Chapter 203: The Wrath of a Hidden Sovereign

Above, endless dark clouds loomed, coalescing into a colossal dark hand the Dark Sky-Covering Hand, a High Heaven-grade technique of Night Shadow Island.

Below, on the sea, Lan An's robes fluttered, his long hair dancing in the wind. His hands formed a palm, a terrifying orb of energy slowly spinning between them.

"This power? Unbelievable from a Peak Nascent Soul," onlookers murmured, their eyes heavy with awe and disbelief.

"Who is this youth? The Hundred Spirits List has no record of him," an elder clutching an Image Recording Jade said, capturing the scene, his heart trembling.

The battle had raged long, drawing countless hidden spectators. Image Recording Jades abounded, preserving the spectacle.

"Win or lose, after this, his visage will echo across the continent, perhaps the entire star," a middle-aged man stroked his beard, predicting.

"Indeed," the crowd nodded.

To hold his own against a Refining Void expert as a Nascent Soul for so long—victory or defeat, it was a singular miracle.

Lan An ignored their thoughts, his body quaking with exhilaration. His blood surged, yearning to slay a Refining Void expert himself.

An Li eyed the orb Lan An formed, space shattering around its rotation, unease gripping his heart.

"Crooked tricks," he sneered, reassuring himself, pouring more power into his palm print.

Sweat beaded on Lan An's brow. Controlling such immense power for the first time strained him.

Nirvana Spirit Water's primary role was healing, but its offensive might, as a Heaven and Earth Strange Item, far surpassed ordinary elemental spiritual energy. Fusing Strange Water and Strange Fire, naturally opposing, was taxing, but it fueled Lan An's anticipation.

Finally, the dark palm print, like a hand from the nether abyss, reached its peak, surrounded by swirling darkness, capable of shrouding the heavens and suppressing all.

"Die, ant! Dark Sky-Covering Hand!"

An Li's ferocious, murderous voice echoed from the clouds, unleashing his full might as the palm descended.

Crack

Space shattered in its path, killing intent solidifying, shaking the souls of thousands.

Lan An's vision darkened, the orb between his palms the sole light, a radiant star guiding a young overlord through the cosmic void.

Veins bulged on his forehead. He crouched, one leg braced, and with all his strength, hurled the orb skyward toward the descending dark hand.

"Spirit Fusion Palm!"

A shout shook the heavens.

The palm's release dimmed the world.

It forced all things to retreat.

It annihilated space itself.

Lan An's strongest attack clashed with a Refining Void expert in its most ferocious form.

Boom

Like a meteor striking a comet, the ears of all cultivators below Refining Void on Sun Island bled. Ji Ya and Lam Yan paused, retreating. The shockwave struck An Ran in his barrier, forcing him to spit blood.

Light engulfed the space.

Lan An stood tall on the sea, gazing at the sky, blood trickling from his lips. The Spirit Fusion Palm, a terrifying beam, pierced the massive Dark Sky-Covering Hand.

Yet piercing didn't mean destruction. The dark palm pressed on, undeterred by the hole, aiming for Lan An.

Whoosh

Its range was vast. Despite three Speed Shifts, Lan An remained in its shadow. A single finger crushed down.

Spurt

The world spun. Lan An skidded across the sea, blood spraying, collapsing limply. His bones creaked under the strain.

Nirvana Spirit Water surged, healing him bit by bit. Ignoring the pain, his white eyes gazed upward, eager to see his foe's state.

"AAAAH, little beast!"

Above, as the dark clouds dispersed and the sky cleared, a mangled figure appeared. An Li's body was half-destroyed below his scarred face, from shoulder to hip, one arm and leg were gone, organs exposed, bones missing.

His aura weakened, his cultivation reduced to Peak Spirit Transformation. Three-colored flames ravaged his flesh, Heaven-Devouring Wood draining his spiritual energy.

"Good heavens, is this real?" The crowd's eyes bulged, the clash's light still blurring their vision.

No one dreamt a Refining Void expert could be so ravaged by a Nascent Soul.

They turned to the dazzling youth, lying weakly on the sea, waves battering his frail form.

"I still lost?" Lan An smiled bitterly. Though he'd crippled An Li, dark energy ravaged his body, immobilizing him. His four great cauldrons ground it down, but it needed time. His body felt foreign, the injuries too severe. Even a Nascent Soul peer could kill him now.

"Die!" Ji Ya's eyes blazed red with fury, glaring at Lam Yan.

The Lingering Wave Fairy phantom appeared, its dual hands crushing toward him.

"Lingering Wave Heaven-Imprisoning Hand!"

Lam Yan paled. He and An Ran had struggled against this move together; alone, he was terrified. Locked in its grasp, he roared, "Ice Spear Sun-Breaker!"

Ice energy formed a massive spear overhead, shooting toward the hands.

Boom

The spear destroyed one hand, but the other crushed Lam Yan, shattering his bones. Ji Ya's rage fueled the strike, capable of wounding even Late Refining Void Shui Liu, let alone Lam Yan.

"Shadow Flow Kill!"

As death loomed, An Ran broke the barrier, pouring his all into his greatsword, slashing the hand holding Lam Yan.

Boom

The hand exploded, An Ran recoiling, while Lam Yan, barely alive, collapsed on the sea, eyes bloodshot.

Three were now gravely wounded.

"Haha, die!" Lam Ji, crazed, rode his Black Sky Horse, wielding an Ice Sword, charging at the immobile Lan An.

"Shameless!" The crowd spat, disgusted. The 11th-ranked genius, admired by many, reduced to scavenging a wounded foe after fleeing like a dog?

"Vile cur, die!" Ji Ya shouted, her Lingering Wave Dual Palms surging toward him.

"Hmph, I'm your opponent!" An Ran grinned, his greatsword blocking her.

"I've waited long enough!" Lan An sneered inwardly, his will stirring.

Boom

Purple lightning flashed, and Little Lion, majestic as a heavenly sovereign, appeared. Atop it, Xiao Qing Xuan's eyes burned with killing intent, her greatsword resting on her shoulder.

Like a true war goddess, she exuded rare valor. Nether Ghost Fire blazed on her blade.

"Overlord Saber Art – Life-Reaver!"

Her cold shout rang out, the saber unstoppable. Xiao Qing Xuan's icy gaze, like an emperor slaying rebels, struck.

"What's happening?" Lam Ji, stunned, instinctively raised his Ice Sword.

Crack

The sword shattered. An arm flew, blood gushing, unhealing as black flames burned.

"Gah!" Lam Ji screamed, besieged by countless phantom souls, his eyes bloodshot, pain forgotten, slashing madly to dispel them. Nether Ghost Fire plunged him into illusions.

"Nether Ghost Fire? Damn it, Lam Ji, wake up!" An Li, though crippled, retained strength. Seeing Xiao Qing Xuan and Little Lion charge, he moved to intercept.

"Hmph, a wounded Refining Void dares interfere?" Xiao Qing Xuan's proud eyes gleamed, her icy demeanor unlike her warmth with Lan An. Her saber, wreathed in Ghost Fire, slashed at An Li's head.

"Hmph, a tiger fallen to the plains, mocked by dogs!" An Li roared, his remaining arm wielding Night Slayer against her.

"Little Lion, go!" Xiao Qing Xuan commanded, leaping skyward, her Overlord Saber Art clashing with An Li. Each strike carried imperial might, as if purging traitors.

A Spirit-grade technique from her late Headmaster's legacy, every slash was lethal, amplified by Nether Ghost Fire, tormenting the weakened An Li, unable to tear space.

Boom

Little Lion, at her command, became purple lightning, its sharp claws pursuing Lam Ji on his Black Sky Horse.

Neigh

The horse trembled, sensing Little Lion's regal aura. A mere commoner, it couldn't resist, galloping desperately with its wind attribute.

But wind couldn't outrun lightning. As Little Lion closed in, with Lam Ji lost in illusions, the horse's protective instincts surged.

Neigh

With a mournful cry, it threw Lam Ji skyward. Little Lion's claws, wreathed in purple lightning, cleaved it in two.

"No!" The beast's death severed Lam Ji's contract, snapping him from the illusion. Seeing his Black Sky Horse torn apart, blood raining, and Little Lion's pristine form untainted, he roared, "Beasts, how dare you?"

His Black Sky Horse, a companion since youth, was dearer than brothers. Its death to save him was unbearable.

"Die, all of you!" Lam Ji howled, pulling out an icy token and crushing it. "Father, slaughter them, I beg you!"

"Utterly shameless!" The crowd sighed. A Hundred Spirits List genius, failing to rob and kill, now summoned his father? His reputation would crumble.

Yet victory seemed his. As the token shattered, a black hole formed in the void, revealing a middle-aged man resembling Lam Ji, exuding a steady aura and boundless cultivation.

Lam Heng, Lam Clan Patriarch, a Peak Refining Void expert. Hai Zhou Continent's cultivation surpassed Bing Tian Continent, with most Eighth-grade leaders at this level.

Surveying the scene, Lam Heng's eyes flashed with understanding, lingering on the Black Sky Horse's remains and Little Lion charging Lam Ji.

"Fine beast, worthy of my mount," he said coolly, extending a hand. Space collapsed, forming an icy palm to seize Little Lion, freezing the sky.

Little Lion was pinned, unable to move under Peak Refining Void might.

"No!" Lan An's eyes nearly split, struggling to move. Ji Ya and Xiao Qing Xuan, entangled with desperate foes, were powerless.

As Little Lion faced capture, a clash rang out.

Clang

Lam Heng's hand was repelled.

"Oh, what's this?" His eyes narrowed.

Before Little Lion, Ai Er's cradle spun, deflecting a Peak Refining Void strike.

"Touching Little Lion? Ask Ai Er first!" she pouted, glaring at Lam Heng from her cradle.

The crowd's faces lit up with intrigue.

"Whose child is this?" they wondered.

"A Spirit-grade defensive treasure? Who are you?" Lam Heng's gaze sharpened. Such a treasure marked her as extraordinary.

"Father, they have wealth!" Lam Ji, eyes bloodshot, recounted everything.

"Oh? Worth my effort," Lam Heng mused. To him, these outsiders weren't from Hai Zhou. Robbing and killing them, then allying with Night Shadow Island, was ideal. If a mysterious force pursued, he'd use the spoils to rally allies.

As a clan leader, his decisiveness was unmatched. He produced an icy spear, a Top Heaven-grade weapon, and struck Ai Er's cradle.

Clang

The cradle shook, its barrier dimming slightly. Combined with his cultivation, the spear could soon break it.

But Lam Heng didn't persist. Repelling the cradle, he vanished, reappearing before Lan An, reaching to crush him.

Clang

The cradle blocked again, saving Lan An.

"Hmph, seeking death? I'll oblige!" Lam Heng sneered, stabbing the cradle.

Clang

It retreated, but his relentless spear shattered space.

Yet, his plan faltered. Space beside him cracked.

Slap

A resounding slap stung the crowd's senses. A red handprint bloomed on Lam Heng's right cheek, stars dancing in his eyes.

Before he could recover, another slap landed on his left, mixing teeth and lips.

Twin red handprints adorned the Peak Refining Void expert's face.

A voice, clear as a spring yet laced with blood's tang, rang out: "Bullying this king's daughter… satisfying, is it?"