Ming took out a Rank 1 Heal Surge Pill, boosting his natural regeneration. He forced his muscles to contract, slowing the bleeding from his shoulder.

  He spoke to Shuren, backing away from Jeros. “Do we run? We don’t know how powerful this Rank 2 can get.”

  Shuren’s arm trembled, gripping the Ruyi Staff so hard to the point it wasn’t stable. Why didn’t he use the Blood Path earlier? If he did, we would’ve easily been dealt with. Yet he only used it when he lost a whole arm! Guessing from his age, he only reached Rank 2 after decades of work…

  “Normally, the gap between Rank 1 and Rank 2 is considered to be like the gap between the heavens and earth. Even if there’s two of us, I’m Stage 9 and you’re Stage 10.”

  “So the odds aren’t in our favour, huh?” Ming brought his sword to a low stance.

  Perhaps they should’ve escaped. That it was ideal to leave while having their lives.

  Shuren noticed the innocent child in the corner of the room. The one who saw her own parents be brutally killed and maimed in front of her.

  And once more, he thought back to the defensive stance of Jeros. The man who couldn’t even use his path until he lost an entire arm.

  True, the blasphemous Paths inherently take something away from your human soul. But it shouldn’t have made him unable to act until this point. That means…

  And noticing Jeros abiding his time, almost as if he was anticipating his opponents to attempt escape right now, meant only one thing.

  Shuren had a wide grin. “Wu Ming, don’t you think it’s time for us to come back with the head of a Rank 2?”

  When Jeros heard those words, he spat blood on the side with disdain. With a single step, he swung both bloodied axes, with a blade of blood striking towards Shuren and Ming.

  The duo dodged with ease, and Ming took point.

  Shuren only left a single message. Enough to let Ming know what the vital weakness of their opponent was.

  “Remember. It’s just some blood.”

  Ming smirked, closing the gap between Jeros and him. “Right. It’s just blood.”

  Though Jeros had the incredible power of a Rank 2, his Talisbody Grade was at best Iron.

  After all, he was able to get injured by a pair of Rank 1’s. Though his body was large and muscular, he hadn’t pushed the limit of his body to reach Silver Talisbody.

  Which meant he was, at best, a Low Grade Rank 2.

  Though Rank 1 was split into 12 stages, that was just to make it easier for young cultivators, in order to master Qi control.

  Every other rank afterward just had 4 stages, which represented the 4 bottlenecks. Low, Mid, High and Peak.

  He’s only a Low Rank 2, I’m sure of it! Otherwise, his Blood Path would’ve been far more developed!

  Ming was able to weave and dash around Jeros, focusing his all into speed.

  While handling Ming, Jeros moved his right hand to block Shuren’s sneak attack with his axe.

  That was his mistake.

  Ming stabbed directly into his waist again, worsening Jeros’s injuries. It was only a quick stab, reclaiming his blade to defend with a stance.

  All he needed was for Jeros to slow down. Just for a moment.

  Wind Spear Gale!

  Shuren may have been blocked by Jeros’s axe, but the bursts of Wind Qi exploded at the tip of his staff, going past his axe right into his waist.

  Jeros backed off, abandoning his offence.

  There was another gap.

  Shuren slammed the Ruyi Staff right into Jeros’s waist, causing him to cough out blood.

  No, he didn’t just cough out blood.

  With no time to react, blood dripped from Shuren and Ming’s body.

  Multiple thin spikes of blood stabbed through Shuren’s arm and chest. It dissipated, allowing blood to flow from his wounds. The same for Ming as well.

  Jeros crossed his battle axes together, with crimson blood sparking at its edge. “You two are already dead.”

  “Bloodsoul Drain.”

  The moment they heard the word ‘soul’, Shuren and Ming slid back right away.

  Soul. The glaring weakness for a Rank 1.

  A Rank 2 cultivator was capable of tapping into their Talisoul.

  Which likewise meant they could learn techniques that would aim for their opponent’s soul.

  And a Rank 1 had no capabilities of defending their soul.

  Shuren still had a plan in his mind.

  “Ming! Do it!”

  With a blur, Ming appeared behind Jeros, striking his neck. Even though it was highly risky, now was the time to stun Jeros.

  It was too late.

  Blood from all of Shuren and Ming’s wounds were being sapped away at an incredulous speed, almost forming into a blood fountain.

  Sword Forge Stance!

  He had to burn all of his Qi away now to end this!

  Shuren exuded a silver aura. His blood began to steam.

  To the point Jeros couldn’t absorb it anymore.

  Realising the scheme, he ignored Ming to cleave Shuren down in a single blow. Not good, he realised one of my weaknesses!

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  Blood poured from Jeros’s waist. Ming had slashed him once again.

  Gritting his teeth, he raised both axes to slam them right down. But the crimson edge of those blades was gone, turning into blood darts aiming for Shuren.

  Shuren leapt.

  The underground cavern had a low height, making it easy for him to reach the top.

  Holding the Ruyi Staff with both hands, he controlled his Qi until it became a condensed beam ready to pierce through anything.

  And he made a barbaric, amateur move.

  Just a single slice across the ceiling.

  “Destroy it all!”

  The blood darts flashed towards Shuren’s body, but the moment they made contact with his skin, the blood steamed until it became fluid.

  With the caverns caving in, large chunks of earth fell on Shuren, Ming, and Jeros.

  And with the rain of earth dampening the blood, Jeros struggled to control his techniques.

  Earth clung to Shuren and Ming’s wounds, acting as a sealant.

  With the downpour of dirt, blood could no longer flow.

  If I were him, what would I do next?!

  Shuren landed, knowing the direction he had to go.

  With all the force in his legs, he strode forth.

  Blitz Stride!

  He ran to the south of the cavern, where the collapsed Yijun was awakening.

  And to his left, a large cloud of dirt and dust clouds shot forward, partly concealing with Jeros running with his axes held high.

  With the force of a Rank 2, he was ready to cut down his own comrade for a supply of blood to bolster his defences!

  Shuren now stood in front of Yijun, ready to intercept Jeros.

  When Yijun came to be, she wasn’t sure how to react. Seeing her enemy defend her. She realised the situation with the destroyed room and the maddening roar of Jeros, who now leapt into the air to slam down on Shuren. Jeros… No, it’s not that he’s weak, it’s that these two have absurd strength!

  With Shuren’s back towards her, she instinctively went to grab her short sword.

  She hesitated. It won’t work. There’s no way this blond man didn’t account for that.

  Facing the onrushing strike of Jeros’s axes, Shuren just scoffed. He held his Ruyi Staff in a reverse back stance, glaring down at Jeros.

  “For a Rank 2, you sure are mediocre.”

  Jeros grit his teeth to the point blood ran from his gums.

  The moment Jeros fell down, Shuren prepared his next move.

  A simple move.

  With the Ruyi Staff in both hands, he did a basic stab.

  Straight at Jeros’s injured waist.

  The moment Shuren hit Jeros, he didn’t do much damage.

  Jeros didn’t seem to be halted.

  But with the tip of the Ruyi Staff directly in Jeros’s open wounds, that was more than enough.

  “Piercing Tempest.”

  A storm of energy exploded at the end of the staff, directly into Jeros’s internals.

  Wind Qi formed, rampaging through his body like a wild tempest of blades.

  With the immense blast of wind, Jeros was flung back.

  Far from Shuren and Yijun.

  It didn’t do an intense amount of damage. Jeros was still a Rank 2.

  But that opening was all Shuren needed.

  To give to Wu Ming, the swordsman hiding in the dark.

  Shuren! Perfect. You’ve led the fish right on the chopping board!

  Watching Jeros fly towards him, Ming could act without worry.

  He held his sword tight, glistening in the dark. His silent steps were unheard, not even to the bugs and worms in the clumps of fallen dirt.

  He didn’t need to breathe. There was only one thought in his mind.

  Mortal Severing.

  Ming wouldn’t falter. He forgot his injuries, he forgot his senses, he forgot his goals, and he forgot his life. Only the sword encapsulated him. Only one single thought filled the entirely of his body, soul and mind.

  The aura of a swordsman’s Qi exploded for a moment, before distilling itself back into Ming’s sword.

  The body of a man in Stage 10 radiated with the marks of ascension. Now was the time.

  To break through to Stage 11.

  Using a Rank 2 as the whetstone for his blade.

  With Jeros now in his range, he only needed one motion.

  A horizontal slash.

  Aimed right at Jeros’s worst injuries at his waist.

  Severing his mortal sensations and emotions, Ming dragged the sword across the Rank 2’s body.

  His sword squelched through intestines, cracked through bones, and sliced across flesh.

  This was Mortal Severing!

  He would break through to Stage 11, almost reaching the gates of Path Foundation!

  He would sever this mortal in two!

  The body of a Rank 2 Path Foundation was severed in half.

  Wu Ming didn’t roar or yell in victory. He stood still, soaking in the sensation of his slash and the feel of his sword. The Liu Clan sword style was truly sublime.

  Even when split in half, the Rank 2 demonic cultivator roared his final words. “I curse you to Gehonan! You Cloud City brats could never understand our-”

  The Ruyi Staff slammed into his cranium, killing him at once.

  At once, Shuren took out a Rank 1 Body Cleansing Pill, feeding it to Ming.

  In case there was any poison or after effects from the battle, it helped purify injuries to an extent.

  Ming sat down in a meditative position, cycling his Healing Path transformed Qi at once, boosting his regeneration abilities. The dull throbbing pain in his head diminished. For now, all he needed to do was form scabs on his open wound, stopping the blood flow. Enough to reduce a severe injury, he still needed to come back to the Seven Clouds Sect for a proper heal up. They weren’t at the level yet to heal severe injuries with their own abilities. Healing pills were not miraculous after all, at best stalling imminent risks.

  He had to especially stabilise his body to understand the changes, now that he had reached Stage 11.

  The Silvent girl in the corner remained unaffected, as if death was already a sweet embrace. Dirt and dust covered her face, and yet her eyes remained the same.

  Shuren and Ming deliberately avoided looking towards her or even trying to shield her during the battle. The moment their enemies noticed their main goal was to save the last caravan survivor, they would’ve instantly used her as hostage. With a Rank 2 Path Foundation, in the worst-case scenario, they couldn’t acquiesce to a demonic cultivator’s demands; it was a sure-fire road to death.

  Shuren first needed to tend to his immediate wounds. Though he removed the daggers before aiding Ming, he needed to lessen the blood flow. He sat with Ming to meditate, having also swallowed a healing pill.

  “The Blood Path sure is weak. The most pathetic Rank 2 I’ve ever faced,” Shuren said, as his wounds closed slowly.

  “If that man trained his body to Silver Talisbody, we would’ve had to run right away. They must be the dregs of their sect. Hell, just a better use of his Path would’ve trapped us easily.” Ming muttered, breathing out slowly. He faced Shuren. “Good technique, I am in your debt once again, Shuren. It would’ve been a long time before I would’ve tasted the technique born from a Rank 7 clan.”

  “No large matter, junior brother.”

  “Oi, calling me junior brother was a one-time thing.”

  The sounds of their chuckle echoed in the eerily silent cave in ruins. The sunlight of the heavens bore through the opening, lightening the two corpses on the side.

  Shuren paid his attention to another matter. “Now then.”

  “You won't let me go, right?” Yijun said, holding a dagger to the neck of the Silvent child. She knew from that gaze. Even if he saved her life during battle, it was merely a battle tactic to weaken Jeros. Now with that use gone, she would be killed.

  Ming’s brow furrowed, staring swords into the woman. Shuren waved a palm in front of him, standing up to face her.

  “Let me live. Or I’ll kill her.” Yijun trembled, nearing her blade closer.

  The child had zero reaction. Her face bereft of innocence, she had no fear for her life. More so, she lost all regard for her life with the torturous death of her parents.

  Shuren placed his hands behind his back, so Yijun’s shoulder eased a bit.

  Even with his injuries, he emanated the presence of an indifferent man.

  The burnt sensation of the couple’s corpse, the smell of their dead flesh and the sight of their tortured body came back to Shuren’s mind. He wouldn’t allow a single drop of that indignation to appear on his face. With a look of utter apathy, like a cultivator disinterested in mortal affairs, he said four words.

  “Do it. Kill her.”