Chapter 43: Dragon-Crouching Pill

Bai Zizai let out a cold snort as his figure violently shot toward Mu Bai.

Mu Bai turned his head and saw that Ye Xiao had already left with Mu Xue, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

"Bai Zizai, your son wanted to know my exact cultivation level, so I will show you now. Go back and tell your son that he, Bai Feng, is the real trash!"

As his voice fell, the profound energy within Mu Bai's body erupted fiercely. He finally stopped concealing his strength!

The full might of the first tier of the Spirit Realm was completely exposed before Bai Zizai's eyes!

Bai Zizai's movement abruptly halted. He looked at Mu Bai in disbelief; this young man, roughly the same age as his own son, was actually already a powerhouse of the Spirit Realm!

However, Bai Zizai's astonishment lasted only for a moment before a cold sneer crept onto his lips.

"Young Master Mu, do you really think that a mere first tier Spirit Realm cultivation can allow you to gain any advantage against me?"

Mu Bai smiled and shook his head. "Patriarch Bai, I know you are in the Core Formation Realm, and naturally I am no match for you. However, I believe that holding you off for a short while should not be a problem."

Bai Zizai's expression turned gloomy. Just as Mu Bai had said, although Mu Bai could not defeat him, he was indeed capable of stalling him for a little while.

The Mu family residence was not far from here. With Ye Xiao's speed, he would reach it very soon. When that time came, not to mention himself, even the entire Bai family would suffer disaster!

Seeing the dark expression on Bai Zizai's face, Mu Bai smiled again. "Patriarch Bai, why don't you withdraw right now? I will pretend nothing has happened. What do you say?"

Bai Zizai was somewhat tempted, but he quickly came to his senses.

"Young Master Mu, do you take me for a three-year-old child? If I retreat today, that would truly be a catastrophe!"

Able to become the head of the Bai family, Bai Zizai was naturally no fool. Today, he had severely injured Mu Xue with a single palm strike. Even if Mu Bai let it go, that old monster of the Mu family would never let him off!

Since it had come to this...

Thinking of this, Bai Zizai's heart sank!

In for a penny, in for a pound—he would simply kill Mu Bai right here and now, then rush back to take Bai Feng away!

Without another word, Bai Zizai lunged at Mu Bai once more, this time unleashing his full strength!

"Tyrant Blade!"

A massive saber materialized in Bai Zizai's hand, and he brought it down in a fierce slash!

The exact same saber technique, yet executed by Bai Zizai, possessed a might vastly different from when Bai Feng used it!

Bai Zizai's slash whipped up a violent gale nearly a hundred feet high!

Mu Bai's expression changed drastically! He had not expected Bai Zizai to strike with such absolute ruthlessness. With his current cultivation, he simply could not block this blade!

Yet he dared not flee. Ye Xiao had not run far yet; if he escaped, Bai Zizai would inevitably chase down Ye Xiao and Mu Xue first!

Gritting his teeth, Mu Bai made his decision.

"If you want to play hardball, I'll play along with you!"

With a flip of his hand, a pale green medicinal pill appeared in his palm!

"Hidden Dragon Pill!"

Upon seeing the pill in Mu Bai's hand, Bai Zizai's expression shifted into one of extreme shock!

He was well aware of the Hidden Dragon Pill. The so-called Hidden Dragon Pill, once consumed, would stimulate the body's potential like a hidden dragon leaping from the abyss!

It could temporarily elevate one's cultivation level within a specific timeframe!

However, it came with a severe drawback: once the time expired, the user would fall into a state of extreme weakness, and their cultivation would never be able to advance any further!

Sure enough, the moment Mu Bai swallowed the Hidden Dragon Pill, his entire body began to tremble violently, and the profound energy within him boiled as if it were on fire!

Ninth tier of the Spirit Realm!

In this exact instant, Mu Bai soared directly to the ninth tier of the Spirit Realm!

Right at that very moment, Bai Zizai's blade descended upon him!

Mu Bai thrust his long spear forward with all his might, producing a deafening explosion!

Mu Bai was blasted backward for dozens of feet before he managed to steady himself!

"Hahaha, what use is a Hidden Dragon Pill? Today, you are still going to die!"

Bai Zizai closed in once again, resorting to the same tactic!

Only this time, the slash was even sharper and more ferocious than the last!

"One pill isn't enough? Then I'll take two!"

Gitting his teeth, Mu Bai produced a second Hidden Dragon Pill and shoved it into his mouth without a second thought!

The agony!

It felt as though the pain was originating directly from his soul, causing Mu Bai's face to turn completely pale, but his power surged across yet another threshold!

vaulting straight from the ninth tier of the Spirit Realm into the third tier of the Core Formation Realm!

"You—you actually swallowed two Hidden Dragon Pills consecutively?"

Bai Zizai was utterly dumbfounded!

"To kill you! Is this enough?"

With a cold expression, Mu Bai forcefully suppressed the soul-shaking agony!

He lashed out with his spear, a beam of spear energy shattering Bai Zizai's blade aura and sending him flying backward a considerable distance!

"No, impossible! You must have gone mad!"

Bai Zizai could not believe his eyes. Mu Bai's current state was perilous in the extreme; if this continued, even if he managed to kill Bai Zizai, there was no way Mu Bai himself could survive!

"Ye Xiao can risk his life for his sister! Why shouldn't I, Mu Bai, do the same!"

Mu Bai laughed wildly, the turbulent profound energy scattering his hair and making him look utterly unhinged, like a raving lunatic!

Bai Zizai was terrified!

"Patriarch Bai, I don't have much time left, so... let's finish this quickly!"

Mu Bai vanished from his spot entirely. When he reappeared, he was already right in front of Bai Zizai!

Bai Zizai's expression distorted wildly! He had never imagined that Mu Bai's movement technique could be so terrifyingly fast!

It was so fast that he only caught a glimpse of a residual shadow before Mu Bai was already upon him!

"White Radiance!"

Accompanied by Mu Bai's soft shout, a flash of blinding white light bloomed from the tip of his spear! The dazzling brilliance was so intense that Bai Zizai could not even keep his eyes open!

Acting purely on instinct, he threw his long saber across his chest to block!

Clang!

A crisp, shattering ring echoed out as a tidal wave of immense force sent Bai Zizai hurtling backward once again!

Before he could even steady himself, Mu Bai's figure flickered like a ghost, reappearing right beside him!

"Point the Depths!"

Another soft cry rang out, and the spear pierced forward like lightning, aiming straight for Bai Zizai's waist!

The speed of this thrust was incredible, and since Bai Zizai had only just stopped moving backward, he had no time whatsoever to react!

Puff!

The spear drove straight in. Unfortunately, at the very last moment, Bai Zizai managed to grab the shaft with his hand, stopping the spearhead two-thirds of the way in!

Otherwise, that single strike would have killed him outright!

Bai Zizai's gaze turned icy. "Do you really think you are the only one who has methods to boost your cultivation?"

Mu Bai froze, his expression changing drastically in an instant!

For he saw that Bai Zizai's face had turned flush red, as if he were being roasted by a blazing fire within!

"Burning the Soul?"

Mu Bai was shocked. He had never expected Bai Zizai to forcibly burn his own soul in exchange for power!

This was a method far more terrifying than the Hidden Dragon Pill!

"Hahahaha, how is it? Can you finally rest in peace and go to your death now?"

Having burned his soul, Bai Zizai's aura had actually reached the peak of the Core Formation Realm!

"Die!"

Bai Zizai swept his saber horizontally. Mu Bai hastily pulled back his spear to parry, but the two of them were no longer on the same level.

This slash was both swift and merciless!

It cleanly snapped Mu Bai's long spear in two and struck him squarely in the chest. He was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground, unable to pull himself back up for a long moment!

Not only that, but the profound energy aura around him had already begun to recede rapidly!

Right at this moment, a figure suddenly materialized. He stood beside the fallen Mu Bai, looking down at the injured youth with a curious expression.

"Oh, what great luck. This kid's constitution seems rather peculiar!"

Bai Zizai, who was in the middle of charging forward, abruptly halted upon seeing the sudden appearance of this newcomer.

"Who are you?"

The man glanced at Bai Zizai, a cold smirk curling his lips. "A piece of trash who had to burn his soul just to reach the peak of the Core Formation Realm dares to bark in front of me?"

"You!"

Bai Zizai was furious, but he quickly caught sight of something trailing behind the man—was that... a tail?

"You—you are from the Demon Clan!"