BOOM…
Wang Ying and Ming Ngo's pupils contracted as the two Thunder-Fire Lotuses detonated…
Ear-shattering blasts rattled onlookers. Mushroom clouds swallowed the sky, Lightning-Fire howling—nothing visible within…
"Terrifying…"
Countless eyes fixed on Lan An's back, swallowing hard. Dread surged. While locked in brutal combat with Ba Li Jiao Huang, he secretly unleashed two devastating techniques on his next foes. Such cunning, tactics, power… worthy of the Monster Young Master. The title sounded unpretentious, yet perfectly fit the youth standing atop the Jiao.
"Jiao Clan experts can be defeated… but never humiliated!"
A heavy, majestic voice thundered. A massive spatial rift tore open. From its depths, a black claw—dozens of zhang wide, capable of eclipsing heaven and earth—emerged. Black scales gleamed like the Ninth Nether, pressure crushing countless faces pale…
"Seventh-Grade beast… Mid Seventh-Grade!"
Jin Er whispered. Lan An's eyes darkened.
One glance confirmed: a Jiao Clan powerhouse. Mid Seventh-Grade, appearing as Ba Li Jiao Huang lay broken—only the Golden Ranking Top 4, Jiao Jun.
Jiao Jun didn't reveal his true form. His claw pierced endless space, snatching Ba Li Jiao Huang's body…
SLASH! Yan Ruo Xue and Hua Yu Feng flashed beside Lan An, coldly staring.
One nod, and they'd attack madly.
Su Yan's face shifted. She descended like a celestial, standing beside him—declaring: My strength may lack… but I stand with you.
Warmth filled Lan An. He shook his head gently, guiding the three aside. No killing intent from the claw—only retrieval of the foolish Jiao Emperor…
Indeed, the claw ignored them, seizing Ba Li Jiao Huang and pulling him into the void. A gloomy voice echoed:
"Lan An, this King awaits our battle. May it not be far!"
The rift sealed—traceless.
"Husband, why let him go? No logic in hit-and-run…" Yan Ruo Xue pouted. The Harem feared no Jiao Clan.
Lan An shook his head, smiling, "Master and I leave for training soon. No need for another powerful enemy now."
The women understood. Only family knew of his departure with Wu San Niang. For safety, low profile was wise—without her backing, large conflicts risked danger.
Unspoken: he prioritized preparing Warm Blood Essence for their bloodline awakening. No time for another Ninth-Grade clash…
"My battle isn't over. Return to the boat."
Lan An looked up. Wang Ying and Ming Ngo had escaped the blast radius…
Disheveled, but not gravely wounded.
Wang Ying's Ice Defense Cloak dimmed, torn.
Ming Ngo's dark shield—gone.
Defending Thunder-Fire Shadowless Lotus cost dearly.
Now, they saw Lan An as their greatest foe—no underestimation.
"Monster? His spirit force shows no depletion…" Wang Ying gritted teeth, stunned by Lan An's stamina.
"His cultivation art is unique… spirit absorption far exceeds normal. Never fight attrition against such foes!" Ming Ngo inhaled deeply. As a Myriad Treasures Pavilion enforcer, his insight pierced Lan An's secret.
"I'll go first!" Wang Ying declared, no retreat possible.
"No—together!" Ming Ngo countered gravely.
"What? Where's our face?" Wang Ying paled. Ming Ngo flipping at the last second?
"Defeating him is face. Wheel war loss would be worse!" Ming Ngo sighed.
After watching Lan An brutalize Ba Li Jiao Huang, he changed his mind…
Post-Ba Li battle, defeating them sequentially would humiliate them further. Joint victory—less shameful. At worst, mocked for two-on-one.
Wang Ying's eyes flickered. Gritting teeth, he nodded—truth.
They'd underestimated. Lan An's Nirvana Spirit Water—never public—revealed ties to Water Spirit Fairy Shui Niang Qing. Envy-inducing. Her possession of it was known.
With the Harem's strength, Sea Rainbow Sect ties exposed drew no ire…
"I said—you should team up!" Lan An spoke leisurely. Eight Desolate Wings flapped—he appeared before them, Heavy Sword on shoulder.
Up close, Wang Ying and Ming Ngo felt Ba Li Jiao Huang's pressure under Lan An's Peerless Under Heaven state—suffocating.
Wang Ying wasted no words. A slender staff appeared…
Heavenly Ice Staff—Mid-Grade Spirit weapon. Pure ice condensed, crystal-clear yet unbreakable. Air froze, white mist swirling…
Heavenly Mountain Immortal Realm held only three Spirit artifacts—Wang Ying owned two. His status—immense.
Gripping it, his aura shifted—steady as an ice mountain, inviolable.
Ming Ngo wielded the Dark Spirit Brush, black Dark Spirit Force swirling—mysterious.
"Dark Word Heavenly Art—Ming Ngo's High-Grade Spirit cultivation method! Writes ancient dark characters to fight!"
First time facing a staff user and Dark attribute.
Outwardly calm, inwardly wary…
ROAR…
Shou Xiong reappeared, Void Bell recharged, ringing pressure…
"DEFEND… DEFEND!"
Ming Ngo wrote swiftly—two shields protected them, resisting the bell.
They nodded, charging—one front, one rear.
"Heavenly Mountain Staff Art – Mountain Crush!"
Wang Ying roared. Staff smashed space, then heavily at Lan An's head…
One strike—sky froze in chunks, terrifying.
"Mountain Suppression!" Lan An countered. Heavy Fire Sword Art with Body-Spirit dual cultivation, Emperor Flame cloaking—hard clash.
Behind, Ming Ngo's brush danced: "IMPRISON"
The character enlarged. Dark currents formed a bizarre prison, enveloping Lan An…
SCREECH…
Golden Crow denied it, flames ready to burn Dark Spirit Force.
CLANG…
Heavy Sword met Heavenly Ice Staff. Explosion—neither budged. They charged again—Lan An's Earth Splitter, Wang Ying's Mountain Pressure…
Both heavy weapons—devastation rivaled Lan An vs. Ba Li Jiao Huang. Space exploded with each clash…
Heavy Sword slightly outmatched, but resilient. Emperor Flame suppressed bone-chilling ice—Wang Ying at disadvantage.
Fire counters Ice—especially Strange Flame.
Behind, Ming Ngo wrote endlessly: ATTACK… CONTROL… DEFEND—layered Dark Spirit Force hindering Lan An…
Lan An deployed Wood Tortoise, Fire Phoenix, Golden Crow—combined defense barely holding Ming Ngo.
"Heavenly Mountain Palm!" Wang Ying's free hand formed a palm, ice mountain phantom behind—ferocious.
"Exploding Star Fist!" Lan An switched sword hands, punching back…
Onlookers' faces shifted endlessly. Lan An—a war god. Offense, defense near-perfect. Speed overwhelming—two prodigies helpless.
Against Ba Li Jiao Huang, he hadn't gone all-out…
Yet he couldn't crush them—passive, forced to defend and strike.
Prolonged clash—stalemate. Against two, he couldn't dominate like one-on-one.
Focusing one opened him to the other…
But Wang Ying and Ming Ngo thought differently…
Quick victory! Both decided. Against Lan An—probe not, overwhelm fast.
Prolonged fight—disadvantage. His spirit force inexhaustible…
"No issue!" Wang Ying roared.
"My thoughts exactly!" Lan An laughed. Tired of deadlock—decide in a flash.
Tacit understanding—they separated…
Lan An faced them side-by-side…
He admired their strength—either could match Ba Li Jiao Huang…
Wang Ying: powerful, flexible, ice excellent defense…
Ming Ngo: unpredictable, control, attack, defense—likely hiding cards.
One-on-one—victory certain. Two—troublesome. Unless Soul Cultivation…
Not yet needed.
One ultimate move—decide winner! All thought simultaneously…
Ming Ngo initiated.
He spat essence blood onto the Dark Spirit Brush, face paling, writing:
"KILL BREAK WOLF!"
Characters formed—wolf howls echoed…
Darkness shaped a pitch-black Kill Break Wolf—ferocious, killing intent tangible. Shock: aura surpassed Perfected Void Refining…
Half-Step Body Integration!
It suppressed Lan An's beasts. Cost: pure essence blood—Ming Ngo weakened long-term.
Wang Ying inhaled. From storage ring—a jade token. Released: massive seven-colored ice lotus phantom. Temperature plummeted thousands of li—snow danced…
Seven-hued lotus—stunning—condensed into Wang Ying's arm. His face twisted in pain—power overwhelming…
"Strange Ice!" Lan An's eyes narrowed.
The lotus—heavenly anomaly, a Strange Ice.
"Seven-Colored Lotus Ice, Heavenly Mountain Lord's famed Strange Ice! Pseudo-creates seven attributes—amplifies attack immensely…" Su Yan transmitted.
Lan An nodded. Strange Ice—never underestimate. Pseudo-attributes, but power immense.
Crowd buzzed. Wang Ying's sister sealed part of the Strange Ice for emergencies…
Lan An grew solemn. Hands stacked—an energy sphere formed. Dantian: All five Great Cauldrons roared…
Absolute dominance!