Chapter 141: Dominated the Rankings

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"The Sacred Lotus Academy's schemes run deep. By thrusting fifty names into the storm's eye, only time will reveal whether they're jade or mere stone…" Lan An studied the Token in his hand, smiling at Su Mei.

Su Mei brushed a silken lock, her eyes misty, pouting, "I'm holding you back. Otherwise, you'd not trail Bing Ao or Wang Ba…"

Lan An glared, chiding, "Foolish talk! Are you still formal with me? Want a spank?"

Su Mei stuck out her tongue, her charm boundless, but she didn't retort.

"Come, let's find Ruo Xue and the others!" Lan An, wasting no time, grasped her hand and soared off.

Worry gnawed at him. He knew his women's strengths better than anyone. They hadn't yet mastered the techniques he'd given them. If swarmed by cultivators, they'd struggle to prevail.

Especially those elite prodigies outside the top 15, likely targeting them for their Tokens.

A day later, Lan An hadn't found any of his women. Instead, two youths blocked his path.

"Sent by Luo Yu, are you?" Lan An's eyes glinted, a smirk forming.

"Hmph, you're not worthy of the Young Master's personal strike!" one sneered disdainfully.

"Top three by fluke? No matter your tricks, we'll clean house for the Young Master!" the other growled, murderous intent flaring.

"Luo Clan men? What's your intent?" Su Mei, recognizing them, shouted.

Her heart stirred with shock. She hadn't known Lan An had a feud with the Luo Clan.

"Stay back, let me handle this. Just ensure neither escapes!" Lan An pulled Su Mei behind him, his tone grave.

"Arrogant!" The Luo Clan youths fumed. This former "trash" dared challenge them both.

As prodigies granted Sacred Lotus Academy entry, they were no weaklings. One was Luo Xing, son of the Third Elder; the other, Luo Xin, son of the Fourth Elder.

Both were standout talents in the Luo Clan.

Their Tokens blazed brilliantly, proof they'd also cracked the top 50.

Thus, Luo Xing and Luo Xin brimmed with confidence. Yet, they weren't fools. Despite their outward scorn, they didn't underestimate Lan An.

His third rank wasn't trivial. Their mission, primarily, was to probe Lan An's strength and report to Luo Yu.

They figured, even if they couldn't defeat him, escaping was feasible.

Four Tokens gathered, their beams piercing the sky, drawing eyes. Curious cultivators sped toward the spectacle.

First to arrive were Yan Hong Lian and Bai Su Mei.

Bound to Lan An by contract, Bai Su Mei sensed him nearby, dragging Yan Hong Lian along.

Seeing two Luo Clan prodigies provoke Lan An, the women's fury ignited, ready to intervene.

"Hold!" Su Mei swiftly blocked them.

"Who are you?" Bai Su Mei snapped.

"Great Saintess Su Mei. Seems you've been with my husband lately?" Yan Hong Lian teased, her gaze probing.

Su Mei bit her lip, feeling like a mistress caught by the wife an odd sensation. Recalling Lan An's orders, she nodded, "Lan An said to let him handle it. We just keep them from fleeing!"

Yan Hong Lian eyed Lan An's poised figure, took a deep breath, and nodded to Bai Su Mei, urging compliance.

She knew Lan An's grudge with the Luo Clan intimately, respecting his choice.

The three women stood together, observing the sky's clash.

"Oh? This guy's tangling with the Luo Clan how amusing!" Behind a boulder, Fei Du Ji crouched, grinning wickedly at Lan An.

"Boss, should we snag some gains?" Nearby, Xue Qian eyed the skirmish, asking Blood Spirit Sect's Great Saint Son.

The Second Brother perked his ears, awaiting orders.

"I know you're itching for revenge, but three women guard the sidelines, and they're no pushovers. Hold still!" the Great Saint Son rumbled, his face still ferocious.

Seeing his brothers' reluctance, he added, "Besides, Xue Zi hasn't arrived. Don't rush!"

At Xue Zi's name, the duo shuddered, goosebumps rising.

Half a year ago, a ruthless youth emerged in the Blood Spirit Sect, his strength terrifying, his methods hellish.

This youth, secretly groomed by the Sect Master, was dubbed Xue Zi.

His arrival demoted the three Saint Sons a rank.

Unconvinced, they schemed against Xue Zi, only to be crushed. Tortured brutally for seven days and nights, they now feared him utterly.

Xue Zi, ranked ninth in the top 50, was sure to appear soon.

Though Fei Du Ji and the Blood Spirit Sect trio hid, their glowing Tokens betrayed them. More cultivators, banded in teams, flocked to the scene.

Lan An ignored them. Spotting Hong Lian and Su Mei, he smiled, casting a reassuring glance.

"Daring to be distracted? Courting death!" Luo Xing and Luo Xin, enraged by Lan An's nonchalance, roared.

"Ice Burst Spheres!"

Two icy attack orbs swiftly formed, hurtling toward Lan An.

Lan An yawned lazily, letting them strike.

"Explode!"

Luo Xing bellowed.

Boom, boom, boom…

The spheres detonated, yet Lan An stood unscathed, not a hair disturbed.

"What?" The crowd gasped.

Luo Xing and Luo Xin exchanged stunned looks.

"Probing me with Mysterious-Grade skills? Are all Luo Clan prodigies as dim as you?" Lan An scoffed.

A Fourth-Turn Body Cultivator, his physique was unyielding. Their Mid Mysterious-Grade skills were mere tickles.

"Mock us? Face the consequences!" Luo Xing and Luo Xin growled, the air chilling to the extreme.

Before countless eyes, deep blue Mysterious Ice Spirit Power enveloped them, darker and colder than ordinary ice.

"Mysterious Ice!"

Knowledgeable onlookers murmured, their gazes sharpening.

Mysterious Ice, akin to Mysterious Water or Blazing Fire, was a superior Spirit Power.

Their mastery of it marked exceptional talent.

"Ice Mountain Fist!" Luo Xin roared, his fist cloaked in Mysterious Ice.

"Ice Mountain Kick!" Luo Xing echoed, his foot empowered similarly.

Ice Mountain Fist and Kick, renowned Earth-Grade close-combat skills of the Luo Clan, carried the might of glacial peaks, ferociously potent.

Both charged Lan An, one with fists, the other with kicks, aiming for melee.

Lan An remained calm. Pierce Weakness activated, dissecting their movements.

"Wood Form Fist, Water Hong Kick!"

He spoke softly, his fist imbued with Wood Spirit Power, his foot with Water.

Facing the Luo Clan's fierce assault, he advanced, meeting force with force.

Boom, boom, boom…

Fist clashed with fist, kick with kick.

Spectators admired Lan An's one-against-two valor, but the next scene shocked them.

His Fourth-Turn Body Cultivation surged, amplifying his strikes.

Crack, crack, crack…

Luo Xin and Luo Xing were forced back. Lan An's attacks exploited minute flaws, targeting lethal weak points.

Ice Mountain Fist crumbled under Wood Form Fist. Each clash saw Variant Wood devour much of the foe's power.

Ice Mountain Kick faltered against Water Hong Kick. Before the ocean's wrath, even glaciers sank, reduced to desperate defense against a tidal onslaught.

Three figures collided brutally mid-air, the sound of flesh striking flesh exhilarating.

Lan An fought with growing fervor, his eyes blazing with battle lust.

Luo Xin and Luo Xing suffered. Each clash pained their limbs, Lan An's strikes to their weak points dizzied them, foam frothing at their mouths.

Unable to endure Lan An's terrifying pressure, they were hurled back like sacks.

Lan An sneered. Against Luo Clan foes, he showed no mercy. Stepping with Phantom Charm Wander Step, he pursued.

As he neared, a voice disrupted his assault.

"Blazing Fire Palm!"

A fierce palm strike roared toward Lan An.

He paused, dodging with Speed Shift.

Frowning, he glanced toward the source: two youths in fiery red robes approached.

The attacker was one of them.

"Yan Yang, Yan Ri! Courting death?!" Yan Hong Lian shrieked, fury erupting, appearing beside Lan An, glaring at the newcomers.

She'd never dreamed her clan's prodigies would strike her man.

"Young Miss, we're of the same clan, but this is the trial. All's fair you can't blame us!" Yan Ri shrugged, a venomous glint aimed at Lan An.

"No excuse! Harm my man, and you die!" Yan Hong Lian's rage peaked, her crimson hair flaring, heedless of clan ties.

Lan An, caught off-guard, hadn't expected Yan Clan trouble. Respecting his three Yan women, he let Hong Lian handle it, avoiding direct conflict.

"Blazing Fire Palm!" Yan Hong Lian roared, her domineering palm shattering the air.

"Don't blame me, Miss!" Yan Ri sneered, countering with his own palm.

Yan Yang, seizing the chance, lunged at Lan An.

Yan Hong Lian's phoenix eyes blazed, fury surging.

Purple flames erupted from her, a regal fire goddess reborn.

To Yan Yang, she bellowed, "Purple Heart Palm!"

Yan Yang nearly collapsed, gasping, "Variant Fire? Impossible!"

Yan Ri, equally shocked, rushed to aid Yan Yang.

Yan Yue Qi had tightly sealed news of Hong Lian's Variant Fire; only a few in the Yan Clan knew.

Unaware, Yan Yang and Yan Ri were stunned by her full might.

Before the oppressive Purple Heart Palm, their Blazing Fire withered, utterly outmatched, like cats facing a tiger.

Meanwhile, Lan An resumed his hunt for the Luo Clan duo.

"Luo Moon Ice Palm!"

Luo Xing and Luo Xin, rising, gritted their teeth, unleashing Heaven-Grade skills.

Two colossal ice palm imprints formed, as if to pluck the moon, chilling the sky and frosting the earth.

Exchanging glances, they struck with full force.

Lan An faced the terrifying palms unfazed.

He raised an arm skyward.

His hand surged with Variant Fire, condensing into a massive palm that seemed to shroud heaven and devour the sun.

Softly, he uttered, "Star-Plucking Hand!"

The words fell, and the colossal fire palm surged, as if seizing stars and crushing spirits.

Star-Plucking Hand shattered the duo's formidable imprints.

The heavens quaked, the clash of Heaven-Grade palms unleashing cataclysmic shockwaves.

Star-Plucking Hand, a High Heaven-Grade skill, purchased alongside Piercing Star Finger.

Its might undiminished, it lunged at Luo Xing and Luo Xin, as if to crush ants.

As death loomed, a familiar aura sparked joy in them.

From afar, another Luo Clan prodigy, Luo Chang, sped to their rescue.

Ding, Charm Smile City Born

A pipa's melody echoed, ensnaring Luo Chang's mind. He shook it off, glaring at Su Mei, but pressed toward Luo Xin.

"Twin Swords Unite!"

A sword shadow tore the void, brimming with destruction, slashing before Luo Chang.

Bai Su Mei stared coldly.

Luo Chang's face paled, retreating, countering desperately.

Star-Plucking Hand descended, poised to crush Luo Xing and Luo Xin.

Seeing Luo Chang blocked, their blood drained, they flung their Tokens.

A mystic force teleported them from the Secret Realm.

They preserved their lives but forfeited Sacred Lotus Academy entry.

The Luo Clan lost two fangs.

Lan An smirked, seizing the discarded Tokens.

Instantly, his points skyrocketed…

Surpassing Bing Ao and Wang Ba…

Claiming first rank…