"You brat, you're courting death!!"
Seeing the tragic state of his daughter, Wanjun's eyes split with rage, instantly becoming furious.
Without a second thought, he turned and raised a palm, fiercely striking towards Lin Sheng.
Fierce power erupted, met by a large hand with bulging veins and red scales.
The two palms, vastly different in size, collided.
A muffled bang sounded, Wanjun's expression changed slightly, and his body uncontrollably retreated.
However, the movements of his hand didn't stop. Just as he was about to continue attacking, the red-black large hand reached down from above once more.
Wanjun gritted his teeth, raised his hand, and threw a punch, colliding with the large hand again.
The immense strength made his body shake violently. His legs stood firmly on the ground, but the powerful impact force caused thick cracks to appear on the surrounding ground.
Wanjun's legs bent little by little. Despite desperately circulating his internal strength, he was still completely unable to counteract the terrifying power on the large hand, and his legs slowly bent.
If he were at his peak, he might be able to barely resist, but now he was heavily injured, his strength greatly depleted, and he was completely unable to block such an attack.
Just as he felt he couldn't hold on, his hand suddenly loosened, and the mountain-pressing like Giant Force suddenly dissipated.
But what disappeared along with it was Wan Shuang on his back.
"You're going too far! Kid, I, Wanjun, will fight you to the death..."
Wanjun clenched his fists, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins, and was about to attack again.
"Stop!"
At this moment, Qi Ning's voice sounded from the side.
Her figure flashed, arriving in front of the two.
"Thousand Faces, are you Dark Star trying to burn the bridge after crossing?"
Wanjun suppressed the rage in his heart, gritting his teeth as he spoke.
"Sect Leader Wan, you don't need to get angry yet. I will give you an explanation."
Qi Ning frowned slightly, turned her head to look at Lin Sheng, her eyes carrying a questioning look.
"Ghost Face, what's going on?"
Lan Man and Black Hawk also had confused looks. Lin Sheng's action just now was too sudden, completely beyond their expectations. No one had expected Lin Sheng to attack Wan Shuang.
"Didn't you notice something was wrong?"
Lin Sheng spoke slowly, his large hand gripping the headless corpse in his hand.
"Something wrong!?"
The few people's gazes then fell upon Wan Shuang's body.
Only then did they surprisingly discover that although her head was shattered, not a single drop of blood dripped, as if there was no blood in her body.
"What's going on!?"
Qi Ning and the others also realized something was wrong at this moment and frowned.
"Still hiding? Since you won't come out, then don't come out."
Looking at the slender corpse in his hand, Lin Sheng spoke indifferently, his face devoid of expression.
The next moment, golden-yellow flames erupted from his palm, enveloping the entire corpse.
As the fierce flames burned, the slender corpse quickly melted at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Shuang'er!?"
Seeing this scene, Wanjun couldn't help but cry out. Although he also sensed something was wrong at this moment, seeing his daughter in such a tragic state, he still couldn't help but want to step forward.
And just as the slender corpse was almost completely burned away by the fierce flames.
A scene that made people's hearts turn cold suddenly unfolded.
The charred corpse within the fierce flames suddenly began to vibrate rapidly.
Immediately on the corpse, it constantly bulged. As popping sounds rang out, the human-shaped corpse quickly transformed into a mass of black viscous liquid. Black eyes drilled out from the black viscous liquid one by one, blinking rapidly, emitting a deeply malicious aura that made people's hearts tremble.
"This..."
This scene made everyone's heart jump.
Roar--
A mournful and malevolent roar sounded from the black viscous liquid. Dense tentacles grew on the viscous mass, trying to break free from restraint, but they were tightly held by the large hand, unable to escape.
Under the burning of the golden-yellow fierce flames, a large number of tentacles melted at a speed visible to the naked eye, evaporating into wisps of black mist.
Seemingly quite afraid of the fierce flames, the black viscous mass constantly twisted and changed within the flames, but it was always unable to break free and gradually began to melt into black mist.
And just at this moment, from the underground grass, with a whoosh, a black shadow shot out and fled outwards.
It was precisely a mass of black viscous liquid only the size of a fist.
In just an instant, it shot out tens of zhang away. However, the next moment, a black short dagger arrived later but reached first, precisely pinning it to the ground.
Qi Ning's figure flashed past, only to see dense tentacles growing on the black viscous mass were actually rapidly pulling out the short dagger.
Seeing this strange scene, Qi Ning narrowed her eyes, flicked a finger, and a sharp force divided the black liquid into dozens of pieces. Even so, the black viscous liquid was still full of vitality, quickly gathering together. In just a breath, it showed signs of recovering to its original state.
"This thing!?"
Seeing such tenacious vitality, Qi Ning frowned slightly. Bone-chilling icy force emanated from her palm, enveloping the black viscous liquid and freezing it.
Although freezing interrupted the black viscous liquid's tendency to continue recovering, upon closer inspection, the frozen black viscous liquid was still slowly wriggling, clearly indicating that even being frozen only slowed down its recovery speed.
Roar--
This was a series of high-pitched, mournful roars that came out.
The black viscous liquid in Lin Sheng's palm, burned by the golden fierce flames, was now basically burned away, leaving only a single black eye held in his palm.
As another roar sounded, the black single eye also turned into a wisp of black smoke and disappeared.
"Whoosh..."
Heavily exhaling, Lin Sheng came to Qi Ning's side again, grabbed the frozen viscous liquid, and continued burning it with fierce flames. After a while, he also burned it completely away.
"How could this happen..."
Wanjun's face showed a look of dejection. At this moment, he had understood that his daughter had probably suffered a cruel fate long ago.
Ignoring Wanjun, Qi Ning looked at Lin Sheng's clean and decisive methods and spoke with some regret.
"This kind of black viscous liquid should have a very deep connection with the change in Gongsun Yuanzhou's body, possibly even the same thing."
"We should have left some just now to send back to headquarters for research."
Hearing this, Lin Sheng slightly shook his head and said solemnly.
"Sister Ning, it's best to stay away from this kind of thing. Even a slight carelessness could lead to a backlash."
"Moreover, this thing cannot be kept."
"Oh?" Hearing Lin Sheng's words, Qi Ning was startled, just about to say something else.
An angry roar had already come from behind everyone.
The roar carried terrifying malice. Although it was far from them, it still made everyone's heart turn cold.
"This is Gongsun Yuanzhou!! That thing has actually been following us."
Lan Man reacted immediately, crying out in surprise.
"The reason it could follow us should be because of that ghost thing just now. Now that it's resolved, it's best to leave quickly."
Lin Sheng turned around, focused his vision to look far in the direction behind him, his face showing a solemn expression.
Because as Wan Shuang died, he clearly felt the persistent malice behind them instantly become much more solid. It was clear that what he had just done had definitely angered the other party.
"Go."
The few people also realized this point. Not daring to think any further, they immediately sped up and quickly moved far away.
Half an hour later, feeling the malice behind him gradually weaken, Lin Sheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Indeed, that thing could always confirm the location; it was because of that ghost thing."
Actually, before this, he hadn't thought that Wan Shuang would have any problems.
He had to admit she hid extremely well. Even he initially didn't find anything abnormal.
However, back then in the dense forest, Gongsun Yuanzhou being able to catch up was definitely not without reason.
Moreover, after activating the Crisis Perception Talent and the Heart Monkey Talent, he faintly felt a trace of malice from her body. Although it just flashed by and disappeared instantly, and there was no abnormality afterwards, that trace of malice was real.
Coupled with the fact that the sense of threat behind them as they fled not only didn't fade but became stronger, it further heightened his suspicion. Although it was just suspicion, it was enough.
Regarding the Thousand-Eyed Nether Lord, the most powerful terrifying existence that had appeared on the System panel, he was extremely wary in his heart.
Although the real Thousand-Eyed Nether Lord is dead, whether it was Gongsun Yuanzhou or Wan Shuang, they might both have been affected by the contamination of the Thousand-Eyed Nether Lord, not the real Thousand-Eyed Nether Lord. But he still didn't dare to be careless in the slightest.
The abilities possessed by this level of strange beast are beyond imagination. With his current strength, it's better to avoid any entanglement with it as much as possible.
Especially when fighting with Gongsun Yuanzhou, he truly felt that the other party seemed to have great interest in him, carrying a strong sense of greed.
This situation made him even more cautious. After all, with the Phantom Demon Beast as a precedent, he couldn't afford not to be careful, especially when facing an existence like the Thousand-Eyed Nether Lord, which far surpassed the Phantom Demon Beast.
"Is it because of the mountain and sea scroll or other reasons?" While rapidly moving through the mountains and forests, Lin Sheng thought to himself.
The biggest secret on his body was the mountain and sea scroll. If it was because of the mountain and sea scroll, then it would be a bit troublesome.
"No, it shouldn't be the mountain and sea scroll!"
But soon he rejected this guess. The Thousand-Eyed Nether Lord was strong, powerful to the point of almost exceeding cognition, but it was dead after all, and just a remnant corpse. It was impossible for it to still have such powerful perception ability.
What gave him more confidence was that compared to the Thousand-Eyed Nether Lord, the mountain and sea scroll was undoubtedly a more mysterious existence. Even illusory beasts could be entered into it; it was impossible for it to be detected so easily.
"So, it should be other reasons. Then what reason could it be!?"
...
In the wilderness a thousand li away from Lin Sheng and the others.
As the black eyes within Wan Shuang's body were completely burned away by Lin Sheng.
Uh...ah...
The tall human shape completely covered in black viscous liquid, or more accurately, composed of black viscous liquid, suddenly stopped. Its body constantly shook, the surging black viscous liquid on its body constantly changing and dripping.
From its mouth, roars kept coming out, carrying meaning of pain and unwillingness.
Until the time it takes for one incense stick to burn passed, everything finally returned to calm.
The black eyes on Gongsun Yuanzhou's head blinked and quickly shifted direction, his gaze collectively falling on the location of Fu City. He then strode away and disappeared into the wilderness.
...
Three days later.
Yan County border, Water Dragon Mountain.
This not-so-high-altitude barren mountain was named Water Dragon Mountain because, according to legend, thousands of years ago a huge waterfall poured down from the cliff top. However, it dried up unknown how many years ago. Water sources are scarce on the entire mountain, and it gradually became a desolate mountain where people rarely visit.
At this moment, on the mountainside, caves were clearly carved out. Wisps of herbal scent drifted out, and from time to time, somewhat dispirited Dark Star members could be seen entering and leaving the caves.
It was precisely the group of Huang Quan members who had been transferred from the Yan County stronghold.
At this moment on the mountaintop, on a platform artificially created, Lin Sheng sat cross-legged on the ground, shirtless, his eyes slightly closed. At this moment, his exposed skin showed a gray, deathly aura, without any vitality, just like a corpse that had been dead for a long time.
Until more than half an hour passed, a faint heartbeat sounded from his chest. Wisps of bloody threads slowly surged outwards from the heart as the center towards all parts of his body. Only then did a faint vitality appear within the thick deathly aura.
As time flowed, the vitality also became stronger little by little. After another half an hour, the deathly aura on his body was finally mostly dispelled.
Lin Sheng suddenly opened his eyes. Unexpectedly, his eyes showed the turbidity of a dying person. He closed his eyes again and soon opened them again. This time, the turbidity in his eyes dissipated, replaced by piercing sharpness.
Taking a deep breath, his whole body was covered with blood lines, as if someone had scribbled on him with a red oil pen.
Even from the pores of his skin, wisps of black-red bloody water flowed out.
The bloody water flowed more and more, so much so that it soaked large areas of the mountain rocks beneath his feet, staining them black-red.
At this moment, he heavily exhaled, a relaxed expression appearing on his face.
"I didn't expect this Devouring Heart Pill poison to be so potent. Just some powder crumbs have such power."
Feeling the intense pain still constantly coming from his body, his face was a little pale.
More than a day ago, he had already arrived here. After confirming there were no threats, he began to cultivate.
Besides his comprehension of the True Yang Change, what he focused on cultivating was the Heavenly Serpent Bone Exchange.
The first stage of the first layer of Yi Pi (Skin Changing) he had already successfully cultivated. Naturally, he was now cultivating the second stage.
Previously, Huang Quan and the others had already sent over the pills he needed to take for the second stage.
And the pill in that brocade box was a poison pill named Devouring Heart Pill. For the introduction of this pill, there were only four simple words, "World's Most Unique Poison." Clearly, it came from that Li Shenjun.
Regarding the path of poison, he also had quite some research. The poison technique Three Corpse Soul Severing Palm in his hands had completely surpassed the scope of its original creator, reaching a brand new height. General poisons basically posed no threat to him.
Even if it could pose a threat, with his terrifying Physique, he could quickly recover as before.
So regarding the second stage of Yi Pi requiring potent poison to assist cultivation, he was quite bothered, worried that ordinary potent poisons would be difficult to have an effect.
But until he saw this Devouring Heart Pill, only then did he understand his worry was unnecessary.
Out of caution, the first time he consumed it, he only scraped off some powder from it, wanting to try it first. The resulting toxicity that erupted completely exceeded his imagination.
It took a full day; only then did he suppress the toxicity.
He had no doubt that if he presumed too much and directly swallowed this pill, even if his Physique was stronger and his poison resistance higher, he wouldn't last even a moment before the poison would erupt and he would die.
Thinking of this, Lin Sheng also couldn't help but curse inwardly.
He had always heard Huang Quan and the others say that Li Shenjun's temperament was strange. Now he had seen a bit of it; such a potent poison actually came without any warning.
It was just him; if it were someone else, just scraping some of the pill's outer layer might cause them to bleed from seven orifices and die.