"Make me suffer? Can you?"
Lan An asked coldly, face slightly pale from the monstrous spirit force drained by Heavenly Fury Slaughter… yet it only amplified his icy detachment, sending a chill down Ba Li Jiao Huang's spine.
Heavenly Fury Slaughter didn't backlash heavily, but demanded half of Lan An's spirit force in one strike.
Five Great Cauldrons in his dantian spun wildly, devouring cosmic spirit energy like black holes, rapidly replenishing him.
Behind him, golden flames roared—Golden Crow Void Fire burst forth, claws slashing at Ba Li Jiao Huang…
CLANG…
Ba Li Jiao Huang reached out. The Blood Jiao Spear flew back, parrying the Golden Crow's strike.
SPLURT…
Agony from his shoulder made him grimace. His arm trembled, barely gripping the spear—pain indescribable.
When the Jiao King Halberd pierced, Lan An had channeled Lightning-Fire through it. Now, they ravaged Ba Li Jiao Huang's body. The wound wouldn't close; blood gushed like a fountain…
"Damn it—vicious!"
Ba Li Jiao Huang's face darkened. As a royal beast, his regeneration was superb—yet before Emperor Flame and dual Lightning, he was helpless. Spirit force couldn't heal; Lan An's power had to be purged.
The Blood Jiao Spear, a Spirit weapon, was too heavy with his wounded shoulder. He stored it.
Lan An gave no respite. Sneering, he unleashed a ferocious punch:
"Gentleman Demon-Subduing Fist!"
Killing intent exploded, targeting the shoulder wound—to detonate it.
"Dream on!"
Ba Li Jiao Huang paled. If hit, his shoulder was ruined. He punched back, hard against hard…
But his face shifted. His fist's power was devoured, weakening…
Lan An's fist cloaked in Devouring Heaven Wood's Wood Spirit Force. The Golden Crow screeched, claws targeting the wound…
Ba Li Jiao Huang's face sank. Fighting Lan An was fighting multiple elites—Shou Xiong, Golden Crow, layered tactics. A true monster. But surrender? Never. A ten-meter crimson tail sprouted, scales gleaming, whipping at the Golden Crow's claws.
BOOM BOOM BOOM…
Golden Crow Void Fire clashed head-on with the tail—stalemate.
Lan An punched relentlessly—Exploding Star Fist, Heavenly Son Demon-Subduing Fist alternating. Lightning-Fire and Strange Wood shifted unpredictably. Ba Li Jiao Huang could only meet him savagely…
Close-quarters again. Ba Li Jiao Huang grew alarmed. Lan An's bloodied fists healed under mysterious Water Spirit Force…
"Nirvana Spirit Water!"
Ming Ngo and Wang Ying warned, faces grave. As spectators, they saw Lan An's terror…
Ba Li Jiao Huang's Golden Ranking prowess stemmed from innate gifts: overwhelming strength, impenetrable scales, royal beast recovery.
Against foes, these were nightmares—victory assured.
Against Lan An? Useless.
Strength: Lan An, a Body Cultivator with Devouring Heaven Wood, negated it.
Defense: Scales were tough, but Lan An's Lightning-Fire pierced anytime.
Recovery: Nirvana Spirit Water outclassed beast regeneration.
His tail's flexibility? Useless against Golden Crow. The Void Bell still disrupted his mind—Lan An unaffected.
SPLURT…
Ba Li Jiao Huang was blasted away, hair scorched, vomiting blood. Unseen, wings erupted behind Lan An—Eight Desolate Heaven-Scorching Flames—smashing him.
ROAR…
Like a wounded beast, Ba Li Jiao Huang's body ballooned under grave eyes…
A hundred-zhang Jiao emerged—massive horns, blood-moon eyes, indescribable claws…
True form—peak defense, speed, power.
"Forcing this King's true form—you can be proud!"
Ba Li Jiao Huang roared, shaking heaven and earth. Coiling through clouds, claws slashed at Lan An…
"Jiao Emperor Claw!"
Before the colossal body, Lan An was an ant. Yet he smirked coldly. Fire Phoenix burst forth, flame wings blotting the sky, incinerating space…
Inside, besides Purple Heart Void Flame, Lan An infused Lightning-Fire Mystic Art's dual Lightning. Might unparalleled, it met Ba Li Jiao Huang's assault…
BOOM BOOM…
Fire Phoenix and Jiao Emperor clashed. Below, the Blood Spirit Sect became wasteland. Three Stone Men slaughtered relentlessly—over ten thousand sect members eradicated, none spared…
Mindless, they missed underground secrets—only surface annihilation.
Still, the land became hell. Screams, despair—Blood Spirit Sect disciples fought with blood pearls and 僵尸 (zombie), futile against the Stone Men. Apocalypse.
Resentment pierced the heavens…
An Eighth-Grade force—obliterated.
Hundred Flowers Sect elders paled, first witnessing such carnage. Lan An, always polite, now inspired fear…
"Blood Spirit Sect committed countless evils, tried killing my husband multiple times. Their end is just," Yan Ruo Xue said calmly. Enemies of her husband—she'd exterminate nine generations.
Hua Yu Feng was unfazed. Her Eight Trigrams Array buried thousands of White Sand Dynasty troops—killing meant little.
Cultivation world: adapt or perish. No "strong" without it.
…
Above, Fire Phoenix battled fiercely. But spirit-force construct against Jiao Emperor's claws—it tore, reformed…
In beast form, defense multiplied. Lightning-Fire couldn't penetrate iron-like scales. Fire Phoenix shredded repeatedly…
"Hmph, annoying!" Ba Li Jiao Huang ripped the phoenix wings, sneering.
But his face twisted in rage:
"Lan An, get off this King!"
Unknown when, Lan An used Instant Shift and Eight Desolate Flames—standing atop the massive head. A human daring to stand on him?
"Get down!"
Ba Li Jiao Huang shook violently, hundred-zhang body writhing, churning clouds…
Lan An struggled, balanced only by Eight Desolate Flames' center of gravity.
Heavy Sword appeared, eyes flashing mystery…
"Stand on this King's head—you'll regret it!" Ba Li Jiao Huang roared, claws shredding the reforming phoenix in fury…
Suddenly, crimson horns glowed. Vast spirit force gathered—destructive intent…
Lan An startled. Horns could attack? Danger surged. Hands stacked, Emperor Flame, dual Lightning, Devouring Heaven Wood fused, spinning…
"Die!"
Ba Li Jiao Huang roared. Horns fired blood-red beams, merging into one—targeting the ant atop him…
Lan An's eyes sharpened. Combined Spirit Palm met it head-on…
BOOM…
Explosion atop Ba Li Jiao Huang's head dazed him. Destructive forces shattered space…
He screamed, writhing. Combined Spirit Palm neutralized his strongest move—absurd.
Yet he destroyed Lan An's palm too—equal.
"Earth Splitter!"
A sneer. Lan An swung the Heavy Sword down at the head's center…
"NO!"
Ba Li Jiao Huang wailed. Terrifying force cracked his skull, head shuddering in agony…
"So hard!"
Lan An exclaimed. Heavy Sword penetrated only a third—blocked by thick scales. Defense monstrous…
"I'll kill you!" Ba Li Jiao Huang dove, speed piercing void, trying to fling Lan An…
But one hand gripped the embedded sword, the other gathered endless Water Spirit Force—slamming down:
"Sea Suppressing Palm!"
BOOM… CRACK…
Sea Palace's famed art—crushing oceans. Cracks spread across the head…
"Die! Die!"
Ba Li Jiao Huang maddened, horns glowing again, beams forming…
Lan An yanked the sword, locking onto one massive horn. Sneering savagely, Nirvana Spirit Water cloaked arms:
"Third Form – Heaven Cleaver!"
HUM…
Heavy Sword hummed excitedly. Lan An swept—endless Sword Qi annihilated space, forming a crescent slash, indescribably domineering…
Heaven Cleaver exploded the sky. A spatial rift appeared—and the horn severed, crumbling to dust…
"AAAAAAAAAAAA"
Unimaginable pain. Ba Li Jiao Huang convulsed, battle intent gone. The colossal body plummeted, nerves dead…
SPLURT…
The strike's backlash made Lan An vomit blood, arms cracking, skin peeling horrifically. But not exploded like before…
Previously, suppressing cultivation and Body Cultivation without Nirvana Spirit Water caused arm detonation.
Now, full power, adapted body, pre-protected arms—backlash merely blood and shock.
BOOM BOOM BOOM…
Ba Li Jiao Huang crashed, devastating ten thousand li. Earthquakes terrified life…
One horn destroyed, shoulder bleeding, head mangled—unconscious, yet alive. Beast vitality fierce.
Lan An shouldered the Heavy Sword, standing atop the beast—war god incarnate…
Silence…
Utter silence. Even Shou Xiong stopped…
Heaven and earth froze in awe. Onlookers barely breathed…
Su Yan's eyes glazed, his image etched eternally.
Lan An looked up, smirking eerily at two figures in the sky…
"Not good!"
Goosebumps. Ming Ngo and Wang Ying paled. Unknown when, two invisible Thunder-Fire Lotuses bloomed behind them—Lightning-Fire condensed to extremity, igniting.
Thunder-Fire Shadowless Lotus…