On the muddy wetlands, several palm-sized fires burned.
Rainwater seeping from the forest met the flames, not extinguishing them, but making them burn even more intensely.
Other than Yin Fire, what other fire was unafraid of water?
Nan Feng remained silent, his eyes wide with shock.
The Samadhi True Fire could certainly do this, but how could such a thing come from Yin Zhongxiu?
Therefore, this could only be Yin Fire.
All the esper in the field were stunned.
Xu Mu could actually refine medicine!
"Since you are a master, why would you play such a joke on us?"
The third-grade alchemist was speechless, then forced a bitter smile.
He simply didn't believe this was Xu Mu's first time refining medicine, assuming he was deliberately hiding his skill.
How complex were the relationships of medicinal properties and their interactions? Without prior preparation, even his master's master, Master Yu Ming, known in the martial world as the Northwest Pill Emperor, could not have so easily resolved the conflict between the Snow Lotus and the Sun Mushroom.
From a pharmacological perspective, this was simply impossible unless one was a celestial being.
"Sometimes, I really can't tell which one of you is which."
Charles sighed. Ever since Xu Mu finished studying the Innate Eight Trigrams, he had changed like a different person. Although there had been instances of confusion with his esper abilities before, this time it had lasted much longer, and even his tone of voice had changed.
Was it because of his status as the Alliance Leader, or something else?
"Ten years can change many things."
"And doing these things is not difficult; the Innate Eight Trigrams are far more challenging than this."
Xu Mu remained silent for a moment, then replied softly.
He didn't feel like he had changed; it was simply because he was the Alliance Leader that he had to learn the style of Gray White Eyes. And he had gotten too deeply into character, unable to break free for a while.
But was that really the case?
Looking at the medicinal ingredients before him, Xu Mu sighed with a headache.
Like everyone else, he hadn't slept for two days and two nights.
The attack vectors of the Bronze Red Crow, the near-prophetic command abilities – these were all calculated by him using the Innate Eight Trigrams, which greatly consumed his soul.
Now, he was nearing his limit but could not rest, for he had to appease the masses.
Xu Mu forcibly cleared his mind, looking at the medicinal ingredients before him. An infinite number of combinations flashed through his mind as he prepared to refine other types of medicinal broths.
"The medicinal broth is limited, eat quickly, but pay attention to the order."
As soon as Xu Mu finished speaking, the cultivators in the field swarmed around the cauldron, scrambling for the medicine.
"Give it to me, give it to me! I was hit by two feathers from the Bronze Red Crow, and the Yin Fire poison is tormenting me so much I can't sleep!"
A tall, burly man pushed his way to the cauldron, trying to snatch the branches from someone else's hand.
"Nonsense! I couldn't sleep anyway. You say you were hit by two, but I was hit by five!"
The person who had just grasped a branch and was about to scoop out the medicinal broth shoved the man away angrily, refusing to yield.
"Everyone, move aside, move aside! I was hit by ten arrows!"
"I was hit by twenty arrows!"
...
Soon, the medicinal broth in the cauldron was divided and consumed. Under the powerful medicinal effects, the Yin Fire poison within people's bodies was forced out.
It fell to the ground and burned fiercely as it mixed with the rainwater.
Seeing these fires made Yin Zhongxiu uncomfortable, as he had been tormented by them for many days.
With a subtle movement of his mind, a mercury-like flow of Yin elements emerged.
The Yin from within the Yin Fire was stripped away, causing it to devolve into ordinary fire.
Sizzle...
Fire is extinguished by water. With a puff of white smoke, Xu Mu stepped forward, threw all the freshly prepared medicinal ingredients into the cauldron, and said:
"What I will refine this time is a medicinal broth that can heal the internal injuries in your bodies."
"It will promote blood circulation and remove stagnation, focusing on conditioning. Everyone can eat it."
"I am not injured and do not need to eat it," Xi Du said unpleasantly, noticing Xu Mu's gaze.
Xu Mu remained silent, while Yin Zhongxiu spoke with a cold gaze:
"If you don't eat the medicinal broth, do you intend to eat shit?"
Xi Du's face turned ashen.
He had previously challenged Xu Mu, stating that if the opponent could refine a fourth-grade pill, he would eat shit.
Everyone had heard this, and now he was being mocked.
Nan Feng frowned at this, about to reprimand Yin Zhongxiu for his audacity. However, remembering that this person was also an esper from the Demon Extermination Division and seemingly a comrade of Xu Mu, he restrained himself.
Xu Mu did not want the two to argue. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly sensed a disturbance.
In his mind, he manipulated the formation disk of the Innate Eight Trigrams, dividing space into countless tiny layers.
The first thing Xu Mu heard was a not-insignificant gust of wind, accompanied by the sounds of leaves being rustled and branches swaying slightly.
Therefore, he could ascertain that a Bronze Red Crow was attacking.
"Xi Du, activate your domain!"
Xu Mu divined the target of the attack and quickly warned him, but Xi Du was currently caught in the embarrassment and anger of being proven wrong, and couldn't react in time.
Thus, Xi Du's reaction was slightly delayed.
And in that instant, the Bronze Red Crow that descended from the sky rushed at him unimpeded.
"Damn it!"
Xi Du's heart sank to his stomach. He saw the Bronze Red Crow before him and wanted to intercept it, but he had missed the best, and only, time for counterattack and defense.
Its steel-like beak pierced his chest bone without question.
Thump!
The Bronze Red Crow was enormous. Its front half, including its head, pushed Xi Du's body, and it then careened through the crowd, breaking three large trees.
Xi Du's internal organs were ground to a pulp in the process.
Sensing the loss of his life, Xi Du, unwillingly, tried to use his esper abilities to struggle, but his body was already mangled, and he couldn't even move a finger.
Caw!
Confirming the human's imminent death, the Bronze Red Crow let out a joyful and arrogant cry, then quickly flew back into the sky.
Xi Du's body was then casually flung down from the sky by it.
Splat!
His body landed in a puddle, like a heap of mud, his entire form reduced to a bloody mess.
Blood mixed with rainwater.
Xi Du's eyes were wide open, a look of bewilderment on his face. He seemed unable to process what had just happened.
He opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but could only move his jaw like a fish gasping for water.
He couldn't move.
And so, he died.
Faced with this sudden turn of events, everyone was stunned, and then fear arose.
Especially the other three among the Northwest Four Oddities, who were incredulous.
Their sworn brother, with whom they had shared years of companionship, was alive and well a moment ago, and dead before their eyes the next. No matter how strong these men who lived by the sword were, they could not accept this reality; it was too sudden.
His face pale, he wanted to go and check on Xi Du, but he knew now was not the time for mourning. The Bronze Red Crow in the sky could ambush once, it could ambush a second time. If they didn't remain vigilant, they would be next!
Boom!
Suddenly, the large trees were buffeted by strong winds and began to sway uncontrollably.
Xu Mu's eyes were bloodshot. His face contorted with ferocity as he activated the Eight Trigrams, disregarding the severe depletion of his spirit, and calculated the Bronze Red Crow's attack trajectory again.
"Everyone, maintain your formation and proceed southwest along the planned route."
"Zhang Tianling, strike with your sword towards the upper right in 3.5 seconds."
"Yan Yu and Nan Feng, attack together and seal the eastern sky with your blades up to the large tree at fifty-six meters."
"Nan Tong, why are you always following behind your brother? Hurry up and make way for Yan Yu, are you really just gay!"
Xu Mu began to command as usual. Countless Bronze Red Crows attacked, and the scene immediately devolved into chaos.
But despite the urgency of the situation, thanks to his commands and the terrain, everyone was able to cope relatively well. Aside from Xi Du, who died at the very beginning, almost no one was injured.
As for himself, he was suffering from an intense headache.
His vision blurred, and Xu Mu felt a surge of anxiety.
The depletion of his soul was too severe; he was nearing his limit and needed rest, but there was no time for it now!
Under such high pressure, he predictably overlooked one thing.
He forgot to assign guards for himself.
And in the next second, a Bronze Red Crow shrieked and charged at him.
Xu Mu sensed the danger and immediately channeled his esper ability from his Golden Core into his body, switching his inverted demonic sword to a two-handed grip.
He let out a low roar and swung the demonic sword with all his might. Then, streaks of ink-like light flashed across the sky. Those who saw it could not help but gasp in admiration, for it was a beauty of annihilation.
"Hah!"
As if sensing the extraordinary sharpness of this sword,
The Bronze Red Crow descending from the sky raised its claw, regretting its dive and attempting to fly away, but it was too late.
The next second, the demonic sword struck its beak.
Screech!
The beak, as hard as steel, was split in two by the blade.
Xu Mu's forearm muscles tensed. He used all the strength in his body, with a power incomprehensible to ordinary people, to slash downwards from the Bronze Red Crow's beak, aiming for its head!
The latter felt fear and immediately pressed all three of its claws onto both sides of the demonic sword, fixing it in place with all its might. No matter how Xu Mu strained, he could not advance an inch.
It wanted to pull the demonic sword out; Xu Mu wanted to push it in.
One against one, neither yielded.
In such a stalemate, Xu Mu was bound to lose, as his physical body was only at the third stage. Even with a sacred relic in hand, it was difficult to contend with a fourth-stage lord.
Thus, Xu Mu forcefully yanked the demonic sword towards himself.
The Bronze Red Crow followed the sword, coming close.
And what greeted it was a kick Xu Mu had planned, imbued with all his strength.
CRACK!
Xu Mu raised his left leg, the Glazed Blood within his body surging like a river, granting him endless power.
BOOM!
With a single kick, the Bronze Red Crow's iron-like wings caved in with a resounding thud. Its bones and flesh began to tremble, and it spat out blood!
Caw!
In pain, the latter let out a mournful cry and immediately released its claws from the sword hilt, charging at Xu Mu without hesitation.
At this distance, it no longer feared the demonic sword, as there was no time to swing it.
But Xu Mu was prepared for this maneuver.
Xu Mu raised his left hand, facing the Bronze Red Crow.
In his palm, a blue-white character "震" (zhen, meaning shock or tremble) faintly appeared, and then dark golden Dao Origin surged from his meridians, dyeing the character a new color.
"Five Thunders Righteous Method!"
Xu Mu manipulated the invisible Eight Trigrams Dao disk, aligning his position with the thunder position. With a furious roar, a blinding bolt of lightning shot out from his palm.
CRACK!
At such close range, the Bronze Red Crow had no time to dodge. It met the lightning head-on.
Although Xu Mu was only a second-stage esper, with the amplification of his Dao Origin and the thunder position, the power of this lightning strike was increased severalfold.
The lightning roared, transforming into thousands of fine threads that penetrated the Bronze Red Crow's body.
Thus, its innate Yin Fire was instantly vaporized by more than half.
The power of its origin was ruthlessly scattered and dissolved, and its bones and flesh felt unbearable pain.
With a pained cry, the Bronze Red Crow let out a wail. It had lost all desire to kill Xu Mu and flapped its wings, intending to escape.
But as soon as it took flight, it was intercepted by Changsun Wuji, who had freed his hands.
"Beast, die!"
Changsun Wuji took a step forward, his domineering power flowing through him. He unleashed a punch at the severely wounded Bronze Red Crow, which was snapped in half at the waist and died instantly, without even a chance to cry out!
Seeing this, Xu Mu's face turned pale as he shouted:
"Quick, leave! This forest is no longer safe; it will only drain our strength!"
Upon hearing his words, everyone immediately followed the previous route and fled rapidly towards the southwest. They fled while fending off the pursuit of the Bronze Red Crows.
"It hurts."
Weaving through the thick trees, Xu Mu gasped in pain.
The kick he had delivered to the Bronze Red Crow, though seemingly powerful, had actually inflicted a not-insignificant injury on him. Because the other's body was like a hard piece of iron, the recoil he felt was considerable.
And his head really hurt.
Thus, Xu Mu said:
"Fighting in the forest is relatively easier. I won't be commanding until we get out. Everyone, be careful on your own."
"Yes!"
Everyone replied in unison. After Xu Mu displayed his terrifying talent in refining medicine, they had gradually come to accept him as their Alliance Leader and no longer dwelled on the previous strategic missteps.
Xu Mu was aware of the change in their emotions and felt an unusual sense of responsibility rise within him.
Subtly, he had begun to truly consider himself the leader of these people, nurturing the idea of building his own faction.
Therefore, he could lead these people to survive, just as he had protected the villagers of Fengqing Village.
But these espers, who had always lived on the edge of danger, could not be inherently simple.
When your strength is sufficient, they will recognize you as an Alliance Leader, or as an esper of equal standing.
Otherwise, it would only be a relationship of hunter and prey.
For example, Fang Jia, the third-ranked among the Xi Du Four Oddities, had observed Xu Mu's fight with the Bronze Red Crow.
He discovered two things.
The first was that this Alliance Leader Xu seemed not as strong as imagined; it was a struggle to deal with a single Bronze Red Crow.
"No wonder he didn't make a move all this way."
Fang Jia's eyes narrowed coldly.
The second thing he discovered was that Xu Mu also understood the art of the Eight Trigrams, and his was far more profound, capable of arbitrarily changing positions!
A man's wealth is his own ruin.
Previously, Xu Mu was a powerful Alliance Leader, but now it was different.
Thus, a glint suddenly appeared in Fang Jia's eyes as he looked at Xu Mu.
That glint was called greed.
...
...