After coughing up a mouthful of blood, Blood Demon Empress Wusha actually felt her body much more comfortable. She reached out with her exquisitely beautiful arm to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth, her gaze fierce as she curved her lips and muttered to herself:
"Hah, are the martial cultivators of this world truly this pathetic?"
Holding the Blood Demon Spear diagonally, Wusha suddenly exerted force with her pair of muscular, long legs, instantly leaving a sizable crater in the ground. Her red-clad figure leaped into the air, shooting out like a bloody streak.
Li Lanhao widened his eyes once again. His worldview had been completely upended by this red-robed, white-haired woman. Good heavens, could pure physical strength alone propel someone high into the sky?
"What? That shouldn't be possible, no way! Could my judgment be wrong? No, there really isn't a shred of spiritual power inside this female beast. Has she broken through the limits of Body Refining?"
"Hmph, seeing me is your honor. Rest in peace, kid!"
Wusha thrust her spear straight at Li Lanhao's heart. Li Lanhao finally experienced true despair; even with the spiritual power of a Tianwu Master realm supporting him, he still could not control the savage momentum of being sent flying backward.
Besides, if this peerless female beast struck again, could the Tianwu Master realm withstand her spear? Li Lanhao felt a chill run down his spine.
Once again, Li Lanhao mobilized the spiritual power around his body to form a golden protective shield, preparing to meet the attack.
Unexpectedly, Wusha's lips curved upward. Her previous consecutive failures in killing the large white bird were entirely due to the bird's exceptional flight capabilities, but the man sent flying before her had clearly become a sitting duck.
Even if Wusha was in a severely injured state and fighting with pure physical strength alone, so what? The berserk spiritual power erupting from Li Lanhao's body was completely inadequate in front of Wusha.
However, accidents happen when you least expect them.
Having just arrived in the Tianwu Continent, her force output was not yet precisely calibrated. When Wusha was still two spear-lengths away from Li Lanhao, her body reached the critical tipping point of her jump height. For someone without the ability to fly, this was an insurmountable mountain.
Wusha was utterly exasperated, but what could she do? Helplessly, she had to trace a perfect arc through mid-air.
"Little brat, you got lucky this time. But for the next strike, this Empress wants your life!"
"Phew, female beast, your strength is truly berserk! We have no past grudges and no recent enmities—we could actually team up and forge ahead side by side."
Li Lanhao breathed a sigh of relief. His mother's words really were true: "The more beautiful a woman is, the more dangerous she is." It seemed his mother hadn't lied to him! He swore he had never experienced such a heart-pounding sensation before.
As he flew backward, Li Lanhao's body gradually decelerated and crashed toward the sheer cliff face, while Wusha landed steadily on the other side.
As expected, the boulders at the spot where Wusha landed shattered, sending gravel flying in all directions. However, upon landing, she once again experienced a heart-rending pain, and the feeling of exhaustion grew stronger and stronger.
To keep her opponent from noticing any flaws, Wusha endured the excruciating pain and weakness, relying entirely on her formidable willpower to prop up her body.
Still holding her spear diagonally, Wusha slowly walked in the direction where Li Lanhao had been sent flying. That's right, she no longer possessed the ability to jump a second time.
Gradually, Li Lanhao felt the powerful momentum subside. He hurriedly tumbled in mid-air, flipping around to face the cliff head-on. His majestic energy shield and Blazing Longsword collided with the sheer rock face.
"Boom!"
"Crash!"
Li Lanhao smashed a crater into the cliff wall, shattering the stone as countless fragments rained down, creating a delightful pattering melody against the precipice.
"Crack, crack!"
Li Lanhao's energy shield shattered accordingly, and he tumbled down along with the falling debris. But was that the end of it?
No, he couldn't die yet. In the split second between life and death, Li Lanhao kicked off the cliff face hard with both feet, launching his entire body outward.
"Rumble!"
The rubble was still colliding! The avalanche struck once more. Fortunately, Li Lanhao had launched himself away; otherwise, even if he hadn't been crushed by the tumbling stones, he would have been buried beneath the pile of debris. Even though he could tolerate a fierce beast that picked fights without a word, if he weren't strong enough, it almost would have cost him his life. Li Lanhao grew somewhat angry.
"Hey, dead beast, your temper stinks to high heaven. If I don't give you a taste of my power, you'll take me for a soft persimmon to be kneaded at will, won't you?"
"Hmph, you brat actually have some backbone, but your struggle is nothing more than a futile resistance. I'll give you one last chance: hand over the white bird, and I'll let you leave."
Wusha was nearing her limit, her weak body swaying and on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion at any moment. She didn't want to engage in another major battle and waste her stamina.
Otherwise, would the proud Empress ever compromise? The answer was an absolute no.
Li Lanhao's mind was in a daze. Did this female beast only want to play with the big bird? If it was just that, as long as she didn't break it, it was somewhat acceptable.
On second thought, no—she kept repeatedly mentioning the big bird. Could it be that she wanted the Ice Ridge Eagle? Ah! Li Lanhao finally snapped back to his senses.
"Beautiful female beast, could it be that you want the Ice Ridge Eagle?"
"Oh, so you understand. Yes, that's right. Give me the Ice Ridge Eagle, and this Empress will spare your life. Otherwise, you die."
During their exchange, Li Lanhao landed firmly on the ground. He had half a mind to run away, but the speed and distance of Wusha's previous leap made him abandon that thought. However, his parents' illness could not be delayed any longer, and Li Lanhao's expression grew resolute.
"No way! If you want the Ice Ridge Eagle, you'll have to step over my corpse. If you want to fight, let's fight. Do you really take me, Li Lanhao, for a coward?"
The two stood two hundred meters apart: Wusha in red robes with silver hair and the Blood Demon Spear, and Li Lanhao in white robes with dark hair and the Blazing Curved Sword.
That's right, Wusha's previous strike had smashed the Blazing Longsword into a curved sword; it would be a miracle if a frozen, biting cold snowfield could cause a bent sword to spring back into shape on its own!
Li Lanhao and Wusha walked slowly toward each other, face to face. Both of their faces were filled with intense fighting spirit, their gazes fierce and brimming with murderous intent.
Yet, at this moment, Wusha was merely putting on a bold front. Rather than killing him, she preferred intimidation! She wanted to scare Li Lanhao into retreating, whereas Li Lanhao would stop at nothing for the sake of the Ice Ridge Eagle.
"Oh? Li Lanhao, is it? Are you going to hand over the Ice Ridge Eagle or not?"
"I said it before: only over my dead body."
"Just as well. I have no precedent of letting opponents go."
"As expected, the more beautiful a woman is, the more dangerous she is. Since that's how it is, either you die or I do!"
"Hmph, dying by this Empress's hand is worth your trip to the mortal world."
"That remains to be seen. Dead beast, let's settle this with a single battle!"
Wusha had to fight to fill her stomach, and Li Lanhao had to fight for his parents; neither would compromise. Ah! If Wusha had simply explained that she was hungry, or if her personality weren't so aloof and proud, perhaps they truly wouldn't have needed to fight. After all, there were actually a few big, fat fish not far away in the Frigid Ice Lake—something Li Lanhao certainly knew. Besides, he still had a few stale, expired flatbreads on him!
This time, it wasn't Wusha who made the first move; Li Lanhao launched the attack himself.
"Boom!" Berserk spiritual power exploded around Li Lanhao. A golden shockwave blasted away countless pieces of gravel. He had to hold nothing back, especially since the female beast's physical body was the most formidable female martial brawler he had ever seen in his life, without exception. Li Lanhao had to fight with all his might.
Wusha showed not the slightest bit of anxiety. Would the Blood Demon Empress who had dominated the Tianmo Continent for three hundred years ever feel fear?
Li Lanhao leaped high into the air, carrying berserk energy as he slashed a sword toward the center of Wusha's face. Wusha's lips curved upward; right now, close combat was precisely what she needed to defeat her enemy.
Wusha's expression remained calm, without the slightest panic. Instead, she elegantly narrowed her phoenix eyes and curved her lips into an arc. Then, she slowly spun around and swept out with the Blood Demon Spear. It looked feather-light, yet the brute force behind it was utterly terrifying.
"Clang!"
"Boom!"
"Good grief! What kind of terrifying strength is this?"
As expected, Li Lanhao spun as he was sent flying backward. Fortunately, the Blazing Curved Sword in his hand was struck straight by the spear, transforming the curved sword back into a straight one.