Only after Hua Daozang and Yu Mi arrived before Ku Yi and Ku Er did Zhao Zhen finally shift his gaze toward Tuo Zhenye.
Ku Yi immediately moved to shield Yu Mi, while Ku Er stared viciously at Hua Daozang.
Hua Daozang ignored the looks from the two of them and turned toward the camp below the mountain, saying, "I did not deceive you. Tianxuan Mountain truly will help Zhao Zhen reclaim the land. As for what happens today, just keep watching. Do you really have no confidence in Zhao Zhen?"
Hearing this, Ku Yi and Ku Er escorted Yu Mi aside, widening the distance between her and Hua Daozang, then turned to look down at the camp below.
Surrounded by hundreds of Northern Barbarian martial artists, Zhao Zhen showed not the slightest fear.
Tuo Zhenye sized him up, and Zhao Zhen likewise examined Tuo Zhenye. Neither was in a hurry to speak.
After quite some time, Tuo Zhenye finally said, "I hear you are a disciple of Li Qingqiu, Sect Master of Qingxiao Sect."
"That's right. Get to the point—what do you want?" Zhao Zhen replied impatiently.
Tuo Zhenye grinned. "I've heard Qingxiao Sect swept through the martial world of the Nine Provinces. Some even say you practice immortal cultivation. Hand over your internal cultivation technique, or your mother won't leave Hundred Burial Ridge alive."
Zhao Zhen looked at him and asked, "That's it?"
Tuo Zhenye snorted coldly. "What? Are the internal techniques of Qingxiao Sect not worth mentioning?"
Zhao Zhen shook his head. "I thought you had some earth-shaking scheme. I didn't expect it to be just about our techniques. Still, that alone is enough to sentence you all to death. I'm curious—how did you know she was my mother, and how were you so sure I would come?"
Seeing how calm and indifferent Zhao Zhen was, Tuo Zhenye felt displeased. "Even now you don't understand? No one betrayed you. Otherwise, how would people like us, who come from beyond the Nine Provinces, know so much?"
"I see."
Zhao Zhen nodded. He began twisting his neck and loosening his hands.
The surrounding Northern Barbarian warriors frowned and drew their weapons one after another.
The corner of Tuo Zhenye's mouth lifted. A terrifying surge of inner energy erupted from his body. Force rippled around him, whipping his hair into motion as he looked at Zhao Zhen with contempt. "You wouldn't happen to think I'm weak, would you?"
Boom—
A horrific gale exploded outward, flinging all the surrounding Northern Barbarian warriors into the air. Tent after tent collapsed. Zhao Zhen stepped forward in a single stride, killing his way to Tuo Zhenye's front. With one punch, he pierced straight through Tuo Zhenye's chest. Blood sprayed everywhere, Zhao Zhen's chin pressing against Tuo Zhenye's shoulder.
"Ugh—!"
Tuo Zhenye spat out a massive mouthful of blood. His eyes bulged wide, blood vessels bursting across his eyeballs as his gathered energy instantly dissipated.
At the brink of death, he could not accept the reality before him. His entire body trembled as he felt it rapidly growing cold.
"You wouldn't happen to think you're strong, would you?"
Zhao Zhen whispered softly into Tuo Zhenye's ear. After speaking, he withdrew his fist and watched as Tuo Zhenye collapsed to his knees before him.
From all directions, the Northern Barbarian warriors scrambled to their feet. When they saw Tuo Zhenye kneeling, their faces looked as though they had seen a ghost.
"How is this possible… Elder Tuo—how could he…"
"Impossible… Elder Tuo was an expert infinitely close to Dao-entry…"
"A demon! He must be a demon!"
"Run! Run now!"
The Northern Barbarian warriors were utterly terrified by the scene before them. Not only them—Yu Mi and Hua Daozang, standing on the hillside, also stared wide-eyed at Zhao Zhen killing Tuo Zhenye with a single punch.
Ku Yi and Ku Er, however, remained calm. The reason they dared to gamble on Hua Daozang's words was because they knew exactly how strong Zhao Zhen was.
If Zhao Zhen's current strength were placed in the past, he could have charged straight into the Zhenyang Imperial City and personally slain Zhao Zhi.
Without exaggeration, if today's Zhao Zhen were placed ten years ago, he would absolutely have been Number One Under Heaven!
Zhao Zhen's figure flashed as he began slaughtering the Northern Barbarian warriors. His movements were as swift as a ghost. Even Hua Daozang, who prided himself as an expert, could not follow Zhao Zhen's footwork with his eyes.
At this moment, Hua Daozang felt as though he were witnessing the duel between Yan Daozong and Shen Yue.
"How is this possible… how can he be this strong?"
Hua Daozang felt his scalp go numb. Before, he had not understood why Ancestor Su Xing had gone through so many twists and turns. Now he suddenly understood.
It was because he did not understand the strength of immortal cultivators!
After realizing this, a bone-chilling fear surged through him. He immediately turned and lunged toward Yu Mi.
Clang—
Ku Er suddenly drew his sword. The tip of the blade stopped directly at Hua Daozang's throat, forcing him to halt instantly.
"What a fast sword… How could his martial arts be… Could he also be cultivating immortality?"
Hua Daozang's eyes widened as he looked at Ku Er in terror.
He had never taken Ku Yi and Ku Er seriously, never expecting their martial prowess to be this horrifying as well.
Seeing Hua Daozang still daring to attack her, Yu Mi trembled with rage from head to toe.
Ku Yi looked at Hua Daozang coldly and said, "Elder Hua, you don't really think we trusted you because you were trustworthy, do you?"
The reason they dared to persuade Zhao Zhen to walk into danger was because they never placed Tianxuan Mountain in their eyes at all. What they wanted was the network of connections Tianxuan Mountain had accumulated over generations.
Hua Daozang could feel the killing intent radiating from Ku Er. His instincts told him that if he dared to move recklessly, this man would show absolutely no mercy.
Listening to the continuous screams of agony behind him, his heart sank straight into the abyss.
Zhao Zhen's image in his mind became incomparably terrifying, and an unprecedented wave of regret surged up within him.
He even came to hate Ancestor Su Xing. If not for Ancestor Su Xing's instigation, he would never have set his sights on Qingxiao Sect and Zhao Zhen in the first place.
The screams did not last long. Hundred Burial Ridge soon fell into silence.
Hua Daozang heard footsteps approaching from behind. Unable to withstand the pressure, he hurriedly shouted, "Ancestor! Are you still not showing yourself?!"
The instant his words fell, his head was flung high into the air, blood spraying everywhere. His face still carried an expression of shock and rage.
The one who severed his head was not Ku Er, but Zhao Zhen.
Zhao Zhen stood behind Hua Daozang, his entire body drenched in blood. He looked like a ferocious demon, so frightening that even Yu Mi was startled.
After killing Hua Daozang with a palm strike, Zhao Zhen turned to scan his surroundings, remaining alert for the appearance of any unknown enemies.
On a distant mountain peak stood a paper effigy. Qiao Dingbei was using it to spy on everything that was happening.
Seeing Zhao Zhen slaughter all the Northern Barbarian warriors and even kill Hua Daozang, he finally let out a breath of relief. Once the tension eased, he could not help but shiver.
"As expected of the Sect Master's disciple—so ferocious. It seems the Sect Master's past deeds are indeed true."
Hidden behind a rock, Qiao Dingbei thought to himself. It was said that the Sect Master had the image of a killing god in the martial world, only appearing gentle within the sect. He had once believed those rumors were slander spread by martial artists, but now it seemed they might not be false after all.
No matter what, with Zhao Zhen being this dominant, he no longer needed to take risks.
Compared to merit, Qiao Dingbei valued staying alive far more.
Remaining within Qingxiao Sect promised limitless prospects, even a glimpse at longevity. As for merit, there would always be chances in the future.
Zhao Zhen stayed vigilant, but saw no other figures appear. Ku Yi and Ku Er also maintained strict guard.
"We should withdraw immediately and first take your mother back to Qingxiao Sect," Ku Yi said in a deep voice.
The truth had already been exposed. Since they could not rely on Tianxuan Mountain to restore the Great Li Dynasty, the only option was to retreat first and avoid further complications.
Zhao Zhen nodded. He immediately stepped before Yu Mi, hoisted her onto his shoulder, then summoned a flying sword from his storage pouch and stepped onto it, soaring away.
Ku Yi and Ku Er likewise mounted their swords, the three of them flying off together.
On the way here, they had deliberately conserved vital energy precisely for use during their escape.
As long as they rode their swords through the air, even if faced with thousands upon thousands of troops, they were confident they could break free.
"Zhen'er… I never thought you'd become this powerful…"
Yu Mi's voice came from behind him, making Zhao Zhen frown.
He had no memories of this mother, much less any emotional attachment. It was only the bond of blood and flesh that prevented him from ignoring Yu Mi entirely.
He pondered how to respond. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly felt a sharp pain at the back of his neck, startling him into instinctively trying to fling Yu Mi away.
However, Yu Mi clung to him tightly, refusing to let go no matter what.
The stabbing pain at the back of his neck quickly caused his body to go numb, and he began to fall downward.
Seeing this, Ku Yi and Ku Er were both alarmed. They immediately accelerated, closing in on Zhao Zhen.
At that moment, Yu Mi suddenly lifted her head and spat out two streams of dark green force from her mouth. Like flying blades, they sliced through the air and instantly pierced through the centers of Ku Yi's and Ku Er's brows.
The two died on the spot, their faces still frozen in expressions of panic.
Clinging to Zhao Zhen's back, Yu Mi revealed a greedy and ferocious expression. Zhao Zhen then heard a hoarse voice:
"Junior, you possess cultivation but lack experience. You deserve this tribulation."
Hearing that voice, Zhao Zhen felt his scalp go numb.
It was clearly the voice of an old man—how could it come from his mother?
Could it be that the person he was carrying was not his mother at all, but someone in disguise?
Just as Zhao Zhen was about to smash into a rocky mountainside below, Yu Mi released her grip, then turned and grabbed Zhao Zhen's clothing, slowing their descent and only letting go once they reached the ground.
Zhao Zhen narrowly avoided being shattered to pieces, but discovered that he could not move at all and could only lie sprawled on the ground.
He had imagined all kinds of dire scenarios, but he had never imagined he would meet such an ending.
Struggling to lift his head, he looked at the Yu Mi before him and gritted his teeth as he asked, "You… who exactly are you?"
Yu Mi bent down, lowered her head to look at him, and showed an affectionate expression. "Zhen'er, it's your mother. Have you lost your senses?"
Zhao Zhen felt a chill run through him. He could not understand what was happening at all.
Yu Mi's expression suddenly changed, turning vicious. She raised her hand and reached behind Zhao Zhen's neck, pulling out a large centipede.
When Zhao Zhen saw the writhing black centipede before his eyes, his unease deepened even further.
"Junior, your mother has already been afflicted by my gu. Her mind is lost. If you do not struggle and allow me to seize your body, I will spare your mother's life. But if you insist on resisting, I will make her die a most miserable death. You will watch her suffer worse than death, begging you before your very eyes to kill her. Do you want her to endure that kind of torment?"
That hoarse voice was unmistakably Ancestor Su Xing. His tone was chilling, making Zhao Zhen clench his teeth.
Immediately after, Yu Mi flipped Zhao Zhen over, then stood there blankly, unmoving.
In an instant, heaven and earth fell silent.
Zhao Zhen could no longer sense anyone else's presence. The more so it was, the more uneasy he became.
Suddenly!
From the soil before Zhao Zhen, a withered hand thrust out and grabbed his face. Through the gaps between the fingers, he saw a figure like a ferocious ghost slowly crawling out of the earth.