The first realm of Middle Third Grade is the Five Extremes Realm. When a Martial Artist completes the tempering of all five viscera within their body, constructing the bridge for their circulation, they will usher in a full-body Blood Exchange.

This is the first Blood Exchange, the Qi Blood Smoke realm. A Martial Artist can temporarily burn Qi blood to speed up injury recovery in battle, and overall elevate combat power, but the price is substantial.

Using it will inevitably lead to a period of weakness, lasting ten days, months, or even longer, depending on the Martial Artist’s physique and Qi blood. If too much Qi blood is consumed, at best it shortens lifespan and leaves hidden injuries, at worst it damages the foundation, even leading to death.

Zhou Qing, who is quite proud, has not yet reached the Qi Blood Smoke realm. Among the five viscera, only three are tempered. However, with the consumption of a Grade-Entering Elixir, he forcefully triggers Blood Burn.

After some exchanges, Zhou Qing acknowledged in his heart that Wang Xuantian’s strength far exceeded his expectations. But observing Wang Xuantian’s Qi blood almost depleted—his hair turned white, resembling a sickly ghost—in such a state, Wang Xuantian was unlikely to use Blood Burn for a desperate fight.

Therefore, Zhou Qing planned to use Blood Burn Qi blood to gather strength and kill Wang Xuantian, then spend several months recuperating.

This would also allow him to gain the upper hand over Shangguan Ke, who was similarly a new Golden Order member.

With Qi blood burning, Zhou Qing released a scorching wave of heat, seemingly transformed into a human-shaped fireball. The rising Qi Blood Smoke could be seen from several miles away.

"This must be the desperate technique of burning Qi blood that Tao Xingzheng talked about, truly extraordinary."

Su Mu, with exceptional senses, instantly caught the anomaly the moment Zhou Qing’s Qi blood burned, and casually repelled the four Celestial Generals, secretly observing.

"Such a robust Qi blood! Where did those two come from?"

Wei Ming, Xie Li, and the four Celestial Generals were once again shocked. They naturally relied on the Celestial King’s Technique to enter Sixth Grade, understanding they were inferior to genuine Sixth-Grade Martial Artists. However, they hadn’t imagined the difference could be so vast.

They felt their own Qi blood wasn’t even half as strong as Zhou Qing’s!

"Wang Xuantian, meet your end!"

Zhou Qing roared angrily, black hair flying wildly, and the inscriptions on his Seventh-Grade Long Sword all lit up, extending across his chest with a high-pitched screech.

Cold Sparrow Sword - Jing Que!

Zhou Qing, disregarding everything, used the Secret Technique from the Zhou Family’s Sixth-Grade Martial Arts for the killing move, aiming to succeed in a single strike. As he slashed his sword, the temperature between heaven and earth plummeted sharply, forming a spectacular Ice Sparrow nearly one yard long.

The Ice Sparrow spread its wings, suddenly rushing to assassinate Wang Xuantian.

Wang Xuantian coughed several times, arms crossed, body slightly contracted, guarding critical parts. His feet suddenly stomped the ground, unleashing vast circles of golden-yellow waves trying to disperse the force of the sword into the earth. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Meanwhile, a faint golden metallic sheen shimmered around Wang Xuantian.

"Bang!"

Wang Xuantian seemed to attempt something, but was aggressively struck by the Ice Sparrow. Amidst the terrifying explosion, Wang Xuantian’s feet instantly left the ground, as if hit by a prehistoric beast, thrown like a cut string kite, spraying blood in the air, his body crashing heavily, rebounding multiple times across several yards.

Yet Zhou Qing didn’t intend to spare Wang Xuantian. Fully aware of Wang Xuantian’s might, he stepped out decisively, launching like an ice arrow, the afterimage trail behind catching up with Wang Xuantian’s falling figure.

Before Wang Xuantian’s figure fully landed, Zhou Qing, breathing heavily, switched his grip from one hand to two, stabbing the sword directly at Wang Xuantian’s body.

Slash!

In the nick of time, Wang Xuantian extended his right arm trying to seize Zhou Qing’s plunging sword, the friction between blade and flesh producing a sharp, grating sound.

"Caged beast’s struggle, die!"

Zhou Qing wasn’t about to let Wang Xuantian go, shouting fiercely, veins bulging along his arms, Qi blood burning to the extreme, his left arm swinging a billowing Qi Blood Smoke like a hammer, brutally striking Wang Xuantian’s face, shattering bones, blurring blood and flesh, driving his head directly into the earth.

Under this severe blow, Wang Xuantian’s right hand, tightly gripping Zhou Qing’s sword edge, trembled violently, eventually sagging powerless.

"Celestial King!"

Zhou Qing, having swallowed an elixir, forcibly executed his killing move in Blood Burn state, crushing Wang Xuantian, all happening in a flash. The Black Mountain Celestial Generals all cried out in shock and anger.

"Splash!"

The sword edge punctured through flesh and bone, piercing Wang Xuantian’s abdomen. Still, Wang Xuantian’s desperate struggle made the thrust towards his chest drift off course, yet Zhou Qing sensed Wang Xuantian’s rapidly fading aura, displaying a proud expression.

"So-called Black Mountain Celestial King is no different!"

Zhou Qing abruptly pulled out his sword, blood gushing like a fountain. He wielded the bloodstained sword, aiming to utterly slay Wang Xuantian, however, just as the Three-foot Cyan Blade was about to strike again.

An unexpected change occurred.

Zhou Qing shuddered suddenly, as if sensing an immensely terrifying presence watching him, looking down, he found it was Wang Xuantian’s indistinct, bloody, distorted face.

Immediately, Zhou Qing felt a profound sense of impending death.

The blurred bloody visage quickly pulsated, and Wang Xuantian’s aura, weak and flickering like a windblown candle, instantly reversed and surged, turning the tide as vast vitality erupted from his ghostly form.