When that line of blood spat out, the remaining two blue-clad swordsmen were momentarily stunned. Then, Zong Yu, standing behind them, stared at the scene in utter disbelief.

Could he have misseen? The person who just died, though far inferior to the Li brothers, was still at the peak of the Martial Warrior realm, one who had opened three meridians, whose swordsmanship was considered exquisite among peers.

Yet, he was so easily dispatched with a single sword strike to the throat, and by his own cousin who couldn't even open the Wheel Meridian? Zong Shou’s movements, however, did not pause in the slightest!

“Swallow Yuan!” Qi and blood reversed their flow, the Wheel Meridian inverted! At the tip of the Pine Grain Wind Sword, an overwhelmingly potent suction force erupted, drawing out all the magic power and every last vestige of life force from that body, transforming them into streams of Yuan power coalescing within the blade.

It was a pity his Spiritual Eye was not yet open; otherwise, one could have witnessed even this person's soul being devoured by the sword! Devouring Heaven Yuan Transformation was thus ruthless, sucking in the cosmos, consuming all things!

Before the Yuan power extracted from the corpse could even flow into his own body, a burst of azure brilliance exploded from the Pine Grain Wind Sword. Nearly half of the refined essence within the sword detonated, activating the wind-elemental spirit talisman sealed inside.

Then, the sword light rose again, Zong Shou’s steps seeming like dancing across ripples, impossibly appearing beside the other swordsman. “Yan Xiang!” A beautifully tragic arc of cyan light flashed briefly, and a head soared away.

Countless spurts of blood jetted from the severed neck. When the two blue-clad swordsmen fell in quick succession, a dead silence descended upon everyone present.

The only sound audible was the clash of blades echoing from a hundred feet away. Every face was filled with bewilderment.

And on Zong Yu’s face, the previous look of mockery hadn't even had time to fade. In an instant, he had slain two men!

A throat pierced by a single sword, a head severed by a second! Moreover, the sword forms and footwork he employed were utterly pedestrian—the basics every martial practitioner must learn—yet in Zong Shou’s hands, they possessed an unfathomable might!

After a brief moment of shock, the remaining wolf-tribe swordsman was likewise cut down by the same swift sword. Seeing Zong Shou charging forward with speed amplified several times, like a streak of lightning, Zong Yu’s heart suddenly clenched, and for that instant, he faintly sensed a thread of terror.

It was as if he were no longer facing the useless cripple he had bullied in childhood, but an unparalleled master whose killing intent boiled over! In those narrow phoenix eyes staring directly at him, the previous gentle composure was gone, replaced only by icy severity and chilling indifference.

The killing intent was like a blade, stinging his pupils until they ached. Just as cowardice took root and his senses were nearly scattering, two roars erupted simultaneously from his sides.

Zong Yu snapped back to awareness, seeing Li Ling and Li Du both pouncing forward like tigers. He immediately felt a secret shame—had he actually become afraid?

Afraid of his own cousin— He must lack experience; they were merely two peak Martial Warriors, yet they had thrown him into such disarray. He, Zong Yu, was a genuine Middle-Tier Martial Master who had connected five meridians!

In another year, he could enter the Secret Martial Realm! Frowning, Zong Yu also drew his sword.

The next moment, he saw Zong Shou on the opposite side slightly flick his left hand, and a flash of cyan light cut across his vision. Before he could grasp what happened, a spurt of crimson blood blossomed at Li Ling’s throat on his left.

His eyes widened, fixed on the opposite side with utter disbelief. “What was that?” It wasn't until the blood-light shot out that Zong Yu was momentarily confused.

Looking closer, he realized a pale green throwing knife was embedded in Li Ling’s throat. It was shaped like a willow leaf, etched with blood-red patterns, and thin as a cicada's wing!

His pupils involuntarily constricted. A throwing knife?

Li Ling and Li Du were both Martial Master powerhouses of the fourth meridian, only slightly weaker than him, and seasoned veterans of dozens of real battles. And they died from a single throwing knife?

What arcane secret technique was this? If that willow-leaf blade had been aimed at him, could he have escaped?

“Li Ling!” A mournful cry echoed across the barren plain. Li Du’s speed suddenly surged, his expression ferocious as he charged toward the slender figure ahead, swinging his greatsword with a howling descent.

But at this moment, Zong Shou’s eyes focused only on Li Du. When that willow-leaf throwing knife was unleashed, he paid no further heed to it.

Six Spirits Guarding the Blade, Severing Soul and Ending Fate! None shall live!

However, the Yuan power extracted from those three individuals using the Swallowing Yuan method had already consumed nearly half of the charge for this single strike! His gaze sharpened, and the Miraculous Acupoint of the Luan Platform within his body exploded once more.

The stored True Force merged with the remaining Yuan power, stirring up a tempest around the Pine Grain Wind Sword, its cyan light surging mightily. “Thrust Sword!” Another deceptively simple, rapid charge, a sword extension that was utterly unstoppable.

When the two blades met, the sharp 'clang' resonated, releasing tiny sparks. The immense recoil force caused both figures to tilt backward simultaneously.

Just as Li Du was struggling to stabilize his posture, Zong Shou’s right foot had already firmly planted on the ground, using it as an axis to pivot his body suddenly. “Swallow Return!” The sword shadow flickered lightly, painting a bloody streak across Li Du’s throat with casual grace.

Not a hair deeper, not a hair shallower, it precisely severed Li Du’s windpipe and carotid artery in one cut. The Devouring Heaven Yuan Transformation also wholly absorbed this low-tier Martial Master’s entire life essence, even his soul.

Then, with a tremor of the Pine Grain Wind Sword in his hand, it let out a pleasant, soft chime. Zong Shou halted, coldly observing Zong Yu, who stood only a few paces away.

It wasn't that he was unwilling to finish off this piece of trash in one go. It was just that his body was already churning like upheaval, his meridians surging.

Swallowing Heaven Yuan Transformation and this extra-meridian acupoint technique, though both were supreme secret arts, demanded a tremendous price to deploy. Especially in this fragile body of his, the strain was even worse.

If he killed the person before him now, Zong Shou estimated he himself would collapse on the spot. And at this moment, neither Zong Yu nor Su Chuxue had recovered their senses.

Staring at the several corpses now lying on the grass, they could barely tear their eyes away. They equally found it unbelievable that two low-tier Martial Masters and three peak Martial Warriors had died so cleanly and swiftly by Zong Shou’s sword?

The entire sequence had taken less than sixty breaths— Su Chuxue, who had collapsed in despair moments ago, was now staring blankly, her eyes clouded with confusion at everything around her. Not long ago, she thought survival was impossible.

Moments later, the situation had completely reversed. Disbelievingly, she poked her own wound—it truly hurt!

After a few breaths, Zong Shou allowed the internal storm brewing within his body to settle slightly, then smiled toward Xue’er: “Do you still remember how those whip marks on my cousin came about?” Su Chuxue jolted back to awareness, immediately puffing out her chest. Ignoring the dizziness from heavy blood loss, her voice was strong, her eyes full of pride: “Years ago, Zong Yu offended the Crown Prince.

His Majesty ordered that he be publicly flogged with the Dragon-Fettering Whip for three days and three nights. Then, he was banished from Qian Tian Mountain and branded a lowly slave.

To ensure he always remembered that my Young Master was not someone he could offend!” “Silence!” Zong Yu’s face was utterly contorted. His complexion flushed scarlet, revealing countless hideous, blood-red scars, making him look grotesque.

He clenched his hands, unleashing his internal force, which actually lifted all the dust and grass within a ten-foot radius! Furious beyond measure, Zong Yu took a step forward, only to see Zong Shou watching him with a faint, mocking smile.

The entire rage instantly felt like a bucket of ice water poured over him; all his indignation vanished without a trace. If Zong Shou was still as terrifyingly powerful as when he executed the Li brothers moments ago, then today, forget revenge—whether he could escape safely was uncertain!

His expression gloomy, Zong Yu deliberated for only a moment before grinding his teeth and lunging toward Su Chuxue at his side. Then, in his field of vision, he saw the youth opposite him lift his lips coldly.

His right sleeve moved slightly, as if by a gentle breeze, and a barely visible white light shot out, piercing the air. With almost no room to dodge, his throat was pierced.

“Pfft!” Zong Yu could even hear the sound of his own hyoid bone shattering, streams of blood ejecting under high pressure. Then, in his rapidly darkening vision, he watched Zong Shou stride up before him.

“What a waste of this world-shaking martial art, to be tested on such trash…”