A ferocious grin appeared on his face.
"Pavilion Master, are you ready?"
He asked coldly, hoping to see her panicked reaction, but she just ignored him as though he was insignificant.
"…let's see if your wood techniques can still suppress me."
Seeing her treat him like air, Zhao Chen snorted coldly and spoke. Then he turned around to his other two brothers, who had stepped back at some point.
"Begin."
They nodded, then began to order the army.
"Form the Zhao family Blood Burning Array Formation! Assist the Second Elder to slay the enemy!"
"Receive the order!" the hundred Zhao army echoed together, sounding like thunder from the nine heavens. Then they hurriedly sat in a big circle, with the fourth and fifth elders in the center.
They all pinched hand seals, and a massive amount of Qi surged. The temperature around rose quickly like a comet. The land around the area began to condense into magma like a volcano.
Everyone quickly ran their cultivation to resist. Fortunately, everyone still daring to observe the situation had some kind of cultivation; otherwise, scenes of people instantly bursting into flames would have become commonplace.
The elders in the middle of the circle quickly pinched the hand seal in reverse, drawing all the fire energy back.
The massive fire Qi of the entire army swirled around him like a raging inferno.
And if one looked closely, they would observe that the bodies of the army began to shrink, although slowly. But it was just that everyone present's cultivation was too low to observe this.
High above the battlefield, the Pavilion Master watched calmly and observed this.
Her eyes behind the veil shone with quiet amusement.
The pillar of blazing fire surged into Zhao Chen like a raging river.
His previously weakened aura suddenly rose again.
The scorching flames surrounding him expanded wildly, twisting through the sky like a furious inferno dragon.
BOOM!
The pressure radiating from his body rapidly climbed until it nearly reached the level of a high-stage Grandmaster.
The ground below trembled under the heat.
Many spectators retreated in fear.
"His aura… it increased again!"
"The Zhao family formation is actually this powerful?!"
Even the Lin family elders looked shocked.
High in the air, Zhao Chen slowly straightened his back. Although blood still stained the corner of his lips, his expression had regained its arrogance.
Flames swirled violently around him, forming a blazing armor of fire.
"Hahaha!"
He laughed loudly, his voice echoing across the courtyard.
"Pavilion Master, your strength is indeed impressive."
"But with the support of my Zhao family army… do you really think you can still suppress me so easily?"
Behind him, the Zhao family soldiers maintained the massive formation. Waves of fiery Qi continuously flowed into Zhao Chen, strengthening him further.
The Pavilion Master simply watched quietly.
Her crimson dress fluttered gently in the wind.
Those beautiful eyes behind the veil remained calm.
"Finished boasting?" she asked lazily.
Her tone carried faint amusement.
Zhao Chen's face twitched slightly.
"Humph!"
Without another word, he suddenly moved.
WHOOSH!
His body turned into a streak of blazing fire that shot forward like a meteor.
"Burning Heaven Fist!"
A massive flaming fist condensed in the sky, radiating terrifying heat as it smashed toward the Pavilion Master.
The surrounding air distorted from the intense flames.
Below, the spectators gasped.
"That attack is terrifying!"
"Even a peak Grandmaster would have to dodge!"
But the Pavilion Master did not dodge.
Instead, she gently lifted her hand.
Her slender fingers moved gracefully.
"Verdant Domain."
WHOOM!
Endless green light suddenly spread across the sky.
From that light, countless emerald vines erupted once more.
But this time—
They were far thicker and far denser than before.
They spread outward like a gigantic forest blooming in the heavens.
The flaming fist crashed into the sea of vines.
BOOOOM!
Fire exploded everywhere.
The blazing flames devoured dozens of vines instantly.
But the vines kept growing.
They regenerated faster than the flames could burn them.
Within seconds, Zhao Chen's attack was swallowed completely by the endless forest of emerald energy.
"What?!"
His eyes widened in disbelief.
Before he could react—
The vines suddenly tightened.
CRACK!
They wrapped around Zhao Chen from every direction like chains.
"ARGH!"
His flames struggled violently, burning many vines apart.
But more immediately replaced them.
The battle in the sky became intense.
Fire clashed against wood again and again.
Explosions echoed continuously.
From afar, the two forces looked like a blazing sun fighting against a growing forest.
For several breaths, the battle seemed evenly matched.
Yet gradually—
Zhao Chen's flames began to weaken.
The Pavilion Master stood calmly in the air, barely moving.
Her fingers controlled the entire battlefield like a puppeteer.
Every movement of Zhao Chen was predicted and suppressed by the endless vines.
Finally—
BANG!
A massive vine slammed into Zhao Chen's chest.
"PUH!"
He spat out a mouthful of blood as his body was sent crashing backward.
The flames around him shattered instantly.
His body slammed heavily into the air barrier created by the formation before barely stabilizing himself.
Silence fell across the courtyard.
Everyone stared in shock.
Even with the support of the entire Zhao family formation—
Zhao Chen was still completely suppressed.
Lin Mu's eyes widened.
"Incredible…"
Even he had underestimated the Pavilion Master's strength.
Lin Hai, who had been watching silently, also showed a trace of disbelief.
"This woman… she is far stronger than her cultivation suggests."
Lin Feng himself was equally stunned.
He had originally thought Zhao Chen's boosted strength would at least force a difficult battle.
But now he realized—
The Pavilion Master had not been serious from the beginning.
She was crushing Zhao Chen effortlessly.
High in the sky, Zhao Chen struggled to breathe.
Blood dripped from his mouth as he glared at her with hatred.
Yet despite his injuries—
He still forced out a cold laugh.
"Hahaha… Pavilion Master."
"Your strength is impressive."
"But if you dare to kill us today…"
His eyes turned vicious.
"…our Clan Leader will never let you go."
The Pavilion Master tilted her head slightly.
"What can a small Zhao family do to me?"
Her voice was calm, almost bored.
Those simple words instantly made Zhao Chen's face darken.
But he soon sneered again.
"Yes… I admit the Zhao family is weak."
His voice grew colder.
"But the master we serve comes from a profound background."
"He is not someone even your Martial Pavilion would dare offend."
The moment those words left his mouth—
Lin Feng's eyes flickered.
A sharp light flashed deep within them.
Inside his mind, a thought immediately formed.
'Sure enough… the Zhao family really does have a backer.'
'And judging from Zhao Chen's confidence… it seems that backer is definitely not ordinary.'
The moment Zhao Chen finished speaking, the entire courtyard fell silent.
The spectators looked at each other nervously.
Even the Lin family elders felt their hearts tighten.
A powerful backer behind the Zhao family?
That revelation alone was enough to make many people's expressions change.
High above the courtyard, the Pavilion Master remained motionless.
The emerald vines surrounding the sky slowly swayed like a living forest under her control.
For a few breaths—
She said nothing.
Then suddenly—
She laughed.
A soft, melodious laugh rang out, clear and beautiful like silver bells.
"Haha…"
Her shoulders trembled slightly as if she had just heard something extremely amusing.
Below, Zhao Chen's face darkened.
"What is so funny?" he demanded coldly.
The Pavilion Master slowly raised her hand, brushing a strand of black hair behind her ear.
Her beautiful eyes behind the crimson veil looked down at him with faint amusement.
"Elder Zhao… you misunderstand something."
Her voice was calm.
"Your Zhao family having a backer… what does that have to do with me?"
The entire courtyard went silent again.
Zhao Chen's pupils shrank slightly.
She continued lazily.
"If your backer wishes to find trouble with me…"
She paused.
Then her eyes curved slightly.
"…they are welcome to come to the Martial Pavilion."
Her tone carried neither fear nor hostility.
It was simply confidence.
Absolute confidence.
It was as if the so-called backer Zhao Chen spoke of was nothing worth worrying about.
Many spectators felt their scalps go numb.
Even Zhao Chen's expression stiffened.
He could clearly hear it in her voice—
She truly did not care.
The Pavilion Master slowly lowered her hand.
The countless emerald vines filling the sky gradually dissolved into particles of green light.
The terrifying pressure that had been suffocating the entire courtyard slowly faded.
"I did not come here to massacre the Zhao family," she said calmly.
Her eyes glanced briefly toward Lin Feng.
"I only dislike people bullying juniors in front of me."
She then looked back at Zhao Chen.
"So today… I will spare your lives."
Her words were light.
Yet no one felt that she was being merciful.
Instead—
It felt as though she simply couldn't be bothered to finish them.
Zhao Chen clenched his fists.
Humiliation burned in his chest.
But after witnessing her terrifying strength, he no longer dared to attack again.
After several moments, he slowly took a deep breath.
Then he turned toward the Zhao family army below.
"Zhao family troops!"
His voice echoed across the courtyard.
"Withdraw!"