Explosive Qi Pill? Still A Sword In Seconds!

Guo Ming was puzzled by the presence of a master with a gun among his enemies, feeling a sense of intimidation that he couldn't quite place. But for now, that wasn't important. The six half-saints mentioned in his intelligence reports had all appeared—hadn't they?

In desperate situations, people tend to cling to any glimmer of hope, ignoring or overlooking other potential flaws or dangers. Guo Ming was no exception. He couldn't afford to dwell on doubts or potential problems. He couldn't allow the hope he had grasped to slip away through his own hesitation.

Unfortunately for him, his incorrect information and assumptions would lead to failure.

At this critical moment, Guo Ming's heart pounded with determination. He believed that success or failure hinged on this very moment.

He clenched his fists and retrieved five scarlet pills from his pouch. The elixirs emitted a strange red glow and a faint, pungent odor. Guo Ming handed them to several peak martial artists around him.

"Take these pills and hold that half-saint down!" Guo Ming commanded coldly.

The sight of the scarlet elixirs caused the expressions of the martial artists to shift. They exchanged uncertain glances, their hesitation clear.

They recognized the elixirs—known as Explosive Qi Pills. These pills could increase a person's strength fivefold for a short period, but at a severe cost. The side effects were notorious: complete loss of cultivation, damaged Dantian, or even death.

Seeing their reluctance, Guo Ming's gaze grew steely. "If you enjoy the benefits of serving under the emperor, then you must fulfill your duties loyally!"

"Da Zhou has supported you for years. It's time for you to repay that debt!" he continued. "Don't worry—if you die, Da Zhou will take care of your families. They will be honored for your sacrifice."

Guo Ming's emphasis on "wives, children, and families" and "entire family" carried a threatening undertone.

The martial artists, faced with such a threat, had little choice but to comply. They knew that refusal might lead to immediate execution. With resigned expressions, they swallowed the pills.

Boom!

Immediately, their auras surged dramatically, their bodies swelling as if they had overeaten. Despite the immediate side effects, they didn't burst from the sudden influx of power.

"This is the power of a semi-saint…" They marveled at the newfound strength, feeling nearly invincible. With the five-fold increase in their combat ability, they were on par with Guo Ming at the early stage of the Half Saint realm.

"Go! Don't let me down!" Guo Ming urged, his eyes flashing with a mixture of pain and hope.

Despite the severe side effects of the Explosive Qi Pills, their rarity made them invaluable. Guo Ming, despite his position as a high-ranking official, had only managed to obtain five of them. He had intended to keep one as a personal trump card, but the current situation demanded their use.

Xu Chu observed the peak martial artists whose strength had just surged. He scratched his head, confused.

"Have these guys gone mad? Why are they suddenly so ferocious?" he wondered aloud.

He chuckled, finding the challenge exhilarating. The stronger the opponents, the quicker he could defeat them.

"Ha! Come and meet your end!" Xu Chu taunted as he faced the combined assault of the five martial artists.

The elixirs had given these martial artists an overflow of energy, making them overconfident. They misjudged their actual strength compared to Xu Chu's.

"Haha! Good luck!" they shouted, attacking with fierce determination.

But Xu Chu simply laughed. With a single sweep of his sword, he tore through one of the pseudo-half-saints, sending the others reeling from the shockwave.

"So weak?" Xu Chu mused, frowning. He had expected a longer fight, but these opponents, despite their temporary boost, were no match for him.

Guo Ming seized the opportunity to lead the remaining cavalry straight toward Orion.

"Hehe… We're getting close!" Guo Ming's eyes gleamed with excitement as he approached Orion, believing he was on the verge of success.

However, in his single-minded focus on capturing Orion, Guo Ming failed to notice the shadows among his troops.

Suddenly, from the shadows of Guo Ming's own army, one hundred shadow guards emerged. In an instant, they struck with deadly precision.

In the span of just ten breaths, more than a thousand cavalrymen fell, their heads severed in a silent, swift assault. The shadow guards moved without a sound, vanishing back into the darkness as quickly as they had appeared.

Guo Ming, caught up in the thrill of his impending victory, was oblivious to the massacre happening behind him.

"Men, come to me! Capture the Orion dog thief!" Guo Ming barked orders, his excitement unabated.

But as he looked back, he was met with a horrifying sight. The once-mighty cavalry was now a scene of chaos—headless horsemen and bloodied remains. Some had even had their necks slit but were left with heads still attached due to inertia.

The sight left Guo Ming stunned, nearly causing him to fall from his horse. His realization of the disaster was overshadowed by sheer terror.