The wind howled through the mountains, tearing massive sheets of snow from the slopes and hurling them into the air.

  As Han neared the foothills of Snow Mountain, the Skybow suddenly appeared in his hands. He drew the bowstring taut, loosing an arrow that roared through the storm.

  Boom!

  The ground erupted in a spray of snow and soil. Two figures burst forth from the ambush, closing the distance to Han in an instant.

  They were warriors of the Viscera Realm—breathing deep and steady, bodies as fierce as wild beasts. Their tempered organs allowed them to endure explosive bursts of power, granting them speed and strength far beyond the ordinary.

  Even the finest steeds in the world paled in comparison to the acceleration of a Viscera Realm cultivator. No matter how fast one fled on horseback, they would be caught in mere moments.

  Against enemies of this caliber, escape was no longer an option.

  Blades and axes gleamed as true energy crackled in the air.

  Han slapped the flank of his steed, sending it bolting forward while he remained behind.

  Taibai gleamed under the moonlight, its surface rippling like water.

  Slash!

  The air tore apart as Han’s sword clashed against the incoming weapons. The impact sent snow and dust flying in all directions.

  Han staggered back, his feet carving deep furrows into the earth as the ground sank beneath him.

  His attackers exchanged glances, their eyes flashing with disbelief.

  “How did you spot us?” one of them demanded. “No ordinary cultivator could have seen through our concealment.”

  “You’re stronger than we expected,” the other admitted. “My brother and I, fighting together, can unleash an attack rivaling the peak of the Viscera Realm. Yet you, still in the Meridian Realm, took our strike head-on and survived. No wonder they call you the Ghostly Wanderer.”

  They wasted no more words and lunged at him once more.

  “Two Viscera Realm warriors at the minor mastery stage…”

  “So, the Celestial Mother Sect really thinks highly of me.”

  Han muttered as he raised his sword to parry, his strikes swift and fierce.

  Clang!

  Blades clashed, slicing through the wind and scattering snow in all directions, creating a vacuum in the midst of the blizzard.

  The force of the blows sent shockwaves rippling through the ground, carving deep craters into the earth.

  Han was driven back again. His blood surged violently, a metallic taste rising in his throat.

  His opponents were an entire major realm above him!

  Their organs had been fully refined, granting them a transformation far beyond the reach of someone newly stepping into their realm.

  In the Viscera Realm, every organ refined marked a significant leap in power. These two moved with seamless coordination, their synergy bordering on the uncanny. If they claimed they could challenge a peak-stage Viscera Realm warrior together, they were likely not exaggerating.

  Moreover, their weapons and techniques were clearly superior to those of the two Black Cloud Town warriors Han had previously slain.

  Even as mere pawns of the Celestial Mother Sect—expendable foot soldiers—they had access to skills no ordinary rogue cultivator could hope to match.

  And more importantly, to survive the blood-soaked trials of the Celestial Mother Sect and climb to the Viscera Realm… they were anything but ordinary.

  Against such opponents, the items Han had scavenged last month when he first entered the Flesh Refinement Realm were nearly useless now.

  Still, "nearly useless" wasn’t the same as completely worthless. Han had already activated a Vajra Talisman in secret.

  "Impressive strength," one of the men sneered.

  "No wonder the elders sent both of us to kill you. You’re worth the trouble."

  Han’s gaze darkened. "I left Yin Hua County on a whim. No one knew my exact route. How did you manage to intercept me ahead of time?"

  He had left abruptly precisely to avoid spies and informants, yet here they were, waiting for him.

  "The reach of the Celestial Mother Sect is beyond your imagination," one of them laughed.

  "Your every move is under our watch. The faithful of the Celestial Mother are spread across the entire world!"

  "From the moment you disrupted our plans, your fate was sealed."

  "Even if you had left through Snow Mountain instead of returning to Yin Hua County, my brother and I would still have found you."

  "As for how we intercepted you…" Iron One grinned maliciously.

  "Take that question to your grave!"

  The two continued their assault, their words flowing as naturally as their strikes, neither hindering their attacks nor slowing their pace.

  Blades and axes crashed down like an unstoppable tide. Han was clearly at a disadvantage.

  The five viscera and six bowels—the foundation of life itself.

  From the minor mastery stage onward, a Viscera Realm cultivator’s endurance, resistance, energy, and vitality all reached superhuman levels.

  In the bureaucratic hierarchy of the Great Qi Empire, warriors of this level were strong enough to oversee an entire county.

  Amid the swirling snow, Taibai shone brilliantly. Its blade remained pristine, unmarred even against the brutal assault of his opponents’ weapons.

  Han moved fluidly—stepping, thrusting, bending, flipping—his motions as swift as a dragon in flight.

  His fists struck like thunder, his body clashing against weapons with the resilience of steel.

  Clang!

  In a desperate move, Han took a strike to the back, using the impact to fuel his counterattack. Taibai shimmered as frost bloomed across its blade, freezing Iron One mid-motion.

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  Then, with a sudden explosion, flames erupted alongside the ice.

  Rather than canceling each other out, the opposing elements combined in perfect harmony, amplifying their destructive force.

  Boom!

  Fire and ice detonated together. Iron One’s body was half-frozen, half-charred, wracked with agony.

  Han spat blood as he was flung backward, agony tearing through his back as warm liquid dripped down his skin.

  Iron One staggered, his face coated in frost, his scalp seared raw. His gaze locked onto Han’s weapon.

  "A fine sword!" he muttered.

  "And an excellent inner armor," he added, eyes narrowing.

  "Naturally," Han said coldly, raising Taibai once more. "A sword meant to slay evil must be exceptional."

  The battle resumed.

  At one critical moment, Han flicked a hairpin from his sleeve, sending it piercing through Wei San’s flesh.

  Yet Wei San barely reacted. If anything, he looked more intrigued than pained.

  "You’re quite wealthy, aren’t you? A fine sword, quality armor, and even exotic hidden weapons…" He chuckled. "No wonder the elders sent us after you. This is turning out to be quite the lucrative assignment."

  Han sneered. "Lucrative? More like your last job before reincarnation."

  Wei San smirked. "My brother and I have fought side by side for over a decade. We move as one. Even peak Viscera Realm warriors struggle against our teamwork. You think you can change your fate?"

  The battle raged on, words exchanged as naturally as the flurry of attacks.

  Snow melted into steam. Rocks shattered into dust. Rivers were severed. The battlefield became a land of ruin.

  Blood splattered the ground. Flesh split open. True energy coiled through wounds like maggots in rotting flesh.

  Hair whipped wildly in the storm. Faces blurred beneath the chaos.

  Then, in a decisive moment, Han lifted his leg and brought it crashing down.

  The power of his Vajra-strengthened kick exploded, and the Wind-Chasing Thunder Boots activated.

  A burst of violet lightning surged forth, striking Wei San square in the chest. The acrid scent of burnt flesh filled the air.

  "A weaponized boot?!" Wei San gasped.

  "Hah! You’re full of surprises!"

  Boom!

  The impact sent Han flying across the battlefield once more.

  Han stood, bloodstained and battered, wounds crisscrossing his body. Yet, despite his injuries, his eyes burned with an unprecedented brilliance.

  Taibai remained dazzlingly sharp, its edge as unstoppable as ever.

  Iron One and his brother were in no better shape. Their bodies were riddled with wounds, their flesh charred and torn. Some of their sword injuries ran deep enough to expose bone.

  Though Han was still in the Meridian Realm, both his physical strength and true energy were nearly on par with a Viscera Realm cultivator. With his arsenal of treasures and diverse techniques, it was impossible for Iron One and his brother to emerge unscathed.

  They could fight a peak Viscera Realm warrior together, but in the end, they were still two separate individuals. Their combined strength applied to Han was only at the minor mastery level.

  "You’re strong."

  Iron One's expression darkened. The situation had developed beyond his expectations.

  "We’ve fought disciples from prestigious sects, yet few were as formidable as you."

  "If we had only just stepped into the Viscera Realm, even if we managed to kill you today, we’d have perished alongside you."

  They had reached a grim conclusion—this enemy possessed true Viscera Realm combat power, and his abilities were far from ordinary. No newly ascended Viscera cultivator could have matched him.

  "But no matter how strong you are, you’re still just in the Meridian Realm!" Iron One roared, charging forward.

  "How much true energy do you have left? How many more strikes can you swing?"

  "You’re at your limit, aren’t you?"

  Han raised his sword, the corner of his lips twitching. His blood boiled like an inferno, his true energy surged like crashing waves. Wisps of flame-like energy rose from his body, scorching the ice and igniting the frozen grass beneath his feet.

  Boom. Boom. Boom.

  His heartbeat thundered through the battlefield, loud enough to be heard by all.

  An unseen pressure spread outward, oppressive and suffocating.

  A surge of scorching heat erupted from Han’s heart, coursing through his soul and flooding every fiber of his being. His wounds began to mend, his strength surged anew.

  A limit?

  He saw no limit!

  The regenerative abilities of a Viscera Realm cultivator were formidable—but his own exceeded even that.

  In this battle, Han would endure longer than his enemies could ever imagine.

  And he would grow even stronger than they dared to believe.

  With every clash, his power was forged anew, burning brighter in the flames of battle, ascending in a crimson haze of rebirth.

  They were growing weaker with every strike.

  But he—he was only getting stronger.

  The battle raged on, fresh wounds marking both sides.

  Iron One and his brother’s expressions shifted, uncertainty creeping into their eyes.

  Why wasn’t their opponent wearing down?

  They exchanged a glance, then, without hesitation, each retrieved a blood-red pill from their storage pouches. The metallic scent of iron filled the air as they swallowed them whole.

  Their blood began to boil. Their skin flushed crimson. Their aura swelled with newfound power.

  "Brat, you made us waste two Bloodburning Pills—now you’ll pay with your life!"

  The Bloodburning Pill granted a 20% boost in strength for fifteen minutes. The price? A massive depletion of blood and life force, leaving the user weakened for half a month after its effects wore off.

  A precious pill.

  Seeing them resort to such drastic measures, Han smirked. Instead of clashing head-on, he began pulling away, adopting a more evasive approach.

  A moment later, as they brushed past each other in a flash of steel and crimson, blood spurted into the air.

  Han’s body swayed, seeming unstable.

  Iron One and his brother exhaled in relief—only for their eyes to widen in shock and terror a heartbeat later.

  Han’s aura surged once more, even stronger than before.

  A low, ancient sound echoed in the air—like the distant roar of a dragon, shaking the soul.

  Iron One and his brother suddenly felt as though they were no longer facing a man, but a beast—a primordial dragon reborn in blood and battle.

  Han straightened, his posture as unyielding as a spear.

  Feeling his strength restored to its peak, his true energy replenished, and his wounds temporarily suppressed, Han laughed—a cold, bloodstained grin revealing sharp white teeth.

  "Gentlemen, it's time for you to depart this world."

  This would be his final gift from Brother Shu.

  My turn has come.

  Shape and Spirit Annihilation—Activate!

  This forbidden technique elevated all aspects of his strength by an entire sub-realm. His stamina and true energy instantly returned to their peak. For a brief time, he could completely ignore the negative effects of his injuries.

  At this moment, Han had stepped into the Great Mastery stage of the Meridian Realm—his Meridian Realm, honed through countless battles.

  What was a mere Bloodburning Pill compared to Shape and Spirit Annihilation?

  When Han declared that he would send them to reincarnation, he meant it.

  He never once believed he would perish here. In fact, he had never felt so alive. It was as if he had been reborn.

  "You had a technique like this…" Iron One’s voice was dry, filled with disbelief.

  "Why didn’t you use it from the start?"

  Han’s gaze was cold. "If I didn’t wear you down first, how could I be sure to finish you off?"

  "How long do you think your Bloodburning Pill’s effects will last?"

  He moved.

  Faster than their eyes could track.

  Stronger than their bodies could withstand.

  From the start, Han had fought with one goal—to take their lives.

  Had he activated Shape and Spirit Annihilation immediately, they might have fled, and once the technique's duration ended, he would have been the one on the run.

  A technique that instantly restored all stamina and true energy—it was a second life. Such a trump card could only be played at the decisive moment.

  Slash!

  Han’s sword pierced through Wei San’s arm, blood spraying into the wind.

  Fear overtook the two brothers. Without hesitation, they turned and fled—splitting up to maximize their chances.

  Han let out a cold laugh.

  The Wind-Chasing Thunder Boots activated, enhancing his footwork as he pursued.

  At the same time, he unleashed a massive palm imprint, infused with the energy of heaven and earth, crashing toward the second target.

  A spiritual technique followed—a formless pressure that distorted the soul, accompanied by the chilling echo of a dragon’s roar.

  Iron One’s mind reeled.

  Han sneered inwardly.

  Had they forgotten?

  He wasn’t just a martial artist.

  He was a cultivator.

  He had deliberately refrained from using his spiritual techniques earlier to avoid alerting them. Used prematurely, it would have only made them more cautious.

  But now?

  Now, it was fatal.

  "You despicable bastard!" Iron One roared, realizing too late just how deep Han’s deception ran.

  Han didn’t reply. He had already caught up.

  His sword flashed, cleaving through the wind, parting the snow.

  Iron One countered, summoning a barrier of true energy.

  Han’s gaze sharpened. His Illusory Dream Technique struck in an instant, dazing Iron One for just a split second—

  But a split second was all Han needed.

  Slash!

  Iron One’s arm flew into the air.

  Han pressed forward, relentless, unstoppable.

  Iron One’s defenses crumbled. He was finished.

  "I refuse to accept this!"

  His final cry was swallowed by the blizzard. His severed head hit the ground with a heavy thud.

  Han didn’t even spare him a glance as he turned toward Wei San.

  Knowing escape was impossible, Wei San let out a furious roar and charged.

  But he was already wounded. Against a fully rejuvenated Han, he had no hope.

  Han’s sword pierced Wei San’s forehead.

  The light in his eyes faded.

  The battle was over.

  The Meridian Realm warrior had slain two Viscera Realm elites.

  Han emerged victorious.