"Who’s there? Everyone, be careful!" The people around the campfire immediately stood up, drawing their weapons as they gazed into the dark forest. The crazed laughter rapidly drew closer, and a terrifying aura pressed down on them like a mountain.

"A tribulation realm expert!"

"It’s a tribulation realm expert!"

"We’re finished!"

Everyone panicked. Some began to retreat immediately, trying to hide behind others, hoping to be one step ahead when fleeing.

"Hahahahaha!" The filthy old man stopped on a tree branch, looking at the people around the fire, "As expected, they’re from the Chen family. The aura from their Great Kan Sutra is unmistakable!"

"This guy..."

"He is..."

"Lv Kong! It’s Lv Kong!"

"Split up! Whoever survives, survives!" Chen Yuanxiu made a decisive decision. She no longer hoped that anyone could protect her. In fact, she was the strongest innate expert in the Chen family. Although her younger brother’s talent surpassed hers, he was three years younger and slightly weaker than her.

Even within Feixue City, among the innate experts, Chen Yuanxiu was in the top ten. A few who were stronger than her were much older, mostly disciples of the Star Pavilion, but for various reasons, they were unable to break through the tribulation realm and had instead cultivated to their peak in their forties or fifties, reaching the absolute limit of innate strength.

Before Chen Yuanxiu even finished speaking, some had already started moving.

After she shouted, the remaining group began to flee in all directions.

There were twenty-seven of them in total, scattering in different directions. While some would inevitably die, most of them should be able to survive... hopefully...

"It’s you, girl!" Lv Kong recognized Chen Yuanxiu.

Just as Chen Yuanxiu was about to escape—

"Freeze!" Lv Kong gazed at Chen Yuanxiu, lightly uttering a word, and she immediately felt the forces of nature around her converge, completely immobilizing her. She tried to activate Heaven and Earth Divine Might, but her control over it was far from Lv Kong’s, and she couldn’t summon any power to resist.

Lv Kong disappeared from the tree branch, reappearing several yards southwest of her.

A strong male cultivator, about thirty years old, at the later stage of the innate realm, had been standing near Chen Yuanxiu. He had just started fleeing, but had barely moved a few yards when Lv Kong suddenly appeared behind him, tapping his shoulder lightly.

Bang!

It was as if he had casually shattered an illusion, the illusion turning into a mist of blood!

In truth, Lv Kong had turned a powerful innate expert into a mist of blood with a mere tap!

"Run! Run! Hurry up and run!" Lv Kong cackled as he vanished again, reappearing behind another fleeing figure, blowing a breath at the person’s back. The person’s body kept rushing forward, but his head exploded instantly from the force of the breath.

Lv Kong began to massacre everyone except Chen Yuanxiu.

More than twenty people fled in different directions.

In fact, Lv Kong had the ability to kill them all in large groups, but he chose to kill them one by one. Some were turned into blood mists, others had their heads exploded, and some were torn apart by his hands. Lv Kong was not just a demon, but an immensely powerful being beneath the gods. Yet he had none of the arrogance of a strongman, instead relishing in torturing his victims. This sadistic nature was even more extreme than the rumors suggested.

"Run!"

"Run! Hahaha, run!"

In just a few breaths, more than ten people had been killed.

A thin man in a green robe was running southeast. The oppressive aura of the tribulation realm expert made him terrified, his legs trembling, but with his full innate strength, his speed was not slow.

Bang!

A faster figure ahead of the green-robed man was overtaken by Lv Kong, instantly turning into a blood mist.

Thud!

The green-robed man collapsed to his knees, clutching his head in despair.

"Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me!"

Hoo!

Lv Kong appeared before him, grinning and saying, "Lift your head!"

The green-robed man cautiously lifted his head.

Slap!

Lv Kong slapped him hard, and the green-robed man’s head spun three times on his neck before falling off.

Hoo! Lv Kong vanished again and pursued the Chen family guard who had fled further away.

Chen Yuanxiu stood by the campfire, unable to move.

Although she could only see in one direction, she knew exactly what Lv Kong was doing. Her eyes reddened and her body trembled, but at the same time, she was somewhat relieved. She was glad she had split up with her brother. Otherwise, whether thirty or fifty people, it would have made no difference. If Lv Kong wanted to kill them, none would escape!

Even the Black Armor Guards, who could surround and kill a tribulation realm expert, were only capable of dealing with average tribulation experts.

But against Lv Kong, no number of innate experts would matter!

"My life is over!" Chen Yuanxiu lamented. Her twenty-six years of life flashed through her mind.

From being a prodigious child to suffering a crippling injury, she never blamed anyone for it, but it was hard to accept the disparity. She felt like fate was mocking her. Had her cultivation foundation not been damaged, she would have become the youngest tribulation realm expert in the Chen family’s history. She would have had the opportunity to learn from the gods and demons, perhaps even becoming one herself.

In fact, Chen Yuanxiu had never given up on becoming a god or demon. Her family’s expectations were her own as well.

Xie Hanjie was excellent; he was the perfect dream lover for countless young women in Feixue City.

But Chen Yuanxiu believed that Xie Hanjie was not worthy of her.

She had always thought that had she not been injured... Xie Hanjie would never have had the courage to even confess his feelings!

She always believed that her future husband could be less handsome, even ugly, not tall, not righteous, not noble, and could be vengeful, but he would be someone with the potential to become a god or demon!

She was certain that her future husband had to be a prodigy, a peerless genius of unprecedented talent!

Therefore, Xie Hanjie was not worthy! His talent was far too lacking!

Chen Yuanxiu was proud, and she had always cultivated with that pride in mind. She had long considered that if she didn’t surpass the innate realm soon, her family would use her for a political marriage.

Fortunately, the family still valued her highly and hadn’t used her for such a purpose.

But unfortunately, because of this emphasis on her talent, the family now needed her to carry on the bloodline and forced her to marry someone she felt nothing for—someone she would sleep with and bear children for.

Chen Yuanxiu particularly wanted to capture the Ge brothers!

What she didn’t want to admit to her brother, Chen Yuanzhou, was that the reason she had split up with him to search separately was driven by ambition! Her brother didn’t need to prove himself, but she did! If she could capture or kill the Ge brothers, it would become leverage for her to negotiate with the family!

She needed to be a person of merit in the family!

Feixue City would be in an uproar!

With such a contribution, she might not expect the family to abandon the plan of marrying her off immediately, but at least it would buy her some time.

In the short span of time, Chen Yuanxiu had thought of many things.

She had many plans for her future, and never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that just over a day into entering Heitan Mountain, she would encounter Lv Kong—whom Lei Hong had been searching for for half a year!

Everything was about to come to an end.

Chen Yuanxiu was extremely unwilling.

Hoo!

Lv Kong flickered into view before Chen Yuanxiu, the surroundings completely silent now. Aside from the occasional crackling of the firewood, there was no sound at all.

The entire team, except for Chen Yuanxiu, had been killed.

"Girl, do you remember me? We’ve met before!" Lv Kong spoke with a crazed expression. Chen Yuanxiu had become famous early, and Lv Kong had seen her in Feixue City over ten years ago.

Chen Yuanxiu felt the pressure lift from around her. Though she couldn’t escape, she could now speak.

"The Chen family will pay a ransom for me." Chen Yuanxiu spoke directly, clearly seeing that Lv Kong had already gone mad. If she continued talking, Lv Kong might slap her head off with a single strike.

"Ransom? Hahahaha? Ransom?!" Lv Kong’s laugh was filled with mockery.

He raised his hand and tore off Chen Yuanxiu’s veil.

"Yo! Haven’t seen you in years, you’re even more womanly now. I like it! I like it! Hahahaha! With your god and demon physique, even though you’ve hurt your vital veins and your talent is limited, it can’t be used by you, but it can be used by me! Hahahaha... what a perfect cauldron!"

Chen Yuanxiu had been calm before. She could hide her fear deep inside her.

But with Lv Kong’s words, her face changed, and fear began to fill her eyes! What she had previously been unwilling to accept—her imminent death—was nothing compared to the horror she now felt!

"Such a perfect cauldron! Let’s go! Grandpa will take you to a good place!"

Lv Kong transformed into a whirlwind of poisonous gas and, like a demon, swept Chen Yuanxiu away into the mountains, vanishing quickly into the distance.

Heitan Mountain, an unnamed valley.

Inside a cave.

"Hoo... my tribulation power has almost recovered. It’s time to set out." Jiang Xuan, sitting cross-legged, opened his eyes and let out a breath. He pulled out the map of Heitan Mountain and, under the moonlight, examined it.

Jiang Xuan didn’t want to admit it, but he had to… he was a bit lost.

Although he grew up in a tribe at the foot of Heitan Mountain, his tribe started life-and-death battles when he was twelve. While he often ventured into the mountains before twelve, he had never been close to the Ten Directions of Extinction area, so he could never get lost around the outskirts of Heitan Mountain. The deeper regions required the map and sensing techniques to explore further.

"Hmm... I should be fine as long as the general direction is correct." Jiang Xuan put the map away and stood up, ready to leave. Just then, he suddenly felt something, sharply turning to look south.

Though he couldn’t see anything, he could feel Lv Kong’s aura—already within two miles, rapidly approaching!

Jiang Xuan didn’t have enough time to leave the cave. The tribulation realm expert’s speed was too fast. Luckily, the cave was complex, and Jiang Xuan hid behind a pillar, completely suppressing his aura.

"This guy isn’t coming in, is he? I cultivate Black Abyss Power, which allows me to completely hide my aura. Even Lei Hong couldn’t see through my early innate realm. But that demon, Lv Kong… his methods are perverse. If he finds me…"

Hoo!

The green poisonous mist whirlwind entered the cave.

A figure was thrown out, rolling twice on the ground.

"Hahahaha, beautiful lady, wait for me, Grandpa will be right back!" The green mist swirled and quickly left. In Jiang Xuan’s senses, Lv Kong had already moved two miles away in a very short time.

This made Jiang Xuan gather his courage and peek out from behind the pillar.

He saw a woman.