"Stab it, aim for the gaps! Don't slash!" Liang Qu shouted, gripping the mountain spirit tightly.
The mountain spirit wasn't without weaknesses.
Its formidable defense came from its bark-like, cracked skin.
While this tough skin provided protection, it also limited its mobility, forcing it to develop cracks and fissures to allow movement.
These cracks were its greatest vulnerability!
Hearing Liang Qu's command, Li Libo and Chen Jiechang switched from slashing to stabbing.
Their knives, long and sharp, were perfect for thrusting.
Having trained at the martial hall for two months, their strength was far greater than that of an average adult, especially in a life-or-death situation.
The blades sank halfway into the mountain spirit's flesh in an instant.
The venom from the Heavenly Water Centipede had only made the mountain spirit uneasy, but now, with the blades piercing its body, the intense pain drove it into a frenzy.
Liang Qu could no longer hold it back.
His hands felt like they were about to tear apart, and he was forced to release the mountain spirit's left arm.
Seeing this, Li Libo reached out to grab the arm, trying to help pin it down.
But the mountain spirit swung its arm, sending Li Libo flying several meters.
He crashed to the ground, rolling a few more meters before coming to a stop.
The villagers, huddled together, screamed in terror.
The stench of blood mixed with the river breeze filled their nostrils, forcing them to retreat further, squeezing even tighter.
No one dared to run, fearing that any sudden movement might draw the mountain spirit's attention.
They pressed deeper into the crowd, like ants fleeing a fire, desperate to blend into the mass.
Li Libo coughed up blood, his vision swimming.
He clutched his chest, struggling to breathe.
As he opened his eyes, he saw Liang Qu, still holding the mountain spirit in his arms, and was struck with awe.
They had joined the martial hall on the same day—how could the gap between them be so vast?
Seeing Li Libo get thrown aside, Chen Jiechang's pupils contracted in fear.
He didn't dare to approach any further.
Realizing the knife wasn't going deeper, he let go and stepped back, using his heel to kick the hilt of the knife.
The blade slid through the mountain spirit's skin, piercing its chest and nearly emerging from the other side.
"Good!" Liang Qu exclaimed, but the mountain spirit in his arms thrashed even more violently.
The mountain spirit roared, its shriveled throat emitting a piercing scream.
Its claws dug into Liang Qu's right arm, and it opened its mouth, aiming for his neck.
Liang Qu had no time to dodge.
He could only tilt his head back, avoiding the deadly bite.
The fangs sank into his shoulder, piercing through his cloak and into his flesh, nearly cracking the bone.
But Liang Qu refused to let go.
He couldn't allow the mountain spirit to gain footing.
If it did, it could easily tear his entire arm off.
The venom from the Heavenly Water Centipede hadn't taken effect yet.
Li Libo tried to get up, but the pain in his chest was too much.
His body felt like it had been shattered.
Chen Jiechang, who had kicked the knife with all his might, was also on the ground, unable to rise.
In the crowd, Chen Qingjiang waved a cane he had somehow gotten his hands on, but the waves of people pushed him back.
The villagers screamed and jostled, too terrified to help.
No one was coming to save him.
Liang Qu's survival depended entirely on himself.
His will burned like a raging fire.
Clutching the mountain spirit tightly, a surge of immense strength welled up within him.
He lowered his head, his expression savage, and bit into the mountain spirit's neck like a wild beast.
It was like two pythons fighting over a feast, neither willing to let go.
Blood seeped between his teeth, filling his mouth with a metallic tang.
Liang Qu's throat rumbled with a demonic laugh.
He took a step back, his thigh muscles coiling like steel cables, and drove his knee into the mountain spirit's abdomen with brutal force.
The impact reverberated through the mountain spirit's body, its bones cracking under the pressure.
But Liang Qu wasn't done.
He planted his foot firmly on the ground and slammed the mountain spirit into the bluestone pavement.
The stone slabs shattered upon impact, but the knife lodged in the mountain spirit's body held firm.
The blade pierced deeper, the tip emerging from its chest and grazing Liang Qu's own.
The thick hilt caused a severe penetrating wound, and the mountain spirit's strength drained away.
It released Liang Qu's shoulder.
Liang Qu pushed the mountain spirit away and used the momentum to stand and retreat.
He didn't dare touch his shoulder, afraid of feeling shattered bone fragments.
The initial pain had subsided, replaced by a numbing rush of adrenaline.
Li Libo and Chen Jiechang stared in shock, and the villagers, momentarily stunned, forgot to scream.
The mountain spirit writhed in agony, its flailing limbs smashing the stone slabs into pieces.
Black blood oozed from its wounds, and Liang Qu tried to control the flow, but to no avail.
Whether it was Senior Brother Hu, Senior Brother Xiang, or this mountain spirit, it seemed that once a creature reached a certain level of power, its body became its own domain, impervious to external manipulation unless the intruder was overwhelmingly stronger.
The mountain spirit, now a cornered beast, thrashed wildly.
Unable to control its blood, Liang Qu dared not approach.
He picked up another knife Li Libo had dropped and retreated.
Li Libo and Chen Jiechang scrambled to their feet and ran in the opposite direction.
The mountain spirit staggered backward, clawing at its back, trying to pull out the knife.
But it couldn't reach the hilt, and pulling it out from the front was impossible.
The pain drove it to madness.
The mountain spirit leaped to its feet, and Liang Qu felt a chill run down his spine.
He saw a black shadow flash before him, the stench of blood filling his nostrils.
The mountain spirit was upon him.
The villagers gasped, watching as the black-robed figure was struck down.
Their newfound courage crumbled, their morale plummeting.
But as the shadow landed, it revealed Liang Qu's back.
The mountain spirit had only caught his cloak.
At the last possible moment, Liang Qu had dropped to the ground, letting the loose cloak slip off his shoulders.
He grabbed the edge of the cloak as it flew past, spinning around and using it like a black wave to throw the mountain spirit off balance.
Then he draped the cloak back over himself.
The mountain spirit, confused, crashed to the ground, the knife in its back twisting deeper into the wound.
The venom from the Heavenly Water Centipede finally took effect, paralyzing its body.
Its legs, now unsteady, slipped on the ground like it was standing on ice.
Chen Jiechang, still in decent shape, crawled over to Li Libo and helped him up, draping his arm over his shoulder.
Together, they stumbled over to Liang Qu, supporting him as well.
Liang Qu was severely injured, his energy nearly spent.
He could barely stand.
In front of the courtyard, the crowd began to disperse slightly.
The three of them stood together, breathing heavily, watching as the mountain spirit's movements grew weaker until it finally collapsed, motionless.
"Is it dead?" Li Libo asked, turning to Liang Qu.
Liang Qu shook his head.
"Wait a bit longer."
After what felt like an eternity, just as Li Libo was about to declare the mountain spirit truly dead, it suddenly lifted its head, letting out a horrifying wail.
Its thin arms clawed at the ground as it dragged itself inch by inch toward Liang Qu.
The knife in its chest scraped against the stone, emitting a grating sound.
Everyone recoiled in fear, the crowd shrinking back once more.
Only Liang Qu remained still, forcing Chen Jiechang and Li Libo to stay by his side.
They watched in horror as the mountain spirit left a trail of black blood, crawling to Liang Qu's feet before finally going still.
Li Libo wiped the cold sweat from his brow.
"Is it really dead this time?"
A mountain spirit—a creature capable of killing martial artists who had broken through two barriers—had actually been defeated by them? It didn't seem as strong as they had imagined, but it was still a mountain spirit!
The villagers were in disbelief, their eyes filled with awe.
The Wang brothers, hiding in the alley, trembled under Liang Qu's gaze, wishing they could vanish into the ground.
Liang Qu stared at the mountain spirit for a long time before looking up at the terrified villagers and the empty altar.
He shrugged off Chen Jiechang's support, knelt on the mountain spirit's neck, and began to cut off its head, following the cracks in its skin.
Blood pooled across the stone slabs.
The sight was gruesome, sending shivers down everyone's spines.
Liang Qu finally severed the head, holding it aloft for all the villagers to see.
"The mountain spirit! The best offering for the River God!"
(End of Chapter)