Chapter 106: An Unexpected Turn of Events

"What?!"

Lu Zhe’s eyebrows shot up, his face contorted in alarm.

The man behind Lu Zhe had lunged at him with lightning speed, closing the distance to less than half a zhang in a mere heartbeat.

His survival instincts screamed that this man held malicious intent. However, even if he wanted to react, Lu Zhe was battered and bruised from his intense battle with Lei Hu. His physical strength and spiritual power were nearly exhausted, and the effects of the "Extreme Emperor Pill" had dissipated as soon as the fight concluded. Lu Zhe was at the end of his tether; though he willed his body to block the assailant, his spirit was willing but his flesh was weak.

"Damn it," Lu Zhe muttered, his heart sinking as the man drew closer.

When the man was just a step away, he suddenly arched his body forward, reached out, and curled his fingers into a claw, aiming straight for Lu Zhe’s face.

As the man lunged, the veins on the back of his hand bulged visibly. A faint whistling sound of air being torn apart followed the path of his claw, demonstrating the sheer force behind the strike. Even before the hand made contact, a gust of wind generated by the palm’s power slammed into Lu Zhe’s face. The outcome of being struck by such a blow was self-evident.

Lu Zhe felt a chill run down his spine. He realized the gravity of his situation, but with the hand less than two feet from his face, even if he had been uninjured, blocking it would have been impossible.

*Thud.*

The man’s claw slammed heavily onto Lu Zhe’s face. With a forceful clench of his fingers, the man stood tall and whipped his arm upward, hoisting Lu Zhe into the air.

Looking at the dangling Lu Zhe, the man’s lips curled into a faint smirk. "Not bad, kid. To think you actually defeated Lei Hu." He scanned Lu Zhe from head to toe before adding, "But looking at you now, you must be at your limit."

Through the gaps between the man’s fingers, Lu Zhe caught a glimpse of his captor. The man appeared to be in his thirties, possessing a somewhat handsome, mature face. Like the others, he wore a white robe. However, his most striking feature was a scar running from his left eye down to his chin, lending him a savage, terrifying appearance that naturally instilled fear.

"Kid, I admire you for daring to challenge Lei Hu alone," the man said with a tone of mock admiration. "But you didn't win because of your skill. You won because his mind was in disarray during the fight, allowing you to take advantage of him. As for why he was so distracted, he likely mistook you for a Spirit Venerable expert and grew fearful."

After hearing the man’s analysis, a faint smile touched Lu Zhe’s lips. "You’re quite sharp."

The man gave a flat laugh. He looked up at Lu Zhe, his eyes suddenly turning icy. "Don't blame us for ganging up on you, boy. Blame yourself for trying to snatch things all on your own."

He began to tighten his grip.

"Argh!"

As a wave of agony surged through his face, Lu Zhe gritted his teeth, struggling with all his might to break free. But his strength and spiritual power were so depleted that he couldn't muster any resistance, leaving him at the man's mercy.

*Crunch, crunch, crunch...*

The sound of bone grinding emanated from his face, a faint, chilling noise that made one’s skin crawl. The claw tightened further, the rhythmic crunching growing more frequent and the pain becoming unbearable.

*Pat.*

Lu Zhe’s fist struck the man’s arm, but the force was so weak it wouldn't have even qualified as a scratch. It was the final exertion of all his remaining strength, and after the blow, his arm hung limply, motionless.

"Hmph." The man chuckled softly, then, without further hesitation, increased the pressure in his right hand. He intended to crush Lu Zhe’s skull.

Lu Zhe’s consciousness began to blur. His vision clouded, and the world became a hazy, indistinct mess. Even the agonizing pain in his face began to fade. He felt as if he were falling into a bottomless abyss—once he fell, he would never return.

*Am I going to die?* The thought circled in his mind.

Death? People say death ends all troubles—that it is a form of release. But is death truly a release?

Just then, the image of Xue Ling'er appeared in the pitch-black void of Lu Zhe’s consciousness. That beautiful, pure woman in robes as white as snow was looking at him, smiling sweetly.

Lu Zhe reached out, desperate to catch her, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not touch her. The distance, though it seemed inches away, was infinitely vast.

Suddenly, Xue Ling'er’s image faded, and a disheveled figure appeared in his mind: Little Gray. He had always treated Little Gray like family, but where was he now? Hadn't he gone out to train precisely to find him?

*No, I cannot die! I have things I must do. I haven't defeated Shangguan Yijing yet, I haven't uncovered the truth of my origins—I have so much left to accomplish! I cannot die here!*

With that thought, Lu Zhe’s mind snapped back to clarity. His eyes flew open, and he fixed a resolute gaze on the man before him. He began to draw back the spiritual power that had been shrouding the "Red Spirit Crystal" inside him!

As the protective shroud of spiritual energy was withdrawn, the Red Spirit Crystal erupted in a brilliant crimson glow. A surge of scorching power, like a beast released from its cage, rampaged through every part of Lu Zhe’s body.

"What?!" The man’s expression shifted violently as he felt a searing heat radiating from Lu Zhe’s face—it was as if he were clutching a fireball.

"Argh!" The man flung Lu Zhe away and looked at his right hand. Blisters of various sizes had erupted across his palm, mixed with severe burns.

"What is going on?" the man muttered, bewildered by the sight of his own hand.

He looked up at Lu Zhe and froze.

Lu Zhe stood a short distance away, his head bowed. Visible white steam hissed from his body, and his clothes curled and charred as if they had been dried over a furnace. Most striking of all was his skin; his naturally pale complexion had turned a deep, vibrant red. The entire sight was grotesque.

Lu Zhe slowly lifted his head. Everyone stared at him, seeing his flushed face. Then, he opened his eyes, revealing a pair of pupils that burned like fresh blood.