"Brat! By now, you must have very little spiritual energy left, right?"
The branch leader of the Demon Sect sneered coldly, his eyes filled with fury as he shouted, "How dare you wreak havoc on my turf! Today, even if you sprout wings, you won't escape!"
"I will make you regret your actions today!"
"This time next year will be the anniversary of your death!"
The two protectors on either side of the branch leader also chimed in.
But Lin Li, unfazed and unrestrained, laughed boldly, "What's the point of saying all that nonsense? If you want my head, then come and take it!"
With that, Lin Li charged straight toward the three of them!
In his slaughter state, every second he didn't kill his enemies was a massive drain on his energy. He had no time for idle chatter—he needed to strike immediately.
"Very well! If you're still so eager to resist, then I'll entertain you!"
The branch leader of the Demon Sect had already noticed that Lin Li's cultivation was only at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment. "I don't know what reckless potion you've taken that gives you this surge in power at the cost of harming yourself."
"However, your spiritual energy is nearly depleted. This high-output state you're in can't last much longer, and the side effects must be severe."
"You're at death's door!"
As he finished speaking, the branch leader, with a swift movement of his robe, flew toward Lin Li like a bat. The two protectors followed, flanking Lin Li from both sides.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of metal clashing rang out continuously, as sparks flew with every collision!
The fierce battle between the four raged on!
However, Lin Li was clearly at a disadvantage.
After all, the branch leader of the Demon Sect had reached the False Core stage, and both protectors were late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. Lin Li, only at the fifth stage of Foundation Establishment, was vastly outmatched. Even with the slaughter state compensating for the difference, he could barely hold his ground under their combined attacks. Maintaining his defense was becoming increasingly difficult, and he was struggling to avoid injury.
"This isn't working!"
Panting heavily, Lin Li could smell the strong scent of blood around him, and a deep sense of danger filled his mind. "At this rate, I'm sure to lose!"
"I don't know how much longer the sword's energy feedback will last, or how much longer I can maintain this slaughter state."
"If the sword's feedback stops, I won't be able to maintain the slaughter state, and I'll be killed instantly!"
"Besides..."
"Even if the slaughter state continues, I can barely hold on as it is. One mistake, and I'll be dead!"
"Fortune favors the bold! If you don't venture into the tiger's den, how can you capture its cubs?"
"Yes! I have to take a risk!"
Lin Li's heart raced, adrenaline surged, and he became even more reckless.
"That unknown force that has saved me many times before... I hope this time, it can save me again!"
With a silent prayer, Lin Li steeled his resolve!
Slash!
"What?!"
The branch leader of the Demon Sect couldn't believe his eyes. Lin Li, who could have dodged his claw strike, chose instead to take the hit directly on his right shoulder!
The claw left three deep gashes on Lin Li's right shoulder, cutting down to the bone!
At the same moment…
Thrust!
Lin Li's magic sword pierced through the branch leader's body from a concealed angle, shocking the two protectors who stood watching in disbelief.
[Absorbed the blood essence of a False Core-stage branch leader of the Hongjiang Demon Sect, gained 99 energy points]
[Absorbed the blood essence of a False Core-stage branch leader of the Hongjiang Demon Sect, gained 99 energy points]
[Absorbed the blood essence of a False Core-stage branch leader of the Hongjiang Demon Sect, gained 99 energy points]
Normally, even if a False Core-stage cultivator had been stabbed through the body, their immense cultivation would prevent them from dying immediately.
But the branch leader hadn't anticipated that the sword piercing him was so malevolent!
It felt as if the sword were an insatiable beast, endlessly devouring his power!
Within just a few breaths, he felt his spiritual energy drain away, and even his consciousness began to fade...
[Killed the False Core-stage branch leader of the Hongjiang Demon Sect, gained 12,888 evolution points]
"This one branch leader gave me a whopping 12,888 evolution points!"
Ye Fan was ecstatic!
"With 300,000 evolution points, I'm just one step away from advancing!"
"But..."
Ye Fan sighed inwardly, "I don't know if this swordmaster can hold on."
At the same time that Lin Li killed the branch leader, the two protectors slashed at his back, leaving two deep, bloody wounds!
Lin Li clenched his teeth in pain!
He kicked the branch leader's corpse away and quickly fled forward.
"Branch Leader!!!"
The two protectors screamed in agony, their voices filled with rage. Their cries even caught the attention of the giant toad, which had been mercilessly toying with the Three Great Daoist Gates' survivors.
At this moment…
The situation for the Daoist Gates' survivors was dire.
Other than the three captains, the rest of the team had all sustained injuries.
"Croak!!!"
The giant toad's owner had been the branch leader of the Demon Sect.
Upon seeing its master die, the toad let out a heart-wrenching screech!
Just moments before, it had been about to kill a Tianjue Mountain disciple with a flick of its tongue, much like swatting a fly.
But now…
The death of its master sent a shock through its nerves.
Ignoring the attacks of the Daoist cultivators, it leaped toward the two protectors, joining them in their pursuit of Lin Li.
Meanwhile, the Daoist cultivators, battered and weary, looked on in disbelief at what had just happened.
"He... he's actually that strong!"
"I used to look down on him… what a fool I was…"
The two other Daoist Gate captains felt a heavy sense of regret.
Their team members, equally shaken, muttered with the relief of having narrowly escaped death, "Thank goodness that beast left… otherwise, we would've been killed!"
"Lin Shidi..."
Wei Heng's emotions were conflicted.
"It seems that when we sparred on Lietian Peak, he held back significantly."
"If he had used even half of the strength he's showing now, I wouldn't have lasted a single move!"
"I hope... Lin Shidi can survive this chase from the giant toad and the two protectors."
The disciples of the Xuantian Sword Sect were filled with worry. "I saw it… Lin Shidi was hit by the branch leader, and when he killed him, the two protectors also slashed at him. I fear..."