Since I'm Wearing a Yukata Anyway...

Yin Huaxuan's powerless body collapsed to the ground.

Yet, Fu Tu's aura surged relentlessly at this moment. The illusory figures of tigers and leopards behind him melted away, merging into his body, while scales began to emerge across his skin. The corners of his forehead bulged, as if something were about to burst forth.

He now faintly resembled Yin Huaxuan at the peak of his power.

"Just a few more kills..."

Whoosh—

The same hammer from before came crashing down again, its speed neither fast nor slow, an enigmatic blur.

Rule Five of the Brawler's Code:

When someone's showing off, they lose all common sense. Strike them unprepared, and the results are always spectacular.

"Heh, you would've been a good fit for Divine Edge Cave back then."

"Too bad you joined Jade Cluster Peak. Now, you have to die."

Fu Tu revealed a cruel smile.

He was at the Eight-Aperture Observation Realm.

Now, with the Hundred Beasts Blood Refinement complete, he was on the verge of transforming into a Flood Dragon Demon.

Li Mo had just entered the Observation Realm.

Even if he was stronger than most at this level, how could he possibly stand against Fu Tu?

Fu Tu's swelling power had inflated his ego just as much.

The hammer closed in.

With arrogant defiance, he threw a punch—the Tiger-Leopard Thunderclap Strike, its force terrifying, its momentum savage.

Boom—

The restrained might within the Boundless Starfall Hammer erupted the moment they made contact.

In that instant—

Fu Tu's arm exploded into a bloody mist, flesh and bone scattering like rain.

"Something's wrong!"

"That hammer earlier... it wasn’t this heavy!"

This was Fu Tu's first thought as he was sent flying.

Of course not.

This was its father.

The two hammers just looked identical.

Now that Li Mo had reached the Observation Realm, even without using Sevenfold Heavenbreaker, his hammer technique had reached perfection. Every swing carried its full force without the slightest waste.

Only when you're hit do you realize whether the hammer strikes with forty or eighty—Zhou Shuren.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound of shattered stone pillars filled the air.

"Huh? Not dead yet?"

Li Mo frowned.

No wonder the elders had managed to spare Yin Huaxuan's life back then.

Those who practiced the Hundred Beasts Blood Refinement were like cockroaches—their vitality was absurdly tenacious. Even a divine weapon's hammer couldn’t finish him off.

This wasn’t something an Observation Realm cultivator should withstand.

"The Boundless Starfall Hammer..."

Seeing the short-handled hammer in Li Mo's grip, Fu Tu realized something, his pupils shrinking in horror.

This divine weapon was actually in Li Mo's hands!

No wonder...

No wonder Divine Edge Cave had trembled inexplicably that day.

It was the Boundless Starfall Hammer recognizing its master!

What terrified him even more was that Li Mo could actually wield it!

"Run!"

The thought flashed through Fu Tu's mind. His robes tore apart as a pair of fleshy wings burst from his back, flapping furiously as he shot into the sky.

Before fleeing, he blew the bone whistle taken from Yin Huaxuan.

The White-Horned Eagle obeyed the whistle, not the person. Upon receiving the attack command, it dove like lightning.

Its speed was at the limit of a seventh-rank mystical beast, but to Li Mo, it was still painfully slow.

A slight shift in stance, and the eagle's talons missed him by a hair.

With a backhanded flick of Crimson Ember, a searing sword beam slashed upward.

Rip—

The sword energy, fueled by the dual Yin-Yang Profound Cores, was blindingly sharp, as if it could pierce the heavens.

A single strike pierced the eagle's wing, blood raining down as it plummeted.

"Useless!"

Fu Tu gnashed his teeth in fury, regret flooding him.

If only he hadn’t helped Yin Huaxuan escape—he should’ve just killed him outright.

Even if the Summoning Demon Sect punished him later, it would’ve been better than this.

Suddenly—

A sonic boom erupted behind him, his hair standing on end.

Li Mo had kicked off the air itself, using Gale Shadow Step to close the distance, hammer in hand.

Fu Tu tried to resist, but the air around him had solidified like iron, leaving him as helpless as a fish stranded on land.

Boom—

One hammer strike shattered Fu Tu's bones, smashing him deep into the earth.

The ground trembled, rippling like water from the impact.

"Eighty, saved for later."

Li Mo withdrew the World Force, switching to the Solar Wheel Sword Canon. A dozen scorching sword beams blasted into the crater.

Rule Six of the Brawler's Code:

When they're down, finish them off. Never hold back on the follow-up.

Sizzle—

The sword beams ravaged the pit.

Still unsatisfied, Li Mo prepared to leap in with the Star Piercer in hand.

"He was dead the moment your hammer landed."

Elder Hanhe's voice rang out.

The old man's face twitched.

The elders had hoped to extract some useful information from this traitor.

"We sent you to capture him, not turn him into paste!"

Li Mo sheathed his sword, scratching his head sheepishly.

"Even a lion uses full force to kill a rabbit. How can you hold back in a fight?"

"Next time, give me a heads-up earlier."

Hanhe: "..."

They had planned to uproot Yin Huaxuan's accomplices and interrogate them separately.

Now? The only living witness left was a damn eagle.

Then again, it was their fault.

They hadn’t explicitly told the disciples to hold back.

But who could’ve predicted that an Observation Realm disciple would kill Yin Huaxuan before they arrived?

And take out his accomplice too.

Li Mo had just entered the Observation Realm.

If he went to Hengyun Sword City for the Yunzhou Martial Summit...

"Elder Hanhe, it’s getting late."

Li Mo glanced at the sky.

A not-so-subtle hint.

I wanna clock out.

......

Autumn Water Pavilion.

Moonlight cascaded like a waterfall, condensing into tangible radiance. Within the confines of the pavilion, a clear, jade-like resonance echoed.

Ying Bing's breakthrough into the Aperture Realm was stirring celestial phenomena.

She opened her eyes, glancing at Shang Wu.

Shang Wu nodded.

Splash—

Rising from the hot spring, a lotus phantom manifested, sealing the space around them and suppressing the phenomena within the courtyard.

"Haah..."

The fluctuations at Ying Bing’s brow finally settled.

Moments later—

The tiny phoenix she had painstakingly visualized took form, merging into her brow.

She was still herself.

But now, with her apertures opened, Ying Bing carried an added grace, her noble aura more pronounced than ever.

Yet she was exhausted.

The breakthrough had drained most of her energy, leaving her dual Profound Cores empty.

"I'm sleepy. Rest here and recover."

Shang Wu yawned.

"Thank you."

Ying Bing inclined her head.

She did need to recover quickly.

Midnight was approaching.

Which meant the system rankings were about to update.

A countdown even appeared before her eyes as a reminder:

[00:12:30]

[00:12:29]

...

Tap—

Just then, footsteps echoed outside the Mistflower Spring, growing closer.

Ying Bing’s brows arched. She had been lost in thought, speculating about the rankings, and hadn’t noticed the intruder.

Who?

Her keen spiritual sense instantly locked onto the newcomer...

Oh. Li Mo.

Right. Shang Wu was still here. No one else would be allowed in.

"Exhausted. A nice bath will be so relaxing, hehe."

His voice drifted over.

Ying Bing's gaze froze.

Why now, of all times...

What should she do?

Yet, in just a moment, her expression steadied again.

It was just sharing a bath—why fuss over such trivialities?

After all,

they were still in their robes.

"Huh?"

"You're still here, Ice Block?"