Yan Zhen’s current strength far surpassed what it had been in his previous life, while the Old Pavilion Master was somewhat weaker. What he intended to do was obvious:
Beat the crap out of this old bastard!
“Old Pavilion Master of the Mirage Pavilion, where exactly is the Thousand Illusions Grotto-Heaven located?”
The moment he spoke those words, the five men opposite him underwent a dramatic change in expression. They grew visibly uneasy, only for their killing intent to erupt moments later as they moved in unison to silence him.
Their current power was still insufficient. If news of the Thousand Illusions Grotto-Heaven leaked out, it would invite endless trouble. Various major powers would come to claim their share—especially the Jialan Holy Land and the Evergreen Holy Land.
“How did you learn about the grotto-heaven?”
One of them blurted out in panic.
“I’m the one asking the questions here. Answer me, or This Seat won’t mind searching your soul. Heh heh!”
The Old Pavilion Master’s gaze darkened as he stared at Yan Zhen and the others.
“Even if you don’t talk, it doesn’t matter. None of you are leaving this island alive!”
He stomped the ground fiercely, unleashing the Mirage Cloud Domain. Vast mists converged around them, forming what seemed like an array formation that enveloped Yan Zhen and his group, trapping them within while masking their senses. They could no longer tell where the Mirage Pavilion members were.
Even more terrifying was the fact that immersion in the mirage clouds induced hallucinations—turning enemies into allies and allies into enemies.
However, even before arriving at the Mirage Pavilion, Yi Xian’er had warned everyone about the abilities of the Mirage Cloud Domain. They were prepared: they deployed spatial power to resist the clouds’ corrosion and used wisps of the Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Flame to keep their minds clear. For a short time, at least, the four women remained largely unaffected.
As for Yan Zhen, it went without saying. With his Divine Soul True Realm cultivation, he had already glimpsed his true self. Unless an opponent’s soul cultivation surpassed his own, no illusions could touch him.
Though the five couldn’t see one another, they could sense each other’s positions through their connections to the Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Flames.
“Mirage Cloud Domain, huh? Perfect timing.”
A domain had no true boundaries. The only way out was to shatter it.
In his previous life, Yan Zhen had used This Realm Annihilated to break through the Mirage Cloud Domain. But now, he might not need to resort to such an excessively powerful mystic art.
Yan Zhen reached out with one hand, and the black-and-white Great Extreme Tyrant Sword materialized in his grasp. Fine cracks of shattered void lingered along its blade, forming a ring of edge-light that was not only striking to behold but also radiated an palpable sense of danger.
He raised the Great Extreme Tyrant Sword high, pouring boundless Extreme Flame Mystic Power into it. The pale gray Xuan Huang Dual Qi Flame coiled around it as well.
In Yan Zhen’s eyes, the world resolved into black and white—black on the left, white on the right, with a dividing line between them. The sword rested precisely on that boundary.
“Black-White Flame Extinction Without Embers Slash!”
Boom!
Sword qi surged forth, cleaving black from white. A massive, visible rift tore open in the Mirage Cloud Domain, showing faint signs of collapse.
The severing power of the Black-White Boundary, combined with the spatial decomposition of the Xuan Huang Dual Qi Flame, was enough to shatter any imperfect domain below the level of a Third-Grade Supreme.
The Old Pavilion Master, whose body was fully merged into the mirage clouds, let out a voice of utter disbelief.
“What?! My domain actually—”
With the breach in the domain, its masking effect faltered. The four women immediately sensed the locations of the other four Mirage Pavilion members and flashed toward them, launching their attacks.
The three elders were all Five-Star Mystic Venerables, while the Mirage Pavilion Master was a Seven-Star Mystic Venerable—far superior in cultivation to the four women. Yet the women erupted with combat prowess that exceeded all expectations.
Cai Lian activated her Snake God Bloodline. Fine, iridescent snake scales emerged on her cheeks and limbs, while a serpentine vertical mark appeared between her brows: the Snake God Clan’s Petrification Eye. Its essence turned the living into the dead—a vicious ability she rarely employed unless facing a mortal enemy.
Long Ying likewise activated her Dragon God Bloodline, reverting to her mature, voluptuous form complete with draconic horns, tail, and claws. Every punch she threw embodied ultimate brutality. Her command of spatial power was on par with that of a Supreme powerhouse, allowing her to teleport with extreme speed. Her strikes were swift, precise, and ruthless, leaving her opponent utterly defenseless.
Yi Xian’er was even more ferocious. She unleashed her Fiend Body almost fully, her terrifying Baleful Qi repelling the surrounding mirage clouds. Even space itself couldn’t withstand the corrosion—such was its domineering nature. The Mirage Pavilion elder facing her suffered the most. Yan Zhen knew the exquisite agony of Baleful Qi invading the body all too well; it rivaled the torment of Extreme Flames searing through one’s veins.
As for Jiu Youyue, she had the highest cultivation among the five. After refining her origin black moon, she had reached the Five-Star Mystic Venerable stage. She faced the Seven-Star Mystic Venerable Mirage Pavilion Master.
As the “Qi Secondary Body” of the Wicked Consort, she could refine her body’s Yin Mystic Power into the Wicked Consort’s signature Death Mystic Force. Its might surpassed even Baleful Qi, though she couldn’t use it in great quantities. Even so, it made the Mirage Pavilion Master’s scalp tingle; he dared not approach her and resorted to long-range attacks instead.
The battles quickly turned one-sided. The Old Pavilion Master, merged into his domain, manifested a massive misty face and glared darkly at Yan Zhen.
This man possessed only Mystic Ancestor-level cultivation, yet he had breached a Supreme’s domain. If Yan Zhen hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he never would have believed it.
The flames on this man’s body had to be those unfathomable Heavenly Extreme Flames!
“You possess such terrifying Extreme Flames… Excellent. Once This Old Man captures you, those Extreme Flames will be mine!”
Yan Zhen cackled eerily, sounding just like some ancient demon.
“You want This Seat’s Extreme Flames? Let’s see if a half-assed Supreme like you has what it takes.”
The Old Pavilion Master flew into a rage.
“A half-assed Supreme is still a Supreme! What does a mere Mystic Ancestor cultivator like you have to fight me with?”
He shrank the domain to encompass only himself and Yan Zhen, then extended a colossal mirage-mist hand to slap down at him.
Yan Zhen unhesitatingly activated the Flame Yama Ninefold Transformation, briefly elevating his cultivation to the Mystic Venerable realm. Then, astonishingly, he clashed head-on with the Old Pavilion Master, slashing out with his sword. The mirage-mist hand took on black-and-white hues before splitting along the central boundary line and disintegrating.
The Old Pavilion Master snarled viciously.
“It seems that black-and-white flame sword of yours is another fine treasure. It will belong to This Old Man as well!”
Yan Zhen ignored him. Relying solely on Mystic Venerable-level power, he tangled with a Supreme powerhouse. Though he held a slight disadvantage, the Old Pavilion Master was far from satisfied.
Normally, a Supreme could swat a Mystic Ancestor cultivator dead with a slap or two. For one to be tied down like this was nothing short of humiliating!
Yet Yan Zhen was undeniably tenacious. Offensively, he wielded the Xuan Huang Dual Qi Flame; defensively, the Rootless Earth Spirit Fire. His Starlight Movement Technique was bizarrely swift—where was the Mystic Ancestor cultivator in him? He fought more like a First-Rank Supreme!
A First-Rank might not beat his Second-Rank self, but dragging things out? More than enough.
“Damn it all. This Old Man will see just how long your power-boosting secret art can last!”
“Until I beat your damn head in.”
“Arrogant fool!”
“You’re getting desperate.”
As the two continued their fierce entanglement, the other four battlefields reached their conclusions one after another. Surprisingly, the Mirage Pavilion Master fell first. Death Mystic Force was too horrifying; even a slight touch caused his flesh to necrotize, impossible to dispel.
After carelessly taking a palm strike from Jiu Youyue, the Mirage Pavilion Master’s vitality withered sharply. He grew weaker with every exchange until he devolved into a decrepit geezer even older than the Old Pavilion Master and plummeted from the sky.
