Gao Yi's face immediately went ashen once more. Not long ago, he had been counted among those blind and short-sighted people.

In the East Lin Cloud Continent, most Martial Masters were proficient with bows and horses. Yet, an archery skill as exquisite as Zong Shou's was one in ten thousand, impossible to find even among millions.

Someone capable of drawing a heavy bow twenty times in under ten breaths could never be the powerless waste he had imagined!

A Thirteen-Year-Old Seven-Meridian Secret Martial Master would cause the world to tremble, no matter where he was placed.

Why had this person gone to such lengths to conceal his strength? Was he truly the rumored Dual-Meridian Body?

How laughable that he himself had noticed nothing amiss earlier.

With such cunning and such talent, what limits would he reach once he matured further?

A mixture of terror and panic brewed in his heart, quickly followed by a murderous intent. He turned to look at the elder surnamed Mi, only to see the old man shake his head after a moment of deep thought: "The matter has already blown up; we cannot conceal it! We shall discuss it another day. This child may possess some skill, but killing him remains as easy as slaughtering a dog for us. This child hides his strength, yet cannot help but let it slip occasionally. Someone will surely not tolerate him—"

He suddenly cracked his whip across the Wind-Riding Steed, accelerating sharply. Gao Yi’s expression darkened; he cast a cold glance behind him, letting out a soft snort brimming with killing intent, and followed closely. He secretly mocked himself; for all his supposed composure, he had nearly lost his bearing today over this one soon-to-die individual.

Suddenly, a lion's roar echoed behind them. The Sickle-Tailed Lion's mane bristled in fury. Seeing the ten knights who had been filled with murderous intent moments ago instantly disintegrate before it, its morale instantly surged back, relying on the lion's power to supplement its might. The dispersed spiritual energy suddenly coalesced, and it roared in anger, startling the few Cloud-Treading Steeds still standing into another flurry of panicked whinnies.

Then, it lunged violently, leaping directly over the fallen foals. It flung the remaining two knights off as well.

However, the two Wind-Riding Steeds ahead had already accelerated. Neither Gao Yi nor the innate Martial Master showed any intention of turning back to fight. They directly abandoned the remaining few knights and sped away into the distance.

The Sickle-Tailed Lion’s sustained speed was ultimately inferior; only its burst power was slightly stronger. It was already injured and had bolted for thousands of feet previously, clearly showing fatigue. Within moments, the distance between the two parties widened.

Seeing this, Gong Xinran let out a breath of relief, her mood uncertain—whether it was peace of mind or regret. Staring at Gao Yi’s receding back, she felt waves of dizziness flood into her skull.

Chu Xue also felt a strange irritation and gloom, yet simultaneously felt a relaxation of her spirit. Failing to slay Gao Yi was indeed regrettable, but not having to face that innate Martial Master was a great relief.

Zong Shou’s expression was wooden and devoid of emotion. Only the electric sparks flickered ceaselessly in his eyes, and that hint of crimson—the embedded brutality and madness—had not receded; rather, it had intensified.

He suddenly raised an eyebrow, looking ahead. He saw Gao Yi, still riding the Wind-Riding Steed and gradually moving away, looking back with a cold sneer, his killing intent palpable even from a distance.

The two knights shaken off behind him were gradually catching up. Even the Secret Martial Masters who had been thrown from their mounts after their steeds were killed were now standing up and pursuing them.

Watching the two men and two horses about to vanish from sight, and the two trailing knights only ten zhang away, Zong Shou felt an extraordinary, chilling frost within his chest.

He felt neither unwillingness nor gloom; there was only an unprecedented surge of murderous intent, churning and boiling in his viscera, so suffocating it nearly prevented him from breathing.

Chu Xue sighed softly, formed a hand seal, and urged the Cold Darkness Tiger beside her forward to meet the pursuers. She also placed a hand on the sword at her waist, ready to leap from the lion's back. But just then, she heard Zong Shou chuckle lightly again ahead of them. The tone of his voice was clear and cold, as if imbued with endless frost, yet carrying a hint of resolution and defiance.

"Xue'er, it will be up to you next; take good care of my physical body! Until Gao Yi is eliminated, my mind cannot find peace!"

"Young Master, the physical body—"

Chu Xue was immediately startled. Before she could react, she felt the Yin energy surge violently within a ten-zhang radius. Zong Shou's body ahead suddenly went limp. She moved quickly to support him as he fell backward. She clearly saw a plume of cyan mist rising from Zong Shou’s forehead. Faintly, she seemed to hear Zong Shou’s voice in her ears.

It was equally frigid, its killing intent piercing the heavens. Close to her ear, it sounded like a great bell or a clap of thunder.

"I can spare ten thousand people, but this one man, I will not forgive!"

As the voice faded, there was another clear chime. The several Willow Leaf Talisman Blades carried in Zong Shou’s sleeve suddenly flew out with that puff of cyan smoke, leaving the body. The Pine-Vein Wind Sword stuck in the Sickle-Tailed Lion’s head was also forcefully yanked out by an unseen force, soaring into the air.

The sound of the sword's whistle instantly echoed across the wilderness. Not only the few knights behind them were unconsciously startled by a fraction.

Even the Mi-surnamed elder and Gao Yi, hundreds of zhang ahead, turned their heads back in astonishment.

When he saw the cyan smoke rising, the Mi-surnamed elder let out another cry of surprise: "This child has not only opened the Seven Meridians of the Body Wheel, but he is actually dual-cultivating Spirit and Martial arts!"

Gao Yi was also shocked, almost speechless, but after a moment, he sneered dismissively: "He’s completely gone mad! A person who has only reached the Spirit Nurturing Realm dares to wander his soul at this moment? Isn't he afraid of being blown away and killed by the strong winds—"

Before the words were finished, they abruptly ceased. Just as the puff of smoke was about to dissipate, a net of purple lightning suddenly flashed, enveloping the mist, condensing it into a single mass, completely unaffected by the strong winds.

Then, in the next instant, a pale white moonlight shone high in the air, causing Gao Yi’s pupils to widen sharply, while the Mi-surnamed elder’s expression subtly hardened.

The sword light was like the moon; it flashed but once. The two knights who had just caught up alongside the Sickle-Tailed Lion suddenly had their heads tossed high, two streams of blood gushing out wildly.

In that single instant, their necks were severed by a single sword stroke!

Wherever the sword light flashed, nearly all the vitality and essence of the two Secret Martial Masters were devoured. Their corpses turned pale in that same moment.

At this moment, Zong Shou also felt his soul essence experiencing waves of tearing and throbbing pain. Using the Soul Form to execute the Heaven Swallowing Primordial Transformation Technique felt entirely different. As the primal energy essence poured in from the tip of the sword, the residual thoughts of the two Secret Martial Masters followed, impacting him. It caused his own chaotic thoughts to flood his mind, barely allowing him to maintain his conscious soul.

After a full moment, he forcibly repelled them. In his spiritual consciousness, only a thread of intensely blazing, chilling killing intent remained.

The Yin soul surged, driving the Pine-Vein Wind Sword to suddenly change direction, rushing towards the distance with unparalleled swiftness.

Moving a thousand zhang per breath, in the blink of an eye, it reached the two figures ahead.

Gao Yi subconsciously leaned his body backward. His mind was involuntarily captured by the sharp, fierce momentum of the sword. He was momentarily stunned, unable to muster even the slightest thought of resistance.

The nearby Mi-surnamed elder, however, had calmed down, letting out a cold snort: "Having a little skill and daring to act presumptuously before me! A Spirit Nurturing Realm cultivator actually dares to learn soul-controlled swordsmanship! I, Mi Yuan, it seems cannot afford to hold back today! Come down!"