The soft voice drifted across the entirety of Lightning Mountain, lingering like the shadow of a falling guillotine—cold, decisive, and merciless. With that single utterance, it was as though Lei Zun-zhe's fate had already been sealed.
For a long moment, the atmosphere remained tense and oppressive, until Lei Zun-zhe, seated among the VIP guests, finally stirred. His narrowed eyes flickered with electric light, gaze sharp as a blade as it locked onto Xiao Hua. A deep voice thundered from his chest.
"Brat, do you think my Wind Lightning Pavilion hasn't weathered countless storms? A mere faction not even a decade old dares to speak so boldly?"
It was no surprise that the crowd could sense the fury laced within Lei Zun-zhe's voice. Given the Wind Lightning Pavilion's domineering nature and long-standing arrogance, it was only natural they would not tolerate such words from a rising force.
"Tribe Leaders, I must trouble you and assist me with this matter."
Just as his words fell, two figures emerged from within the Lightning Mountain Range—an elder clad in robes marked with tiger patterns, and another with flowing silver hair. The auras they released were wild and primal, revealing their true forms as powerful Magical Beasts.
"Those are… the Tribe Leaders of the Earth Tiger Tribe and the Silver Moon Wolf Tribe. If I recall correctly, both are subordinate tribes of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan. Why are they here?"
Jian Zun-zhe's expression changed involuntarily. His voice held a trace of surprise—clearly, he had not anticipated that these two would respond to Lei Zun-zhe's call. Though he had received intelligence that Lei Zun-zhe summoned two Rank 8 Magical Beasts during the ambush on Ming Cheng, he hadn't expected them.
However, Ming Cheng and the others remained calm and unshaken. They had already anticipated the possibility of such reinforcements appearing. Through prior discussions, they had deduced the truth—one among the members of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan had entered the Wind Lightning Pavilion as a disciple.
Moreover, for two tribe leaders to personally heed Lei Zun-zhe's summons, that individual must be an exceptionally talented one within the clan.
Their gazes shifted downward, falling upon Feng Qing Er with faint, knowing smirks. Her abrupt emergence as a disciple of Lei Zun-zhe, paired with her concealed aura, only confirmed what they had surmised—she was indeed a member of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan.
"No wonder Lei Zun-zhe summoned us again. I hadn't thought you'd show yourself at such a time..." The tiger-robed elder's voice was icy cold, carrying a depth of hostility beneath its calm surface.
"Leave now, and we'll allow this matter to rest. But don't assume that possessing a Dou Zun's strength makes you invincible, brat." The silver-haired old man's tone was thick with menace, his words like thunder rolling across the plains.
As soon as his voice fell, two boundless and terrifying auras erupted from the bodies of the two elders. Like a raging storm, the pressure swept through the stadium, causing countless spectators' expressions to change as their hearts trembled.
However, Ming Cheng, Xiao Hua, and the others remained completely unaffected. The two surging auras felt no more than a passing breeze to them—insignificant and unworthy of their attention. Ignoring the display entirely, they casually resumed their conversation.
"Still, little brother..." Ming Cheng turned toward Xiao Hua, raising a brow as a playful glint flashed in his eyes. "Are you truly certain about fighting him? For someone who holds the strength of a 2-Star Dou Zun, he's rather… underwhelming."
He tilted his chin subtly toward Lei Zun-zhe, and though his tone was soft, his voice carried easily through the air, entering the ears of all present. He made no effort to lower his voice—whether others heard or not didn't matter. He merely sought to reconfirm Xiao Hua's intention.
Just moments ago, Xiao Hua had expressed his desire to face Lei Zun-zhe. Ming Cheng was simply ensuring he hadn't changed his mind.
Xiao Hua nodded with a faint smile. "Even so, I could use the chance to loosen up my body a little."
"If that's what you've decided, then I have nothing more to say." Ming Cheng nodded calmly, showing no concern over Xiao Hua's choice. He understood well—his little brother could defeat Lei Zun-zhe without expending much effort.
He paused for a moment, his gaze turning toward the distant mountain range. As his eyes narrowed, his expression grew cold. In a faint but steady voice, he said, "Then Li Mei will engage the two tribe leaders. As for me... I'll deal with the one still lurking in the shadows."
The instant his voice fell, a terrifying surge of Dou Qi erupted from his body, sweeping across Lightning Mountain like a raging flood. The sheer force of his aura crashed outward, suppressing the oppressive might release by the two tribe leaders in an instant.
The entire stadium fell into stunned silence. Many of the onlookers were visibly shaken as they realized that Ming Cheng's strength far surpassed what they had imagined. Even the four Pavilion Heads and the two tribe leaders couldn't maintain their composure—their expressions shifted drastically the moment they felt the full extent of Ming Cheng's cultivation.
"Unbelievable... he's actually a 6-Star Dou Zun…!" Huang Quan Zun-zhe's eyes trembled as he muttered in disbelief.
Jian Zun-zhe slowly shook his head, letting out a long sigh. "It seems the opportunity they acquired was far more than just a mere treasure. What enviable luck…"
"The Four Pavilion's era is about to change…" Feng Zun-zhe spoke with a faint smile, clearly pleased by the shift. After all, he held no ill will toward Xiao Hua's group—especially since they were the ones who had informed him of Yao Lao's whereabouts.
"No wonder his presence felt so overwhelming." The Silver Moon Wolf Tribe's leader wore a grim expression, the realization settling heavily upon him.
"Damn it! How did we let this happen?!" The Earth Tiger Tribe's leader cursed aloud, unable to suppress his frustration.
"If I had known this would happen, I would've personally gone to the Stormcoil Mountain Range myself…!" Lei Zun-zhe gritted his teeth, his face twisted with regret. The decision to merely trap Ming Cheng and the others now felt laughably short-sighted.
Had he known the true scale of the opportunity they obtained, he would have gone himself—injuries or not, danger be damned.
Regardless, Lei Zun-zhe inhaled deeply, forcing himself to calm down. He cupped his hands and spoke with respectful restraint, "Elder Huang Xuan, it seems we have no choice but to trouble you this time."
"Aye… It appears I must step in, after all."
As his voice echoed, the space nearby suddenly twisted, rippling like water disturbed by a stone. A faint, drifting laughter accompanied the distortion. From within the warped void, an elderly man clad in black robes adorned with silver linings and blue feather-like embellishments slowly stepped forth, his arrival both strange and imposing.
"I hadn't expected this young man is a 6-Star Dou Zun…" Huang Xuan's voice was low and steady, though a solemn light flickered within his eyes as he gazed at the young man before him.
"And I hadn't expected their final reinforcement to be merely a 5-Star Dou Zun," Ming Cheng replied with a faint smirk, his tone relaxed. "Now, I find myself a little disappointed."
"Hmph! Do you truly believe this old man is comparable to some ordinary 5-Star Dou Zun?" Huang Xuan's expression turned cold, his voice dark with disdain. "More than a few 6-Star Dou Zuns have fallen beneath this old man's hands!"
"Then allow me to make you the first 5-Star Dou Zun to fall by mine," Ming Cheng replied calmly, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.
The moment his words fell, Ming Cheng stomped lightly on the void beneath him. A visible spatial crack burst open under his foot, and his figure vanished like a bolt of lightning. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared before Huang Xuan.
In his hand, a pristine white spear materialized, arcs of Emperor Thunder coiling fiercely around its blade. Thunder roared from the spear as six-colored lightning danced across its surface, exuding an oppressive might.
Without hesitation, the spear moved.
It danced through the air with deadly elegance, its trajectory forming a sharp arc. A chilling gleam flickered across the tip as it tore through space, piercing toward Huang Xuan's throat with terrifying speed—like a bolt of divine lightning descending from the heavens.
"Hmph! A mere greenhorn dares to boast so wildly...!" Huang Xuan snorted coldly, yet his expression turned grim.
At that moment, his majestic aura erupted outward, revealing the full might of a 5-Star Dou Zun. As his voice fell, he clenched his fist tightly. Dou Qi surged violently around it as he threw a powerful punch to meet the spear head-on.
Though his tone remained arrogant, he understood clearly—this was no strike he could afford to take lightly.
Bang!
The two collided, and space instantly collapsed, forming a spatial fissure stretching over a hundred meters. A terrifying shockwave erupted from the impact, rippling through the sky like an invisible storm.
A cold chill ran down the spines of the spectators as they felt the might contained within that shockwave. Fortunately, the battle had erupted far from the stadium. Had it taken place any closer, even the residual force would've been enough to severely injure many among the crowd.
The expressions of Feng Zun-zhe, Jian Zun-zhe, and Huang Quan Zun-zhe changed slightly. Without a word, each of them began to circulate their Dou Qi, silently preparing to shield their disciple behind them should the clash escalate any further.
Yet the battle raged on without pause.
Each time spear and fist met, space trembled violently, and another spatial crack would split open, spanning hundreds of meters. From this alone, one could imagine the sheer ferocity behind every exchange.
Li Mei turned her gaze toward the sky, her sharp eyes narrowing at the ferocious battle that had erupted so abruptly. A heartbeat later, she shifted her attention toward the two tribe leaders—both of whom were now glaring at her with undisguised hostility.
She understood the reason well. During their last confrontation, she had severely wounded both of them, and that humiliation had yet to fade. Their hatred toward her had only deepened since then.
Taking a calm step forward, Li Mei spoke with an indifferent tone, "As planned, I'll handle the two tribe leaders. Sister Little Fairy Doctor, Elder Tian Huo—keep watch over the surroundings."
As her voice rang out, a majestic yet graceful aura surged from her delicate figure. In the next instant, she shot forward like a streak of light. An elegant longsword appeared in her hand, and with a flick of her wrist, it danced through the air in a flowing, mesmerizing arc.
As the blade carved a flawless arc, Celestial Frost Thunder—a fusion of six Heavenly Lightnings and six petals of Celestial Ancient Frost—erupted forth. Lightning crackled in sophisticated patterns along the sword's edge, intertwining with frost like a divine tapestry of ice and thunder.
She arrived before the two tribe leaders in a flash. With a radiant trail of light swirling behind her and the fierce howling of wind at her back, her sword swept out—sharp, swift, and domineering.
The expressions of the Earth Tiger Tribe and Silver Moon Wolf Tribe leaders shifted dramatically as they reacted with urgency. Their beast-like auras surged outward, condensing in an instant into a protective barrier adorned with tiger and wolf patterns.
Chi—!
A screech rang out as Li Mei's blade tore through the hastily formed shield as if slicing through parchment. The barrier shattered instantly, unable to withstand the sharpness and force of her strike.
Though the shield spared them from being cleaved in two, the overwhelming might of the attack still erupted outward in a devastating shockwave. The two tribe leaders were sent flying, their bodies slamming into the ground with thunderous impact, kicking up dust and debris across the battlefield.
"Old Tiger! Old Wolf!" Lei Zun-zhe shouted, panic flickering in his eyes. But just as he turned his head, he suddenly froze—Xiao Hua had already appeared before him, silently and without warning.
"Lei Zun-zhe," Xiao Hua said with a faint, mocking smile, "you shouldn't be concerned about them right now. They're simply enjoying a free massage... though I assure you, the technique of my brother and sister might just send them straight to the heavens."
"You insolent brat—don't push your luck!" Lei Zun-zhe roared, his voice thunderous and filled with indignation. The explosive sound of his shout reverberated like a thunderclap, causing many in the audience to reel, momentarily disoriented by the sheer force of his fury.
"Even if you are the Mansion Master of the Moonlit Chaos Mansion, you're still just a mere Dou Zong! What right do you have to stand here?!"
Though his anger was aimed at Xiao Hua's words, it was not the taunts that truly ignited his fury—it was the fact that Xiao Hua was to be his opponent. That alone was a deeper humiliation than any insult. To be challenged by someone far beneath him in cultivation was something the proud Lei Zun-zhe could hardly endure.
He wasn't just any Dou Zun—he was the Pavilion Head of the Wind Lightning Pavilion, a force that commanded some authority across the Central Plains. Unless the opponent hailed from one of the ancient clans or stood equal with him like the other three Pavilion Heads, even most Dou Zuns would show him respect.
And yet, this Dou Zong, this junior, stood before him not in deference, but as an enemy. That fact alone stoked the flames of his humiliation and seething fury beyond reason.
Xiao Hua merely smiles faintly at the seething fury, unfazed by the anger of an elite Dou Zun. He has defeat two Honourable Elders from Hall of Souls. He wasn't afraid to those two much less Lei Zun-zhe.
"Lei Zun-zhe, what are you standing around for?!"
As the intense standoff between Xiao Hua and Lei Zun-zhe continued, Huang Xuan's voice echoed thunderously across the entire Lightning Mountain Range.
Lei Zun-zhe turned sharply, only for his heart to involuntarily tremble at the sight before him—Huang Xuan was in a clearly dire state, being thoroughly suppressed by Ming Cheng. His robes were torn and blood-stained, with several visible wounds across his body. It was clear to all watching—Huang Xuan was being pushed into a pitiful and disadvantaged position.
"That brat is extremely important to them! Capture him, and the rest will submit!" Huang Xuan roared, his voice laced with urgency as he stumbled a few steps backward.
"Haha! Old bird, you should focus on your own fight first!"
Ming Cheng's voice rang out with cold amusement as he reappeared in front of Huang Xuan like a ghost, his snow-white spear gripped tightly in his hand. Coiling with Emperor Thunder, the spear surged forward, its tip gleaming as it tore through the air—aimed mercilessly at Huang Xuan's heart.
"You're dreaming if you think this old man will fall to the likes of you!"
With a furious cry, Huang Xuan's hands moved at blinding speed, forming a series of intricate and mysterious hand seals. In the blink of an eye, his mouth released a sharp cry filled with defiance.
"Demon Phoenix Bell!"
Instantly, a towering golden bell—thousands of feet in height—materialized in the air with a resounding hum. Formed entirely of energy, its surface shimmered with black flame repeatedly curled and rose from its body as it descended, encasing Huang Xuan within its radiant barrier.
Gong—!
As the spear clashed violently against the Demon Phoenix Bell, a thunderous chime echoed across the heavens. A terrifying shockwave and an ear-splitting soundwave erupted at once, splitting the air and shaking the earth. The twin forces rippled outward, surging across the sky in all directions.
Crack—!
Amid the chaos, a sharp, almost delicate sound tore through the sky. Though faint, it did not escape the ears of anyone present within the Lightning Mountain Range.
Countless gazes shot upward—fixed on the towering Demon Phoenix Bell. There, upon its once flawless golden surface, a deep and spreading crack had formed.
A wave of shock swept through the crowd. Experts across the mountain range wore expressions of awe and disbelief. While many were simply stunned by the display of power from two elite Dou Zuns, the expressions of the Four Pavilion Heads, Feng Qing Er, and Mu Qing Luan revealed something deeper.
Their shock was not born of the clash itself—but of what it meant.
Unlike the others, they were well-acquainted with the Demon Phoenix Bell. And for it to crack under a single strike… that spoke volumes about the overwhelming physical might Ming Cheng wielded.
The Demon Phoenix Bell was a Dou Technique passed down through the Demon Phoenix Tribe since ancient times. It had been created by one of the Heaven Demon Phoenix's ancestral founders—an existence who had once stepped into the Dou Sheng realm. As such, its defensive capabilities were nothing short of terrifying.
Moreover, the bell was not purely defensive. It could unleash razor-sharp sonic waves capable of tearing through enemies' senses and Dou Qi alike. A technique that combined offense and defense in perfect harmony, it was a hallmark skill of the Heaven Demon Phoenix bloodline—one few dared to face head-on.
What's more, this time it wasn't being used by the young and inexperienced Feng Qing Er, but by the seasoned Huang Xuan, an experienced 5-Star Dou Zun who possessed a deep and profound mastery of the technique.
And yet—Ming Cheng remained utterly unmoved.
The devastating sonic waves and the forceful shockwave failed to slow him in the slightest. Not only did he endure the technique head-on, but he even managed to crack the surface of the golden phoenix bell—relying solely on his physical might.
Naturally, no one felt it more clearly than Huang Xuan himself.
Encased within the Demon Phoenix Bell, he sensed every vibration, every tremor that passed through the bell's core. His expression grew increasingly grim. He now understood with crystal clarity—
Ming Cheng's physical strength had already reached a tyrannical realm, surpassing even that of most Magical Beasts.
Ming Cheng showed no signs of letting up. A deep, thunderous roar erupted from his body as arcs of lightning crackled across his frame. In the next instant, his figure turned into a streak of thunder, flashing around the golden bell like a storm unleashed.
With each pass, he struck the bell with overwhelming, tyrannical force—his blows relentless, domineering, and unyielding.
Gong! Gong! Gong!
Each strike echoed like the toll of a death knell. The cracks on the golden phoenix bell spread rapidly, webbing across its surface. And with the third thunderous blow—
Bang!
The once-majestic bell shattered into golden fragments, completely torn apart under Ming Cheng's brutal assault. The force of the final strike sent Huang Xuan hurtling backward like a falling meteor.
Puff—!
After being blasted back over a hundred meters, Huang Xuan barely managed to stabilize himself midair. His face was pale, his expression dark. His body trembled slightly before a mouthful of blood burst from his lips—evidence of the violent backlash from the destruction of the Demon Phoenix Bell, which had been broken in such a savage and unforgiving manner.
Ming Cheng gazed at the heavily injured Huang Xuan, whose breathing was ragged and unstable, blood staining the corners of his mouth. His expression remained indifferent, devoid of emotion.
Then, his voice rang out—calm, cold, and sharp like an unsheathed sword. Though soft, it carried across the entire mountain range with undeniable authority, like the decree of a tyrant:
"You have lost…"
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