"Set." Chen Fei gave a defiant, cold laugh as he tossed the bronze mirror he held. Instantly, the mirror hovered eerily in mid-air. Strands of earthy yellow light diffused like starlight, quickly forming seven or eight thick streams of energy tinged with a dark glow. They then surged aggressively toward a shocked Qing Hu in a breathtaking spectacle.

Suddenly, the air was shrouded in dense brilliance, accompanied by a grating cacophony.

SIZZLE! SIZZLE! SIZZLE!

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

"Damn it, how can you possess such a thing?" Qing Hu had clearly never expected Chen Fei to have a Magic Artifact like himself. But now was no time to ponder. He hastily threw out the Bronze Ancient Sword, which quivered in mid-air before a billowing, dark-gray aura of vengeful spirits floated out, forming four or five hideous, bone-chilling Evil Ghosts that charged the thick streams of dark energy.

The seven or eight thick, dark streams of light clashed with the Evil Ghosts summoned from the Bronze Ancient Sword. Dark clouds instantly swept over and blanketed the sky. A muffled, grating sound of dissolution erupted, mixed with the sinister wails of the Evil Ghosts. The sound made the scalps of the onlooking Tiger Leopard Hall members prickle with sheer disbelief. This level of battle had completely surpassed their understanding of the world.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

The horrific wails of the Evil Ghosts and the crushing pressure of the dark light became the symphony of this renewed battle. After several dozen exchanges, Qing Hu suddenly came tumbling out of the black clouds. He cut deep furrows in the ground with his feet as he was driven back nearly ten meters before he could forcefully stabilize himself.

Qing Hu stood there, his True Qi in turmoil and his clothes tattered. A trickle of blood slowly ran down from the corner of his mouth.

"This… this… how can this be? Lord Qing Hu is…"

Seeing this, the members from the Headquarters of Tiger Leopard Hall stared in shocked disbelief. They couldn't fathom how Lord Qing Hu could be at a disadvantage.

Of course, it wasn't just them. Qing Hu himself wore an extremely ugly and gloomy expression. He simply couldn't imagine how his opponent could also produce a Magic Artifact and possess the power to suppress him and take the upper hand. This was something he had never anticipated.

This kid… how old is he? How could he be this strong?

He laughed coldly. "I underestimated you. But now… hehe, you're going to regret making an enemy of me, Qing Hu." He stared at Chen Fei, his voice laced with venom. A faint, strange pattern began to swirl in his eyes, altering the very structure of his pupils.

Waves of deathly stillness, incredibly grim, began to radiate from his eyes.

Seeing the sudden change in his opponent's aura and the patterns in his eyes, Chen Fei's expression shifted. Damn it, what's happening? His aura has changed completely. Wait, could this be…

He seemed to remember something, and his expression darkened.

SWOOSH!

At that moment, however, Qing Hu was on the offensive once more. He thrust the Bronze Ancient Sword forward, and a torrent of ghostly aura pulsed out, vicious and terrifying. It was at least twenty to thirty percent stronger than before.

CLANG!

The clear ring of metal echoed as visible ripples spread through the air. This time, however, Qing Hu wasn't pushed back. Instead, Chen Fei was forcefully driven back two or three meters by the impact. When he stabilized himself, his gaze turned serious and cold.

Expressionless, Chen Fei stepped forward. A frightening flare of light erupted from his body, along with nine strands of Sword Qi of Sanyang True Fire. A searing heat flooded the area as several pillars of crimson flame shot up from the ground, forming a massive Flame Serpent.

"Minor Chi Snake Sword Formation. Attack mode."

ROAR!

The colossal Flame Serpent instantly entangled Qing Hu, its killing intent rolling in waves of towering flame. Chen Fei frantically formed a Seal Gesture, rapidly infusing the foundational power of the Sword Qi of Sanyang True Fire into the formation and releasing its full power. But a moment later, the immense formation trembled violently, causing Chen Fei, his hands still locked in the Seal Gesture, to jolt abruptly.

PFFT.

Chen Fei threw his head back and coughed up a spray of blood, his fingers trembling intensely.

BANG!

The area around the formation distorted and then violently exploded as a figure shot out from within.

"You think that little trick can trap me? Die!" Qing Hu shouted, bursting unscathed from the Minor Chi Snake Sword Formation. The Bronze Ancient Sword in his hand trembled, and the fierce ghostly energy surged forth once more. It transformed into a horde of Netherworld ghouls with bared fangs and brandished claws, holding blades and spears as they swarmed murderously toward Chen Fei.

"Damn it!" CLANG! RUMBLE, RUMBLE, RUMBLE... Caught off guard, Chen Fei could only hastily parry with his sword. The immense force knocked him back several meters as a pained cry escaped his lips. He was now clearly at a disadvantage.

Why does he have that kind of Curse Seal? Shouldn't that be something only *they* possess... Chen Fei stared intently at Qing Hu's eerie eyes, muttering to himself.

He seemed to understand the reason for Qing Hu's sudden, bizarre spike in strength and the origin of the strange patterns in his eyes. But the question is, how could such a thing appear on Earth? And if it really is that kind of Curse Seal, shouldn't it be stronger?

"What's the matter? Weren't you just saying you were going to kill me? Given the state you're in, are you ready to give up?" While Chen Fei was lost in thought, Qing Hu's cold, mocking voice rang in his ear. A streak of cold light lunged toward him.

CLANG!

Chen Fei expressionlessly parried with his Yan Sword, then leaped into the air. With a push, he vaulted a distance of at least six or seven meters, his eyes fixed on Qing Hu, glinting coldly.

"So, you're finally giving up? Thinking of running?" Qing Hu sneered, sheathing his sword. "Sorry, but you won't get that chance with me."

Hearing this, Chen Fei's lips curled into a faint, cold smirk. "Run?" he asked, his tone almost mocking. "Do you really think some external power is enough to defeat me? Or do you actually believe you can kill me right now?" As he spoke, he slowly raised his hands.

"And if I do? You think you can still esca—" Qing Hu began to sneer, but his expression suddenly froze.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH...

CRACKLE! CRACKLE! CRACKLE...

In the instant he spoke, Chen Fei had raised his hands, palms facing forward. In his left and right palms, two orbs of fire—one milky white, the other crimson—had slowly materialized. Even Qing Hu, in his empowered state, felt a deep sense of dread from the power contained within the two orbs. His expression turned frighteningly solemn.

"Wait, that's—ssst—Qing Hu, run! RUN!"

On the other side of the battlefield, Zhou Ye was fiercely battling Yama when he felt the sudden surge of energy. It was powerful, terrifying, and somehow… familiar. He couldn't help but shudder, a look of pure fear in his eyes as he bellowed.

"This…" Yama frowned, confused as to why the man had suddenly gone mad.

"Run? Hmph!"

Hearing Zhou Ye's well-intentioned warning, Qing Hu gave a disdainful sneer. Why would he run? He was completely in control, just moments away from finishing off that little bastard…

Before he could finish the thought, he whipped around, a look of horrified disbelief on his face as he stared at the two-colored energy orbs in Chen Fei's hands.

Suddenly, he felt his scalp explode.

He… he… he…

I'm much more proficient this time. Is it because I've already succeeded once? In that short time, Chen Fei had already fused the foundational power of the Sword Qi of Sanyang True Fire with the Spiritual Qi of the Meditation Sutra.

His pitch-black eyes, as clear as obsidian, locked onto Qing Hu's terrified face. He smirked, and with a flick of his wrist, he sent the terrifying object flying, causing a chill to run down everyone's spine. "Go. True Red Flame Lamp."

"No!" Qing Hu finally screamed, snapping out of his shock. He now understood why Zhou Ye had told him to run. But it was too late.

Why... why is this little bastard so terrifying? He even possesses such a heaven-defying technique of a Qi Practitioner! By now, even if I were an idiot, I would have guessed... this little bastard is definitely not some Ancient Martial Artist, but very likely, like Lord Luo Zun... he's a Qi Practitioner! A Qi Practitioner!

"You dare, boy! Stop!"

Just as the True Red Flame Lamp was about to strike Qing Hu, an incredibly grim roar echoed in everyone's ears. The surrounding air seemed to grow heavy. A terrifying dark radiance shot in from the distance, condensing into a ghastly claw that swiped ruthlessly at Chen Fei's head with horrifying power.

Chen Fei's expression changed abruptly.

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