Mu Xueyan was sent flying by Huo Qian's palm strike, crashing heavily onto the sacrificial altar. The next moment, the altar began to emit a strange glow.

Bizarre noises suddenly emanated from the cave, as if countless demons were gathered together, whispering among themselves. There were sinister laughs, roars, and wails...

Nothing could be seen, only the eerie, cacophonous sounds echoing throughout the cave, chilling even a Tao Jade Two powerhouse like Huo Hangku to the bone. It was as though he had truly stepped into Yama's Palace, surrounded and watched by countless unseen, vengeful spirits.

But Huo Hangku did not panic. With resolve in his heart, he quickly made his way toward the altar.

At that moment, Mu Xueyan, the sacrifice, was rolling and struggling on the altar, unable to even scream. She seemed to be enduring unimaginable pain. Her eyes were bulging and bloodshot, her mouth agape to its limit, as if something invisible was boring into her body through it. Her body bulged in various places, like mysterious creatures were crawling frantically beneath her skin. Her clothes were also being torn, revealing snow-white skin covered in strange, greyish-black lines.

Huo Qian followed, and looking at Mu Xueyan on the altar, she felt a tingling sensation crawl up her scalp.

"Father, what's happening to this Lower Realm Mortal?"

Huo Hangku's lips curled into a slight smile. "It seems the Ancient God Killing Jade has accepted the sacrifice."

"All we have to do now is wait. After the Ancient God Killing Jade devours the sacrifice, it will appear. We can then take the opportunity to seize it, and our journey will not have been in vain."

Clearly, Huo Hangku had a considerable understanding of the Black Fiend Domain and the Ancient God Killing Jade. He had prepared thoroughly before coming. The entire purpose of the Swordfire Divine Sect's descent to the Lower Realm was for this very Ancient God Killing Jade.

「The seconds ticked by.」

"AHHH—!"

Just as Mu Xueyan was about to be devoured by the altar, a piercing scream suddenly tore through the air from the cave's entrance. It was the scream of a Swordfire Divine Sect disciple.

"It's Junior Brother Zhang!"

Huo Qian was shocked. She whirled around to see Junior Brother Zhang already lying on the ground at the mouth of the cave. The Jade Sword, which radiated a gentle white light that could expose any lurking ghoul, had shattered upon his fall.

A sudden gust of wind swept through, lifting Huo Qian's long hair. A ghostly figure flashed past her at an astonishing speed, heading straight for the altar.

Such incredible speed!

Huo Qian regained her senses and turned toward the altar, only to see that a young man had appeared there.

「…」

Luo Xiu was sweating profusely. After jumping onto the altar, he saw through his left eye that hundreds of ghostly hands were surrounding Mu Xueyan. Those spectral hands were frantically tearing at her body, boring into her flesh, and one had even reached straight into her mouth...

BOOM!

In a flash, Luo Xiu made his decision. He threw a decisive punch downward and shattered the altar!

Based on his judgment, trying to forcibly lift Mu Xueyan now would only injure her further, or even tear her body apart.

To save her, he had to strike at the root of the problem and destroy the altar itself!

With Luo Xiu's terrifying punch, the altar immediately crumbled. The ghostly hands, visible only to him, quickly retracted into the ground. Without daring to hesitate, Luo Xiu swiftly picked up Mu Xueyan and leaped off the broken platform.

The indescribable pain gradually subsided, and her consciousness slowly returned from the blur. Her beautiful eyes fluttered open. Upon seeing the familiar face before her, Mu Xueyan froze. She had been certain she was going to die and had resigned herself to her fate. But now, at the brink of death, it was this man who had saved her.

"Why is it you?"

A cold voice suddenly pulled Mu Xueyan back to her senses. Cradled in Luo Xiu's arms, she turned her head to look at Huo Hangku, growing tense. The one who had just spoken was none other than him.

Huo Hangku asked the question because he recognized Luo Xiu. He recognized him because his chief disciple, An Shanhai, had transmitted a Divine Sense message to him using a Soul-leading Jade Talisman right before he died. Thus, Huo Hangku had seen the same thing An Shanhai had in his final moments.

He had planned to avenge his disciples after obtaining the Ancient God Killing Jade. But to his surprise, the man he sought had delivered himself to his doorstep.

Luo Xiu gently laid Mu Xueyan down, then fixed his gaze on Huo Hangku, looking at him as if he were already a dead man.

At that moment, a group of Divine Sect Disciples guarding the cave entrance came running over.

"Sect Master, it was him! He forced his way into the cave just now and killed Junior Brother Zhang!"

"Sect Master, you must avenge Junior Brother Zhang!"

Hearing this, Huo Hangku's gaze darkened. He, too, looked at Luo Xiu as if he were a corpse.

Tears welled in Huo Qian's reddened eyes. She gritted her teeth and snarled, "What are you all waiting for? Take him down! I want him to kneel before Junior Brother Zhang's grave, kowtow, and then take his own life!"

The thought of Junior Brother Zhang as a corpse made her feel as if her whole world had collapsed. After all, the graceful and handsome Junior Brother Zhang was the object of her secret love.

Upon receiving the command from their Young Senior Sister, more than a dozen Divine Sect Disciples immediately drew their Tao Swords and surrounded Luo Xiu and Mu Xueyan.

Luo Xiu's expression remained unchanged. With just a glance, an invisible wave of kinetic force swept out!

BANG! BANG! BANG...

The Divine Sect Disciples closest to him had no time to react before their heads exploded, ending their lives instantly.

Luo Xiu then helped Mu Xueyan sit on the ground, squatting in front of her to check her injuries and completely ignoring the remaining Swordfire Divine Sect Disciples.

Watching the man before her, outwardly calm and serious yet suppressing a burning rage, Mu Xueyan's heart couldn't help but flutter.

"Luo Xiu, you..."

"Don't speak just yet."

Mu Xueyan quieted down, becoming very obedient.

"Lower Realm Mortal, you're courting death!" one of the Divine Sect Disciples suddenly roared, charging forward with his sword.

Luo Xiu didn't even glance at him, continuing to examine Mu Xueyan's injuries. Before the disciple's sword could fall, his chest was pierced by an invisible kinetic force that blew a bloody hole through it. He fell dead on the spot.

This uncanny scene left the rest of the Divine Sect Disciples stunned. Hesitating to act for fear of their own lives, none of them dared to step forward.

A moment later, after finishing his examination of Mu Xueyan's injuries, Luo Xiu furrowed his brows tightly.

Mu Xueyan's condition is more serious than I imagined.

"A bunch of useless trash, get out of my way!" Huo Qian could no longer contain her fury. She stepped forward with her sword as her Sword Momentum erupted, igniting sword fire in The Void around her.

"Such arrogance for a mere Lower Realm Mortal in the Void Refinement Realm!" she cursed as she swung her sword. "Sword Fire Scorches the Plains!"

Luo Xiu rose to his feet with composure and swung a casual backhand slap.

SLAP!

The crisp sound echoed through the cave. The imposing Huo Qian was sent flying, crashing to the ground at Huo Hangku's feet.

Huo Hangku's gaze turned cold. With a slight wave of his hand, he signaled the disciples to withdraw, then began to walk toward Luo Xiu. With each step, he emitted a profound and mystical aura, as if he existed in a separate realm, detached from the world.

Seeing their Sect Master about to take action, the group of Divine Sect Disciples grew arrogant once more, looking at Luo Xiu as if he were nothing more than an ant.

"Father, cripple him! I want to personally avenge Junior Brother Zhang!" Huo Qian clutched her swollen face, her teeth nearly crushed from gritting them so hard.

Mu Xueyan, however, was overcome with worry. She knew just how terrifying Huo Hangku's strength truly was. On their journey through the Black Fiend Domain, she had seen him fear neither gods nor ghosts. His unfathomable strength made him seem like a deity to her; in his presence, she felt only tiny and helpless.

"Lower Realm Mortal, it seems I have indeed underestimated you," Huo Hangku said, his voice level. "Your strength, I fear, is far from what the Void Refinement Realm would suggest."

"However... before my Second Realm of Dao Jade, all are but ants."

Suddenly, a sacred aura filled the entire cave. Behind Huo Hangku, in The Void, two yellow, palm-sized pieces of Dao Jade quietly appeared. Resembling both fire and swords, they were like the most exquisite artworks in the world.

"You killed my disciples and ruined my plans... You will have to die a hundred times over to atone for your crimes!"

...

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