Old Yao, Borrow a Knife to Kill!

Deep within the Monster Mountain Range, atop a massive mountain!

At its peak, an enormous cave entrance flickered in and out of view beneath the cover of tree branches.

In front of the cave entrance, two magical beasts lay sprawled on the ground, their upper and lower eyelids furiously battling each other.

"Old man, are you messing with me?! The two beasts guarding the entrance are both fourth-tier. What kind of terrifying existence must be inside?!"

Xiao Yan crouched low in the bushes, too terrified to move. His face was pale, and cold sweat poured down his body.

He felt like Old Yao had played him!

Either of those two guard beasts could swallow a weakling at the Dou Qi stage like him in one bite.

And Old Yao still wanted him to negotiate with the terrifying being inside the cave.

Wasn't that like an old man hanging himself...

Had he grown tired of living?

Old Yao chuckled. "With me here, hadn't you made it all this way without being discovered by any magical beasts?!"

"Th-that... seems true."

"Enough, go on. With me here, even if we can't beat it, escaping won't be a problem."

Old Yao said enticingly.

"I'll trust you this once."

Xiao Yan gritted his teeth. After silently encouraging himself, he slowly stepped out of the bushes.

He was immediately spotted by the two magical beasts!

The drowsiness in their eyes was instantly replaced by killing intent.

They stalked toward Xiao Yan, baring their sharp fangs and horns.

Xiao Yan took several frightened steps back.

Only when Old Yao flung out the Bone Spirit Cold Flame did the two magical beasts retreat.

They let out a roar.

A few seconds later.

A magical beast measuring seven or eight meters long emerged from the cave.

The moment Xiao Yan saw it.

Cold sweat soaked through his clothes!

It was the first time he had ever seen such a terrifying magical beast.

Its entire body was covered in purple crystals.

At that moment, it used its beastly eyes—blood-red with an unusual violet gleam—to sweep a contemptuous glance over Xiao Yan!

Its enormous fang-filled mouth opened.

"Human brat, speak. Who brought you here!"

It did not believe that a weakling it could kill with a single sneeze had the ability to cross through the dense forest and arrive before it.

Xiao Yan said, "I-I came here to tell you something."

"Speak. If this king finds out you're spouting nonsense, heh heh, then you can be this king's dinner!"

As it spoke, the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King heavily stomped the ground with its thick forelimb.

The ground shook violently, as though the entire mountain were about to collapse.

Xiao Yan's legs trembled uncontrollably.

After cursing Old Yao bloody in his heart.

He repeated what Old Yao had told him to say:

"Half a month ago, when I was passing through the outskirts of the Monster Mountain Range, I accidentally overheard several people saying that they were coming to kill you and take your Magic Core. There's even a Dou Emperor among them!"

"Is that so?"

"If you don't believe me, you can go take a look yourself. They're in a valley a hundred li away right now."

"Speak. What is your purpose!"

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King was no fool. Coming all this way to tell it such news, Xiao Yan must have wanted something!

"Could you give me a piece of Purple Spirit Crystal?"

Xiao Yan stammered.

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King snorted coldly. "A tiny piece of Purple Spirit Crystal only molts from this king's body once every twenty years. Do you think you can have one just because you ask for it!"

"I-I-I saved your life."

"Whether that's true remains to be seen! Watch him. Don't let him escape. This king will go take a look himself."

After giving the order, the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King flapped its purple wings, blasting out clusters of flames like a flamethrower!

In the blink of an eye, he vanished beyond the horizon.

Meanwhile.

Within a valley in the Monster Mountain Range.

Ye Hao sat cross-legged atop a massive boulder, cultivating!

As the Saint Grade Heaven Swallowing Art circulated, the energy within several miles surged wildly into his body.

This terrifying sight left even Yun Yun, who believed she had seen her fair share of grand scenes, utterly stunned!

Her red lips parted as she murmured softly, "He... he's still as outstanding as he was before."

"Back then, he also quickly went from behind me to ahead of me."

She had a feeling that it would not be long before Ye Hao once again went from behind her to ahead of her!

Only, this time, there was one more person between them.

Yun Yun glanced at Xun Er and lightly bit her red lip.

From Xun Er's casual remarks in everyday conversation, she could tell that Xun Er's identity was anything but ordinary.

Even her status as the sect master of the Misty Cloud Sect might not give her any advantage before Xun Er.

What comforted Yun Yun was that Ye Hao still remembered what had happened between them in the past.

And that was her only advantage!

Xun Er's attention had remained fixed on Ye Hao.

She did not notice Yun Yun's little movements.

Xiao Yi Xian, meanwhile, tirelessly studied the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture.

Once Ye Hao finished cultivating, she could finally rest assured and find a place to begin consuming poison to increase her strength!

Suddenly!

Yun Yun abruptly rose to her feet.

She looked toward the east!

"Not good! The commotion from Ye Hao's cultivation was too great—it drew the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King here! Everyone, be careful!"

When she had come here earlier, she had already investigated the area.

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's overall strength was not much different from hers; both were around three-star Dou Emperors.

However, it was currently daytime, and he had the enhancement of sunlight!

His combat power would double!

Back then, Ye Hao had easily defeated him.

"You watch over Ye Hao. I'll draw him away!"

As she spoke, Yun Yun made a grasping motion with her jade hand, and a longsword flickering with an unusual radiance flashed into view!

Then, she forcefully kicked off with her long legs.

Her delicate body traced a captivating arc through the air as she shot off in another direction!

"Be careful," Xun Er reminded her.

Xiao Yi Xian clenched a handful of white powder in her palm.

She knew it might be useless.

But what if it worked?

"Foolish woman, if you run, they won't be able to!"

Seeing Yun Yun so eager to lure him away, the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King naturally took it as a sign of guilt.

He would not fall for a human's trick.

"Stop!!"

Yun Yun's pretty face turned pale at once.

She hurriedly turned back.

With a lift of her jade hand, a tiny green tornado appeared before her.

The tornado swelled wildly in the wind, becoming a massive tornado over a dozen zhang tall in the blink of an eye. Howling as it spun, it swept toward the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King!

Wherever it passed, giant trees were forcibly uprooted from the ground, then shredded into wood chips by the whirling winds.

"Hmph! The Monster Mountain Range is this king's territory. It is not your humans' place to run wild here!"

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King shouted coldly.

The purple crystal radiance on his body flared brightly, and surging purple flames erupted from within him, converging into an enormous purple pillar of fire.

He collided with the azure tornado.

The storm and pillar of fire frantically unleashed terrifying energy.

Boom!

A thunderous roar exploded across the sky.

Even the very space around them seemed to ripple slightly!

However!

The next second!

A scene that horrified everyone present unfolded!

The terrifying energy ripples produced by the explosion!

Actually converged toward Ye Hao and, in the end, all surged into his body!

Yun Yun was startled, but she had no time to think further. She had to stop the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King!

Boom!

At that moment, a muffled bang rang out from within Ye Hao's body!

"Hao Gege, you... broke through!"

Xun Er, standing before Ye Hao, exclaimed in delight.

Ye Hao opened his eyes and nodded.

"Xun Er, Xiao Yi Xian, step back for a moment."

After the two retreated.

Ye Hao stepped forward.

The Green Lotus Core Flame in his left hand, the Sea Heart Flame in his right.

"Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, you bastard! I never provoked you, yet you came running here to cause trouble! Fine! Today, I'll let you taste the power of the Great Desolate Prison Heaven Finger condensed from two great Heavenly Flames!"

Ye Hao rapidly formed hand seals with both hands!

The two Heavenly Flames swiftly gathered above his head, transforming into an enormous finger dozens of meters long, shimmering in intertwined azure and blue hues.

"Great Desolate Prison Heaven Finger, one finger to imprison heaven and earth!"

As Ye Hao pointed at the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, the enormous finger shot forth with terrifying might!

In that instant, the surrounding space itself seemed to be torn apart.

Yun Yun was too shocked for words!

Such a terrifying attack had actually been unleashed by a Dou Ling?!

And!

What she found most unbelievable was that the explosion caused by the Dou Techniques she and the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King had used earlier had been completely absorbed by Ye Hao, becoming the aid that allowed him to break through to Six Star Dou Ling!

It could no longer be described merely as terrifying.

As the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King watched the gigantic finger rapidly form and blast toward him, his blood-red beast pupils abruptly widened. He hurriedly dodged to the side!

But he was still caught in the terrifying explosion unleashed by the giant finger!

His hind leg was injured and began to bleed.

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King let out a low growl. "Humans, you're dead!!!"

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King soared into the sky, his entire body bursting with dazzling purple light!

Clearly!

He was preparing his strongest killing move!!