Terrifying Divine Strength, Flattening the Mountain Gate!

*Bang!* A tremendous roar suddenly erupted from deep within the crater. A figure shot out in an instant, lunging straight for Lu Changsheng. *He really isn't dead yet.* *The vitality of a Divine Strength Realm martial artist is truly astounding.* A flicker of surprise flashed across Lu Changsheng's eyes. He remembered that strike clearly. He had undoubtedly caved in the man's chest. Such an injury would spell certain death for anyone else. Yet Yan Jiansheng had not died. There was only one explanation: he had controlled his heart to shift elsewhere within his body, barely evading Lu Changsheng's terrifying blow. So long as vital organs were not destroyed, a Divine Strength martial artist naturally would not die. Things like blood loss or broken bones were mere superficial wounds; a Divine Strength martial artist could control his internal musculature and skeletal structure to recover rapidly. Lu Changsheng even understood why Yan Jiansheng had not used a saber or sword. In fact, many Divine Strength martial artists chose not to wield blades at all. The reason was simple. Even if a saber or sword slashed or pierced their bodies, how much damage could it actually cause? Even if pierced through the heart, so long as the heart was not blown to pieces, a Divine Strength martial artist could consciously control it to heal slowly. To kill a Divine Strength martial artist, one could only rely on absolute power to shatter their head completely or obliterate their vital organs. "Courting death!" A fierce glint flashed in Lu Changsheng's eyes. Now that he knew how to slay a Divine Strength martial artist, things became straightforward. "Silken Thread Sword!" The qi and blood within Lu Changsheng's body erupted, and like torrential rain, a deluge of silken thread swords swept across the sky toward Yan Jiansheng. Though the Silken Thread Sword lacked overwhelming might, producing wounds that barely meant anything to a Divine Strength expert, the dense barrage still impeded Yan Jiansheng, causing his movement to falter for an instant. And in that split second of hesitation, Lu Changsheng seized the opportunity and kicked off the ground with tremendous force. *Bang!* The floor cracked, cratering beneath Lu Changsheng's foot as a dense web of fissures spread in every direction. Borrowing the momentum of that stomp, Lu Changsheng sprang forward, arriving before Yan Jiansheng like an arrow loosed from a bow. "First Transformation!" Within Lu Changsheng's body, his qi, blood, muscles, and bones underwent a subtle transformation all at once. Terrifying power converged into his arm. The strength of twenty-six tripods erupted once again. *Boom!* The punch slammed heavily onto Yan Jiansheng's arms. Yan Jiansheng shuddered violently, and the ground beneath his feet shattered in an instant. *Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!* Lu Changsheng gave Yan Jiansheng no breathing room whatsoever. Swinging his fists down like a colossal sledgehammer driving a nail into wood, he rained down merciless strikes. The strength of twenty-six tripods left Yan Jiansheng completely incapable of fighting back, forcing him to do nothing more than shield his head. Yet, blow after blow fell. The ground could not withstand Lu Changsheng's monstrous power, and Yan Jiansheng was driven into the earth by brute force. *Crack!* At last, Yan Jiansheng's arms could no longer endure the punishment and snapped. The horrifying force finally landed squarely upon his skull. "No—" Yan Jiansheng let out a shriek of terror. It was futile; he could not block this strike. *Bang!* Yan Jiansheng's head burst open like a shattered watermelon. Red and white splattered outward, showering the ground. Silence! The entire great hall plunged into a dead stillness. The Refining Organs elders who had not been caught in the crossfire were pale-faced, looks of disbelief plastered across their features as they stared fixedly at the headless corpse driven into the ground like a wooden stake. Dead! Blood Fiend Sect Master Yan Jiansheng was dead! Beaten to death, his head pulverized by bare fists. A gruesome demise! One had to remember, Yan Jiansheng was a genuine Divine Strength Realm martial artist. The Blood Fiend Sect was meant to reach its absolute zenith under his leadership. Yet now, Yan Jiansheng was actually dead? The Blood Fiend Sect's future was gone... "Zhuang Thirteen! You killed our sect master! The Blood Fiend Sect will fight you to the death!" One of the Refining Organs elders glared at Lu Changsheng with venomous rage, his killing intent overflowing. Lu Changsheng merely glanced sideways out of the corner of his eye and casually flicked out a wisp of qi and blood, which condensed into a silken thread sword. *Pfft!* The silken thread sword pierced through the Refining Organs elder's throat in an instant. A prominent elder of the Refining Organs Realm possessed not the slightest power to resist, slain on the spot by the silken thread sword. The other elders trembled violently from head to toe in utter terror. "Refining Organs martial artists... I might as well finish them all off together!" While Lu Changsheng had no intention of slaughtering the entire Blood Fiend Sect, the Refining Organs martial artists could not be spared. Who knew if another Divine Strength Realm martial artist might emerge among them? Lu Changsheng had no desire to leave behind future trouble. With a casual wave of his hand— *Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!* A storm of qi and blood silken thread swords shot toward the remaining Refining Organs elders, executing every last one of them. The entire hall was littered with corpses, and a thick stench of blood hung heavy in the air. Lu Changsheng pulled Yan Jiansheng's corpse out of the ground and searched it. There was nothing of value. He then moved from corpse to corpse, patting down each Refining Organs elder without missing a single one. Unfortunately, there was still nothing worth taking. *Patter, patter, patter.* Soon, the sound of heavy footsteps came from outside. A large contingent of Blood Fiend Sect disciples surrounded the hall. In truth, with such a massive disturbance rocking the hall, the disciples had known about it long ago. Yet the sheer intensity of the clash earlier—two Divine Strength experts fighting with everything they had—had shaken heaven and earth, filling their hearts with dread. Even knowing an intruder had breached the fort, the Blood Fiend Sect disciples had not dared approach. Only now, when the hall finally grew quiet, did they muster the courage to bring men forward and inspect the situation. Lu Changsheng stood up and walked toward the entrance step by step. By this time, the dust in the hall had gradually settled. The Blood Fiend Sect disciples could finally see what lay inside clearly. Yet the sight before them turned their faces deathly pale. "Elder Wen, Elder Liu, Elder Xia... they're all dead?" "Eight elders! How could they all be dead?" "Where is the Sect Master? Where is he?" "That headless corpse... the clothes on it look like what the Sect Master wears every day. Could it be..." Many disciples drained of color, terrified of pursuing that line of thought any further. The Sect Master and elders were dead, and the only living soul remaining in the hall was a stranger. Naturally, they had already guessed this stranger's identity. Zhuang Thirteen! That appearance was far too familiar. They had been plastering wanted posters of Zhuang Thirteen all day; how could they fail to recognize him? Zhuang Thirteen took a step forward, and the crowd of Blood Fiend Sect disciples involuntarily retreated a step in unison. One step, two steps, three steps... Finally, a disciple bellowed in fury, "Zhuang Thirteen killed the Sect Master and the elders! There are so many of us—are we supposed to fear him alone?" "Kill him and avenge the Sect Master and elders!" "Kill!" Instantly, hot blood rushed to the heads of many disciples, and they actually charged toward Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng's gaze turned cold. He did not even bother lifting a hand. The qi and blood within his body rumbled like thunder. *Rumble!* A cloud of qi and blood hovered above his head, and then countless qi and blood silken thread swords rained down upon the Blood Fiend Sect disciples in a torrential deluge. In the blink of an eye, over ninety percent of the disciples collapsed to the ground. Only a handful of lucky survivors stood frozen in place, trembling uncontrollably as they looked around at their wailing companions. "Spare... spare us!" "Hero, spare our lives!" Many of the Blood Fiend Sect disciples fell to their knees. Facing such a terrifying "Zhuang Thirteen," every shred of their courage had shattered. Lu Changsheng walked slowly over to one of the disciples and asked calmly, "How many Refining Organs martial artists does the Blood Fiend Sect have?" "Fifteen... fifteen Refining Organs elders in total," the disciple replied, trembling with fright. "Fifteen? Where are the other seven?" "They're... guarding the sect's mountain gate." Lu Changsheng recalled that the Blood Fiend Sect had originally been a local sect in Nanyang Prefecture with its own mountain gate, though it had kept a very low profile in the past. Only after swallowing Gao Family Fort had the Blood Fiend Sect drawn wide attention. "Lead the way. Take me to your mountain gate." "Yes, Hero!" The disciple dared not disobey. Looking at the corpses littering the ground— In just a single breath, "Zhuang Thirteen" had slaughtered over a hundred disciples. This struck sheer terror into every heart. Who would dare defy "Zhuang Thirteen's" command? And so, guided by the disciple, Lu Changsheng hurried swiftly toward the Blood Fiend Sect's mountain gate. Lu Changsheng had no intention of exterminating every last person; he was merely adhering to the principle of weeding out evil down to the root. The only real threat the Blood Fiend Sect posed lay in its Refining Organs martial artists. To Lu Changsheng, they were the "evil" that had to be eradicated! Not many people remained at the sect's mountain gate. Ever since the Blood Fiend Sect took over Gao Family Fort, many disciples had been dispatched there to manage affairs. Fewer than half remained at the mountain gate. When Lu Changsheng arrived, he did not even encounter anyone guarding the mountain path. Only when he reached the exterior of the main hall was he noticed by sect members. "Who goes there?" A patrol of disciples spotted Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng waved his hand casually, and silken thread swords wiped out the patrol in an instant. *The seven elders live in separate quarters. Hunting them down one by one would be too much trouble.* Lu Changsheng considered the matter and decided it would be simpler to make some noise and lure the elders out. The people here likely had no idea what had just transpired at Gao Family Fort. With that in mind, Lu Changsheng formed a plan. He looked around and spotted a massive boulder. Hoisting the boulder overhead, Lu Changsheng hurled it directly at the Blood Fiend Sect's main hall. *Rumble!* The boulder crashed down, smashing through the roof and walls of the hall. At the same time, Lu Changsheng stood quietly in place and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Zhuang Thirteen of Nanyang has come to pay respects to your mountain!" The immense commotion immediately drew every disciple and elder of the Blood Fiend Sect. "Pay respects? At this hour of the night, how could anyone be here to pay respects?" "What nerve, Zhuang Thirteen! The Sect Master has been searching for you, yet you deliver yourself to our doorstep to die!" "Hmph, even without the Sect Master here, the elders joining forces are more than enough to butcher Zhuang Thirteen!" Many of the Refining Organs elders rejoiced upon hearing the name "Zhuang Thirteen." This was the very man the Sect Master had ordered them to find, and now he had come straight to them. Thus, all seven Refining Organs elders arrived outside the main hall without exception. However, upon seeing their main hall smashed open by a boulder thrown by "Zhuang Thirteen," their expressions darkened. "Impudent cur! Coming here to seek death in the middle of the night!" "Zhuang Thirteen, did you think that just because the Sect Master went down the mountain, you had an opening to strike? Since you delivered yourself to our door today, don't think of leaving!" "Surround him!" Many disciples surged forward at once, encircling Lu Changsheng. Yet Lu Changsheng's expression remained utterly calm throughout. One sharp-eyed elder noticed the trembling disciple standing beside Lu Changsheng. "Aren't you Elder Liu's nephew? Speak! Why are you standing beside Zhuang Thirteen?" The disciple stole a glance at Lu Changsheng, then stammered in terror, "Elder, it's over... our Blood Fiend Sect is finished! The Sect Master and eight Refining Organs elders are all dead..." Instantly, the elders and disciples were thrown into turmoil, their faces draining of color. "What?" "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" "The Sect Master is a Divine Strength Realm martial artist! Who could possibly kill him?" The crowd erupted in an uproar. They had waited so long for their prodigy of a Sect Master to reach the Divine Strength Realm and lead the Blood Fiend Sect to greatness. How could he possibly be dead? Besides, they could not fathom who in all of Nanyang Prefecture could possibly kill him. "Since you don't believe it, I'll send you to reunite with Yan Jiansheng." Lu Changsheng could not be bothered to waste words. With a flick of his wrist, an overwhelming aura of qi and blood instantly engulfed the surrounding air. Undergoing marrow transformation and blood exchange twice had expanded Lu Changsheng's qi and blood to an astonishing degree. Even Refining Organs martial artists could be executed directly with his silken thread swords. The terrifying qi and blood hovered in the air like a scarlet cloud. "Fall!" Lu Changsheng pressed his hand downward through the empty air. *Boom!* The cloud of qi and blood burst apart, instantly transforming into countless silken thread swords that rained down upon the disciples and elders below. The Refining Organs elders, in particular, received Lu Changsheng's special attention. "Ah—" "How can anyone have such terrifying qi and blood?" "Divine Strength Realm... this is a Divine Strength martial artist..." In an instant, agonizing shrieks echoed across the vast mountain gate. Scores of corpses littered the ground, and the air grew heavy with the pungent stench of blood. As for the seven Refining Organs elders, not a single one managed to escape; all were slain by the silken thread swords. Lu Changsheng searched the corpses one by one, but found nothing of note. He had intended to turn and leave, but looking at the sprawling mountain gate, a thought suddenly crossed his mind. *The Blood Fiend Sect has been passed down for two to three centuries. It must hold a considerable collection of martial arts and techniques.* *Without martial techniques to practice, the comprehension points I've gained lately have been pitifully few.* *I hope the two or three centuries of heritage here won't disappoint me.* Lu Changsheng casually grabbed an injured disciple. "Where does your Blood Fiend Sect store its martial arts? Take me there." "Right this way, Hero." The disciple dared not refuse and led Lu Changsheng straight to the Martial Pavilion. Inside, row upon row of massive bookshelves stood filled with volumes. Lu Changsheng did not bother sifting through them one by one, simply stuffing every martial technique manual into several large sacks. Afterward, he even found a Divine Strength Realm secret method. It was the Blood Fiend Sect's sole Divine Strength secret method. "Blood Crystal Secret Method? It only allows the refinement of a rare treasure called blood crystals to grant an additional strength of ten tripods." Lu Changsheng thought of Yan Jiansheng. The man had possessed the strength of twenty tripods, which had most likely come from refining a blood crystal. With that realization, Lu Changsheng grabbed the disciple again and asked, "Do you know about the blood crystals Yan Jiansheng used for cultivation?" "Blood crystals? Those are the secret heritage treasures of our Blood Fiend Sect, kept right in the secret vault!" The secret vault was adjacent to the armory. Lu Changsheng entered it and smoothly located five blood crystals. Naturally, the Blood Crystal Secret Method only permitted the refinement of a single blood crystal; consuming a second or third would be useless. This was the foundation of an established sect. The moment one reached the Divine Strength Realm, they could immediately refine a blood crystal and directly attain the strength of twenty tripods. Now, however, all of it fell into Lu Changsheng's lap. He pocketed all five blood crystals without hesitation. Afterward, Lu Changsheng carried the sacks back outside the main hall. Many Blood Fiend Sect disciples watched him with trembling dread, uncertain whether he would embark on a total massacre. Lu Changsheng had no desire to kill everyone in the sect. Without any Refining Organs martial artists left, the Blood Fiend Sect was already toothless. Even without him lifting another finger, after today, the Blood Fiend Sect would surely fracture and cease to exist. Lu Changsheng gazed upon the magnificent, towering main hall. It was the emblem of the Blood Fiend Sect, standing proud for two to three centuries as their defining landmark. Taking a deep breath, Lu Changsheng walked up to the exterior of the hall step by step. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he unleashed the First Transformation, channeling all of his physical power into his arm. He raised his fist and slammed it violently into the earth. *Bang!* The monstrous might of twenty-six tripods, infused with a peculiar vibratory force, blasted a massive crater into the ground in an instant. Simultaneously, the earth fractured, and a web of fissures rapidly spread toward the main hall. *Rumble!* In the next instant, the grand and imposing main hall began to shake violently, collapsing with a deafening crash. The Blood Fiend Sect disciples who witnessed this scene were gripped by sheer terror. Divine strength! This was true divine strength! With a single blow, the earth split and the heavens seemed to cave in, bringing down the massive hall in ruins. This had been the landmark and symbol of the Blood Fiend Sect, yet now, "Zhuang Thirteen" had brought it crashing down with a single strike of terrifying divine strength. As the dust rose from the collapsed hall, the disciples were left in a daze. The fall of the main hall seemed to herald the complete destruction of their sect. Lu Changsheng felt an overwhelming sense of exhilaration. With his strength alone, he had flattened the mountain gate! The Divine Strength Realm truly lived up to the name "Divine Strength"! "Time to go." Lu Changsheng gathered the sacks beside him, and within a few bounds, vanished into the distance without a trace.