Before the bear-faced man could approach Qi Gang, a sudden darkness, vast as the sky and earth, enveloped everything!

It was the black-robed elder, Messenger Qi Jin, whose black robe billowed with the wind as if alive, inflating like a giant mouth that swiftly devoured the bear-faced man like lightning.

“Ahhh!”

Accompanied by crunching and tearing sounds, the bear-faced man let out a blood-curdling scream, struggling frantically, but no matter how hard he tried, it was as if he was mired in quicksand.

In just a few breaths, the black-robed elder waved his sleeve and the bear-faced man was thrown out, crashing to the ground.

But by then, the bear-faced man’s flesh had all but disappeared, leaving only a stark white skeleton behind.

“Burp!”

The robe donned by the black-robed elder let out a satisfied belch.

This scene made everyone shudder. As a messenger of the Life Extinguishing Association, Messenger Qi Jin’s strength was unfathomable and unlikely to be inferior to Qi Gang or Kuotuo. To him, a martial artist of the Earth Flower Realm was no more than food, devoured until only a skeleton remained!

The black-robed elder snorted coldly and said, “What I hate the most is when people ignore my words!”

“Make your decision, die or surrender. If you pass the assessment, you can become a member of the Life Extinguishing Association and be reborn!” The black-robed elder then looked at everyone with a smile that appeared kind and amiable yet sent chills down their spines.

“What… what should we do…”

All the martial artists felt heavy-hearted. Each of them was an elite among Innate martial artists, yet now, with Qi Gang’s betrayal and severe casualties, they would need to struggle with all their might just to face a group of unkillable Monster Warriors.

And with Qi Gang, Kuotuo, and that black-robed elder Qi Jin, each was a formidable figure too difficult to contend with—for them, battling meant only death!

To flee? The chances of escaping from the encirclement of the Black Rock Mountain Range and a horde of Monster Warriors were slim.

As for surrendering, it was essentially entrusting their lives to the enemy. At best, they would become monstrous creatures, neither human nor ghost—a fate most of the martial artists here were unwilling to accept.

“I am willing to join the Life Extinguishing Association!”

At that moment, a voice broke the silence, and both the Monster Warriors and the gathered Innate martial artists inevitably turned their gaze to the speaker.

The one who spoke wore a mask with a green-faced fanged ghost on it, dressed in black martial attire.

“Dao Wufeng…” Despite their masks, the crowd recognized him as ’Dao Wufeng.’

Clutching the wound on his neck, Cangwen Yu couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, “I, Cangwen Yu… really can’t judge character!”

The Qi Gang he considered a good brother had betrayed him, and the mysterious martial artist he helped bring in, Dao Wufeng, had also chosen to wallow in the mire with the enemy.

Although Cangwen Yu could understand that making such a choice in these circumstances was normal, being the first to surrender was indeed contemptible.

“Good, take off your mask!”

As the black-robed elder said with a smile, he knew well that once someone stepped forward to surrender first, it would soon lead to a second and a third.

Su Changkong did as told, removing the mask from his face and revealing a stern visage.

“Come here and swallow this ’Monster Qi Worm.’ Don’t worry, it will only seal your Qi and Blood, Heavenly Pulse, without endangering your life. Just now, you avoided Qi Gang’s assault without a scratch; we, the Life Extinguishing Association, welcome people of your caliber!”

The black-robed elder then continued, opening his palm where copious demonic power formed a black worm.

This Monster Qi Worm, transformed by the black-robed elder’s demonic power, would once swallowed, seal the martial artist’s power, leaving them vulnerable to manipulation.

The elder in the black robe was very satisfied. He had also been secretly observing and saw Qi Gang suddenly launch an attack, killing five people on the spot, injuring another five, and some reacted swiftly, avoiding the lethal moves.

’Dao Wufeng’ was among those who avoided the attacks, indicating that his strength was far from ordinary, and it was highly probable he would successfully merge with the demon crystal core, becoming a member of the Life Extinguishing Association!

“Good, no problem, I have also longed to be reborn and possess an immortal body,” Dao Wufeng said with an excited grin, eagerly agreeing, and striding towards the elder in the black robe with a cooperative demeanor.

Contempt was evident in the eyes of Cangwen Yu and others.

“I originally thought Dao Wufeng was somebody remarkable… I didn’t expect him to be a coward who feared death!”

Cangwen Yu sighed silently.

Su Changkong had dealt with the Cangyun Sect quite a bit, exchanging Innate Qi for many resources, and both sides had a pleasant cooperation. Cangwen Yu also felt that the other party was unfathomable, certainly not an ordinary person. Now the sight of Su Changkong ingratiating himself just to stay alive was despicable!

“Sigh… I just wanted a pill recipe, and yet I got dragged into this mess…” Su Changkong maintained a humble smile on his face, but inwardly, he was speechless.

A high-tier spirit pill recipe, which he presumed he could easily obtain just by going through the motions, but in the end, it was all just a trap by Qi Gang, to be used as a proof of loyalty.

Su Changkong didn’t want to become a soulless monster, nor did he wish to die, so his only option was… to make them die!

Ten zhang, five zhang, one zhang…

But as he got within a zhang, the elder in the black robe with a smile on his face suddenly felt a shock in his heart as he sensed an extremely faint murderous intent, an intent… coming from in front of him!

“Clang!”

The humble smile vanished from Su Changkong’s face, replaced by a cold murderous intent. His palm was already pressed against the hilt of his waist, the Iron-Cutting Sword was unsheathed, cold Blade Qi condensed into solid form, compressed upon the blade edge. Blade Intent naturally exuded from his Sea of Consciousness, turning the space within a zhang into Su Changkong’s domain.

With the sword out, it was bound to draw blood!

“Chi!”

The Iron-Cutting Sword broke free from its sheath, its energy firmly locking onto the elder in the black robe. With a seemingly slow yet swift Splitting Cut descending, the blade left behind a trace in the air that couldn’t easily dissipate!

The elder in the black robe reacted extremely quickly. He retreated while gathering demonic power, raising an arm to block Su Changkong’s Iron-Cutting Sword.

“Puchi!”

In the crisp sound of flesh being torn, the arm of the elder in the black robe, which was condensed with demonic power and harder than steel, was sliced open like cowhide. The sword plunged straight in, severing bone and with impregnable force, cleaved the old man’s arm from the elbow down.

The obstruction of the arm allowed the elder in the black robe to retreat a certain distance, preventing him from being cut in two from the top of his head. The sword blade grazed his brow, leaving behind a bloody streak, the pain piercing through to his brain!

Iron Cutting Blade Technique, Horizontal Chop!

With one arm severed, Su Changkong didn’t give the elder in the black robe a chance to catch his breath. He stepped forward, pursuing the retreating figure, and executed a Horizontal Chop. Blade Intent converged on the blade, making the strike an unstoppable force.

Su Changkong had been the first to surrender, of course, to make the adversary lower their guard, getting close before striking to assassinate one!

The black robe on the body of the elder undulated and swelled, as if alive. It turned into a shield gathering itself to block Su Changkong’s attack.

“Chi!”

Amid the tearing sound, the black robe emitted a piercing squeal as it was deeply slit open, revealing black blood surging forth. With the obstruction from the black robe, the elder in the black robe finally managed to retreat, escaping the range of Su Changkong’s Iron-Cutting Sword.

Standing steady, the elder in the black robe’s severed arm gushed blood, with pain biting to the bone. The demon’s immortal body could not be deployed, causing his sallow pupils to constrict as he roared out a mix of shock and rage, “You are… a Five-Qi Grandmaster!”

(Preview of the update on Qidian Chinese Network, the next chapter will be updated at 22:00 on the 30th.)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Madara Web Novel