White frost covered the grass in patches. With each breath, people exhaled plumes of warm mist.
Two great armies, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, faced each other across the field.
Banners fluttered in the wind, and soldiers stood like a forest of spears.
After the first battle, the Liu Family and the Hei Family had rested for over ten days before issuing declarations of war. Today, both armies marched out of their camps to clash once more.
"Second Brother, you fought last time—this round is mine!" Mo Shikuang had been itching for action. He bellowed and charged to the front lines without a moment's hesitation.
His snow-white hair whipped wildly, his skin dark as ink, and his leopard-like eyes blazed with fierce momentum. He roared at the enemy ranks: "Who dares come and die?!"
"That black brute again!" The higher-ups of the Hei Family felt both fury and apprehension at the sight of him. In the previous battle, more than a few Fourth Transformation Gu Masters had fallen to Mo Shikuang. His fearless and savage fighting style was enough to send chills down anyone's spine.
Hei Loulan let out a cold laugh, but his expression was more composed than before. He turned his gaze toward two unfamiliar faces in the command tent and asked: "I wonder—which of you two will make the first move?"
These two were Gao Yang and Zhu Zai, both cultivators at the Fourth Transformation Peak Stage. Known as the Demonic Path Twin Terrors, their fame spread across the Northern Plains.
Years ago, the Demonic Path Twin Terrors had received a favor from Tai Bai Yun Sheng and swore to repay him. Not long ago, Tai Bai Yun Sheng had tried to summon them through a Message Gu. Just a few days prior, the two of them came of their own accord, pledging allegiance to the Hei Family army.
With their addition, the gap between the Hei Family and the Liu Family alliance was immediately bridged. The Hei Family's higher-level combat power no longer appeared stretched thin.
The Demonic Path Twin Terrors had always been inseparable. However, the rules of dueling dictated that only one fighter from each side could engage at a time—a one-on-one affair.
The two exchanged a glance. Based on the intelligence provided by the Hei Family, they had already discussed their strategy beforehand. At this moment, Zhu Zai stepped forward and offered a slight bow: "Allow me to go first."
Hei Loulan nodded in agreement.
Zhu Zai descended to the battlefield. Mo Shikuang's eyes widened, and a look of delight spread across his face.
"A Fourth Transformation Peak Stage fighter? Good, very good! But don't be all show and no substance—don't go down after just a few hits."
Zhu Zai snorted coldly and activated his Gu. His body shot forward like a cannonball, charging straight ahead.
Mo Shikuang stood perfectly still, licking his dry lips, waiting to receive the attack.
BOOM!
Zhu Zai slammed into Mo Shikuang with a thunderous impact. Savage forces collided. Zhu Zai stumbled back several steps, while Mo Shikuang was sent flying.
"Third Brother, be careful! That's Zhu Zai, one of the Demonic Path Twin Terrors—he fights on the Strength Path!" Liu Wenwu shouted from the command tent on the other side.
"Hahaha, a Strength Path Gu Master? Excellent! I love fighting opponents with some real punch!" Mo Shikuang coughed up blood from the impact but sprang to his feet. The pain only made him more excited.
His coal-black face twisted with manic glee. With a thunderous roar and a surge of air, Mo Shikuang charged at Zhu Zai.
"Courting death!" Zhu Zai bared his teeth in a savage grin and lunged forward.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The two engaged in brutal close-quarters combat, trading devastating blows that sent shockwaves rippling through the air. Mo Shikuang, who was fundamentally a Qi Path Gu Master, was fighting at close range against Zhu Zai, a Strength Path specialist—yet he was not losing ground!
"That's strange—is Mo Shikuang cultivating both Strength and Qi Paths?" The command tent of the Hei Family buzzed with shock.
"Not at all," said the jackal gentleman Sun Shihan in a deep voice. "Mo Shikuang only appears to be fighting up close. In reality, each strike doesn't land flesh on flesh. He's enveloped in an invisible Qi Armor, and at the same time uses Qi Explosion Gu to detonate the armor in an instant, producing explosive force comparable to that of the Strength Path."
Sun Shihan specialized in reconnaissance. By observing the battle carefully, he had seen through Mo Shikuang's trick.
Combined with Qi Explosion Gu, the Qi Armor Gu became an offensive and defensive tool of remarkable versatility. A Gu Master's use of Gu was a matter of the heart. Different Gu, when paired together, often produced complementary effects.
"This Mo Shikuang is incredibly ferocious. It's the first time I've ever seen someone suppress Brother Zhu Zai in direct combat!" Gao Yang's expression was grim. He had been watching intently since the two began fighting.
He knew Zhu Zai well and understood that Zhu Zai was already fighting nearly at full power—yet his opponent remained completely at ease, clearly far more composed.
Suddenly, a wild boar's roar erupted through the air.
The Strength Path phantom of an Emperor Boar materialized in midair—massive as an elephant, radiating overwhelming might.
The Emperor Boar was an extraordinary beast among boars, and its beast force was not to be underestimated.
After more than a dozen exchanges, Zhu Zai finally manifested his force phantom. His offensive power exploded. Caught off guard, Mo Shikuang was overwhelmed by the colossal force and knocked flat on the ground.
Zhu Zai pressed his advantage and activated his trump card Gu.
In midair, the fading Emperor Boar phantom reconsolidated—and at the same time, two more Emperor Boar phantoms rose to join it.
Three Emperor Boars' worth of force!
BOOM!
An immense power erupted as Zhu Zai threw his fist forward, producing a deafening sonic boom.
A surge of crisis flooded Mo Shikuang's heart. He laughed wildly: "Now that's more like it! Come—let me show you my true power!"
He activated his movement Gu and soared upward, dodging the triple boar barrage from Zhu Zai.