Zhang Yinli paced slowly in the forest. His current appearance was totally different from when he first entered the forest.

There was a beard on his face, and he looked so unkempt that he was somewhat similar to a beggar. If Zhang Yinfan was here at the moment, he would definitely not recognize that the man was his dignified elder brother.

Nonetheless, even though Zhang Yinli had ended up in such a state, he had no intention to give up at all.

Those who were able to become powerhouses were not simple figures, and Zhang Yinli was no exception. Since he was not at his wit's end yet, he was naturally not going to admit defeat.

He quietly counted his steps, and calculated the time since he was last attacked.

According to his past experiences, Ou Yangming should be lying in ambush ahead.

Zhang Yinli kept a straight face. Though his body seemed like it was not ready for a battle, he was actually well-prepared with a contingency.

While Ou Yangming's several attacks had allowed him to improve his strength quickly, he had given Zhang Yinli a chance as well.

Zhang Yinli had been pondering each time for a way to force Ou Yangming to stay. After exchanging many blows, he finally had an idea.

He looked like he had already prepared a trap at the moment, and was waiting for his prey to take the bait.

However, after entering the area ahead with full confidence for half an hour, Zhang Yinli's face finally changed as his confidence crumbled.

This was because he realized that Ou Yangming did not sneak an attack on him as before, and had really disappeared. Ou Yangming was nowhere to be found.

Various thoughts crossed Zhang Yinli's mind right away, and his forehead was covered in beads of sweat.

'Did Ou Yangming take advantage of me getting used to the regularity of our battles by secretly escaping out of the dense forest? Or was he so unlucky that he entered a powerful spirit beast's territory when he escaped through the Blood Light Art, and ended up getting eaten by the beast?

'It's fine if it's the latter, but if it's the former…'

Zhang Yinli was in a terrible mood. He carefully studied the different traces in front of him as he wanted to find Ou Yangming's track.

He vaguely identified Ou Yangming's path through some small details, so he quickly sped up to hurry in that direction.

After walking for an unknown period of time, Zhang Yinli suddenly stopped. His body tensed up as he looked at his surroundings because he faintly sensed a formidable aura that was locked on him.

He slowly straightened his body and said coldly, "Ou Yangming, are you not going to come out?"

Zhang Yinli was somewhat at ease once he sensed the aura because he recognized that it belonged to Ou Yangming. It turned out that the young fellow neither suffered misfortune nor escaped; he was waiting for him here.

Following that, a figure walked out from behind a big tree. It was the Ou Yangming that Zhang Yinli was familiar with.

Ou Yangming did not look much better than Zhang Yinli as he looked battered as well. That said, their eyes were still radiant, as though the suffering throughout the seven days had not consumed their willpower, but sharpened it instead.

Zhang Yinli came to a sudden realization when he noticed the look in Ou Yangming's eyes, so he asked, "Are you… Not planning to escape anymore?"

Ou Yangming answered proudly, "Escape? Heh, I've waited too long for this day!"

Zhang Yinli responded sternly, "Okay, if that's the case, let's fight till one of us dies!"

A Yang Grade powerhouse actually told a Force Grade martial artist that they would fight till one of them died. If this actually happened during a normal situation, they would definitely be laughed at.

Nevertheless, at this moment, whether it was the person who said it or the person opposite him, they both had a grave expression on their face and did not treat it as a joke at all. This was because they had exchanged dozens of blows over the course of seven days. Through the frequent battles, they had recognized each other's strong combat power, as well as the resolution to never give up.

They both knew that the person opposite them was the strongest opponent they had met in their lives thus far.

Both of them needed to get past this stage to continue living their life.

A flash of sword-light was seen as Zhang Yinli transformed into an intense light that zoomed out. If a person who was familiar with him were present at the moment, that person would surely make a shocking discovery that his power, speed, and attack angle seemed to be different from before.

In the past seven days, Ou Yangming was not the only one who underwent significant stimulation, Zhang Yinli had also benefited greatly.

Despite that, Zhang Yinli would have never believed before this that he could learn so many useful things from an unimportant Force Grade martial artist.

"Ding—"

When the saber and the sword clashed, essential Qi surged and gushed out of the urumi.

Ou Yangming would stagger each time this happened, but it was different this time. While his body fell backward, his feet were still rooted to the ground, they had not moved an inch.

Subsequently, saber-lights were seen flickering as he slashed at Zhang Yinli from different angles. Besides, the saber seemed to have come to life in Ou Yangming's hands as it could always find the weak point on the sword no matter how the urumi moved. Each attack was aimed at Zhang Yinli's arm, so Zhang Yinli could not perform his attacks well.

They were in a deadlock for some time before Zhang Yinli realized that he was stuck in a trap of his own devising.

As he roared, a sword-light as cold as snow attacked Ou Yangming regardless of the situation.

Each time he performed this technique that would cause both sides to perish together, Ou Yangming was forced to back away.

However, Ou Yangming showed no impression of weakness this time. His saber-light turned into a sea, wave after wave of tides surged to block Zhang Yinli's sword intent.

Zhang Yinli flew backward and leaned his back against a big tree. His eyes were filled with shock and despair.

"Yin Grade… Martial artist!" He uttered slowly.

After all, Ou Yangming was someone who had fathomed the integration of Heaven and man. Therefore, if he was given 4 taels of power, he could seize the opportunity to move 500 kilograms of weight. His Force Grade cultivation base was nothing close to 4 taels of power when he first went against Zhang Yinli.

After advancing to Yin Grade, Ou Yangming's essential Qi changed wonderfully.

His essential Qi that carried a soft Yin property was more than ten times better in quality than the Essential Qi Light. In particular, its resisting ability could not be compared with its past state anymore.

By relying on the Yin Grade essential Qi, Ou Yangming finally officially possessed 4 taels of power.

Although Zhang Yinli's attack was still mighty, as long as Ou Yangming could defend against it once, he could disintegrate the second and the third by using Heaven and Earth's power.

This was the wonderful effect of the integration of Heaven and man. Countless powerhouses greatly desired this, but had never achieved it.

"That's right, Yin Grade essential Qi." The saber-light in Ou Yangming's hand flashed as he showed a look of contempt. "Without the pressure from you, I had no idea how long it would take for me to break through. Hehe, speaking of which, I should really thank you!"

Zhang Yinli's face turned cold, and he did not know what to feel.

He had been giving Ou Yangming enormous pressure when he hunted him down, but had not expected the fellow to utilize said pressure to become stronger. Just when Zhang Yinli thought he had benefited from this process, the young fellow had actually advanced to Yin Grade.

Zhang Yinli forced himself to suppress the fear and sneered. "You've just broken through to Yin Grade, are you going to fight me already?"

"Fight you? You're wrong, I didn't lure you here to fight you, instead…" Ou Yangming laughed out loud, and eventually spoke in a fierce and chilly manner, "I'm going to kill you!"

Following that, he leaped up high, and seemed to have turned into a giant blade that slashed down.

Zhang Yinli raised his eyebrows but was secretly happy. 'Ou Yangming must've lost his mind after advancing to a high grade, how dare he fight force with force against me?'

He quickly channeled his essential Qi to the tip of his sword before he attacked.

The young fellow was too threatening, so Zhang Yinli was determined not to let him get away anymore.

Nonetheless, Zhang Yinli suddenly realized after stabbing with his sword that he had missed. Ou Yangming, who had jumped high into the air, had disappeared.

'Where did the young fella go?'

This was the first thought that crossed Zhang Yinli's mind.

Afterward, he felt a painful sensation on his arm. When he lowered his head to look, he noticed his right hand, which was holding the treasure sword, had been slashed from the elbow, and fell to the ground. A substantial amount of blood splattered out of where his arm was chopped off.

The immense pain was finally registered in Zhang Yinli's mind, and he shrieked painfully as a result.

Next, Ou Yangming flashed out again, and a blood light was seen on his body for a split second.

The Blood Flight Art.

After advancing to Yin Grade, Ou Yangming's greatest gain was not the change in his essential Qi, but he was finally able to have perfect control over the Blood Flight Art.

Though plenty of Qi and blood was still required for the art, once he was able to fully control it, the might that could be unleashed rose to a greater and an unbelievable height.

The fact that Ou Yangming had grasped the Blood Flight Art and could perform the integration of Heaven and man in his blood technique allowed him to produce the miraculous effect in an instant.

"This slash is for Jiang Chengwei!" Ou Yangming said coldly to Zhang Yinli, who groaned in pain.

Zhang Yinli stopped to glare at Ou Yangming hatefully, then lowered his body to escape without any hesitation.

Nevertheless, Ou Yangming scoffed, and the blood light appeared again.

"This slash is for Lin Chao!"

"This slash it for Little Shan!"

"This slash is for my first brother in the military!"

"This slash is for my second brother in the military!"

…

"My brothers in Heaven, look, I've taken revenge for you!"

Blood filled the air, and flashes of saber-lights were seen. Zhang Yinli's head flew to the sky, then fell to the ground amidst the blood.

His eyes were left widened, making it clear that he had not died in peace.

That being said, nobody knew that, other than pain and fear, those eyes were actually filled with regret too.