The towering man wreathed in crimson flames was instantly recognized by Dongbo Xueying—this was none other than Kui Chen, a Cosmos God of the Fan Clan and the right-hand man of the Sky-Rending Venerable. His strength was immense, rivaling even the likes of the Fire Radiance Monarch and the Wo Feng Monarch.
“Hisssss—” Though he stood in place, his feet hovered above the ground, the scorching bloodflames beneath him reducing the surrounding rock and earth to nothingness.
His icy gaze swept over the five before him, and even the three Chaos Realm experts of the Fan Clan present remained obediently silent.
“Guest Elder Feixue, Guest Elder Salong,” Kui Chen spoke. “Though the two of you have been chosen, many within our Fan Clan remain unconvinced. Thus, a simple test is required. If you pass, you may continue with the mission. If you prove inferior even to those who were excluded, then you will naturally forfeit your participation. Do you object?”
“No,” Dongbo Xueying replied.
Salong, however, hesitated for a moment, glancing at Dongbo Xueying before hurriedly adding, “No.”
At that moment, Salong and the other three Fan Clan Chaos Realm elites couldn’t help but stare at Dongbo Xueying, their eyes filled with shock, disbelief, and even resentment.
Guest Elder Feixue?
“He became a Senior Guest Elder?”
“A mere Chaos Realm cultivator, a Senior Guest Elder?”
Prior to this, only a handful knew of Dongbo Xueying’s promotion, and even Fan Tianchong and the others dared not gossip, given the mission’s importance and the Fan Clan’s strict discipline. This was the first time these three core disciples had learned that Ying Shan Xueying was now a Senior Guest Elder.
“I’m just a Guest Elder, and he’s a Senior Guest Elder?” Even the proud Salong couldn’t suppress his indignation. Having dominated countless tribes across the frozen plains, he was unrivaled among Chaos Realm experts, having defeated numerous Cosmos Gods—one of whom had even perished at his hands.
“Since there are no objections, follow me,” Kui Chen said indifferently.
Whoosh!
A vast surge of flames enveloped Dongbo Xueying and the other four as Kui Chen led them swiftly through the sky. In a single teleportation, they arrived at a forbidden area within the Fan Clan’s Demon Mountain.
“Hmm?” Dongbo Xueying felt the scenery shift before his eyes, and suddenly, they stood before a massive lake surrounded by crimson grass. Two Chaos Realm experts stood upon the blood-colored meadow—one was the white-armored Fan Tianyun, whom Dongbo Xueying had met before, and the other was a silent man draped in a black cloak. Though he said nothing, his presence was like a dormant volcano, exuding immense pressure.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The five descended, and Fan Tianyun and the black-cloaked man turned their gazes upon them.
“Gurgle, gurgle—”
From the depths of the lake, a massive eye peered through the water, observing them.
A chill ran down Dongbo Xueying’s spine.
Danger.
Danger.
The threat emanating from that colossal eye was comparable to what he had felt from the Sacred Master—if not equal, then nearly so.
“Is this existence on the same level as my master?” Dongbo Xueying thought to himself.
“Great Venerable,” Kui Chen bowed respectfully. “We trouble you once more to assess the strength of these juniors.”
Splash.
A black-robed man emerged from the lake’s surface, his voice indifferent. “The Fan Clan has suffered five consecutive defeats. The Xia Clan has won three times, and even the Cang Clan has claimed two victories. To be surpassed even by the Cang Clan—your generation is truly disgraceful.”
The core disciples of the Fan Clan present all wore expressions of shame.
“Historically, the Fan Clan has never lost six times in a row. Another defeat would be humiliating. Moreover, we have already missed the ‘Sourceworld Temple’ left behind by Yuan five times. Even our master is furious.” The black-robed man cast a cold glance at the younger generation. “This time, we must win. Very well. This is my avatar. Destroy it, and I will manifest a stronger one. The more avatars you defeat, the greater your strength.”
“Fan Tianyun, Fan Liehuo, since you two are discontent, you shall go first.”
The black-robed man’s tone was detached.
The white-armored Fan Tianyun exchanged a glance with the silent black-cloaked man.
“I’ll go first,” Fan Tianyun declared.
As Dongbo Xueying watched, his mind reeled with shock.
“Yuan? The Sourceworld Temple?”
He understood now.
This was a competition among the three great families of the Summerflame Kingdom, with the victors earning entry into the Sourceworld Temple left behind by Yuan. Yet, despite his status, Dongbo Xueying had never even heard of this temple before.
“To think it’s connected to Yuan…” Dongbo Xueying mused silently.
His reincarnation into this world had been facilitated by the ‘Heartworld Token’ left behind by Yuan.
Even the Heartworld Continent’s countless Heartworld Palaces, which assessed cultivators’ strength, attested to Yuan’s transcendent and enigmatic status—a being of unfathomable power.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Fan Tianyun clashed with the black-robed man, who was merely an avatar of the mysterious Great Venerable lurking in the lake. From the latter’s mention of “our master’s fury,” Dongbo Xueying deduced that this was likely the mount—a Devouring Cloud Beast—that Patriarch Fan had tamed in his youth while traversing the Heartworld Continent. Now, Patriarch Fan no longer traveled with such companions.
That Devouring Cloud Beast had since become one of the Fan Clan’s Great Venerables.
Swish!
The black-robed man’s form was cleaved apart by a massive axe, only to reform anew upon the lake’s surface.
Once, twice, thrice…
Fan Tianyun’s display of strength astonished Dongbo Xueying. Wielding twin axes, his combat prowess surpassed even the ‘Redcloud Battle Art’ in sheer ferocity. Moreover, Fan Tianyun’s physique was monstrous, his body wreathed in dark energy as he fought. As the avatars grew stronger, Fan Tianyun’s power reached a level that Dongbo Xueying could only describe as peak Tenth Layer.
“I wonder what secret art he cultivates—his close combat surpasses even my Redcloud Battle Art,” Dongbo Xueying mused. But this was unsurprising. The Fan Clan possessed numerous formidable axe techniques, and even the Xia and Cang Clans had their own. Though the three great families competed, with sufficient payment, one could learn the others’ secret arts.
Thud!
Fan Tianyun was sent flying backward. He halted and bowed respectfully. “Great Venerable, I have given my all.”
“Mm. Six times,” the black-robed man acknowledged before turning to the black-cloaked man. “Your turn.”
“Yes.”
Fan Liehuo stepped forward, his black cloak billowing, his expression as calm as ever.
Swish!
A blade-light steeped in death and desolation flashed, instantly dispersing the black-robed avatar. A new one materialized.
One slash—gone!
Another slash—gone!
Fan Liehuo’s blade carried an aura of death and ruthlessness that made even Dongbo Xueying’s pupils contract. While the Fan Clan possessed mighty secret arts, the more powerful they were, the harder they were to master. The advantage of such great factions lay in their ability to tailor teachings to a disciple’s innate talents, maximizing their potential.
If Fan Tianyun excelled in combat technique, akin to the Redcloud Battle Art’s close-quarters dominance, then Fan Liehuo embodied the principle of mastering a single move to perfection—just one slash!
After five consecutive victories, the sixth required two slashes. By the seventh, Fan Liehuo, severely wounded, needed thirteen strikes to prevail.
“Ugh—” Fan Liehuo collapsed, heavily injured, but quickly recovered and rose. “Great Venerable, I have given my all.”
Fan Tianyun’s expression darkened.
Fan Liehuo had surpassed him by one.
“Now, the two of you,” the black-robed man said, turning to the outsiders.
“Senior Guest Elder need not rush. I shall go first,” Salong said with a faint smile at Dongbo Xueying. The core disciples all regarded Dongbo Xueying with peculiar gazes—a Senior Guest Elder? Just what made this Chaos Realm cultivator worthy?
Salong fought bare-handed, relying on pure physical might.
The Frozen Plains Tribes…
These lay within the domain of the Frost Kingdom, whose three ancestral masters had all achieved invincibility in body refinement. Thus, in terms of physical cultivation, the Frost Kingdom reigned supreme. The Frozen Plains Tribes, under its influence, also possessed exceptional body-refining methods. Salong, blessed with unique encounters, had honed his physique to terrifying levels.
Though the Frozen Plains Tribes fell under the Frost Kingdom’s sway, the Fan Clan’s reach extended even there. Salong had chosen to align with the Fan Clan as a Guest Elder, for while the Frost Kingdom’s body-refining arts were peerless, its other paths were lacking. The Summerflame Kingdom, however, offered the diversity he sought.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
He shattered six avatars in close combat. By the seventh, the struggle became evident, but then he laughed—a deep, resonant sound whose sonic waves assailed the avatar, weakening it enough for him to claim victory. The eighth fell soon after.
Salong withdrew, triumphant.
Fan Tianyun and Fan Liehuo were speechless. Eight victories! No wonder the Fan Clan had sought outsiders.
“Your turn,” the black-robed man said, his gaze settling on Dongbo Xueying. Instantly, all eyes—Salong’s, Fan Liehuo’s, Fan Tianyun’s, the other three core disciples’, even Kui Chen’s—turned to him.
A Chaos Realm cultivator, a Senior Guest Elder…
Just how strong was Ying Shan Xueying?
Dongbo Xueying stepped forward, arriving at the lakeshore. Facing the black-robed man upon the water, he bowed.
“Great Venerable, I apologize in advance.”
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