"Brother Wang, let's go this way! The others are still waiting."
Guiding Wang Hong, the two walked confidently in a specific direction, the path clear and unobstructed.
Wang Hong felt something was off. In a group of five, he couldn't be the only one unfamiliar with formations. The other four seemed to move effortlessly, unlike him.
Everyone had just reached the Foundation Building stage, so why was he so far behind?
"Sister Yun, I heard you joined the sect from Giant Turtle Immortal City. Is that your hometown?" Wang Hong casually asked as they walked.
"Brother Wang, you're teasing me. We all joined the sect from Azure Void City. Have you forgotten?" Yun Qingya smiled gently.
"Oh! My mistake, perhaps I remembered wrong!" Wang Hong scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward.
Throughout the journey, Wang Hong engaged in casual conversation with the two companions.
After a short while, a Daoist Master emerged from the Stone Forest ahead, blocking their path. This person was tall and sturdy, wielding a large black staff.
Simultaneously, Jiang Qing and Yun Qingya took a few steps back, forming a triangular position with the imposing cultivator opposite them, subtly enclosing Wang Hong in the middle.
Seeing this, Wang Hong summoned the Golden Light Bowl, cautious.
"Brother Wang, I'm sure you've guessed that today won't end well. In fact, all you need to do is sign a Blood Contract to ensure your safety," Jiang Qing tried to persuade him.
"So, you've already signed one?" Wang Hong calmly inquired.
"Brother Wang, don't blame me. I had no choice. I just signed a Blood Contract myself. It's not a big deal. In desperate situations, staying alive is better than senselessly dying," Jiang Qing justified, attempting to convince himself as much as Wang Hong.
"So, what do I need to do after signing the Blood Contract?" Wang Hong seemed intrigued. If there was no other choice, he might reluctantly agree, especially since he believed there could be a chance to break free inside the Space.
However, it wasn't the time to submit just yet. He wasn't someone to be easily manipulated.
"After signing the Blood Contract, you can return to Qingxu Sect as if nothing happened. Just provide some assistance when needed in the future," the brawny man added.
"Young man, you'll appreciate today's choice. With your status as a second-tier Alchemist, you'll be valued wherever you go. Why hang yourself on a tree? Give it two breaths' time to considersign the Blood Contract or die!" The brawny man's tone was fierce, relying on his master's special regard for Alchemists.
"Yes, Brother Wang, as an Alchemist, you're not skilled in combat. Facing the three of us working together, you have no way to escape," Jiang Qing quickly chimed in, eager to affirm his decision.
"Well then, I'll sign the Blood Contract," Wang Hong agreed, presenting an image of acceptance. He walked towards the brawny man.
From the words and actions of these individuals, Wang Hong sensed that the brawny man was likely the leader. To catch the thief, catch the king first. If he dealt with this man, the other two would be more manageable.
Although the brawny man had a mid-stage Foundation Building cultivation level, Wang Hong planned to use his usual strategy: get close, leverage the advantage of body refining, and preferably defeat him with a single strike.
The burly man seemed unaware of Wang Hong approaching and took out a Blood Contract from his Storage Bag, waiting for Wang Hong to come and sign.
As Wang Hong closed in, unable to retrieve any other Spiritual Weapon in time, he gripped the Golden Light Bowl he had summoned earlier and slammed it directly onto the burly man's head.
A thunderous crash echoed, but instead of the burly man's head shattering, he lifted the large staff in his hand to block the descending Golden Light Bowl.
The force emanating from the Golden Light Bowl was comparable to Wang Hong's current strength of 150,000 jin.
Wang Hong now realized the opponent was also a body refining cultivator, with strength on par with his own.
"Hmph! Ignoring advice and courting punishment!" The burly man angrily shouted, lifting the black staff to strike Wang Hong.
Feeling that he had given Wang Hong enough face by offering advice, the burly man was furious when Wang Hong didn't comply.
Simultaneously, Jiang Qing and Yun Qingya, seeing Wang Hong taking the initiative, summoned their Spiritual Weapons to attack him.
Jiang Qing wielded a low-grade Flying Sword, while Yun Qingya used a mid-grade White Silkboth Spiritual Weapons aimed at Wang Hong.
The three of them joined forces, creating a deadly situation for Wang Hong.
In an instant, a swarm of Poisonous Bees flew out of Wang Hong's sleeve, attacking the two assailants. At the same time, he used the Golden Seal to block their oncoming Spiritual Weapons.
All this happened in the blink of an eye, leaving Wang Hong feeling a bit overwhelmed by his own responses.
Meanwhile, the burly man didn't wait for Wang Hong to finish his maneuvers. He swung the staff down towards him.
Having the Golden Light Bowl in hand left him no time to defend, so Wang Hong could only hurriedly dodge to the side.
"Crack!" The staff struck Wang Hong's left shoulder, breaking his left collarbone and two ribs. The fractured bones pierced his lung.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Wang Hong couldn't help but cough violently. This was the result of his perfected body refining; otherwise, using such force could have turned someone into mush.
Ignoring his injuries, he quickly shifted positions, appearing ten yards away.
As a fellow body refining cultivator, Wang Hong understood their weaknesses best. As long as he kept his distance, no matter how formidable they were, it wouldn't matter.
Despite the recent injuries, a broken collarbone, and a temporarily disabled left hand, he had thwarted the three's joint attack, allowing himself a moment to breathe.
His Poisonous Bees had already reached the two assailants, swarming to attack.
As for the burly man, his Poisonous Bees likely couldn't breach his defenses.
Now, Yun Qingya and Jiang Qing were entangled by the Poisonous Bees, unable to focus on attacking Wang Hong.
Jiang Qing, equipped with only a Spiritual Weapon Flying Sword, managed to block the Poisonous Bees with a magical weapon-grade shield and a Spiritual Power shield. Meanwhile, Yun Qingya retracted her White Silk, which danced around her, protecting her body from any intrusion. The Poisonous Bees that collided with the White Silk were deflected.
Seeing the two entrapped by Poisonous Bees, Wang Hong knew he could now deal with the burly man without any interference.
Both being body refining cultivators, even with a few broken bones and a disabled hand, Wang Hong wasn't necessarily afraid of his opponent.
[Read at /shanefreak, and heartfelt thankyou for your support!]