Zhan Wu Protector!

Zhan Wu Protector!

"The old... old sect master is injured!"

"How could this happen?! Is that guy really a Dou Zong too?!"

"Should we still stay here? What if the old sect master really loses..."

"Why don't we leave? Even if we can't cultivate in the Yun Lan Sect, we can cultivate elsewhere. We only have one life—we can't afford to gamble it!"

As the disciples watched Yun Shan retreat in defeat high above, some of the newer disciples hesitated briefly before running toward the foot of the mountain.

More chose to remain. In their eyes, the old sect master surely had yet to use his full strength.

"Great Compassion Wind Ripping Hand!"

Listening to the discussions below, Yun Shan's expression grew increasingly unsightly.

He swiftly took several medicinal pills from his Storage Ring and tossed them into his mouth.

Then, with a loud roar, he gathered all the Dou Qi in his body into his palm.

At once, brilliant light burst forth from Yun Shan's palm.

A gigantic energy hand several zhang wide condensed into form, carrying ferocious winds as it slammed fiercely toward Jiang Han.

Jiang Han still wore a smile.

He liked this feeling of crushing ants.

He casually sent out a palm strike.

Three-colored flames intertwined into a gigantic palm.

Boom!

The two collided, and a thunderous explosion shook the entire Yun Lan Mountain region.

Yet just as everyone thought the two energies would reach a stalemate—

The three-colored flame palm instantly swallowed Yun Shan's energy hand.

It continued onward.

Bang!

The flame palm struck Yun Shan squarely.

The Dou Qi Armor around his body lasted only two seconds before it was burned apart into nothingness.

What followed was Yun Shan's twisted expression and his agonized, miserable scream.

A shout brimming with boundless killing intent rang out.

Blood essence seeped from Yun Shan's body and blazed fiercely, wrapping around him as he shot into the sky.

Although Yun Shan had successfully escaped the killing blow of the flame palm, his entire body was covered in blood. His chest had also been pierced through earlier, his aura weak and his appearance utterly wretched.

He was not far from death!

"Come again."

In the battlefield, Jiang Han stood with one hand behind his back and beckoned Yun Shan with the other.

Yun Shan glared fixedly at Jiang Han. "This old man will not let you leave alive!"

Though his words were filled with threat, Yun Shan did not attack again.

After two exchanges, he knew well that he was no match for his opponent.

After the cold shout fell, Yun Shan took a black candle wrapped in runes from his Storage Ring and lit it.

As the black candle burned, countless birds in the once-silent depths of Yun Lan Mountain let out terrified cries before spreading their wings and fleeing.

Rolling black mist surged upward, blotting out the sky.

The black mist rapidly gathered, eventually forming a dark mass of fog several zhang in length and width.

"Yun Shan, what is it?"

The dark fog mass arrived at the battlefield, and a hoarse voice drifted out from within.

"Look! What is that thing?!"

"It seems like there's someone inside!"

"Did the old sect master call for help?!"

The disciples stared blankly at the black fog mass in the sky, their eyes filled with confusion and delight.

Though they did not know what the black fog mass was, judging from the situation, it was clearly the old sect master's trump card.

"Wu Protector, I want you to help me kill someone!"

Yun Shan pointed at Jiang Han, his killing intent soaring to the heavens.

"Yun Shan, you should know the price of having me act."

The black fog mass contracted and condensed once more until it formed a shadowy figure. Its hoarse voice seemed to come from the depths of the netherworld.

"Wu Protector, this junior will certainly find more and better-quality souls for you."

Facing the strange shadow, Yun Shan became even more respectful, with even a trace of fear in his expression.

This fear stemmed not only from the opponent's strength as a Four-Star Dou Zong, but also from the terrifying force behind him!

The Soul Hall, the most powerful force in the Central Province!

"Big Brother, it's him!"

"He's the one who took Teacher away!"

Even though Wu Protector was shrouded in black mist, Xiao Yan recognized him at a glance.

He had personally witnessed Jiang Han kill the seven-star Dou Zong Earth Demon Old Ghost, so he was not worried that Jiang Han would be unable to defeat Wu Protector.

"So it's you, brat!"

"I couldn't be bothered to kill you last time, yet you actually brought people here."

"I never expected Medicine Venerable to take in such a fine disciple."

Wu Protector also recognized Xiao Yan and guessed that the true purpose of their arrival at the Yun Lan Sect was to find him.

"I can't even detect your soul power. It seems I'll have to bring you back and study you properly."

Wu Protector's gaze fell upon Jiang Han. After failing to probe him with a secret technique, he furrowed his brow slightly.

As his deep, hoarse voice fell, he moved his hand, and a Jet-Black Chain appeared in his palm. It swiftly extended, coiling around him.

Screech!

The next moment, Wu Protector violently swung his right hand. The black chain instantly tore through space and lashed toward Jiang Han.

Wherever the chain passed, rings of spiraling ripples spread outward, while mysterious and bizarre runes emerged at its tip.

Under Wu Protector's control, these strange runes seemed capable of fixing space itself, radiating a sinister aura.

Facing the Jet-Black Chain that arrived in an instant, Jiang Han's expression remained unchanged.

He merely waved his hand lightly.

Crack!

Before the Jet-Black Chain could strike Jiang Han, a section of space tore apart.

The chain and its strange runes shattered at once, turning into a rain of light and vanishing.

Since the target had appeared—

Jiang Han no longer concealed his strength.

"D-Dou Venerable!"

Seeing Jiang Han's use of spatial power, Wu Protector's expression changed drastically.

After uttering those trembling words, he shot Yun Shan a vicious glare, then transformed into black mist without hesitation and prepared to flee.

Yun Shan, who was also on the battlefield, completely lost heart upon seeing this.

Only after several days of secluded cultivation and successfully breaking through to the Dou Zong realm had he truly understood the immense gap between a Dou Zong and a Dou Emperor.

Yet the man before him was a Venerable. The gap between them was an abyss of Heavenly Retribution, far greater than the gap he saw between himself and a one-star Dou Emperor!

Jiang Han calmly watched the spreading black mist. He extended his right hand and abruptly clenched it.

With a crisp sound, the surging black mist suddenly froze.

Then, as though solid, it shattered inch by inch.

A shadowy figure was forcibly squeezed out from the black mist.

With no escape possible, Wu Protector's gaze turned cold once more.

With a shake of his arm, three black chains appeared in his hand, while six Jet-Black Chains emerged behind him.

A total of nine Jet-Black Chains formed a ring around him, enclosing him within.

The nine chains intertwined, producing piercing howls as they tore through the air. Dense strange runes swarmed like flocks of black crows, eerie to the extreme.

"Die!"

Wu Protector went all out. As black Dou Qi surged forth, the nine chains began to tremble at the same frequency.

Until the nine chains slowly drew closer.

Finally, surrounded by black Dou Qi, they transformed into a massive black axe over ten zhang tall.

The giant axe was dark and dull, without the slightest gleam. Yet the instant it formed, the natural energy of the surrounding space suddenly gathered toward it.

Dense black runes coiled around it, several times more numerous than those on the Jet-Black Chains before.

Wu Protector spread both hands, black light erupting from his palms and connecting to the axe handle, raising it high into the air.

(End of Chapter)