Chapter 202: Borrowing a Knife to Kill

Chapter 202: Borrowing a Knife to Kill

"Bring the Thousand-Mile Twin-Headed Hound to me!" Mu Honglai stood tall and burly, his eyes blazing like torches, every strand of his hair flickering with flames, his fury reaching its peak.

A Demon Sect Martial Artist led forward a massive black hound with two heads, tugging at its iron chains as it approached two boxes containing severed heads.

Though merely a First-Grade Mystic Beast, the Thousand-Mile Twin-Headed Hound possessed an extraordinarily keen sense of smell. Once it caught a scent, it could track the culprit even across a thousand miles.

The hound sniffed at the two bloody heads, its eyes gleaming with a chilling ferocity.

It had already identified the killer’s scent.

Mu Honglai unleashed his Martial Soul Avatar, a spectral shadow emerging from his body as if his soul had left his flesh. Through his Martial Soul, he communicated with the Thousand-Mile Twin-Headed Hound.

Only those who had reached the Martial Venerable level could use their Martial Soul Avatar to commune with Mystic Beasts—a feat exclusive to Martial Venerables.

Mu Honglai’s expression darkened, and he let out a cold laugh. "Lead the way. Today is my eightieth birthday. If there’s no bloodshed, where’s the festive spirit?"

Anyone could hear the murderous intent in those words.

Humiliated before the eyes of Martial Artists across the land, if he failed to find Ning Xiaochuan today and reduce him to ashes, Mu Honglai’s fearsome reputation would be utterly ruined.

In the Demon Sect, without sufficient prestige and ruthless methods, no one would submit to you—let alone allow you to become the new Dao Leader.

This was something Mu Honglai could never tolerate.

The Thousand-Mile Twin-Headed Hound dashed out of the Mu Estate, following the scent from the heads to track down Ning Xiaochuan.

The elite warriors of the Heavenly Annihilation Dao naturally followed close behind, their murderous aura palpable.

Their numbers swelled as more gathered—powerhouses from great families, major sects, and renowned martial academies, along with the Branch Leaders of the Demon Sect’s branch altars. The entire street was packed with Martial Artists, resembling an army on the march.

For a single young Martial Artist to provoke the Demon Sect’s elites into mobilizing en masse was unprecedented in history.

Even if Ning Xiaochuan were crushed tonight, his name would shake the world.

Eventually, the Thousand-Mile Twin-Headed Hound arrived outside another grand estate in White Dragon City, halting before its gates and barking furiously at the compound.

Standing guard outside were two martial experts at the Second Level of the Divine Body Realm, each flanked by a four-meter-tall red-scaled tiger.

"This is the residence of the Grand Elder. Who dares to trespass?"

The owner of this estate was none other than Elder Qiu Wangu, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Annihilation Dao—a figure on equal footing with Mu Honglai and one of the strongest contenders for the position of the new Dao Leader.

"Mu Honglai, why have you brought so many people to the Grand Elder’s residence?"

Qiu Wangu had been hosting a banquet in the main hall when he sensed the overwhelming killing intent outside. His Martial Soul Avatar surged from his body, soaring into the sky as he stood mid-air, gazing down imperiously.

"Boom!"

A crimson light erupted skyward, coalescing into a bloody cloud.

Mu Honglai’s Martial Soul Avatar also ascended, standing atop the crimson cloud as he faced Qiu Wangu from a distance. He sneered, "So this is why Ning Xiaochuan had the audacity to oppose me—you were backing him all along. Qiu Wangu, hand him over, or I’ll raze your Grand Elder’s residence to the ground right now."

Elder Qiu Wangu was also furious, shouting, "Mu Honglai, if you want to seize the position of the Sect Master, you don’t need to find excuses. Just come at me directly. If you have the guts, try it and see if you can flatten my Elder’s residence. If it’s a fight you want, neither of us fears the other!"

Below, someone roared, "This is too much! Kill them!"

"Boom!"

The vermilion gates of the Elder’s residence were shattered by a bolt of lightning, splintering into pieces.

The two factions immediately clashed, blades flashing and blood splattering. In just the first clash, dozens of martial artists were struck down, lying in pools of blood.

The great battle had begun.

Both sides were enraged, and even Transcendent Realm experts joined the fray, slaughtering until the heavens darkened and the earth quaked, with no end in sight.

Centered around the Elder’s residence, the battlefield expanded, eventually engulfing the entire White Emperor City.

"Kill!"

"Mu Honglai has gone too far!"

"It was the Elder’s faction who struck first!"

It was like a spark landing on dry tinder, fanned by the wind—the flames erupted violently, impossible to contain.

The forces under Mu Honglai and those under Elder Qiu Wangu collided head-on, unleashing their fiercest confrontation and turning White Emperor City into a warzone.

Ning Xiaochuan, dressed in tattered cloth and wearing a bamboo hat, hid in a corner of the Elder’s residence, a cold smirk playing on his lips. "Mu Honglai, opposing me will cost you dearly. I hope you enjoy this birthday gift."

All of this had been Ning Xiaochuan’s scheme. First, he used the heads of Ku Gu and the Wooden Young Master to provoke Mu Honglai’s fury.

Then, he deliberately left traces of his aura on the box containing the heads, ensuring Mu Honglai could track him down—thus smoothly luring Mu Honglai to the Elder’s residence.

Mu Honglai and the Elder had long been vying for influence, competing for the position of the new Sect Master. Their hostility had already reached a boiling point, but the presence of a third faction in White Dragon City had kept them from outright war.

Yet Ning Xiaochuan deliberately exploited their conflict, stoking the flames until they erupted into full-scale battle.

In truth, the life-and-death duel between Mu Honglai and the Elder was inevitable.

Ning Xiaochuan was merely the spark.

"Hey, who are you?" A lean Demon Sect martial artist pointed a green spear at Ning Xiaochuan, demanding harshly.

"A good man."

Ning Xiaochuan struck out with a single palm, sending the Demon Sect martial artist flying. The man crashed through a section of the wall, collapsing into the ruins.

A gap appeared in the wall.

Ning Xiaochuan stepped through it leisurely, leaving the Elder’s residence behind.

On the ancient streets, martial artists fought everywhere—those of the Profound Qi Realm, Divine Body Realm, and Transcendent Realm clashed in waves of battle cries.

Above the sky, martial experts riding Mystic Beasts clashed, unleashing lightning, flames, and water waves. Divine Abilities and Mystic Artifacts collided, and with every passing moment, dozens of martial artists perished, their blood raining down like a storm.

The martial artists of White Emperor City were stunned. Tonight’s Demon Sect battle was no ordinary skirmish—it was like an army laying siege to the city. Many were too terrified to even step outside.

Mu Honglai had never anticipated the situation would escalate to this extent. In just a quarter of an hour, the two factions had already clashed fiercely, completely disrupting his earlier plans.

He understood better than anyone that now was not the time to wage war against Elder Qiu Wangu. There was still a third force lurking in White Dragon City, watching like a tiger eyeing its prey. If he and Elder Qiu Wangu fought to mutual ruin, the third faction would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to strike and reap the spoils.

That third faction was the Demon Sect forces under the command of the Ninth Lady.

Mu Honglai, Elder Qiu Wangu, and the Ninth Lady—these three were the current powerhouses of the Heavenly Annihilation Dao.

Mu Honglai had only intended to deal with Ning Xiaochuan. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined things would spiral so far out of control.

What now?

There was no turning back. They were already riding a tiger—they could only fight.

Mu Honglai and Elder Qiu Wangu, both Martial Venerables, engaged in battle, tearing open an alternate dimension and vanishing into it to fight.

The alternate dimension was the battlefield of Martial Venerables.

If they did not fight there, a battle of this level could easily destroy half the city.

The outcome of this battle no longer mattered. Ning Xiaochuan summoned the Tai Sui Beast and immediately fled White Dragon City, heading straight for the Demon Sect Headquarters at Nine Death Cliff.

Not long after leaving White Dragon City, Ning Xiaochuan spotted a figure standing in the woods ahead. It was Ji Hanxing.

"Lady Ji, what a coincidence. It’s been a while," Ning Xiaochuan said.

Ji Hanxing stood with her hands behind her back, her expression solemn. "I was waiting here specifically for you."

"Oh? Does Lady Ji plan to repay the money you owe me?" Ning Xiaochuan teased.

Ji Hanxing gritted her teeth in frustration. "I don’t have it right now."

"I came to warn you—someone wants to kill you. You’d better not go to Nine Death Cliff. The journey will be fraught with peril. Return to the Imperial City instead. With the Jian Pavilion Marquis protecting you, no one would dare touch you."

Ning Xiaochuan raised an eyebrow. "Do you know who wants me dead?"

Ji Hanxing remained silent.

Ning Xiaochuan pressed, "Is it someone from the Cloud Marquis House?"

Ji Hanxing snapped impatiently, "Stop asking. Just know that you’re no match for them."

Ning Xiaochuan pondered for a moment before replying firmly, "I must go to Nine Death Cliff. There are already plenty of people who want me dead—one more or less makes no difference. Farewell."

A pair of seven-meter-long wings unfurled from his back as he summoned the Fierce Winds, lifting him into the air and vanishing into the night.

Ji Hanxing watched Ning Xiaochuan’s resolute departure, her delicate brows furrowing slightly.

Just then, Xiao Cheng emerged from the darkness, a cold smirk on his face. "Junior Sister, if our master finds out about this... your life may be forfeit."

Ji Hanxing’s grip tightened around the Dragon Elephant Halberd Spear as she glared at him with frosty eyes. "You were following me?"

Xiao Cheng chuckled. "I was merely curious how you managed to find Ning Xiaochuan. Turns out... you’ve fallen for him."

"Nonsense!" Ji Hanxing snapped.

With a wave of his arm, a massive mystic beast’s head emerged from the shadows—its fangs longer than a human body, eyes as large as vats, and a tongue as crimson as flames.

"ROAR!"

A sixth-rank mystic beast—the Scorpion Lion—with scaled wings unfurled, its presence dominating the night.

The Scorpion Lion's wings spanned over sixty meters, its massive body resembling a small mountain, with formidable strength capable of toppling peaks. It was a dominant force among Mystic Beasts.

Xiao Cheng leaped onto the Scorpion Lion's back, gripping the chain that restrained it, and looked down at Ji Hanxing below. "I'll take his life now. Even if he has the ability to soar through the skies or burrow underground, he won’t escape death."

Ji Hanxing tightly clenched the Dragon Elephant Halberd Spear, her fingers gripping fiercely, teeth gritted, her heart locked in struggle.

Just as Xiao Cheng prepared to ride the Scorpion Lion in pursuit of Ning Xiaochuan, a Dragon Elephant Halberd Spear thrust toward him. Flames erupted from its tip, tearing through the air with explosive force.

Crack! Crack!

Xiao Cheng's expression darkened. The Primordial Silver Ring on his wrist flew out, hovering between his palms, emitting a blinding mystic light that blocked Ji Hanxing's overwhelmingly powerful strike.

Boom!

Xiao Cheng's body was sent flying back, the shockwave causing the air to tremble. He slid to the Scorpion Lion's tail, his gaze icy as he stared at Ji Hanxing.