Chapter 183: Chapter 183: Burning Qi Blood! The Struggle for Meridian Unlocking!

Chu Ming’s figure was ghostly, a crimson streak passing through the crowd.

"Ah—"

"Third Master, save me—"

Cries of agony rose one after another.

Everywhere he passed, a bandit fell.

The Third Master of Black Wind Stronghold felt his bare scalp tingling.

He wanted to flee, but every direction he tried was blocked by a flying corpse. It seemed coincidental, but he knew it wasn’t.

As more than two hundred fell in succession, the whole plaza was stained red. The Third Master stood amidst the pile of bodies, covered in gore.

With a cold gaze sweeping over him, the Third Master’s legs went weak.

What kind of person could carry out such endless slaughter?

Never tiring, never exhausting.

He opened his mouth, every word filled with fear, "Please... spare..."

Before he finished, what responded was a streak of red light, and then the world spun around him.

All twelve hundred bandits of Black Wind Stronghold were completely annihilated.

Chu Ming stood on the rooftop, his face showing no sign of joy or sorrow.

He avenged the villagers of Dahe Village, but...

Once dead, they remain dead. Revenge is only comfort for the living.

The Sword Gourd Spirit spread, Chu Ming wanted to see if there were any who escaped.

Black Wind Stronghold, more than an hour ago, was immersed in feasting, but now only blazing flames and scattered corpses remained...

Hmm?

Something’s not right!

There are still survivors!

Under the coverage of the Sword Gourd Spirit, he sensed an extremely bloodthirsty oppressive aura.

"Blood Evil Sect!"

He knew this aura too well; it was the aura emitted by cultivating Blood Evil Technique!

"The aura is rising!"

Chu Ming’s face slightly changed.

The original intensity of that aura was at the Late Stage of the Refining Organ Realm, but in just a moment, it surged to Refining Organ Perfection.

And it was still rising.

"Blood Burning Technique?"

He recalled the masked person beside Young Master An Ying of the Blood Evil Sect he had exterminated in Baiyuan County back then.

But... why would the other party use the Blood Burning Technique from such a distance?

While pondering, Chu Ming’s figure merged into the surrounding environment again, rapidly closing in on the sensed location.

...

The dungeon.

Yan Huan sat cross-legged on the ground, a corpse with a severed arm by his side. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

The corpse was draped with animal hides, shriveled like a century-old dried corpse.

Suddenly, Yan Huan opened his eyes, seemingly shooting out a blood-red light.

"Just now, the probing..."

At this moment, Yan Huan no longer looked like someone whose Qi and Blood Power had been drained dry. His eyes were deep, and his aura was robust.

His every gesture exuded a terrifying pressure.

"Meridian Unlocking Realm... still not enough..."

He mumbled, a cold light flashed over his palm, revealing an ice-colored token.

But then, his eyebrows furrowed sharply.

"He’s actually found me."

He glanced at the nearby corpse, the murderous intent in his eyes still intense.

To ambush Wang Meng successfully, he endured the humiliation of being reduced to a nobody.

Although he drained the opponent dry, he was still unsatisfied.

Bam—

With a wave of his hand, Wang Meng’s corpse shattered into pieces.

Then, his figure turned ethereal, darting straight for the dungeon’s exit.

Simultaneously, the eight iron chains that had locked him for nearly ten years all shattered.

...

At the dungeon’s entrance.

As soon as Chu Ming set foot there, the Sword Gourd Spirit sensed that bloody aura approaching, and its intensity had already surpassed Refining Organ.

Though not as powerful as his master Xiang Yue, this domineering aura had definitely reached Meridian Unlocking!

He dared not be complacent, readying his Red Qilin Gloves, Silver Spirit Needle, and Qi and Blood Power...

Swish—

In the next moment, a shadow shot skyward.

Chu Ming had already locked onto this aura, and the Silver Spirit Needle shot out in response.

Clang—

Sparks seemed to fly.

Yan Huan was startled; when he burst from the dungeon, his speed was so fast that even a Meridian Unlocking Middle Stage martial artist might not catch him.

Yet someone managed to pinpoint his position at that instant and accurately shoot a hidden weapon.

Whoever was coming had uncommon strength!

He was forced to reveal himself, landing atop a rockery, his eyes keenly searching for a trace of the Silver Spirit Needle.

"That’s... the Silver Spirit Needle!"

Yan Huan’s eyes suddenly changed, focusing like an eagle’s gaze on another spot.

There, Chu Ming appeared.

"Who are you? Why do you have the Silver Spirit Needle?!"

The entire Xirong County had only one Silver Spirit Needle; its owner was the person Yan Huan, freshly escaped, feared most.

The Commander of the Tiger Armor Army, in the Late Stage of the Meridian Unlocking Realm, Xiang Yue!

If he were in full strength, he would not fear a single Xiang Yue, but now...

Yan Huan glared at Chu Ming, trying to discern something.

Yet, the black-clothed person’s aura was as if concealed, imperceptible to him.

Above the Meridian Unlocking Realm, one could sense auras and naturally know to hide their aura.

Concealing his aura, this person was not ordinary; he might very well be Xiang Yue!

At the same time, Chu Ming’s face didn’t look good either.

The person before him gave off an eerie and peculiar vibe, exuding a bloody scent and a trace of death.

The blazing fire continued to burn, making the entire stronghold like a furnace, the smell of charred remains thick in the air.

Chu Ming quietly summoned his Qi and Blood, five strands of Qi Blood Power gathering at his chest, burning in succession.

Commanding three times the Qi Blood Power of an ordinary martial artist, the Tiger and Python Blood Burning Technique, the Red Qilin Gloves, Qi Blood Fusion martial skills...

Meridian Unlocking Realm, so what?

Fighting across realms was not impossible.

Those eyes?!

Fearless, undaunted!

Such eyes only appeared in those wielding great power.

Suddenly, a sense of retreat welled up in Yan Huan.

Just free, his strength had yet to recover, getting defeated here...

Without hesitation, debris shot from underfoot as Yan Huan’s form turned ethereal once more.

You want to run?

The Sword Gourd Spirit locked in, how could Chu Ming let him escape?

The Red Qilin Gloves turned into a stream of light, instantly engaging Yan Huan in combat.

Fire danced, rocks collapsed.

The two figures either fought mid-air or danced through a sea of flames.

So this was the Meridian Unlocking Realm.

Burning five strands of Qi Blood allowed Chu Ming to match the power of the Meridian Unlocking Realm.

Five strands of Qi Blood followed by another five.

Thirty-seven strands of Qi Blood Power were enough for him to battle for several hours.

But...

Yan Huan didn’t want to keep fighting like this, nor could he.

After dozens of exchanges, his already damaged body grew more exhausted.

If they continued this way, he wouldn’t last a hundred exchanges before perishing here.

"Do you know who I am?" Yan Huan said while fleeing, "My name is Yan Huan, a Prince of the Great Yan Dynasty. If you stop, I’ll appoint you as National Guardian General."

Great Yan Dynasty?

The dynasty destroyed by the Great Qin Dynasty?

Chu Ming’s mind stirred, but the frequency of his attacks didn’t diminish; instead, they grew fiercer.

Yan Huan became increasingly terrified.

"Yan Hanling, spare me, and I’ll give you Yan Hanling!"

Yan Hanling?

What is that?

Chu Ming knew of the Great Yan Dynasty but had never heard of anything called Yan Hanling.

Since he didn’t know, why would he stop?

Even if he did know, he wouldn’t stop because of it.

"Anything you want, I can give you!" Yan Huan was nearly exhausted.

"Your life."

Finally, there was a response; the voice was so indifferent it chilled Yan Huan to the bone.

The already unrecognizable stronghold, ravaged by fire, crumbled further under their battle.

No matter how many times he begged, receiving no response, Yan Huan ceased speaking, focusing solely on escaping.

He had realized by then that the man in black was unlike Wang Meng, not easily swayed by desire.

Rushing out of the engulfed stronghold’s fire, Yan Huan fled through the dark forest.

He couldn’t tell how long it had been until a red dawn began to break.

To maintain speed, Chu Ming had to burn more Qi Blood.

By now, he had burned over thirty strands, with fatigue gradually setting in.