Jiang Che’s scalp went numb.

’This Blood Sacrifice could actually lie!’

’It had even learned to speak!’

’Granted, its tricks weren’t very sophisticated.’

’But it seemed that as its power grew, its intelligence was slowly increasing as well!’

’I absolutely cannot let this thing live!’

He didn’t know if it was the foul stench or the Blood Sacrifice’s knack for mimicking humans.

A powerful wave of nausea and disgust welled up from the depths of Jiang Che’s heart.

He instantly executed Cloud-Stacking Fist, launching a punch forward!

The Blood Sacrifice flung the corpse aside and swiped at Jiang Che.

CLACK!

Their fist and palm met, and Jiang Che was sent stumbling back several steps.

The Blood Sacrifice, however, seemed to be in pain and let out a low howl.

A small hole had been punched right through the middle of its withered, green-furred palm!

Black blood trickled from the wound.

It turned out that as Jiang Che had thrown the punch, he had seized the opportunity to grip the Secret Iron Hand Spike in his fist, wounding the Blood Sacrifice.

However, the blade at the tip of Jiang Che’s Secret Iron Hand Spike was now bent.

’Such tough skin!’

Still, a sense of relief washed over Jiang Che.

The last time he had traded blows with this Blood Sacrifice, his arm had shattered instantly.

This time, however, he had merely been knocked back a few steps, suffering only minor strains.

But thanks to his powerful Rejuvenation Talent, the strains healed completely within a single breath!

’I have a chance!’

After breaking through to the Stone Skin Realm, Jiang Che was eager to solidify his new Realm and test his own limits through battle.

Jiang Che had a faint feeling that this Blood Sacrifice could no longer pose an immediate, fatal threat to him.

So, he decided not to rush and lead it to Liu Hai and Li Rushan’s ambush point.

Instead, he wanted to have a proper fight!

Jiang Che opened with the first form, Cloud Flow, then quickly transitioned to the second, Overlapping Waves, layering his fist’s power with each movement.

As he closed in on the Blood Sacrifice, he instantly executed the Flying Swallow Step, his form flickering behind the creature.

Then, he focused his power into a single point and unleashed the third form, Rock Collapse, smashing his fist into the Blood Sacrifice’s spine!

To Jiang Che, it felt like punching a sandbag wrapped in thick iron plates—hard and heavy. The blow only made the creature shudder slightly.

However, the hand spike clutched in his palm successfully plunged into the Blood Sacrifice’s spine.

The Blood Sacrifice howled in pain and spun around, lashing out with a claw.

Jiang Che tried to yank the hand spike free but found it was clamped tight by the creature’s vertebrae. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

With the claw about to connect, Jiang Che had no choice but to abandon the spike and roll to safety.

Seething with rage, the Blood Sacrifice yanked the spike from its back and tossed it aside.

A low, leonine growl rumbled in its throat as its eyes turned red and its body began to swell.

Jiang Che felt its Qi Blood surge. While it hadn’t reached the Mid Stage of the Iron Skin Realm, it was close!

’Looks like it’s powering up.’

Jiang Che’s expression turned grim.

The Blood Sacrifice dropped to all fours and lunged forward like a massive hound!

Its ghastly, fanged face rushed toward Jiang Che.

It opened its massive maw and snapped at Jiang Che’s head.

Jiang Che could even see drool dripping from its yellowed tusks.

A nauseating stench washed over him.

Jiang Che immediately used the Flying Swallow Step, spinning away to evade the lunge.

At the same time, he landed a punch on its dry, zombie-like face.

The creature’s head snapped to the side, and Jiang Che used the momentum to dart away.

It shook its head, seemingly dazed by the blow.

Growing angry, it let out a constant low growl, its eyes locked onto Jiang Che.

Suddenly, it clenched its claw into a fist and slammed it into the ground.

The next second.

It shot forward in a blur, its body moving so fast it nearly left an afterimage!

It threw a right hook that smashed into Jiang Che’s chest, sending him flying.

Jiang Che’s vision went black. A searing pain exploded in his chest, and he could barely breathe.

Fortunately, his sternum seemed to be only fractured, not completely broken.

Seeing the Blood Sacrifice charge again, Jiang Che scrambled to his feet and quickly put some distance between them.

Thanks to the powerful healing of his Rejuvenation, his injuries quickly began to mend.

Jiang Che was stunned. That punch from the Blood Sacrifice just now...

...it was a lot like the third form of his Cloud-Stacking Fist, Rock Collapse!

The form was similar, but the way it exerted force and channeled its Qi Blood was completely wrong.

Even so, Jiang Che found it unbelievable.

’This Blood Sacrifice is capable of learning!’

’It can mimic my fighting style!’

He thought of the countless people devoured by the Blood Sacrifice.

He thought of it mimicking the last words of its victims.

He thought of it using a human corpse to pose as a person, to trick people.

He thought of how the Blood Spirit Sect might have captured his parents to feed this very creature!

A vicious fire ignited in the depths of Jiang Che’s heart.

"So you wanna learn!"

With a vicious resolve, Jiang Che executed Cloud-Stacking Fist again.

This time, he went through all five forms, culminating in the fifth form, Mountain Shattering. The punch slammed into the Blood Sacrifice’s gut, instantly doubling it over.

But at the same instant, the Blood Sacrifice landed a punch on Jiang Che’s upper arm, sending him flying.

Jiang Che looked down to see his left upper arm bent at an unnatural angle.

Unfazed, he gripped his arm and brutally twisted it back into place.

Under the powerful effects of Rejuvenation, the broken bone immediately began to mend.

"Again!"

Jiang Che charged forward once more.

This time, the Blood Sacrifice mimicked Mountain Shattering, punching Jiang Che in the stomach.

But this time, Jiang Che traded injury for injury, breaking the Blood Sacrifice’s arm with a single punch.

The Blood Sacrifice tried to copy Jiang Che, attempting to twist its arm back into place, but failed.

No matter how it twisted, the arm remained bent; it didn’t heal.

"You idiot! You think you have Rejuvenation too? Go on, learn this!"

Jiang Che’s handsome face began to twist, his expression turning savage.

He charged forward again!

"I’ll teach you!"

Jiang Che’s fists rained down, relentlessly smashing into the Blood Sacrifice’s face.

The Blood Sacrifice hammered at Jiang Che’s side with its one good arm.

Jiang Che felt his ribs shatter into countless pieces, only to rapidly heal under the effects of Rejuvenation before being broken anew.

"Teach... you..."

The Blood Sacrifice was even mimicking his words.

Burning with rage, Jiang Che’s face became a mask of insanity.

He desperately traded injury for injury, hammering punch after punch into the Blood Sacrifice’s face.

THUMP!

THUMP!

THUMP!

The Blood Sacrifice gradually lost its strength and was beaten to the ground.

Its face was caved in from the blows.

Even the bluestone slabs of the ground beneath it were cracked from the force.

Ignoring everything, Jiang Che was like a pile driver, continuing to slam his fists down one after another.

The bones of his knuckles were laid bare, only for the flesh to grow back almost instantly, a repeating cycle of destruction and regeneration.

The bluestone slabs shattered completely, and half of the Blood Sacrifice’s body was driven into the earth below.

Finally, after one last punch, Jiang Che felt his Heart Stream reach its limit and the state faded.

He could barely lift his arms.

He collapsed limply onto the ground nearby.

His hair was a mess, and his face and body were covered in blood.

His clothes had long been torn to shreds, barely covering his private areas.

"Evil spirit... There are no such things as evil spirits in this world..."

"Help... Don’t eat me..."

"I’ll kill you... you... monster..."

Just then, the Blood Sacrifice, half-buried in the crater, began muttering a series of strange phrases.

Its jaw was gone, one of its eyeballs was missing, and its facial bones were utterly concave.

Yet it still struggled to make a sound.

"Those are the last words of the people you ate, aren’t they?"

Jiang Che said suddenly.

"The people... eaten by you... before they died..."

The Blood Sacrifice parroted back.

Jiang Che’s gaze turned ice-cold.

He struggled to his feet, found the Secret Iron Hand Spike, and gripped it tightly.

Then, he returned to the crater.

The Blood Sacrifice was still muttering to itself.

Its voice was hollow and mechanical, radiating an inhuman eeriness.

"So noisy! I’ll teach you! Just die! Die! DIE!"

Clenching the hand spike in his fist, he punched it deep into the Blood Sacrifice’s eye socket.

The spike instantly pierced its brain.

Jiang Che then violently twisted his fist, scrambling the Blood Sacrifice’s brain into mush.

Finally, the irritating voice fell silent.

Gasping for breath, Jiang Che collapsed to the ground once more.

This time, he couldn’t even move a finger.

Suddenly, the Blood Sacrifice’s chest began to twitch.

Beneath the skin and flesh, something seemed to be trying to burrow its way out!