The golden light in the mist grew sharper until the rival's flying ship broke through the darkness. The vessel was larger than before, its runes glowing with steady power. The rival stood at the front of the deck, cold eyes fixed on Wei Chen and the group below. Several stronger subordinates stood behind him, their auras clearly a step above the ones the group had already fought.
"You move quickly," the rival said, his voice carrying across the gap between the ship and the floating platforms. "But the fragment ahead belongs to me. Hand over what you have already taken, and I may allow your women to live as servants."
Wei Chen looked up at him without any change in expression. "Come down and take it if you can."
The rival's mouth tightened. He raised one hand. The stronger subordinates jumped from the ship at once, landing on the platforms with heavy impacts. The fight began without further words.
Tigress Yu and Zhao Yin met the first two head-on, their movements fast and coordinated. Huo Yan mixed her flames with the ice from Lan Qing and Mei Yun, creating sharp bursts of steam and heat that forced two of the stronger opponents to defend. The disciples spread into supporting pairs, using short boosts from the harmony scripture to create openings and land clean hits wherever they could.
Wei Chen stayed mobile in the center. He deflected a heavy strike with his fan, finished one opponent who broke toward the outer disciples with a focused burst of Yang energy, then stepped back and let the others continue the work. The group was stronger than the last time the rival had appeared. The difference was clear.
The fighting stretched across several platforms. The rival watched from the ship for a time, then finally stepped down himself. His presence pressed against the group at once — heavier, more refined, and carrying the clear weight of a higher realm.
The direct clash between Wei Chen and the rival began in the open space between the main groups. Their first exchange of power cracked the platform under their feet. Wei Chen used speed and his fan to avoid the heavier strikes, answering with precise bursts of Nine-Suns energy that forced the rival to defend. The rival was stronger in raw power, but Wei Chen was faster and more adaptable.
While the two of them traded blows, the rest of the group continued their own fights. Tigress Yu took a glancing hit that left a thin cut across her shoulder but kept moving. Zhao Yin's shadows wrapped around one opponent's legs long enough for a main disciple to finish him. The ice-flame combination from Huo Yan and the ice queens created several clear openings that the disciples used well.
During a short stretch where the rival was forced to defend against a strong burst from Wei Chen, the main fighting on the platforms slowed just enough for a brief recovery. Wei Chen did not waste the moment. He moved to Tigress Yu's side, checked the cut on her shoulder, then slid his hand between her legs and rubbed her firmly while speaking in a low voice.
"Still standing," he said. "Your body is holding."
She gave a short breath and pressed against his hand for a few seconds before returning to the fight.
A little later, while the disciples pushed back another wave of the rival's subordinates, Wei Chen pulled Zhao Yin behind a broken section of stone. He guided her down, pushed into her mouth, and moved with steady control while the sounds of battle continued nearby. She took him quietly until he pulled back and let her return to the fight.
The rival grew more aggressive. His next series of attacks forced Wei Chen to give ground for a moment. The platform under them cracked further. Huo Yan and the ice queens answered by launching a strong combined blast at one of the rival's remaining stronger subordinates, creating enough of a distraction for Wei Chen to regain position.
In a brief lull that followed, Wei Chen found Lan Qing catching her breath. He dropped lower, parted her legs, and licked her with focused pressure until her thighs tensed and she came with a soft, controlled sound. He stood, wiped his mouth, and sent her back into position.
Mei Yun received attention while she prepared another cast. He stood behind her, cupped her breasts, and moved his thumbs across her nipples as he spoke close to her ear.
"Keep the mix steady. You're doing well."
She nodded, a light flush on her face, and continued.
The fight continued to escalate. Wei Chen and the rival exchanged heavier blows. The disciples and queens slowly cleared the remaining subordinates. Tigress Yu and Zhao Yin finished two more. The ice-flame combination cracked the defense of the last stronger opponent, allowing a main disciple to land the finishing strike.
With his subordinates falling, the rival's expression darkened. He gathered a much larger amount of golden energy in his hands, the pressure around him rising sharply.
Wei Chen felt the shift and prepared to answer it. At the same time, the inheritance crystal in his hand pulsed hard. The next major fragment was close — close enough that the energy of the fight was beginning to affect it.
The rival's gathered attack built higher. The golden light around him intensified.
Wei Chen glanced once toward the path that led to the fragment, then back at the rival.
"You're not the only one who came here for it," he said.
The rival's eyes narrowed. The golden energy in his hands reached its peak.
The two of them prepared to clash at full strength as the deeper sealed area around them began to react to the rising power.
To be Continued
© Kishtika., 2026
All rights reserved.
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Next Chapter: 162 - Full Clash
The direct confrontation between Wei Chen and the rival reaches its peak while the next major legacy fragment begins to react to their power.