Chapter 86: Crisis!
Chapter 86: Crisis!
“Heh heh!”
“Hah hah!”
Tang Xingchi and Tang Huaxi let out eerie chuckles before morphing into two black shadows that charged toward Tang Hu.
Bang!
Tang Huaxi flung one hand, sending five or six head-sized Fireballs hurtling at Tang Hu. Immediately after, a crisp snap sounded, and a yellow Spirit Talisman appeared in his grasp. He channeled Spiritual Energy into it fiercely, and moments later, the Spirit Talisman streaked forward as a streak of yellow light.
“Heh heh!”
Tang Xingchi emitted strange laughs, his body shifting like a ghostly shadow. In a few flickering movements, he was beside Tang Hu.
“Hah hah, Tang Hu! Let’s see how you block us now!”
Seeing that Tang Xingchi and Tang Huaxi had dealt with Tang Jinbiao and the others and were coming to his aid, Tang Shan’s face erupted in wild glee. Simultaneously, he urged his Flying Swords back into attack.
However, only about half of the original dozen or so Flying Swords remained, merely seven or eight, and they looked severely depleted of their spiritual essence.
“What?”
Feeling the assault from Tang Xingchi and Tang Huaxi, Tang Hu’s expression changed. His momentary distraction allowed several Fireballs to slam squarely into his chest.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each Fireball was skull-sized and launched almost simultaneously. Striking Tang Hu one after another, they were all forcefully blocked by him in the blink of an eye.
“Ah!”
These powerful Fireballs blasted Tang Hu backward, drawing a grunt of pain from him. Ordinarily, such basic Fireball Techniques shouldn’t have troubled Tang Hu. But after prolonged combat, his stamina was depleted, and caught off guard, he simply could not withstand them.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
As Tang Hu was knocked airborne, Tang Xingchi’s ghostly form instantly pursued. He lunged violently, aiming to bite Tang Hu’s neck.
“Heh heh!”
Grabbing Tang Hu’s shoulders, Tang Xingchi wore a bloodthirsty expression. He bared his bloodstained mouth and snapped viciously toward Tang Hu’s neck.
“AH!”
Tang Hu felt a sudden chill followed by agonizing pain radiating through his entire body. He roared, his hands instantly clawing toward Tang Xingchi’s arms to seize them.
Snap! Snap!
Two soft sounds rang out as Tang Hu forcefully grabbed Tang Xingchi’s arms. He then tightened his grip with immense force, seemingly intent on crushing Tang Xingchi’s arm bones.
Crack! Crack!
Tang Hu’s exertion elicited audible bone-crunching sounds from Tang Xingchi’s arms. Clearly, Tang Hu, being a Second-Tier Advanced Stage Body Refiner, was leagues beyond the likes of Tang Jinbiao.
Swish!
Tang Xingchi’s face twisted fiercely the moment Tang Hu’s iron claw-like hands gripped him. His already pale face drained completely of color, stark with terror. Yet he wasn’t powerless; realizing the severity, he instantly retracted his waist and legs, kicking hard at Tang Hu’s abdomen to use the recoil and break free.
“AH!”
Tang Hu clearly anticipated this move. Almost simultaneously, seizing the instant Tang Xingchi lifted his head, Tang Hu slammed his own head directly into Tang Xingchi’s.
Bang!
With a dull thud, Tang Xingchi’s head nearly split from the impact, leaving him dazed.
Snap!
Immediately after, Tang Hu released his left hand and violently swung his right, instantly regaining his balance while hurling Tang Xingchi away.
“Ah!”
Tang Xingchi shrieked with pain as he was sent flying. He crashed against a tree before tumbling to the ground, blood involuntarily trickling from the corner of his mouth. It was unclear whether the blood belonged to Tang Hu or himself.
Thud!
After flinging Tang Xingchi, Tang Hu’s feet landed heavily on the ground, as if taking root. He stood firmly there, but before he could react further, the yellow Spirit Talisman thrown by Tang Huaxi exploded with a bang. Instantly, it transformed into a massive chain that lashed toward him.
Clank! Clatter!
Though the chain formed by the Spirit Talisman was merely an illusion of Spiritual Energy, its movement produced faint, metallic rattling noises like real iron.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
In a flash, the chain coiled tightly around Tang Hu, binding him firmly. Yet even restrained, he did not collapse—he remained standing rigidly in place.
“Grrrah!”
Tang Hu let out a thunderous roar, straining to break the chain. Veins bulged from his neck, and his face twisted into a snarl. Had anyone observed closely, they would have noticed not blood on his neck, but distinct bite marks. Beneath the bite marks, something faintly waxy seemed to cling to his skin.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The yellow chain, however, proved remarkably sturdy. No matter how Tang Hu struggled, he couldn’t break free—only provoking faint clinks from the links.
“Hmph! Time to die, wretch!”
Seeing Tang Hu trapped, Tang Shan’s face lit with cruelty. His Flying Swords instantly streaked through the air as shadowy blurs toward Tang Hu.
Thump!
Thump!
Within moments, consecutive dull thuds echoed, seven or eight times in total. The Flying Swords plunged into Tang Hu—some stabbing his thigh, others his arm, still others his chest. The swords were mere half a foot long, yet each embedded halfway; only their hilts remained visible outside his body.
“Urgh—!”
Pierced by the Tiny Swords, Tang Hu roared deafeningly, losing balance completely. He toppled backward and slammed heavily onto the ground. After a feeble twitch, he lay still as if the blades had lulled him into unconsciousness.
Hummm!
Hummm!
The Tiny Swords trembled like awakened serpents, emitting faint hums as they strained to burrow deeper into Tang Hu’s flesh. For unknown reasons, though, they remained stuck shallowly, unable to advance any further.
“What?”
Tang Shan stared in astonishment upon seeing that his own swords could only pierce half a foot into Tang Hu. He was particularly struck by the absence of any bleeding from Tang Hu’s wounds. But since Tang Hu had now collapsed, Tang Shan still breathed out a small sigh of relief.
“Ha, Brother Shan. It’s done. What next?”
With Tang Hu finally down, Tang Huaxi relaxed slightly. Wiping sweat, he feigned nonchalance.
“This Tang Hu is formidable. With such a physique, born into the Northern Region’s Wu Clan? He would’ve been regarded as a genius. Training in Body Refinement alone, without resources—and so young? Without you joining me? Capturing him wouldn’t have been so easy.”
Staring down at the motionless Tang Hu, Tang Shan shook his head with lingering dread.
“Mmm. Truly a tragic genius,” Tang Huaxi nodded sympathetically. “Wasted on this godsforsaken land, but what then? The world is unjust. Even Brother Shan, brilliant as you are—just look at where fate led you? But praise Fortune we had that Intermediate-grade Spirit Talisman. Even a Core Formation Cultivator would be tangled briefly.”
“Hmm, indeed. cough Forget it, let’s not mention that for now. By the way, how is Xingchi doing? That kid seemed to have injured him earlier!”
Tang Shan gave a nod, then suddenly recalled Tang Xingchi. He looked over and saw Tang Xingchi slumped dejectedly at the foot of a tree, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. One arm hung limply, seemingly broken.
“He should be fine. Some rest and recuperation will suffice!”
Tang Huaxi turned for a glance, noting that Tang Xingchi’s vital energy seemed only slightly weakened, without signs of grave injury.
“Good. If there’s no issue, bring Tang Yilin back. I’ve heard the Grand Elder holds her in high favor. Be careful not to harm her!”
Tang Shan nodded, shifting his gaze towards Tang Yilin. However, as his eyes settled there, his brow involuntarily furrowed.
“Huh? How is that one still unharmed?”
Turning his head, Tang Shan immediately spotted Tang Bi collapsed on the ground, staring back at him with terror plastered on his face. Frowning, Tang Shan asked.
“Heh heh, easy enough!”
A cruel smile spread across Tang Huaxi’s face as he slowly advanced towards Tang Bi.
“Tang Huaxi! How dare you wantonly murder members of the Tang Family! When the Elders find out, they will surely extract your soul and refine your essence!”
Though paralyzed by fear, Tang Bi glanced at the lifeless forms of Tang Jinbiao and others strewn beside him. Seeing Tang Yilin near him still quietly recovering her strength, he forced himself upright, shouting the reprimand with a veneer of defiance. Clack clack!
Though Tang Bi’s voice was harsh and stern, his legs trembled uncontrollably. His deep-seated terror was starkly clear. Thump!
Hearing this, Tang Huaxi halted, his expression abruptly shifting sharply as the potential consequences seemed to strike him.
“It’s working!”
Seeing Tang Huaxi’s reaction, Tang Bi felt a slight surge of confidence. He immediately shouted again, loudly declaring, “Tang Huaxi! As long as you bind Tang Shan, I will plead leniency for you with the Elders once we return!”
“Oho, I’m terrified! I’m scared witless!”
A mask of fear appeared on Tang Huaxi’s face, feigning utter fright. Yet, a smirk of mockery played on his lips as his steps continued relentlessly towards Tang Bi. Thud!
Tang Bi jumped at these words, stumbling backwards two steps uncontrollably.
“Huaxi, hurry it up! Deal with him, then finish the rest! Time is short. If those old fools from the Tang Family catch wind, we’re in trouble!”
Over by Tang Hu‘s side, Tang Shan examined the body with impatience. Thump! Hiss… hiss…
Standing beside Tang Hu, Tang Shan flicked his finger. A flame instantly flared, striking Tang Hu’s body and igniting his clothes. The garb quickly burned away, revealing tough, muscular flesh. Yet, the muscle surfaces shimmered with a hard, scale-like substance. The fire licked harmlessly across his skin, inflicting no visible damage.
“Body Petrification! Indeed, half a step into the Third Tier. Handing a corpse like this to the Corpse Refinement Sect would surely yield an elite Corpse General. Given his natural gifts, those old bastards might even nurture him to the Fourth Tier… potentially refining him into a Corpse King!”
Tang Shan’s fingers lightly traced Tang Hu’s body, as if caressing a precious artifact. He murmured this to himself…