The Steward Demonic Emperor

With a roar of laughter, a sharp sound came from behind Zhuo Fan.

Zhuo Fan used his left arm to fend it off as his right arm returned to normal size for receiving the next blow.

Pff!

Zhuo Fan's red hand was now holding a tail.

But he wasn't out of the woods yet, as Huangpu Tianyuan's second claw came for him. With both hands busy and being unable to use Divine Eye of the Void at such short notice, Zhuo Fan resorted to using his wings as a cover.

Rip!

The Earth Dragon's Claw pierced them like paper, soaking him in blood.

Zhuo Fan's brow trembled with pain, yet he was covered with sweat.

At least the Sea Phantom Wings were from a 7th-level spiritual beast and were tough enough to hold the Earth Dragon's Claw back with the both of them.

Zhuo Fan's wings trembled, giving his all to resist. Huangpu Tianyuan opened his mouth as the claws and tail struggled in their confinements. Zhuo Fan needed the slightest distraction and his head would roll.

The sight of Zhuo Fan getting pushed back got everyone tense. He couldn't do anything but be on the receiving end.

It was hard to believe Huangpu Tianyuan was just that strong with his Nine Dragons Diamond Body. Zhuo Fan was only in the Profound Heaven Stage and even his two beast arms weren't enough to save him from a hard time.

[Blast it! I can only retreat.]

Zhuo Fan sighed, not liking it one bit as his eyes shined golden.

Huangpu Tianyuan could see it clear as day that he wanted to hightail away from the battle.

With Zhuo Fan's cunning, falling for his tricks once was bad enough. He had to finish him off now, when he had the upper hand.

Who knew what this guy might cook up the next time around.

Zhuo Fan was weak here and now, but his endless bag of tricks made him unpredictable. If by some miracle he escapes this time, it'd be even harder to beat him next time.

And he needed to deal with Zhuo Fan fast. There was the imperial family to consider as well. Leaving Zhuo Fan alive now would be cutting his own feet in his fight with the imperial family.

[This has to end now!]

Huangpu Tianyuan's eyes flashed with bloodlust, making even Zhuo Fan shiver.

But that wasn't important, as the golden halo in his eye promised safety.

"Ha-ha-ha, Huangpu Tianyuan, since I can't beat you, we'll be sure to meet again!" Zhuo Fan snickered as he poofed away.

Hum~

The ripple was faint and where a peak Radiant Stage expert might fail to pick it up, a Nine Dragons Diamond Body could.

His creepy ears flinched and Huangpu Tianyuan mocked, "Hi-hi-hi, fat chance, Zhuo Fan!"

"Nine Dragons Diamond Body, Earth Dragon Wave!"

Roar!

Huangpu Tianyuan howled at a spot a thousand meters away.

A beam of yellow shot from his maw, just as Zhuo Fan appeared, panting.

Zhuo Fan cried inside, but it was too late.

Boom!

The explosion shone bright and Zhuo Fan caught the yellow pillar right in his chest. He paid a summary visit to the bowls of five mountains before being buried under their rubble.

There was so much dust that it formed a hurricane.

It soon cleared and revealed everything in ruins. A red trail came out of the rocks like a bloody spring, and robbed any hope of Zhuo Fan being alive.

"Steward Zhuo!" Qiu Yanhai and the rest panicked. Drifting Flowers Edifices and Veiled Dragon Pavilion were also worried.

Huangpu Tianyuan mocked, "Dragon Vein Soul is a guardian spirit of the lands. Since I train in the Nine Dragons Diamond Body and am also in the Earth Dragon form, I can pick up any changes in the area. Messing with space around me is like painting a target on your back. That Earth Dragon Wave is my true power. Not even the Earth Dragon Claw can handle it, to say nothing of getting hit squarely in the chest. He's dead beyond any doubt!"

"Huangpu Tianyuan is invincible!" You Wanshan's side cheered.

While the Luo clan paled, their hopes seeping out of them like the blood from those rocks.

Huangpu Tianyuan's declaration wasn't just to brag. Steward Zhuo had the worst luck this time.

But without him, what were they supposed to do?

Despair set in faster than they could accept it.

Huangpu Tianyuan only had eyes for Zhuo Fan. To a peak Radiant Stage expert, only he mattered, the rest were mere flies.

As long as Zhuo Fan died, everything else would be forgone conclusion.

He had a firm grasp at victory already.

Fang Qiubai's side sighed, lamenting and shaking their heads.

"A mighty character like Zhuo Fan ended up getting one shot by Huangpu Tianyuan. This power is outrageous." Sima Hui watched the monster with fear.

Shadow King sighed, "Nine Dragons Diamond Body having a tough body was bad enough, but with the Bodhi Root, he's invincible. He's worse than Gu Santong. I wonder if those two and I can fight him off."

"Senior, that's not all. When Gu Santong wrecked Tianyu, he did it alone. His fists were too few to handle so many and ended up limited. But Huangpu Tianyuan wants the world, he has both an army and power. It will be far harder than Gu Santong!" Fang Qiubai said.

The others considered and sighed again.

The battlefield turned quiet, with all fighting stopped and everyone turned towards Huangpu Tianyuan. Either in fear or joy or respect.

But to Huangpu Tianyuan, neither allies nor enemies mattered.

Ever since killing Zhuo Fan, he understood one thing from those worshiping gazes. Allies or enemies meant nothing, only ultimate power mattered.

With enough power no one could touch him. With enough power no one would question him.

"Ha-ha-ha…"

Laughing, Huangpu Tianyuan flew to Zhuo Fan's tomb, roaring, "Zhuo Fan, it's time you return the last dragon soul. I want to reach the Ethereal Stage, becoming the first in Tianyu!"

Hum~

Before reaching the mound, a wave from the rubble caught him first.

Huangpu Tianyuan halted, looking in the sky, "Zhuo Fan, how are you still alive?"

Hum~

Zhuo Fan was up there the next moment, albeit pale, bloody and out of breath. His chest sported an extra large hole as well.

How convenient that it never went through him completely. He was only heavily wounded, but still alive.

Qiu Yanhai's side sighed.

Zhuo Fan's very existence kept hope alive.

"What trick did you pull? That Earth Dragon Wave had the power of eight dragon souls. Those hands might have saved you but anywhere else it hits, it'd run through you and blast you apart. Even if you used the two arms to defend, the shock would've wrecked your body. How is it that you're barely wounded?" Huangpu Tianyuan cried foul.

Zhuo Fan snickered, "Humph, while you have the Earth Dragon Wave, I have the Qilin Shield. Don't think you can write me off in one hit!"

Zhuo Fan looked at the red glow over him in joy.

As luck had it, from refining the Qilin arm into his body, it even released a red shield.

It was the same red cover he saw back in Lightning Canyon, the Soaring Qilin's defense.

With how not even Heavenly Emperor's purple lightning could pierce it, how could anything else?

Zhuo Fan was badly hurt by the impact with the Earth Dragon Wave and not the subsequent shocks.

Or he'd be in pieces by now.

Zhuo Fan sure was glad that he made the trip to Lightning Canyon.

Huangpu Tianyuan's eyes grew savage. Zhuo Fan was playing too close to the now hollow chest, with too many skills. Dread started pouring in, thinking of the future.

Zhuo Fan snickered, "This round is yours. Will be seeing ya!"

His wings carried his broken body away. Huangpu Tianyuan roared after him, "Where do you think you're going? Your head stays right here!"

The two were gone in a blink.

The battlefield was filled with dumb faces, [With the commanders gone, what are we supposed to do?]

Leng Wuchang shouted all of a sudden, "Damn it, it's Zhuo Fan's trick! Fall back!"