Chapter 60: Battle of Life and Death

The scene happened too fast. In a flash, one of the three eighth-level Qi Condensation cultivators from the Fallen Chen Clan was dead. The other two gasped, but there was no time to react—they immediately charged at Bai Xiaochun.

Blood trickled from the corner of Bai Xiaochun's mouth. His body trembled as he staggered back and slammed into a large tree behind him. The longsword in his chest was forcefully jolted out. He grabbed it with his right hand and, without hesitation, swung it in a wide arc toward one of the attackers. Although that cultivator dodged, the other one had already arrived, forming a hand seal with his right hand and releasing a powerful blast.

**Boom!**

Bai Xiaochun was sent flying. Blood sprayed from his body mid-air, his robes dyed crimson. The two Fallen Chen cultivators chased after him. A life-and-death crisis was upon him, but Bai Xiaochun refused to give in to despair. His intense will to survive surged as he let out a low roar. Forming hand seals, he summoned a long spear, a giant axe, and two flying swords, hurling them outward using his *Violet Qi Cauldron Control*.

The two clan members' expressions shifted. They cast spells, summoning black mist to block the incoming barrage. Explosions rang out as the tools were scattered in all directions. Bai Xiaochun, bleeding at the mouth, staggered backward.

"It's over!" the two cultivators shouted, charging in for the third time. This time they moved at full speed, their cultivation powers surging to the max. In an instant, they were upon Bai Xiaochun, ready to strike the final blow.

**"I have to live… I must live!"**

A wild gleam shone in Bai Xiaochun's eyes. His spiritual energy was all but exhausted. With a hoarse scream, he summoned every last trace of latent spiritual power hidden deep in the tiniest capillaries of his body, in his flesh and bones. Like countless rivers converging into the sea, it burst forth all at once.

**BOOM BOOM BOOM!**

The once-dormant spiritual energy—loosened during his many previous life-and-death battles—was now fully awakened. It flooded into his main meridians, roaring through his body like a surging river. A pounding drumbeat echoed within him as meridian after meridian burst open.

At that moment, the aura of the **seventh level of Qi Condensation** exploded from Bai Xiaochun's body.

The two incoming clan members both froze, their faces filling with shock and disbelief.

"A breakthrough… in the middle of battle?!"

"How… how is this possible!?"

As they reeled in astonishment, Bai Xiaochun raised his head, a sharp gleam in his eyes. Though the surge in spiritual energy couldn't heal his injuries, it replenished his strength, giving him a second wind.

With a sudden leap, he appeared right in front of one of them. Before the stunned cultivator could react, Bai Xiaochun's right hand turned completely black—the *Fragmented Lock* technique activated.

**Crack!**

The cultivator couldn't dodge. His body moved involuntarily toward Bai Xiaochun's hand, as if offering his neck willingly. With a single squeeze, Bai Xiaochun crushed his throat.

The last remaining eighth-level cultivator was terrified. Seeing Bai Xiaochun's bloodshot gaze turn toward him, he shrieked and backed away in panic. His face twisted with fear. His will had already crumbled.

"**Young Master, help me!!**" he cried out desperately as he fled.

At that moment, Chen Heng was less than thirty *zhang* away. Seeing this unfold, he roared in fury.

**"You court death!"**

Bai Xiaochun didn't even glance at him. Instead, he formed a hand seal and pointed. The scattered magical tools around him all trembled and buzzed, as if answering his call.

In a blink, they shot through the air—much faster than before—rushing toward Chen Heng to block his advance.

**Boom boom boom!**

Even with Chen Heng's ninth-level Qi Condensation cultivation, he couldn't destroy them instantly. He was momentarily delayed.

Using that moment, Bai Xiaochun darted forward and closed in on the fleeing eighth-level cultivator. His eyes burned with killing intent as he threw a punch.

**Boom!**

Blood sprayed from the man's mouth. He tried to flee again, but failed to notice the wooden sword that Bai Xiaochun had already summoned. It silently pierced through his skull from behind and flew back into Bai Xiaochun's hand, stained with fresh blood.

The cultivator's eyes widened, staring blankly at the world. His body fell with a *thud*, twitched a few times, blood gushing from his mouth—then finally, his eyes dimmed, and he died.

After this, Bai Xiaochun staggered, nearly falling. Though he had broken through in cultivation, the series of kills had drained him completely. Blood spilled from his lips as he turned and fled once again into the forest.

He knew only one enemy remained—Chen Heng, the strongest of them all. Bai Xiaochun had sensed his terrifying **ninth-level Qi Condensation** cultivation long ago.

"Ninth level…" he thought bitterly. But his desire to live was like burning fire in his heart. He knew:

**This time, it's either him or me.**

There was no third option.

Almost at the same moment he fled, Chen Heng let out a sky-shaking roar. A blood mist exploded from his body, and the magical tools shattered one after another. He shot forward through the crimson fog, breathing heavily as he looked at the corpses of his three fallen clansmen.

His fury erupted as he chased after Bai Xiaochun, eyes bloodshot.

One fleeing.

One pursuing.

They raced deeper and deeper into the nameless forest. Thunder rumbled in the sky. Though it was daytime, lightning flashed faintly, and the rain grew heavier.

"Are you Shangguan Tianyou? Or Lü Tianlei?!" Chen Heng's voice rang out, dripping with murderous intent. Forming hand seals, he summoned nine blood mists that surged like serpents ahead of him, occasionally spitting blood beams at Bai Xiaochun.

"I'm your grandpa!" Bai Xiaochun shot back, face pale. Despite his fatigue, his senses remained sharp, dodging repeatedly. But Chen Heng was drawing closer and closer.

Suddenly, Bai Xiaochun leapt forward as if preparing to flee again. Chen Heng pounced to follow.

At that critical moment, Bai Xiaochun stepped on a tree trunk, launching himself upward. As the tree shook violently, Bai Xiaochun twisted mid-air and hurled himself **backward**, directly at Chen Heng.

"No matter who you are… today, you die!!" Chen Heng roared. With a wave of his hand, the nine blood serpents turned toward Bai Xiaochun, their jaws wide open.

Bai Xiaochun's eyes were blood-red. Letting out a low growl, he formed a hand seal. A massive **purple cauldron** appeared, enveloping his body. Ignoring the nine blood serpents, he charged toward Chen Heng with deafening booms.

"Tricks like this?" Chen Heng sneered. The nine serpents turned into mist and fused together, forming a **giant blood-red skull** above his head, which collided head-on with the purple cauldron.

**BOOM!!**

The cauldron trembled and cracked, then finally **shattered**. Most of the blood-skull dispersed too, but part of it still remained.

Just as the impact echoed out, Bai Xiaochun **burst** out from the shattering cauldron and charged toward the mist.

At the same time, Chen Heng's eyes flashed. As the mist thinned, he shot upward from within it, forming a hand seal. His right hand became entwined in mist, and a **grinning ghost face** formed in his palm.

The moment he emerged, he came face-to-face with Bai Xiaochun.

A punch and a palm—

One glowing with black light, fueled by *Undying Iron Skin*.

The other, infused with eerie ghostly power.

**BOOM!!!**

The sound was deafening.

Bai Xiaochun coughed blood. His entire body echoed with bone-cracking pops. He was sent flying like a broken kite, smashing through tree branches.

Chen Heng only trembled slightly, his face paling as blood surged within him. He, too, was shocked by Bai Xiaochun's strength. He quickly dashed after him, and as he raised his hand, the surrounding mist expanded outward into a **giant human face**, pressing down on Bai Xiaochun.

Pushed to the brink, Bai Xiaochun's eyes glinted fiercely. He twisted in mid-air and raised his right hand, pointing at Chen Heng. This time, instead of controlling objects, he used *Violet Qi Cauldron Control* to try to **control Chen Heng's body** directly.

This usage shocked Chen Heng. He felt an invisible force trying to grip him tightly.

But he sneered and unleashed his full cultivation. The blood-red face behind him roared. Cracking sounds rang out—Bai Xiaochun's control broke apart, but Chen Heng's body paused slightly.

In that split second, Bai Xiaochun's wooden sword shot out toward Chen Heng. At the same time, Bai Xiaochun launched himself forward with *Undying Iron Skin*, sacrificing everything for one last strike.

"Pathetic!" Chen Heng sneered. He waved his sleeve, and the blood-red face passed through his body, crashing downward to suppress Bai Xiaochun. It clashed with the wooden sword in a thunderous boom.

The sword trembled, but it didn't break—instead, it tore a hole through the red face.

Bai Xiaochun, armored with *Undying Iron Skin*, burst through the gap, charging directly at Chen Heng. His body glowed with black light, enduring injury in exchange for speed and power.

Chen Heng's eyes narrowed. He formed a hand seal and pointed again.

A **curved arc of blood light** appeared like a scythe, slashing toward Bai Xiaochun.

**SPLASH!**

The blood light struck Bai Xiaochun, tearing open his chest in a bloody mess. But his fist, filled with all his remaining strength, still slammed forward.

**BOOM!**

Chen Heng shuddered, staggering backward several steps, face turning paler.

But Bai Xiaochun wasn't done. His speed reached its absolute limit, and—throwing caution to the wind—he launched an all-out assault.

**BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!**

(continued…)