The three disciples froze for a second, eyes wide at the wave of power that exploded from Wu Kai.
"Impossible… third stage?!" Zhang Ming repeated, his voice failing.
Liu Wei was the first to recover. His face twisted with shock and greed.
"It doesn't matter! He's using a demonic technique! If we kill this heretic, the sect will reward us. Maybe they'll even give us extra merit points!"
Chen Bo and Zhang Ming exchanged glances. Greed overcame fear. The three tightened their grips on their weapons and fists, muscles tensed by the fourth stage of Body Refinement.
"Let's finish him!" Liu Wei shouted, lunging forward with his sword in hand.
Wu Kai did not retreat. For the first time since arriving in this world, his killing intent was clear and icy.
"You're going to die here."
His voice came out low, filled with pure hatred.
He raised the dagger, eyes completely red. The Blood Spiritual Physique roared within him. His blood circulated at insane speed, hot as lava.
Liu Wei attacked first, a brutal descending strike, using all the reinforced strength of his fourth stage. Wu Kai twisted his body, barely dodging. The blade grazed his shoulder and plunged deep into the ground.
Without losing momentum, Wu Kai extended his left hand. Ten dense blood needles shot out like projectiles.
Liu Wei managed to block some with his sword, but four pierced his shoulder and thigh. He grunted in pain, blood flowing.
"What a disgusting technique!"
Chen Bo came from the flank, fists clenched with all the physical strength of the fourth stage. Wu Kai did not block. Instead, he made his blood flow out through the pores of his right arm, forming a thin red blade around the dagger, a bloody extension that increased the weapon's reach.
The blood blade clashed against Chen Bo's fist. The impact forced the disciple back with a shout, his skin torn and burning where Wu Kai's blood had touched.
Wu Kai spun and launched a thin whip made of condensed blood. The whip struck Zhang Ming in the chest, opening a deep cut that tore robe and flesh.
The three were confused. Each of Wu Kai's attacks used blood in different ways, needles, blades, and whips. To them, it could only be a forbidden, malignant art.
"Kill him!" Liu Wei ordered.
The three attacked together. Wu Kai took a sword strike to the shoulder, another heavy punch to the stomach. The pain exploded, ribs creaking, but he smiled through it. His body at the third stage, reinforced by the spiritual physique, could endure much more than before.
He counterattacked fiercely.
With a hoarse shout, he released a red mist around his body, a fluid armor of blood that softened Liu Wei's next strike. At the same time, he fired more needles in all directions.
Chen Bo was hit in the eye. Zhang Ming took one in the neck. Liu Wei blocked most, but still took two in the arm.
"You monster!" Liu Wei roared.
Wu Kai laughed, low, and dark. Hatred fueled every movement.
'You killed me once. There won't be a second.'
He advanced straight toward Liu Wei. His dagger, now wrapped in a spiraling mass of blood, cut through the air. Liu Wei blocked with his sword, but the force behind the blow made him slide nearly two meters back.
Chen Bo tried to attack from behind. Wu Kai didn't even look. His blood reacted on its own, forming a bloody hand that grabbed Chen Bo's wrist and twisted with brutal force. A dry crack echoed. Chen Bo screamed as his arm broke.
"My arm!!"
Zhang Ming, seeing his companion injured, hesitated. Wu Kai fired a thick stream of blood that wrapped around his neck like a living rope. He pulled hard, bringing Zhang Ming close and driving the dagger into his abdomen repeatedly.
Hot blood gushed. Wu Kai absorbed part of that blood right there, in the middle of the fight, refining it to recover energy.
His wounds visibly closed as he fought.
Liu Wei watched in horror.
"He… he's absorbing our blood?!"
The killing intent of the three turned desperate. They attacked with everything, blows full of the brute strength of the fourth stage. Liu Wei landed a clean strike on Wu Kai's chest, opening a deep cut that nearly reached the bone.
The pain was excruciating.
But Wu Kai only clenched his teeth, red eyes glowing like embers.
"You wanted to kill me…" he murmured, his voice hoarse.
"Then die first."
He released all control. His blood exploded outward in dozens of thin needles, creating a red storm around the three. Liu Wei slashed desperately with his sword, but several pierced his defense. Chen Bo, with his arm broken, was hit in the chest and leg. Zhang Ming, already bleeding heavily, tried to flee, staggering.
Wu Kai did not allow it.
With a leap reinforced by his new strength, he appeared in front of Zhang Ming. The dagger came down with savage fury. One, two, three quick thrusts to the chest. Zhang Ming gurgled, eyes filled with terror, and fell dead.
Chen Bo tried to run, but Wu Kai extended his hand. A long spear made of condensed blood formed and pierced through his back, coming out through his chest.
Two down.
Only Liu Wei remained, panting, covered in wounds, sword trembling in his hand.
"Monster… you're a real demon…"
Wu Kai walked slowly toward him, blood dripping from his entire body. His wounds were healing fast, but the hatred did not fade.
"You beat me to death without reason." Wu Kai said, voice cold.
"Just because I was weak. You will pay for that."
Liu Wei shouted and attacked with a final desperate strike, using all the strength of his fourth stage.
Wu Kai did not dodge. He let the sword cut deep into his shoulder and, in the same instant, drove the dagger into Liu Wei's heart. At the same time, his blood invaded the leader's body like living parasites, destroying him from within.
Liu Wei's eyes widened. He coughed blood. His body trembled violently.
"You…"
Those were his last words.
Wu Kai pulled the dagger out. Liu Wei fell backward, dead.
Silence returned to the clearing. Only the sound of Wu Kai's heavy breathing and the constant dripping of blood.
He looked at the three fallen bodies. His eyes still red, his expression dark.
For the first time, he had killed humans. And he felt no remorse. After all, they were the ones who wanted to kill him first, it was only an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
"If they want to treat me like a demon…" he murmured, wiping the dagger on Liu Wei's robe.
"Then I will be one."
He knelt beside the bodies. His hands trembled slightly, not from fear, but from excitement at the new power.
Their blood was still warm.
Wu Kai placed his hands on Liu Wei's chest.
"I can't waste it…"
The flow began to be absorbed again.