Chapter 64: The First Kill in Qi Refinement

“Fellow cultivator, please wait!”

The clear voice echoed through the sky as Jiang Chen rode the wind. Draped in feathered robes, holding an oil-paper umbrella, he walked as though treading on emptiness, ethereal and immortal in bearing.

The sudden appearance of Jiang Chen made the Corpse Daoist’s expression shift slightly. He hadn’t expected another cultivator to appear halfway through, but after a few scrutinizing glances, his demeanor relaxed as if he had confirmed something.

“Youngster, you’ve just started cultivating the Qi Refining stage. You may not have even mastered any spells, yet you wish to play at reaping the rewards? Aren’t you afraid you’ll break your own teeth in the process?”

Looking at Jiang Chen, the Corpse Daoist’s face wore a mocking smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Having weathered countless hardships over the years, he didn’t believe Jiang Chen just happened to show up at this critical moment. Seeing the oil-paper umbrella in Jiang Chen’s hand—which could conceal both aura and form—he realized Jiang Chen had been lurking for some time.

Most likely, Jiang Chen had been waiting for him to battle Ironman Tu and get wounded, intending to swoop in for an easy gain.

He was no stranger to such tactics; he’d done similar things himself. As a rogue cultivator, he’d survived freely for so many years thanks to his shrewdness—especially his keen eye.

He’d cultivated a spiritual eye technique. Though not particularly profound, it allowed him to gauge the strength of others by observing their aura. After his recent observations, he was certain Jiang Chen had only just broken through to the Qi Refining stage.

Even as he spoke, a sharp spike of Yin energy had already formed in the Corpse Daoist’s sleeve-shrouded hand. Without hesitation, he sent it shooting toward Jiang Chen like an arrow. This was the Yin Spike Art.

Facing this sudden attack, Jiang Chen’s expression did not change. He merely urged his Thousand-Crane Feathered Robe, summoning a breeze that swirled around him, the vague shape of flying cranes appearing within. The Yin spike was instantly dissolved.

“It seems my spells still lack true refinement,” Jiang Chen remarked, glancing at the Corpse Daoist, a hint of disappointment on his face.

Meanwhile, Iron Corpse Daoist tumbled awkwardly off his bamboo palanquin, but suffered no real harm. Instead, the two zombies who had been carrying the palanquin lost their heads, as though they’d been sliced by a razor-sharp blade.

“To transform Qi into threads with such a hidden aura—what a cunning technique. I nearly fell for it and would have died without knowing why,” the Corpse Daoist muttered, still shaken, his gaze toward Jiang Chen filled with malice.

He had been ready for a sneak attack the moment Jiang Chen revealed himself. He’d thought himself a veteran, but hadn’t expected the young man before him to be even more ruthless, also preparing a surprise attack. This battle had begun the instant both sides noticed each other.

“Youngster, I’ll make you pay the price!”

Forming a hand seal, the Corpse Daoist summoned clusters of corpse fire. Since his ambush failed, he’d have to fight head-on and grind Jiang Chen down.

Though a cultivator at the Qi Refining stage could open one hundred and eight acupoints, only the dantian stored the most true Qi. Only those who opened thirty-six acupoints could possess two dantians’ worth of Qi. Yet even so, the Corpse Daoist’s true Qi was much more abundant than Jiang Chen’s.

He had already opened eighteen acupoints, while Jiang Chen had just entered Qi Refining. Their reserves of true Qi weren’t even comparable.

The corpse fire howled, burning with both heat and insidious poison as it crashed toward Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen moved nimbly, dodging and deflecting as he went.

Seeing this, the Corpse Daoist snorted coldly. “A flying artifact—so this bandit den has produced someone remarkable after all. But you’ll still die.”

True Qi surged as he slapped the bamboo palanquin, lifting himself into the air. The palanquin itself was a flying talismanic device; the two zombies had only been for show, to mislead his enemies. With this technique, he had narrowly escaped many opponents.

After a moment’s confirmation, he recognized Jiang Chen. Because of Ironman Tu, he’d long paid attention to the affairs of the River Bandits. A rising third-in-command like Jiang Chen had naturally caught his eye.

But before today, he’d never considered Jiang Chen a threat. Even if he possessed some skills, he was just a mortal. Who’d have thought the man was actually a cultivator?

“A cultivator with real achievements hiding among river bandits—you truly are a disgrace to our kind,” the Corpse Daoist said with calculated disdain, trying to provoke Jiang Chen into acting rashly.

In truth, he did harbor some genuine contempt. He doubted Jiang Chen was so young, or that he’d advanced to Qi Refining so quickly. In his view, Jiang Chen must have had at least peak Inspiration level when joining the bandits, perhaps already attempting Qi Refining. Such a person joining bandits was indeed contemptible.

Hearing this, Jiang Chen’s expression chilled as if angered, and he charged at the Corpse Daoist. With a sweep of his sleeve, countless wind blades whirled through the air, seeking to shred the Corpse Daoist to pieces. Though only a basic talismanic spell, the Wind Blade Art still had considerable force in his hands.

The Corpse Daoist’s face grew solemn, but in his heart he rejoiced.

“This brat is arrogant, but his artifact is excellent—perfect for my status.”

Greed flared in his eyes as he struggled to withstand the wind blades with corpse fire, creating the illusion of a balanced match. Seizing his chance, he cast another spell.

“Black Binding Technique—go!”

Forming a seal, a streak of black light shot from his sleeve, instantly locking onto Jiang Chen.

As the black bonds wrapped around him, Jiang Chen’s body stalled in midair, like a bird with broken wings, beginning to fall.

Seeing this, a look of triumph appeared on the Corpse Daoist’s face. All his effort to close the distance had been for this moment. If Jiang Chen had retreated earlier, he would have been forced into a war of attrition and pursuit, far less certain of victory.

But just as the Corpse Daoist relaxed, a wave of dizziness struck him.

At the same time, Jiang Chen’s blood and qi exploded, martial true force surging. He broke free from the black bonds by sheer strength.

“Die!”

Light as willow catkins, Jiang Chen flashed before the Corpse Daoist and struck with his palm. The Corpse Daoist had guessed right—Jiang Chen, newly advanced, was not yet skilled in spells, but he had martial arts as well.

True force thundered forth. Caught off guard, the Corpse Daoist and his bamboo palanquin were both sent plummeting.

Riding the wind with his Thousand-Crane Robe, Jiang Chen pursued relentlessly, landing palm after palm, never giving the Corpse Daoist a chance to recover.

“Fellow cultivator, there is no great enmity between us. Why not let this rest?” the Corpse Daoist pleaded, sensing death drawing near as his bamboo palanquin began to break apart.

Jiang Chen ignored him, attacking without pause, as if determined to drive the Corpse Daoist from the sky into the ground.

As time passed, the Corpse Daoist’s protective shroud of Yin energy began to falter. Seeing his chance, Jiang Chen’s eyes flashed with cold light as he unleashed a soul-bewildering technique.

A formless attack struck the Corpse Daoist’s spirit, making him reel in confusion.

“Now!”

Seizing the moment, Jiang Chen swept his sleeve, activating the Crane’s Cry Immortal Needle—his true killing move. Everything before had merely been a prelude.

“A soul attack…” the Corpse Daoist realized, struggling to break free from the confusion. As a master of corpse control, he was somewhat versed in soul arts, but just as he was about to succeed, a piercing crane’s cry sounded in his ear. His soul, which had glimpsed a sliver of light, was once more cast into darkness.

In the next instant, a streak of white light pierced through his protective true Qi and heart, ending his life in a single blow.