Helping each other with countless me.

Chapter 548 Fierce Battle
Inside the dilapidated temple, smoke and dust filled the air, and firelight flickered. Dozens of ferocious-looking gangsters surged in like a tide, their flashing blades instantly engulfing Linghu Chong and Li Zhongren.

However, this seemingly dangerous siege was like child's play in front of the two proud sons of Mount Hua.

Linghu Chong's eyes narrowed, his previous discomfort replaced by a fierce fighting spirit.

The longsword hummed, and the "Arrow-Breaking Style" of the Dugu Nine Swords was executed with ease!
His figure moved like a ghost through the narrow space, his sword light not wide and sweeping, but extremely cunning and deadly.

"Chuck! Chuck! Chuck!"

The sword tip precisely targets the point where the blade is least stressed during a slash, or pierces the gap in the wrist or elbow joint of the weapon wielder.

Each flash of sword light was accompanied by a shrill scream and the clang of a weapon falling from the hand to the ground.

He did not aim for a fatal blow, but rather to instantly dismantle the enemy's offensive and disable their mobility with minimal force and the most precise angle.

The first few thugs had their wrists pierced and their Achilles tendons severed. They screamed and rolled on the ground, becoming stumbling blocks for their companions.

"This is a tough one! Let's go, side by side!"

A burly man who looked like a leader roared and swung his ghost-headed knife down, the wind from the blade whistling as it came down with considerable force.

Linghu Chong's lips curled into a cold smile. Without dodging or avoiding, he slashed his longsword upwards at an angle, executing the "Broken Blade Style"! The tip of the sword slid in just a hair's breadth from the spine of the Ghost Head Blade, precisely striking the Shenmen acupoint on the wrist of the opponent who was holding the blade.

The burly man felt his entire arm go numb and powerless in an instant, and the heavy ghost-head knife flew out of his hand and embedded itself deeply in the earthen wall next to him with a "thud".

Before he could react, Linghu Chong's toe struck his lower abdomen's Qihai acupoint like a venomous snake. The burly man groaned, his massive body collapsing limply as if its bones had been removed, foaming at the mouth.

On the other side, however, was a completely different scene—absolute violent crushing!

Li Zhongren remained unmoved as several steel knives and spears slashed at him simultaneously.

He didn't even bother to dodge; he simply swept the iron mace in his hand forward casually!
"Ugh——!"

The heavy iron mace tore through the air, producing a dull and terrifying whistling sound.

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

The ear-piercing sounds of metal breaking and bones shattering exploded simultaneously!
The three ruthless bandits who were at the forefront had their steel knives and spears snapped like rotten wood! The iron mace, still carrying momentum, slammed into the chests of the three men.

With a dull thud, the three men were struck as if by a charging elephant. Their sternums caved in instantly, and blood mixed with fragments of internal organs gushed from their mouths. Their bodies flew backward like broken sacks, knocking over several people behind them. It was clear they were going to die.

The smell of blood instantly became ten times stronger!
But this is just the beginning.

When Li Zhongren took a step forward, the ground seemed to tremble slightly.

The mace in his hand was no longer a weapon, but more like the scepter of death.

Smash, sweep, poke, or tease!
The moves are simple and direct, without any fancy moves, yet they contain an overwhelming and terrifying power!
A burly man wielding two axes charged forward with a strange cry. Li Zhongren thrust out his iron mace straight at him, striking him squarely in the face!
"puff!"

Like a ripe watermelon struck by a heavy hammer, the red and white parts burst open instantly, and the headless corpse took two steps forward before crashing to the ground.

Two ruthless bandits thrust their spears at his ribs from the side, but Li Zhongren didn't even look, and swept his iron mace across the battlefield with a single blow!
The heavy mace swept across the spear shaft with immense force, instantly twisting and breaking the spear, while the remaining force slammed into the waists of the two men.

"what!"

Amidst piercing screams, the two bodies folded at an eerie angle, their spines shattered, and they flew limply out, crashing into the burning beams and bursting into flames.

Li Zhongren was like a precise and efficient killing machine. With each step he took and the swing of his iron mace, several people would suffer broken bones and injuries, either dying or becoming maimed.

His body was surrounded by a subtle flow of protective energy. When ordinary swords and blades struck his protective energy, they only produced a crisp impact sound, and were instead shaken so badly that the tiger's mouth was cracked.

Severed limbs, shattered weapons, and splattered blood danced around him, making him appear like a demon god emerging from hell!

Wherever he went, he left behind only a scene of carnage and devastation. No one could stop him, and no one could make him retreat even half a step!

In just a short while, most of the dozens of ruthless bandits who had rushed into the temple had fallen.

The rest of the group were terrified by the one-sided bloody massacre. Looking at the young man holding an iron mace, covered in blood but with eyes as cold as iron, they saw the most terrifying demon in the world.

"Ghost...ghost!"

"Run!"

Someone shouted, and the remaining bandits no longer cared about revenge or the reward. They dropped their weapons, cried out for their parents, and turned to flee, wishing they had two more legs.

Linghu Chong did not pursue. He pointed his longsword diagonally at the ground, blood dripping from the tip, and breathed slightly.

Looking at the hell on earth created by his junior brother, he felt a slight tremor in his heart, but he was more shocked by his junior brother's strength.

Li Zhongren slowly withdrew his iron mace, the tip of which was covered in red and white substances. He casually wiped it on the clothes of a relatively intact corpse beside him, his movements so calm they were appalling.

Inside the dilapidated temple, only the crackling of the flames and the painful groans of the seriously wounded remained.

"Junior brother, don't kill them, spare a few to live."

Seeing Li Zhongren raise his iron mace to kill those he had seriously injured but who were not dead, Linghu Chong quickly stopped him.

"Perhaps we can get some information out of them; these people came prepared."

"Senior brother."

Li Zhongren took a few breaths and looked into the darkness.

These people are just appetizers.

On a high slope a hundred feet away from the dilapidated temple, four figures stood silently, like ghosts blending into the night.

It was none other than the elders of the Demonic Sect, Xiang Wentian, the Heavenly King, Bai Xiong, the Mighty Demon Child, Sang San Niang, and Qu Yang.

They witnessed the brief but bloody massacre inside the temple.

"What ruthless methods! What domineering skills!" Tong Baixiong muttered in a deep voice, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes, but even more so, a burning fighting spirit.

"That brat with the iron mace, hand him over to me! I want to see if his mace is harder, or if my axe is more powerful!"

Qu Yang stroked the seven-stringed zither in his arms. The strings gleamed with a cold luster under the moonlight. He spoke slowly.

"The Huashan sword technique is agile and unpredictable, but I have never seen Linghu Chong's sword technique before. It seems that the Left Envoy's guess was correct. The legendary swordsman Feng Qingyang should be here. To deal with this kid, Elder Sang's poison mist and hidden weapons, combined with my sound waves to confuse and kill him, is the safest approach."

"Although these two youths are strong, they are unlikely to win against us. After all, two fists can't beat four hands. However, if Feng Qingyang is really here, the battle will be different from what we predicted."

The others also looked very serious.

Because they misjudged one thing: the skills of these two genius teenagers were too high. Among them, in a one-on-one fight, only Xiang Wentian could probably gain an advantage, and even then, they might not dare to claim victory. As a result, their current setup could only take down these two teenagers or surround Feng Qingyang.

But when master and apprentice join forces, it's a completely different story.

"Don't worry, I've already made arrangements."

Xiang Wentian's gaze, sharp as a hawk's, swept over the dilapidated temple below and the surrounding terrain. He spoke in a deep voice.

"The plan remains unchanged! Brother Tong, you and I will focus our attack on Li Zhongren. This man is incredibly strong and his moves are fierce. We cannot fight him for too long. We must use skill to overcome strength, entangle him, and deplete his internal energy! Elder Qu, Elder Sang, you must capture Linghu Chong as quickly as possible! Once you have him, provide immediate support!"

He paused, lowered his voice even further, and carried an undeniable air of authority.

"As for Feng Qingyang, I have a backup plan. Let's move!"

Four figures silently dispersed, like four poisoned arrows released from a bow, shooting towards the dilapidated temple.

At the summit of an ancient pine tree, higher and farther away, a solitary and proud white figure stood silently like a snowflake in the cold night.

Ximen Chuixue held his strangely shaped black-sheathed longsword in his arms, his gaze piercing through the darkness, not on the fighting in the dilapidated temple, but like the most keen hunter, sensing every subtle movement of energy in this world.

His only goal was Feng Qingyang, the legendary swordsman of Mingzhou.

If Feng Qingyang does not show himself, all the life and death inside and outside this temple will be nothing but dust to him.

These two teenagers are indeed quite strong, but they are still far from being true masters. Especially the one named Linghu Chong, if he can grow up in the future, he could become my opponent.
"coming."

Li Zhongren picked up his iron mace and spoke.

Almost simultaneously, a sharp, piercing sound suddenly rang out from all directions outside the temple without warning!
They weren't crossbow bolts, but countless fine, hair-like poison needles that shimmered with a ghostly blue light!
Like a torrential downpour of pear blossoms, it instantly covered the entire remaining area of ​​the ruined temple!
At the same time, several fist-sized projectiles emitting a ghastly green smoke were precisely thrown into the temple, exploding upon landing!
Linghu Chong's expression changed, and he immediately pushed the sword energy of his Dugu Nine Swords to its limit. Combined with the Arrow-Breaking Stance, his longsword danced like a wheel, impenetrable to water, and guided, swirled, and flung all the poison needles and poison mist aimed at him to other places.

The clanging and banging sounds were as dense as a sudden rainstorm!

Li Zhongren's reaction was even more direct. He roared and his incomparably powerful internal energy exploded out!
A visible shockwave suddenly spread outwards from him!
The poisoned needles shot in front of him were directly knocked back by the violent energy and crashed against the wall with a clanging sound.

The spreading, ghastly green poisonous mist was temporarily forced back several feet by this powerful aura!

"Hehehe! Little brat, you've got a quick reaction!"

Sang San Niang's chilling laughter drifted through the night sky. Her figure flickered like a ghost among the ruins, her hands wielding poisonous caltrops, poisonous sand, and poisonous darts in rapid succession, striking with cunning and ruthless angles, targeting Linghu Chong and Li Zhongren's blind spots and lower bodies.

At the same time, a low and eerie melody of a zither began to play!

The music, initially plaintive and yearning, instantly transformed into a cacophony of clanging swords and galloping horses, the sounds of battle piercing the eardrums and shaking the very soul!
Linghu Chong felt a surge of blood and qi, and his sword strike faltered slightly! It was Qu Yang using his profound internal energy to activate the seven-stringed zither and unleash the Demonic Sect's sonic killing technique!

Just as Linghu Chong's swordplay was disturbed by the music, the sword energy within his body fluctuated slightly!

Woo——!
A massive, heavy black shadow, with the power to split mountains and shatter rocks, tore through the air and cleaved straight for Li Zhongren's head!
Tong Baixiong has made his move!

His massive axe, as large as a door panel, roared with the sound of wind and thunder, determined to cleave Li Zhongren in two!
Almost at the same time, a figure as agile as a dragon, with a majestic aura, fiercely attacked from another direction!
Xiang Wentian!
He did not use any fancy weapons; his two fleshy palms were as red as fire, and the wind from his palms was fierce and violent, with the faint sound of wind and thunder, aiming straight for Li Zhongren's vital heart!
The two men, one in front and one behind, with an axe and a palm strike respectively, worked in perfect coordination, instantly sealing off all of Li Zhongren's escape routes and aiming to kill him!

Faced with this thunderous attack from the top experts of the Demonic Sect, Li Zhongren's eyes showed no fear, but instead burst forth with a terrifying glint! It was the excitement of a ferocious beast encountering a powerful enemy!

"Well done!"

Li Zhongren let out a loud shout, his voice like a thunderclap, which shook the dilapidated temple and caused dust to fall.

He didn't dodge or evade. Facing Tong Baixiong's giant axe that seemed to split Mount Hua in two, he took a step forward with his left foot, shattering the bricks and stones on the ground!

His right arm muscles were bulging and veins were standing out. The heavy iron mace was raised from below with an earth-shattering momentum, fiercely meeting the attack!
"clang--!!!!"

A deafening, terrifying roar, far exceeding the clang of metal clashing, erupted! It was like a great bell being struck by a giant hammer! A visible shockwave spread outward from the point of impact between the mace and axe, dimming the surrounding flames!
Tong Baixiong's sinister smile froze instantly, turning into extreme horror!

He felt as if his giant axe was not striking an iron mace, but rather a towering, immovable mountain of steel!

An unimaginable, immense force surged forth from the axe handle!

His tiger's mouth instantly split open, blood gushing out! His terrifying arm strength, which he was so proud of and which was enough to tear tigers and leopards apart, seemed so insignificant in the face of this power!

The heavy axe let out a mournful cry of being unable to bear the weight. A huge nick was smashed into the axe blade, and the huge axe body was shaken high into the air by the force. His huge body staggered back several steps, leaving deep footprints on the ground with each step. His chest was churning with blood, and he almost spat out blood!
"what?!"

Tong Baixiong was utterly horrified.

At the very moment Li Zhongren clashed with the giant axe, Xiang Wentian's fiery red palms, imbued with the fierce power of the Great Nine Heavens Hand, struck Li Zhongren's back!
However, it seemed as if Li Zhongren had eyes in the back of his head!
Using the force of the recoil from the giant axe, he twisted his body at an incredible angle, turning half a circle. The iron mace that was originally used to block the giant axe, now swung around like a black, angry dragon, carrying the momentum of a sweeping army, and fiercely swept towards Xiang Wentian's palms!

This sudden change of tactics was as swift as lightning, and perfectly executed!

Xiang Wentian's pupils shrank drastically! He hadn't expected that Li Zhongren could counterattack so swiftly after taking Tong Baixiong's full-force axe blow!
In his haste, the crimson color of his palms intensified as he pushed his power to its limit, turning his strike into a press, attempting to forcefully hold down the sweeping iron mace!
"Bang!!!"

The bare palm collided solidly with the steel mace! The dull thud was like the beating of a giant drum!
Xiang Wentian grunted, feeling as if his palms were pressing against a high-speed, crashing steel chariot!

The violent force instantly shattered the protective energy in his palms, and his arms were in excruciating pain, feeling as if they were about to break!
He was swept away by this unparalleled force, tumbling several times in the air before he could barely dissipate the force. When he landed, he stumbled back several steps, his face flushed, clearly indicating that his internal organs had been injured!

His gaze toward Li Zhongren was filled with unbelievable shock—this boy's power was simply superhuman!
In a single exchange, the two elders of the Demonic Sect, known for their powerful strength, launched a surprise attack together, but were actually forced back and injured by Li Zhongren alone with his mace!

Inside the dilapidated temple, the figure holding the mace stood like an invincible ancient war god amidst the flickering firelight and billowing smoke!

(End of this chapter)