The Northern Dragon King did not attempt to stop Xun Er, Little Fairy Doctor, or Zi Yan. He knew well that unless he tore Xiao Hua apart, reaching them was impossible.
"Your blood and flesh… such a strange scent. Similar to Dragon-Phoenix blood, yet far more intoxicating. It carries an aroma so rich… so delicious, it stirs an unspeakable hunger within me."
His scarlet eyes burned with heat as he fixed Xiao Hua in his gaze, his voice hoarse with desire.
A savage smile twisted across his face. His scarlet tongue slid over the blood staining his cheek, savoring it like wine. Fear should have gripped him, yet the rich aroma wafting from Xiao Hua's body drowned it out, stirring instead a perverse excitement in his heart.
Xiao Hua's eyes narrowed coldly. He instantly understood what the Northern Dragon King was sensing.
His bloodline was born of the Heavenly Lightning, devouring countless Origin Dragon-Phoenix Fruits, then fused with the powers of Reincarnation, Primordial Heaven Lightning, Heavenly Genesis Flame, and Celestial Ancient Frost—giving birth to the Celestial Feather Race.
The intoxicating fragrance, the so-called "delicious taste"… naturally originated from it.
Yet Xiao Hua paid no heed to the Northern Dragon King's twisted craving. Instead, he silently examined his own body, sensing the surging powers of the Primordial Heaven Lightning, Heavenly Genesis Flame, and Celestial Ancient Frost coursing within him.
"With my current condition… it shouldn't take more than a few minutes to finish this," Xiao Hua murmured, a faint sigh of relief escaping his lips.
As for the troublesome Transforming Dragon Blood Dou Qi, it posed no threat to him. His bloodline, shielded by lightning, flame, and frost, rejected it utterly—so much so that it did not even dare to draw near his flesh.
"I do not know what fragrance leaks from your body," the Northern Dragon King sneered, his scarlet eyes flashing, "but I shall savor its taste upon my blade!"
In an instant, he vanished, reappearing before Xiao Hua like a bolt of lightning. The massive blood-red sword in his hand howled as it cleaved downward, releasing a suffocating stench of blood that rushed straight for Xiao Hua's face.
A flicker of light gleamed in Xiao Hua's palm, and a pitch-black spear appeared in his grip. The weapon thrummed with killing intent as it spun once in his hand, then lashed out. From its tip surged an azure dragon, the spirit of Xiao Hua's spear intent, roaring mightily as it smashed headlong into the descending blood-red sword.
Boom!
The azure dragon and the blood-red sword collided head-on, unleashing a shockwave that shattered the void and tore the air apart.
The Northern Dragon King's figure was sent skidding backward several hundred meters before he finally steadied himself. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth as he lifted his head, eyes blazing with disbelief. In contrast, Xiao Hua had not taken a single step back—his figure stood firm, coiled by the azure dragon that circled him protectively.
"What a terrifying spear intent!"
His eyes flickered with fear. Never in his life had he imagined that one of the younger generation could wield the spear to such a degree—that his intent had already given birth to a living spirit!
"Even so, it is not enough to stop me!"
With a crazed roar, the Northern Dragon King brandished his massive blade once more. Scarlet Dou Qi surged as the sword tore through the void, unleashing three colossal sword glows that descended with thunderous speed upon Xiao Hua.
Xiao Hua's response was calm and swift. With a flick of his spear, the azure dragon twisted through the air, sweeping its mighty tail outward. In an instant, its tail split into three, meeting the descending sword glows head-on.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The explosions reverberated like rolling thunder. Yet the Northern Dragon King pressed forward, his blade hacking again and again, each strike fiercer than the last. The void trembled under his ferocity.
But every time, Xiao Hua's spear intercepted the blow. The azure dragon roared endlessly, its presence dominating the sky as spear and sword clashed without pause.
Each collision shook heaven and earth, rippling shockwaves tearing gashes through space itself. Yet with every clash, the Northern Dragon King was forced back a little more, his attacks gradually losing momentum beneath Xiao Hua's overwhelming strength.
Those watching from afar could see it clearly—the Northern Dragon King was being suppressed. Joy flickered in their eyes, and elation spread across their faces.
Meanwhile, Xun Er, Little Fairy Doctor, and Zi Yan worked tirelessly within the formation, swiftly rescuing the trapped clansmen and flinging them out one after another. Their movements were swift and precise, and already, more than half had been freed.
"Unless this king seizes victory and rules the tribe, no one shall change anything! Only this result will be allowed!"
The Northern Dragon King's roar shook the sky. Determination blazed in his eyes as he raised his arms. In the next instant, countless clansmen trapped within the formation erupted into bloody mist. One after another, bodies burst apart at a terrifying pace, feeding the scarlet tide.
Xun Er, Little Fairy Doctor, and Zi Yan all knit their delicate brows. Without hesitation, they unleashed radiant lights that surged outward, hastening their rescue efforts. They knew—the Northern Dragon King had fallen into complete madness.
On the battlefield, a monstrous blood-red tide surged forth from behind the Northern Dragon King, flooding toward Xiao Hua. Wherever it passed, space twisted and churned violently, the air thick with a nauseating stench of blood that suffocated the heavens.
Xiao Hua brandished his spear. The azure dragon coiled around his body roared out, surging forth to clash head-on with the tide.
Ahhhh!
The moment of impact was pierced by harrowing screams. Xiao Hua's eyes narrowed as his divine eyes opened. What he saw within that tide caused his expression to darken heavily, brows furrowing as killing intent seeped out.
Countless faces twisted in torment—souls shrieking, pleading desperately for release. These were the very people the Northern Dragon King had sacrificed. Their bodies remained bound to life, yet their blood and souls were being wrung dry to fuel his strength. Even now, their agonized wails echoed as Xiao Hua's azure dragon tore through them, but could not grant them death.
"What a revolting technique…" Xiao Hua muttered coldly, his gaze locking on the Northern Dragon King with a bone-chilling frost.
"Ha ha! I am the king of the Ancient Void Dragon tribe! How I treat my subjects and citizens is not for the likes of you to decide!"
The Northern Dragon King laughed maniacally, utterly unmoved by Xiao Hua's chilling glare. His lips curled into a vicious smile as he sneered, "And from our initial clash, I have already realized it—you cannot unleash your full strength, nor can you recklessly use too much of your Dou Qi, correct?"
Xiao Hua's eyes narrowed, yet he gave no reply. His silence was sharper than words. Having crossed blades multiple times, he was not surprised the Northern Dragon King had sensed his strange state. No matter how he answered, the other party would see through him.
"Ha ha ha! Then this king has nothing to fear!" The Northern Dragon King's laughter grew more frenzied, his eyes burning hotter as Xiao Hua's silence became his confirmation.
Even so, he understood well—suppressing Xiao Hua would demand a miserable price. But the moment to retreat had long passed. If he hesitated now, disaster would fall. No matter the cost, he had to crush Xiao Hua before the situation spiraled beyond control.
His blood-stained hand rose high. Fingers twisted into a sinister seal as he bellowed:
"Blood Dragon, Devour the Sky!"
Roar!
The massive blood formation convulsed violently at his cry. The scarlet tide surged into the heavens, congealing into a colossal blood dragon, its body stretching larger than the entire Dragon Island. Its form seethed with endless violence and slaughter, its roar shaking the void as murderous intent blanketed the land.
Bang! Bang!
One after another, members of the Ancient Void Dragon tribe exploded into sprays of blood mist. Their essence was sucked greedily into the blood dragon, its monstrous body glowing ever brighter in a savage crimson light.
"This bastard!" Zhu Li's furious roar shook the skies, his eyes bloodshot. "He's actually sacrificing countless members of our tribe without the slightest hesitation!"
Though Xun Er, Little Fairy Doctor and Zi Yan had managed to rescue and hurl many out of the formation, too many still remained trapped. And it wasn't only those from the Northern Dragon Island—countless clansmen from the Western and Southern Dragon Islands were still imprisoned within this hellish formation!
"Tsk tsk… the Transforming Dragon Demon Formation is the ultimate skill of my Ancient Void Dragon tribe. And yet those fools actually dared dream of destroying it? Utterly laughable—truly the height of foolishness!"
The Northern Dragon King's expression twisted further into madness as he stared fanatically at the colossal blood dragon looming in the heavens. With a deranged grin, his figure soared upward, dissolving into a streak of blood glow that plunged straight into the dragon's gaping maw.
The instant he merged with it, the radiance of the blood dragon converged upon his body. A dim crimson light pulsed across his frame as massive scales, glimmering with a chilling and lifelike sheen, spread across his flesh.
Roar—!
The blood dragon's eyes blazed open, surging with endless scarlet slaughter. Its cold and merciless gaze locked onto Xiao Hua, brimming with killing intent. Its titanic body trembled, then its maw yawned wide—unleashing a beam of blood light ten thousand feet across.
The monstrous glow, saturated with boundless malice, hurtled toward Xiao Hua like a furious dragon bent on devouring the world.
"Be careful, (Brother) Xiao Hua!"
Xun Er, Little Fairy Doctor, and Zi Yan had just saved the last batch of clansmen when they turned and cried out in alarm. The pressure radiating from that blood light was enough to make even their Dou Sheng souls shudder. They knew clearly—if struck head-on, even an elite five-star Dou Sheng would be grievously wounded.
But what filled them with greater dread was not the attack itself—it was Xiao Hua's current condition. They understood too well: he could not recklessly unleash his Dou Qi. Once he overused it, the Heavenly Genesis Flame, Primordial Heaven Lightning, and Celestial Ancient Frost within him would erupt in violent rejection, bringing a backlash far worse than any enemy's strike.
"Ha ha! Xiao Hua, since you have delivered yourself into my hands, allow me to personally take your life!"
The Northern Dragon King's arrogant laughter thundered through the void, shaking the realm as the blood light tore across space toward its target.
Xiao Hua, however, remained utterly calm. His eyes were cold, devoid of fear, as he thrust his spear forward with majestic, domineering might. Spear intent erupted like a raging tide, and with it, the Azure Dragon manifested, letting out a deafening roar that split the heavens. In the next instant, its radiant form shot forth, colliding head-on with the blood-red dragon in a clash that shook the world.
"Buy me some time," Xiao Hua murmured softly as the Azure Dragon met the enemy's strike.
As though it understood, the Azure Dragon's eyes flashed with brilliance, its roar shaking the skies as it pierced through the blood light and lock horns with the blood dragon.
Seizing this fleeting chance, Xiao Hua's expression sharpened. His mind shifted inward, and his hands slowly rose. The Heavenly Genesis Flame surged into his right palm, blazing with endless might, while the Primordial Heavenly Lightning crackled in his left, arcs of destruction weaving across his arm. Without hesitation, he pressed the two together—the very air trembling as fire and lightning sought to merge.
…
Within the Chaos Realm, in the meeting hall.
Flame and Thunder sat in council, their expressions grave as they discussed the current plight of the Ling Clan. Though no major losses had been suffered, the clan was being relentlessly harassed by the Hun Clan—an act later exposed as part of the Northern Dragon King's schemes.
It did not take them long to understand: the Hun Clan had sought an alliance with the Ancient Void Dragon tribe, using the harassment of the Ling Clan as a pretext to tighten their cooperation.
The other Eight Ancient Clans, aware of the long-standing enmity between the Hun Clan and Moonlit Chaos Mansion, chose not to intervene. To them, this alliance was nothing more than the Hun Clan paying its due price for dragon support in their vendetta. Thus, they dismissed the matter, turning a blind eye and pressing no further.
However, as if sensing something amiss, the two suddenly lifted their heads, their gazes locking onto the same direction. Their expressions grew incomparably solemn.
"Is Chaos planning to enter seclusion so soon?" Thunder murmured, his voice low and heavy, carrying a sense of foreboding.
"Even so, if he's forcing it, problems are bound to arise…" Flame said in disbelief, his tone shaken with both shock and worry.
"Flame, prepare every kind of medicinal pill and natural treasure that can guard against severe backlash when Chaos enters seclusion. I will ready the protective formation at the retreat site." Thunder's voice turned sharp as he rose to his feet, issuing his orders without hesitation.
Flame gave a firm nod and moved without delay. Both of them clearly understood—Chaos will enter a long retreat to advance to Dou Di but not without suffering any backlash.
…
Meanwhile, Xiao Hua's focus did not waver. His entire mind was devoted to merging the two destructive forces, shutting out all distractions from the outside world.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With every breath of time, terrifying fluctuations erupted. Each ripple alone was enough to make faces turn pale—space shattered, the heavens split apart, and the ground quaked as though the end of the world loomed.
Even Xun Er, Little Fairy Doctor, and Zi Yan, who trusted him the most, could not hide the unease in their hearts. They could only watch with clenched fists and racing pulses, struck with fear and awe at Xiao Hua's reckless act.
The fluctuations alone were enough to make everyone's scalps tingle in numb terror. From a mere breath, they could already sense just how destructive and terrifying this strike would be.
The Northern Dragon King felt it as well, but he was bound tight by the Azure Dragon coiling around his body, unable to break free and interrupt Xiao Hua's actions.
Xiao Hua's mind sank deep into his inner world, focusing entirely on the strange spiritual realm that had manifested after he birthed the embryo of the Nine Supreme Chaos Strike.
At the center of this world stood a spiritual figure identical to Xiao Hua. It raised its hands, forming a profound seal. In an instant, the figure transformed into a pagoda, within which a faint pillar appeared—illusory yet towering. The next moment, it dispersed and merged seamlessly into the spiritual realm.
When Xiao Hua opened his eyes again, a chilling light flickered within them. He had succeeded in forming the fourth strike of the Nine Supreme Chaos Strike. In his hand floated not the usual golden-green sphere of merged power, but one of black-gold, radiating a suffocating aura of annihilation.
"Do you think this alone can stop this king from killing you?! Dream on, you damn bastard!"
The Northern Dragon King roared as he finally tore free from the Azure Dragon's grasp. He spun toward Xiao Hua, but the instant his eyes fell upon the black-gold orb, his voice faltered. His pupils contracted violently, and a bone-deep chill pierced his soul. For the first time, a true sense of death—inescapable and absolute—flooded his heart.
"A wise man knows when to retreat. Only by surviving can I reclaim vengeance for this failure and uproot the grass at its roots…" The Northern Dragon King muttered in fear as he spun to flee.
But Xiao Hua's cold laughter cut through the air like a blade.
"How can I allow you to escape after I've already resolved to pay such a heavy price? Even if it brings me severe repercussion, even if the Heavenly Emperor himself were your father—you will leave your life here today, Northern Dragon King!"
With that, Xiao Hua flicked his wrist, releasing the orb. It drifted out from his palm, vanishing into the sky in the next breath.
Kacha—!
A sharp cracking sound split the heavens, echoing across the Empty Realm. Every cultivator trembled as their heads snapped upward, eyes wide with dread. A thin fissure had appeared on the orb's surface.
Kacha! Kacha! Kacha!
The sound multiplied as countless fractures spread across the sphere like spiderwebs. Suddenly, from within, an enormous hand reached out—tearing the orb apart with brutal force.
The sphere shattered completely, unveiling a silhouette identical to Xiao Hua's figure. That figure moved without pause, forming a hand seal before transforming into a towering pagoda.
Moments later, the pagoda itself cracked apart, revealing a pillar of dazzling white light. Upon its surface, images of majestic dragons soared amidst the heavens while graceful phoenixes danced in freedom. The pillar radiated an unfathomable power—its aura devouring the natural energy of heaven and earth in every direction.
And yet, within that devouring might was something even more terrifying: a force of pure purification, capable of reducing all filth, blood, and corruption into nothing but the purest energy of heaven and earth.
As the pillar fully manifested, Xiao Hua lifted his hand before pressing it downward. His voice rolled out like thunder across the realm:
"Fourth Strike—Immortal Saint Pillar!"
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