Don't be fooled by his middle-aged appearance—You Mo, having cultivated to Peak True Immortal, was in truth an ancient monster who had lived nearly ten thousand years. He had experienced countless vicissitudes of life before finally pledging himself to his master's banner…
And that master was no ordinary figure either. You Mo's breadth of knowledge was formidable; many things that would terrify cultivators of his level meant nothing to him.
Yet right now, witnessing the state of the young man before him, You Mo felt his mind short-circuiting. Everything seemed like an illusion—unreal, dreamlike…
He would swear on his life that not only himself—even if his master were personally present, he too would be struck dumb with terror, eyes bulging in disbelief…
The secret art of the Heavenly Emperor combined with the innate power of the True Dragon Race, all appearing on a single youth—what could possibly be more horrifying?
Both of these were heaven-defying existences that could make the entire Immortal Realm drool with envy. True Dragon bloodline was the supreme treasure coveted by nearly all demon races, while the Heavenly Emperor Transformation was the ultimate secret art that countless powerhouses could only dream of obtaining…
Moreover, from what You Mo knew, the Heavenly Court and the Dragon Race had never been on particularly good terms. So how could the supreme powers of both now converge on one person like this?
It had to be said—You Mo's knowledge truly surpassed that of ordinary men. He immediately realized that Lan An was not a pure-blooded member of the Dragon Race, but a human who had somehow acquired True Dragon bloodline…
Yet precisely because he understood the terror emanating from Lan An, true fear finally gripped him. Countless possibilities raced through his mind:
"Could this boy have inherited legacies from both the Dragon Race and the Heavenly Emperor? Impossible—the Heavenly Emperor is still alive; why would he leave behind a legacy? And the Dragon Race is even less likely—with their arrogant nature, how could they possibly bestow their bloodline upon a mere human?"
"Could he be the illegitimate child of the Heavenly Emperor and some Dragon Matriarch?"
"Or perhaps he is the disciple of some other heaven-defying supreme being—one so powerful that both the Heavenly Court and Dragon Race had no choice but to yield their treasures to him? Is he now merely experiencing mortal life, wandering the lower realms in disguise, while his true identity is earth-shaking?"
"Or… have the Heavenly Court and Dragon Race secretly formed an alliance? Is this youth their jointly nurtured genius, secretly raised in the lower realms, only to have accidentally stumbled into my master's trap?"
In an instant, countless terrifying scenarios flashed through You Mo's mind. His face turned deathly pale; cold sweat drenched his body; his breathing grew ragged…
Any one of those possibilities meant the person before him was someone he absolutely could not afford to offend. Whether it involved the Dragon Race or the Heavenly Court, either one could reduce both him and his master to ashes with a mere flick of the finger…
In that moment, all of You Mo's earlier arrogance vanished. He became as docile as a kitten. Clasping his hands respectfully, he spoke with utmost courtesy:
"May I ask why Young Master has appeared in these lowly worlds? Truly, it is beneath your esteemed status!"
Lan An's face froze in complete bewilderment. What the hell?
But he quickly snapped out of it. A wicked grin spread inside—he had somehow become the perfect example of "a fox borrowing the tiger's might."
Maintaining an outward air of calm superiority, Lan An clasped his hands behind his back, exuding an extraordinary bearing, and let out a cold snort:
"Hmph. So you've finally recognized the background behind this Young Master and started to feel fear?"
You Mo's heart jolted. He inwardly cried: As expected—I was right! This person absolutely has connections to both the Dragon Race and the Heavenly Court. He cannot be offended—absolutely cannot!
No wonder the boy had entered the trap without the slightest trace of fear, instead calmly analyzing and assessing the entire situation with terrifying insight. Turns out he was no ordinary person to begin with—his backing was heaven-defying!
Thinking of this, You Mo nearly wept without tears. His attitude underwent a complete one-eighty. Clasping his hands reverently, he spoke:
"Young Master, please be magnanimous and spare this lowly one! Consider this matter never happened! I will personally escort Young Master away safely… and offer compensation in treasures…"
He believed that with Lan An's "terrifying identity," if he so much as harmed a single hair on the boy's head, a supreme expert from either the Dragon Race or Heavenly Court would sense it instantly. The consequences would be unimaginable.
"Hm? Aren't you afraid I'll spread word of this place?" Lan An asked with a profound, meaningful smile.
"Haha, with Young Master's status, surely you would never stoop to such actions!" You Mo fawned obsequiously. Inwardly, however, he was already plotting: The moment you leave, I'll immediately contact Master to relocate the base. No traces will remain. Though troublesome, it's far better than offending the two monstrous forces standing behind you.
"Flattery isn't bad. But if the world forgave every mistake so easily after a simple apology, what would be the point of all the slaughter in the cultivation world?" Lan An's expression darkened. He spoke coldly as the True Dragon phantom above his head bared its fangs and claws, radiating terrifying might.
"As expected!" You Mo laughed bitterly inside. If someone backed by two such ferocious powers as the Dragon Race and Heavenly Court accepted reconciliation so easily, that would be the truly strange thing. It would only make him more suspicious.
On the contrary, Lan An's domineering, no-one-matters attitude indirectly made his fabricated identity feel all the more authentic…
"Young Master, just state your demands! As long as you spare You Mo's life… otherwise, I may be forced to do something regrettable…" Though You Mo's words were humble, a trace of hardness lingered—he was testing Lan An's limits.
"Haha—threatening me?" Lan An sneered. Without another word, a True Dragon Claw wreathed in rolling Emperor Flame slammed down…
Seeing Lan An attack in genuine fury, You Mo became even more convinced of the boy's identity. Only someone backed by terrifying existences would dare attack a Peak True Immortal with mere Fusion Realm cultivation—and with such horrifying power, no less…
Frost Profound Body! You Mo shouted softly.
His flesh and body rapidly crystallized into translucent, glittering ice—radiant to the extreme. His defensive power skyrocketed countless times over.
Facing Lan An's assault, he didn't dare counterattack—only passively defend.
BOOM…
The True Dragon Claw smashed into Frost Profound Body. Like dragon talons clashing against ten-thousand-year eternal ice, You Mo was forced back dozens of steps. A tiny crack appeared on his icy form.
"Hmph. This Young Master happens to want a proper fight with a Peak True Immortal. Aren't you going to get serious?" Lan An pretended to be impatient, his arrogance on full display…
As Frost Profound Body dissipated, You Mo inwardly classified Lan An as someone tied to the Dragon Race. That earlier True Dragon Claw had been far too powerful—it had directly consumed a portion of his Ice-element Immortal Power just to defend…
Lan An's performance only made his fabricated identity seem more credible. If any other Fusion Realm cultivator dared demand a duel with a Peak True Immortal, You Mo might have simply dismissed them as brain-dead and slapped them flat.
But someone connected to those two monstrous forces? You Mo refused to believe he had no life-saving trump cards. One careless mistake and You Mo himself would become the victim—dying unjustly.
Thus, You Mo made his decision. Clasping his hands humbly, he forced an apologetic smile:
"This lowly one dares not raise a hand against Young Master. I only beg to know what I must do to earn your forgiveness. With your magnanimous status, surely you will not hold a grudge against someone as insignificant as me!"
Lan An's eyes flickered as though weighing whether to spare the man's life. Under You Mo's anxious, uneasy gaze, he finally spoke with feigned irritation:
"Since you've shown such sincerity, this Young Master will not be petty. However—this matter involves my secret identity. You cannot be allowed to leak it. To ensure your silence… hand over your Soul Origin Essence. Do that, and I'll spare your life!"
You Mo let out a long sigh and shook his head regretfully:
"My Soul Origin Essence has already been taken by Master. I no longer possess it to offer Young Master… my deepest apologies!"
"As for keeping Young Master's identity secret…"
Before Lan An could respond, You Mo fawningly condensed power into both palms and slammed them viciously downward toward the crowd of victims below…
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The might of a Peak True Immortal was indescribable. The victims didn't even have time to scream before they were completely pulverized.
Since he had decided to keep the secret, he had to be ruthless—wipe out anyone who had overheard their conversation. Hopefully, this would satisfy Lan An!
"Very well. Self-sever your arms, and this Young Master will pretend none of this ever happened!" Lan An nodded in apparent satisfaction, looking down at You Mo from on high with an attitude that brooked no refusal.
"My arms…?" A flicker of hesitation flashed through You Mo's heart. Though cultivators like them could eventually regenerate lost limbs, regrowing the arms of a Peak True Immortal came at an enormous cost. For a moment, he was reluctant.
"Die!" Lan An pretended to lose patience. Two more True Dragon Claws slammed down.
"Fine—I'll do it!" You Mo cried out in panic, compromising at once. Losing his arms was still far better than death.
With a thought—
BOOM! BOOM!
Two explosive sounds rang out. You Mo's arms detonated in a blaze of light—bones and all, nothing remained.
Even Lan An was slightly stunned. He hadn't expected the man to actually obey. With nothing more than an unproven connection to the Heavenly Court and Dragon Race, his status had become so terrifying that a single sentence could decide the fate of a Peak True Immortal.
A trace of exhilaration rose in his chest…
"Young Master, don't forget—you're still under the effect of being a Child of Destiny. A large part of why he's so obedient is due to the invisible pressure unconsciously exerted by a Child of Destiny," Jin'er immediately chimed in, taking credit.
One vial of Destiny Holy Water was no ordinary item…
"Alright, alright—I admit defeat," Lan An chuckled at the smug little girl.
Only then did Jin'er stick out her tongue in proud delight before obediently settling back onto his shoulder.
"Young Master… are you satisfied now?" You Mo used Ice-element Immortal Power to cover his severed shoulders. His voice carried pain, yet was filled with resignation.
"Satisfied. Very satisfied…" Lan An nodded. He stepped forward and patted You Mo's shoulder as though in praise.
"Thank you for the encouragement, Young Master… May I ask what exactly your position is within the Dragon Race and Heavenly Court…?" Despite everything, You Mo still forced a smile, trying one last time to glean some hint of Lan An's true identity.
The corners of Lan An's mouth curved into a smile. Then, abruptly, his expression turned sharp and cold as he barked:
"But you still have to die!"
Dragon Subduing Eighteenth Palm – Fourth Palm: Twin Dragon Palm!
A heaven-shaking dragon roar erupted. Reverse Dragon Power surged wildly, bursting from his body and rapidly condensing into two majestic, awe-inspiring Reverse Dragons—bristling with murderous intent. Without another word, they shot forward…
As they flew, the countless strands of Immortal Qi lingering in the space suddenly seemed summoned. They joyfully rushed toward Lan An, pouring into his body. Through the Dragon Force Cauldron, they were converted into True Dragon Power—once again boosting the might of Twin Dragon Palm to new heights…
"Jin'er—what's happening?" Lan An was slightly startled. He hadn't expected Immortal Qi to suddenly assist him. Could it be…?
"Correct. As a Child of Destiny… even spiritual qi, immortal qi, or any other form of energy will instinctively develop goodwill toward you—proactively aiding you in battle against your enemies!" Jin'er nodded vigorously.
ROOOAR! ROOOAR!
The two Reverse Dragon phantoms roared at maximum volume. Their amplified power made them seem stimulated beyond reason as they charged straight at You Mo.
"You despicable scum!" You Mo's face turned hideous with rage. He had just obeyed Lan An and crippled his own arms—needing time to recover—only to be ambushed now. How could he not be furious?
Unfortunately, fury was useless. The influence of a Child of Destiny was simply too overwhelming. From start to finish, Lan An held every advantage—complete domination.
The two Reverse Dragons lived up to the name Twin Dragon Palm. They brutally pierced straight through You Mo's body—one from the front, one from the back.
PUFF…
"What… what kind of power is this? Even more terrifying than the True Dragon Power from earlier…?" You Mo sprayed mouthfuls of blood. His internal organs were shredded; his already grave injuries worsened catastrophically.
Twin Dragon Palm—the fourth palm of the Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms—possessed power comparable to peak Ethereal Grade. Even a Peak True Immortal like You Mo in perfect condition would only have half a life left after taking it head-on. How much worse now, after losing both arms?
Bearing Reverse Dragon bloodline, Lan An's way of handling enemies had taken on a certain unorthodox edge.
Against foes, he would use any means necessary. After all—if the enemy didn't die, then he would. There was no need for so-called righteous, gentlemanly conduct…
"No matter what identity this boy truly has—I must inform Master first!" You Mo resolved inwardly. A jade token suddenly appeared before him.
With both arms gone, he moved to bite down on it with his mouth, intending to shatter it.
But in that instant, the surrounding space inexplicably tightened around You Mo—becoming viscous like a swamp, slowing his movements to a crawl.
Seizing the opportunity, Lan An snatched the jade token and stored it in his spatial ring—cutting off You Mo's last avenue of retreat.
"What just happened?!" You Mo howled in shock and fury. Why was the space inexplicably hindering him? The injustice burned to the extreme…
Now truly in despair, You Mo knew escape was impossible. His face turned ashen as death…
"Child of Destiny…" Lan An murmured the four words with grave solemnity. Just now, it had clearly been the void itself helping him.
The deeper he understood the abilities of a Child of Destiny, the more he realized just how terrifying—and nearly indescribable—it truly was.
Seemingly trivial things, under the influence of a Child of Destiny, could bizarrely alter the entire situation…
"I've only been a Child of Destiny for a short time and already hold such overwhelming advantages… Just how horrifying are true, permanent Children of Destiny? If I ever offend one of them in the future…" Lan An drew a deep breath, forcing down the distant worry in his heart.
His gaze shifted downward to You Mo, now sitting miserably on the ground. A True Dragon Claw reached out mercilessly toward the top of the man's head.