Chapter 73

"Sure, your sister."

Zhao Yun let out a cold snort. Having been tricked once, he wouldn't fall for it again.

Although the immobilization spell was disgusting, it wasn't unbreakable.

By forcefully circulating his true essence to protect his body, he could counteract it. Or perhaps the opponent's immobilization spell wasn't fully mastered and wasn't very effective on him.

Clang!

As he spoke, another arrow shot from the sky, not a rain of arrows but a single powerful one, reflecting the dim starlight and emitting a cold, icy glow, with immense power.

Zhao Yun tapped the ground with his toes and instantly dodged.

Facing him, a black shadow rushed out, a one-eyed giant with a mighty build and a dominant aura, wielding a gilded hammer. It was clear he was a strength-type cultivator; his hammer alone weighed at least a few hundred pounds. The one who had been forced out of the ground by a powerful stomp was this brute.

Buzz!

The one-eyed giant swung his hammer, the air humming from the impact.

Clang!

Zhao Yun, clearly not a match in strength, was knocked over by the hammer.

Clang!

Before he could steady himself, a third person attacked, an old man with black hair, emaciated and sunken eyes, his gaze filled with sinister light. He wielded a slender sword, aiming directly for the vital point, a lethal strike.

"Truly a well-coordinated team."

Zhao Yun clicked his tongue. He couldn't avoid this strike; the opponent's calculation was precise. The arrow from the sky and the giant's hammer were all feints, setting up for this fatal blow.

In a critical moment, he forced himself to sidestep.

Blood splattered, and he avoided the vital point, but his shoulder was pierced.

Roar!

After taking a hit, he retaliated, a palm strike sending the old man staggering back. The old man's expression clearly showed discomfort, and his eyes were filled with shock. How could a True Spirit First Stage have such powerful palm force? Even a True Spirit Peak cultivator was forced to spit blood. No wonder they were sent in a group of three.

Only then did the dark forest fall silent.

In the sky, the large bird remained, the one-eyed giant still held his gilded hammer, looking intimidating, and the old man was there, his slender sword humming and trembling.

Only then did Zhao Yun steady himself, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, black blood. The old man's sword must have been coated with a powerful poison, and his entire arm was turning black, the terrifying poison invading his body.

Fortunately, he wasn't an ordinary martial cultivator; he had beast fire protecting his heart, but the poison couldn't be expelled immediately, and the opponent wouldn't give him the chance.

"A mere True Spirit First Stage, indeed troublesome."

The one-eyed giant's lips curled, his aura becoming even more brutal.

"Who are you?"

Zhao Yun looked at the old man and then at the giant.

Buzz!

In response, the giant swung his hammer, smashing down from the sky. Before it hit, Zhao Yun felt the overwhelming force. In his view, no one at the True Spirit Realm would dare to resist this hammer, even a small miser would have to think twice. If he recklessly resisted, he might be smashed into a pulp on the spot.

The strength was sufficient, but the speed was lacking.

Zhao Yun wasn't foolish; if he couldn't match them, he could dodge. He used the Wind God Steps, instantly evading.

"Die."

The black-haired old man struck with his sword, contrasting sharply with the one-eyed giant. The giant was overwhelmingly strong but slow, while the old man was incredibly fast but weak. The one in the sky hadn't dared to come down, clearly playing a supporting role, warning Zhao Yun to be careful, as there was still someone above who could shoot him down with an arrow if he exposed any weakness.

Roar!

Zhao Yun's figure moved like the wind. In terms of speed, the black-haired old man was still lacking, and the lethal strike was easily dodged, followed by a powerful palm strike from Zhao Yun.

Spit!

The old man spat out a mouthful of blood, his figure darting away. During this time, he formed a seal with one hand, spitting out a black mist, a surging cloud of poison.

Zhao Yun used the Wind Escape technique to disperse the poison mist.

Some poisons could be defended against with beast fire, but some couldn't, like the old man's poison mist, which had been specially refined. Or perhaps the old man himself was a poison expert, and such martial cultivators were dangerous all over.

"Take my hammer."

The giant roared, swinging his gilded hammer.

Escape!

Zhao Yun still didn't dare to resist, using a mysterious technique to dodge. Before he could steady himself, the one in the sky couldn't stand the silence and shot another arrow through the sky.

"I'll deal with you later."

Zhao Yun blocked the arrow with his sword and charged at the black-haired old man. With the old man around, he couldn't relax; a moment's inattention could result in a fatal strike.

The old man saw this and retreated again.

At this moment, he lacked the confidence for a direct confrontation, aiming for a one-hit kill. If not for the giant and the purple-clothed youth, he would have fled long ago.

"Leaving?" Zhao Yun's sword was as powerful as a storm.

As he swung his sword, he also formed a seal with one hand, creating a mud pit behind the old man, a water escape technique and a side technique learned from the Symbol Record. Although it had no killing power, it was very useful as a support.

Indeed, the retreating old man didn't notice the mud pit behind him and stepped into it. Due to the mud's suction, his retreat speed slowed.

This slowdown didn't matter much, but Zhao Yun arrived.

The old man's eyes bulged, his pupils constricting. This strike was too powerful, and he couldn't avoid it. Being unable to avoid it, the next scene was particularly painful. He was pierced through the chest and died in frustration, a True Spirit Peak assassin, known for his lethal strikes, being killed by a True Spirit First Stage from the front.

"Damn."

The giant arrived, his hammer smashing down from the sky, as powerful as ever.

"Your turn."

Zhao Yun let out a cold snort, planting his sword in the ground and removing the Dragon Spring Sword, approaching the giant bare-handed. He dodged the hammer and closed in on the giant.

Boom! Spit! Crack!

In that instant, he seemed no longer human but a ferocious beast. His muscles, true essence, and strength were perfectly coordinated, his movements extremely unconventional. Every joint in his body became a fierce weapon, each punch and strike powerful and brutal, making the giant stagger and bones crack.

"This... can't be."

The giant was stunned. Known for his strength and close combat, he was being dominated by a True Spirit First Stage in his strongest area. Since being closed in, he hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath, seeing only a blur of fists and palms, being hammered so hard he couldn't tell which direction he was facing. His head was buzzing, and every part of his body felt like it was on fire, having taken countless heavy blows.

"How is this possible?"

The purple-clothed youth in the sky also showed disbelief. He knew the giant's ferocity; few at the same stage dared to engage him in close combat. Now, against a True Spirit First Stage, he couldn't even counterattack. The young master of the Zhao family was terrifyingly overpowered.

"Truly remarkable."

The two were shocked, but Zhao Yun was exceptionally excited. His blood burned like fire, like a mad lion, comprehending the holy law in battle. For a few moments, his mind and spirit aligned, entering a state of self-forgetfulness, forgetting who the opponent was and who he was, only focusing on the brutal attack, each punch stronger than the last. Given enough time, he could reduce the giant to a pile of mush.

Ah...!

The one-eyed giant went berserk, roaring ferociously.

However, it was useless.

Zhao Yun continued his assault, the giant taking each blow, his chest bones shattering, meridians breaking, and coughing up blood.

"Damn."

The one in the sky couldn't stand it anymore and drew his bow.

Clang!

This arrow wasn't a single strike but a rain of arrows, clearly aiming to kill both Zhao Yun and the giant. As an assassin, completing the mission was the most important; otherwise, there would be no antidote.

"Stop the arrows."

The giant roared, his mouth full of blood, having been hammered too severely.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

This was the purple-clothed youth's response.

"You're ruthless."

Zhao Yun let out a cold snort, using the Earth Escape technique to dodge the rain of arrows, then reappeared, grabbing the giant's arm and swinging him around, slamming him into a large rock.

Boom!

The rock shattered, and a human-shaped pit was formed in the ground. The giant spat out a mouthful of blood, his internal organs displaced, and over 80% of his bones broken. He no longer felt pain, only a vague awareness of someone waving at him, eyes gleaming with sinister light.

Indeed, it was Death.

Death waves at those who are about to die, no doubt.

"May you have a good journey."

Zhao Yun's palm strike ended the giant's life.

Another death.

This one died even more frustrated. Despite his strength and resilience, he was sent to the underworld by a True Spirit First Stage.

Clang!

The rain of arrows came again. The purple-clothed youth in the sky clearly had no intention of leaving, even after the old man and the giant were killed. He had his own confidence, being in the sky while Zhao Yun was on the ground, making it impossible for Zhao Yun to hit him, but he could attack. Mainly, Zhao Yun was poisoned, and the longer it dragged on, the more advantageous it was for him.

"Your turn."

Zhao Yun let out a cold snort, moving as fast as the wind, dodging the rain of arrows, stepping on a rock, and leaping up. At the same time, he threw a flying knife, attached to which were three explosive talismans. He hadn't used them earlier, saving them for the purple-clothed youth. If he had used them earlier, the youth would have been prepared. The explosive talismans were all about surprise.

There was no choice; the purple-clothed youth stood too high.

If such a person wanted to escape, he couldn't stop him. Either don't fight, or bring him down. It was easier to deal with him on the ground. He had calculated that hitting the youth wasn't important; what mattered was injuring the large bird, forcing it to land, making the rest easier.

"Injure me?"

The purple-clothed youth sneered, the flying knife not reaching its range.

As he said, it indeed didn't reach.

The flying knife lost its momentum halfway to the bird.

What's the point of this?

However, when he saw the explosive talismans on the flying knife, the youth's expression changed abruptly.

What the hell, you have this move?