Si Zhengqi was at the back, he frowned upon hearing the words.
"Old Liao is right, this blood smell is too fresh, as if it was just left. Maybe that little bastard is injured!"
The three moved swiftly, traversing through the jagged rocks as if they were on flat ground.
Not far ahead, Gu Sheng’s figure appeared intermittently, with an ancient small bell above his head emitting a faint glow, standing out prominently in the dim environment.
"It’s indeed that bell!"
Liao Feiyu’s eyes were filled with greed.
"The Sect Master said that whoever obtains this bell will be rewarded with an Earth Rank Cultivation Technique!"
This statement was like pouring oil on fire, the three pursued even more urgently.
They didn’t notice that the rocks beneath their feet gradually became moist and sticky, each step causing tiny blood-colored splashes.
Deep in the pit among the strange rocks, Gu Sheng sneered at the corner of his mouth.
He deliberately slowed down, allowing the pursuers behind to clearly see the glow of the Ancient Bell.
His right hand was at his waist, with three pitch-black iron caltrops already clamped between his fingers.
"It’s now!"
Gu Sheng suddenly turned around and swung his right hand fiercely.
The iron caltrops pierced through the air, not towards the pursuers, but hitting three special stone pillars nearby.
"Ding! Ding! Ding!"
The crisp sound of impact echoed in the Stone Forest. Liao Feiyu and the others hadn’t reacted yet when they heard the triggering of mechanisms beneath their feet.
"Not good! It’s an ambush."
Liao Feiyu’s warning was abruptly cut off.
The ground suddenly collapsed, revealing a Blood Pool.
The pool wasn’t filled with ordinary water, but the "Bone-Eroding Blood Fiend" that Gu Sheng had set up in advance, specially countering the Luotian Sect’s Cultivation Technique.
Si Zhengqi reacted the fastest, leaping to escape the trap.
In the instant he was airborne, Gu Sheng charged from the side, delivering a sweeping leg strike.
Si Zhengqi hastily blocked, but was still thrown back by the kick, crashing heavily against a stone pillar.
Just as he was about to get up, he discovered his arm starting to turn black.
He had touched the liquid in the Blood Pool while blocking just now.
"It’s poisoned!"
Si Zhengqi screamed in terror.
Kong Zhemao wasn’t faring any better.
Although he didn’t fall into the Blood Pool, he was forced into a fluster by dozens of Poisoned Steel Needles suddenly shot from the crevices between the stones.
One of the needles grazed his cheek, causing it to burn with intense pain.
Liao Feiyu was the worst off, his whole body immersed in the Blood Pool.
He frantically activated his Blood Evil Skill to resist, but discovered that the liquid in the Blood Pool clashed with his Cultivation Technique, speeding up the corrosion instead.
"Ah!!"
A harrowing scream pierced the night sky. Liao Feiyu’s face melted visibly, revealing the ghastly white bones.
He tried to crawl out of the Blood Pool, but was kicked back by Gu Sheng.
"The first one."
Gu Sheng counted coldly, then turned to charge at Si Zhengqi who was still expelling poison.
Seeing Gu Sheng coming to kill, Si Zhengqi endured the intense pain and swung his sword to meet him.
The sword’s light was like a rainbow, but just as it was about to strike Gu Sheng, it suddenly faltered—the poison had struck!
Gu Sheng seized this fleeting opportunity, left hand clawing onto Si Zhengqi’s sword-wielding wrist, and right hand with fingers like a knife, pierced straight into the throat.
"Pfft!"
Blood spurted out.
Si Zhengqi’s eyes widened, unable to believe he died just like that.
His body slowly slid down, landing right at the feet of Kong Zhemao who had just recovered from the needle attack.
"Senior Brother Si!"
Kong Zhemao was heartbroken and terrified, turning to flee.
How could Gu Sheng give him the chance?
With a flick of his toe, the blood-stained Longsword on the ground shot forth, precisely piercing Kong Zhemao’s back.
"Ugh ah!"
Kong Zhemao fell to the ground, struggling to crawl forward.
"Help... help..."
Gu Sheng walked forward slowly, stepping on his back.
"Rest assured, your companions will soon accompany you."
After speaking, he pulled out the Longsword, giving Kong Zhemao a swift end.
In the distance, there came the sound of chaotic footsteps.
Gu Sheng knew that Gong Xuefeng was leading people there.
He quickly checked the battlefield, sweeping the Storage Bags and valuables of the three, then vanished into the labyrinthine depths of the Stone Forest.
...
"The sound came from over here!"
When Gong Xuefeng arrived with the remaining members, they only saw a pool of rapidly dissipating blood water and a few scattered garments.
The air retained the scent of Kong Zhemao and the others, but it was also disappearing at an alarming rate.
"How... how is this possible?"
A disciple crouched down trembling, using his fingers to dab the pool of blood water.


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