The floor of Xu Qing’s cave was covered with bird feathers, and the air swirled with impure vital energy. The pile of rocks and other miscellaneous items he’d used to block the entrance had long since been corroded by mutagen. There was a lot more dust built up as well. Now that this area was a forbidden region, scavengers had already been coming through to explore. However, this refuge was so well-hidden that no one had discovered it. The smell of dust and decay filled Xu Qing’s nostrils, but he ignored it.

Sitting cross-legged, he cultivated the Sea and Mountain Incantation, building up enough momentum to attempt a breakthrough to the seventh level.

Outside, he heard the howls of the mutant beasts and the bone-chilling mourning of the grues. It caused a somewhat vacant expression to fill Xu Qing’s face as he suddenly found himself back in the same spot from over half a year ago. He remembered the god’s eyes opening, then the blood rain. It had been a real struggle for him to survive in the broken city after that.

After that, he buried such thoughts and focused on cultivation. As his cultivation base rotated, spirit power poured into him. Eventually, popping sounds rang out within him, growing louder and louder, until it was a roaring in his mind.

Black filth oozed out of his pores more and more as the moments passed. During the process, he felt his flesh and blood growing astonishingly stronger. His blood vessels swelled as he felt painful tearing sensations ripping through him. Even his bones creaked.

About two hours later, the roaring in his mind became like the constant crack of thunder. Then he opened his eyes, and violet light erupted from his pupils.

And then, the spectral hobgoblin appeared behind him.

This time… the hobgoblin looked different! It was an even deeper black color, and was burlier. Its head didn’t have a single horn. Instead, it had two horns like an ox, except they spiraled, and had black sparks of lightning at their tips. Its face was more vicious, and when it opened its mouth, it seemed capable of devouring evil ghosts. Furthermore, it had sharp claws that, combined with its violet pupils, emanated a hair-raising brutality.

Powerful fluctuations rolled off of the spectral hobgoblin, apparently piercing through the surrounding stone of the cave.

It was a complete success with the spectral hobgoblin!

This was the development that would occur when pushing the Sea and Mountain Incantation to the perfect level. For most other people, this would indicate that he had reached the perfect level of body cultivation in Qi Condensation, and couldn’t go any further. However, Xu Qing had reached this point at only the seventh level.

Of course, the transformations to his body were also significant. He was slightly taller, and the violet light in his eyes lasted for longer after the breakthrough.

As for his face….

In the sixth level of the Sea and Mountain Incantation, he had been incomparably fair and good-looking. But now, with the violet glint in his eyes, he could be considered almost enchanting were it not for the grime covering his face.

Of course, Xu Qing didn’t care about that. He just cared about how much stronger he was getting.

Eventually, he looked down and slowly clenched his hands into fists, noticing the blood vessels bulging through his skin. The violet light in his eyes slowly faded, but he could clearly sense how powerful he was….

He was at least twice as strong as before!

Is this the power of a hobgoblin?

It was pitch black outside, and there was no light in the cave, but Xu Qing could actually see around him, though not to the extent of being able to see his shadow. That said, he could sense his shadow, so after considering the matter, he made another attempt to control it. After the time it takes an incense stick to burn, an excited gleam appeared in his eyes.

He had much better control over his shadow now, to the point where he could even call it subtle. He could even take mutagen from the shadow and return it to his body. Of course, that wasn’t a useful thing, but it proved that he was commanding increased control.

After taking everything into consideration, Xu Qing was certain that with his current level of battle prowess, he could defeat someone like the camp owner without relying on the statue’s heavenly saber. All he would need would be a single punch… and if someone in the eighth level of Qi Condensation tried to meet the blow, their arm would explode.

Unfortunately, I’m not even close to being able to deal with Patriarch Golden Vajra Warrior.

Xu Qing shook his head. Although he hadn’t directly clashed with the patriarch, being forced to deal with his long-range fist attacks had been very illuminating.

Even if Xu Qing used his shadow to catch the man off guard, he knew that there was just no way he was strong enough to fight a Foundation Establishment expert.

That said, I should be able to kill those two fellows in the ninth level of Qi Condensation.

Eyes gleaming, he looked through the crack to the outside. The bizarre sounds of the grues continued to echo out, but they were off in the distance. The cave itself was quiet. Once again, Xu Qing felt like he was in the past, and he even instinctively took out his iron skewer as he tried to decide what to do next.

If he left the forbidden region, he felt confident that he could get to Antlerville.

However… he also didn’t feel like simply running away. That much was evident from the killing intent flickering in his eyes.

If I don’t kill some of these people, I’m always going to be worrying about potential calamity. 

Narrowing his eyes, he envisioned his old map of the city. He knew the city well. Thinking about all the different streets, he remembered where certain mutant beasts slept, where the birds hid, and other details.

The city magistrate’s manor! The coldness in his eyes grew more intense.

His main goal was going to be leaving the city ruins. But if he encountered any people from the Golden Vajra Warrior Sect, then he already knew how he would fight back. Sensing that the sounds outside were very distant, Xu Qing opened up the cave and slowly crawled out.

The cave opening was small and narrow, and Xu Qing was already taller and bigger than before, so it was a bit of a struggle. But his expression was the same as ever as he forced himself out. He got a few scrapes and cuts in the process, but they healed almost instantly.

After looking around vigilantly, he carefully started making his way through the ruins. This time, he moved with caution even greater than back in the jungle by the basecamp. After all, there were a lot more grues and mutant beasts to worry about at night time here.

Thankfully, he knew the general layout of the city. That, coupled with his speed, enabled him to avoid any dangers he came across.

In those cases when fleeing wasn’t an option, he ended matters with a lightning-fast attack.

He continued through the mutagen for about two hours, and was nearing the edge of the city when he heard a distant rumbling sound. With eyes flashing like a lone wolf, he prowled through the city toward the noise. Soon after, he saw seven or eight mutant beasts pursuing two people.

They were none other than the grand elders from the Golden Vajra Warrior Sect.

A short time after the two saw Xu Qing and their patriarch disappear into the city, they followed.

However, given it was the middle of the night, they’d decided not to venture into the depths of the city, and had stayed near the edge.

Unfortunately, there were just too many grues and mutant beasts. Furthermore, the hiding place they had picked was a far cry from the bird cave Xu Qing had identified. Thus, it wasn’t long before they were discovered. Not wanting to attract the attention of even more mutant beasts, they had simply fled, deciding to only start fighting if absolutely necessary.

Because of that cautious approach, and also their incredible strength, they had been able to deal with everything thus far. In fact, they were just on the point of being able to shake off the group of mutant beasts chasing them. However, that was when a cold streak of light suddenly shot toward them.

It shot like an arrow through the night, heading straight toward the grand elder in the lead position.

This was not the man who had clashed with Xu Qing earlier, but instead, was the one who had shown up later with Patriarch Golden Vajra Warrior. Face falling, he quickly performed a double-handed incantation gesture, causing an ice shield to rumble out around him. He also had a personal defensive barrier as well.

The cold light moved with astonishing power, and it pierced through the ice defense, then stabbed into the defensive barrier.

Spirit power fluctuations rolled out as cracks spread across the defensive barrier. However, it held strong. That was when the grand elder realized that he had been attacked with a black iron skewer!

Pupils constricting, the grand elder looked over his shoulder at his companion, but by then it was too late.

At the same moment as the first attack, a shadowy figure lunged out of an alley, becoming like a black lightning bolt that shot toward the other grand elder.

That shadowy figure was none other than Xu Qing.

The attack with the skewer had been a feint, as his true goal was to take out the grand elder with the injured left foot.

Xu Qing moved with explosive speed, vastly superior to his limits with the sixth level of the Sea and Mountain Incantation. The wind screamed as, in the blink of an eye, he was right next to the injured grand elder.

The grand elder was injured, had to deal with strong mutagen, and couldn’t fly anymore. Because of that, he had a harder time moving than his companion did. When he realized the danger he faced, his eyes went wide, and a feeling of deadly crisis rose up in his heart. He dodged backward, but there was no way Xu Qing was going to let him get away that easily. Jumping into the air, Xu Qing clenched his right hand into a fist and unleashed a punch.

Whether in terms of speed or strength, Xu Qing filled the blow with everything he had. As he struck out, the vicious spectral hobgoblin appeared behind him, roaring noiselessly as its power focused on Xu Qing’s fist.

Cracking sounds echoed out, and the air exploded from the immense force as the man’s defensive barrier shattered like glass, and Xu Qing’s fist landed on his chest.

A huge boom echoed through the stillness of the city.

The grand elder coughed up blood like mad as his chest caved in and his organs were shattered. Then he flew backward like a kite with its string cut. He was in the ninth level of Qi Condensation, but his face was a mask of terror. Meanwhile, the flight talisman on his right leg glittered, and the power of flight swept through him, causing him to jerk up into the air.

However, that was when another cold light shot toward him. This time it was a long sword that, in the briefest of moments, slashed directly through his right leg. Blood sprayed everywhere, accompanied by a miserable shriek as the flight talisman was cut away along with his leg.

Before the leg could fall to the ground, Xu Qing stamped his foot and launched himself into the air. As he did, the spot he had just occupied was filled with a host of wind blades shot by the other grand elder.

Xu Qing didn’t even look behind himself; he stayed completely focused on the despairing grand elder as he tumbled down.

Xu Qing launched another punch, and the spectral hobgoblin roared.

This time, the blow landed on the grand elder’s head. A thump rang out as the man quivered for a moment. Then his head exploded, sending blood everywhere as he died!

The moment his corpse hit the ground, the pursuing mutant beasts pounced on it and tore it to pieces.

Not slowing down a bit, Xu Qing grabbed the flight talisman off the severed leg, turned, and shot toward the surviving grand elder.

Xu Qing licked his lips, looking like a wolf as he closed in.

“Die!”