Starting with The Eagle Shooting Heroes: I gain a year's worth of skill every day.

"Rolling".

A soft sound broke the deathly silence in the inn's lobby.

Shen Mo casually tossed it aside.

A head covered in blood and dust rolled several times on the bluestone floor before finally coming to rest in the center of the hall.

The face was turned upwards, the eyes bulging, frozen with the terror and resentment of life's last moments.

Wanyan Honglie!

The atmosphere in the inn froze instantly.

A person.

overnight.

They razed the impenetrable Zhao Prince's mansion, carrying the head of the Jin Prince, and returned unscathed.

The Six Heroes of Jiangnan fell silent. They looked at the severed head, then at the Taoist priest in green robes whose clothes were not even disheveled.

All the storms he had weathered over decades of wandering the world were completely forgotten at this moment.

Zhu Cong's Adam's apple bobbed, and he opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound; his throat was so dry it felt like it was on fire.

Han Xiaoying's fingers gripped the cuffs tightly, her knuckles turning pale from the excessive force.

Wang Chuyi's shock, however, came from another level.

He didn't even glance at the head.

His entire focus was fixed on Shen Mo.

The moment Shen Mo stepped into the inn, he noticed it.

This junior brother Xuanmo has changed.

Previously, Shen Mo was perceived as a bottomless ancient well with vast internal energy, yet still traceable.

And now...

It is empty.

It is nothingness.

Wang Chuyi tried to extend his internal energy over there, but it was like throwing a mud ox into the sea; he received no response whatsoever.

The person standing in front of me seemed to be just an ordinary person who didn't know martial arts.

Back to basics!

These four words struck his Dao heart like a thunderbolt.

When martial arts reach their peak, one's essence, energy, and spirit are completely contained within, without leaking even a trace, becoming one with heaven and earth, and merging with all things.

This is a legendary realm that only exists in Taoist classics!

His master, Master Chongyang, was unparalleled in the world during the Mount Hua Sword Tournament, yet he only had one foot in the door!

And now, a being who has truly reached this level stands before him.

He's also his junior brother!

Wang Chuyi's breathing suddenly became heavy. He looked at Shen Mo with awe, as if an insurmountable sacred mountain stood before him.

He opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't utter a single word.

What exactly did Junior Brother Xuanmo experience that night?

Shen Mo ignored the turmoil in everyone's hearts.

He flicked his finger.

A small white porcelain bottle flew in an arc and landed precisely in Wang Chuyi's hand.

"Antidote."

Wang Chuyi seemed to wake from a dream, and subconsciously gripped the porcelain bottle tightly.

"Pack your belongings immediately and leave the city."

Shen Mo's voice rang out again, calm and even, yet carrying an undeniable chill.

"Wanyan Honglie is dead, and the Jin state has not yet reacted. After dawn, Zhongdu will be sealed off, and the army will besiege it. This place will become a dead end."

His gaze swept over the crowd, his calmness sending chills down one's spine.

"At that point, I can save at most one person to break through the encirclement."

"The rest of you must die."

Upon hearing this, a chill ran down everyone's spine from the tailbone to the top of their head.

The Seven Heroes of Jiangnan and Guo Jing and the others turned deathly pale instantly.

Only then did they truly realize what killing a Jin prince really meant.

That wasn't a feud between江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the martial arts world) members.

That's making an enemy of a country!

"Quick! Pack your things!"

Zhu Cong was the first to react, and screamed in a hoarse voice.

Everyone snapped out of their daze and hurriedly packed their things, completely flustered.

Guo Jing helped Yang Tiexin up, and Yang Tiexin then helped up Bao Xiruo, who was still in shock. The group hurriedly went upstairs.

Huang Rong's gaze shifted back and forth between Shen Mo and the head, and for the first time, an indescribable complex emotion appeared in her bright eyes.

"Junior Brother Xuanmo is right."

Wang Chuyi took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and said in a deep voice, "We must leave before dawn, the sooner the better, otherwise..."

He didn't continue.

But everyone understands the weight of that "otherwise".

Just then.

Shen Mo's footsteps suddenly stopped.

He turned his head slightly, his gaze seemingly piercing through the wall, looking out at the pitch-black night outside the inn.

Just now, his enhanced perception detected a certain aura.

A violent, cold, and extremely powerful aura is rushing towards this place from outside the city at an unbelievable speed!

The strength of that power far exceeded that of anyone he had killed that night.

"It's too late."

A silent voice echoed in the quiet inn.

"A guest has arrived."

Before he could finish speaking...

"hiss--!"

A piercing, sharp screech tore through the night sky, exploding directly in everyone's ears.

Immediately following was the scraping sound of countless venomous snakes flicking their tongues.

The sound grew louder as it approached, becoming a continuous chorus that sent chills down one's spine.

Inside the inn, the group of people who had just started to move froze instantly.

The Seven Heroes of Jiangnan were all deathly pale.

Guo Jing was so shocked by the howling sound that his blood surged, his chest tightened, and he almost knelt down on the spot.

boom!!

A deafening roar shook the heavens and the earth!

The inn's door wasn't smashed open; it was blasted into the finest wood chips on the spot!

Amidst the billowing dust, a gaunt figure, radiating an all-consuming rage and murderous intent, stepped into the hall.

The newcomer was dressed in Western Region attire, with wildly flowing hair and beard, and bloodshot eyes.

He had been to the Prince of Zhao's residence.

He saw Ouyang Ke's mutilated and gruesome corpse!

"Coo-coo!"

The old man emitted a muffled, suppressed croaking sound, which transformed into visible ripples that spread outwards from him!

Crackling sounds!

In that instant, all the doors and windows inside the inn shattered into dust!

Under the terrifying pressure of the "Five Greats," the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan, Guo Jing, and the others could not even stand. An invisible mountain pressed down on their hearts, and even their breathing stopped completely.

Wang Chuyi's face was completely devoid of color.

He looked at the old man who seemed to have gone mad, and with all his might, he managed to squeeze out three words through gritted teeth.

"West...Poison...Ou...Yang...Feng!"

Despair gripped his heart in an instant.

It’s over.

Ouyang Feng's sinister gaze swept across the entire scene, finally locking onto the only one unaffected by his aura—the Taoist in blue.

He could sense that the sword intent that killed Ouyang Ke remained on this person!

"Step back."

Shen Mo calmly uttered two words to Wang Chuyi and the others.

In the next instant, he moved swiftly, standing in front of the crowd, facing the enraged Western Poisoner from afar.

The night wind howled in through the broken doors and windows, fluttering his clothes.

"You've come at the perfect time."

Shen Mo looked at Ouyang Feng and slowly spoke.

"So I don't have to come looking for you."

"court death!"

Ouyang Feng's reason was consumed by rage. He let out a beast-like roar, suddenly lowered his body, and lay prone on the ground, thrusting his palms forward fiercely!

Toad Style Kung Fu!

Unleash your full power!

The air in front of him was instantly compressed and distorted, turning into an invisible yet terrifying force wall heavier than a mountain, shrieking as it crushed towards Shen Mo!

Wherever it passed, tables, chairs, and benches were all swept up and silently turned to dust in mid-air!

Faced with this blow that could shatter stone and split rocks, Shen Mo neither dodged nor avoided it.

He simply raised his right hand and casually struck out with his palm against the surging wall of force.

The immense power of the eleventh level of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill.

The highest quality of innate true energy.

The two merged perfectly at this moment.

The moment Shen Mo's palm strike made contact with Ouyang Feng's Toad Power Wall,

There was no earth-shattering noise.

That domineering skill that Ouyang Feng was so proud of, which had allowed him to dominate the martial arts world for decades, was wiped out so directly and completely.

Like an illusion.

Immediately afterwards, an even purer and more irresistible terrifying force violently surged back!

puff!

Ouyang Feng felt as if a mountain range had slammed into his chest, and the force of the impact sent him flying three zhang backward!

The hard bluestone slab beneath his feet was ground into the finest dust along the path he was thrown back!

Ouyang Feng staggered to the ground, a metallic taste rising in his throat, and he forced back a mouthful of blood.

He stared intently at Shen Mo, the frenzied hatred in his bloodshot eyes receding, replaced by a feeling of horror and bewilderment that surfaced for the first time.

How is that possible?!

His Toad Style Kung Fu was actually defeated head-on by this person with a single palm strike?!