Prince Ozan cast a brief glance at his avatar after the violent clash of auras. A pleased smile curved his lips.
Not bad, trash crown prince.
As expected, his Qi became unstable the moment it entered the influence of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. His avatar felt noticeably heavier, its movements slightly sluggish. Even though Dastan had not been in the Nascent Soul Realm for long, his control was already frighteningly refined.
Impressive…
Nascent Soul Realm cultivators no longer needed meridians to channel Qi. Their energy could surge outward freely, shaped purely by will. But the range and precision of that control still varied greatly between individuals.
So then… how far could this trash crown prince's influence reach?
"Stop being distracted! You're facing this prince!"
The sharp shout snapped Prince Ozan back to the present.
A massive Qi palm was already descending toward his avatar, its surface swirling with dense energy.
Prince Ozan reacted instantly.
"Tri-Ultra Smash!"
His avatar swung the sledgehammer in a brutal arc. The hammer collided with the incoming palm, pulverizing it in an instant. The impact detonated into a violent blast, Qi scattering wildly in every direction.
The shockwave surged past Dastan, crashing into the crowd behind him.
Even with defensive measures raised in advance, several cultivators with weaker protection were flung backward, blood spraying from their mouths. Panic rippled through the ranks as people scrambled to retreat, instinctively hiding behind those skilled in defense.
Leyvi clenched his fists.
He had wanted to launch a sneak attack the moment Dastan made his move. But once again, his body betrayed him.
Before his mind could even react, his body had already shifted, appearing at a precise location. Earth Qi surged, condensing into a reinforced shield just as the scattered blast washed over them.
The shield trembled but held, blocking the destructive wave and protecting those behind him.
Among the crowd he had shielded, Rose stood there.
Only then did Leyvi realize why his body had moved without hesitation.
Damn it…
So long as she remained nearby, his cursed instincts would never allow him to fight freely.
His jaw tightened.
If every exchange between Dastan and Prince Ozan produced this kind of collateral damage, then entering the battle directly would be impossible. His body would prioritize protecting her over attacking, again and again.
From within the crowd, Rose, hidden beneath her disguise, gazed at Leyvi. Her eyes shimmered with warmth and affection, her heart stirred by his protection.
Even in chaos, he still guarded her first.
Darling! He prioritized my safety!
Rose's heart fluttered wildly. Ahhh... I could die from happiness! I did not know Darling cared so much about me!
Then a sobering thought followed.
I'm happy he prioritized my well-being, but he should prioritize his other wives first. I don't want to be on their bad side.
Although she knew Anda wouldn't feel that way, Rose worried that Leyvi's other wives might become jealous.
After she and the crowd retreated further away, Leyvi felt relief wash over him. He had regained control of his body.
What a troublesome curse, he complained inwardly.
Returning to the battle.
Prince Ozan wanted to go after Dastan's Nascent Soul Body immediately, but the direct contact from their clash had caused the Qi reinforcing his avatar to become even more unstable.
The reason he could maintain the massive size of his avatar was entirely due to his Qi reinforcement. Without it, the largest he could manage was only one-tenth of what he usually created. And since it was formed using his mind, it would be invisible to others. What was the point of summoning a grand avatar if no one could witness its magnificence?
"Again!" Dastan's voice rang out, imbued with Nascent Soul power that echoed in everyone's ears.
Another massive Qi palm formed and hurtled toward Prince Ozan.
"Ozaza, come!" Prince Ozan's avatar launched another Tri-Ultra Smash with its enormous sledgehammer.
But this time, it was caught.
Dastan's Qi palm gripped the hammer, halting its descent. It did not shatter like before.
The reason for the different outcome was simple. Dastan had reinforced this new Qi palm far more than the first, while Prince Ozan's Qi disturbance had weakened his avatar.
Prince Ozan's eyes narrowed.
At this rate, my avatar will be defeated.
He already knew the inherent advantage Nascent Soul Realm cultivators held over lower realms. It was a fact he had long accepted. But experiencing it firsthand always pissed him off. The feeling of your own Qi being disturbed by another's presence was always unpleasant.
He tried to pull his avatar away from Dastan's grip.
Then something attacked from behind.
Another huge Qi palm!
Prince Ozan was unable to react in time.
The second Qi palm slammed into his avatar.
BOOM!
The colossal figure detonated in a violent burst of energy, fragments of condensed Qi scattering like a shattered star.
Leyvi's eyes widened.
Don't tell me… Dastan can actually beat him alone?
Almost everyone shared the same thought.
No matter how monstrous Prince Ozan was, he was still facing a true Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. And after expending enormous stamina smashing the barriers, it seemed entirely possible that he had finally reached his limit.
"Daa hahaha! How's that, Prince Ozan?" Dastan laughed, confidence surging through him. "You didn't expect this from this prince, did you?"
Even he was surprised by how effective his attack had been.
So this is the feeling of bullying someone with higher cultivation…It was intoxicating.
But—
"Oi, idiot! Pay attention!"
Leyvi's shout pierced through his excitement.
Dastan's instincts screamed danger.
He instantly formed a Qi barrier.
At almost the same moment, it shattered.
A sledgehammer tore through it like fragile glass, the overwhelming force continuing forward and slamming into his Nascent Soul Body.
BOOM!
Dastan was blasted sideways, crashing through several buildings before finally embedding himself into a pile of rubble.
"Ozazaza! You think you can beat me?"
Prince Ozan stood where Dastan had been just moments earlier, his massive sledgehammer resting casually on his shoulder.
The crowd retreated even farther, cold sweat soaking their backs.
"Your Qi control range is impressive," Prince Ozan said, eyes gleaming. "Forming another palm behind me without hesitation. Even I was caught off guard."
He chuckled.
"But sadly, I no longer have enough Qi to sustain a new avatar. So now…" His gaze sharpened. "You'll have to deal with my real body."
The rubble trembled.
Dastan emerged, dust cascading from his clothes. His Nascent Soul Body bore a gaping hole on its left side, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Dammit…
Even with Qi dampening, a defensive barrier, and Nascent Soul Body protection, he was still injured by a single strike.
How absurdly strong is this man?
As his thoughts churned, his Nascent Soul Body rapidly repaired itself, sealing the damage.
Prince Ozan flexed his grip around the sledgehammer.
"I suggest you three come together," he said, curling his fingers in a beckoning gesture toward Leyvi and Bodo. "Now that I'm no longer relying on Qi, the Nascent Soul advantage is mostly gone."
A dangerous grin spread across his face.
"Which means… I'm stronger than I was just now."
As soon as he said that, Leyvi burst forward.
He closed the distance in an instant, both hands crackling with charged Qi. A series of rapid attacks followed, each one aimed with precision.
However, none of them landed.
Prince Ozan's footwork was incredible. Fast, swift, almost dancing between Leyvi's strikes as if he knew exactly where each one would land before it was thrown.
"Ozazaza! The amount of Qi you charged is impressive! But can you hit me with that slow movement?" He mocked, a wide grin on his face.
Bang!
The sledgehammer connected with Leyvi's side. He flew through the air, crashing through debris just like Dastan had. His volcanic armor shattered on impact.
Before Prince Ozan could savor the moment, a shadow loomed above.
Bodo descended from above, both fists clenched together, smashing down with all his might.
BOOM!
The ground exploded beneath the impact. A crater formed where Prince Ozan had been standing.
But he was no longer there. He had dodged backward at the last instant.
Bodo did not stop. He tore a massive chunk of the cracked ground and hurled it forward like a boulder.
Prince Ozan reacted instantly. He threw his sledgehammer forward with all his strength. It obliterated the incoming chunk of earth and continued on its path, striking Bodo square on the forehead as he charged forward.
Bonk!
Bodo fell backward, clutching his head in pain. If anyone else had received that attack, their head would have exploded.
"Incredible." Prince Ozan's eyes lit up. "You survived my sledgehammer relying only on your body toughness. I am definitely making you my Royal Guard."
He raised his right arm. The sledgehammer, having completed its arc, flew back and slapped perfectly into his waiting palm.
The fight resumed.
Dastan and Leyvi attacked together, coordinating their efforts. But Prince Ozan was too strong. He kept targeting Dastan first, sending him flying with the sledgehammer again and again, as if trying to provoke him.
Even when Leyvi finally landed a powerful Big Bang attack on him, thanks to Bodo pretending to faint suddenly and grabbing his leg, Prince Ozan still managed to protect himself. He utilized his Spiritual Touch to create an invisible shield. Though blocked, he was still sent flying by Leyvi's powerful Qi explosion.
Prince Ozan stood again with a smile. Aside from some bruises, he was relatively unharmed. Inwardly, he was admiring the power behind Leyvi's attack.
Just as he was about to charge again, the atmosphere changed. A powerful spatial fluctuation rippled across the air.
The portal was fully opened. They could cross it now.
Everyone noticed this. Including those outside the city.
"Everyone! Cross it now!" Leyvi roared.
"No you don't!" Prince Ozan dashed toward the portal immediately.