As he retreated, Chen Mo swiftly pulled out a handful of Qi Recovery Pills from his storage ring and swallowed them.
Qi Recovery Pills—a Tier 3 medicinal pill—were capable of rapidly replenishing Dou Qi.
A thunderous explosion erupted from the point of collision, the deafening roar causing those below to instinctively cover their ears. Dust and debris swept across the ground as fierce winds howled.
A dazzling shockwave, visible to the naked eye, rippled outward from midair. The very space where the two forces had clashed distorted and cracked.
In the next instant, a blood-soaked figure plummeted from the sky like a severed kite. Mid-fall, the figure coughed up a mouthful of blood, spraying out in a crimson arc that dispersed into a mist.
A heartbeat later, he crashed violently through a nearby building—causing the structure to collapse entirely.
The mangled figure was buried beneath the rubble.
In front of the Miteer Auction House—
Everyone stood in stunned silence, their eyes fixed on Chen Mo hovering in midair. None of them could have imagined that this young man—who appeared to specialize in alchemy—would also be this terrifying in combat.
Despite seeming overwhelmed just moments before, Chen Mo had unleashed a fearsome counterattack and defeated the mysterious black-cloaked figure in a single move.
Ya Fei covered her red lips with a slender jade hand, gasping. But moments later, her alluring smile returned to her lovely face.
Jia Lie Bi stared in a daze at the collapsed building in the distance and muttered to the man beside him, "Obapa, wasn’t that your house?"
"Jia Lie Bi, shut it. That’s your house."
"No, Obapa... I think it really was your house." Xiao Zhan squinted into the distance—right where the Oba Clan’s marketplace stood. The building that had just collapsed was one of their shops. Technically, that did make it Obapa’s home turf.
Aside from Xiao Yan, no one noticed that Xun’er had vanished.
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"Hm?" Chen Mo raised an eyebrow.
Without hesitation, Chen Mo unfurled his wings and flew toward the place where the mysterious figure had fallen.
He hadn’t gone for the kill. After all, that black-cloaked man might very well be Ling Ying. If Chen Mo were to kill him, the powers behind him might come seeking revenge.
That wouldn’t be worth it.
Crash Site – The Mysterious Black Figure
It was nighttime, so the surrounding street was mostly deserted—most of the shops already closed.
A pained cough and the sound of spitting blood echoed from beneath the rubble. Debris and broken stone lay strewn everywhere.
The mysterious figure summoned what remained of his Dou Qi and blew away the collapsed debris that pinned him down.
The dense black mist dissipated, revealing a battered old man in a shredded black robe. His flesh was torn and bloody, his robes in tatters.
His pallid face looked almost corpse-like, and his breath came in shallow gasps—each one seeming like it could be his last.
Chen Mo landed before him.
Summoning his sword Tianyuan from within, he began approaching slowly.
The ghostly blue long sword in Chen Mo’s hand glinted with a chilling light.
The old man on the ground twitched involuntarily. His eyelids fluttered open, pupils unfocused—only to suddenly contract as he saw Chen Mo approach.
Fear stirred within him, but he hid it well. "...Knowing too much won’t do you any good."
Chen Mo twirled his sword into a lazy flourish, smiling faintly.
Just then, a voice called out. A young girl in golden robes came sprinting over, placing herself between Chen Mo and the fallen elder.
She raised her head to face the approaching Chen Mo. A fleeting flicker of golden flame danced in her eyes.
"Miss Xun’er, what is the meaning of this?"
Chen Mo narrowed his eyes. A chilling glint burst forth from his gaze as his steps remained unrelenting.
"Wait, please—don’t!"
As Chen Mo stepped past her and stood before Ling Ying, Gu Xun’er’s expression turned frantic.
"Master Chen Mo! I only had Old Ling test your strength. I never meant to become your enemy. Please, show mercy and spare his life!"
Usually proud and aloof, Gu Xun’er now appeared completely vulnerable. She rarely smiled at anyone aside from Xiao Yan, and yet now she looked weak and pleading.
Chen Mo’s brows furrowed. He studied her for a moment—she was indeed already showing signs of beauty—but he had no interest in girls who hadn’t yet matured. His voice turned mocking:
"Miss Xun’er, don’t think putting on that pitiful act will work on me."
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"That won’t work on me." Chen Mo sneered coldly and suddenly drove Tianyuan into Ling Ying’s chest.
Of course, he avoided any fatal areas.
"Argh!" Ling Ying howled in agony.
"Ah!" Xun’er gasped in shock, covering her mouth with her hand. She stared at Chen Mo in disbelief.
Raised in the protective cradle of the Gu Clan, Xun’er had never witnessed such brutality. Even those around her had always treated others with smiles. Her voice trembled in anger:
"If you kill Ling Ying, you won’t live either!"
"Oh? Is that a threat?"
Chen Mo yanked his sword free—blood erupted from Ling Ying’s chest like a fountain. Then, without hesitation, he stabbed his thigh.
"Hiss—" Ling Ying gasped in pain, then passed out.
"I hate threats more than anything," Chen Mo said coldly.
Now in a complete panic, Xun’er pleaded, "Stop, please... this was all my fault! I shouldn’t have had anyone test you! Please, spare Old Ling!"
Chen Mo spread his hands. He didn’t want to push too far—after all, she stood behind the Gu Clan, and they weren’t someone he could afford to provoke so recklessly.
"But if I let him live, it’ll leave a knot in my heart I can’t untie."
He raised his sword once more.
"Wait—whatever loss you’ve suffered, I’ll compensate for it! Anything else you want, name it—I’ll give it to you!"
Xun’er had understood the implication in Chen Mo’s words and quickly responded.
"Sigh, now that’s what you should’ve said earlier. Then Old Ling wouldn’t have had to suffer two extra stabs for nothing!"
Chen Mo immediately withdrew his sword. With a flick of his finger, a few strands of Dou Qi struck key acupuncture points on Ling Ying’s body, halting the blood flow.
Truthfully, if Xun’er had held out just a bit longer, he would’ve stopped anyway.
He couldn’t afford to kill Ling Ying—not yet.
Chen Mo looked at Xun’er like a wolf sizing up a lamb.
"Alright, Miss Xun’er. Tell me—what compensation can you offer? Think carefully before you answer."
Xun’er frowned slightly, just about to respond, when a noise rang out in the distance. Her expression changed.
She didn’t want to be exposed—not yet.
Otherwise, she would never have offered Chen Mo anything.
"You don’t want to be seen?" Chen Mo asked.
Xun’er nodded quickly, anxiety flashing in her eyes.
Without hesitation, Chen Mo grabbed Ling Ying by the robe, then wrapped an arm around Xun’er’s waist. With a burst of golden light, the three of them vanished from the scene.
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