"Brother, where are we going?"
"We're heading to the Dark Flame Kingdom."
They were moving through the forest when he suddenly sensed danger. He swiftly picked up the girl and dashed away—just as a massive explosion erupted behind them.
Li Wei's eyes narrowed as he recognized the arrogant young master Tang Zheng from the auction. His grip on the girl tightened slightly, ensuring she was safe behind him.
Tang Zheng stood with arms crossed and a smug smile on his face, flanked by his gathered cultivators. "Li Wei, how many days has it been since we last met?" he mocked. "Did you really think you could take my belongings and walk away unharmed?"
Li Wei remained silent, his gaze cold and unreadable. He could feel his spiritual energy shifting inside him—the transformation into liquid was nearing completion. But for now, he was still at the fourth stage, and he was outnumbered.
The girl behind him tugged at his sleeve. "Brother... who is he?" she whispered.
Li Wei exhaled slowly. "Just a fool who doesn't know when to stop," he said.
Tang Zheng's expression darkened. "Still arrogant to the end, huh?" He raised his hand, and the cultivators behind him readied themselves to attack. "Let's see how long that attitude lasts when you're on your knees."
Li Wei smiled, his eyes glinting with dangerous light. "Then come," he said, shifting his stance. "Let's see who falls first."
The sixth-stage cultivator who had attacked him at the auction stepped forward, arrogance in his eyes. "You've been lucky so far. But today, that luck ends."
Miss Su approached gracefully, her soft laugh laced with malice. "Li Wei, you've been a thorn in our side for too long. But don't worry—after your death, I'll take good care of that girl."
A slow, cold laugh escaped Li Wei's lips. It held no amusement—only menace. A dangerous glint shone in his eyes.
"Miss Su, Tang Zheng, and you... nameless dogs standing in my way..." Li Wei's voice was oddly calm. "You're all so certain I'll die today."
Tang Zheng sneered. "What, you still think you can survive? You're injured, exhausted, and outnumbered. This is your end."
The sixth-stage cultivator wasted no more words and rushed at him with his sword. Blood splattered across his face—but not his own. Everyone was stunned by the sight before them.
The sword had pierced the delicate body of the girl. Blood trickled from her lips as her small frame trembled, yet she gave a weak smile.
"In this cultivation world, the weak are always crushed by the strong..." she whispered.
You brought a girl who saw you as her brother. She laughed, saying, "Anyone in my path can be sacrificed." The sixth-stage cultivator spoke, "I've heard you're powerful. Today, I want to test your strength."
Suddenly, he disappeared—and returned with a cultivator's severed head in his grasp, held by the hair.
The tension in the air thickened with bloodlust. The sixth-stage cultivator's grin widened as he spun his sword, barely able to contain his excitement. In front of him, Li Wei stood still, his expression cold and unreadable. In his hand, the severed head dripped blood, staining the ground beneath.
The air between them buzzed with the scent of blood and death. The once-arrogant spectators trembled, their legs weak as they realized they were standing before true terror.
The sixth-stage cultivator stepped forward, eyes gleaming with anticipation. "You're ruthless," he thought aloud, his voice laced with excitement. "I like that. It's been a while since I had a real fight."
Li Wei tilted his head slightly, analyzing his opponent like a predator studying prey. He dropped the severed head carelessly—it rolled across the ground like an empty husk. The sound of it hitting the earth sent chills down spines.
Then, like a flash of lightning—Li Wei vanished.
Before anyone could react, a sickening sound echoed through the clearing. Another headless body hit the ground, and Li Wei stood behind it, clutching another severed head by the hair.
When he turned to the sixth-stage cultivator, blood dripped from his fingers. His lips curled into a wicked smile.
"Is this fun for you?" he asked softly.
The cultivator burst into laughter, his aura swelling like a storm. "Yes! This is what I've been craving!" His energy erupted, shaking the ground. "Come on, show me more, Li Wei!"
Li Wei's eyes turned pitch-black. The storm of battle had only just begun.
The battlefield trembled with fear. The sixth-stage cultivator's eyes sparkled with thrill as he saw Li Wei holding a severed head like a trophy.
"You really are a monster," the cultivator said, advancing. "But that only makes it more exciting."
Li Wei tossed the head aside like trash, his blood-red eyes locked on his foe. His aura whirled around him like a blazing storm, shaking the ground.
"Enough," Li Wei said in an icy tone. "Come and meet your death."
Without hesitation, the sixth-stage cultivator rushed forward, sword slashing with deadly force. Li Wei didn't move—he merely raised his hand.
Boom!
The sword stopped mid-air—caught between Li Wei's fingers. The cultivator's eyes widened in disbelief. His full-force strike had been blocked with just two fingers.
"Impossible!"
Li Wei smiled. "Is that all a sixth-stage cultivator can do?"
Before the man could respond, Li Wei's other hand shot forward, piercing straight into his chest. The cultivator's body convulsed, blood spraying in all directions.
"You... you monster...!" he coughed, blood dripping from his lips.
Li Wei leaned in and whispered, "I told you, didn't I? Anyone who stands in my path... will be sacrificed."
The sixth-stage cultivator laughed as he grabbed Li Wei's hand. "It doesn't matter... I'm proud that I survived this long. But if I die today—I'll take you with me." He self-destructed.
A massive explosion shook the battlefield.
When the dust and debris from the devastating blast settled, silence fell over the battlefield. The shockwave had torn the ground apart, leaving a massive crater where Li Wei and the cultivator once stood. The remaining cultivators stared in terror, their expressions a mix of disbelief and fear.
"Is... is he dead?" one stammered, voice trembling.
Slowly, the smoke cleared—revealing the charred, mangled remains of the sixth-stage cultivator. Yet amidst the devastation, a shadowy figure emerged from the crater.
Li Wei stood there.
His clothes were torn, his body covered in deep wounds, but his eyes still burned with unwavering fire. Blood dripped from his lips, but as he stepped forward, a demonic smile formed.
The cultivators were stunned.
"Is he... still alive?"
Li Wei exhaled, breath ragged, but he raised his head toward the sky.
"Death won't take me so easily," he murmured. His body trembled, but he stayed upright—his sheer willpower keeping him from falling.
Terror gripped the remaining enemies. If even a sixth-stage cultivator's self-destruction couldn't kill him—what could?
Li Wei wiped the blood from his face and looked at the frightened cultivators. His voice was soft, yet it rang out like a death sentence across the battlefield.
"Who's next?"
Their spines turned to ice.
None dared to move.