Vol. 1 - Ch. 81 - Another Master?

The Chen clan martial artists, who had been steadily retreating, now began to hold their ground against the overwhelming numbers of the Liu clan. A growing momentum was evident among them.

On the other hand, the Liu clan martial artists were stunned by the sudden shift in battle. Even Liu Zishan, the well-informed patriarch, was taken aback by what he saw. He could feel the significant power boost from the Chen clan’s new technique, but the severe drawbacks were also clear.

It was one thing if only a single person used such a technique, but even the Chen clan’s Body Tempering Realm martial artists were recklessly self-destructive. 

Even if they won, wouldn’t this cripple their clan? How could they allow such a dangerous method to spread within their ranks? It would lead to their self-destruction.

Liu Zishan scanned the battlefield, looking for Chen Xingzhen, the patriarch of the Chen clan. Soon, he spotted him. After two of his organs had ruptured, Chen Xingzhen’s strength had greatly increased, enabling him to hold his own against two late-stage Blood Coagulation Realm martial artists. Without using this dangerous technique, his weakened, ageing body wouldn’t have stood a chance.

This left Liu Zishan speechless. So, even the patriarch was willing to risk it all...

Shaking his head, Liu Zishan saw that many of his own clan members were being injured. He stepped forward and shouted, “Hold on! They can’t last much longer!” 

He was eager to see how long the power boost from the Chen clan’s technique could last.

As long as his clansmen could hold out until his great-uncle destroyed the Divine Tree, the Chen clan wouldn’t have any chance of survival. Despite the fierce fight, the Liu clan still held the advantage; the gap in strength was too vast to be closed by this single technique.

Meanwhile, Liu Shengrong had already reached a point just ten meters away from the Chen clan's Ancestral Hall. 

From his vantage point in the air, he could see everything inside. His gaze quickly fell upon the locust tree, standing tall in the hall with its faintly glowing branches and leaves.

A serious expression crossed Liu Shengrong’s face. 

So, this is the Divine Tree. He had thought the Chen clan was just a small, fortunate clan, but this tree gave him a different impression. Without hesitation, he flew forward, intending to destroy it.

At that moment, a sharp gust of wind whistled past his ear, filled with killing intent. Liu Shengrong’s instincts flared with a sense of danger.

"Another master?"

Despite the sudden ambush, Liu Shengrong, a mid-stage Innate Realm martial artist, calmly twisted his body mid-air, dodging the attack with ease. The punch missed him by a hair’s breadth.

Liu Shengrong turned to face his attacker: a young man, barely in his twenties, who had shockingly reached the Innate Realm.

Wasn’t it said that the Chen clan had no Innate Realm experts? His surprise quickly turned into suspicion. After a closer look, Liu Shengrong realized something was off. 

Although the young man had reached the Innate Realm, his body hadn’t fully integrated its power—his essence was incomplete.

"Hmph," Liu Shengrong scoffed. "So, you’ve borrowed strength from the Divine Tree."

Chen Qingyu remained silent. After using the locust leaf, he had temporarily reached the Innate Realm, but he knew it wouldn’t last. I have to finish this quickly!

Having missed his first strike, Chen Qingyu swiftly stepped forward, using Shadow Step, and launched into an attack with Taizu Long Fist. 

As long as I’m here, no one will touch the Divine Tree!

Liu Shengrong, despite being a mid-stage Innate Realm expert, was no longer at his peak. Even so, his profound martial arts technique and battle experience far surpassed that of Chen Qingyu, whose power came from external means. Liu Shengrong could see weaknesses in every one of Chen Qingyu’s moves.

However, after engaging in battle, Liu Shengrong’s expression darkened slightly. 

This kid isn’t afraid to die!

Every attack from Chen Qingyu was aimed at trading injury for injury—willing to risk his life to deal damage. Liu Shengrong didn’t want to get hurt. 

While he didn’t believe the Chen clan could seriously wound him, any injury could interfere with his recovery and delay his progress towards breaking through to the Inner Qi Realm.

Reluctant to take damage, Liu Shengrong avoided Chen Qingyu’s direct attacks, relying on his superior martial arts and experience. After several rounds, Chen Qingyu’s face was pale, and he was riddled with injuries, while Liu Shengrong remained unscathed. The gap between them was obvious.

Still, Chen Qingyu’s relentless, suicidal fighting style frustrated Liu Shengrong. He found himself unable to break through Chen Qingyu’s defences. Sensing the ongoing battle between the clans below, Liu Shengrong knew he had to end this quickly.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Suddenly, a series of explosions echoed around him. Liu Shengrong’s eyes widened as he looked at Chen Qingyu again—blood streaked across his upper body, and yet, his aura surged. From an early-stage Innate Realm cultivator, Chen Qingyu’s power suddenly rose to the mid-stage, even showing signs of pushing toward the late stage.

In terms of the pure realm, Chen Qingyu was now slightly stronger than Liu Shengrong!

Liu Shengrong’s expression darkened as he realized the situation. 

This cursed martial art! He had gravely underestimated the Chen clan.

But how long could they hold out with just an elevated realm and no true power to sustain it?

Despite the pallor creeping over his face from the violent rupturing of four organs, Chen Qingyu’s eyes remained sharp and focused. The locust leaf’s effect wouldn’t last long. If he failed to defeat Liu Shengrong swiftly, his clan would be doomed. 

That was why he had deliberately pushed his body to the brink, forcing the rupture of his organs one after the other. He needed more power, and only the Five Viscera Ascension Technique could grant him the strength to continue.

Now, as energy surged through him, the agony in his body dulled, fading into the background as sheer determination took over. With his latest breakthrough, Chen Qingyu’s speed and strength increased drastically. 

Even the techniques of Taizu Long Fist, which had once puzzled him, now made perfect sense. 

There’s no time to waste!

Without hesitation, Chen Qingyu launched another assault on Liu Shengrong.

This time, Liu Shengrong hesitated. Chen Qingyu’s attacks were no longer as easy to handle. In Liu Shengrong’s mind, Chen Qingyu was already a dead man—his body wouldn’t hold out for much longer. 

Why should he risk getting injured when time was on his side? As long as he delayed for a short while, Chen Qingyu would collapse under the strain.

Outside, the Chen clan’s martial artists continued to retreat, gradually falling back toward the Ancestral Hall. Though the Five Viscera Ascension Technique granted them temporary bursts of immense power, it came at a devastating cost. 

With each passing moment, their own strength drained away, their blood and energy depleting rapidly.

Desperate to hold out longer, many of the Chen clansmen began rupturing their second and third organs, sacrificing even more of their vitality. 

However, the effects of the subsequent organ ruptures diminished, and the initial burst of power was unable to be matched. Worse, their injuries accelerated the loss of blood and energy, weakening them further.

Yet, their sacrifice was not in vain—it bought precious time for the clan.

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