Chapter 24: Power of Leng Mengli

The battle between the village chief, the ten elders, and Leng Mengli erupted into chaos as both sides unleashed their full might. At the forefront stood the village chief, his sword gleaming with intricate runes etched along its blade—a clear sign that it was a lower-grade spiritual artifact. With a swift motion, he summoned his Grade 5 Moonshadowblade Martial Soul , which materialized around his weapon, enhancing its lethality.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three crescent-shaped slashes surged forward, each imbued with dense spiritual energy. They sliced through the air like silent reapers, aimed directly at Leng Mengli and his demonic hawk. However, before they could connect, Leng Mengli raised a hand dismissively, his crimson eyes gleaming with disdain. A faint red aura flared around him, forming an invisible barrier that intercepted the attacks. The crescent slashes dissipated harmlessly upon contact, leaving no visible trace of impact.

Meanwhile, one of the burly elders roared furiously, summoning his Grade 6 Stone Bull Martial Soul . The massive spectral bull overlapped with his body, amplifying his already formidable strength. Charging ahead like an unstoppable juggernaut, he closed the distance between himself and the enemy in mere moments.

Other elders followed suit, releasing their martial souls in unison. Weapons forged from Qi, ethereal beasts, and even plant-based constructs filled the battlefield. Despite their collective power, none of them possessed martial souls above Grade 6 or Grade 5.

Seeing this display, Leng Mengli let out a derisive laugh. "Haha! Such weak martial souls! And you dare attack me?"

A fearsome aura exploded outward from his body, spreading in all directions. From the crimson pool beneath him emerged a towering monstrosity—the Grade 4 Blood Demon Martial Soul . Standing twenty feet tall, its pitch-black eyes glimmered with malevolence, and its muscular frame radiated raw power. The blood pond expanded rapidly, forming a bizarre domain that distorted reality itself.

The burly elder, now within striking range, suddenly felt an oppressive force weighing down on him. His movements slowed drastically, as if invisible chains bound his limbs.

"So fast!" he gasped, realizing too late that Leng Mengli had vanished from his original position.

In the blink of an eye, the young sect disciple appeared beside him, delivering a brutal palm strike to his chest. Simultaneously, the colossal Blood Demon grabbed the spectral Stone Bull and slammed it into the ground with devastating force.

Boom!

The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the area. The burly elder coughed up blood, his body flung backward like a ragdoll. He crashed into a nearby house, leaving behind a crater before lying motionless. It was evident that he had sustained severe injuries—if not fatal ones.

"Hmph," Leng Mengli sneered, clearly unimpressed. "Is this all you've got? Pathetic."

This display of power sent shivers down the spines of the elders. Even seasoned warriors tightened their grips on their weapons, realizing just how formidable their opponent truly was.

"Haha! This is the difference between upper-tier and lower-grade martial souls," Leng Mengli declared arrogantly. "Every gap above Grade 5 martial souls is akin to the chasm between heaven and earth."

His words struck fear into the hearts of the remaining elders, but they refused to back down. Instead, they tightened their formation, encircling Leng Mengli once more.

Before Leng Mengli could press his advantage further, the village chief stepped forward, placing himself squarely between the enemy and his comrades. His expression hardened, exuding an unwavering resolve.

"Back me from outside the domain! I will handle him here," the chief commanded firmly.

Leng Mengli sneered, clearly amused by the audacity of the old man. "Haha! Wishful thinking! Let me show you the true strength of mid-grade martial arts!"

"Blood Hands"

With a wave of his hand, he manipulated the blood-soaked environment around him. Streams of blood shot from him along with the spiritual energy, transforming into multiple writhing arms that reached for the defenders.

"You dare!" the village chief growled, leaping into action. His Moonshadowblade slashed through the air, slicing apart the grasping appendages with precision.

But what happened next caught everyone off guard.

"Blood Steps!"

The severed arms dissolved into pools of blood, and from each pool, Leng Mengli teleported, appearing unpredictably across the battlefield. His technique allowed him to traverse distances instantaneously via his blood—a terrifying ability that rendered conventional tactics useless.

Caught off guard, several elders were struck by surprise attacks, forcing them to retreat hastily. Their only hope now rested on the village chief's shoulders.

While the elders battled Leng Mengli, Lin Jianhong continued his relentless assault against the demon hawk. Despite its massive size, the creature proved slower than anticipated, allowing Jianhong to dart nimbly beneath its claws and deliver precise strikes with his spear. Each thrust drew blood, weakening the beast incrementally.

Shriek!

Enraged, the hawk opened its massive beak wide, attempting to swallow Jianhong whole. But the seasoned hunter was far too experienced to fall for such a straightforward attack. Slamming his spear downward with tremendous force, he created a small pit beneath himself, propelling his body upward onto the beast's back.

From there, he swung his spear directly at the hawk's head, aiming to end the fight decisively.

However, just as he prepared to strike, the beast flapped its wings ferociously, generating powerful gusts of wind that disrupted his balance. Sensing an opportunity, the hawk attempted to take flight, seeking refuge in the skies where no foundation-stage cultivator could follow.

But fate—or perhaps strategy—intervened.

From the east, a fiery arrow streaked across the battlefield, trailing flames as it collided with the hawk's body.

Boom!

The explosion engulfed the beast in searing flames, causing its feathers to catch fire. Unable to maintain altitude, the hawk plummeted toward the ground, crashing into a nearby building and destroying the surrounding structures.

Shriek!

"Thanks, old man! It would've been trouble if it escaped," Jianhong acknowledged gratefully, recognizing the signature power of Elder Zhou Xuan—the retired archer whose fiery arrows remained unmatched in the village.

Seizing the moment, Jianhong climbed atop the burning creature, channeling every ounce of his strength into a final blow. With a deafening roar, he drove his spear straight through the center of the hawk's skull, dragging the lifeless beast to the ground.

***

Meanwhile, Lin Feng, perched atop a crumbling rooftop, continued his relentless assault on the scattered beasts that had slipped past the defensive lines. His Grade 9 Bow and Arrow Martial Soul , enhanced by his superior cultivation base, proved devastatingly effective against the weaker foes. Each arrow he fired streaked like a meteor, piercing through early-stage Qi Refining beasts with terrifying precision. Yet, despite his efforts, there were simply too many enemies to handle alone.

It was then that Lin Feng noticed something unusual—a sleek, serpentine figure slithering silently toward the area where his peers—Li Wei, Mei Ling, Wang Lei, and others—were locked in combat with several demonic wolves. Sensing the creature's aura, Lin Feng frowned deeply.

"This one… it's at the middle stage of Qi Refining," he murmured under his breath, recognizing the danger immediately. "If it reaches them, they'll be overwhelmed."

Without hesitation, Lin Feng nocked an arrow and drew back the string, channeling Qi into the projectile just as he'd done countless times before. The arrow shot forward like a bolt of lightning, aimed directly at the serpent-like beast.

However, the creature reacted with alarming speed. Before the arrow could strike, a thick layer of ice erupted around its body, forming a crystalline barrier that deflected the attack harmlessly. The impact shattered part of the icy shield but failed to penetrate fully.

Hiss!

The beast turned its attention toward Lin Feng, revealing itself fully for the first time. Its scales shimmered a deep cerulean blue, reflecting the moonlight like liquid frost. Along its sinuous body ran intricate patterns resembling frozen rivers, glowing faintly with an otherworldly energy. Two large, fan-like fins extended from either side of its head, fluttering gently despite the lack of wind. Its eyes glowed pale white, exuding an aura of cold indifference.

This was no ordinary beast—it was a Frost Serpent , a creature born of ice, capable of manipulating freezing temperatures with deadly precision. As it coiled menacingly, tendrils of frost spread outward from its body, freezing the ground beneath it and creating jagged spikes of ice along its path.

Realizing it had been discovered, the Frost Serpent let out a low, guttural hiss before slithering rapidly toward Lin Feng, intent on eliminating the threat.

"This is troublesome." Lin Feng abandoned his bow, knowing this fight required something more personal—more primal. He summoned his Twinforce Howler Martial Soul , the spectral wolf materializing above him with a fierce howl. One half of its body shimmered with silvery tones, representing wind manipulation, while the other gleamed with azure hues, symbolizing water control. As the martial soul fused with his own energy, Lin Feng felt a surge of power coursing through him—a perfect balance between fluidity and cutting force.

 Hiss!

The serpent let out a guttural hiss as it moved rapidly in his direction. Icy mist billowed from its maw, freezing patches of ground into solid ice within seconds. Lin Feng dodged nimbly, using bursts of wind-infused movement to evade the worst of the attack. However, the sheer chill seeped into his bones, slowing him down slightly.

Realizing he couldn't rely solely on evasion, Lin Feng clenched his fists and adopted a fighting stance—the Iron Flow Boxing technique taught by the village chief. Each punch and kick was infused not only with raw physical strength but also with the elemental powers granted by his martial soul.

"Come!"