"You said it yourself." Xiao Yan had initially thought Mandala wouldn't agree to the wager when he saw her hesitant expression. To his surprise, she accepted it almost immediately, leaving him slightly stunned. 'Doesn't she know I never make a bet without absolute certainty?' Still, now that things had progressed to this point, he naturally wouldn't let such a golden opportunity slip away.
He turned his gaze toward the two figures locked in a Sovereign Art clash. A faint smile curled on his lips, and then he stretched out his palm toward them and gently clenched his fist. In that instant, the spiritual energy within their area surged into chaos. Not only did the energy around them spiral out of control, but even the spiritual energy within their own bodies became violently unstable.
Four Fiends Spirit—Evil Tiger Against Yin and Yang!
This technique was one Xiao Yan had once used in the Nine Nether Secret Realm, when he fought against the Flame Emperor, Martial Ancestor, and Mu Chen. Back then, he had relied on it to dissolve the combined assaults of those three powerhouses. But now, his cultivation had long surpassed the Sovereign Realm, and with the fusion of the Four Fiend Bones, the original Four Fiends Spirit had grown even more formidable.
Lu Heng and the Ice Spirit Clan elder were fully focused on their clash and had not anticipated that their spiritual energy would suddenly spiral out of control. The consequence of such a breakdown at a critical moment was devastating—both suffered severe backlash simultaneously, and their Sovereign Bodies crumbled in a violent explosion.
The detonation of their Sovereign Bodies set off a chain reaction, ripping through the Sovereign Arts they had been unleashing at each other. In the blink of an eye, a wave of annihilation spread out with terrifying force, not only severely wounding the two main combatants but also sweeping across the entire battlefield, catching even the other Earth Sovereigns in its wake.
Although the blast wasn't quite as devastating at the periphery as it was at the center, the others didn't possess Lu Heng's strength. Thus, their injuries were just as grave, if not worse. As for anyone below the Earth Sovereign level—whether a peak Ninth Grade Sovereign or not—they were immediately torn apart by the destructive storm, their bodies reduced to nothing but mist.
Hidden away in the shadows, Qing Tan's face went pale at the sight. She glanced at the protective barrier Xiao Yan had deployed around them and instinctively wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. 'Thank goodness this guy prepared a defense in advance. Otherwise, I might've ended up the same as those poor souls out there.' Most of the bystanders who had come to watch the drama unfold were now little more than blood mist, save for a handful of truly strong individuals.
Mandala, meanwhile, stared at Xiao Yan in astonishment—partly because events had played out exactly as he predicted, and partly because she couldn't believe that a mere Lower Earth Sovereign like Xiao Yan could construct a barrier strong enough to withstand energy that could seriously injure Upper Earth Sovereigns. That was simply incredible.
"How did you do that?" she couldn't help but ask. She had no objection to losing the bet and having to serve Xiao Yan for ten years. After all, judging by this guy's terrifying potential, following him didn't seem like a losing proposition.
"Just a lucky trick." Xiao Yan smiled lightly, clearly unwilling to elaborate. These were his trump cards, and even though Mandala posed no threat to him for now, he wasn't the kind of person to reveal his hidden aces lightly. Not even Qing Tan knew about this level of detail, let alone Mandala.
"Let's go clean up." To avoid further questioning, Xiao Yan withdrew the protective barrier. The next moment, a massive black dragon surged from his palm and streaked across the battlefield toward the downed and helpless Lu Heng and his enemies. It was the Black Dragon Devours Spirit Hand, a technique Xiao Yan hadn't used in quite some time.
This was one of the few techniques Xiao Yan hadn't modified since arriving in the Great Thousand World. Its power didn't rely on modification—it came from its devouring nature. Enhanced by the Void Devouring Flame and the Devouring Ancestral Symbol, the move had already reached the level of a divine technique. Add the boost from the Black Dragon Soul, and its might was simply monstrous.
Lu Heng and the other Earth Sovereigns, having just suffered backlash and the recoil of their exploded Sovereign Arts, couldn't even stand. They could only stare in horror as the giant black dragon descended upon them, swallowing them whole. They never even realized that a third force had intervened. In their dying moments, they thought the black dragon was a secret reinforcement from their opponent.
After swallowing both sides' Earth Sovereigns, Xiao Yan lazily stretched his back. 'Reaping the benefits without doing the heavy lifting... this really is the best feeling.' Nearby, both Mandala and Qing Tan were still stunned. They couldn't believe it—those terrifying figures from the Sacred Demon Palace and Ice Spirit Clan had just been wiped out so easily by Xiao Yan.
"Let's go!" Xiao Yan patted both of them on the shoulder, snapping them out of their daze.
They subconsciously murmured, "Go where?"
"To the Sacred Demon Palace's headquarters, of course. They were a dominant force in the Southern Region—they must have a stockpile of treasures. You're telling me you're not interested in that?" Xiao Yan shrugged.
Upon hearing that, even Mandala's eyes lit up. The Sacred Demon Palace was larger than all the factions in the Northern Region combined and was one of the true overlords of the Southern Domain. Its foundations were undoubtedly deep and rich.
Sacred items, divine techniques, Sovereign Bodies, reserves of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid—there would surely be enough to make anyone's eyes go green with envy. Now that the Palace's top experts were dead or crippled, any defenders left behind couldn't pose a threat. To people like them, it was a treasure trove waiting to be plundered.
What's more, Xiao Yan had his own plans in mind. He was now at the Earth Sovereign level. While he hadn't yet reached Heavenly Sovereign, Xiao Yan was confident that with his talent, it wouldn't be long before he did. When that time came, he would be able to bring his loved ones from the Dou Qi Continent to the Great Thousand World—and they'd need a place to call home.
Normally, someone at the Earth Sovereign level would either create their own force or serve under a superpower. Xiao Yan had no intention of submitting to anyone. He wanted to build his own force—hence his effort to win over Mandala and his determination to save Qing Tan.
The Sacred Demon Palace was a perfect foundation for that vision. Xiao Yan planned to use it to build his own faction. By recruiting Mandala and rescuing Qing Tan, he could later entrust all responsibilities to them and play the carefree figurehead. But first, he needed to give them a taste of benefits—to stabilize their loyalty before anything else.
(End of Chapter)
---
This Fanfiction Has Been Completed on Patreon, There is 2 Chapters Ahead of Release for Free Members on my Patreon.
Support me if you like this Fanfiction.
Patreon,com/Fallen_Archangel_
(Remove comma for dot.)
Leave a 5 star Review and a Power Stone.