C42 Bao Houdi

After eliminating his target, Zhuang Xing retracted the Chaos Shocking Spear and shrank back into the underbrush. He slipped away silently, eager to ambush the next unsuspecting victim. The thrill of the game was intensifying with each passing moment.

In no time, two more fell victim to the Chaos Shocking Spear. Having dispatched three adversaries, Zhuang Xing set his sights on Bao Houdi. The old bastard had inflicted severe injuries on him earlier, and Zhuang Xing was determined to settle the score.

Yet, he was acutely aware of the old bastard's formidable strength. Bao Houdi was not someone to be taken lightly. To take him down, Zhuang Xing knew he needed a foolproof plan to strike a lethal blow without giving Bao Houdi a moment to recover.

But a flawless strategy for a one-hit kill eluded him. So, for the time being, Zhuang Xing held back, biding his time and waiting for the perfect opportunity.

Meanwhile, a disciple approached Bao Houdi with a report. "Sect Master, we haven't found him."

Bao Houdi's anger erupted. "Idiots! With so many of you searching, you can't find a single man? You're all useless!"

The disciple bowed his head, not daring to retort. As the Sect Master, Bao Houdi commanded respect, and this disciple was merely a rank-and-file member. To speak out of turn would invite dire consequences.

"What are you standing around for? Get moving and find him!" Bao Houdi bellowed.

The disciple shuddered, terror-stricken, and without a word, he hurried off to continue the search for Zhuang Xing.

"I'll see where you can hide. Once I catch you, I'll flay you and break your bones into pieces," Bao Houdi muttered, partly to the elusive Zhuang Xing and partly to himself. Unbeknownst to him, Zhuang Xing, lurking nearby, had already marked his prey.

"What should I do?" Zhuang Xing pondered.

He was itching to strike and deliver a harsh lesson to Bao Houdi, but the issue at hand was Bao Houdi's immense power as a Spirit Sea Stage Expert, far surpassing his own. A head-on confrontation would be disadvantageous, especially since his previous injuries had weakened him. A direct clash was not in his favor.

Since a direct confrontation was out of the question, Zhuang Xing knew he had to outwit his opponent. But devising a clever strategy was easier said than done.

Nevertheless, as a One-generation Pill God, Zhuang Xing had a myriad of ways to dispatch his enemies. It didn't take long for him to come up with an excellent plan.

"If brute force won't do, then I'll resort to Soul Power."

With this thought, a sly smile crossed Zhuang Xing's face, and a plan swiftly took shape in his mind.

"What a bunch of useless idiots."

Bao Houdi's irritation grew as he surveyed the overgrown weeds. These fools had been searching for so long without finding their target, and they hadn't even bothered to report back. It was infuriating.

Suddenly, his ears perked up, catching a faint noise. He spun around, scanning the area behind him, but aside from the whispering wind and the rustling of leaves and weeds, there was nothing.

"Was it just my imagination?"

Bao Houdi shrugged it off, unconcerned. It must have been an illusion, a sign he was on edge.

But just then, a noise from the left startled him. Bao Houdi whirled around to see a strange light hurtling toward him at lightning speed.

"This can't be good," he thought as he swung his palm in defense. But the strange light was eerily elusive, piercing right through his palm and reaching him in an instant before vanishing into his body.

"What in the world is this?"

Bao Houdi examined his body thoroughly but found nothing amiss and felt no discomfort. He dismissed the incident, reasoning that it might have been a natural phenomenon with no significant effect on his body.

However, another burst of colorful light surged from a different direction. Like the first, it seemed intangible, charging straight at him.

"What is this thing?"

Bao Houdi was puzzled. An odd light once could be a fluke, but twice warranted concern.

With a loud shout, he slammed his palm against the colorful light.

The light burst and fragmented. As Bao Houdi watched in astonishment, the scattered specks of light swiftly vanished as if they had never existed.

Bao Houdi's expression darkened as the light faded. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. The strange lights were not as innocuous as he had initially thought, but he was at a loss to explain what was happening.

"Soul Imprint Needle."

Suddenly, a loud shout erupted from behind him. He shuddered and spun around hastily.

"You've finally shown yourself."

Bao Houdi was ecstatic to see Zhuang Xing. His long period of hiding was at last in vain.

Zhuang Xing's lips curled into a smile. "Old bastard, prepare to witness the might of my Soul Imprint Needle."

With those words, Zhuang Xing lifted his hand and a burst of colorful light shot forth with incredible speed.

"So you were the culprit."

Bao Houdi instantly recognized the colorful light in Zhuang Xing's palm. He had encountered two unexplained flashes of light earlier. At first, he dismissed them as natural phenomena. But after the second strange light appeared, he grew suspicious. Now, seeing the colorful light emanating from Zhuang Xing, everything clicked into place. It had been Zhuang Xing's doing all along.

"Do you really think your attack will have any effect on me?"

Bao Houdi eyed the colorful light with contempt. He had already tested it; the light was fragile and lacked any trace of Spiritual Force. Such a feeble attack couldn't harm an infant, much less him.

"You'll soon discover its effectiveness," Zhuang Xing replied with a serene smile. The purpose of the Soul Imprint Needle wasn't to harm the body but to target the soul and will. It was a sophisticated application of Soul Power, a unique form of assault that only those who practiced soul cultivation, like himself, could wield.

Pill Refining Masters required potent Soul Power to craft Pills. Without sufficient strength, they couldn't produce high-grade Pills. Since a person's Soul Power was finite, they had to engage in cultivation to augment it. Thus, Pill Refining Masters had to cultivate both Spiritual Force and Soul Power.

Soul Power was intangible and elusive. It might not cause physical harm, but when fully unleashed, its inflicted damage could surpass that of Spiritual Force.

The Soul Imprint Needle was a prevalent technique for utilizing Soul Power. As a One-generation Pill God, Zhuang Xing had naturally mastered this method. The true potency of the Soul Imprint Needle, the old bastard would soon come to know.