C20 The Bloodcolored Skull

After his breakthrough, the Blood Devil Leader's gaze turned icy, brimming with murderous intent. If looks could kill, Lee Qi would have perished over and over.

"You're a dead man, Lee Qi," he declared, each word dripping with finality.

"Hold off on attacking, Boss. Let's wear down Lee Qi's strength first," suggested Blood Devil Second, his own cultivation having recently ascended to the ninth level of the Qi Gathering Stage. He knew he needed more battles to achieve his next breakthrough.

Envy flickered in his eyes as he watched his leader's advancement.

"Be wary of Lee Qi's Thunder Lightning Power, Second Brother. It severely counters our Blood Evil Qi," the Blood Devil Leader cautioned.

Blood Devil Second's eyes held a trace of scorn as he spoke dismissively, "Lee Qi's merely at the seventh level of Qi Gathering. He must have stumbled upon some dumb luck to wield Thunder Lightning Power and be this formidable. I'll just need to be cautious, and I'll surely face no issues."

Empowered by his leader's breakthrough, he felt invigorated, his confidence surging.

He seemed to have forgotten the two comrades who lay defeated on the ground, now useless.

Blood Devil Second rose to his feet and advanced toward Lee Qi, a chilling light sparking in his eyes as he fixed his gaze on him.

His aura burst forth, a tidal wave of force bearing down on Lee Qi.

Aware of Lee Qi's mastery of Thunder Lightning Power, he refrained from using his Blood Evil Qi.

Even without it, his strength diminished, yet with his superior cultivation level, he was certain of his victory over Lee Qi.

As Lee Qi sensed the oncoming pressure, he channeled his Profound Qi. The creamy essence spiraled into his mouth like a dragon drawing water, the Profound Qi swiftly assimilated into his being.

A white glow traced along his arm, culminating in his clenched fist where the Fist Strength was now ready.

He then tapped into the Thunder Lightning Power of his Martial Soul, and a brilliant purple light emerged. The radiance on his fist was dazzling, almost blinding.

Witnessing Lee Qi's fist turn purple, Blood Devil Second's expression twisted with fear, the grim fate of his fellow Blood Devil flashing before his eyes, sending a shiver of dread through him.

Caught in a dire situation with no way out, he had no choice but to channel his Cultivation Method with full force, causing Profound Qi to once again converge in his hands. A soft white glow flickered as he pressed on, closing in on Lee Qi with each determined step. An all-encompassing aura enveloped the area.

Confronted with the formidable presence of the second Blood Devil, Lee Qi extended his hand, and the roar of thunder shattered the silence, effortlessly carving a path through the oppressive atmosphere, unaffected by the Blood Devil's imposing aura.

The distance between them rapidly closed, bringing them ever nearer to collision.

"Die!"

"Go to hell!"

Their fists lashed out simultaneously. The second Blood Devil's punch, heavy with the force of a gale, created a blur of shadows, obscuring the true power behind his strike. Lee Qi's punch, however, was lightning-fast, its sonic boom echoing like a thunderclap. The very fabric of time and space seemed to quiver in the wake of his Fist Strength.

With a dominating blow, reality itself appeared to warp. The second Blood Devil's face contorted in horror, but it was too late for him to alter his course. His fist, unwavering, hurtled towards Lee Qi's face.

Lee Qi, undeterred, met his opponent's strike with his own.

"Boom!"

The deep, resonant impact echoed. White and purple light erupted in a blinding flash, prompting all onlookers to shield their eyes from the dazzling spectacle.

When they dared to look again, the second Blood Devil was sent hurtling through the air, his arm shattered, as the invasive power of the purple Thunder Lightning Power coursed through him, a force he desperately fought against. The white light at his arm was steadily being overwhelmed by the encroaching purple glow.

"Take another one of my punches!" Lee Qi bellowed, seizing the advantage and unleashing his full, unrelenting power.

Blood Devil Second Brother's face twisted in panic, his body's energy entirely consumed by resisting the Thunder Lightning Power, leaving him powerless to fend off Lee Qi's subsequent assault.

"Save me!"

His plea for rescue echoed to the other Blood Devils.

The Blood Devil Leader's furious roar cut through the chaos, "You dare!"

As he lunged toward Lee Qi, he soared like a roc unfurling its wings, landing firmly between the Blood Devil Second Brother and Lee Qi.

"Your arrival changes nothing!"

Lee Qi didn't bother giving the Blood Devil Leader a second glance, launching a punch straight at him. His fist was a frenzy of motion, shimmering with purple light as thunder and lightning danced around it, too swift for the naked eye to catch.

"Heaven and Earth Blood Devil Fist!"

The Blood Devil Leader's body harbored wisps of Essence Energy, a substance much more refined than Profound Qi. But since he had only just made the breakthrough, his reserves of Essence Energy were limited. Nonetheless, he summoned this energy and unleashed his most formidable technique, the Heaven and Earth Blood Devil Fist. Even a trace of Essence Energy wielded power beyond what Profound Qi could muster.

Before him, a stream of blood-red light coalesced into a skull with vacant, hollow eyes that seemed eager to consume all in its path.

"Go forth!"

With a forceful shove, he sent the skull hurtling toward Lee Qi's oncoming fist, which it met with a ferocious bite.

"The Boss is incredible! To manifest a skull with the Heaven and Earth Blood Devil Fist signifies mastery at the Large Success Stage."

"With the Boss stepping in, Lee Qi's as good as finished!"

The other Blood Devils watched with glee, anticipating Lee Qi's downfall.

But Lee Qi's assault was relentless, his fist's purple glow intensifying. The speed of his punch was so great that as the purple thunder and lightning power clashed with the air, it sparked faintly, scattering embers in all directions.

His fist met the Blood Devil Leader's skull head-on. The Fist Strength was tumultuous, and the shadow of the fist quickly faded.

Yet, the Blood Devil Leader's skull was also dissolving, rapidly disintegrating under the onslaught of the Thunder Lightning Power.

With the destruction of his adversary's blood-colored skull, Lee Qi's Fist Strength vanished as well. A flash of excitement crossed his eyes before he regained his composure.

"Somewhat impressive, but still not up to par," he said, shaking his head dismissively, his eyes brimming with scorn.

Enraged, the Blood Devil Leader spat out, "You insolent kid, if you hadn't stumbled upon that Thunder Lightning Power, I would have easily crushed you!"

Blood fiend energy, a crimson aura, swirled around him, coalescing with intent. He sensed that Lee Qi's fist strength was peaking, and with just a bit more force, victory over Lee Qi would be his.

Lee Qi's scorn was palpable, "I don't even need to tap into my Thunder Lightning Power to best you."

He lifted his fist, which glowed with a white radiance, notably devoid of any purple light.

"You're sealing your own fate! Don't blame me for what comes next." The Blood Devil Leader, despite the disdain cast his way, was not angered but rather, found a hint of excitement.

Lee Qi was foregoing his Thunder Lightning Power, presenting the perfect chance to take him down.

"Heaven and Earth Blood Devil Fist!"

He unleashed the Heaven and Earth Blood Devil Fist once more, the blood-red light pulsing as a massive skull materialized before him.

The skull yawned open, emitting a ghostly roar.

The skull, too, seemed to absorb the Blood Devil Leader's murderous intent, its power amplifying.

Undeterred, the Blood Devil Leader kept focusing, conjuring a second skull before him. He was pushing his limits; the second skull's hue was noticeably fainter.

Yet, to the other Blood Devils, it was a spectacle of awe, "The Boss is incredible, managing to conjure two skulls!"

"With both skulls in play, Lee Qi's fate is sealed."

"Exactly! It's not simply a matter of one plus one equals two, but an exponential increase. The combined might of the two skulls grows manifold."

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