Outside, a smile spread across Mei Ji's face. Even heroes find it hard to resist a beauty's charm. It seems this peerless genius is no exception, so easily falling prey to my Illusion Technique, she thought.

As she continued to play her flute, Mei Ji quickly approached Ling Chen. Her left hand pulled a Black Dagger from her sleeve. She brought it close to Ling Chen's chest, then suddenly thrust it forward.

A cold gleam shot directly toward Ling Chen's throat, about to pierce it.

At that very moment, Ling Chen, who had been standing rigidly in place, suddenly moved. He reached out and firmly grasped Mei Ji's wrist.

"What? You!"

Mei Ji's expression changed suddenly. "You're not affected by the Illusory Realm?"

"Illusory Realms and the like have no effect on me." A mocking smile played on Ling Chen's lips. "No matter how powerful an Illusion Technique is, its effectiveness is greatly reduced against me. My Sword Intent is impervious to all evil, and my Mental Power has reached the stage of condensing the Mind's Eye, forming a dual counter against Illusion Techniques."

Seeing that her Illusion Technique had no effect on Ling Chen, Mei Ji stopped playing her flute. She wielded her Jade Flute and abruptly swung it toward Ling Chen's face.

With a cold smile, Ling Chen moved slightly and appeared behind Mei Ji, restraining both her hands.

Her hands bound, Mei Ji struggled. When she realized she couldn't break free, she stopped resisting and simply lay in Ling Chen's arms, her breath as fragrant as orchids. She looked pitifully at Ling Chen. "Young Master Ling Chen, there's no need for such force. You, a graceful hero of the Righteous Path, how could you bully a weak woman like me?"

"A dignified Soul Hooker of the Demonic Sect, how could you be a weak woman?" Ling Chen wouldn't waver. "If I can kill a Demonic Sect prodigy like you today, it would be considered ridding the Martial World of a menace."

Ling Chen took a dagger from his Heavenly Mansion Ring and pressed it against Mei Ji's snowy neck, breaking the skin and drawing a trickle of blood.

"Ling Chen, don't act rashly! Killing me won't benefit you in any way. On the contrary, it will only attract the pursuit of many more experts from the Demonic Sect. You should be aware of my standing within the Sect, and Chu Tiange even considers me his woman. If you kill me here, he will never forgive you." Mei Ji's expression finally changed. She began to realize that Ling Chen was unlike others; he held no desire for her and wouldn't show mercy because of her beauty.

"That sounds reasonable, but do you think I'd be afraid of your threats?"

Ling Chen gave a faint smile, a spark of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

Just as killing intent rose within him and he was about to strike a fatal blow, Mei Ji abruptly opened her crimson lips and spat a cloud of lethal red Poison mist toward Ling Chen's face.

Taking advantage of Ling Chen dodging the Poison mist, Mei Ji escaped from his grasp and created some distance between them.

At this moment, a gigantic bat landed on the city wall. Standing atop it was a formidable, burly figure—none other than the Tiger King, Xu Chao.

"Xu Chao, you've arrived just in time! Join me, and let's kill this boy!"

Seeing Xu Chao arrive, Mei Ji's face lit up with joy.

"This kid is that hard to deal with?"

Xu Chao was quite surprised, looking at Mei Ji's battered state. As one of the Ten Outstanding Talents of the Demon Sect, her Illusion Techniques were unmatched among the Demonic Sect's younger generation, and her strength was no weaker than his own.

"My Illusion Techniques happen to be countered by him. His actual strength isn't that great; you alone can kill him!"

Mei Ji had almost died at Ling Chen's hands just now, so her hatred for Ling Chen had deepened considerably; she wished she could kill him instantly.

"Alright! But after we kill this kid, his body belongs to me. I want to feed his corpse to my precious pet. You don't mind, do you?"

Xu Chao nodded, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.

The flesh and blood of a genius is a great tonic!

"No problem. I just want him dead," Mei Ji's voice was chillingly cold. Once a woman harbors resentment, she becomes ten times more terrifying.

What a pity, Ling Chen lamented inwardly. I was so close to killing Mei Ji. Unfortunately, I didn't expect her to escape, and now Xu Chao has arrived. The situation has become very disadvantageous.

Sensing the unfavorable situation, Ling Chen immediately turned to flee. He had no intention of getting entangled with these two.

"Trying to leave?"

Xu Chao sneered. Ling Chen's retreat further convinced him that Ling Chen was afraid. It seems this person really isn't much. He doesn't even dare to fight and just wants to run away. From this, it's clear I have no need to be wary of him at all, he thought.

With a powerful swing of his thick arms, Xu Chao charged at Ling Chen. His hands, covered in thick metal, swung fiercely toward Ling Chen after a loud shout.

As the Elder of Myriad Beasts' favored disciple, Xu Chao possessed immense strength from consuming large amounts of Exotic Beast blood since childhood. He was like a humanoid Exotic Beast, inheriting human agility while also possessing the formidable power of an Exotic Beast.

His two metal-clad hands continuously attacked Ling Chen. Xu Chao executed a claw technique, forming thirty-six claw imprints that completely enveloped Ling Chen.

However, Ling Chen wasn't just retreating. Seeing Xu Chao attack, he abruptly stopped his retreat. His Cloud-hidden Sword formed an impenetrable defense, preventing the two metal-clad hands from even touching him.

Surprise flitted across Xu Chao's eyes. He's got some skill. It seems I underestimated Ling Chen's Swordsmanship Attainment. If this fight were based on deft martial arts techniques, even I might fall short against him, he thought.

So, he changed his strategy, resorting to a brutal fighting style, intending to crush Ling Chen with pure, overwhelming force.

Retracting his metal-clad arms, Xu Chao beat his chest, producing a sound like clashing metal. He let out a long roar, "Beast King Transformation!"

Beast King Transformation was a unique, Sky-grade martial art exclusive to the Myriad Beasts Sect. By continuously consuming the blood of Exotic Beasts, cultivators could temper their flesh bodies, thereby progressively strengthening this martial art.

Once cultivated to its peak, it could even unleash the might of a Sky Apex Realm martial art.

Xu Chao had already cultivated the Beast King Transformation to the Great Accomplishment Realm; his physical constitution was now somewhat stronger than that of a Third Grade Demonic Beast.

BOOM!

A red glow surged from Xu Chao's body. The hair on his body seemed to lengthen slightly, taking on certain characteristics of an Exotic Beast.

Terrifying power radiated from within him. He stomped his foot on the floor of the city tower, creating a large crater, and then fiercely charged out.

"Dragon Walking Tiger Step!"

He threw a punch that struck the Cloud-hidden Sword, sending Ling Chen flying backward violently.

Ling Chen felt as if an iron mountain had slammed into him. His True Qi roiled, and his arms throbbed with excruciating pain. He was thrown back several dozen meters before he barely managed to stabilize his footing. To think someone in the younger generation possesses such immense strength! It's truly incredible! he thought, inwardly astounded.

The force of the punch was immense; a single blow had inflicted internal injuries on Ling Chen.