Though Sanhu's intellect was impaired, he could still discern that these were bad people who were attacking his brother-in-law.

He immediately reached out to pull Wen Yue onto the horse.

"Trying to run!"

Having fought to this point, Cui Guang would not permit them to escape. With Tu Shanjun no longer holding him back, he wielded his flying sword and slashed forth.

Sanhu's exotic beast mount neighed, rearing its front legs and throwing Sanhu off.

The flying sword's momentum remained undiminished, directly piercing the exotic beast mount's chest.

Blood gushed forth as the exotic beast mount vomited blood, its limbs collapsing as it fell to the ground.

Cui Guang flung out a talisman, resealing the broken minor array. His face contorted into a malevolent grin. "Today, you won't escape."

Tu Shanjun barely managed to halt his steps. He couldn't leave as long as Wen Yue was in danger.

Without him restraining Cui Guang, the tide of the battle would instantly turn.

"Damn it."

Tang Wen crawled to his feet, gritting his teeth and clutching his longsword, glaring at Sanhu.

The horse's kick had been heavy. Already gravely wounded, he was now naturally in an even worse state, all because of this brutish man who had burst in.

With the death of the exotic warhorse, Sanhu immediately exploded in rage, roaring as he charged at Cui Guang.

"Sanhu!"

Wen Yue tried to pull Sanhu back, but he himself was heavily wounded. How could he restrain Sanhu, who was now seething with rage?

Before Sanhu could even reach him, Tang Wen blocked his path, his face contorted in fury as he raised his magic sword. "Die!"

"Clang!"

The longsword struck the great spear, which was as thick as a bowl, directly cleaving the tempered steel spear in half.

With the spear now in two pieces, Sanhu held one in each hand, completely unaffected by the broken weapon. He continued his frantic assault on Tang Wen.

Tang Wen, likewise, did not idly await his death.

Empowered by spiritual power, his longsword which was a magical tool, cut through metal like mud.

The long spear became a short staff, then was further whittled away.

Sanhu simply tossed the short staffs in his hands aside. The horny layer of his demonic hands suddenly thickened, covering his arms like two gauntlets.

"A mere mortal!"

Tang Wen roared.

He could tell that even though Sanhu possessed great strength, he was still a mortal, not even what mortals called an 'innate grandmaster.'

Even if he was heavily wounded, so what? He could still beat this ordinary mortal who used unorthodox methods to death.

The longsword struck the horny layer, sinking deep, drawing blood.

The demonic hands, having consumed Sanhu's blood, regenerated their gauntlets, now forming a half-body armor.

Although still unable to completely withstand the magical tool's attacks, Sanhu's fists also landed on Tang Wen, inflicting immense damage. Tang Wen, already in dire straits, felt Sanhu's strength growing.

No, it wasn't Sanhu's strength increasing, but his own weakening.

How could this be?

Tang Wen glared, his eyes wide. He was a cultivator at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, an Immortal Master, an immortal in people's eyes. How could he possibly die at the hands of a mortal?

He could not lose and he certainly could not die!

Clutching the spirit stone in his hand, he swallowed a pill.

But before he could even digest it, Sanhu's fist came crashing down, his demonic hand forming a fist that slammed into Tang Wen's face.

The punch was heavy, so heavy that Tang Wen could once again hear the ghostly roar in his mind, as if that phantom of the malevolent ghost had reappeared before him.

One punch.

Another punch.

Until he could no longer open his eyes.

Sanhu roared, straddling Tang Wen, smashing his body into the mud, pummeling him into a bloody mess.

In just a short moment, Tang Wen was taking shallow breaths, on the verge of death.

He looked at Sanhu's massive figure with his swollen, single eye.

Until his dying breath, he never imagined that one day he would be beaten to death by a mere mortal.

"Junior Brother!"

The compass cultivator shouted loudly.

No matter how flawed Tang Wen was, how problematic his character, he was still their junior brother.

Lin Hui, who was entangled by Zhu Lin and Zhao Shixian, wanted to shake off the malevolent ghosts and return to assist. Seeing Junior Brother Tang die, he was both shocked and enraged, and he shoved a crimson pill into his mouth.

Sensing that Tang Wen was utterly lifeless, Sanhu leapt up.

His body was also covered in wounds. The more blood flowed, the stronger his demonic hands became. The internal energy within him unconsciously circulated according to the cultivation art; this was something his brother-in-law had taught him, and he would never forget it.

He still had to go back and eat the candied hawthorns Brother-in-law had promised.

"Roar!"

After killing Tang Wen, Sanhu's body was completely covered in black armor, severely demonized.

But he knew this was power. Now, Sanhu needed power.

Sanhu charged directly at Cui Guang and Tu Shanjun. He was going to kill the person who had killed his horse.

He didn't understand what hatred was, nor what revenge was. He just felt upset and angry, so he absolutely had to kill that person.

"I'll kill you!"

In a few breaths, Sanhu had already reached Cui Guang's back, his fist, as large as a pot, slamming into Cui Guang.

Cui Guang swept his sword horizontally.

Clang went the sword.

The armor on Sanhu's chest tore open, his demonized body rapidly repairing its injuries. His normally healthy flesh had turned dark green, and black patterns had completely permeated his meridians, assimilating his vigorous internal organs.

Sanhu's eyes were completely black, without a trace of white, as clear and translucent as black gems.

As blood surged, his demonized body grew closer to that of a true malevolent ghost, and the layer of cuticle on his body fully became his protective armor.

Tu Shanjun had not anticipated that the demonic hands would be so formidable, manifesting their power so vividly on Sanhu.

He wondered if the demonic hands were inherently that powerful, or if Sanhu's immense blood energy had brought them to life.

Perhaps it was both.

Now, Tu Shanjun seemed to genuinely see an opportunity to turn the tide.

Sanhu completely disregarded the wound on his chest, wrapping his arms around Cui Guang, effectively pinning him.

"Good chance!"

Tu Shanjun immediately charged, his single demonic hand aimed at Cui Guang's chest.

"Ah!"

"Pfft!"

A sharp ghostly claw pierced Cui Guang's chest, but because Cui Guang twisted his body, the blow did not pass through his heart but grazed it.

This penetrating wound had still taken half of Cui Guang's life.

Cui Guang's pupils were bloodshot. He twisted his body violently, breaking free.

He swung his sword back, slashing at Sanhu's neck.

Clang!

Sanhu's head snapped up, then was sent flying, rolling away.

Wen Yue stood frozen, feeling a chilling sensation prickling his entire body.

His eyes widened in despair, and he roared, "Sanhu!!!"

He tried to move, but immediately stumbled to the ground. Disregarding the blood and pain, Wen Yue crawled to Sanhu's head.

His body trembled, his arms hesitant to reach out, and tears streamed from his eyes.

Wen Yue carefully cradled Sanhu's head, sobbing uncontrollably. "Sanhu."

"Brother...-in-law, it hurts."

"It hurts so much."

Sanhu's final murmurs pierced Wen Yue's ears.

Wen Yue looked up at the sky and let out a long, anguished howl.

Crying, he wrapped Sanhu's head in his magic robe.

Wen Yue tore open his storage talisman with blood-stained hands, pulling out candied haws. He took one and placed it in Sanhu's mouth.

"It doesn't hurt anymore, be good."

"Sanhu, it'll stop hurting soon."

Dozens of Yin Soul Pills were shoved into his mouth, and Wen Yue chewed them furiously.

Wen Yue roared, "Teacher!!"

His voice trembling, he cried, "I... I want them dead!"

"I want them dead."

"I want them to regret ever coming into this... world."

"Ah!"

A horrific, mournful scream echoed.

The Yin Soul Pills erupted, transforming into dozens of streams of spiritual energy that savagely corroded Wen Yue's body. His jet-black hair instantly turned a stark, withered white, falling in disarray.

A burst of malevolent Yin energy erupted.

His white hair flew wildly.

Spiritual power surged, and the hundred ghosts of the Soul Banner reappeared.

Wen Yue raised his palm and slammed it fiercely into his chest, spewing a large mouthful of vital blood onto the Soul Banner.

The malevolence condensed.

Tu Shanjun's injuries fully recovered, and his severed arm regrew.

(Chapter End)