Jin was no fool. Of course, he was aware of the man's weapon and how dodging it would be impossible here. However, the same could be said of his own weapon. Not the sword, no... The Corruption. In a closed space like this, it would be devastating.

As for what was faster between the axe and the corruption? It did not matter. The axe would reach the Corruption before anything else.

At the same time as his opponent turned around, Jin straightened his arm and it began to extend and grow according to his will. As he was swinging his axe down, the only thing Liao Hu saw was a gigantic tsunami of flesh coming his way.

The axe came down, bearing with it all of his power. And it did cleave through the wave of flesh.

Unfortunately, more of that thing quickly filled the gap.

Liao Hu felt cold sweat down his back but he reacted quickly. He circulated his spiritual energy to its maximum output and emitted it outwards, creating a shield.

The collision between both created a powerful recoil that pushed him back. This was not a flat surface though and due to the stairs, he ended up falling on his ass. It was in this position that he was forced to keep up his barrier up.

He was constantly forced to replenish the barrier. Corruption was its name and not for nothing. It was constantly eroding the energy used for the shield. If it had not been for the gap in stages, it would have been broken in a second.

Liao Hu tried to calm himself but found out that he was unable to. As a cultivator, one usually had a very good sense of one's own emotional state. But it was not the case right now. He was shaking. Only a little but it was a fact. His mind was not focused on finding ways to retaliate but in fleeing instead. It felt like a primal instinct.

He manifested his fire element and pushed it to the side. He destroyed the walls, creating an opening towards the room he just escaped. Without wasting any time, he jumped through the opening.

As for Jin, he could sense what happened.

He did not retract the Corruption but instead used it to cover his entire body into a gigantic ball seemingly made of flesh, obstructing the entirety of the staircase. And he began to make his way down, having this mass of Corruption crawl.

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Liao Hu breathed hurriedly, sweat drenching his back.

"What's happening to me?!"

He felt himself being in a state of restlessness. Yet, he could not control himself. It was weird.

He clenched his teeth before biting on his lower lip. Regaining control of himself a little more, he began to once more channel his energy. He added his fire elemental to the mix, creating a massive fireball and hurled it at the lower end of the staircase.

It exploded.

And a mass of flesh propelled itself out of the wreckage straight towards him. He hurled his axe up before sending it down at the monstrosity. However, as the axe was supposed to get in contact with it, the mass of flesh parted in the middle. It continued on its way through the sides of the axe, unobstructed. And it collided with him.

The impact pushed him so powerfully that his hands couldn't keep grasping the axe. He was forcefully pushed straight before the force shifted and propelled him downward. He was sent into the ground violently, coughing some blood.

He was focusing all of his energy on his skin, protecting it from the Corruption. Even now, he still did not comprehend what was attacking him.

Jin was walking forward at a relaxed pace. From one arm extended the Corruption, constantly replenishing the 'mass' that was being destroyed by the opponent's energy. From the other arm, a dense dark smoke emanated, coating his sword and also spreading in the surroundings. Jin was the only one to see it. After all, 'Fear' was an emotion. It had no color. The sight of it in dark was only due to Jin. It was his subconscious who associated that color to it in order to make it easier to manipulate.

From the very start, Fear was at work. It slowly but surely affected Liao Hu, forcing him to take worst and worst decisions while slowing all of his functions.

Jin arrived a few meters away from the man. He was lying in a ditch made by his own impact and Corruption was still pushing him even further downward, deepening the cracks next to them.

According to his estimate, Liao Hu would be able to resist for a few more minutes at best. It would consume most of the 'Mass' of Corruption left but it seemed like a worthy trade.

However, Liao Hu was not planning to die at all. Even in his state, he still had cards to play.

Liao Hu screamed as he activated a technique. It was the 'Blood Boiling' technique of the sect. It enabled one to forcefully burn one's own blood within his veins in order to push the circulation. It had a lot of negative side effects and the longer it was being kept, the worst it would be. However, it granted a very high burst of power.

Liao Hu gave it his all to push back the Corruption and successfully leapt out of the crack. As his gaze leveled itself, he saw him. That demon. He was calm. And it made him even more frightened. He could not help his limbs to shake.

Jin took a step forward and Liao Hu found himself taking two backwards. It went like this until he reached the end of the room and his back hit the wall. He began to scream: "Don't come near me! Monster!"

Jin smirked and continued to move. As he reached within ten meters of the terrified man, he circulated his spiritual energy.

Hundreds of miniature spiritual spears the size of a finger appeared around them.