But Feng Wuming only sneered contemptuously. "You give yourself far too much credit. In their eyes, your Ling Clan is no better than a grasshopper. Do you really think the Rong Clan cares about you?

Stop wasting your energy. Just hand over your physical body obediently. It’ll be less painful for you."

"You want to perform a Possession?" Ling Duanhe’s expression changed drastically. He endured the pain and tried to gather his Spiritual Power to force him out, but it was completely useless.

"Hmph. If I had a better option, a lowly Qi Cultivator like you wouldn’t even be fit to carry my shoes. How dare you resist? In that case, don’t blame me for being ruthless."

Feng Wuming’s tone turned sinister, and he began the forced Possession.

Instantly, Ling Duanhe felt as if countless ants were gnawing on his Divine Soul. The bone-deep agony made his mind wander.

Fortunately, the Spiritual Mechanism released by the Tai Chi Diagram beneath him kept his Divine Soul anchored, allowing him to retain a sliver of clarity amidst the extreme pain.

’If this continues, I’ll be taken over sooner or later,’ Ling Duanhe knew. ’This is unbearable.’

A look of grim determination appeared in his eyes. He forcefully circulated his Spiritual Power, intending to destroy his own Dantian and Meridians. That way, even if Feng Wuming succeeded in the Possession, he would be left with a useless body.

Unfortunately, Qi Cultivators couldn’t self-destruct. Otherwise, he would have definitely chosen that more thorough method.

Feng Wuming quickly discovered his attempt, but he wasn’t the least bit flustered. He said mockingly, "Do you know why I didn’t just snatch this treasure directly? It’s because I need to use your Ling Clan to help me advance further.

Therefore, over the past three years, I have secretly planted Poisonous Insects in every single member of your Ling Clan. Do you think a slave can defy his master? How laughable!"

The moment his voice fell, Ling Duanhe discovered in horror that he had lost control of his own body.

"You beast! You animal! I curse you to a horrible death... Ahh..."

With a blood-curdling scream, Ling Duanhe’s head drooped. All signs of life vanished from him, and the light of the Tai Chi Diagram dimmed.

A moment later, his head lifted again, his face twisted into a sinister smile. He stood up, tested his limbs, then said hatefully, "Song Changsheng, I will never rest until I’ve avenged the destruction of my physical body! I will make you wish you were dead!"

After speaking, he turned his gaze to the Tai Chi Diagram at his feet, a greedy glint appearing in his eyes. "My precious, I’ve finally gotten you!"

Reaching out, he put away the Tai Chi Diagram. Ling Duanhe—no, Feng Wuming—took a hidden passage to the top of the Wooden Tower. From this position, he had an unobstructed view of the entire Ling Family estate.

’This physical body is still too weak. It can’t even manage Sword Control. Thankfully, it’s finally time to reap the harvest.’

Feng Wuming slowly spread his arms as if to embrace the entire world, then roared like a madman, "Third-Transformation Blood Spirit Gu!"

As his voice fell, every member of the Ling Clan felt an itch in their chest, as if something was scratching relentlessly from within.

Before they could understand what was happening, black blood began to pour from people’s seven orifices—first the children, then the elderly, and finally the young adults.

Panic spread in an instant. The entire Ling Family fell into chaos. Amid the turmoil, someone suddenly collapsed, and a blood-red, chopstick-thick centipede crawled out of his mouth.

His fall seemed to trigger a chain reaction. More and more people collapsed in every corner of the hollow, bleeding from their seven orifices. In the end, not a single person was left standing.

The black blood that flowed from their bodies soaked the earth, gathering into small streams.

Beside these streams, another river was gradually forming—a torrent of blood-red centipedes, so numerous that a single glance was enough to make one’s scalp tingle.

They all converged on the Wooden Tower with a single purpose.

Watching the once-vibrant hollow turn into a living Purgatory at his hands, a look of enjoyment spread across Feng Wuming’s face. It had been a long time since he’d used his power so wantonly. ’How nostalgic,’ he thought.

At this moment, an eerie ball of light appeared before him, and the blood-red centipedes poured into it endlessly.

When the last centipede had burrowed inside, the light around the ball slowly faded, revealing a fist-sized fleshy tumor. Accompanied by a shrill screech, a slit tore open on the tumor’s surface, and a one-inch-long black centipede fell out.

Feng Wuming bent down, picked it up, and with a fanatical expression, tossed it into his mouth.

In the next moment, the aura around him began to surge explosively...

Outside the hollow, Wum Yan, who had not yet left, was lying prone on a mountain peak. Having witnessed the entire process, he covered his mouth in terror.

He recognized the figure on the Wooden Tower. That was the person who had personally received him the last time he came to make a trade.

Although the person looked the same, Wum Yan was certain in his heart, ’That is definitely not him!’

’Didn’t that senior go inside? Why can’t I see him? Could he have met with some misfortune?’

The more Wum Yan thought about it, the more panicked he became. He wanted to flee but was afraid of alerting the other party. He could only suppress his aura and lie trembling on the ground.

Meanwhile, Song Changsheng was rushing back as fast as he could.

By the time he arrived, it was already too late. With just one glance, Song Changsheng nearly blacked out and fell from his sword.

The once-thriving hollow was now deathly still. Countless corpses stained with black blood were scattered on the ground, their faces frozen in expressions of terror and agony.

The overwhelming Blood Evil Qi was suffocating.

Song Changsheng’s body trembled slightly. Seventy to eighty thousand people... in such a short time, all of them had been turned into cold corpses. Not a single person was left alive.

’These mortals were so innocent...’

A blazing rage instantly consumed Song Changsheng. As he stared at the figure standing on the Wooden Tower, the killing intent in his heart soared.

He had never wanted someone dead so badly!

"Foundation Establishment Great Perfection. Is that the source of your confidence to stay here?" Song Changsheng stared at Feng Wuming, his face devoid of expression, like a volcano on the verge of erupting.

Feng Wuming met his gaze without a trace of fear and said mockingly, "Did you know? If it weren’t for you, they could have lived a while longer."

"You used a Life Gu to pull off the old ’golden cicada sheds its shell’ trick right in front of me. If I were you, I would have taken the opportunity to flee as far as possible. That way, you might have been able to save your pathetic life.

But you just had to stay. Do you really think the power you gained through such vile and crooked means can stand against me? What gave you that delusion?"

Song Changsheng looked down on Feng Wuming from above, as if he were the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection Cultivator. There was no trace of arrogance in his voice; it was unnervingly calm.

"Heh heh, Song Changsheng, you really are arrogant.

I’ve been laying my plans here for three years, all to refine the Nine-Transformation Blood Spirit Gu and break through to the Purple Mansion Realm in one go. But because of you, I was forced to harvest early. Now I’ll have to make new plans for the future.

First you found someone to grievously injure me, then you destroyed my physical body, and now you’ve ruined my path to the Dao! Song Changsheng, you must die today!" Feng Wuming’s eyes were bloodshot as he roared.

"Then come and try."

Song Changsheng slowly raised his right hand. An extremely dangerous aura instantly radiated from him. A phantom-like great seal appeared in his palm, and with a flip of his hand, he pressed it down toward Feng Wuming.

He didn’t want to waste another moment with him.

"Little Divine Technique: Mountain-Flipping Seal!"

Watching the great seal descend from the sky, even though he had broken through to Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, Feng Wuming still felt an overwhelming sense of being unable to resist it.

He had already overestimated Song Changsheng’s strength as much as possible, yet Song Changsheng’s actions shattered his understanding time and time again.

In the past, he would have certainly fled in panic. But since he dared to remain here, he naturally had something to rely on.

With a wave of his sleeve, the Tai Chi Diagram slowly unfurled above his head, emitting a soft glow.

The great seal and the Tai Chi Diagram collided, creating a deafening crash like a sudden clap of thunder on a clear day.

Song Changsheng was nearly thrown back by the powerful blast of air. When he stabilized himself, his eyes narrowed.

His Little Divine Technique had been blocked by the Tai Chi Diagram.

...