Chapter 124: The Limit of the Blood-Qi Realm, A Frog Leaping Out of the Well

"Very strong. You take the others and leave." The Little Ancestor's expression was grave.

Having been forced back ten paces by a single palm strike, Xu Chen certainly knew the opponent was powerful.

"Little Ancestor, didn't you say that if there was a chance, we could fight side by side?"

"Now, the chance has come."

Xu Chen elevated his blood energy to the strength of nine dragons. Behind him, the phantom of a sea of blood emerged, and above that sea, a pale moon rose.

"Good." The Little Ancestor glanced at Xu Chen before turning his gaze toward Gu Chuan.

"Take the others and retreat."

"Understood."

Gu Chuan backed away, clearing the battlefield.

"One has left, but it matters not. None of you human prodigies will escape."

Sun and moon pupils appeared in the eyes of the Spirit Eye tribesman, and the aura radiating from his body grew increasingly terrifying.

"The limit of the Blood Energy Realm is the strength of nine dragons, nine tigers, and nine oxen. You and I must hold him off for at least an hour until someone capable of contending with him arrives. I will block him; you are responsible for providing cover and harassment from the side."

The Little Ancestor stared intently at the Spirit Eye tribesman, a faint, ethereal transmission of force reaching Xu Chen's ears.

"I feel like we have a fighting chance." Xu Chen drew his Ink Shadow blade from his back, the fire of battle igniting in his eyes. Compared to this peak Blood Energy Realm expert, he had seen even more monstrous beings.

"Come then, submit to the Spirit Eye tribe."

The Spirit Eye tribesman simply extended a finger and tapped the air in front of him. A surge of force condensed into a sword, piercing through space toward Xu Chen.

"Let me deal with this little bug first, then I'll have some real fun with you."

The force struck toward Xu Chen's brow. Xu Chen swung his blade, unleashing a long river of sword light.

"Bang!"

The river of light was shattered instantly by that single point of force. Xu Chen swung his blade again.

"Boom!"

The violent energy shook Xu Chen's entire body. He was sent flying backward like a cannonball. At that very moment, the Little Ancestor struck, the phantom of a Candle Dragon appearing behind him. He stepped through the air and slammed a palm toward the Spirit Eye tribesman.

"That display was flashy, but a bit naive."

The Spirit Eye tribesman’s figure vanished instantly, turning into a beam of light that collided with the Little Ancestor. As the Little Ancestor was sent flying and the Spirit Eye tribesman prepared to strike with a finger, a dark golden spear tore through the space toward him.

"Ten Thousand Waves!"

Immediately after, Xu Chen unleashed another brilliant blade of force.

"Very seasoned, but unfortunately, you are too weak."

The dark golden spear was frozen in mid-air by a single finger of force, and the final blade light was blocked by the Spirit Eye tribesman’s protective aura.

"Boom!"

The Spirit Eye tribesman threw a casual palm strike, and a sea-like surge of force instantly engulfed Xu Chen. Xu Chen was sent flying once more. The Little Ancestor lunged back into the fray to engage him.

"Why is the gap so vast!"

Xu Chen’s body plowed a deep trench several miles long into the earth.

"Pfft!"

He coughed up a mouthful of blood. The massive vitality stored within his body began to rapidly repair his injuries. This was the first time he had used this stored vitality in the real world. As his injuries mended, Xu Chen raised his blade, preparing to rejoin the battle. In the distance, the clash between the Little Ancestor and the Spirit Eye tribesman looked like a battle between two combat masters of a much higher level.

During the interval of his recovery, Xu Chen observed their fight. He realized that every move and technique of the Little Ancestor, even the fluctuations of his force, were being countered by the Spirit Eye tribesman.

"Bang!"

The Little Ancestor took a punch head-on, unable to withstand it, and was sent flying. Just as the Spirit Eye tribesman prepared to press his advantage, several wind-piercing arrows flew toward him.

"Bugs are truly troublesome."

A hand as white as jade caught one of the arrows and snapped it back toward Xu Chen. The reflected arrow was faster, fiercer, and more powerful. Xu Chen blocked it with his blade, but the violent impact forced him to carve another deep trench into the earth. In the distance, the Little Ancestor, blood at the corner of his mouth, continued to face the Spirit Eye tribesman.

"Is this the combat power of the Blood Energy Realm limit?"

At this moment, Xu Chen felt like a frog that had just stepped out of its well. He felt as if he were seeing the true world for the first time.

"I cannot face him head-on; I can only lighten the burden for the Little Ancestor."

Xu Chen picked up the Mountain-Breaking Bow he had dropped earlier, found the quiver, and began firing arrows one by one at the Spirit Eye tribesman. Pushing his speed to the limit, when he ran out of arrows, he used his force to shape boulders into spears and hurled them. Under his persistent harassment, he did indeed relieve some of the pressure on the Little Ancestor.

"You stinking bug, you are truly annoying!"

The Spirit Eye tribesman’s haughty tone began to give way to anger. After forcing the Little Ancestor back with a palm, he rushed toward Xu Chen. At that moment, Xu Chen recalled his first encounter with the Holy Ape's six-form avatar. A sense of impending death gripped his heart. He knew that to run was to die; only by fighting back did he have a glimmer of survival.

"Damn it!"

Xu Chen mobilized everything he had. He burned his blood, his vitality, and every ounce of his strength into his most powerful strike. *If I die, I’ll just restart. With my cheat, I’ll kill you sooner or later.*

"Ten Thousand Waves!"

Xu Chen unleashed his strongest palm strike, only to have it pierced by a single finger from the Spirit Eye tribesman.

"Boom!"

He was sent flying again, crashing into the distant ruins like a cannonball.

"As expected of a bug. Still not dead?"

The Spirit Eye tribesman lunged at Xu Chen again, but was intercepted midway by the Little Ancestor.

"Your opponent is me," the Little Ancestor said, his voice devoid of sorrow or joy.

"Get lost! I'll play with you after I crush that stinking bug."

The Spirit Eye tribesman stomped the ground with such force it created a sonic boom, his figure transforming into a beam of light as he charged at Xu Chen.

"Bug, die!"

He threw a palm strike that felt as heavy as ten thousand mountains. Lying in the ruins, devoid of strength, Xu Chen could only watch as the force of the strike bore down on him.

"Restart, and I'll kill you then," Xu Chen grinned, a smile that promised retribution.

Just as Xu Chen thought he was finished, a tall figure suddenly appeared before him. A more violent wave of force covered the palm strike and pressed back against the Spirit Eye tribesman.

"You have guts. Don't die yet," a prideful voice rang out.

The Little Ancestor appeared by Xu Chen’s side and whisked him away from the battlefield. Only then did Xu Chen lose consciousness.

When he opened his eyes again, he was in a mountain cave. Through the sunlight filtering in from outside, he saw Li Chengfu keeping watch.

"Whew..."

With a long, exhaled breath, Xu Chen slowly sat up. He felt pain throughout his body; his blood energy was exhausted, and the vitality stored in his organs and heart pulse was depleted. Though his internal organs still bore injuries, they would recover after some rest.

"Junior Brother, you're awake!" Li Chengfu said, overjoyed, quickly bringing a cup of water and healing pills to Xu Chen's lips. After drinking the water and taking the medicine, Xu Chen felt slightly better.

"What is the situation?" Xu Chen asked.

"The Little Ancestor brought you back, led us to this hidden spot, and then left. Changshou is out scouting for news and should be back in a few days. How are you feeling, Junior Brother?" Li Chengfu asked, looking at him with concern.

"The injuries aren't severe; I’ll recover in ten days or half a month," Xu Chen said, sensing his internal state.

"Junior Brother, did you run into a top-tier Blood Energy Realm prodigy from the Holy Spirit Heavenly Court? To be injured like this..." Li Chengfu had known Xu Chen for a long time and had never seen him in such a sorry state.

"It was a member of the Spirit Eye tribe, at the limit of the Blood Energy Realm," Xu Chen said slowly.

"The limit of the Blood Energy Realm!" Li Chengfu was shocked. When he first saw Xu Chen being carried back, he had wondered who could have done such a thing. Hearing it was a limit-stage expert, he couldn't help but say, "Junior Brother, to survive his hands is truly incredible!"

"Senior Brother Li, can you tell me about the limit of the Blood Energy Realm?" Xu Chen leaned against the wall, silently mending his internal injuries.

"Once blood energy enters the stage of nine dragons, increasing it by even the strength of one ox becomes incredibly difficult. At the same time, every time you add that strength, your blood energy undergoes a transformation. Your strength rises to a new level, and you can slaughter those below the nine-dragon level like chickens. The alien tribes you encountered before who had nine-dragon strength were all stuck at that level. At most, they might have had one or two ox-strengths more."

"The limit of the Blood Energy Realm is the strength of nine dragons, nine tigers, and nine oxen. Reaching this level is rare even among our human race. Such top-tier prodigies can be considered invincible within the Blood Energy Realm. So, for you, Junior Brother, to survive against such an expert without having reached the nine-dragon level yourself is already quite impressive."

Listening to Li Chengfu, Xu Chen let out a long sigh. Amidst his frustration, there was a glimmer of relief; at the very least, he had jumped out of the bottom of the well and seen a wider world.

"Rest well, Junior Brother. I’ll go outside to keep watch." Li Chengfu left a bottle of healing pills and spirit grain pills by Xu Chen's side before leaving the cave.

"I must recover first, then collect more items to exchange for human contributions. It's just the limit of the Blood Energy Realm, after all."

Xu Chen gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and began to circulate his blood energy to heal. Three days later, he was able to walk slowly. Zong Changshou returned from scouting.

"Junior Brother, are your injuries better?" Zong Changshou asked immediately.

"I'll be recovered in another ten days or so."

"How is the news outside? Were those people rescued?" Xu Chen asked.

"Out of six locations, the humans at two were all killed. At the remaining four, we managed to rescue about half," Zong Changshou said, his expression grim.

"Blood debts must be repaid with blood," Xu Chen gritted his teeth.

"By the way, Junior Brother, I specifically investigated the Spirit Eye tribesman who injured you. His name is Tong Xuanyi, the future Holy Son of the Spirit Eye tribe," Zong Changshou said, pulling out a small notebook.

"Senior Brother, do you know who saved me that day?" Xu Chen asked again.

"The leader of the younger generation from the Human Emperor's Great Dao Palace, Xiao Wanshi. He nearly avenged you. That battle was world-shaking; two limit-stage Blood Energy Realm experts fighting to the death is a scene never seen before. That Spirit Eye tribesman was strong, but he was suppressed by Xiao Wanshi throughout the fight, and in the end, he fled in injury."