They had never intended for so many people to corner one person; the combined aura pressure formed by the five great Immortals joining forces was the strongest pressure Qin Fen had encountered since the Qin Shi Dao.

Qin Fen slightly raised his head, feeling the pressure surging from all directions, a hint of admiration in his eyes. Not only was the might of the five united formidable, but what was even more remarkable was that these five distinct auras had fused together the instant they struck, as if they were one single, complete, colossal presence. To achieve such flawless unity in a combined technique was rare indeed.

With violently surging air pressure and immense spiritual might, Qin Fen narrowed his eyes, as if the very pressure from the air was forcing his eyelids down. The power of these five masters was fiercer than Chen Ni's, greater than Zuo Dongting’s on that day, and their attack range was broader and more savage, covering nearly every vital point on his body.

Qin Fen did not adopt his usual stance of sinking his hips and relaxing his crotch; his body stood perfectly straight, like a great spear. If one had ever witnessed the scene at Hulao Pass where Lü Bu’s Fang Tian Ji halberd was planted in the ground, they would find an inexplicable similarity between Qin Fen and that great weapon. Standing amidst the biting gale, the overwhelming pressure could not bend his spine. The narrowed slits of his eyes held no trace of excited battle intent, only a faint, faint touch of loneliness.

Almost simultaneously, Lü Dongbin’s heart hammered. Qin Fen, under that crushing force, was not unleashing a counter-shockwave of violent aura. That faint quality in his presence was so similar to one person! Yang Jian! Yang Jian, the God of the Heavenly Gate! The Heavenly-Eared War God who wielded the three-pointed, double-edged blade—a long-handled weapon few martial artists now used—also projected this exact feeling when standing atop the 107,000-meter mountain peak on Saturn in the past.

Qin Fen watched the hideous, black claws hurtling toward him; the sharpness of the tips surpassed even that of a blade. The taut tendons wrapped around the hand issued continuous creaking sounds as the air was left with distinct trailing marks where the claws sliced through it like fine brocade.

Almost equally fast—though not truly equal—the 18-Star Insect Warrior Lan Caihe, possessing the highest individual strength and initiating the attack first, moved a thousandth of a second quicker than the others.

Qin Fen stared at Lan Caihe’s attacking claws, his narrow eyes opening just a fraction wider, his peripheral vision absorbing every trace on the battlefield. He remained perfectly still.

Lan Caihe darted in front of Qin Fen, suddenly retracting four of his five fingers, leaving only his index finger extended straight out like a steel drill, piercing the clouds and splitting the sun as it stabbed directly for Qin Fen’s forehead! His arm and wrist suddenly rotated counter-clockwise, transforming into a high-speed spinning drill bit meant to pierce Qin Fen’s brain.

Condensing Blood Divine Claw transforming into One-Finger Zen! Lan Caihe had lost most of his consciousness, but his martial arts remained untouched; instinct guided him to choose the optimal method of combat.

Qin Fen executed the Luohan Fist’s [Void Step Cutting Hand]. His right palm sliced into Lan Caihe’s wrist. The moment his five fingers spread and clamped onto Lan Caihe’s wrist, Lan Caihe’s five blade-like fingers immediately splayed open, clawing at Qin Fen’s arm. The sharp talons scraped against his protective aura, producing a grating, ear-piercing metallic shriek, like dozens of steel knives being dragged across thick metal, utterly unable to penetrate Qin Fen’s Divine Protection Art.

Crack! Qin Fen suddenly tightened his five fingers. Lan Caihe’s arm bones snapped with a brittle sound. His right arm was instantly swung sideways, the immense force lifting Lan Caihe entirely and flinging him out, transforming him into a human cannonball that smashed directly toward Han Zhongli’s tungsten-steel fan, which spun like a turbine.

“Dangerous!”

Han Zhongli raised a palm to press against Lan Caihe’s back, intending to intercept him, but the instant his palm made contact, a cry of alarm echoed in his mind: “Not good!”

A surging, mighty, unparalleled force erupted from Lan Caihe’s back like a mad volcano. The scorching True Qi instantly extinguished the icy Snowflake Divine Art within him. His right arm's meridians were ravaged by this ferocious heat, instantly breaking through the shoulder blockage and penetrating directly into his chest cavity. His entire body’s meridians were paralyzed by this heaven-burning heat, leaving no time to execute any counter-deflection.

Han Zhongli was also sent flying backward, his eyes filled with shock. Had Qin Fen truly reached such a terrifying level? He, an 18-Star warrior, could injure an opponent through sheer proximity! In just six months, his power had ascended to such a realm. If he were allowed to develop further, who in this world could ever restrain him?

Pfft! A mouthful of steaming blood sprayed from Han Zhongli’s mouth, a large volume of nearly one hundred milliliters. His Wu Kong Technique could not be used again. The moment his feet touched the ground, the impact caused him to lose his footing, and he tumbled like a ball. A sudden, sharp pain seized his heart! “Not good!” A cold sweat broke out all over Han Zhongli; Qin Fen actually…

Lan Caihe’s right hand, broken by Qin Fen’s grip, had its sharp nails, instantly piercing deep into Han Zhongli’s chest the moment his protective aura was breached and before it could reform. The final thread of True Qi, transmitted through Lan Caihe’s body, detonated precisely at the heart, completely pulverizing Han Zhongli’s vital organ.

“Killing by proxy…” Blood continuously streamed from the corners of Han Zhongli’s lips. His eyes were wide open, the size of a baby’s fist, staring at Qin Fen in disbelief. He, a formidable 17-Star warrior, was not so easily dispatched! Yet Qin Fen had managed to kill him by merely borrowing another person’s body.

Han Zhongli had killed countless people and witnessed innumerable life-and-death battles, yet he had never seen such a scenario, nor had he imagined he would die by such a means. Even though his body was already dead, his eyes refused to shrink.

Qin Fen dropped the person he had just used, his killing method executed. His left skin turned completely transparent, resembling an arm carved from pure jade without any impurities, so smooth that even an infant would feel ashamed. His five fingers spread wide as he pressed them toward He Xiangu. Simultaneously, his right wrist lifted, his index and middle fingers merging into a sword-point to flick toward Tieguai Li! Left hand: [The Buddha’s Divine Universe, Ten Thousand Buddhas Worship]! Right hand: [One-Finger Zen, Slicing Heaven and Earth]! “Ai Yi—”

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