Chapter 41

Hua Xiajiu, having reached the peak of the Spirit Condensation Realm, faced off against the middle-aged man with scars, who was in the late stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm. However, the latter’s dantian was clearly not as inferior as Hua Xiajiu’s, so in terms of true essence alone, they were not far apart. But Hua Xiajiu’s physical body was forged from a dragon’s body, making both his defense and strength several times greater than those of an ordinary Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator. Coupled with his premeditated attack, he managed to severely injure the middle-aged man with scars in one blow.

On the other side, the middle-aged man with a sallow complexion, who was the most powerful, had sensed something and reacted the fastest. The moment the metal needles shot out, he shot backward, while the duster in his hand circled around him, easily deflecting the metal needles. He then immediately turned around, and the duster transformed into a swarm of light snakes, shooting toward Hua Xiajiu.

Hua Xiajiu, who had just injured the middle-aged man with scars, hadn’t had time to retract his black staff. Seeing the overwhelming green snakes, he didn’t dare to be careless. A blinding golden light flashed from his left hand, and a metal shield over a meter tall appeared.

*Bang, bang, bang, bang*—

Like bullets hitting bulletproof glass, the fine light snakes formed from the duster hit the metal shield, producing a continuous dull sound.

*Crack*—

As the duster’s attack ended, the metal shield shattered, instantly transforming into a dozen palm-sized golden darts, all of which shot toward the middle-aged man. Hua Xiajiu’s expression remained unchanged as true essence surged from his feet, and his body shot backward like an arrow, appearing beside the woman who had just struggled to her feet and was staggering backward.

*Hiss*—

Hua Xiajiu’s expression was cold, and an ice arrow condensed in his hand. It broke through the air and pierced the woman’s throat.

The woman’s beautiful face was filled with disbelief as she fell to the ground, her breath gone.

On the other side, the middle-aged man with scars, who had just staggered to his feet, saw this and, without a word, endured the pain and his internal injuries, leaping into the air to escape.

The middle-aged man’s full-power attack failed to break through Hua Xiajiu’s seemingly casually condensed metal shield and was instead forced to deal with the golden darts, which he shattered one by one. His heart sank; he had never seen such a strange and flexible yet powerful spell that combined both offense and defense.

Glancing at the middle-aged man with scars, who was severely injured and had lost his fighting ability, the middle-aged man kicked off the ground and shot backward, turning into a streak of light and fleeing.

Seeing the two escape, Hua Xiajiu’s handsome and rugged face showed a cold smile. He took out a purple longbow, and an ice arrow instantly condensed. He drew the bow and shot.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh*!

Three consecutive sounds of arrows breaking through the air echoed as three ice arrows, one after another, shot toward the middle-aged man with scars, who was nearly a hundred meters away.

The middle-aged man with scars naturally sensed the ice arrows. He didn’t want to stop and turn to resist, for fear of being caught by Hua Xiajiu. Scanning with his soul sense, he found that they were just three ordinary ice arrows. He gritted his teeth, and true essence surged from his dantian, forming a protective shield behind him, preparing to take the hit.

*Bang, sizzle, hiss*—

Three different sounds echoed in quick succession. The middle-aged man with scars let out a惨叫, falling from the air and dying from the ordinary ice arrows.

The ice arrows, enhanced by the purple longbow, had several times the penetration power and speed. The first ice arrow made the true essence shield tremble and dim. Before the shield could recover, the second ice arrow struck the same spot, breaking through the shield. The third ice arrow instantly pierced the middle-aged man with scars through the back.

Having killed two people, Hua Xiajiu showed no remorse.

He was new to life, with a simple heart and a pure nature, like a blank sheet of paper. His interactions, speech, and reactions were all learned from books and the memories of others, much like a baby imitating adults. However, his understanding and memory were far beyond those of a human infant. Additionally, when he viewed others’ memories, it was like watching TV dramas. No one would become mature and experienced just from watching TV dramas.

Because of this, Hua Xiajiu’s treatment of others was extremely clear-cut. For those who were good to him, helped him, and had good intentions, he would treat them with a childlike heart, returning their kindness many times over. Conversely, if someone had evil intentions or wanted to harm him, he would be rational and cold, even appearing ruthless. For example, if he discovered someone intended to harm him, he would strike first without hesitation. If someone had already harmed him, he would kill them without leaving any traces, even pursuing them to the death.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Hua Xiajiu glanced at the middle-aged man who was disappearing from sight. He casually took the storage bags of the woman and the middle-aged man with scars and absorbed their souls.

Hua Xiajiu’s soul form grew significantly, increasing by nearly a third in terms of soul energy, but the density remained unchanged, meaning his soul realm had not advanced.

Hua Xiajiu closed his eyes slightly and began to briefly search through their memories.

After several dozen breaths, he slowly opened his eyes, his expression thoughtful.

"These three used the same method to kill four Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators passing near Changzhou City. Hmm! They were targeted as soon as they passed through Changzhou City. It seems I shouldn’t be so conspicuous when passing through populated areas in the future. I should also release my soul sense when unfamiliar cultivators approach." Hua Xiajiu was exceptionally insightful, lacking only experience. This incident, while not making him much more mature, taught him a lot.

"Hmph! The middle-aged man who escaped must have returned to their hideout. I must kill him." Hua Xiajiu muttered seriously.

In the next moment, Hua Xiajiu determined the direction and shot into the air, his figure flashing as he sped toward a mountain to the west of Changzhou City.

The middle-aged man, fearing that Hua Xiajiu would pursue him, ran at full speed toward Changzhou City. He thought that if Hua Xiajiu did come, he would be more cautious in the bustling Changzhou City. Additionally, he had a good friend in Changzhou City, a cultivator at the peak of the Spirit Condensation Realm, who could help him. Although he would have to repay him generously afterward, it was a small price to pay for his life.

Seeing that he was about to reach Changzhou City and that Hua Xiajiu had not pursued him, the middle-aged man let out a sigh of relief. He lingered outside Changzhou City for a while, confirming that Hua Xiajiu would not come, and then flew toward his hideout.

To the west of Changzhou City, there was a rather beautiful and graceful mountain.

A two-meter-wide stone path, paved with green stones, wound its way from the foot of the mountain to the top. The path was covered with fallen leaves, and weeds grew in the cracks, giving it a sense of ancient decay and desolation. The path, which stretched for several kilometers, indicated that the place at its end had once been bustling and prosperous.

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