After a burst of maniacal laughter, Yun Feihe produced a dagger with an eerie green blade.
"Rest in peace. Donât worry, many of your fellow brothers will soon join you! You wonât be lonely on the road to the underworld!"
Yun Feihe swung the dagger, slashing it toward Mo Buwenâs neck.
"Whizz!"
Suddenly, a loud noise rang out as an arrow shot forth from the dense forest. Yun Feihe turned his head sharply to look, and his expression instantly changedâit was already too late! The arrow enlarged rapidly in his vision as he tried to evade. He couldnât.
The arrow pierced through his chest directly, and the powerful force flung his body backward.
"Brother Yun!"
The people from the Thousand Poison Sect were alarmed, rushing over to check Yun Feiheâs injury.
While Yun Feihe was not the strongest among the four, he held the highest rank!
Yun Feiheâs father was an administrator of the Thousand Poison Sectâs inner circle. They couldnât fathom the punishment they might face if Yun Feihe died here.
"You two guard the areaâfind the assassin!"
The one with the deepest cultivation among the three, the eldest, hurriedly instructed the other two. At the same time, he frantically rummaged through his belongings, pulling out bottles and jars to feed Yun Feihe various pills and powders.
But alas, this arrow was Gu Shengâs meticulously prepared killing strike. Enhanced by First-level Penetration, it had shattered Yun Feiheâs heart completely. Though Yun Feihe hadnât stopped breathing yet, his heart had already been obliterated; he was barely holding onto a sliver of consciousness.
The Stone-breaking Crossbowâs immense power couldnât remain unnoticed. With such a loud noise, Gu Shengâs hiding spot was no longer viable.
Since staying hidden was impossible, Gu Sheng simply walked out of the dense forest. As he stepped forward, he adeptly reloaded the crossbow with another gleaming arrow. By the time he emerged before them, the shining arrow was already in place.
Mo Buwen had been in complete despair but was surprised by this turn of events. The attacker had not only heavily injured Yun Feihe but displayed strength far superior to his own! Mo Buwen squinted toward Gu Sheng. Though his vision was blurry, the coarse hemp clothing, wooden box on his back, and Stone-breaking Crossbow allowed him to recognize Gu Sheng.
Summoning all his energy, Mo Buwen shouted desperately to Gu Sheng: "Brother Gu, run! After you return, please relay the news of my death to Senior Sister Linâshe will avenge me!"
Gu Shengâs arrow had shocked Mo Buwen, but he hadnât forgotten that Gu Sheng was merely at the Blood Refining Realm, Perfect stage. Even though the element of surprise allowed Gu Sheng to kill Yun Feihe, three Copper Bone cultivators from the Thousand Poison Sect remained, against whom Gu Sheng stood no chance. Mo Buwen didnât want Gu Sheng to lose his life in vain.
Gu Sheng, who had spent years hunting in the Cang Mountain alongside hunters, had learned a thing or two about medicine.
Facing the two vigilant Thousand Poison Sect members, Gu Sheng remained unfazed. He quickly approached Mo Buwen, checked his injuries briefly, then retrieved antidote pills from his pouch and fed them to Mo. He also applied blood-staunching powder to his wounds.
Mo Buwenâs injuries were severe, but fortunately not fatal. As long as the poison was neutralized and bleeding controlled, his life was no longer in immediate danger.
Although the two members of the Thousand Poison Sect noticed Gu Sheng and sensed his cultivation was only at the Blood Refining Realm, Perfect stage, neither dared act rashly. Yun Feiheâs fate was fresh in their mindsâthe chilling glint of the arrow on the Stone-breaking Crossbow made their hearts tremble. Both treasured their lives and hesitated to take the lead.
"Junior Brother Yun! You mustnât die! If you do, weâre doomed!"
The one tending to Yun Feihe became increasingly frantic as Yun spat blood endlessly, his breath growing fainter and fainter.
Under Gu Shengâs treatment, Mo Buwenâs injuries stabilized quickly. Regaining some strength, he sighed sorrowfully, his face full of guilt.
"Brother Gu, why risk your life for such a hopeless situation? Ah, itâs all my fault. If I hadnât run this way, I wouldnât have dragged you into this mess."
Mo Buwen was consumed by regret, believing he had caused Gu Shengâs predicament. Yet, he failed to notice that Gu Shengâs face remained calm and composed, even with a hint of confidence.
Gu Sheng gently patted Mo Buwenâs shoulder and chuckled, "Brother Mo, no need to be so pessimistic. The fight hasnât even started; why call it a hopeless situation?"
Mo Buwen looked at Gu Sheng with astonishment, then glanced at the three Thousand Poison Sect members. Shaking his head, he sighed bitterly: "You merely relied on the advantage of the Stone-breaking Crossbow and the surprise attack. Now, in a head-on confrontation, not to mention three against one, you couldnât even win one-on-one!"
With newfound strength, Mo Buwen struggled to rise, gripping his long blade with trembling hands. His eyes, resolute and prepared for death, fixed on the Thousand Poison Sect trio. "Brother Gu, didnât you cultivate a swift leg skill? Though Iâm battered, I can hold them off briefly for you. Make sure you run straight toward the sectâweâll rally sect members to hunt these pests and avenge me!"
Gu Sheng pressed firmly on Mo Buwenâs shoulder, causing him to collapse weakly once more. Unable to suppress a laugh, Gu Sheng remarked: "Brother Mo, in your current state, I doubt youâd last even a second. Donât bother. Leave it to me. If I wanted to run, I wouldnât have waited until now. Do you think Iâm foolish? Trust me, Iâll proceed cautiously. If nothing else works, Iâll flee quickly without hesitation."
Mo Buwen knew Gu Sheng was joking to calm him down, but his curiosity about Gu Shengâs abilities grew.
Mo Buwen had used the Stone-breaking Crossbow beforeâits power was undeniable, but its accuracy was mediocre. Even a hit couldnât achieve such devastating impact. He wondered why the same tool produced exponentially greater results in Gu Shengâs hands despite Gu Shengâs lower cultivation.
"Damn it! You all deserve to die!"
Yun Zhongheâs heart was irreparably shattered, ensuring his death. His gasp for breath ended fully, his eyes wide open, filled with rage and indignation. As they realized Yun Zhongheâs life was extinguished, the strongest member of the Thousand Poison Sect spiraled into madness.
Yun Zhongheâs identity was extraordinaryâhis death in the Red Cloud Mountain Range meant inevitable punishment for those who accompanied him.
As disciples of the Thousand Poison Sect, they all understood the severity of retribution awaiting them. Staring at Yun Zhongheâs corpse roused their fury, turning their gaze toward Gu Sheng with unbridled rage, their eyes nearly aflame. They looked ready to tear him apart.
"Capture him. Donât let him die easily. He must suffer as much as we will when we return!"
The three, consumed by rage, lost all rationality. Knowing their fate upon returning to the sect, their only thought was to inflict torment on Gu Sheng, making him endure the pain they were doomed to face.
The battle was about to commence. Gu Sheng supported Mo Buwen briefly, muttering under his breath, "Sorry, Brother Mo!" Then, waist and hips aligned, Gu Sheng exerted force to fling Mo Buwen like a sack, sending him flying over ten meters.
Fortunately, Gu Sheng had chosen the landing spotâMo Buwen fell near a mud-soaked pond, where the soft, moist ground spared him from worsened injuries. However, Gu Sheng miscalculated slightly; Mo Buwenâs rear landed squarely on a protruding dead branch, causing him sharp pain.
Gu Sheng had no time for such trifles; Mo Buwen was safe, after all, and a bit of pain hardly compared to death.
Turning back to face his furious adversaries, Gu Sheng raised the Stone-breaking Crossbow, which roared with a deafening sound!