An endless tide of sword intent surged forth from Mo Yan like a crashing wave.
It erupted into a blinding sword beam, radiating an overwhelming, unstoppable force.
At the same time, countless dazzling and radiant sword lights filled the heavens and earth.
Even the bright moonlight paled in comparison.
This sword beam spanned several hundred meters—far more powerful than any of the previous techniques Chen Mo had unleashed.
It moved so fast that it couldn't be followed by the naked eye.
As Chen Mo's strength increased, naturally, his Heaven-Splitting Draw Sword Art had become even more formidable.
That enormous sword beam split the heavens apart and shot toward Han Feng like a divine judgment.
The Gold and Silver Elders' expressions changed drastically. They immediately moved to intervene. That sword beam filled even them with a sense of dread.
If Han Feng died, the reward he'd promised them would disappear as well.
However, not only were Die and the Snake-people Elders stopping them from interfering—
The sword beam had already arrived in the blink of an eye.
Han Feng's pupils shrank violently. His entire body trembled, his mind overcome with terror.
"Protector Wu! If I die, are you not afraid of how those above you will hold you accountable?!"
At that desperate moment, Han Feng shouted toward the empty air.
As his voice echoed, the space above suddenly twisted and warped.
In the next instant, dense black mist poured out like a flood, gathering in the sky to form a thick, swirling cloud several meters wide.
"Jie jie jie... Alchemy Emperor, no need to panic. With this Protector here, no harm shall come to you."
A sinister voice echoed from the mist, followed by a clinking metallic sound as a jet-black chain tore through the sky like a venomous serpent, intercepting the oncoming sword beam.
The mighty sword beam—capable of splitting heaven and earth—was stopped by a single dark chain.
A puzzled sound came from within the black mist.
In the very next moment, the black chain snapped, and the sword beam crashed down, pouring its full fury onto Han Feng.
The Heavenly Flame energy shield around him shattered instantly. The protective Dou Qi on his body was also torn apart.
His robe exploded from the impact as a wave of raw energy sent him hurtling backward.
Han Feng was blasted several hundred meters away before he finally managed to stabilize his body midair. Still, a mouthful of fresh blood sprayed from his lips.
His chest was a mangled mess, ravaged by the sword intent.
The once-cold and arrogant expression on his face turned pale and horrified.
Han Feng broke into a cold sweat. If not for that black chain absorbing most of the sword beam's power, he would have died on the spot.
"This is what you call 'no harm shall come to me'?!" Han Feng's face darkened as he glared at the black mist, his voice dripping with venom.
A brief silence spread through the sky. Taking advantage of the pause, all eyes first turned to Chen Mo, then shifted toward the swirling cloud of black mist.
The sudden emergence of the black mist made the Gold and Silver Elders and Tu Ye visibly uneasy, their expressions filled with wariness.
Despite being Dou Huang experts, none of them had noticed the presence of such a terrifying entity hidden in the void.
This unexpected development also left the eight tribal chiefs of the Snake-people visibly concerned. They could sense the extraordinary power hidden within the mist.
Most importantly—the black mist was on Han Feng's side.
With things already unfavorable for them, this only accelerated their path to defeat.
"What a powerful technique. Kid, you must be hiding quite a few secrets. Seems this trip to the desert wasn't a waste after all."
The black mist pulsed and swirled before gradually taking the shape of a humanoid figure cloaked entirely in black smoke. Faintly, a pair of crimson eyes gleamed within the darkness.
The broken black chain coiled around the figure like a venomous snake.
Han Feng ignored the figure—he didn't care anymore.
"Three-star Dou Zong!"
Through the system's detection, the mysterious figure—called "Protector Wu" by Han Feng—was quickly revealed to be a three-star Dou Zong.
Chen Mo's expression turned grim. As expected, Protector Wu was likely the agent of the Hall of Souls hiding within the Misty Cloud Sect.
Those words shook the entire battlefield.
Everyone's faces changed dramatically, and even whispers couldn't conceal the shock in their voices.
The Gold and Silver Elders exchanged glances, their expressions filled with disbelief.
Han Feng had gone so far as to invite a Dou Zong just to steal a Heavenly Flame?
As stunned as the others were, a trace of doubt lingered.
Protector Wu had not yet released any overt aura, so some were hesitant to believe Chen Mo's claim entirely.
Protector Wu's next words removed all doubt.
"So you really can see through my cultivation. You truly are hiding a grand secret."
He let out a cold, eerie laugh.
"But once I capture you, the Hall of Souls has plenty of ways to uncover it."
Die's eyes grew cold.
She didn't know what this "Hall of Souls" was, but anything that threatened Chen Mo—she would give her life to stop it.
The Gold and Silver Elders flinched, their brows furrowing. They felt a growing unease.
They had heard whispers of the Hall of Souls before.
It was a powerful organization, even ranked among the top in Central Plains.
Suddenly, energy deep within the royal city erupted violently. Everyone looked up to see the once-bright full moon slowly being swallowed by dense, unnatural black clouds.
The sudden change left the crowd staring at the sky in confusion.
From the dark clouds came thunderous roars. Silver lightning bolts crackled within, dancing like giant silver serpents across the heavens.
"Not good! Queen Medusa is about to complete her evolution! Protector Wu, catch that brat—now!" Han Feng growled, his eyes fixed on the churning clouds above the royal city.
He had invested too much into this operation—there was no going back empty-handed again.
Protector Wu frowned but didn't protest. His eyes flashed, and with a flick of his wrist, the chain lashed through the sky, transforming into a black streak that spiraled toward Chen Mo.
"Give up, boy. You're no match for this Protector," he sneered.
Chen Mo's expression darkened. "Great Saint Art – First Transformation: Demon Shift!"
In an instant, his eyes turned blood-red. His body swelled in size, muscles bulging. His teeth grew longer, protruding from his mouth.
With it came a massive spike in aura.
Chen Mo's power jumped from five-star Dou Wang to seven-star Dou Wang.
The crowd was stunned.
Han Feng nearly dropped his jaw.
This brat can power up even more?!
Even Die was surprised—this was her first time witnessing this transformation.
"Heaven-Splitting Draw Sword Art!"
Faced with a Dou Zong, Chen Mo didn't dare hold back.
With his enhanced power, he unleashed his ultimate technique once more.
The gap between Dou Wang and Dou Zong was a chasm.
Despite the earth-shattering sword beam, Protector Wu shattered it effortlessly.
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