But when Yang Hao successfully produced the first batch of Huorong Pills yesterday, he refused to try even a single one. This was not only due to Mixuanzi’s notorious history of causing chaos every time he concocted pills, but more importantly, because hundreds of extremely spicy ingredients had been used in making these Huorong Pills. These were the spiciest plants in the entire universe—just approaching them would cause someone to sweat profusely and tear up. Yet now, all of these fiery ingredients had been condensed into the Huorong Pills. As soon as the red-hot pills were removed from the furnace, they had already knocked Yang Hao unconscious three separate times and caused malfunctions in X13’s machinery repeatedly. Such a deadly concoction was certainly something Yang Hao dared not ingest. He had only agreed to carry a few as emergency supplies after Mixuanzi had pleaded with him earnestly.
Yet now, without hesitation or a second thought, Yang Hao tossed one straight into his mouth, as casually as popping a chocolate candy.
“People are practically dying, so who cares what kind of pill it is,” Yang Hao soon realized this was no chocolate. The moment the pill hit his tongue, it numbed him so severely he could barely speak. “Guess this is what they call desperation making you take reckless chances.”
The pill had barely begun dissolving in his mouth when it felt as if his blood had been boiled over by a raging fire, surging violently through his veins. His inner energy surged like mint dropped into soda, exploding with such intensity that his limbs swelled up.
“Huhu, this pill must’ve been overcooked. It shouldn’t be this powerful,” Mixuanzi remarked with an apologetic tone. “Looks like I should use fewer ingredients next time.”
“Next time?!” Yang Hao knew all too well that Mixuanzi was treating him like a test subject, and yet he still ended up falling for it again and again, making him furious. “You’re thinking about next time? We might not survive this one!”
“Oh right!” Mixuanzi suddenly snapped back to reality. “What are you going to do now? The enhanced ‘Aurora’ is not something you can handle. If he releases it, you’re done for.”
Yang Hao closed his eyes, feeling the scorching heat from the Huorong Pill causing his muscles to spasm, but the effects were clearly noticeable—his inner energy was so abundant it felt like he had turned into a balloon filled with qi.
“You taught me,” Yang Hao gritted his teeth. Though he usually appeared timid, when it really mattered, he never backed down. “When defense fails, we attack. If I die the moment he releases the Aurora, then I must never let him fire it.”
“What are you planning?” Mixuanzi thought hard. He had mostly taught Yang Hao evasion and defensive techniques, with very few offensive moves.
“Your emergency lessons!” Yang Hao shouted as the enemy’s glow intensified. “Teach me any offensive move you’ve got!”
“Alright! I’ll teach you the ‘Slash’ from the Five Sword Techniques!” Mixuanzi exclaimed, inspired by Yang Hao’s fighting spirit.
Yang Hao instinctively grabbed his flying sword—the Ice Blade he used most recently—raised it high with both hands, assuming a slashing stance.
“First step: throw your sword away!” Mixuanzi quickly instructed.
“Throw it away?!” Yang Hao never questioned Mixuanzi at critical moments and immediately flung the Ice Blade aside.
“To unleash a sword’s full potential, your inner energy must harmonize with it. You must work with it to amplify its power,” Mixuanzi explained. “The energy in your body from the Huorong Pill is fiery in nature, which clashes with the Ice Blade.”
Understanding instantly, Yang Hao grabbed the rarely used Flame Sword instead. Channeling his qi into it, the intense, spicy, fiery energy surged through the blade, igniting flames around it and extending the sword into a brilliant, blazing weapon.
Roaring loudly, Yang Hao raised the Flame Sword high and charged toward Jinde.
Meanwhile, Jinde had reached the final stage of forming the Aurora. The radiant energy had transformed into a golden, deadly sphere, ready to fire in mere seconds.
“Imagine yourself as Pangu, standing between heaven and earth, facing a chaotic void. Your sword is the ultimate weapon in the world. Your strength is boundless, supported by the earth beneath you, striking from the heavens above. Channel all your energy into this single strike!” Mixuanzi not only taught the technique of ‘Slash’ but also painted a vivid mental image for Yang Hao.
Soaring into the air, Yang Hao saw Jinde release the Aurora. The beam of unstoppable power erupted forth.
Without hesitation or fear, Yang Hao shut his eyes and focused solely on his strike. In that instant, flames seemed to erupt from his body as he descended like a god from the heavens, wielding a several-meter-long flame sword, colliding head-on with Jinde’s Aurora.
It was an unbelievable sight.
Even those who witnessed it could never accurately describe the sheer magnitude of that clash. It was as if two forces that had been building for millions of years had finally collided, unleashing the same explosive energy as the birth of stars or the explosion of the universe itself. The collision created a darkness so complete, deeper than the blackest night, without even a glimmer of light.
Later, scientists from the Royal House of Laimon explained that the collision of these two immense forces had somehow created a miniature black hole for an instant, which absorbed all surrounding light, resulting in that brief yet inconceivable darkness.
Though the exact nature of the clash could never be described, the aftermath was clear once the dust settled and the black hole vanished. Yang Hao knelt on the ground, battered and bloodied, with at least four holes pierced through his body. Blood spurted like springs from his wounds—part of the Aurora had struck him. It seemed as if he had poured every ounce of strength into that one strike, leaving him pale and exhausted, his Flame Sword dimmed and reduced to a mere scrap of metal.
Though gravely wounded, Yang Hao had survived. Jinde, however, was beyond salvation. On the ground, his once-proud body had been cleaved in two by Yang Hao’s slash. The intense heat from the Flame Sword had turned his flesh and organs into charred remains, making it nearly impossible for even his closest acquaintances to identify the corpse.
Though Yang Hao had only learned the ‘Slash’ technique from the Five Sword Techniques in a moment of desperation, fate had aligned in his favor. The Huorong Pill had multiplied his inner energy several times over, and the Flame Sword had amplified rapidly due to his fiery qi. Most importantly, Yang Hao possessed the fearless courage to fight until the very end, perfectly embodying the essence of ‘Slash.’ As the saying goes, when two meet on a narrow road, the brave shall prevail. That was how Yang Hao managed to strike down Jinde in one decisive blow.
“I won…” Yang Hao’s face nearly pressed against the ground, laughing weakly.
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