On one side, Long Yi was using her seventh bond skill, Darkness Dragon Possession. Her body had become a colossal dragon cloaked in dark crimson shadows, wings unfurled across the sky as her roar shook the heavens. On the other side, Zhao Hai had ignited his own seventh bond skill, Fire Lion Possession. His body twisted and grew into a monstrous lion of burning flame, each breath scorching the clouds. The sky above became a battlefield of nightmare and awe, split between endless darkness and consuming fire. Both roared with fury, their powers so overwhelming that the clouds melted away and even the ground below quivered as if fearing their clash.
The moment of collision drew near, and the heavens themselves seemed ready to collapse. But just as the dragon and lion lunged toward one another, the space between them shattered. A great crack tore across the fabric of the sky, its edges glowing with unstable energy. From the abyss within came a voice so mighty it froze the world in silence.
"STOP IT!!!"
The dragon and lion froze mid-roar. In an instant, the overwhelming powers of both Long Yi and Zhao Hai receded, their monstrous forms unraveling. They returned to human shape, though the lingering pressure of their aura still weighed upon the air. The torn space rippled like water, and a figure stepped out from the void. His presence silenced even the wrath of heaven.
Zhao Hai's face drained of color. His pupils shrank to pinpoints as he staggered back. This… this power… could it be?!
A tall man in his seventies emerged, his hair silver, his robes flowing with an eagle's motif. His eyes shone sharp as blades, his aura pressing down like an endless sky. The tear in space sealed itself as soon as he landed, restoring calm to the heavens. The oppressive stillness that followed was heavier than the clash of dragon and lion itself.
Both Long Yi and Zhao Hai bowed their heads low. Their voices rang with respect.
"Greetings, Wind Eagle Venerable."
Down below, Zhen, Naer, and Lan Xin clutched each other's hands, gazing upward. They had seen the sky tear apart but could no longer follow what transpired. Fear gnawed at their hearts. The battlefield above was far beyond what they could comprehend.
Elsewhere on the mountain, another fierce clash raged. Lan Hua, wielding his hammer, faced Zhao Gao, the Holy Tyrant of the Zhao Clan. Sparks and shockwaves tore the ground beneath them. Zhao Gao's eyes widened in disbelief as he staggered under a blow. "Even though both of us are Holy Tyrants, why does your hammer carry such destructive strength?!"
Lan Hua smirked, his voice calm despite the chaos. "Have you forgotten? I am a blacksmith. My hammer was not forged for show—it was made for war."
Zhao Gao grit his teeth, fire flaring around him. "Oh yeah?! Then let's see if your hammer can withstand the true power of Burning Lion!" His aura swelled, igniting into a storm of blazing fury.
The mountain trembled as both prepared to unleash their might. But before their powers could collide, a suffocating force fell upon them. Both men were pushed back violently, as though swatted aside by an invisible giant. Their attacks fizzled, their bodies forced into submission.
A woman stepped lightly onto the battlefield. She was in her late twenties, her dark robes trailing with threads of poisonous mist. Her very presence exuded venom. Lan Hua stared in shock, unable to place her, but Zhao Gao recognized her instantly. His blood ran cold. He dropped to his knees, bowing quickly.
"Greetings, Holy Lord Du Xiaoming."
Lan Hua's jaw tightened. Holy Lord?! The words sank into his bones, shaking him. He had fought Holy Tyrants before, but a Holy Lord was something else entirely.
Zhao Gao's thoughts raced, sweat rolling down his forehead. Du Xiaoming… rank 75 Holy Lord. Bond beast—Poison Scorpion. Her venom is feared across the empire. And worse… she belongs to the Beast God Pavilion.
Her gaze turned toward Lan Hua. For a heartbeat, he felt the venomous pressure pierce his soul. His muscles locked in tension, waiting for her judgment. But then her voice softened, cold but not hostile. "You may return to your family. They are safe."
Relief spread through Lan Hua's chest like a flood. He bowed deeply. "Thank you, Holy Lord." Without hesitation, he turned and ran toward where Zhen, Naer, and Lan Xin awaited, his heart pounding with both fear and gratitude.
Once he was gone, Du Xiaoming's eyes shifted to Zhao Gao. Her aura sharpened like a blade, suffocating him instantly. Zhao Gao gasped for air as though his lungs were corroding by unseen poison.
Th-this pressure… it feels like I'll die in the next breath… he thought, terror freezing him.
Her voice was calm but merciless. "This is a warning. If you repeat such actions, I will personally walk into your Zhao Clan and kill you there."
With a wave of her hand, she vanished into a swirl of poison mist, leaving Zhao Gao collapsed on the ground. He coughed violently, his face pale as ash. Why is someone from the Beast God Pavilion here?! Fear dug deep into his bones.
Above the clouds, three figures faced one another—Long Yi, Zhao Hai, and the newly arrived Wind Eagle Venerable, Feng Tian. The venerable's aura spread endlessly, making Zhao Hai tremble. Feng Tian was no ordinary powerhouse; he was a Holy Venerable, one of the supreme elders of the Beast God Pavilion. His name alone carried enough weight to shake empires.
Feng Tian's voice was as vast as the heavens. "Third Elder of the Zhao Clan, Holy Lord Zhao Hai. What possessed you to dare raise your hand against a member of the Beast God Pavilion?"
Zhao Hai's body quivered. His arrogance was stripped away, replaced with trembling fear. He bowed low. "I… I am deeply sorry, Respected Wind Eagle Venerable."
His mind screamed in chaos. How could I have forgotten?! Long Yi is a member of the Beast God Pavilion! My hatred for her blinded me…
The air grew heavier as another venomous aura descended. Du Xiaoming appeared at Feng Tian's side, her steps graceful, her presence laced with venomous dominance. Long Yi's eyes flickered with recognition. "Xiaoming?"
A faint smile crossed Du Xiaoming's lips. "It's been a while, Long Yi."
She turned and bowed respectfully to Feng Tian. "Elder, I have completed the task."
Zhao Hai's stomach churned violently. Not just Feng Tian, but Du Xiaoming too?! Her Poison Scorpion bond is unmatched in lethality. If I provoke them further, I won't even leave a corpse.
Feng Tian's gaze was cold as winter steel. "Zhao Hai, all this because a child with no background defeated your son in a simple training battle at the Holy Beast Academy? You have dragged the name of the Zhao Clan through filth. Even your own clan elders refused to support you, because they knew your actions were disgraceful."
Zhao Hai collapsed fully to his knees, his forehead nearly touching the clouds beneath him. "Please, Respected Wind Eagle Venerable! Forgive me. I was blinded by rage. I will not dare to act in such a way again…"
Du Xiaoming's eyes glinted like twin scorpion tails. Her words struck like venom. "Remember this shame, Zhao Hai. The Beast God Pavilion does not forget."
Meanwhile, on the ground, Zhen, Naer, and Lan Xin stood frozen, their gazes locked on the heavens. Their hearts were heavy, caught between fear and hope. Suddenly, a powerful, familiar voice cut through the silence.
"ZHEN! XIN!"
They turned as Lan Hua came running down the slope, his hammer dragging behind him, his face pale but alive. Zhen's heart leapt. "Dad!"
In the next instant, the family collided into one another's arms—Zhen, Naer, Lan Hua, and Lan Xin—holding tightly as though they would never let go again. Tears welled up, spilling from their eyes, born from fear, relief, and love. For the first time since the chaos began, warmth pierced through the storm that had engulfed their world.