Boom!
Crack!
Zhao Long's sword slash was blocked, but it managed to form cracks on that spiritual dome.
Cracks continuously emerged like a spider web, making the young man inside panic greatly.
"Impossible! This is a defensive treasure that can withstand attacks from Core Formation cultivators! You're only at the late Foundation Establishment stage, how can you do this?!" The young man screamed in disbelief.
He then pulled out his own sword and prepared to face Zhao Long.
Dhuar!
In the end, the spiritual dome from the talisman didn't last long and shattered.
Sring!
Zhao Long swung his sword again, clashing with the young man's blade.
**
Elsewhere, Zhu Long, facing the elder at the late Saint Realm stage, showed not a single change in expression.
He stared sharply and spoke. "You are a late Saint Realm, yet you are being matched by an early Saint Realm? You… are weak!"
Boom!
Just then, he smacked the old man's back and struck him with the butt of his spear, sending the elder flying dozens of meters away.
"You—!" Before he could shout in rage, Zhu Long shot forward and kicked him like a ball.
Bugh!
Ugh!
He was sent flying again, coughing blood.
"Damn!" The elder cursed angrily as he drew his weapon, a folding fan.
"Die, stupid brat!" he roared.
Swoosh!
A swing of the folding fan caused violent winds, uprooting trees around them for hundreds of meters and blasting toward Zhu Long.
"Heha!" Zhu Long laughed. "Good! This battle is getting exciting!"
He lifted his spear, ready to counterattack.
Elsewhere…
Li Fan and one of the elders from the Golden Wind Sect, Loi Gou, were battling mid-air.
Both clashed rapidly and fiercely, like colliding flames.
In moments, the two separated after clashing hundreds of times.
Blood flowed from Li Fan's sword, while Loi Gou's staff was damaged, cracked in several places.
"Impossible! How can he keep up with me, injure me, and even damage my weapon?!" Loi Gou panicked inwardly in disbelief.
His weapon was a rank 9 treasure that could withstand Saint Realm experts, yet before Li Fan it was like a fragile twig.
He narrowed his eyes toward Li Fan before instinctively glancing at the other elders—only to find both being forced back and suppressed by Xiao Yu and Zhu Long.
"How can this be?!" he roared in disbelief, especially at Zhu Long.
That man… only at early Saint Realm, yet suppressing a late Saint Realm elder!?
His gaze then shifted to Zhao Long's fight. The two young men were battling intensely, evenly matched.
This made the elder hesitant.
He stared at Li Fan seriously. "No! If this continues, we will die by their hands!" he thought in panic.
He immediately sent a voice transmission to the other two struggling elders.
"Regroup! We must form a formation! We can't keep up like this!"
"Understood!" The other two nodded and flew upward to gather with Loi Gou.
Once the three elders assembled, the winds around them suddenly behaved strangely.
Li Fan, Xiao Yu, Zhu Long, and Zhao Long frowned. Their eyes locked on the three elders who were now together.
Zhu Long and Xiao Yu floated upward to stand beside Li Fan.
"Humph!" Loi Gou snorted coldly. "You have offended our sect! That means you have no hope of living!" he declared.
He raised his hand, forming a seal.
"Rotating Tornado Formation!" The three shouted in unison.
Swoosh!
In the sky, clouds gathered and the sky darkened. Wind surged violently, lifting and flinging everything whether light or heavy.
Srat!
A tornado descended.
That tornado carried terrifying destructive force—capable of easily killing a late Saint Realm expert.
The tornado struck down, sweeping everything around.
Zhao Long and the young Golden Wind Sect member immediately stopped fighting.
"Let's go!" The three elders nodded together and fled. They knew they could not handle Zhao Long's group.
With that, they flew away and disappeared.
Li Fan, Xiao Yu, and Zhu Long didn't care at all. They merely retreated—bringing Zhao Long along.
"No…!" The young man fighting Zhao Long screamed in horror.
He had been abandoned by his own elders—and left behind by his enemies.
If he had been left in a safer condition, he could still breathe relief. But now, he was abandoned right when a deadly formation targeted him.
Meaning—he became the target of the attack.
Boom!
Not even 30 seconds later—his body exploded into minced meat, shredded apart by chaotic energies within the formation.
**
A few minutes later…
Within minutes, Zhao Long's group had traveled hundreds of kilometers.
Also, they had already left the Golden Wind Sect's territory and entered the Wind Lotus Pavilion's territory.
Not far ahead was a city. So, they decided to walk toward it to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Soon, they reached the city gate, where several merchants were lining up to enter.
Li Fan led the way toward the gate.
There were two gates.
Main Gate and Special Gate.
Every city had two gates like this one.
Seeing the Special Gate to the right wide open and empty, Li Fan frowned and walked toward it without hesitation.
But just as they reached it, a group of guards blocked their path.
Pointing their spears at Zhao Long's group, they spoke coldly, "This gate does not allow your entry! Join the line at the Main Gate!"
The merchants waiting in line couldn't resist mocking them.
"Where did these fools come from? Trying to enter through the Special Gate? Crazy!"
"Hmph! They must be clueless mountain bumpkins."
"Haha! Clearly not from a major power. Wanting to use the Special Gate? Ridiculous!"
"…"
They said so because Zhao Long's group wore no attire or badges from any powerful force.
Major sect members usually wore distinctive robes or badges—like the Golden Wind Sect's symbol—clearly marking their identity.
Zhao Long's group wore none of that.
**
Li Fan frowned. "Why?"
Zhao Long stared at the guards sharply. Their cultivation was merely Core Formation stage 5 and 6.
Core Formation guards daring to block Saint Realm experts? Courting death!
Zhao Long shook his head. If they dared to offend a major sect like the Golden Wind Sect—lowly city guards were nothing. One finger snap could erase them without a trace.
"Why?" The lounging guard captain scoffed impatiently. "Are you stupid? Or pretending to be? Leave! We don't need people like you entering the city!" He waved them away rudely.
He was the Gate General—Core Formation stage 7—strongest among the guards.
Merchants shook their heads with helpless amusement.
But moments later—none of Zhao Long's group moved. Their expressions were calm, emotionless.
The guards frowned.
"Drive them away! If needed, beat them like dogs and drag them into the forest! Feed them to wild beasts!" The General said angrily.
His face reddened with rage at Li Fan's calm expression.
The guards immediately turned vicious.
They charged, thrusting their spears to attack Zhao Long's group.
But—
Boom!
Before they got close, their bodies trembled strangely—then exploded into dust. Not even blood remained.
Dead without a trace!
Everyone's expression changed drastically.
The General jumped up in shock, pointing at Li Fan's group with trembling hands.
"W-what have you done, bastards!?"
"What have we done? Humph! Are you stupid or pretending to be?" Zhu Long mocked in disgust.
They wanted to enter the city—yet got blocked. And now the General still asked why? What an idiot!