Now that Li Xiaoyao is only at the eighth level of the Qi Martial Realm, it is enough to pose a threat to Lü Bu. Li Xiaoyao is fully confident that as long as he steps into the ninth level of the Qi Martial Realm, he will definitely be able to have a fighting chance.

"Nine Waves！" Li Xiaoyao's left fist blasted out, the waves surged and directly attacked Lü Bu's face.

"Cracking Cloud Claw！" One of Lü Bu's hands raised, curved his fingers like a hook and grabbed out in front of him. Immediately, a powerful strand of qigang pierced through the air, causing the powerful waves to dissipate.

"Swift Thunder Pole！"

Li Xiaoyao's wrist trembled, the long sword shook in Lü Bu's hand, the sound of thunder echoed as Lü Bu only felt his hand go numb and loosen his grip on the long sword.

But in the moment of releasing, Lü Bu's claws slammed the long sword. Li Xiaoyao felt a strong force hit him, and his body was actually sent flying out, letting out a muffled grunt.

"Lü Bu possesses the Eagle Martial Soul, which focuses on sensitivity, insight, and destructive power, with strength coming second. However, the power of a strike infused with astral qi still bears the force of ten thousand pounds."

Li Xiaoyao pondered in his heart; the eighth level of the Qi Martial Realm is too far removed from the Spirit Martial Realm. He knew that between the Qi Martial Realm and the Spirit Martial Realm, there is already a chasm. It is far more difficult to challenge across realms than if both sides were in the Qi Martial Realm. Li Xiaoyao recognized that wanting to defeat Lü Bu is not very realistic at all.

"One Sword Thunder！！" Li Xiaoyao's long sword danced once again, but he did not take the initiative to attack. A sword thrust into the air, and then the second sword, the third sword followed, each stabbing out in succession. Thunder continued to erupt, echoing throughout the cave, filling it with the sound of rumbling, as if the Lord of Thunder was angry.

In just a moment, a sword aura surfaced around Li Xiaoyao, enveloping his body, with sword qi rampant.

"Defense? Is it useful? In front of a Spirit Martial Realm powerhouse, any means are redundant." Lü Bu snorted, his Eagle Wings flickering as he swooped down from the air towards Li Xiaoyao. Before he even arrived, the powerful qigang blasted onto the sword aura, emitting a booming sound.

Within the sword aura, Li Xiaoyao felt as though he were a solitary boat adrift in a vast, tumultuous sea, buffeted by wind and rain. The powerful qigang relentlessly struck against the sword aura, transferring its force onto him. Yet, his Thunder Sword Technique remained as fluid as flowing water, unwavering.

"Eagle Strike from the Sky."

Seeing that the qigang could not harm Li Xiaoyao, Lü Bu leaped forward, his hands transforming into eagle claws as he descended from the sky like an eagle diving through the clouds, slicing through the air.

"Boom!" The sword aura trembled violently, and Li Xiaoyao's body quivered slightly but quickly stabilized, standing firm like a mountain amidst the raging thunder.

Frustrated that he could not overpower a mere Qi Martial Realm practitioner, Lü Bu's attacks grew increasingly frantic. He became a proud, untamed eagle, launching a frenzied assault on Li Xiaoyao.

The pressure Li Xiaoyao faced intensified with each strike, yet his swordsmanship grew sharper. The entire cave resonated with the thunderous sounds of battle, trembling as if it might collapse at any moment. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of Li Xiaoyao's mouth; each of Lü Bu's strikes exceeded twelve thousand pounds of force, unpredictable and chaotic, severely injuring his internal organs.

"It's time to end this！！！"

A glimmer of determination flashed in Li Xiaoyao's eyes. He summoned his long sword, dispersing the sword aura into its forms, and the numerous strands of sword qi danced around him, merging the formidable thunder into this single strike.

With an overwhelming force—of momentum, sword momentum, and the momentum of thunder—he aimed to obliterate everything!

The terrifying force of destruction surged wildly from Li Xiaoyao's sword. Lü Bu sensed this power, and his Eagle Martial Soul trembled fiercely. He immediately flew backward, rapidly distancing himself from Li Xiaoyao.

But Li Xiaoyao's sword did not falter. A dazzling light flickered as the powerful sword transformed into a stream of thunder, hurtling toward Lü Bu.

"Eagle Strike from the Sky!" Lü Bu shouted, both palms thrusting forward, unleashing a powerful qigang.

"Boom!" The ground shook, and the entire cave quaked violently.

"Floating Light and Shadow."

Li Xiaoyao became a streak of flowing light, darting toward the cave's exit. As he departed, he swung his sword, and a scream followed in its wake.

"Son of a bitch!!!!!!!!!!" Lü Bu roared in a frenzy, his hands dripping with blood. It was clear that he had been severely injured by that powerful strike. Had he not retreated in time, that sword could have even threatened his life.

Lü Bu could hardly believe that a Qi Martial Realm cultivator not only escaped from right under his nose but also managed to injure him and even kill his brother, Lü Ziqiao.

Holding his brother's lifeless body, Lü Bu's face twisted with rage, resembling a vengeful spirit. Blood poured from Lü Ziqiao's throat, his breath extinguished—a testament to the deadly power of Li Xiaoyao's final blow as he departed.

"I, Lü Bu, will not rest until one of us is dead！！！！！！！！！！！！！" His voice echoed through the cave like something from hell.

Kong Xue trembled in fear, leaning against the stone wall, unable to comprehend how Li Xiaoyao could possess such formidable strength, able to stand against the mighty Lü Bu.

If Li Xiaoyao had heard Lü Bu's furious outcry, he would have merely smirked. Lü Bu wanted him to suffer more than death; they were already engaged in a life-and-death struggle, so what was there to discuss about not resting until one was dead? Killing one more was merely a gain.

Li Xiaoyao was not an evil person; he wouldn't go around provoking others or wantonly hurting them. But if someone sought to harm or kill him, he would naturally draw his three-foot-long sword and fight back.

After running for half an hour, Li Xiaoyao's pace began to slow. He coughed twice, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. Clearly, he had sustained significant injuries as well. After all, the difference in their powers and realms was evident. To stand his ground against a Spiritual Martial Realm expert with his eighth level of Qi Martial Realm cultivation was an accomplishment in itself.

He took out a small vial from his possession, opened it, and tossed a pill into his mouth. A refreshing sensation spread throughout his body, and Li Xiaoyao felt the oppressive weight in his chest ease almost instantly. He felt invigorated, and before long, he realized that his injuries had nearly healed.

"What a domineering medicinal effect," Li Xiaoyao marveled. No wonder Old Kong had said that one pill was enough to heal Han Kui's injuries. He had been somewhat skeptical at the time, having fed Han Kui three pills at once and saving three more for Jingxiang, just to be prepared. But now, experiencing the potency of the pill firsthand, he could clearly sense just how powerful it was.

At this moment, not only did Li Xiaoyao feel his injuries healing, but even his internal energy had strengthened.

"No wonder so many people are willing to immerse themselves in the path of alchemy; those potent pills can drive martial cultivators mad with desire."

In the Shenzhou Continent, many martial cultivators also engage in alchemy and artifact forging, and those masters of alchemy and forging are held in high esteem, enjoying a very elevated status. Even within the Cang Hai Sect, there are dedicated alchemists, though Li Xiaoyao, as an outer disciple, has yet to encounter them.

It turns out that combat is indeed the best way to improve; after undergoing a fierce battle and assisted by powerful medicinal pills, my realm has noticeably advanced, surpassing many days of hard training. Now, I need to find a good place to consolidate my gains. Perhaps this opportunity will allow me to break through to the Ninth Level of the Qi Martial Realm. By then, I should be able to return to Cangyun City for the annual meeting.

As Li Xiaoyao reflected on this, he scanned his surroundings and noticed that the scenery seemed somewhat familiar.

"So it's here," Li Xiaoyao's eyes brightened, and he smiled, turning his gaze toward the distance.

In the far-off hills, a crack had split the mountainside in two, as if cleaved by a sword. This was the one-line sky he had visited last time, but he had been driven out by a woman then.

"I was just worried about where to find a secluded cave for cultivation, but it turns out there's such a great place here," Li Xiaoyao thought, recalling the two attempts on his life by that woman. This time, he was curious to see how the beautiful woman would handle him.

With determination, he stepped forward, heading straight for the one-line sky, entering without any hesitation.

Upon seeing Li Xiaoyao enter, a few onlookers outside the one-line sky were momentarily stunned, then began to wait to see him make a fool of himself. How dare this guy enter Senior Sister Zhao Xinyi's forbidden area without permission? He was truly courting death.

Moments later, Li Xiaoyao stepped into the one-line sky. Surrounded by towering peaks and rock walls, he found a warm spring lake at the center, with several caves nestled within the cliffs. If undisturbed, this would indeed be an ideal place for cultivation.

At that moment, Zhao Xinyi, as before, had her head submerged in the warm spring lake, holding her breath to cultivate and strengthen her inner energy. Only with a powerful inner energy could she draw the bowstring fully, enabling her arrows to possess extraordinary might.

As the beautiful face surfaced from the water, Zhao Xinyi caught sight of Li Xiaoyao once again. She paused for a moment, then narrowed her eyes and coldly said, "It's you again."

"Yes, it's me," Li Xiaoyao replied with a calm smile. He had the confidence to face even those at the Spirit Martial Realm, so Zhao Xinyi didn't intimidate him. Although she ranked closely among the outer disciples, Li Xiaoyao still felt self-assured. After all, he had already defeated and eradicated Jing Yan, who was ranked higher than Zhao Xinyi.