Chapter 17: still continuing

CRASH!

Fresh blood gushed from Bai Xieye's left shoulder and right thigh. Two deep wounds added to his already poor condition.

Bai Xieye staggered back, but still managed to stand upright. Blood dripped from his wounds, mixing with sweat and battle dust.

Ling Fengwu smiled in satisfaction. "Three shadows? Quite a rare technique. But it's useless if your body can't keep up with the technique."

Bai Xieye felt the effects of the new poison from Ling Fengwu's sword begin to spread from his two new wounds. This poison was different, more painful and spread faster.

"You felt the poison of my sword?" asked Ling Fengwu, as if he could read Bai Xieye's mind. "Sky Purple Flower poison. There is no antidote except for the one made by the Purple Sword Sect itself."

Bai Xieye gritted his teeth. His body began to burn from within. The combination of two different types of poison in his body created an almost unbearable pain.

But Bai Xieye was not someone who gave up so easily. He had faced more life and death situations than most people twice his age.

"You talk too much," he said in a calm tone, though cold sweat continued to run down his face.

Ling Fengwu laughed. "Admirable courage. I will honor you by killing you as quickly as possible."

He raised his sword high. Blackish purple energy gathered around the blade, growing more intense and dangerous.

"[Purple Sky Poison - Final Judgment]!"

Ling Fengwu swung his sword down with full force. A gigantic purple-black energy wave shot towards Bai Xieye, shattering the ground in its path.

Bai Xieye knew he couldn't possibly dodge this attack in his current state. But he also knew that sometimes, the best defense was a stronger attack.

"[Blood Sword Dance - Final Sacrifice]!"

With one swift movement, Bai Xieye scratched his own palm with his sword. Fresh blood flowed, covering the entire blade of his sword.

His blood turned a blackish-red color as it came into contact with his sword, as if reacting with the material of the sword.

In an instant, Bai Xieye's entire body was enveloped in a terrifying blackish-red aura. His wound throbbed, oozing more blood, yet he didn't seem to feel it.

"Forbidden technique..." muttered Ling Fengwu, his eyes widening slightly at the change in Bai Xieye.

Without further words, Bai Xieye darted forward, directly facing a wave of purple-black energy from Ling Fengwu.

BOOM!

The two energies met in a devastating explosion that destroyed almost the entire battle area. Walls collapsed, the ground cracked, and shockwaves traveled throughout the small town.

When the dust and energy subsided, silence enveloped the place. Neither Bai Xieye nor Ling Fengwu were visible amidst the rubble.

Then, a coughing sound could be heard from behind the ruins.

Ling Fengwu stood staggeringly, blood flowing from several wounds on his body. His black robe was torn in several places, and his purple sword had small cracks in several parts.

"Crazy brat..." he muttered. "Using such forbidden techniques..."

He glanced around, searching for Bai Xieye's figure. Had the attack just now finished off his opponent?

Suddenly, his instincts screamed danger.

From the shadow behind him!

Ling Fengwu turned around quickly, raising his sword to parry.

Too late.

SLASH!

Bai Xieye's sword pierced through his defenses, stabbing right through his heart.

Ling Fengwu's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. How could the boy still be able to move after that attack?

Bai Xieye stood in front of him, his body covered in wounds and blood. The young man's eyes looked different-darker, deeper, like bottomless pits.

"You... how..." Ling Fengwu stuttered, blood beginning to flow from his mouth.

"[Blood Sword Dance]," Bai Xieye said quietly. "A technique that exchanges blood for strength. The more blood I sacrifice, the stronger the attacks I can launch."

Ling Fengwu understood now. This boy had deliberately allowed himself to be injured, collecting blood for that forbidden technique.

"But... the price of that technique..."

"Yes," Bai Xieye nodded. "My lifespan will be reduced every time I use it. But you don't have to worry about that."

With one swift movement, Bai Xieye withdrew his sword from Ling Fengwu's body. Blood gushed from the fatal wound.

Ling Fengwu staggered back, his sword slipped from his grasp and fell clinking to the ground. He stared at Bai Xieye with an incredulous look before his body collapsed to the ground.

"Boy... you'll die from that poison... there's no antidote outside of the Purple Sword Sect..." he said with his last breath.

Bai Xieye stared at Ling Fengwu's now lifeless body. Without wasting any time, he immediately searched through his opponent's body, looking for anything that might be useful.

Under Ling Fengwu's black robe, he found a few small pouches. One contained spirit stones, the other contained some pills and small bottles.

Bai Xieye picked up one of the small bottles and opened it. A pale purple liquid was visible inside.

"Antidote," he muttered. Ling Fengwu must have brought an antidote for his own sword poison, just in case he was accidentally exposed to his own poison in battle.

Without hesitation, Bai Xieye downed the liquid. It tasted bitter and burned his throat, but he didn't care. The important thing was to neutralize the poison from Ling Fengwu's sword.

For the poison from the previous assassin, he still had some stronger antidote pills in his own pouch. He took one of them and swallowed it as well.

After a while, Bai Xieye felt the effects of both antidotes begin to work. The burning in his body began to subside, and his vision returned to clarity.

However, the impact of the [Blood Sword Dance] could not be counteracted by any antidote. His body felt extremely weak, and he knew he had lost several years of his cultivator lifespan.

"At least I'm still alive," he muttered to himself.

With limping steps, Bai Xieye walked away from the battle area. He needed to find a safe place to recover before another enemy appeared.

Before he had walked far, the dizzying sensation struck him again. This time it was stronger than before.

"Damn... the side effects of that technique..."

He leaned against a nearby wall, trying to stabilize his breathing. Cold sweat drenched his body again.

His vision began to blur. The sounds around her sounded distant and muffled. Her body felt like it was burning from within.

"I can't faint here..." he muttered, forcing himself to stay conscious.

With steely determination, Bai Xieye pushed his body to keep moving. Every step felt like carrying a mountain, but he didn't give up.

He had to reach the inn before his body completely collapsed.

Fifteen steps...

Ten steps...

Five steps...

By the time he reached the inn's door, his consciousness was already on the verge. With his remaining strength, he pushed open the door and went inside.

The innkeeper, an old man, was shocked to see his guest's condition.

"Young man! What happened to you?" he exclaimed, rushing over to Bai Xieye.

Bai Xieye could only weakly shake his head. "My room... take me to my room..."

The innkeeper immediately carried Bai Xieye to his room on the second floor. Carefully, he laid the young man down on the cot.

"You need a doctor!" the innkeeper said, looking worried.

"No," Bai Xieye weakly refused. "I just need rest... and this."

He took out a dark red pill from his pocket. Dragon's Blood Recovery Pill, one of the strongest recovery pills he had. He kept it for emergency situations like this.

With trembling hands, she put the pill in her mouth and swallowed it.

"Room... lock it from the inside... don't let anyone in..." he pleaded with the innkeeper.

The innkeeper, though still worried, nodded and did as requested. He locked the room door from the inside, then exited through the window which Bai Xieye immediately closed from the inside.

Now alone, Bai Xieye took out several other pills from his pouch. Qi Refining Pill, Bone Strengthening Pill, and Blood Purification Pill. All of them were extremely rare and precious high-level pills.

He swallowed all three in succession, then set his position for meditation.

"[Black Dragon Cultivation Technique - Recovery]."

With his remaining strength, Bai Xieye began to flow qi throughout his body, aiding the absorption of the properties of the pills he swallowed.

Slowly, his body was enveloped in a reddish-black aura. The wounds on his body began to close, and the remaining toxins in his body were pushed out through the pores of his skin in the form of black, foul-smelling sweat.

This recovery process would take at least a full day. During that time, Bai Xieye would be in a vulnerable state of meditation.

If anyone attacked him at this time, he wouldn't be able to defend himself.

But he had no other choice. His body had already reached its limit. If he didn't recuperate now, he would probably suffer permanent damage to his cultivation path and meridians.