BOOOOOOM!!!
The storm clouds above the battlefield were violently torn apart as the entire sky collapsed into close-quarters devastation.
No more distance.
No more hesitation.
Only destruction.
Lizarius's golden eyes narrowed sharply as blue flames erupted more violently across his body, surging and coiling like living fire.
For the first time since the battle began—
his full attention locked completely onto Sect Leader Yuan.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The white beast lunged forward without warning.
The heavens shattered behind him.
CRAAAAASH!!!
His flaming claw tore through the sky toward Yuan's chest with such force it seemed capable of splitting space itself.
But Sect Leader Yuan reacted instantly.
The Starfall Dragon Halberd spun violently within his grasp.
CLAAAAANG!!!
Golden sparks and dark lightning erupted across the heavens as the halberd deflected the claw sideways. The impact alone detonated the surrounding clouds into fragments of stormlight.
Then—
counterattack.
ROOOOAR!!!
Golden dragon aura surged around Yuan's body as he brought the halberd down with mountain-crushing force.
The weapon screamed through the air toward Lizarius's neck.
Fast.
Precise.
Brutal.
Yet—
Lizarius twisted midair with uncanny smoothness.
The halberd barely brushed past his scales.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The distant forest below exploded from the sheer force of the passing strike.
At the same moment—
the crimson sword elder struck.
"Heaven Severing Blood Flash!"
The shattered crimson sword manifestation condensed into his blade before erupting outward as a devastating arc aimed directly at Lizarius's back.
A blood-red streak tore through the storm.
Lizarius's pupils sharpened instantly.
His wings exploded outward.
BOOM!!
Compressed wind and lightning burst behind him as his body shifted laterally through the sky at impossible speed. The crimson slash narrowly missed his torso—
Then—
his tail snapped outward.
CRAAAAACK!!!
The air shattered.
Black, spike-like scales erupted violently along the tail like extending blades, each one charged with dense, unstable dark-blue lightning.
The surrounding sky warped under the pressure.
The crimson sword elder's eyes widened.
Too late.
Lizarius's tail pierced through the storm like a bolt of divine punishment.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The elder barely raised his sword in defense.
CLAAAAANG!!!
Lightning detonated across the heavens.
The impact hurled him backward violently as cracks spread across his crimson blade.
His arms trembled.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
Yet before he could stabilize—
the black spikes detached.
His pupils contracted in horror.
The scales shot forward like lightning-charged projectiles aimed directly at him.
Far too fast.
He twisted desperately.
One spike tore through his shoulder.
Another pierced his abdomen clean through.
BOOOOM!!
Dark-blue lightning erupted within his body like a storm igniting from within.
The elder screamed as blood exploded from his mouth.
Meanwhile—
Sect Leader Yuan had already reappeared beside Lizarius.
Golden dragon aura spiraled around his halberd as his transformed body surged with increasingly unstable bloodline power.
The halberd descended directly toward Lizarius's exposed flank.
But this time—
the white beast did not evade.
Instead—
his golden eyes turned cold.
The blue flames vanished instantly.
In their place—
pure destruction remained.
Dark lightning exploded across Lizarius's body so violently it distorted the heavens themselves.
CRAAAAACK!!!
The storm answered with a roar.
Then—
he moved.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The sky shattered behind him as the massive white beast vanished from sight.
For half a breath—
even Sect Leader Yuan lost track of him.
Then suddenly—
he was there.
Directly in front of him.
Jaws wide open.
Dark-blue lightning condensed within Lizarius's maw like a collapsing storm core.
Yet Sect Leader Yuan did not flinch.
Golden dragon aura erupted violently around his body.
ROOOOAR!!!
He swung the Starfall Dragon Halberd upward.
At the same moment—
golden flames erupted from the blade itself.
BOOOOOOOOM!!!
The flames slammed directly into Lizarius's open maw at point-blank range.
The entire sky vanished in the explosion.
Storm clouds evaporated instantly.
Dark lightning and golden fire twisted together violently across the heavens as shockwaves tore through the Azure Root Forest below.
Mountains collapsed.
Forests flattened.
Even distant rivers surged upward and shattered under the pressure.
Then—
through the flames—
a figure emerged.
Sect Leader Yuan's eyes widened.
CLAAAAANG!!!
Lizarius had bitten directly onto the halberd blade.
Hard.
The weapon trembled violently between rows of lightning-coated fangs.
Yet the white beast did not budge even slightly.
Golden dragon energy erupted continuously against his maw—
but failed to force it open.
The Sect Leader's pupils contracted.
*He caught it head-on—?!*
Then—
instinct screamed.
His gaze snapped sideways.
There—
in the corner of his vision—
he saw it.
Lizarius's tail.
Already beside his face.
Black spike-scales extended along its length, each one wrapped in condensed dark lightning, converging into a single lethal point aimed at his skull.
Too close.
Sect Leader Yuan reacted instantly.
He released the halberd.
BOOOOM!!!
Golden dragon aura exploded beneath his feet as he twisted violently backward through the air.
The tail struck forward—
missing his face by mere inches.
CRAAAAACK!!!
The air itself split apart behind the strike.
Distant storm clouds detonated from the residual force alone.
Sect Leader Yuan reappeared far across the battlefield, breathing heavily.
Golden scales flickered across his arms.
And for the first time—
his expression had completely changed.
No confidence remained.
Only danger.
Pure danger.
Far ahead—
Lizarius hovered motionless within the storm, the Starfall Dragon Halberd clenched between his jaws.
Dark lightning crawled across the ancient weapon as if trying to consume it.
Then—
the lightning across his body slowly faded.
The violent storm above still churned endlessly—
but the white beast himself stood perfectly still.
Silent.
Watching.
Across the shattered heavens—
Sect Leader Yuan floated unsteadily, golden aura flickering weakly around his body.
His breathing had slowed.
Then stopped.
For a moment—
even he did not seem to understand it.
His pupils trembled.
Confusion.
Then—
his expression twisted.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
A violent, twisting sensation erupted deep within his body.
Sect Leader Yuan's face contorted instantly.
"GHK—!"
Blood erupted from his mouth.
His entire body stiffened midair.
Then more blood poured from his nose.
His ears.
His eyes.
The golden dragon aura around him flickered chaotically.
Unstable.
Collapsing.
His thoughts turned sluggish.
*What…*
*What is…*
His spiritual energy stopped responding.
The bloodline power within him twisted violently as something dark spread through his meridians.
Poison.
His eyes widened in shock.
Realization struck.
The earlier exchange.
The tail.
The scratch.
So small.
Almost insignificant.
Yet—
enough.
Far away—
Lizarius observed calmly, golden eyes emotionless beneath the storm.
*So even a late-stage Golden Core cultivator cannot endure it for long.*
Interesting.
The poison coating the black spike-scales worked faster than expected.
Sect Leader Yuan trembled violently once more.
He attempted to stabilize himself.
To circulate spiritual energy.
But the moment he did—
the poison surged further.
Faster.
Devouring everything it touched.
Blood poured continuously from his mouth.
His vision darkened rapidly.
Below—
the shattered Azure Root Forest spun beneath him like a broken world.
Then—
his body tilted.
And began to fall.
Dead.
Only distant thunder remained.
Lizarius floated silently within the storm.
Then slowly—
his gaze shifted.
Toward another falling figure.
The crimson sword elder.
Already dead.
His body had begun its descent long before, cut down in the chaos.
Poison.
The black spike-scales on Lizarius's tail glimmered faintly beneath the stormlight.
Thin traces of dark venom still clung to their edges.
The poison did not kill instantly.
Instead—
it invaded spiritual energy itself.
The stronger the circulation—
the faster the death.
Golden Core cultivators only hastened their own demise by resisting.
The storm above gradually calmed.
Lightning faded through the clouds.
And within the ruined heavens—
only one figure remained.
White-scaled.
Silent.
Victorious.
Lizarius.
His golden eyes narrowed as he slowly turned his head, scanning the battlefield once more.
Nothing.
No spiritual fluctuations.
No movement.
No presence.
Elder Mo—
the elder wielding the bronze mirror artifact—
was gone.
Silence stretched.
Then—
Lizarius thought calmly.
*So the last one escaped after all.*
Interesting.
Among all the Golden Core cultivators present—
the weakest died first.
The most aggressive followed.
Even the Sect Leader ultimately fell.
Yet the one who specialized in concealment and strange spiritual artifacts…
had survived long enough to disappear amid the chaos.
Lizarius's tail swayed slowly behind him.
*Not because he was stronger.*
*But because he understood fear earlier than the others.*
Smart.
Very smart.
The moment Sect Leader Yuan activated his bloodline—
Elder Mo likely realized the outcome instantly.
And while the others continued fighting—
he had already chosen escape.
Lizarius's eyes narrowed faintly.
*Troublesome.*
That bronze mirror artifact was not ordinary. It likely held soul-related or concealment abilities.
And now—
a survivor existed.
A Golden Core cultivator carrying full knowledge of his abilities.
Storm domain.
Manifestation fusion.
Lightning.
Concealment.
Too much had been revealed in this battle.
The white beast remained still for several moments, thinking.
Then—
slowly—
his gaze turned toward the distant horizon.
Toward the Azure Sky Sect.
*He will report everything.*
Which meant complications would follow.
More caution.
Stronger preparations.
Perhaps even interference from outside forces.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Yet instead of frustration—
a faint glimmer surfaced in Lizarius's golden eyes.
Anticipation.
Because this battle had confirmed something undeniable.
Golden Core cultivators…
were no longer enough to truly threaten him.