Chapter 76

Twelve disciples, forming a subtle encircling posture, all had reached the Body Tempering stage. Although their words sounded reasonable, it was clear that they were extorting. After much effort to slay over forty demon wolves, the disciples were now reaping the benefits without effort.

Killing intent filled his heart, but Zhuge Xiang did not act rashly. From the situation, his side only had six disciples at the Body Tempering stage, plus two at the Qi Cultivation stage, putting them at a disadvantage. A hard fight might lead to a Pyrrhic victory, so it was better to endure for a moment and plan a sneak attack later, which would be more advantageous.

He gave a subtle nod to Niu Geng beside him, and Zhuge Xiang said, "Alright, since the senior disciples have spoken, we will give you these demon wolves. Let's go."

Regarding Zhuge Xiang's decision, whether it was the rebellious Zhang Kuang or the fourth-layer Body Tempering stage Dugu Ming, no one opposed it. They all watched the surrounding Body Tempering stage disciples with caution and slowly retreated.

"Wait..." The leading disciple interrupted Zhuge Xiang and his group, saying, "In this Endless Mountain Range, demon beasts run rampant. I see that you all lack the ability to protect your belongings. Let us keep them for you. Rest assured, I will return them when we return to the sect."

"Don't push your luck," Zhuge Xiang's face turned red with anger as he shouted.

Zhang Kuang's eyes narrowed slightly, and a cold expression appeared in the depths of Lu Yuling's eyes and others.

Zhuge Xiang's decision, though humiliating, only meant losing a few dozen demon wolves, which was not a significant loss. However, the other side clearly intended to strip everyone of their belongings, which was unacceptable. Such greedy individuals would not be satisfied even if you gave them everything.

"We have our own considerations. Junior disciple, don't judge us by your own low standards," the leading disciple said with a threatening tone, his eyes revealing a fierce light. As he spoke, the eleven surrounding disciples stepped forward, emitting a Body Tempering aura.

"Attack!" The killing intent on Zhuge Xiang's body suddenly erupted, rolling out like a tidal wave. As Zhuge Xiang's killing intent burst forth, Zhang Kuang let out a strange cry, his killing intent no less intense than Zhuge Xiang's.

Both were battle maniacs, having spent countless days in the Endless Mountain Range, slaying numerous demon beasts. The overwhelming killing intent they released was awe-inspiring.

The earth stirred, and dozens of colorful venomous snakes suddenly emerged, baring their fangs at the twelve disciples. This was Niu Geng, following Zhuge Xiang's signal, controlling the snakes he carried to ambush from the soil. At the same time, Niu Geng's hands trembled, and toxic-coated palms shot out numerous hidden weapons, coordinating with the snakes for a toxic attack.

The Corrosive Leg Armor reduced the defense of targets within a 10-meter radius by 10%, while the Speed Boots increased the speed of friendly targets within a 50-meter radius by 20%. The effects of these two pieces of equipment on Zhuge Xiang significantly boosted the speed of the others.

Hua Nongying's body flickered and disappeared, moving like a ghostly shadow, a skill called Ghost Shadow Step, an advanced version of the Netherworld Step.

It's worth noting that the Ghost Shadow Step was not a secret manual Hua Nongying chose from the Martial Arts Pavilion but a skill she had self-learned after reaching a high level in the Netherworld Step. Hua Nongying's cultivation talent might be slightly inferior to Lu Yuling, but her comprehension of martial arts was unparalleled.

Without hesitation, Lu Yuling activated her storage ring and brought out a massive mechanical puppet, a bear-shaped puppet standing three meters tall, with an array formation flashing and ten complete spirit stones embedded. She used the Lingbo Microstep to coordinate with the mechanical puppet, charging forward.

Zhang Kuang's long spear, coupled with his overwhelming killing intent, was terrifying. At the third-layer Body Tempering stage, his combat power was formidable, making it difficult for others to withstand his attacks. Zixiang, also at the Body Tempering stage, had her body covered in half-body magical equipment, enhancing both her speed and attack power. Her use of toxins was also not to be underestimated.

However, the fastest to act was Zhuge Xiang. The other side consisted of twelve strong Body Tempering stage disciples. When he shouted to attack, he planted his killing sword in the ground, took out the Hundred-Refined Bow, and launched the Piercing Arrow. At close range, the high-speed arrow, except for Lu Yuling's clear mind, would be impossible for even Hua Nongying to dodge if locked on.

A brilliant arrow flashed, and before the two sides even made contact, the defense-ignoring Piercing Arrow instantly pierced through the chest of one of the disciples. The disciple looked at his chest in shock, clearly not expecting to be killed so quickly.

Zhuge Xiang's instant kill boosted the morale of Zhang Kuang and the others. Putting away the Hundred-Refined Bow, a blood-red aura appeared around Zhuge Xiang. He immediately activated the Bloodlust and Aura Shield skills. The Aura Shield, having reached the Fusion stage, increased his defense to over 500 points. Combined with the Fusion stage Bloodlust, which boosted all attributes by 75%, Zhuge Xiang's defense approached 1000 points, rivaling even seventh- or eighth-layer Body Tempering stage disciples.

What is a genius? A genius is someone who surpasses others at the same stage. Whether it's Zhuge Xiang, Lu Yuling, or Zhang Kuang, they are all geniuses.

Zhang Kuang's intense killing intent and innate combat intuition made his combat power at the third-layer Body Tempering stage comparable to fourth- or even fifth-layer opponents.

What about Lu Yuling? Her clear mind allowed her to predict and dodge attacks, and her Clear Wave Palm could entangle opponents. Most importantly, her powerful mechanical puppet, which Zhuge Xiang believed she had brought back from the Ice Maiden's Tomb and improved, was equipped with ordinary spirit stones but had a terrifying attack power, rivaling fourth- or fifth-layer Body Tempering stage disciples.

Zhuge Xiang's powerful skills and magical equipment further surpassed Zhang Kuang, with over a thousand points of defense and a five-star killing sword. Despite being outnumbered, the explosive power of Zhuge Xiang and his group was not inferior to the other side.

The battle had just begun, and one of their own was instantly killed. The explosive power of Zhuge Xiang and his group shocked the other side. The leading disciple, a muscular figure, urgently shouted, "Dugu Ming! Attack! What are you waiting for!?"

The words of the other side changed the expressions of Zhang Kuang and the others. Dugu Ming moved, charging directly at Niu Geng, his long sword emitting a cold light. Like Zhuge Xiang, he wanted a quick victory, aiming to eliminate one first. Although Niu Geng was the weakest, his toxins made him a significant threat.

"Explosive Step!" Zhuge Xiang's face remained calm, as if he had anticipated the betrayal. As Dugu Ming approached Niu Geng, Zhuge Xiang took an explosive step, blocking in front of Niu Geng. His killing sword aimed directly at Dugu Ming's neck, the five-star weapon's power was astonishing.

"Looking for death!" Seeing Zhuge Xiang's sword, Dugu Ming's kind eyes suddenly turned fierce. Comparing a first-layer Body Tempering stage with a fourth-layer, was this not looking for death?

However, as his long sword met Zhuge Xiang's sword, Dugu Ming suddenly felt his hand empty, as if cutting through air.

"Trouble!" His face changed, and a flash of insight crossed his mind. He twisted his waist, but it was too late. Zhuge Xiang's killing sword left a massive wound on his back, blood splattering.

Enduring the intense pain, he retreated, creating a relatively safe distance. Dugu Ming's face was filled with shock as he glared at Zhuge Xiang, saying in disbelief, "Ghost Flash!?"

"Exactly," Zhuge Xiang coldly replied, then ignored him and turned to attack the other disciples. Although Lu Yuling and the others were strong, facing twelve Body Tempering stage disciples was still dangerous, especially with Dugu Ming out of the fight, the numerical disparity became even greater.

Severe injuries reduced Dugu Ming's combat power by at least 40%. Moreover, with Zixiang and Niu Geng nearby, would Zhuge Xiang's killing sword be free of toxins? After half a year of training in the mountains, Zhuge Xiang had slain many two-star toxic beasts, collecting their toxins and having Niu Geng refine them into more potent mixed toxins.

"Toxins?" A large wound on his back, coupled with a strong numbing sensation spreading throughout his body, Dugu Ming's face turned pale. He realized he was poisoned, and from his body's reaction, he knew the toxins were extremely dangerous!

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