Chapter 376 - 373: Golden Flame Sacred Lotus Secured
Chapter 376: Chapter 373: Golden Flame Sacred Lotus Secured
Fang Han’s expression changed slightly.
He was no stranger to the newcomer’s aura—it was chilling, sharp, and carried a heart-pounding sense of oppression.
It was Meng Xian, the True Inheritor from the Netherworld Pavilion, ranked seventeenth on the Celestial Pride List!
If this man discovered the Golden Flame Sacred Lotus, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Given the grudge between the Netherworld Pavilion and the Qingxuan Sect, and Meng Xian’s own animosity toward him, there was no way Meng Xian would stand by and watch him pocket such a Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure.
The more likely outcome was murder for the treasure.
’I can’t delay any longer!’
A cold glint flashed in Fang Han’s eyes.
The Celestial Pride List had a mysterious detection ability. No matter how secretive a battle was, as long as it happened, there was a high probability it would be detected.
He, who had intended to keep his 100,000 jin of physical strength as a trump card, had originally not wanted to use it.
But at this moment, he could no longer afford to hold back.
He had to have the Golden Flame Sacred Lotus.
As for exposing his trump card... so be it.
He took a deep breath, and the qi and blood in his body began to surge violently.
The immense power that had been dormant deep within his flesh and blood since he reached the Entry Level of the Xuanwu True Skill was completely awakened at this moment, like a slumbering primordial beast.
A hundred thousand jin of immense force erupted in its entirety!
BOOM—!
In that instant, the ground beneath Fang Han’s feet exploded, and spiderweb-like cracks spread wildly outward from his feet.
His originally slender and well-proportioned body seemed to grow taller. Beneath his green robes, his muscles bulged, containing a terrifying power capable of shaking mountains.
The giant python seemed to sense a fatal threat, a trace of terror flashing through its dark golden vertical pupils.
It let out a hiss, its thick, long tail whipping across with the force to shatter stone tablets, sweeping madly toward him.
This time, however, Fang Han did not dodge.
He raised his left hand, spread his five fingers, and, without flinching or evading, reached directly for the sweeping tail.
BANG—!
A dull thud echoed like the beat of a war drum.
The python’s tail slammed viciously into Fang Han’s palm. The immense force, strong enough to shatter an ancient tree so thick it would take two arms to encircle it, was actually caught by him head-on!
His figure didn’t budge an inch, but the ground beneath his feet sank several inches further from the massive force.
Extreme horror flashed in the giant python’s eyes.
It struggled desperately to pull its tail back, only to find it gripped tightly by that hand, as if locked in an iron hoop, unable to move at all.
With his right hand, Fang Han drew his Cloud Splitting Sword.
There were no fancy Sword Techniques, no exquisite Sword Momentum.
It was just a simple thrust.
But this single strike was infused with all of his Fourth Grade Late Stage Inner Qi, as well as his terrifying physical strength of 100,000 jin.
The sword light condensed into a thin green ray, tearing through the air with a piercing shriek.
Its speed surpassed the giant python’s reaction limit.
PFFT—!
The tip of the sword pierced the giant python’s head, entering through its upper jaw, penetrating the skull, and exiting from the back of its head.
The giant python’s massive body stiffened abruptly.
In its dark golden vertical pupils, ferocity and terror froze instantly.
Then, its massive body, over a hundred feet long, crashed to the ground.
The ground trembled, and dust flew into the air.
A single strike to kill.
SWOOSH!
Fang Han sheathed his sword. With no time for sentiment, his body flickered as he fully unleashed the Wind and Cloud Escape technique.
He transformed into a streak of pale green light and shot toward the pool.
He ran across the water, the tips of his toes tapping lightly on the surface. With each step, a ripple spread across the pool.
Three steps, two, one—
He arrived before the Golden Flame Sacred Lotus and reached out to pluck the flower, which was swirling with golden flames.
It was slightly heavy in his hand, its petals warm. The vast and pure energy flowed from his palm into his body, invigorating his qi and blood.
He quickly tucked the Golden Flame Sacred Lotus into his robes.
However, he was too late—
A figure had already appeared at the edge of the pool like a phantom.
Black robes, a chilling aura, and a pair of long, sinister eyes.
It was Meng Xian.
He stood by the pool, his gaze first sweeping over the corpse of the giant python lying nearby, then turning to Fang Han.
Seeing the golden lotus that Fang Han had quickly put away, the corners of his mouth slowly curved into a cold arc.
"The Golden Flame Sacred Lotus."
He spoke, his voice low, yet tinged with an unconcealable note of pleasant surprise.
"I never thought I’d encounter such a treasure here."
He looked up at Fang Han, his gaze filled with greed, killing intent, and the playful cruelty of a cat toying with a mouse.
"Fang Han, hand over the Golden Flame Sacred Lotus, and I, a True Inheritor, might spare your life."
His voice was calm, carrying a tone that permitted no argument.
It wasn’t a negotiation, but a command.
Fang Han said nothing.
He simply watched Meng Xian, his gaze as tranquil as still water.
He could feel the warmth of the Golden Flame Sacred Lotus through his robes.
’Hand it over?’
’Impossible.’
’Given the grudge between the Netherworld Pavilion and me, and Meng Xian’s animosity, there’s no way he’ll let me go.’
’Handing over the Golden Flame Sacred Lotus would only mean a faster death.’
"What? Can’t bear to part with it?"
Seeing Fang Han’s silence, the curve of Meng Xian’s lips became even more pronounced.
"Do you think that with your strength, ranked a mere thirty-sixth on the Celestial Pride List, you can hold on to such a treasure?"
He stood with his hands behind his back as the aura around him began to slowly rise.
The terrifying pressure belonging to the seventeenth-ranked on the Celestial Pride List bore down on Fang Han like a tangible mountain.
"Just over half a year ago, you couldn’t even take a single palm strike from me. Now that you’ve gotten lucky and climbed to thirty-sixth on the Celestial Pride List, you think you’re qualified to contend with me?"
He sneered.
"Today, I’ll show you just how vast the gap is between seventeenth and thirty-sixth."
Before his voice had faded, he raised his right hand.
In his palm, ink-black Inner Qi gathered and compressed madly, instantly forming an extremely condensed Palm Seal.
The Palm Seal was only about a foot square, far less grand than the strike he had launched at Fang Han back in the Commandery City.
But the terrifying aura swirling around it was several times stronger than that previous strike.
Clearly, facing the current Fang Han, he was no longer as casual as before. He was getting serious.
’Nether Palm.’
Meng Xian let out a low shout and thrust his palm forward.
The foot-wide black Palm Seal, carrying a heart-stoppingly cold aura, shot straight for Fang Han’s face like a black lightning bolt tearing through the void.
Wherever the Palm Seal passed, the air hissed with a corrosive sound, and even the light seemed to be devoured.
Fang Han’s expression was grave. He held the Cloud Splitting Sword horizontally before him, the Fourth Grade Late Stage Inner Qi from his Profound Wind Technique erupting without reservation. He pushed the Sword Momentum of his Great Success Level Nine Swords of Sky Splitting to its absolute limit.
He slashed out with his sword!
The cyan sword rainbow and the black Palm Seal collided violently in mid-air.
BOOM—!!!
A deafening explosion erupted.
Black and deep cyan light intertwined madly, corroding and annihilating each other. The resulting shockwave spread out in all directions like a tangible tsunami.
The surface of the pool was pressed down several feet by the shockwave before exploding upward, sending water splashing everywhere.
The surrounding trees, as if struck by a typhoon, snapped and toppled one after another.
The cyan sword rainbow held for only a moment before collapsing violently against the terrifying Palm Force.
Although the black Palm Seal had dimmed somewhat, it still carried a terrifying residual force as it slammed into the Cloud Splitting Sword that Fang Han used to block.
CLANG—!
A dull boom rang out like the striking of a giant bell.
Fang Han felt an irresistible, immense force travel up the blade of his sword, and his entire arm went numb.
He was sent sliding backward, his feet plowing two deep furrows in the water. He only managed to stabilize himself when he reached the edge of the pool.
The qi and blood in his body churned.
Looking up at Meng Xian, his heart grew cold.
His strength had grown immensely compared to half a year ago, but Meng Xian, as a genius capable of ranking on the Celestial Pride List, had not stagnated either; his strength had also increased.
The power of that palm strike was likely not just close to, but already comparable to that of an ordinary Third Grade Martial Artist.
"You actually blocked it?"
A hint of surprise flashed through Meng Xian’s eyes.
He had thought that this strike, delivered with ninety percent of his power, would be enough to injure Fang Han.
He hadn’t expected that, while Fang Han looked disheveled, he wasn’t actually injured.
"I really underestimated you. No wonder you dared to confront me back in the Commandery City."
Meng Xian sneered, and with a flicker of his body, he closed the distance again.
He raised his right hand once more, the black Inner Qi in his palm surging as he sent out another palm strike.
This strike was even more condensed and sharper than the last.
Evidently, he no longer intended to give Fang Han any more chances.
Fang Han’s eyes narrowed.
The qi and blood in his body roared to life. The 100,000 jin of immense force, dormant in his flesh and blood since he reached the Entry Level of the Xuanwu True Skill, erupted completely at this moment!
He gripped his sword with both hands, swinging the Cloud Splitting Sword upward in a fierce slash.
This strike was infused with all of his Fourth Grade Late Stage Inner Qi and his terrifying physical strength of 100,000 jin.
The sword light condensed into a thin green ray, tearing through the air with a piercing shriek.
BOOM—!!!
Sword and palm collided once more!
This collision was far more violent than the last.
Black and deep cyan light intertwined madly, the resulting shockwave spreading out in all directions like a ring of destruction.
The surface of the pool was forced down several feet before it exploded, sending a plume of water dozens of feet into the air.
The surrounding trees, regardless of their thickness, were all uprooted or snapped in half. Broken branches and shredded leaves filled the air.
The ground was scoured away, several feet deep, revealing bare rock beneath. The rock was crisscrossed with cracks of unfathomable depth.
At the center of the Qi Force, Fang Han took half a step back and stabilized himself.
Although he was still forced back, it was a significant improvement over being pushed back continuously just moments ago.
Meng Xian, on the other hand, paused for a fraction of a second.
He looked up, his gaze falling on Fang Han. A flash of unconcealable astonishment crossed his sinister eyes.
"You... still have strength to spare?"
He began, his voice low.
That last palm strike had been his full power.
He had thought it would be enough to severely injure Fang Han.
Instead, not only had he failed to injure Fang Han, but he hadn’t even managed to make him look disheveled.
’As expected of the seventeenth on the Celestial Pride List. He really is strong!’
Fang Han stood with his sword, watching Meng Xian with a calm gaze.
But inwardly, his mind was racing.
That last slash had been his all-out attack.
One hundred thousand jin of physical strength, Fourth Grade Late Stage Inner Qi, and the Sword Momentum of his Great Success Level Nine Swords of Sky Splitting—
The combination of the three was astonishingly powerful.
But even so, he was still at a slight disadvantage.
Meng Xian’s strength was even greater than he had anticipated.
BOOM!
Failing to achieve the desired effect, a flicker of annoyance crossed Meng Xian’s face as he moved again.
His speed was astonishing, almost surpassing the limits of visual perception.
His right hand shifted from a palm to a claw. The black Nether Internal Qi condensed on his five fingers, forming five sharp claw-like rays of light.
Tearing through the air, he aimed straight for Fang Han’s throat.