Splat.
Lin Fan's hammer bashed into Master Tan's head.
The impact created a huge hole in the head, with the dark steel of the hammer seated in the now concave area of Master Tan's cheek.
However, the scene of Master Tan's body going limp and falling onto the ground didn't happen.
Master Tan used his left hand and struck his palm at Lin Fan.
Thud.
The palm hit Lin Fan's chest, and he tumbled across the ground, with the dead bodies cushioning some of the impact.
Lin Fan felt the Qi in his dantian going haywire and running amok through all his meridian points.
"Argh..."
This caused immense pain, as if he was being bitten by savage dogs, tearing at his meridian points, and he felt a taste of iron in his throat.
Spit.
He spat out a mouthful of blood onto the ground.
With Lin Fan out of the way, all the tentacles shot at Ho Jie, and Master Tan's muscular hand hammered onto the ground repeatedly.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Ho Jie, using his sword to slash away at the tentacles, couldn't get away and was caught by the explosive strike.
Like a kite, Ho Jie flew ten meters away, his blood like a red string lingering in the air for a moment before splattering onto the ground.
Ho Jie's brown robes, now wet with huge patches of red, stuck to his skin.
The internal injury was too devastating, and he lay motionless on the ground.
Master Tan pursued Ho Jie and was ready to deal out his finishing strike after Ho Jie landed.
"Damn!"
Lin Fan quickly used the Leader of the Pack ability to try to control Master Tan.
It didn't work.
As he saw the muscular hand coming down onto Ho Jie, Lin Fan quickly used the ability on Ho Jie.
Under his control, Ho Jie rolled to the side.
Missing by a few inches, Master Tan's muscular hand with its explosive strike dropped.
Boom!
Amidst the explosion, Lin Fan used his Magnificent Leap, grabbed Ho Jie, and got him away from Master Tan.
"Lin Fan, there are some Blood and Qi restoration pills in my robes; take them," Ho Jie used his eyes and with his gaze pointed Lin Fan to where the pills were.
Lin Fan quickly took them and fed one of the pills to Ho Jie.
When he saw Ho Jie get better with the bleeding stopping and him being able to get up, Lin Fan took one pill for himself.
"Hehe... Why did you destroy this face? I have use for it, you know."
Master Tan spoke in that high-pitched voice again.
The next moment, he drew the remaining blood from all the bodies on the ground, turning them dry like mummified corpses.
His head's damaged areas slowly grew back the bones, flesh, and skin.
"We are not so different; you take pills to recover, I use the blood of the dead. Join us and I can grant you powers beyond your imagination."
Master Tan said as he touched his face, ensuring it was perfect and back to looking like what it was.
With the pill and his energy coming back, Lin Fan didn't bother much with what Master Tan said.
He was thinking about how to finish him off.
It was so close; if he had smashed the body into two instead of the head, or used his Iron Claw on the body, he might have won.
"Are you all right for another go? I will try and smash his body into two this time."
Ho Jie stood up, swung his arm with his sword in his hand, then turned and nodded at Lin Fan.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Fan got ready to try again.
However, before he made a move, a familiar voice erupted in the air.
"How dare you intrude into Qing Feng sect and kill our disciples! You shall pay for this!"
It was Zhang Xi, and beside her was Sun Hai.
Finally, help had arrived.
Whoosh!
Without a word, Sun Hai leaped from where he stood, kicking up the dust and leaving a depression in the ground.
When Sun Hai got near enough, he poked his fingers at Master Tan's eyes.
Master Tan raised his muscular arm and blocked it.
Changing his hand into a fist, Sun Hai punched at the arm.
Thud.
The impact left a hole in Master Tan's arm.
Tentacles then went for Sun Hai and plunged into his body.
Blood flowed out from the wounds, but Sun Hai didn't bother.
He grabbed the muscular arm and threw Master Tan onto the ground.
With his feet, he stamped at Master Tan's head.
Master Tan, using his tentacles, threw Sun Hai away.
Sun Hai landed next to Lin Fan.
He stood up, dusted off the dirt, turned to Lin Fan, and said, "Are you all right?"
"I'm all right, but your wounds..."
Lin Fan pointed at Sun Hai's injuries.
Sun Hai just shook his head with a smile as the flesh slowly closed over them.
Such were the powers of a physique cultivator.
"Watch out!" Lin Fan shouted as Master Tan charged towards them and hammered down at Sun Hai.
Sun Hai sidestepped and gave a punch at Master Tan's waist.
An exit wound opened on the other side of the waist, and innards flew out of the body.
Master Tan with his muscular hand punched back at Sun Hai.
Thud.
Sun Hai took the blow and tumbled across the ground.
With his posture now wide open, Lin Fan seized this chance and, with his hammer, smashed them at Master Tan's body.
Splatter.
His body splattered into pieces, sending blood and flesh all over the place.
Now Master Tan was in two halves.
Lin Fan held his hammer ready to strike if one of the halves moved.
Nothing happened, and a familiar sound erupted in his mind.
[Ding! Congratulations on terminating malevolent intent.]
[Vengeance points + 170.]
[Current Vengeance Points: 500]
Seeing the system's notification, Lin Fan finally let down his guard and sat down to rest.
What a close call.
It wouldn't be such a close shave if he were stronger.
Lin Fan thought to himself as he saw all the bodies lying down and Ho Jie's bloody robes.
And to get stronger, he needed contribution points and money, lots of them.