Chapter Fifty-Six: The Soul-Absorbing Insect

Chapter Fifty-Six: Soul-Draining Insects

A swarm of black insects encircled Chu Jie and Duan Kun. If the Ninefold Sky Gale were still present, Liu Qing would never have unleashed these soul-draining insects, for their power would be drastically diminished within its currents. Yet now, with the sudden disappearance of the gale from the Abyss of Gods and Demons, circumstances had shifted greatly—this was a windfall for Liu Qing.

Duan Kun brandished his sword in a flurry of light, desperately churning the swarm, but to little effect.

“Chu Jie, these insects are too fast. My sword can’t strike them precisely enough—killing them is too slow compared to how quickly they’re draining our spiritual energy,” Duan Kun said, feeling his internal power rapidly ebb away. If this continued, exhaustion and death were inevitable.

To attack Liu Qing now would be futile; the insects would drain them dry before they could defeat him. Unless Liu Qing could be killed instantly, he would instead be the one to end their lives. For someone able to command such followers, Liu Qing’s strength must surely exceed what he let on; he was certainly not as weak as the mere fifth level of the Spirit-Convergence Realm that he pretended to be. Moreover, a host of his men stood ready behind him. If they failed to deal with these soul-draining insects, today might well be their end.

Chu Jie, too, attacked with his sword, his movements swifter than Duan Kun’s, yet still unable to fell many insects.

“Haha!” Liu Qing laughed wildly, turning to his minions. “See? You made the right choice in following me. These two are doomed. Once their spiritual power is drained, we’ll kill one and keep the other.”

To him, Chu Jie and Duan Kun were meat on the chopping block, needing only patience to finish them off.

Within Chu Jie, the Wheel of Samsara spun furiously. He summoned the Barbarian Cauldron, placing his hopes upon it, uncertain if it could handle these soul-draining insects. To devour living things with the cauldron required vast spiritual power, especially with such strange creatures; the moment he activated it, he felt a sudden emptiness within.

As the cauldron absorbed immense spiritual energy, a vortex appeared at its mouth, and by then, Chu Jie’s reserves were nearly depleted—he could barely sustain the cauldron’s power. An intense suction emerged, and though the soul-draining insects struggled to escape, their small size made it impossible. A multitude were drawn into the Barbarian Cauldron.

“What a treasure!” Duan Kun exclaimed in joy. He had thought all was lost, but Chu Jie’s cauldron reversed their fate. Most of the insects failed to escape, sucked into the cauldron; only a few fled back into Liu Qing’s jade gourd.

Liu Qing’s expression darkened. He had paid dearly for these insects, and they had won him many battles—sometimes even allowing him to slay those above his own level. Yet today, they failed him.

“You’re more capable than I expected, but I’ll see to it that you die miserably. With your spiritual power drained by the insects, your dantian must be hollow now, isn’t it?” Liu Qing’s body glowed with shifting crimson light, as if engulfed in flames. He began to channel his inner power, preparing to deal with Chu Jie and Duan Kun.

Just as he said, Chu Jie’s spiritual energy was nearly dry; he could no longer perform the Nine Suns Heaven-Splitting Claw. Yet without the insects interfering, he and Duan Kun still stood a chance.

Liu Qing’s aura surged, his power now clearly exceeding the sixth level of the Spirit-Convergence Realm. The flames around him soared higher, becoming almost tangible, wrapping him in a blazing shroud. He transformed into a streak of fire, rushing toward Chu Jie—his flame-tail stretching behind him like that of a fire dragon, the head flickering, almost taking on draconic form, faint roars vibrating the air.

The immense pressure made both Chu Jie and Duan Kun tense. Liu Qing’s strength far surpassed their expectations; this blow alone was at least at the seventh level of the Spirit-Convergence Realm. Clearly, Liu Qing was a formidable opponent, capable of overcoming those above his rank.

“Towering Fire Dragon Fist!” Liu Qing’s fist became a dragon’s maw, surging with power as it struck toward Chu Jie.

His followers were stunned. None had ever seen Liu Qing unleash such a technique; only now did they realize his true strength. Some of the weaker ones even felt their legs give way beneath them.

Suddenly, a blazing sun appeared. Chu Jie stepped forward, launching the Great Sun Heavenly Blaze Fist to clash with Liu Qing’s attack.

From afar, it looked as if the fire dragon’s head snapped up the sun in a single bite, devouring it whole. In an instant, Chu Jie was blasted away by Liu Qing’s blow.

Yet, contrary to Liu Qing’s expectation, Chu Jie was not gravely injured. Liu Qing’s brow furrowed in surprise. “Such a resilient body?”

Chu Jie’s Nine Tribulations Body was not so easily harmed. Having been knocked aside, he landed solidly on his feet. But with his spiritual power nearly gone, there was no hope of unleashing his full strength. Only by joining forces with Duan Kun did victory remain possible.

Duan Kun had more spiritual power left, having not expended much earlier; most of the insects had targeted Chu Jie. His body blurred into a shadow, closing the distance to Liu Qing and swinging a kick at his head.

Liu Qing, intending to pursue Chu Jie, narrowed his eyes. “Fine, I’ll finish you first!”

A dragon’s roar echoed faintly as the fire dragon’s head turned to strike at Duan Kun. At that moment, Chu Jie charged back into the fray, his form a stream of light, an incandescent sun blazing at his side.

Duan Kun alone couldn’t defeat Liu Qing; his strength was simply too great. Liu Qing’s initial attack sent Duan Kun flying, but he immediately got up and charged again.

“Such sturdy bodies—impressive. If you’d agree to serve under me, I’d spare your lives,” Liu Qing boasted, flames surging around him.

“Never!” Chu Jie retorted, attacking alongside Duan Kun. With his own power nearly spent, he could only rely on the Great Sun Heavenly Blaze Fist, while Duan Kun unleashed kicks and punches against Liu Qing.

Their combined assault immediately put Liu Qing under much greater pressure. When he unleashed the Towering Fire Dragon Fist once more, both Chu Jie and Duan Kun were pushed back only three or four meters, not sent flying as before.

“Together!” Chu Jie and Duan Kun exchanged a glance.

Great Sun Heavenly Blaze Fist! Chu Jie drew on the last scraps of his spiritual energy, a dazzling sun forming at his fist’s tip, his entire being radiating a formidable aura. On Duan Kun’s legs, wisps of black mist appeared, shrouding them—this was the first time Chu Jie had seen Duan Kun unleash his true martial skills.

Their combined momentum even startled Liu Qing. “Heh, it’s pointless. Even together, you’re no match for me—especially now, with your energy nearly gone,” Liu Qing sneered. Had their reserves been full, he wouldn’t have dared attack, but with the advantage now his, he acted without restraint.

Inside, Chu Jie’s Wheel of Samsara spun frantically, drawing out every last drop of power from his dantian. He could no longer use the Nine Suns Heaven-Splitting Claw, but the Great Sun Heavenly Blaze Fist remained—he forced out every ounce of strength. Duan Kun too gathered all his energy into his legs; only their strongest blow offered hope of victory.

Liu Qing’s followers had never truly pledged loyalty. Now, seeing the battle reach its climax, they kept their distance, fearful of being caught in the crossfire. As for fleeing, none dared—should Liu Qing survive, he would hunt them down without mercy.

The fire around Liu Qing blazed higher than ever, the dragon’s head now more defined than before.

“Since you wish to die, I’ll help you die swiftly.” With a cold snort, Liu Qing punched at the dragon’s head, sending it, trailing flames, hurtling toward Chu Jie and Duan Kun.

“Kill!” Chu Jie and Duan Kun roared in unison.

The Great Sun Heavenly Blaze Fist—this strike, charged for so long, was stronger than any before. The blazing sun it conjured was larger and brighter than ever. Duan Kun’s legs, each movement trailing shadows, seemed almost to tear rifts in the surrounding space.

Chu Jie’s fist met Liu Qing’s, while Duan Kun’s foot targeted Liu Qing’s head. At first, the fire dragon’s head seemed to envelop both of them—but then, the situation shifted.

The dragon’s fiery head twisted violently. The sun within exploded outward, shattering most of the flames, after which Duan Kun’s relentless kicks dispersed the rest. Their combined ferocity left Liu Qing’s Towering Fire Dragon Fist with little impact.

At last, Duan Kun’s foot struck Liu Qing’s head. After several exchanges of blows, Chu Jie’s fist landed on Liu Qing’s body as well.

Liu Qing’s eyes bulged; his head twisted at a grotesque angle, and his body caved in where Chu Jie’s fist struck. In truth, Liu Qing’s body was not particularly resilient. Had he fought cautiously, he might have prevailed, but overconfident and reckless, he fell under the pincer attack of Chu Jie and Duan Kun.

The flames enveloping him gradually faded, the fire-dragon’s tail shrinking, and after the fierce battle, the land around them was scorched and barren.

In the distance, Liu Qing’s followers stood frozen in shock.