaining blood energy around him, forming a crimson barrier. The impact shook the earth, leaving a charred crater where the emperor once stood.
Flames engulfed the surroundings, reducing nearby buildings to ash.
"Is he dead?" Zhong Weiniang whispered.
Qi Yuan narrowed his eyes. Two green talismans appeared in his palm, transforming into emerald rulers that multiplied rapidly.
"Fall!" Qi Yuan commanded.
The countless green rulers swarmed downward like a collapsing mountain.
"Damn you!" Emperor Yue roared. He coughed blood as he summoned a black blood knife. The blade expanded, glowing like molten iron as it shot toward the descending rulers.
The weapons clashed violently — sparks scattered like meteors as both forces pushed against each other.
But then Qi Yuan raised a third talisman — this one golden. A towering Sky Spear manifested, gleaming like a divine weapon from the heavens.
The Sky Spear plunged down, slicing through the black knife and shattering the blood barrier in one stroke. The emerald rulers seized the opening, striking Emperor Yue directly.
"No!" Emperor Yue's final cry echoed before his bloodied body crumpled to the ground.
The courtyard fell silent, save for the crackling of flames.
Qi Yuan stood motionless, his eyes calm as he stared at the fallen emperor.
(End Of Chapter)