Chapter 202: Defying the Void in a Blaze of Glory
Thank you for witnessing Lan An's audacious defiance and Ji Ya's unyielding might in Capital City's inferno! If his dual Strange Fires, life-trading valor, and mysterious new power set your heart ablaze, unleash a storm of Power Stones! Your support fuels this xianxia epic. Share with fellow cultivators, and let's conquer the heavens together!
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"Ignorant junior, so arrogant you dare challenge a Refining Void expert with mere talent?" An Li roared, his face dark with fury.
A Peak Nascent Soul damaging his attack was impressive, yet this youth dared declare war on Refining Void? Was this a jest?
Over a thousand years, An Li had climbed to Refining Void, seasoned in battle and adept at stealth assassination, renowned among Early Refining Void experts. To be challenged by a Nascent Soul junior was an outrage.
"Below Refining Void, all are ants," he scoffed, dismissing even Peak Spirit Transformation foes.
The onlookers shared An Li's sentiment, deeming Lan An reckless.
"This youth's talent is exceptional, perhaps rivaling the top three on the Hundred Spirits List, but challenging Refining Void? A pity," a Mid Spirit Transformation elder sighed.
"Indeed. His strength is remarkable, but how can he face Refining Void?" others echoed.
Lan An ignored their murmurs. Resolved to battle Refining Void, he focused entirely.
Draping the Sun-Moon Robe over himself, he concealed his form. Using Nirvana Spirit Water for healing risked exposing his link to Shui Niang Qing, but the robe ensured secrecy.
Whoosh
Striking first, Lan An vanished, reappearing behind An Li. His hands blazed with Purple Heart Burning Void Flame and Golden Crow Void Flame, forming a massive hand radiating murderous intent.
"Star-Plucking Hand!"
At close range, it loomed over An Li's head.
"Overreaching!" An Li sneered, dissolving into darkness to dodge. His Night Slayer dagger slashed, unleashing a crescent of dark energy.
Rip
Space tore like cloth, the Refining Void force slicing through the Star-Plucking Hand. Yet, the dual Strange Fires raged, obliterating the dark blade.
"How?" The crowd's eyes shrank.
Once again, this youth countered a Refining Void attack. Though reliant on two Strange Fires, it proved his worth.
"Don't celebrate yet. That was a casual strike, not An Li's true power," a watching elder cautioned.
Lan An knew this. As An Li vanished into black mist, he activated Speed Shift, determined to prevent a sneak attack.
"Hmph, where can you run?"
Space cracked, An Li emerging beside him, his dagger slicing toward Lan An's neck.
Startled, Lan An summoned a Wood Turtle barrier.
Boom
Heaven-Devouring Wood churned, absorbing much of the dagger's force. Night Slayer, a Heaven-grade treasure, could rend space unaided, let alone with An Li's Refining Void power.
Roar
The Wood Turtle wailed, split like paper by scissors. The deflected strike grazed Lan An's arm.
"Truly Refining Void," Lan An muttered, grimacing.
Beneath the robe, a deep gash bled profusely, spared only by the Sun-Moon Robe. Without it, his arm might have been severed.
His Body Refining cultivation couldn't withstand a Refining Void expert.
Nirvana Spirit Water surged, stopping the bleeding and scabbing the wound.
"Unscathed?" An Li raised a brow. Beyond a few drops of blood, the youth seemed fine, startling him.
That strike, though simple, was an Earth-grade assassination technique.
"What's your name?" An Li demanded, locking onto his foe.
This youth earned his respect.
Lan An spat disdainfully. "Old man, cultivating for so long yet unable to harm a Nascent Soul like me? I'd slaughter you like a dog in the same realm. Worthy of my name?"
An Li's face twisted, killing intent surging as dark clouds gathered. "Good… good… good! My restraint let an ant like you grow bold. No matter your genius, absolute strength means death!"
Fury turned to laughter, his three "goods" echoing as Lan An ignited his rage.
"Come on!" Lan An sneered, summoning a Fire Phoenix, its wings spanning dozens of zhang, charging An Li.
"Petty trick!" An Li scoffed, unafraid, opening his mouth.
Roar
A dark dragon emerged, ferociously clashing with the phoenix.
Boom
The Refining Void dragon battered the phoenix, sending it reeling.
Roar
The phoenix roared in defiance, its pride wounded. Formed from Strange Fire, it outranked the dragon but was outmatched by An Li's Refining Void power.
Refusing further humiliation, it swooped, wrapping its wings around the dragon.
Cry
With a defiant screech, it self-detonated.
Boom
The explosion obliterated the dragon, the shockwave forcing Lan An to dodge with Speed Shift.
"Hmph, die! One Night Life-Seizing Art!" An Li sneered, tearing through space.
In a breath, he appeared beside his prey. Darkness engulfed the area, blinding Lan An's senses a hallmark of the technique.
But Lan An was different. White Moon Soul-Seizing Eye operated at full power, faintly catching the glint of Night Slayer's blade.
"Golden Crow Protection!"
The darkness parted before golden flames. A noble Golden Crow phantom shielded Lan An, its fiery wings clashing with the dagger.
Clang
An Li's Refining Void strength prevailed; the Golden Crow couldn't burn his dark spiritual energy. The gap was too vast within the same realm, the flame would incinerate all.
Lan An's shoulder shuddered, the Sun-Moon Robe tearing as Night Slayer pierced deep, dark energy ravaging him with excruciating pain.
"Boy, even the Golden Crow can't save you," An Li sneered. The deflected strike hit his shoulder, not his head, fueling his sense of triumph.
Spurt
Blood sprayed beautifully as he withdrew the dagger, aiming for Lan An's head.
But his glee was short-lived.
"Imperial Sweep Heavenly Army!"
A thunderous roar echoed. Lan An wielded the Dragon King Halberd, slamming it into An Li.
The Heavenly Army Halberd Art, a Spirit-grade technique, unleashed formidable power despite Lan An mastering only the first form, amplified by dual Strange Fires.
Spurt
An Li spewed blood, sent flying.
"What? Am I dreaming?" The crowd rubbed their eyes.
A Nascent Soul sent a Refining Void expert flying a madness beyond belief.
Lan An's white eyes blazed with exhilaration, his body trembling with excitement. Wounding a Refining Void expert head-on how could he not be thrilled, despite the vast realm gap and his own injuries?
The shoulder wound healed rapidly, thanks to Nirvana Spirit Water. Without it, recovery would take a week, even in the Spirit Pearl's optimal conditions.
"Haha, Refining Void is just so-so! Die!" Lan An laughed skyward, chasing with his halberd.
"Reckless colt, you'll die miserably!" An Li roared, blood surging, enraged.
He vanished into the void again.
"A Refining Void expert, only daring to sneak attack?" Lan An taunted, knowing An Li excelled at assassination, not melee. A melee Refining Void expert might not have been repelled.
"Dead men talk too much!" An Li retorted, swapping Night Slayer for vicious black claws, stealthily striking from behind.
Hidden in the void, he was nearly invincible against those below Refining Void.
But Lan An, with Purple Heart Burning Void Flame's space-burning prowess and Piercing Weakness Vision, tracked every spatial ripple.
Retracting the halberd, as An Li's claws emerged, Lan An spun, crossing two fingers wreathed in purple flames.
"Cross Heavenly Flame!"
Using only Purple Heart Burning Void Flame, the attack roared forth.
"Foolish!" An Li sneered, thinking Lan An aimed to block his dark-infused claws.
He was wrong, as was the crowd.
Pierce
The claws stabbed through Lan An's body, from chest to abdomen, leaving ten gruesome holes. Yet, he unleashed the Cross Heavenly Flame into the space ahead, trading life for life.
The flame erupted, obliterating the surrounding space. Unprepared for such recklessness, An Li, unshielded, was struck.
"AAAAH!"
A beastly scream echoed as An Li reappeared, his tattered robes revealing a skeletal frame. Half his face was ravaged by purple flames, a ghastly burn exposing bone a lifelong disgrace despite Refining Void healing.
"How is he this strong? Who is he? He must die before he grows!" Lam Ji, atop his Black Sky Horse, felt fear and surging killing intent.
"AAAAH! I'll make you wish for death, flaying your skin, snapping your bones, showing you hell!" An Li howled, his rationality consumed by rage and humiliation.
A Nascent Soul wounding him publicly his reputation and Night Shadow Island's honor were shattered.
Huff… huff… Lan An panted, purging the dark energy ravaging his body. Despite appearances, without Nirvana Spirit Water's recovery, he'd be dead. Yet, his eyes burned with undimmed battle lust.
He braced, knowing An Li's next move would be lethal.
On the other front, Ji Ya swelled with pride, watching her man's feats. Her Lingering Wave Dual Palms sent Lam Yan flying, blood spewing.
An Ran, trapped in her Ice-Water Barrier, struggled to break free. Alone, Lam Yan was no match.
As Ji Ya moved to ambush An Li, protecting Lan An, Lam Yan gritted his teeth, retrieving a blood drop from his storage ring.
"An Li, I'll hold her. Kill that monster!" he shouted, swallowing the abyssal blood.
His body swelled, scales forming, fangs sprouting, arms bulging with veins. His cultivation neared Late Refining Void, though not breaking through.
Whoosh
Tearing space, he blocked Ji Ya.
"Water Monster blood?" she remarked coolly.
Extracted from deep-sea Water Monsters, these creatures were powerful but mindless, their blood and flesh sold at high prices. Users gained immense physical and spiritual boosts but were bedridden for a year after.
Ji Ya hadn't expected Lam Yan's trust in Night Shadow Island to sacrifice himself for An Li's strike. Unbeknownst to her, the Lam Clan had long supplied Night Shadow Island, exchanging resources for covert assassinations.
"Ice Burst Strike!"
Lam Yan's scale-covered fists, infused with ice energy, smashed toward Ji Ya's head. With the Ice-Water Barrier active, she had to engage directly.
Crack… crack…
An Ran's efforts to shatter the barrier grew louder, nearing success.
"Dark Sky-Covering Palm! Kekeke, die!" An Li hissed through clenched teeth.
Dark clouds surged, shrouding a thousand li. An Li dissolved into them, condensing a massive dark palm print.
Hovering above the sea, Lan An clasped his hands at his side. Imperial Flame, Nirvana Spirit Water, and Heaven-Devouring Wood fused in his palms, a mysterious power unrecognizable to onlookers.
Its terror was evident as the surrounding space crumbled into fragments.