SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

Under the cover of night, Gao Jun thrust out with three sinister, shadowy spear glints.

Every strike was aimed at Han Yuan’s vital points.

Eyes, throat, and the point between his brows!

This three-pronged attack was meant to be fatal!

Moreover, Gao Jun was a True Qi expert, and the spear glints became even more terrifying when empowered by his True Qi.

Even Han Yuan wasn’t confident that his Copper Skin and Iron Bones could withstand the blow.

Han Yuan abruptly unleashed his Black Whale Sea-Covering Qi, his saber-swinging speed suddenly exploding.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!~~~

He precisely blocked all three spear thrusts.

"Good skill!"

Gao Jun hadn’t expected Han Yuan to block them so easily.

This Overseas Dragon was truly living up to his reputation.

But he had been sent to assassinate Han Yuan; naturally, his own strength was terrifying.

Gao Jun suddenly changed his spear’s momentum. The hook on the spearhead traced a black arc as he immediately swept it toward Han Yuan’s neck.

Han Yuan tapped his foot, his legs erupting with force. He executed a backwards flip, his right leg perfectly kicking the spear’s shaft.

BANG!

A dull thud rang out.

The two figures suddenly separated.

"Han Yuan."

"You are as formidable as they say."

"If you were to break through to the True Qi Realm, I would be no match for you."

Gao Jun said with admiration, holding his Hooked Scythe Spear.

"I don’t need the True Qi Realm."

"Even in the Inner Breath Realm, I have more than enough power to suppress and kill you."

Han Yuan smiled faintly.

"You’re overconfident!"

Gao Jun shook his head and once again charged at Han Yuan, spear raised.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!~~~

The spearhead flickered with black light, multiplying into a sky full of black dots.

They were afterimages of the spear.

Amidst the whistling, one could faintly hear what sounded like the wails of malevolent ghosts, a Soul-Chasing, Life-Taking attack!

"Excellent spear technique!"

Han Yuan shouted, executing the Eight Extremes Demon-slaying Saber.

His eyes were filled with excitement as he swung the Cold Blade, unleashing slash after slash of frigid light that resembled surging waves.

Eight Extremes·Water-Splitting Slash!

The pitch-black spear shadows and the bone-chilling saber light clashed in a mad tangle.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!~~~

The two clashed fiercely on the main road.

Gao Jun’s spear technique was sinister and deceptive, his thrusts following utterly unpredictable trajectories.

But Han Yuan’s Water-Splitting Slash was relentless, flowing like a torrent of surging waves.

This was a battle between a dragon and a tiger!

The longer Gao Jun fought, the more horrified he became.

He, a dignified True Qi Martial Artist, was actually unable to suppress Han Yuan!

This was mainly because his opponent’s brutish Qi Power was truly terrifying, basically neutralizing the advantage of True Qi.

"Soul-Chasing Life-Snatching!"

Suddenly, Gao Jun let out a low roar.

He channeled his True Qi, pouring it into the Hooked Scythe Spear.

SWOOSH!

The Hooked Scythe Spear instantly transformed into a streak of black light that shot forward.

Within that streak of black light, the faint phantom of a ferocious ghost’s head appeared, opening its cavernous maw to bite at Han Yuan.

This was one of Gao Jun’s killing moves.

Combined with his True Qi, it could erupt with terrifying speed.

Han Yuan roared wildly, his Cold Blade drawing a ferocious arc of light as he chopped down!

But the spear was simply too fast. The Cold Blade struck its tip, managing only to slightly alter its trajectory.

Han Yuan dodged to his left.

PSHFFT!

The hooked scythe tore a long gash across Han Yuan’s chest!

At the same time, Han Yuan swung his right leg in a vicious sweep kick aimed at Gao Jun.

Gao Jun swung his Hooked Scythe Spear, also executing a sweeping blow.

BANG!

Spear and leg collided violently!

Gao Jun felt a terrifyingly brutish force travel up the spear shaft, and he couldn’t help but stumble back a few steps.

The next moment, he heard the cry of a vicious bird.

A flash of frigid light descended from the heavens like a falcon swooping through the air, chopping fiercely toward his head.

Gao Jun chose not to defend. Instead, he flicked his Hooked Scythe Spear upward, thrusting toward the cold light!

CLANG!

Han Yuan’s attack came to naught, and he landed back on the ground.

"Fast reflexes."

Han Yuan glanced at the wound on his chest and grinned.

Gao Jun’s expression became utterly grave.

He hadn’t expected that his ultimate killing move would fail to take Han Yuan’s life.

"Again!"

Han Yuan hefted his Cold Blade and shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

SWOOSH!

The blade seemed to cleave through the very air as it chopped toward Gao Jun.

A thought flashed through Gao Jun’s mind as he swung his Hooked Scythe Spear to intercept.

The two engaged in fierce combat once more.

Being injured only seemed to make Han Yuan more excited and frenzied. The Cold Blade swung at Gao Jun with relentless, savage cruelty.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!~~~~

After more than ten heavy blows, even Gao Jun felt the web between his thumb and forefinger go numb!

Gao Jun was horrified. ’Such terrifying Qi Power!’

He could only defend, waiting for Han Yuan’s Qi Power to run out before unleashing his own killing intent.

After all, Han Yuan was only a man, not a Divine Spirit.

His Qi Power would have to run out eventually.

But this time, Gao Jun discovered he was terribly mistaken.

Not only was Han Yuan’s strength not fading, but it was actually growing more terrifying and violent.

His physique began to swell and expand, and the savage, tyrannical aura about him surged madly, leaving Gao Jun utterly aghast.

"Transformed Whale!"

Han Yuan roared.

The moment he activated Transformed Whale, his power reached its absolute peak, and he brought his saber down on Gao Jun with ferocious might.

CLANG!

Gao Jun thrust his spear out and blocked the blow.

But the savage power that washed over him still forced him back more than ten steps.

The next instant!

Han Yuan’s thick left arm, wreathed in the Black Whale Sea-Covering Qi, smashed down like a massive stone pillar!

Gao Jun roared, channeling all the True Qi in his body and swinging the Hooked Scythe Spear to meet it.

BANG!

The Hooked Scythe Spear was sent flying by Han Yuan’s blow.

Gao Jun’s body was sent flying back more than ten meters.

SWOOSH!

Han Yuan’s enormous, terrifying body appeared before Gao Jun again. He dropped the Cold Blade and unleashed a rapid series of strikes with the Giant Spirit Monument-Opening Hand.

BANG! BANG! BANG!~~~

Gao Jun could only protect his vital points, desperately circulating his True Qi to shield his body.

But Han Yuan’s power was simply too violent at this moment. Gao Jun’s True Qi was repeatedly shattered, and his flesh and bones began to rupture.

BANG!

Finally, Han Yuan slammed a palm into Gao Jun’s chest.

The man shuddered as if struck by lightning and violently spat out a mouthful of blood.

Han Yuan did not press the attack, stopping his assault there.

"I didn’t expect... COUGH, COUGH, COUGH... I’ve lost."

Gao Jun coughed up large mouthfuls of blood.

"I told you."

"Even in the Inner Breath Realm, I have more than enough power to kill you."

Han Yuan slowly reverted to his normal form.

"You... have won."

Gao Jun nodded, closed his eyes, and collapsed.

Han Yuan searched Gao Jun’s body but found he wasn’t carrying anything.

Still, the man had been a worthy opponent. It had been a satisfying fight.

Han Yuan thought for a moment. Gao Jun wasn’t on the Black List, so there was no point in taking his head back; the Observatory wouldn’t recognize the kill.

He found a random spot to bury Gao Jun’s corpse, then picked up Tian Xiong’s body and continued on his way.

「The next day.」

Inside a residence in Cangshui County Town.

"What... Han Yuan actually came back alive?"

The mysterious black-robed man who had previously appeared at the Bai Family residence exclaimed in shock.

"Yes... Our men saw him with their own eyes. It seems High Protector Gao failed to kill him!"

A follower of the Wangling Sect said in a heavy voice.

"Impossible!"

"Han Yuan is merely an Inner Breath Martial Artist, while Gao Jun is a True Qi Martial Artist that our Wangling Sect personally nurtured."

The black-robed man still found it hard to believe.

But now Gao Jun had not returned, while Han Yuan had. He had no choice but to believe it.

He thought for a moment, then added, "Go and search the path where Gao Jun set his ambush... See if you can find any clues."

After the follower had left, the black-robed man murmured to himself, ’Han Yuan... Just who are you?!’