Chapter 245: Elven Fists, Thunderous Bonds, and Sea Palace Shadows

The Elven Battle Fist was a renowned technique of the Elf Clan, its power varying by the user's talent for harmonizing with nature's resonance. Legends claimed the Elf Queen wielded it with unmatched might, uniting Elf Island's essence to become one with the heavens, rumored to wound even Peak Saint Emperor experts. Yet, no Elf had ever confirmed this.

Though A Lian Ya couldn't rival the Elf Queen, her talent was peerless among the younger generation, her fist summoning terrifying spiritual energy. Lan An was no less formidable, debuting his Thunder Flame Mysterious Art, a fusion of domineering Thunder and Flame.

Under the tense gazes of Elf Island's inhabitants, their fists collided with world-shattering force.

Boom! Crack!

Space ruptured, a torrent of spiritual energy surged outward. An Early Body Saint Elven elder soared up, sealing the battlefield to shield weaker Elves from the fallout.

Amidst shocked stares, both figures were hurled back. Lan An's arm was pulverized, bones shattered, his body skidding hundreds of miles, scattering clouds. Blood spilled from his lips; without the Night Brilliance Armor, the damage would've been catastrophic. Nirvana Spirit Water surged beneath his armor, healing his mangled arm.

A Lian Ya, ranked 15th on the Golden Rank, lived up to her name. Blasted into the jungle, she coughed blood, her arm fractured but far less ravaged than Lan An's. "Her strength surpasses Hai An's. Golden Rank prodigies truly defy realms," Lan An thought grimly.

His expression shifted as three arrows tore through the air from the forest depths, aimed at him. Without hesitation, the Big Dipper Star Bow materialized, firing three Thunder-Flame arrows in retaliation.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sky erupted like fireworks, space splintering. A Lian Ya's voice rang out, "Seven Star Lotus Bloom!" Seven arrows spiraled from the jungle, forming a lotus-like formation, targeting seven vital points on Lan An's body. Their speed and precision locked onto him, inescapable.

"She's full of surprises," Lan An muttered, his eyes narrowing. The Big Dipper's seven stars gleamed above, but his seven arrows were shattered by her lotus bloom, revealing the superiority of her high-grade archery. Realizing archery wasn't his forte, Lan An stowed the Big Dipper Star.

Water Spiritual Power surged in his palms. "Sea-Suppressing Seal!" A massive seal roared forth, its watery essence engulfing the Seven Star Lotus Bloom, halting its advance.

But A Lian Ya's voice echoed again, sharp and commanding. "Heaven's Falling Goose!" A lone arrow pierced the void, closing in instantly.

"An arrow within arrows?" Lan An's pupils contracted. The Seven Star Lotus was a feint; this arrow was her true strike, traversing space like Instant Shift, unavoidable.

"Star-Piercing Finger!" Thunder and Flame condensed into rapid finger strikes, targeting the arrow. Yet it dodged, too swift. "Missed?" Lan An's face darkened. A Wood Turtle materialized, shielding him.

Piercing! The arrow pierced the Wood Turtle's shell.

"Strange Wood?" Countless Elves leapt to their feet, their eyes blazing with awe and envy as they stared at Lan An's Wood Turtle.

Though the Heaven-Devouring Wood was hard to identify, the Elves, born amidst nature's embrace, recognized it instantly. "He possesses Strange Wood like our Queen…" some sighed in admiration.

Atop the peak, Elven powerhouses smiled, discussing. "Despite his Strange Wood and Strange Flame, our General holds the edge."

Lan An's performance was already astonishing—matching a Late Void Refinement genius at Late Spirit Transformation. Few in the cosmos could claim such a feat. Defeating the Golden Rank's 15th would defy all reason.

The Elf Queen remained silent, her starry eyes glinting with approval. Only she noticed that, before the arrow reached Lan An, he'd subtly unleashed an invisible Thunder Lotus, piercing space to strike A Lian Ya's position in the jungle.

Thud!

The arrow pierced Lan An's Night Brilliance Armor but lost its force before touching his skin. The armor's high grade withstood A Lian Ya's Heaven's Falling Goose, a wind-forged arrow that dissipated into nothingness.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The jungle exploded, space shattering as A Lian Ya emerged, disheveled. Her hair was tangled, her skin smudged, her armor cracked—all from Lan An's stealthy Thunder Lotus.

"Shadowless Thunder Lotus, not bad for a debut…" Lan An muttered, smiling with satisfaction. This Peak Spirit-Grade skill condensed a near-invisible Thunder Lotus, striking foes covertly through space. Its effect exceeded expectations, evident in A Lian Ya's mix of embarrassment and fury.

"You're quite cunning, Young Master," A Lian Ya said, her tone laced with grudging respect. Had they fought head-on, she could've blocked the Thunder Lotus, but its sneak attack caught her off guard, detonating like a bomb despite her last-second defenses.

Hearing a hint of resentment, Lan An bowed courteously. "Your strength is formidable, General. Without a few tricks, I'd have no chance."

A Lian Ya shot him a sidelong glance, then approached with her hundred Elven guards, her demeanor magnanimous. "The Elf Clan rarely mingles with outsiders. For our Queen's birthday, we invited fewer than twenty guests, and you're among them—the earliest to arrive, with three days until the celebration."

Lan An nodded, understanding the island's serene calm. Unlike grand festivals of great powers, the Elves kept their guest list exclusive. Their sparring concluded amicably, both mature enough to stop without external intervention, much like his bout with Yan Yue Qi long ago.

Thinking of that proud woman, Lan An's heart swelled with longing. Where was she now? Recalling that his daughter Tình'er, born to Yue Qi, owed her life to the Elven Queendom's Life Spirit Water, he turned to A Lian Ya. "Does the General know Yue Qi?"

"Song Yue? Why not ask her yourself?" A Lian Ya replied, her lips curving mysteriously, her gaze lifting to the clouds.

Lan An's body trembled. A haughty, familiar voice drawled, "Little Junior Brother, you've grown, making Fairy Lian Ya suffer a loss. But why pry into my affairs?"

"Yue Qi?" Lan An's heart leapt, joy propelling him toward the voice's source.

A breathtaking figure descended, her lithe form clad in a White Tiger Battle Robe hugging her mature curves, her fiery hair pinned high. Her stunning face radiated pride as she regarded him coolly.

"Care for a spar, Little Junior Brother?" Yan Yue Qi asked, arms crossed, her ample chest straining her robe, her crimson lips parting lightly. Though her tone was casual, those with keen senses—high-realm cultivators—detected a trace of joy and pride in her voice.

"Haha, I'll indulge you anytime, but first, a hug!" Lan An laughed, ignoring the crowd's odd stares, pulling his Senior Sister into his arms. Her familiar scent enveloped him, and he spun her in the air, beaming with happiness.

A Lian Ya and the Elves gaped. A woman calling a man her junior brother, yet embraced like a wife by her husband, accepting it naturally, her head resting on his chest—this was bizarre. Even more shocking was Yan Yue Qi's identity: a true Top 10 Golden Rank prodigy.

None noticed the faint ripple in the Elf Queen's and several Body Saint Elves' eyes, recognizing Yue Qi's rapid breakthrough since her last visit.

"I missed you, Senior Sister!" Lan An murmured tenderly, kissing her fiery hair.

"Hmph, I'm here to honor the Queen's birthday, not to find you," Yan Yue Qi huffed, tossing her hair, though her heart melted like honey, her face feigning indifference.

Lan An ignored her protest, savoring the embrace. Yan Yue Qi basked in the sweetness, maintaining her aloof facade.

"Ahem… The birthday is in three days. You two may rest in the Queendom; rooms are prepared," A Lian Ya coughed, interrupting the scene, her battle lust now aimed at Yan Yue Qi.

"Your strength has grown, but you held back your secret art against my Junior Brother," Yan Yue Qi said, glancing at A Lian Ya meaningfully.

Lan An started, realizing A Lian Ya hadn't unleashed her full arsenal. The 15th-ranked prodigy held hidden depths—what was her secret art?

"It was just a spar with Young Master Lan, but his talent truly impresses me," A Lian Ya replied generously.

Lan An's eyes shone with appreciation. A Lian Ya's open, heroic nature explained why even the proud Yue Qi considered her a friend.

"You, however, I can't keep up with anymore. But I'm always ready for a fight!" A Lian Ya declared, her eyes blazing at Yue Qi, undaunted despite knowing she'd likely lose.

"Not interested for now. I may need your help with something soon—willing?" Yan Yue Qi asked, glancing at Lan An before turning to A Lian Ya casually.

"What is it?" A Lian Ya and Lan An asked, curiosity piqued.

"You'll know when the time comes," Yue Qi said, brushing off further questions. She pushed Lan An away, who clung like a koala, and bowed respectfully toward the distant peak. "No need for formalities, Yue Qi. We'll meet in three days," the Elf Queen's clear, spring-like voice echoed.

Lan An followed suit, bowing. Yue Qi's ties to Elf Island ran deep, and as her man, he matched her courtesy. Yue Qi's lips curved slightly at the gesture.

"This way, please," A Lian Ya said, gesturing gracefully, her noble bearing impeccable.

As Yue Qi and Lan An prepared to follow, a voice rang out: "The Sea Palace Lord arrives!"

From the distant clouds, a resplendent Golden War Chariot emerged, pulled by four Sea Horses galloping through the air, swiftly approaching Elf Island.

Lan An's face darkened, though questions swirled. Wasn't the Sea Palace Lord so enthralled by the Elf Queen's beauty that he erased his memories to regain sanity? Why come now, when he should fear her like a tiger?

The chariot halted mid-air, and two figures stepped out. A middle-aged Western man, exuding refined charisma, his stern features framed by flowing blue hair, his aura restrained. Clad in elegant white robes, he was a paragon of masculine allure—Hai Ying Tian, Lord of the Ninefold Sea Palace.

Beside him stood a young man, his aura vast, eyes flickering with Thunder and Water. Handsome and robust in majestic armor, he was Hai Fei Yun, the Sea Palace's Young Lord, Hai Tam's elder brother, once humiliated by Lan An at the Ai Clan.

Yue Qi glanced at the father-son duo, transmitting to Lan An, "Hai Fei Yun, Golden Rank 23rd, Mid Void Refinement at 400 years."

Lan An nodded. Realm alone didn't dictate strength—Chen Jue, also Mid Void Refinement, paled compared to Hai Fei Yun. But Mid Void Refinement posed little threat to Lan An. His focus was on Hai Ying Tian, whom Jin'er revealed was a half-step from Late Body Saint.

Hai Fei Yun approached casually, ignoring Lan An, smiling warmly at the women. "Song Yue, Lian Ya, it's been a while…"