By the time Mao Yingxia finally finished reciting the obscure incantation, Li Miao had already closed within ten zhang behind her.
Li Miao pointed a finger.
Sharp true qi, like an arrow released from a bowstring, shot towards Mao Yingxia's chest.
It was the Ming Cult's ultimate technique, Xuantian Finger, the same martial art Lan Lechuan used to test Li Miao that day.
Mao Yingxia was, after all, a direct descendant of the Ming Cult's peak experts. Hearing the sharp whistling behind her, she was shocked that Li Miao knew the Ming Cult's ultimate technique, but she also instinctively reacted.
Her true qi surged beneath her feet, and she suddenly exerted force, turning sideways. She raised her left hand and counter-attacked with a Xuantian Finger!
Bang!
With a muffled thud in mid-air, blood splattered, and Mao Yingxia clutched her left shoulder, her arm hanging limply.
The difference between a peak expert and another peak expert was like that between clouds and mud. Mao Yingxia's Xuantian Finger was shattered in mid-air, and the remaining sharp true qi, with its lingering power, was only slightly deflected, opening a thumb-sized hole in her shoulder.
This wound directly broke her collarbone in two, making it difficult for her to move her entire left side. Mao Yingxia groaned, raised her right hand, and pressed several points on her left shoulder, barely stopping the bleeding.
When she looked up again, Li Miao was already within arm's reach.
Li Miao's Xuantian Finger, and the tile he struck when pursuing You Zi'ang that day, operated on the same principle.
With this strike, whether you block or receive, as long as your true qi circulation pauses for a moment, I can close in on you.
Li Miao clenched his fist, causing the silken gloves to emit an almost tearing sound. He held his fist at his waist, and the rampant true qi blew away the surrounding dust.
Bang!
Li Miao's left foot stomped violently on the ground, sending gravel flying, and a thunderous roar exploded!
The fist at his waist was raised.
He threw a punch!
It appeared that, aside from its immense momentum, it was no different from the 'Straight Punch' used by children during their foundational training.
This boxing technique looked unremarkable, yet Mao Yingxia's face showed a look of terror.
She recognized this boxing technique—Hengshuquan (Horizontal Vertical Fist)!
That's right, this boxing technique was called that name, both rustic and unpretentious. Like its name, this boxing technique only had two moves, one horizontal and one vertical, completely unflashy.
But it was a well-known divine art in the martial world!
Legend has it that over a hundred years ago, there was a young man with exceptionally good bone structure but a simple and unadorned character. His comprehension was extremely poor, making it difficult for him to grasp most martial arts. Only one foundational boxing technique, he learned quite well.
After several years of careful guidance from his sect, the young man still couldn't master the sect's martial arts. Gradually, the sect stopped paying attention to him.
Until the young man was thirty, he still practiced this foundational boxing technique day after day within the sect, through winter and summer, without the slightest laziness. And the original dozens of foundational boxing moves, after twenty years, were reduced to only two—one horizontal, one vertical.
The disciples within the sect often ridiculed him, but he would just chuckle foolishly, not caring, still diligently practicing this two-move boxing technique, one move at a time, with utmost seriousness.
Until one day, the sect faced a catastrophic disaster, and its masters perished in battle. The enemies came to wipe out the sect's legacy and kill all its disciples.
There was no one left in the sect to resist, and the disciples, in despair, could only close their eyes and await death.
Just then, the young man who had practiced the foundational boxing technique for twenty years stood out.
One vertical strike, smashing the enemy's head into his chest.
One horizontal strike, sending a dozen people flying, landing silently.
Only then did his fellow disciples realize how restrained and profound those two moves, which appeared daily before them like a country bumpkin's display, truly were.
From then on, this young man took over the sect's legacy, becoming unrivaled in the martial world for a time. At fifty, he even surpassed the contemporary Wudang Sect Leader, becoming the Central Plains Martial World Alliance Leader.
Unfortunately, after his death, no one in the sect could perform this boxing technique with his divine charm. Over time, the sect declined, and this once famous Hengshuquan (Horizontal Vertical Fist) was also lost and its whereabouts unknown.
Now, it reappeared, striking towards Mao Yingxia!
The divine charm was restrained, profound as if the sky itself were falling, embodying the true essence of this boxing technique.
Mao Yingxia raised her palm, and a true qi palm print left her body, striking towards Li Miao's punch.
It shattered on impact!
Xuantian Finger! Great Nine Heavens Hand! Cold Ice Cotton Palm!
Bone-Piercing Needle! Yin Wind Blade!
Countless Ming Cult ultimate techniques were unleashed from Mao Yingxia's hands, like water poured out without a care, yet they were like bubbles, shattering in mid-air, unable to shake it in the slightest!
This Hengshuquan (Horizontal Vertical Fist) was like that; it wasn't fast. Even when Li Miao used it, Mao Yingxia saw it clearly, one could even say it was slow.
Yet, it was unstoppable.
Suddenly, Mao Yingxia's expression relaxed.
It had arrived; the incantation she had recited finally, belatedly, took effect.
The wind suddenly picked up, and several beast-like roars echoed nearby.
Several humanoid figures lunged forward, blocking between Mao Yingxia and Li Miao, their sharp claws grabbing at Li Miao's body.
Bang!
Crash--
Limbs shattered, and those humanoid figures were suddenly sent flying, black, viscous blood, like oil, splattering everywhere.
Li Miao's punch still landed on Mao Yingxia's shoulder.
"Pfft--"
Mao Yingxia spat blood and flew backward, her right shoulder already a mangled mess.
But she had, after all, survived, merely collapsing to the ground, unable to move anymore.
However, at this distance, it would only take Li Miao an instant to kill her.
Li Miao did not make a move, but instead stopped and looked around.
Around him, hundreds of figures stood, emitting dull roars and heavy breathing, eager to move.
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Li Miao finally spoke his first words: "You Ming Cult, you really have played with Gu worms to the extreme, haven't you?"
"Have you been hiding in the Miao territory all these years?"
"Cough cough... cough..." Mao Yingxia coughed several times, spitting out a mouthful of clotted blood.
"It was my cult's inadequate preparation; we didn't discover at all that there was someone like you hidden in the imperial court."
"But how did you cultivate two paths... and still manage to survive...?"
Li Miao said calmly, "You don't need to worry about that. I cultivated it myself; it has nothing to do with the imperial court."
"I got tired of staying in Shuntian Prefecture, so I went out for a stroll to clear my head, and happened to run into you beasts, so I just came to kill a few."
Hearing Li Miao's nonchalant words, Mao Yingxia's face instantly turned red with anger and anxiety, causing her blood to surge and she spat out another mouthful of blood.
"Heh... heh heh..."
"You, just keep being arrogant."
"You cannot kill me."
Mao Yingxia forced herself to say, "These surrounding figures are the five hundred Gu Soldiers accumulated by my Holy Cult..."
"The mother Gu is on me. If I die, these Gu Soldiers will be unleashed without restraint and will seek out flesh everywhere."
"Don't even think about killing me and taking the Gu from me... If the true qi connection and blood supply are cut off for even a moment, the mother Gu will die with me immediately..."
"No matter how high your martial arts are, you can't kill them all before they reach the surrounding villages and towns..."
"Right now, you only have one choice..."
Mao Yingxia said grimly, "These Gu Soldiers are immensely strong, difficult to wound with swords and blades..."
"You can kill fifty, kill a hundred, but you are ultimately not a 'Xumi', your true qi is limited..."
"Come on! Kill... Let's see if you kill all these Gu Soldiers first, or if your true qi runs out first..."
"Heh... heh hahahahaha... cough cough..."
Li Miao turned to look at Mao Yingxia: "Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?"
"I was going to slaughter all of you beasts anyway. So I'll let you be the last to die."
With that, he raised his hand and unleashed a Xuantian Finger, shattering Mao Yingxia's hip bone and crippling her ability to escape.
Then, amidst Mao Yingxia's sudden, tragic wails, he slowly walked towards the charging Gu Soldiers.