What made Long Qinghuang most uncomfortable was that Feng Ziliu of Tianyao Holy Land and Yan Jun of Yama Hall seemed to be enemies, but not only did they show no signs of mutual wariness, they even had a special tacit understanding in coordinating their cultivation techniques and combat skills.

It was as if they came from the same sect.

What kind of battle was this supposed to be?

Especially that Yan Jun, who knew what had angered her, fought as if her life depended on it, aiming for vital points with every move. The other old man was much more restrained, at least not attacking critical areas.

So, was Yan Jun a lunatic? Do I even know you?

Leaving aside that my capture of Lu Xingzhou was not about fighting over a man at all, even if I really was fighting the Tianyao Holy Lord over a man, what did it have to do with you? What concern was it of yours? What exactly are you jumping about?

Feeling offended, Long Qinghuang channeled all her remaining power towards Yuan Muyu before retreating. Golden light erupted, eclipsing the sun and moon.

With a deafening “boom,” Yuan Muyu was sent flying dozens of miles. A golden dragon ascended into the clouds, soaring into the distant sky. Long Qinghuang’s slightly injured, hoarse voice echoed from above: “Lu Xingzhou, you’d better hide in Tianyao Holy Land forever and never come out!”

Well, originally, she had just found it interesting and wanted to capture him to play with, but ended up catching a fake. This time, he was really in front of her, she personally took action, and yet she was ambushed and ganged up on. Long Qinghuang’s competitive spirit, which refused to admit defeat, ignited. This time, it had changed from a game to an obsession…

Just you wait, Emperor!

Feeling the implication in the dragon lady’s words, Lu Xingzhou shivered. Would she really launch a full-scale invasion of Daqian by the demon race, all for a man?

Did anything like this happen in our Huaxia history? I heard it happened in Europe…

Speaking of which, if Yuan Muyu had fully sided with the opposition this time, Tianyao Holy Land would have suffered greatly. Lu Xingzhou’s original plan was for Yuan Muyu not to participate in the battle, but with two more dragons on the other side, it would have been a tough fight. Although Tianyao Holy Land had many hidden transcendent-grade cultivators, most of them secluded themselves from worldly affairs and couldn’t be summoned, so they could only be left to guard the home, not relied upon.

However, not only did Yuan Muyu not side with the opposition, she even held back the Sea Dragon King and provoked the Demon Emperor, effectively neutralizing three transcendent-grade cultivators in one go.

This time, it was the people from Jinfeng Island who were completely dumbfounded.

Once Long Qinghuang fled, even the few Flood Dragons symbolically dispatched by the Sea Dragon King to entangle the Tianyao elders ran away. With Feng Ziliu and the Tianyao elders launching a full counterattack, how could they possibly continue fighting?

The Jinfeng Island body-snatcher forces disintegrated in an instant. The old man leading the team made a decisive decision and immediately retreated with Fang Qihao and Xiang Guang while Feng Ziliu and Yuan Muyu were attacking Long Qinghuang.

Lu Xingzhou had just finished using all his methods to trap the specter that had possessed Duan Ning inside the Myriad Soul Banner, which only served as a temporary restriction and could not be refined. He had no time to do anything else, suddenly flashing to block Fang Qihao’s escape route.

Fang Qihao was striking Anuo’s biscuit with a palm, retreating with the momentum. With a “boom,” he was enveloped by a wall of fire behind him.

He turned his head to see Lu Xingzhou conjuring a wall of fire to block his retreat, his expression somewhat ferocious in the firelight: “Was it you who wanted to kill my Anuo?”

Anuo’s lips curved into a smile.

Fang Qihao was dumbfounded. That was so long ago. You didn’t show any reaction before; are you secretly holding a grudge until now?

I haven’t even asked you for the God-Beating Whip yet!

“Get out of the way!” Fang Qihao crashed into Lu Xingzhou. At the same time, the transcendent-grade old man leading the team, while retreating, sent a fierce wind blade hurtling over, attempting to provide assistance.

However, Lu Xingzhou faced the transcendent-grade wind blade spell without dodging or evading, taking it head-on with his back. With a crisp crack, the Dragon Subduing Armor he had just put on shattered.

Lu Xingzhou stumbled, then delivered a fierce whip kick to Fang Qihao’s chest.

Fang Qihao blocked with his arm, his path blocked.

A sharp pain shot through his back as Anuo’s God-Beating Whip struck him.

That was no soft whip; it was a steel whip!

The blow caused Fang Qihao’s back to burst open, and he spewed a mouthful of blood, stumbling forward.

Lu Xingzhou unleashed a flurry of palm strikes, his Taiji Tiangang fully erupting, heavily smashing into his chest.

With a crisp “crack,” his chest caved in, utterly dead.

Another specter escaped his body: “Lunatics, all lunatics!”

But where could it escape to?

A slender hand reached out from beside him. It was Yuan Muyu, who had been sent flying dozens of miles by Long Qinghuang, now returning. She grabbed it, and in an instant… controlled it.

A transcendent-grade traversing dozens of miles takes but an instant, which shows how quickly these things happened in the blink of an eye. The old man leading the team saw that the situation was hopeless and immediately fled with Xiang Guang in a panic, no longer able to concern himself with Fang Qihao.

Fang Qihao’s specter was held in Yuan Muyu’s hand, twisting and struggling: “Yan Jun, you clearly betrayed Tianyao Holy Land and started your own faction, so why are you acting as a dog for Tianyao Holy Land again!”

He was truly enraged. If it weren’t for Yuan Muyu’s inexplicable performance this time, how could their operation have fallen apart in such a way that he himself couldn’t comprehend?

So many transcendent-grade cultivators!

It would have been enough to unify the world!

How could it have turned out like this? He couldn’t figure it out no matter how he thought about it.

Yuan Muyu’s bloodstains were seeping from under her mask, but she didn’t answer the question. Instead, she turned to Lu Xingzhou: “Since you’ve already captured one, give this one to me. I also have matters of the ancient realm to inquire about. Don’t worry, he tried to kill Anuo. I won’t let him off easy. In my hands, he will wish for death but cannot die, wish for life but cannot live.”

Lu Xingzhou smiled: “I believe it. Anuo is also a child you raised since she was young.”

Fang Qihao’s specter: “???”

Yuan Muyu gazed deeply at Lu Xingzhou, wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing.

What was there to say?

Everything that needed to be said had already been said, even to the point where they reached a stalemate again. Any more would lead to an argument.

Should she say, “How will you thank me for helping you this time?” But she also knew that Lu Xingzhou was right before; this wasn’t just helping Tianyao Holy Land. The matters of the ancient realm were a shared endeavor, and it held great significance for her too.

Then what to say, what was her relationship with the Dragon Emperor?

Whatever relationship it was, it had nothing to do with him… It was pointless to rage like a madman under the gaze of countless people, only to recall it later like a clown.

Forget it.

Similarly, Lu Xingzhou pursed his lips and said nothing.

Yuan Muyu gave him a final, faint glance, then grabbed the specter and flashed away. As for the duel between Ye Tinglan and Zhaomen over there, she didn’t even spare it a look.

It wasn’t until she left that Lu Xingzhou, pale-faced, coughed up a mouthful of blood. Taking a transcendent-grade wind blade directly on his back, even with the Dragon Subduing Armor and Tai Xu Lun Zhuan, still exceeded his endurance.

But for some reason, he didn’t want to show any weakness from his injuries in front of Yuan Muyu, so he forcibly suppressed it until she left before he spat out blood.

Anuo quickly stepped forward to support him: “Master…”

Lu Xingzhou smiled and rubbed her head: “I’ve handed your enemy over to your Sister Yu, is that okay?”

“Actually, it’s fine if we don’t get this revenge… I’m fine anyway, and I even got the God-Beating Whip.”

“That won’t do,” Lu Xingzhou said. “Master will teach you another essential rule for roaming the jianghu: A gentleman’s revenge lasts from morning till night. If there’s no opportunity on the spot, always look for one, then strike with a cold attack. Afterward, grind them to dust; don’t give them a chance for cycles of vengeance.”

Dugu Qingli, who had just arrived beside them: “…”

Anuo couldn’t help but laugh, stuffing a pill into his mouth: “Remembered, remembered.”

Lu Xingzhou swallowed the pill and turned to Dugu Qingli: “Going to help your Master?”

In fact, he didn’t need to say it. Feng Ziliu and the other Holy Land transcendent-grade cultivators were already flying towards Ye Tinglan. This battle should no longer have any suspense.

Dugu Qingli gazed at him for a long moment, then finally sighed: “You’re injured yourself. Take care of yourself.”

After speaking, she transformed into a sword light and went to help her Master.

She always felt that Yin-Yang Extreme Intent Skill was not a good cultivation technique, but sometimes she felt it was.

Such a contradiction.

In fact, Ye Tinglan truly didn’t need any help.

From the very beginning, Zhaomen had no confidence in defeating Ye Tinglan; his plan was to attack the Tianyao disciples to distract and worry Ye Tinglan. In the end, after all that effort, he himself became distracted and anxious, while Ye Tinglan’s smile never faded during the battle.

With one’s strength waning and the other’s waxing, there was no need to discuss the outcome.

“Bang!”

The Buddha Kingdom in his palm shattered. Ye Tinglan’s divine sword, like a rainbow piercing the sun, sliced Zhaomen’s bronze cymbals artifact into pieces. The sword’s momentum was not exhausted, piercing directly into his chest.

The sword intent was like a storm, sealing off all directions. Zhaomen felt that no matter how he dodged, he couldn’t evade it. In desperation, he used his left arm to block.

The severed arm transformed into a human figure to take his place, the divine sword cut through the false body, and Zhaomen’s true body had already fled using a blood escape.

He hadn’t suffered such heavy injuries last time! Last time, he was essentially dealing with Ye Tinglan plus the entire Tianshuang by himself. This time, with multiple transcendent-grade body-snatchers lurking on his side, cooperation from two demon races (sea and land), and secret information from the Qian Emperor, he was only dealing with a single Tianyao Holy Land, yet it resulted in an outcome that was almost a complete annihilation.

Let alone occupying Jinfeng Island as a stronghold to rise in the human world, just his secular name, “Yu Jingfeng of Jinfeng Island,” was declared废(廢) (waste) in just a cup of tea’s time.

Zhaomen felt he couldn’t be more miserable, but Ye Tinglan frowned at the blood on her sword tip, very dissatisfied.

She hadn’t expected such a good situation, and yet she still failed to kill the opponent.

This severed arm substitution method had some trick to it.

In their two encounters, the opponent became more difficult to deal with each time. Who knew what new tricks he would have next time?

“Sect Master!” The Holy Land elders gathered around, looking at the severed arm floating in the air, all astonished: “He ran?”

“Yes, he ran,” Ye Tinglan whispered. “The opponent is very strong, only a sliver weaker than me. He will be a huge problem when we meet again. Effective immediately, Tianyao Holy Land’s strategic focus will shift to searching for this group of visitors from the ancient realm. Jinfeng Island will be occupied immediately, and every person possibly possessed will be screened.”

The elders responded: “Understood.”

Ye Tinglan’s gaze swept over the bowing elders, then landed on Lu Xingzhou and his disciple floating not far away.

Lu Xingzhou was also looking at her. Seeing her worried expression, he smiled slightly: “Troubled again? You, sigh…”

Ye Tinglan pouted helplessly: “The opponent is indeed very strong.”

“You just overthink things and tie yourself in knots,” Lu Xingzhou chuckled. “Next time we meet, how many arms will he have left?”

Ye Tinglan: “…”

“We were completely passive in our response this time, yet we managed to completely dismantle their plans, sending them treasures, souls, and whips, truly living up to the title of ‘Captain of Transportation.’ Next time they come, they’ll probably only have their lives left to give.” Lu Xingzhou sighed: “Don’t frown so much. We achieved a great victory, but you make it seem like a defeat. It spoils the mood.”

“Alright, alright,” Ye Tinglan smiled helplessly. “Since it’s a great victory, rewards will naturally be distributed based on merit. Everyone, return. This Venerable will bestow individual rewards.”

The phoenix carriage reappeared in the sky. As everyone boarded, Lu Xingzhou leaned in and whispered, “What’s my reward?”

“The clothes I just rewarded you are already broken. It’s good enough I’m not bringing bad luck to you, and you still want a reward?”

“Those clothes were prizes from the competition, which I deserved anyway. Don’t we have something else?”

“Wh-what else?” Ye Tinglan pretended to forget.

Lu Xingzhou leaned close and, as if reciting, repeated the scripture Ye Tinglan had once spoken: “If you can perform outstandingly, help Tianyao Holy Land regain its prestige in the East Sea, and protect my reputation… then upon your return, this Master will reward you with a progress point.”

Ye Tinglan’s face involuntarily flushed crimson. She secretly glanced at Feng Ziliu and the others; the old men all pretended not to see anything.

Ye Tinglan grabbed Lu Xingzhou’s ear: “Progress, this is progress! I told you not to rely too much on the Dragon Subduing Armor, and you dared to use it to withstand a transcendent-grade attack as soon as you got it. You won’t know your mistake until I beat you until it hurts! Come in with me!”