In truth, if the four representatives from the capitals had activated their Evil God Bloodlines from the start, they could have traded a few blows with Yan Zhen. Unfortunately, their intelligence was outdated. As usual, they began by probing cautiously, but the current Yan Zhen was far beyond anything they could test.
Though his cultivation was two stars below theirs, his power and speed rivaled that of a Mystic Venerable expert. Defeating them took only a handful of exchanges.
This left the representatives astonished and somewhat deflated. They were all prodigies of the God Race, several years older than Yan Zhen, yet they were no match for him.
Even the higher-ups of the Evil God Clan watching from the sidelines showed surprised expressions.
Though they had anticipated that Yan Zhen wouldn’t lose, they hadn’t expected him to win so quickly and decisively.
That was precisely why the Evil Consort had personally intervened to claim him… A peerless prodigy like this, if he could be put to use for their Evil God Clan, would indeed be a tremendous boon!
As for the position of Holy Son Candidate, they could let him have it. The Evil Consort was still young; she wouldn’t need to replace the clan leader for at least a millennium. With her in charge, there would be no issues.
Clap, clap.
The Peacock Heavenly Monarch began to applaud, his claps crisp and resounding.
“The young ones these days truly grow stronger with each generation. The Holy Son Candidate lives up to his reputation as the Evil Consort’s personal disciple. Given time, he might even outshine his master and surpass us old folks.”
The Evil Consort revealed a faint smile.
“You’re too kind, Peacock Heavenly Monarch. Yan’er is strong, but he lacks experience. He’ll need plenty more tempering in the future. By contrast, I hear the prodigies of the Demon Domain are all battle-hardened veterans, rising from endless slaughter with few peers their age. Quite intriguing.”
The Peacock Heavenly Monarch narrowed his eyes and turned to regard her.
“What does the Evil Consort mean?”
Towering above him, she looked down imperiously.
“This palace is quite curious to see how Yan’er would fare against the Demon Domain’s top prodigies. Since you and your people are guests in our Dead City, why not give it a try?”
She didn’t ask what he thought—she never solicited opinions.
The Peacock Heavenly Monarch had seen this coming. The Demon Domain’s people hadn’t let up for the past half month, and now the Evil Consort was seizing the excuse to salvage some face for the Evil God Clan.
“If the Evil Consort desires such entertainment, this monarch would be a fool to refuse.” The Peacock Heavenly Monarch replied with relaxed poise. “In fact, this monarch has a promising junior whose age and cultivation are close to the Holy Son Candidate’s. They could exchange pointers—Kong Ying, take the stage and spar with the Holy Son Candidate. Remember, go easy.”
A space portal ripped open nearby, and a dashing young man in an eagle-feather robe stepped through. He bowed respectfully.
“Kong Ying obeys the Heavenly Monarch’s command.”
With that, his figure flickered. Using Shifting Form Exchange, he appeared atop the altar. The Chief Ceremonial Official felt this was inappropriate, but the Evil Consort’s word was law, so he turned a blind eye.
Kong Ying cupped his hands toward Yan Zhen and smiled.
“Holy Son Candidate, pleased to meet you. I’m Kong Ying. Please advise me.”
His expression suggested he already had Yan Zhen figured out.
The corners of Yan Zhen’s mouth curved in faint mockery.
“A Nine-Star Mystic Ancestor is a bit lacking. Doesn’t the Demon Domain have anyone stronger?”
A flash of displeasure crossed Kong Ying’s face.
“I am more than enough. I won’t disappoint the Holy Son Candidate.”
Yan Zhen didn’t truly underestimate Kong Ying. In the script, he had clashed with him twice, both times at the Mystic Venerable Realm: a narrow victory the first, utter domination the second.
Kong Ying was the Peacock Heavenly Monarch’s personal disciple. He cultivated Mist Mystic Power, a wind-variant mystic power that relentlessly tore at wounds, making them hard to defend against or heal.
On top of that, he infused his Mist Mystic Power with Poison Miasma. Once it wounded an opponent, it steadily eroded their condition, catching them off guard.
Kong Ying also excelled in movement techniques, his actions fluid and agile. Even against stronger foes, he could build momentum with his Mist Mystic Power, finishing them with a lethal strike.
And beyond all that, he possessed a Peacock Plume bestowed by the Peacock Heavenly Monarch—his true trump card!
“Let’s get to it, then.”
Yan Zhen erupted once more with Extreme Flame Mystic Power like volcanic magma. Kong Ying didn’t back down, unleashing his own aura. Deep green Mist Mystic Power clashed ferociously against the vibrant, multicolored Extreme Flame Mystic Power, whipping up a violent storm.
Both figures vanished in the same instant. One flickered like elusive starlight, the other soared like a divine eagle on the wind. Starry fists collided with eagle claws amid ceaseless explosions, turning the vast altar into a fireworks display as blasts erupted everywhere.
This was Kong Ying’s standard tactic: probing for weaknesses while letting his Mist Mystic Power erode the foe.
But Yan Zhen bore the Rootless Earth Spirit Fire. All erosion was blocked by the Stone Shield and Stone Armor that automatically manifested.
The move was useless against him!
Boom!
Riding the shockwave from the blast, they separated. Kong Ying struck first with a Mystic technique. Eagle fledglings formed of mystic power leaped from the surging Mist Mystic Power around him, swarming toward Yan Zhen under his control.
With Yan Zhen’s divine sense, he could see the vicious poison-laced blade wheels hidden within each mystic eagle. Utterly insidious.
Yan Zhen clenched his hand in the void. A blazing greatsword of gold-silver Extreme Flame coalesced in his grip.
He neither dodged nor blocked the incoming mystic eagles. Instead, he swung the Extreme Tyrant Sword with full force.
A colossal sword qi nearly spanned the entire altar, sweeping outward. It instantly shredded all the mystic eagles, flinging their inner blade wheels back to hover around Kong Ying.
“What Mystic mystic power… And he’s only a Two-Star Mystic Ancestor.” Kong Ying’s eyes sharpened. “Could he be cultivating a Saint Mystic Art?”
Even as the Peacock Heavenly Monarch’s disciple, Kong Ying only practiced a Half-Saint Mystic Art.
Saint Mystic Arts were created solely by Mystic Saints, but not all such creations reached that grade—they might drop a level or two. Thus, Saint Mystic Arts were exceedingly rare, and ones suited to oneself even rarer, especially for variant attributes like his.
Variant attributes were powerful, but at higher realms, they often led to the awkward lack of fitting arts and techniques.
Yan Zhen was exceptionally fortunate.
Many knew the Technique Saint Chen Xi had obtained the Fire Refining Starry Sky, but few realized she had comprehended the Emperor Flame Technique—a fire-attribute Emperor-Grade Technique—within it.
With this technique as foundation, he could wield Extreme Flames far beyond his level and unleash his power freely, just like now—
“Flame Extinction! Ashless Slash!”
With a deep shout, Flame Sword Qi carved a massive scorched trail through the air toward Kong Ying. The latter’s expression shifted. He swiftly formed seals, gathering mystic power to condense a gigantic cyan eagle behind him.
The cyan eagle spread its wings, shielding Kong Ying within.
Boom!
Flame Sword Qi eroded the eagle’s wings relentlessly. Mystic power sprayed in all directions, stirring a Mystic power storm across the ceremony grounds. Even the clouds overhead twisted into a vortex.
The eagle wings shattered. Sword qi dispersed. Runes on the altar’s surface glowed, unscathed.
Standing at the center of the chaotic mystic power, Kong Ying scanned warily. Suddenly, he jerked his head upward.
Yan Zhen plummeted like a meteor, greatsword trailing a long fiery tail, its tip locked unerringly on him.
