The heavens trembled beneath an endless storm.
Blue fire devoured the clouds while dark lightning spread across the battlefield like divine punishment descending from the sky itself.
And within that chaos—
Lizarius's lightning-wreathed tail came crashing downward toward the tortoise elder's head.
BOOOOOOM!!!
But just before impact—
the gigantic tortoise manifestation behind the elder suddenly moved.
Its colossal shell rotated upward in an instant.
CRAAAAANG!!
Lightning exploded across the heavens as the tail slammed into the shell with enough force to fracture the surrounding sky.
The tortoise elder was blasted backward through the raging storm—
yet his defense endured.
Barely.
Cracks spread rapidly across the massive shell while spiritual energy burst wildly from the point of impact.
The elder's expression twisted faintly.
*Again.*
That monstrous physical strength.
Every collision felt like being struck by a collapsing mountain wrapped in divine lightning.
Then—
Lizarius's golden eyes narrowed coldly.
BOOOOM!!
Spiritual pressure erupted violently from his body.
Behind him—
his colossal manifestation emerged fully once more through the storm clouds.
The gigantic white draconic phantom towered across the heavens, wreathed in blue flames and endless dark lightning.
Its enormous golden eyes opened slowly.
Then—
it moved.
ROOOOOAR!!!
The manifestation descended directly toward the gigantic tortoise phantom.
Massive flaming claws tore downward through the sky.
CRAAAAASH!!!
The tortoise manifestation trembled violently beneath the impact.
Entire sections of its shell shattered instantly.
The tortoise elder coughed blood as he desperately tried to stabilize the collapsing manifestation.
At the same moment—
far across the battlefield—
Sect Leader Yuan and the crimson sword elder charged forward together.
The Starfall Dragon Halberd blazed with overwhelming golden light while the crimson sword manifestation sharpened into a gigantic blood-red blade capable of splitting mountains apart.
Both cultivators moved simultaneously toward Lizarius.
Killing intent erupted across the heavens.
Yet before they could arrive—
the storm answered.
ROOOOOOAR!!!
Massive serpents formed entirely from black storm clouds and dark-blue lightning descended from above.
One.
Three.
Seven.
Dozens.
The heavens became filled with roaring storm dragons diving toward the two Golden Core cultivators.
Sect Leader Yuan's eyes sharpened instantly.
"Break through!"
BOOOOOM!!
The golden dragon manifestation behind him erupted forward violently.
Its enormous claws shredded apart the first storm serpent instantly.
At the same moment—
the crimson sword elder slashed upward.
CRAAAAASH!!
A blood-red arc split another serpent in half.
Lightning exploded across the battlefield.
Yet more descended immediately afterward.
The storm seemed endless.
Every serpent destroyed gave rise to another emerging from the heavens above.
Sect Leader Yuan's expression darkened.
The beast's domain was growing stronger continuously.
Meanwhile—
back near the tortoise elder—
Lizarius's manifestation tore viciously into the gigantic tortoise phantom.
Blue flames exploded across the shell while dark lightning crawled through the widening cracks.
The elder gritted his teeth violently as he struggled to maintain the collapsing manifestation.
Then—
he attacked.
His spear swept outward with overwhelming force.
"Mountain Crushing Heaven Strike!"
BOOOOOOM!!!
The sky shattered beneath the spear's path.
But—
Lizarius moved first.
The white beast vanished sideways instantly.
The spear barely missed his body by inches.
Then—
his golden eyes flashed.
A violent invisible pulse erupted outward directly toward the tortoise elder's consciousness.
Mental shock.
The elder's eyes widened instantly.
His manifestation flickered violently.
For a brief moment—
his mind blanked completely beneath the overwhelming spiritual impact.
"Ghh—!"
Blood burst from his mouth immediately.
His consciousness trembled violently while unbearable pain stabbed directly through his soul.
Though he resisted—
barely—
his control over the tortoise manifestation weakened instantly.
And against something like Lizarius—
a single moment was fatal.
Lizarius's gigantic flaming manifestation roared.
Then slammed both claws downward toward the cracking tortoise shell.
The heavens shook violently beneath the raging storm.
Dark lightning roared endlessly across the sky while blue flames consumed the battlefield like the descent of an ancient catastrophe.
And within that chaos—
the tortoise elder's manifestation flickered unstably.
The mental shock had disrupted his concentration for only a fraction of a second.
But against Lizarius—
that was enough.
CRAAAAACK!!
The gigantic tortoise shell split apart violently beneath the flaming claws of the white draconic manifestation.
Blue fire exploded through the cracks instantly.
The elder's eyes widened in horror.
"No—!"
BOOOOOOOM!!!
The manifestation shattered completely.
Fragments of golden spiritual light burst across the heavens like collapsing stars.
The backlash struck the elder instantly.
Blood erupted from his mouth while his aura destabilized violently.
Yet before he could recover—
Lizarius was already standing before him.
The massive white beast emerged silently through the collapsing flames.
Golden eyes cold.
Emotionless.
Watching him.
The elder's instincts screamed desperately.
*Retreat.*
*Escape.*
*Anything.*
His spear erupted with spiritual light as he thrust forward frantically.
But—
too slow.
Lizarius's claw moved first.
CRAAAAASH!!
The spear shattered upon contact.
Fragments of the spiritual weapon exploded across the sky.
The elder's pupils contracted violently.
Then—
the white beast's jaws opened.
Dark-blue lightning condensed instantly between his fangs.
For the briefest moment—
the elder saw his own reflection within those glowing golden eyes.
Then—
CRUNCH!!!
Lizarius's jaws snapped shut.
Bone shattered instantly.
The tortoise elder's scream died before it could fully escape.
For half a second—
his headless body still floated within the storm-filled heavens, trembling violently while blood erupted upward into the raging lightning.
Then—
the corpse fell.
Spinning downward through burning clouds toward the collapsing forest below.
Silence spread briefly across the battlefield.
Only thunder remained.
The white beast slowly lifted his head.
Blood dripped from his maw.
Dark-blue lightning crackled endlessly across moon-pale scales while blue flames danced between his fangs.
Then—
his tongue slowly swept across the blood staining his mouth.
Calm.
Unhurried.
Golden eyes shifted toward the approaching figures.
Sect Leader Yuan.
And the crimson sword elder.
Both charging through the storm at terrifying speed.
Killing intent surged violently around them.
Then—
Lizarius vanished.
Sect Leader Yuan's pupils contracted instantly.
Too fast.
His divine sense exploded outward desperately.
Then suddenly—
realization struck him.
His expression changed sharply.
"Elder Mo!"
Far across the battlefield—
Elder Mo's face paled.
The endless mirrored world surrounding him had already begun destabilizing from exhaustion.
Blood dripped continuously from his nose and mouth while the bronze mirrors rotating around him spun weakly.
Maintaining the manifestation had nearly drained him dry.
And now—
the tracking talisman pointed directly beside him.
His eyes widened in horror.
Too late.
The storm beside him distorted silently.
Golden eyes appeared within the darkness.
Cold.
Predatory.
The white beast had arrived.
Sect Leader Yuan's mind raced violently.
*Damn it.*
*We cannot continue like this.*
One after another—
they were being separated.
Hunted.
Killed before they could properly support each other.
And worst of all—
the creature's aura had barely weakened.
Even after this entire battle.
Even after maintaining that monstrous storm domain, manifestation fusion, countless serpent constructs, and repeated high-level techniques—
its spiritual energy still felt endless.
No.
Worse than endless.
Stable.
As though the battle itself barely burdened it.
A chill crept into Sect Leader Yuan's heart.
*If this continues…*
His grip around the Starfall Dragon Halberd tightened violently.
*…we may all die here.*
The crimson sword elder glanced toward him sharply.
"Sect Leader—?"
Sect Leader Yuan's eyes hardened completely.
"I have no other choice."
The sword elder froze slightly.
Then his expression changed.
"…You can't mean—"
"No matter the cost…"
Sect Leader Yuan's voice turned cold.
Absolute.
"…this beast must die here."
BOOOOOOM!!!
His spiritual energy exploded outward instantly.
The heavens shook violently.
A terrifying pressure surged from his body—far greater than before.
The surrounding storm clouds split apart.
Then—
his aura changed.
Deepened.
Ancient.
Golden scales slowly emerged across his skin.
Sharp black horns curved upward from his forehead.
His fingernails lengthened into claws.
Fangs protruded from his mouth.
And behind him—
a massive scaled tail whipped violently through the sky.
The very air distorted around him.
His spiritual pressure rose again.
And again.
The remaining storm serpents nearby were obliterated merely by the eruption of his aura alone.
Far away—
Lizarius paused.
His golden eyes narrowed slightly as he stared toward Sect Leader Yuan.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Because this feeling—
felt familiar.
Not human.
Not entirely.
Inside his mind—
he questioned the system calmly.
*What is this?*
*It resembles… a bloodline transformation.*
The system answered immediately.
**[Correct.]**
**[Target possesses a diluted draconic bloodline.]**
**[Current State: Partial Bloodline Awakening.]**
Lizarius's eyes sharpened faintly.
Dragon bloodline.
So that strange pressure had not been his imagination.
Sect Leader Yuan slowly raised his head beneath the raging storm.
Golden slit pupils locked directly onto Lizarius.
Then—
he moved.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The sky exploded behind him.
Even transformed—
his speed remained terrifying.
The Starfall Dragon Halberd descended instantly toward Lizarius, wrapped in overwhelming golden force.
Lizarius raised one claw.
CRAAAAASH!!!
The collision detonated across the heavens.
For the first time since the battle began—
Lizarius was pushed backward.
His massive body slid through the storm clouds while dark lightning scattered violently around him.
The white beast stared silently.
Golden eyes narrowing further.
Not anger.
Not rage.
Interest.
Because compared to before—
Sect Leader Yuan had become far stronger.