Only after Li Yundong thrust his palm forward did he realize the person before him was Zheng Yuan, who had previously infiltrated the earth. At this moment, Zheng Yuan showed none of the exhaustion or misery of his earlier severe injuries; instead, his face was flushed, and his magical power seemed even greater than before.

Seeing Li Yundong’s palm strike coming, Zheng Yuan instantly countered by grabbing the Olba beside him and pulling her forward to use as a shield against Li Yundong’s fierce and overwhelming palm strike.

Li Yundong was filled with both shock and rage. If this palm struck true, Olba would instantly be reduced to a pulp, and he would invite heavenly tribulation upon himself!

Li Yundong immediately retracted his hand, forcefully pulling back the power of his strike. However, it is easier to generate force than to retract it. Just as Li Yundong began to withdraw his strength, Zheng Yuan swiftly produced the Netherworld Five-Zhang Soul-Hooking Jade and roared, “Li Yundong!”

Li Yundong’s entire body shuddered. For an instant, it felt as if all the blood and energy in his body had been frozen solid. He swayed, almost falling over.

The contest between masters is decided in a flash. Although Li Yundong’s stiffening lasted less than a second, Zheng Yuan immediately recovered his momentum, regaining the initiative. With a sinister grin, he flung Olba behind him, reaching for the Earth Element Spiritual Pill with one hand while grasping for the Medicine King Cauldron with the other.

Zi Yuan and Zhou Qin, standing beside Li Yundong, reacted swiftly. Zi Yuan let out a sharp cry, and the Nine Heavens Purple Taffeta transformed into a sharp blade, slicing rapidly toward Zheng Yuan’s wrist. Zhou Qin flicked the Fire God Whip, its tip cracking sharply against the bottom of the Medicine King Cauldron, sending it flying high into the air.

Zheng Yuan had just managed to grasp the Earth Element Spiritual Pill in his palm when he saw the Nine Heavens Purple Taffeta slicing toward his wrist. The sharp, rotating edge made the hairs on his body stand on end.

By this time, Li Yundong had also regained his senses. He countered with a swift palm strike, coordinated with Zi Yuan’s attack, the gusting wind of his palm power instantly slamming into Zheng Yuan.

Completely unguarded now, Zheng Yuan let out a wild roar, his body sent flying like a bundle of straw. His wrist was severely struck by the Nine Heavens Purple Taffeta, causing him such pain that his fingers involuntarily loosened as he flew backward. The three Earth Element Spiritual Pills tumbled out, landing less than two meters in front of Li Yundong.

Li Yundong’s strike sent Zheng Yuan flying five meters away. He spat out a mouthful of blood and glared resentfully at Li Yundong, thinking bitterly: It seems I won’t be able to snatch it today. But if I can’t have it, neither can you!

With this thought, a fierce glint flashed in Zheng Yuan’s eyes. He violently pushed both hands forward, using almost all his strength to unleash an incredibly forceful palm wind.

As the saying goes, even a trapped beast will fight. Zheng Yuan was the Sect Master of the Yin-Yang Sect of Mount Wuhua; decades of cultivation were not for nothing. This desperate, final strike possessed astonishing power.

Seeing Zheng Yuan’s palm bearing down on him, Li Yundong snorted coldly and molded a Great Hand Seal, sending it crashing toward the attack.

But just as his Great Hand Seal shot out, he saw Zheng Yuan’s palm wind surging forward, engulfing the three Earth Element Spiritual Pills along with it. Li Yundong’s heart clenched, and he thought: Not good!

Yet, Li Yundong’s Great Hand Seal had already been launched—what is done cannot be undone. He watched helplessly as his seal met Zheng Yuan’s palm. With a thunderous boom, the Earth Element Spiritual Pills took the brunt of the impact; compressed by both forces, they instantly shattered, blown into a cloud of powder mist!

This cloud of powder mist, swirling with kaleidoscopic, strange light, enveloped Li Yundong, Su Chan, Zi Yuan, Zhou Qin, Cliss, Ding Nan, and even Olba.

Seeing the Earth Element Spiritual Pills destroyed, Li Yundong was about to erupt in fury when he heard Zi Yuan suddenly whisper urgently, “Li Yundong, inhale quickly! That’s the Spiritual Pill’s immortal essence, breathe it in!”

Li Yundong paused, instinctively taking a deep breath. He instantly sucked in a large portion of the multicolored powder mist, causing the area it covered to shrink noticeably.

Zi Yuan, Su Chan, and Zhou Qin reacted with extreme speed. The three of them inhaled forcefully, causing the pink vapor to shrink by two-thirds, thinning the mist that had enveloped them considerably.

Ding Nan was no fool; she immediately followed suit, though her cultivation was lowest, so she inhaled the least. Cliss, who understood Chinese, didn't know why she should inhale, but at that moment, having completely lost subjective control, she instinctively succumbed to peer pressure and took a few breaths. Olba, who understood no Chinese, merely breathed normally, sucking up the last few faint wisps of the Spiritual Pill’s immortal essence until none remained.

Zheng Yuan had no idea that his single palm strike had instantly turned the three Earth Element Spiritual Pills into a cloud of immortal essence, allowing Li Yundong and the others to "share the bounty"! He thought he had destroyed the pills—that he hadn't obtained them, nor had he let Li Yundong gain any advantage. With a burst of wild laughter, he sprang up, intending to snatch the Medicine King Cauldron hanging in the air.

But after Li Yundong finished inhaling the immortal essence, his hands rapidly formed several Great Hand Seals and slammed them heavily toward Zheng Yuan.

Zheng Yuan’s power was greatly depleted, and he was forcefully trying to seize the Medicine King Cauldron. Seeing these several palms rushing toward him, blocking virtually every angle, leaving him no room to dodge, he was consumed by hatred and anger. He chose to strike the Medicine King Cauldron with one palm, instantly sending it flying away, watching it vanish into the night sky in the blink of an eye. He took the full force of Li Yundong’s palms squarely, letting out a wretched scream as he crashed to the ground.

“Zheng Yuan, today is the day you die!” Li Yundong, seeing how Zheng Yuan was so intent on harming others even at his own expense, exhibiting extreme malice, moved forward with a face contorted in rage, intending to finish him off personally. But then he saw Ding Nan grab Olba and shout, “Li Yundong, if you dare kill him, I will kill Olba!”

Li Yundong’s fury surged. He spun his head around violently, his true essence seeming like boiling lava, and roared, “Ding Nan, are you looking to die?”

Ding Nan was startled by Li Yundong’s roar, trembling violently. Clutching Olba, she backed away repeatedly, stammering in terror, “You, don’t force me!”

“Force you? No one is forcing you; you are just walking further and deeper down the demonic path!” Li Yundong roared in unconcealed rage, “If I spare him today, more people will die because of him in the future, don’t you understand?”

Ding Nan certainly knew this, but she understood even more clearly that once she lost Zheng Yuan’s protection, she would never surpass Zhou Qin in this lifetime.

A sharp pain, like being gnawed by a venomous snake, tore through Ding Nan’s heart. She let out a tragic laugh, “I don’t know anything. I only know that if you take one more step forward, she is dead for sure!”

Li Yundong was on the verge of explosion. He took a step forward, about to shout in anger, when he suddenly felt his entire being thrown into chaos, like a raging tsunami sweeping through him. His meridians were in utter disarray, as if staging a rebellion.

Li Yundong’s heart leaped in alarm. He knew he had inhaled the immortal essence of the Earth Element Spiritual Pills, and the medicine was taking effect!

Li Yundong possessed the highest cultivation here, and by violently mobilizing his true essence after absorbing the medicine, the effects manifested the fastest. He felt an intense, burning heat sweeping over him, his mind growing groggy, and his vision gradually blurring.

Li Yundong was inwardly horrified. He feared that if he collapsed, Zheng Yuan would seize the moment for a vicious counterattack. If Zi Yuan and Zhou Qin tried to resist, they would instantly suffer the same fate as him, their medicinal power flaring up!

Though a tempest raged within his body, Li Yundong showed no expression on his face, remaining as smooth as a calm lake. Gritting his teeth, he managed to keep his voice sounding relatively normal, saying, “Go… quickly, and don’t let me see you again!”

Ding Nan couldn't believe Li Yundong seemed to have actually spared her. While dragging Olba, she looked fearfully at Li Yundong, inching step by step toward Zheng Yuan.

Though severely injured, Zheng Yuan was like a centipede—not dead until he collapses. He struggled to stand up, cast a look of fear and hatred at Li Yundong, then quickly pulled a talisman from his robe, grabbed Ding Nan, and hissed, “Go!” Instantly, a yellow light flashed, and he, Ding Nan, and Olba vanished from the spot.

Seeing Ding Nan escape with Olba, Zhou Qin cried out in shock and anger, “Master, why did you let her go? Why didn’t you capture Olba back?”

But as soon as the words left her mouth, she saw Li Yundong plummet to the ground with a thud. His skin was beginning to glow with a terrifying blood-red hue, as if catching fire. The air he exhaled through his nostrils was scorching hot, capable of igniting the very atmosphere.

Zhou Qin was terrified and quickly knelt beside Li Yundong, crying out in panic, “Master, what’s wrong with you?”

Zi Yuan also sensed that things had taken a turn for the worse. She felt an intense chill, as if she had fallen into an ice cavern. The energy in her body was surging uncontrollably, colliding violently. She stammered, “Not good, the medicine from the Earth Element Spiritual Pill is taking effect… Hurry, leave… Otherwise… if someone arrives, and we have no one to guard us, we will face mortal danger!”

Zhou Qin started, quickly realizing that abnormal sensations were beginning to surface within her own body. Su Chan also cried out in alarm, “Ah, it’s so cold! Why is it so cold?”

Zi Yuan’s face was now contorted in unbearable agony. She trembled, “This is the vital Yin energy stimulated by the medicine’s power. The Earth Element Spiritual Pill is refining our vital energy… We must enter meditation immediately, or… we will die!”

The moment her words faded, she swayed a few times and collapsed onto the ground.

Although Zhou Qin and Su Chan had lower cultivation than Li Yundong and Zi Yuan, causing their symptoms to manifest later, the medicinal effects invaded them much faster. They each supported Li Yundong and Zi Yuan, but after taking only a few steps, they too fell down with a thud.

Su Chan lay on the cold, rocky ground, vaguely seeing several streaks of golden light flash across the sky. Several Taoist figures appeared before them. One Taoist shouted in a gruff voice, “Sect Leader Senior Brother, we’re late! The Earth Element Spiritual Pills have all been taken!”

Su Chan forced herself to look at the man. She saw a Taoist with a rugged appearance, fierce eyes, and a lion-like nose. Standing next to him was a medium-sized middle-aged man whose demeanor was extremely imposing. And standing beside those two was Zhang Cunyi of the Qingcheng Sect!

Su Chan’s heart plummeted. She thought: Damn it, people from the Qingcheng Sect! Why are they here at a time like this? This is terrible!

The thought had barely crossed her mind when she saw a black shadow flash, and a familiar voice rang out: “Hurry and go!”

Su Chan’s heart soared with joy. She knew the owner of that voice was her master, Ao Wushuang!

Ao Wushuang rapidly formed a hand seal, and the talisman in his hand instantly burst into flames. Immediately, the Taoists of the Qingcheng Sect roared in unison, “Fiends, where do you think you’re going!” As they shouted, their magical treasures and spells rained down instantly.

Su Chan watched as the magical artifacts were about to strike them, but suddenly she felt herself growing light. With a flash of blinding yellow light all around, she and Li Yundong and the others instantly reappeared in another location.

Su Chan felt her eyelids grow heavy. She struggled to keep her eyes open and looked around, trying to find Ao Wushuang’s figure. But when she located Ao Wushuang, she saw another tall, dark silhouette standing next to him.

This person stood in the moonlight, backlit, his face obscured, only his eyes shining with piercing clarity, staring silently at Li Yundong.

“Who is this person?” The thought flashed through Su Chan’s mind before she sank into a deep coma.