Rip!
The space itself cracked as the golden dragon claw pierced at Zhuo Fan. The sharp gale cut at one’s face.
Squinting, Zhuo Fan was shocked inside. The feeling of this power told him that this martial art was at the limit of surpassing profound rank level and entering the earth level.
The consequences would be dire if it struck.
The audience beyond the National Elemental Stone were equally shocked. Huangpu Qingtian’s arsenal wasn’t limited to just the Imperial Tyrant Body Art.
Xie Tianshang and his allies were the only ones who recognized that claw.
Huangpu Qingtian had used the same claw on them once before, but that time paled compared to the one he showed today. Yet even that weak claw was enough to force them into submission.
Witnessing Huangpu Qingtian going all out, it dawned on them what a deadly move it was, that it could crush mountains.
Fang Qiubai watched it all with a critical eye, “Nine Dragons Diamond Body? I never thought I’d see this earth ranked cultivation method appear again.”
“What? Sir Fang… d-did you say earth ranked?”
Gasping, the rest couldn’t believe their ears. Grandmother cried out, “Is this the fabled imperial family’s…”
Fang Qiubai nodded, “It is precisely the earth ranked cultivation method the imperial family used at the time they founded Tianyu, Nine Dragons Diamond Body. With the cultivation method being so brutal, the pinnacle of body cultivation, one needed remarkable talent coupled with a staunch body, lest they would die a gruesome death. At the founding of the empire, the imperial family could only train in the first stage, but even that proved to be too much for some. The dragon power ran rampant throughout their body, bursting their vessels and ultimately their bodies. I would’ve never guessed Huangpu would attain Great Ancestor’s power. More so as…”
Fang Qiubai squinted at Regent Estate, “His training of the first stage is sublime and is very likely to go beyond it!”
Eyes turned to Regent Estate with horror.
It was bad enough that Regent Estate was the strongest of the houses, but now their future Estate Lord had the talent to wield an earth ranked cultivation method. Who was there left to face them?
Regent Estate was clear on this, sticking out their heads in pride. As if to say, [Now you know our power. Be good and wait. See how we deal with anyone who opposes us!]
Grandmother and her two allies’ moods sank.
There was always a gap in the seven houses’ power, but that would usually be bridged with their inherited profound ranked martial art. That gave them a fighting chance.
Yet with Regent Estate using an earth ranked martial art, they had left the other houses far behind, a level they could never reach.
The three houses began to lament about their future. [Was it perhaps a mistake pitting ourselves against the Regent Estate?]
Even their greatest hope of this generation, Zhuo Fan, was about to be culled. He only knew profound ranked martial arts. His talent was great, but how was he to rise up to Huangpu Qingtian wielding an earth ranked martial art?
They turned to the National Elemental Stone with a shake of their heads, assured that the worst outcome was nigh. Only Chu Qingcheng and Luo Yunchang begged to differ. In fact, they weren’t thinking at all, their minds and hearts were filled with worry for Zhuo Fan, trapped there all alone and waiting for Huangpu Qingtian to strike…
“Die, Zhuo Fan!” Huangpu Qingtian cackled. Victory was at hand!
Zhuo Fan couldn’t budge, but his eyes flashed golden, “The one to die… is you!”
Divine Eye of the Void’s 1st stage, Shift!
Zhuo Fan vanished into thin air. Huangpu Qingtian’s claw gouged a thousand meter deep hole into the ground.
Eyes trembling, Huangpu Qingtian wailed. He was about to get up when a relentless force smashed into him. A purple lightning empowered fist rammed into his back.
The rampant purple lightning rained havoc to his insides, tearing at his heart. No matter how tough Huangpu Qingtian was, he was not invincible. He spat crimson blood and was sent barreling into the hole he had just made, deepening it by another thousand meters.
Such a radical change happened too fast for anyone to comprehend or react. None saw how Zhuo Fan had dodged, only registering how his fist buried Huangpu Qingtian.
They were dumbstruck, minds blown.
Few knew about Zhuo Fan’s new abilities, with only the Six Dragons and One Phoenix having seen him using it. But now everyone had gotten a taste of what he was capable of and all they could do was stare bug-eyed.
Fang Qiubai shivered, blinking in confusion. Not even this guy, peak Radiant Stage expert and glorious Divine Dragon of Tianyu, had any clue about how Zhuo Fan had pulled it off.
[What just happened? Is there a martial art in this world that I don’t know of? I know all that came from Tianyu, so how…]
Fang Qiubai shook his head in the end, praising the kid to new levels, [He always liked taking people by surprise.]
Grandmother and Long Yifey’s eyes lit up. Under the imminent threat of Huangpu Qingtian’s earth ranked martial art, Zhuo Fan escaped unscathed and even retaliated. Their hopes of winning against Regent Estate were rekindled.
[The kid doesn’t disappoint, ha-ha-ha…]
The trio laughed to themselves…
Huangpu Tianyuan watched it all with a thin smile. He spoke calmly to Leng Wuchang, but every elder heard it too, “Qingtian is no match for the little monster. We can only depend on Sir Leng’s plans if we are to ever defeat him.”
“Worry not, Estate Lord, everything is going according to plan.” Knowing the man aimed to curb the elders’ view of the eldest young master, Leng Wuchang merely nodded.
Huangpu Tianyuan smiled and enjoyed the show.
From the cloud of dust hovering above the hole, Huangpu Qingtian burst out; quite a sorry sight. He wasn’t able to get his footing straight though as a sharp wind approached from behind.
Huangpu Qingtian flashed around, face to face with Zhuo Fan’s bloodshot eyes. The sharp Lightning Wings traced his face, leaving a bloody gash.
Huangpu Qingtian’s heart was wrecked with fear, his body shaking.
[That was too close!] Thanks to his quick reaction, he had kept his head from being impaled. It was his first time being in actual mortal danger.
As he grew increasingly cautious, Zhuo Fan’s bloodthirst only rose.
Zhuo Fan was the only one to pose a threat to his life.
Huangpu Qingtian grabbed the outstretched wing and punched Zhuo Fan with the other hand.
The blow shot forth with such might, it aimed to explode his head.
Zhuo Fan wasn’t worried, using the golden halo in his eye to whisk away right before it touched him.
Huangpu Qingtian once again found himself getting struck from behind. Zhuo Fan used his wing to whip the man’s back and leave a nasty gash. Purple Lightning singed through the skin and forced another cough of blood out of him.
Zhuo Fan pressed his advantage, following with more blows. Huangpu Qingtian tried to put up resistance but he couldn’t muster the strength.
Zhuo Fan was an enigma. He couldn’t get a read on his next action and was caught by surprise each time.
The scene turned odd, to say the least. Zhuo Fan hounded Huangpu Qingtian like a ghost, whipping him from every direction. Every strike left bloody wounds on Huangpu Qingtian’s body, while he was coughing blood, yet not once could he fight back.
It was more along the lines of him wanting to, but being unable to find his target.
The man moved around like a ghost, covering his tracks.
Huangpu Qingtian found himself in his most humiliating moment. As if he was Zhuo Fan’s punching bag and received all the man’s lashing. Fated to take it all but could never lash out himself…
The audience was speechless. [How come the head of the six dragons was reduced to being flogged?]
By contrast, Zhuo Fan was having the time of his life, consumed by the thrill of revenge.
Huangpu Qingtian had had enough at this point and roared, “What the hell are you guys gawking at! Activate the array!”
“But eldest young master, didn’t you say we should wait…” You Yushan mumbled.
Huangpu Qingtian barked at him, “I can’t wait any longer. Do it!”
You Yushan saw the eldest young master had lost his poise and grace. He knew time was of the essence and signaled the men in the forest.
The battlefield was then shrouded in a barrier. Zhuo Fan was just about to change places again when he was frozen stiff, unable to control space any more.
“A sealed space!” Zhuo Fan frowned and snorted inside.
He finally understood what Unwonted Contriver had cooked up. The mastermind saw even through his Divine Eye of the Void…