Above the sea of clouds.
A figure streaked in from the distant horizon.
It was Lu Changsheng, who had just secured the prize.
A faint smile hung on Lu Changsheng's face.
Thinking back on it now, without Huanglong Zhenren, he wouldn't have found it easy to get the Xuanling Fruit from the Xuan Sha Mang on his own.
Once he returned, he could make use of the Xuanling Fruit's effects. With a little more time, he might be able to advance straight from the Heavenly Immortal Realm to the True Immortal Realm.
Just as he was making plans, a thunderous boom suddenly rang out behind him.
Lu Changsheng instinctively looked back.
Lingganhu?
He had already put quite some distance between himself and Lingganhu.
And yet, he could still feel the power coming from that direction.
Was a Golden Immortal really this powerful?
The next moment, Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes.
A black speck appeared at the edge of his vision.
It rapidly grew larger, and in just two breaths, he could make out its full shape.
It was Huanglong Zhenren!
So fast?
He had thought Huanglong Zhenren and the Xuan Sha Mang would fight for a while before their battle was decided.
Now it seemed he had underestimated Huanglong Zhenren's strength.
In the blink of an eye, Huanglong Zhenren was right in front of him.
But Huanglong Zhenren's Daoist robe was now stained red, and his Left Arm hung limply at his side. He looked utterly miserable, with none of the bearing of one of the Jade Void Twelve Immortals.
"Run! Why did you stop?"
"I'd like to see just how far you can get!"
Huanglong Zhenren was beside himself with rage.
With his strength, the Xuan Sha Mang had been no match for him when he went all out.
Who could have guessed the Xuan Sha Mang would choose to self-destruct in the end?
The self-destruction of a Golden Immortal-level Xuan Sha Mang had been terrifyingly powerful.
If he hadn't had a couple of life-saving measures, he wouldn't even be standing here now.
"Run?"
"Are you confused about something? Why would I run?"
Lu Changsheng looked bewildered.
The moment he saw Huanglong Zhenren, Lu Changsheng knew he wouldn't be able to get away.
No matter how fast he was as a Heavenly Immortal, he couldn't outrun a Golden Immortal like Huanglong Zhenren.
If he couldn't escape, he would settle this here.
A Golden Immortal at full strength would indeed be a tricky opponent.
But a severely wounded Golden Immortal was another matter entirely.
Huanglong Zhenren froze, then immediately snapped, "You've got some nerve! You stole the Xuanling Fruit while I was fighting the Xuan Sha Mang. Hand it over!"
Lu Changsheng gave a cold laugh.
"I merely did what you did. What's the problem?"
The only difference was that Huanglong Zhenren had failed, while Lu Changsheng had succeeded.
"And what do you mean, 'your' Xuanling Fruit?"
"Natural Treasures belong to the capable."
Huanglong Zhenren opened his mouth but had no answer.
There was nothing wrong with what Lu Changsheng had said.
But he would never allow Lu Changsheng to take the Xuanling Fruit.
"Well said. Natural Treasures belong to the capable. What makes a lowly Heavenly Immortal like you worthy of possessing a treasure like the Xuanling Fruit?!"
"I am Huanglong Zhenren of the Chan Sect's Jade Void Twelve Immortals. If you don't want to die, hand over the Xuanling Fruit!"
Huanglong Zhenren wished he could tear Lu Changsheng limb from limb.
But there was nothing he could do at the moment.
Normally, he could have taken down a mere Heavenly Immortal with a wave of his hand.
But he had already been gravely wounded by the Xuan Sha Mang's self-destruction, then forced himself to circulate his magical power and pursue Lu Changsheng at full speed.
His condition was now dire.
If he fought again, he might aggravate his injuries.
So if he could avoid fighting, all the better.
"The Jade Void Twelve Immortals?"
Purple light flashed across Lu Changsheng's right palm, and the Xuanling Fruit appeared.
"Good. You know who I am. Now hand over the Xuanling Fruit!"
Huanglong Zhenren thought Lu Changsheng had come to his senses and held out his right hand.
But Lu Changsheng only smiled faintly, making no move to hand over the Xuanling Fruit.
Huanglong Zhenren's right hand hung in midair, leaving the scene unbearably awkward.
"What do you mean by that?!"
Huanglong Zhenren asked each word at a time, veins bulging across his forehead.
"Perhaps Guangchengzi, Chijingzi, and the others are highly cultivated, but you, Huanglong Zhenren, are the weakest of the Jade Void Twelve Immortals."
"So what if I'm a Heavenly Immortal? If you're capable of beating me, then just take the Xuanling Fruit by force."
"If you aren't, then stop throwing a tantrum like a helpless fool."
Those few words instantly pushed Huanglong Zhenren over the edge.
His eyes burned with hatred as he stared at Lu Changsheng. He opened his mouth, then finally spat out three words.
"You're asking for death!"
So what if he, Huanglong Zhenren, was the weakest of the Jade Void Twelve Immortals?
Since when had even a lowly Heavenly Immortal dared to look down on him like this?
Rage instantly drowned out his reason.
He no longer cared if his injuries worsened. All he wanted now was Lu Changsheng dead!
Huanglong Zhenren formed hand seals, one after another.
A few breaths later, he pointed his right hand at Lu Changsheng.
"Jade Purity Divine Thunder, destroy him!"
In an instant, thunder roared overhead. A bolt of lightning crashed down and struck Lu Changsheng squarely.
"You're nothing but a Heavenly Immortal, yet you dare act so presumptuous before me!"
Huanglong Zhenren let out a sinister laugh.
As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Changsheng grinned at him.
"That's it?"
Huanglong Zhenren flew into a rage.
"Jade Purity Divine Thunder!"
Lightning struck again.
As the thunderbolts hit him, Lu Changsheng secretly circulated his magical power and activated the Indestructible Thunder God Body.
He was using Huanglong Zhenren to temper his body with lightning and cultivate the Indestructible Thunder God Body.
In his fury, Huanglong Zhenren naturally failed to notice. He seemed to have gone mad, unleashing the Jade Purity Divine Thunder over and over.
Bolts of lightning swallowed Lu Changsheng whole.
At last, Huanglong Zhenren staggered and spat out a mouthful of blood. His face grew even paler.
Repeatedly unleashing the Jade Purity Divine Thunder had aggravated his injuries.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked at Lu Changsheng, whose flesh had been blasted into a mangled mess.
He had to be dead now, right?
Just as Huanglong Zhenren prepared to approach, Lu Changsheng moved.
"That's all?"
"Is that all you've got?"
He was still a little short of completing the Lightning Body Tempering.
Huanglong Zhenren froze.
Were his injuries really so severe that even several bolts of Jade Purity Divine Thunder couldn't kill a Heavenly Immortal?
"Don't get cocky!"
He formed his seals again.
But this time, before he could finish, he spat out another mouthful of blood.
His injuries no longer allowed him to unleash another divine ability.
Seeing this, Lu Changsheng sighed helplessly.
He would have to wait until his next breakthrough to complete the last little bit of the Lightning Body Tempering.
"I overestimated you."
"Since you're done, it's my turn."
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