*Clang—*

The crisp ring of a sword suddenly echoed through the air.

Li Anlong's blade flashed brilliantly in his hand, shining with frenzied intensity. He swung over a dozen times in rapid succession, barely managing to weaken the force of the incoming slash.

The giant tiger seized this moment to leap aside nimbly, evading the deadly blade edge. The attack ultimately struck the ground beneath everyone's feet with a thunderous explosion, carving out a crater dozens of meters wide that shimmered with starlight.

Yan Zhixue couldn't help but glance repeatedly at your composed yet formidable strike, though her hands never paused. The silver-glowing phantom of her nine-section whip suddenly expanded dozens of times in size. With a powerful flick, it wrapped tightly around the giant tiger's neck. After futile struggles, the beast's movements became sluggish.

Seeing this, the group redirected their attacks toward Li Anlong, whose rhythm had been disrupted. The clanging of weapons resumed as they engaged once more.

Meanwhile, you quietly retreated.

Deep crimson fissures—some reaching bone—had reappeared across your body, worse than before. You swallowed a massive dose of medicinal pills, barely stopping the wounds from worsening, but they healed painfully slow. Your physical form teetered on the brink of collapse. You knew that continuing to fight at full strength would be your undoing—Li Anlong wouldn't even need to lift a finger.

Just then, a panicked shout rang across the battlefield: "Everyone, spread out!!"

You saw Yan Zhixue single-handedly restraining the giant tiger while Li Anlong, sword in hand, effortlessly cut down the other Ultimate Grandmasters. In mere moments, two more fell lifeless.

The situation grew increasingly dire as Li Anlong became more relaxed and precise. Your expression darkened—at this rate, annihilation was inevitable.

"Leader Yan!" you shouted. "Where are the others from your sect?!"

Yan Zhixue turned swiftly. "They're all in the capital! Only I came with Hu Zhongxuan to Danxia Sect!"

"Then are we giving up on the explosion?!"

Noticing the blood-soaked fissures covering your body, her eyes widened in shock. "What happened to you?!"

You forced a grin. "Just some minor internal injuries."

After a brief pause, she said decisively, "Prepare to retreat."

"Fine by me." You couldn't care less.

Your damaged body would hinder future breakthroughs even if healed. Starting fresh with a fully restored fifteen-year-old physique would yield better cultivation results.

"He Yu?!"

A cold yet frantic voice called from below. Looking down, you saw Wan Qingluan had arrived.

You descended rapidly, landing before her. "My dear friend, you came to find me!"

Wan Qingluan had no time to question how you'd joined a battle between Ultimate Grandmasters. Her delicate hands immediately reached for your face, tracing the bloody gashes. "This must hurt terribly!" Her brows furrowed with concern, mistaking these for combat wounds.

"Still manageable," you chuckled, the motion stretching your facial wounds grotesquely.

She grabbed your arm urgently. "Let's escape now!"

"Escaping isn't an option for me." You glanced skyward at Li Anlong, whose dark eyes never left you—the future ninth-grade pill refiner remained his primary target. The moment you fled, he'd abandon all others to pursue you relentlessly.

You'd understood his intentions from the start. Now, irritation flared—as a transmigrator with cheats, you refused to suffer such humiliation. As your wounds showed slight recovery, you prepared to rejoin the fray.

"Death's just a health reset," you quipped before turning to Wan Qingluan. "Qingluan, stay back. The battle's aftershocks might—"

"What? I can't hear you—!" she shouted from two miles away.

"Damn, now you choose to obey?!" You'd expected a dramatic farewell scene. "Well, less distraction this way."

As you prepared to charge back into the aerial battle, a thought struck you. "Psycho woman—!" you bellowed. "Did your wish only say you'd drag me to your grave?!"

"Louder—!"

"Will you follow me to death—?!"

"Guess—!"

"Guess my ass! When I return, I'll spank yours raw—!!"

"Promise—!!"

With a light laugh, you shot skyward, simultaneously slashing a blade beam toward Li Anlong. Wan Qingluan watched your aerial maneuvers from afar, worry and determination mingling in her gaze.

Rejoining the battle, you unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes, filling the sky with starlight. The fissures across your body multiplied and deepened, yet you felt nothing. Strange memories of Hu Zhongxuan surfaced—his care for you at Yajiangkou, your years as a young master in his residence, that profound final glance when he entrusted Deng Wanshu to you...

"Wait!" Your head jerked up. "Shit! Auntie's still waiting outside the stone chamber!!" Someone needed to speak for Deng Wanshu—she couldn't voice her plight. But calm quickly returned; Ruan Bai knew her. He understood her significance to you, Hu Zhongxuan, Deng Rusong, and Xie Huide. He'd surely care for her until your return.

Except there would be no return—for either you or Hu Zhongxuan.

Shaking off distractions, you focused solely on clashing with Li Anlong, who seemed to grow stronger by the moment. His speed and power escalated terrifyingly. Another head went flying, arterial spray arcing two meters high. Only five Extermination Sect Ultimate Grandmasters remained. You suspected Hu Zhongxuan's consciousness was being steadily devoured by Li Anlong.

Fury ignited within you. Your blade strikes became more frenzied, the massive projections causing Li Anlong genuine difficulty. But the violent expenditure of Source Power came at a cost—your flesh began sloughing off in chunks.

"He Yu, stop this madness!" Yan Zhixue shouted, her hair disheveled.

Ignoring her, you fought with lunatic intensity. The bones of your sword arm stood exposed, yet radiant starlight coalesced once more as you launched another earth-shaking slash at Li Anlong—this one draining your last reserves of Source Power.

The giant tiger leaped suicidally into the blinding blade beam.

*BOOM—!!*

Heaven and earth trembled.

Both tiger and blade projection shattered spectacularly. Seizing the moment, Li Anlong deflected the remaining grandmasters' attacks and lunged toward you with a vicious grin.

His sword gleamed coldly, frost spreading for miles. The killing intent made your pupils contract violently.

"Look out—!" Yan Zhixue twisted desperately, her nine-section whip cracking the air like thunder as she raced to intercept.

"No—!" Wan Qingluan's anguished cry rose from below as she hurled nine silver needles with all her might—futile against the vast power disparity.

Li Anlong closed the distance instantly. Exhausted and unable to muster fresh strength, you barely raised your blade in defense. His slender sword swept yours aside, thrusting straight for your face.

Just as the blade tip touched your forehead—

*CLANG—!!*

A deafening metallic crash erupted as a gleaming silver spear shot from behind your head, its point meeting the sword tip in a dazzling explosion of force.