The third chapter update today! Five thousand characters.

Compensating for the backlog, the sixteenth and seventeenth updates combined.

I'll add another thousand characters tomorrow to make these two updates truly worthy.

The moment Xia Changtian engaged, he was immediately forced into a desperate defense.

Though his stances, movements, and footwork remained flawless, he could only react passively to every move, possessing absolutely no ability to counterattack! Saint Lord Xia’s face had turned the color of liver! Such intense humiliation flooded his entire being! He never dreamed that Jun Moxie’s strength could be so devastatingly sharp! From the very start, he had only been parrying, parrying, parrying...

never launching a single offensive! The ancient military wisdom states that momentum waxes once, wanes twice, and is lost entirely on the third attempt.

Yet, Jun Moxie’s offensive never waned; instead, it grew fiercer, becoming increasingly wild and intense! Why things had devolved to this state was baffling, not only to the observers like Gu Han outside the fray but even to Xia Changtian himself in the center of the battle.

He was a Saint Lord expert; while Jun Moxie’s strength was not weak, he was clearly only at the Saint Venerable level, distinctly inferior to Xia Changtian.

How could the current situation be like this… At this moment, Xia Changtian felt only as if he had suddenly plunged into a vast, muddy swamp—the more he struggled, the faster he sank… Now, it was nearly an overwhelming catastrophe! He remembered Jun Moxie’s first sword strike.

He intended to meet the challenge and quickly subdue this arrogant brat to rescue his brothers.

But that seemingly simple thrust enveloped an area spanning several feet.

Retreating would have ensured safety, but facing a junior and backing down upon first contact—where was the prestige of a Saint Lord? Therefore, Xia Changtian decided not to retreat, but that decision prevented him from launching a proper counterattack.

The sword light emanating from the blade, swirling with dark waves, was clearly something his physical body could not withstand, so he flashed aside to evade.

Before this evasion was complete, the next sword was already aimed at his vital throat.

Xia Changtian was greatly startled, leaning back sharply and twisting his body; another sword arrived at his chest center.

Xia Changtian quickly drew in his abdomen and straightened up, leaping vertically like a puppet, just preparing to strike when the sword light was already upon his Dantian! Dodging one move after another, retreating step by calculated step—in the short span of merely two breaths since the battle began, Jun Moxie had unleashed three hundred and sixty-five strikes! Every sword carried a fierce, piercing glint! And Xia Changtian had dodged three hundred and sixty-five times! Each time was harder than the last, each evasion more humiliating than the last! Yet, he had not managed to free his hands to launch a single counterattack! After surviving all those dodges, Xia Changtian suddenly and tragically realized that he no longer even possessed the opportunity to fight desperately! The only recourse to inflict any damage upon his opponent was self-detonation.

Xia Changtian, seasoned by countless battles, suddenly felt a desolation creep into his heart! How could this be the result? He, who had fought hundreds of battles and never admitted defeat, was being forced into this predicament by a mere youth.

Was he trapped in a nightmare? But even if it were a nightmare, surely nothing so absurd would occur! Jun Moxie’s expression was like iron, his gaze like ice, ruthless and cold.

He thrust sword after sword, showing not a shred of mercy! Having fully merged with the Hongjun Tower, Jun Moxie’s combat power had leaped to the astonishing level of a Half-Saint, bordering on the Samsara Realm! Dealing with Xia Changtian before him, who was only at the third level of Saint Lord, he felt completely confident! It was precisely because of this confidence that he could force Xia Changtian into an absolute disadvantage right from the start! He left him not a moment to draw breath! The more Xia Changtian fought, the more frantic he became; the more he fought, the more depressed he grew; the more he fought, the more he felt his dignity utterly stripped away! A single wrong decision had pushed him and all his brothers into an abyss of irreversible doom! First, he was humiliated in public; then, publicly challenged; next, he watched helplessly as his brothers, with whom he had shared countless ages, fell into life-threatening peril, unable to lift a finger to help them.

Following that, he himself was forced into this extremely awkward and dangerous situation! Gazing at Jun Moxie’s cold face, the eyes filled with hatred and vicious satisfaction, Xia Changtian finally understood Jun Moxie’s true method of revenge! First, making him taste the helplessness of watching his brothers in dire straits without being able to aid them, and then allowing himself to be wantonly tormented by the opponent, like an old cat playing with a mouse! “Jun Moxie, you are ruthless!” Xia Changtian dodged, roaring furiously, bloodshot eyes blazing, his face contorted like a demon’s.

The golden crown on his head was sliced off with a bang, his thick black hair spilling loose, specks of blood trailing down his face and splashing onto the ground! “Xia Changtian, because of you, I lost many fine brothers, so naturally, I must make you watch your own brothers die before your very eyes! This exquisite flavor, you are destined to savor it thoroughly before your death! You won’t even have the choice to refuse!” Jun Moxie never eased his attack, pressing forward again.

The You Blade descended like a black cloud, like a black waterfall, continuous and overwhelming.

His voice, like ice beads, chilled to the bone! “Xia Changtian, do you feel guilt? Do you feel useless? Do you feel the piercing pain of deep regret?!” Jun Moxie let out a long cry, unleashing ninety-nine consecutive slashes with the You Blade like a hurricane.

Countless black sword lights, several feet long, mixed with churning black ethereal mist, crisscrossed and enveloped the entire combat area! Simultaneously, he thrust his left hand down sharply, shouting, “Chaos Fire! Press down!” The Chaos Fire, which had already descended the majority of the distance in the massive pit several tens of feet deep, suddenly accelerated downward! It burned mercilessly toward those looks of desperate, silent despair! A sound of soul-shaking screams began to arise, one by one, gradually! The piercing cries, heard even by those in the camp hundreds of yards away, instilled a deep, chilling horror in their hearts! Yes, Jun Moxie had maintained control all along! He didn't let the Chaos Fire complete its mission swiftly! Because his revenge was not yet fully enacted! Cutting flesh with a blunt knife—that was the most torturous kind of torment! The Chaos Fire swept down, reducing everything to dust; a single slash severed Xia Changtian’s head from his body.

Everything happened in an instant… quickly! But… was it satisfying? Was there a feeling of vengeance? No satisfaction! Death is not terrifying; what is terrifying is knowing that inevitable death is imminent but being forced to wait for it.

That taste of awaiting death is the greatest fear! Just as some hardened men fear nothing, not even death itself, they most fear seeing their family or friends tormented before them.

And what Xia Changtian valued most was not his own life! To destroy what the enemy values most, and then destroy his life—that is true annihilation! From the moment Jun Moxie planned his revenge, this was his intent! You killed my brothers, and you think you get a quick release through death? You dream too sweetly! If not for this, although the Chaos Fire drifted slowly, it shouldn't have been that slow! Death might not be terrifying, but the agony leading up to it is the greatest torment! And watching his brothers face death, longing for his salvation, while he himself was utterly powerless—all because of him… Xia Changtian was the one suffering the deepest, most excruciating pain! And Jun Moxie intended to make him taste this supreme agony to the fullest! Hearing the inhuman screams rise and fall, Xia Changtian’s heart felt ripped and burned, his eyes bloodshot! He suddenly counterattacked wildly, ignoring the sharpness of Jun Moxie’s response, roaring tragically, “The debt has its creditor, the wrong its source; this matter was entirely my command! Jun Moxie, bring whatever means you have against me! Do not torture my brothers! Do not continue!” “Do you feel pain? Xia Changtian, all of this is because of you!” Jun Moxie cruelly controlled his sword like the wind.

The Nine Nether Cold Blade struck repeatedly with poof, poof, poof, poof sounds.

A mist of red enveloped Xia Changtian’s body, and in the next instant, countless fine fountains of blood erupted from various points on his body! “Even if this was my fault, my brothers are all innocent!” Xia Changtian, covered in blood, suddenly stared fiercely at Jun Moxie and said sternly, “Jun Moxie! If you agree to release them! I will cease resisting and submit to your judgment!” “Hahahahaha…” Jun Moxie laughed heartily: “If you had said that before the battle, I might have respected your courage to take responsibility, acknowledged your fraternal loyalty, and considered you a man, ending this by killing only you! But now, saying such a thing only makes me look down on you! Do you still believe at this stage that you have any bargaining chip left? Do you think that if you don't submit to my judgment, I can't enact it?” Upon hearing this, Xia Changtian finally went utterly mad.

At this moment, the last vestige of his pride was ruthlessly discarded! Trampled! “Jun Moxie, since you are so aggressive, then come join me on the road! Even if my brothers and I die, I will drag you down with me! Die!” His aura condensed, and the entire space seemed to freeze at that instant! Then, the heavens and earth suddenly erupted into frenzy! Innumerable vital energies of heaven and earth poured madly into his body from all directions, above and below! This area was already in a state of imbalance and violent chaos following the previous battle, where many masters had self-detonated.

Normally, experts here would need to meditate with extreme caution, lest these chaotic energies enter their bodies and disrupt their inner flow.

But Xia Changtian now absorbed everything recklessly! Useful or harmful spiritual energy—he sucked it all into his body, into his meridians! From this moment on, everything was irreversible! Gu Han, witnessing this sudden turn of events, instantly grasped the potential consequences.

Alarmed beyond measure, he immediately roared, “Everyone, retreat quickly!” Following his command, everyone from the three Great Sacred Lands rapidly withdrew, vanishing hundreds of feet away in an instant, each face heavy with dread.

Although the Heavenly Punishment contingent worried about Jun Moxie, under Mei Xueyan’s strict orders, they also quickly moved back several hundred feet, everyone staring intently at the unfolding situation.

Amidst their deep satisfaction, a trace of worry lingered—the opponent was, after all, an ultimate expert at the Saint Lord level.

If he chose to fight to the death, employing means like mutual annihilation or self-detonation, even with Jun Moxie’s astonishing power and superb movement techniques, he might not escape unscathed.

Only Mei Xueyan felt not the slightest concern for Jun Moxie’s safety.

With the Hongjun Tower protecting him, even if this world exploded, he would remain unharmed.

Seeing Mei Xueyan so unconcerned, the Heavenly Punishment Kings, Xiong Kaishan and the others, guessed that their magically gifted brother-in-law surely possessed a foolproof means of self-preservation, and they all relaxed.

In the center of the field, Xia Changtian grinned ferociously, his eyes locked onto Jun Moxie, while the profound energy emanating from his body continuously surged upward without pause! He broke past the third level of Saint Lord, then advanced steadily toward the peak of the third level, continuing to ascend without stopping… Only when he reached the peak of the fourth level of Saint Venerable did the ascent finally halt! The wind in the sky seemed to stop blowing under this forceful absorption! The countless wounds Jun Moxie had inflicted upon Xia Changtian’s body bizarrely stopped bleeding.

His gaunt frame began to slowly, slowly inflate! Turning into a spherical shape! Floating in the air! “Second Brother Xia! No!” On the other side, Ji Bowen, already flustered and only able to defend against the erratic yet exquisitely fast attacks of the Blood of Yan Huang, had no capacity to counterattack.

The Blood of Yan Huang could completely tie down a Samsara Realm expert, so dealing with Ji Bowen, merely a second-level Saint Lord, was certainly no trouble! However, Ji Bowen was still a Saint Lord expert.

Though the situation was dire, he could still hold the line.

While defeating the Blood of Yan Huang was absolutely impossible for him, it was equally difficult for the Blood of Yan Huang to truly dispose of him.

The two were locked in a stalemate that was uneven but persistent.

But now, as the situation was irreversible and Xia Changtian intended to risk everything in a final desperate gamble to drag Jun Moxie down with him, his momentum was overwhelmingly vast.

How could Ji Bowen fail to sense it? The moment he saw the situation, he roared out in fury, his eyes splitting, forcefully trying to break through the interception of the Blood of Yan Huang, hoping to stop Xia Changtian from executing his extreme measures, heedless of his own safety.

But alas, no matter how anxious he became or how forcefully he charged, he could never breach the Blood of Yan Huang’s blockade.

He attempted this repeatedly, yet each attempt was skillfully neutralized by the Blood of Yan Huang, forcing him further back step by step.

After a few more breaths, Xia Changtian’s energy finally neared its apex.

He was now completely frenzied, disregarding all worldly concerns.

The rising and falling cries of his brothers reached his ears, having stripped him of all reason! The tragic screams emanating from the sinkhole were growing fewer and fainter… Yet, every cry, every moan, no matter how small or faint, was like a bloody knife slashing across Xia Changtian’s heart again and again! Xia Changtian now truly had no desire to live on in this world! Such shame, such profound enmity—if he could not avenge it, how could he still have the face to live? Only death remained! Xia Changtian laughed madly, an almost hysterical sound, yet involuntary tears welled up in his eyes.

This was the only time this Saint Lord expert had ever wept in over three thousand years.

It contained regret, brutality, hatred, and a crushing sense of despair… “Jun Moxie, come with me!” Jun Moxie stared fixedly at him, observing every change, gritting his teeth fiercely: “Xia Changtian, this is your fate! Because you failed to rescue them, countless Heavenly Punishment brothers died tragically.

Today, I will slaughter all your brothers! You forced my brothers to self-detonate, so I will force you to self-detonate as well!” An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth! This had always been Jun Moxie’s method! Jun Moxie’s revenge was always this raw, this direct! Xia Changtian finally understood! It turned out that his ultimate desperate countermeasure—self-detonation—was actually part of the opponent's plan all along! And the opponent's goal was precisely to force him into self-detonation! This stifling feeling of being manipulated like a puppet whose strings are pulled made Xia Changtian yearn instantly for death! The lamentations and groans from the deep pit had now completely vanished! Xia Changtian’s heart held only boundless emptiness.

He clearly recognized that all his brothers had completely evaporated from this world, perhaps… truly leaving not a trace behind.

Xia Changtian finally lost his last sliver of hope! At this moment, his state mirrored Xiong Kaishan’s reaction when the Eagle King died: life was worse than death! But the meaning behind it was vastly different, possessing an almost essential distinction! The Eagle King’s brothers died heroically saving their liege; their names would be eternally praised! Conversely, Xia Changtian’s brothers died essentially due to their association with Xia Changtian! They were destined to be cursed for generations; the two outcomes were in no way comparable! At this juncture, Xiong Kaishan unexpectedly recalled his own brothers, and amidst his guilt, there was pride! And remembrance! But Xia Changtian was different; beyond guilt, there was only guilt! Even when descending to the Nine Springs, Xia Changtian felt he would have no face to meet those old brothers! Xia Changtian completely collapsed! “Jun Moxie, I regret it! I regret not killing your savage brothers with my own hands! I… I hate it so much…” Xia Changtian screamed hysterically.

“Kill my brothers with your own hands? You are not worthy! Xia Changtian, at least my brothers died heroically for the common good of the realm.

What is your death worth? You could die ten thousand times, and it would not equal the worth of a single one of my brothers! You are the disgrace of the Profound Profound Continent, the source of self-slaughter, the sinner of humanity, a complete scoundrel! A piece of trash!” “Ah—scum!” Xia Changtian roared: “All sins rest upon me! But on this road to the underworld, you will accompany me! Jun Moxie! Let us die together!” With a thunderous boom, an intensely bright white light erupted from the battleground! Accompanying that piercing scream, the Saint Lord expert Xia Changtian finally unleashed his final countermeasure—self-detonation! The violent explosion was so powerful that it tore a massive hole through the thick cloud cover formed by the volcanic eruption, revealing the azure sky for a moment! Immediately following, a colossal mushroom cloud rose, once again shrouding the newly revealed blue sky beneath dark clouds! Next, a vast pit, nearly two hundred feet in circumference, appeared on the ground! Bottomless! The Heavenly Punishment soldiers and a portion of the lower-cultivation members from the three Great Sacred Lands in the distance were violently shaken unconscious! Thousands of tents suddenly flew away, streaking like white clouds across the sky, vanishing in the blink of an eye! The earth trembled violently! (Sigh… finally finished this chapter… I will probably draw a lot of flak for this one… plenty of curses labeling me as perverse.

The initial method of revenge was conceived this way, but ultimately, I found it hard to stop myself; perhaps it was too much… but, so be it.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, repaying murder with death, repaying debts with money—even if it is crueler, this is the justice I deem fitting, even if it is somewhat extreme, hehe…(To be continued))