As a sinister glow enveloped the skies above Flame Sovereign City, the Mandala Formation fully activated.
In an instant, Song Yanran felt an overwhelming pressure descend, her cultivation instantly suppressed by sixty percent, while her Immaculate Immortal Physique and Ancestral Dragon Bloodline were completely suppressed.
In contrast, Xuan Hao Hongye remained composed, his demeanor that of a king looking down upon his subjects. As the formation activated, his cultivation began to surge uncontrollably.
"Song Yanran, I have awaited this day for five hundred years!
From the moment I was born, I have carried the weight of the Xiongnu people's future on my shoulders.
You, however, are the mountain that must be overcome on the path to my empire!
You are the stepping stone by which the Xiongnu people will regain their dignity. With your death,
I and my people will no longer have to live in the shadow you cast, merely surviving day by day."
"Xuan Hao Hongye, your life is a complete tragedy. Would you like to hear about the scene when your ancestor begged for his life before me on his deathbed?"
"Silence, you demoness! Do not insult my ancestors!
Today, I will wash away that shame with your blood!"
"This King will tread upon your corpse to conquer the Central Region's fertile lands!"
Xuan Hao Hongye violently circulated his true essence, instantly fusing the Dao Essence with the Mandala Formation's malevolent energy to form a bizarre and potent force.
"Eight Desolations Evil Art: Azure Flame Scorch the Plains."
A peerless palm strike, wreathed in surging azure flames, relentlessly slammed toward Song Yanran.
"This Sovereign upholds the Ancestral Dragon's Mandate to safeguard the Central Region's order. How could I allow heretics like you to covet it?"
The Empress remained composed in the face of danger. Though her cultivation was suppressed, she forcefully summoned her vital energy to counter the attack, activating the Spirit Root within her Qi Sea.
In an instant, the Ancestral Dragon Emperor Qi surged forth, transforming into four roaring azure dragons.
"Imperial Zenith Scripture: Four Dragons Roar in Unison."
The ultimate techniques collided. The Mandala Formation shuddered violently, and the dissipating Dao Essence scattered into luminous motes across the void, each particle radiating world-shattering power.
After the exchange, Song Yanran was forced back two steps, her suppressed cultivation clearly hindering her ability to harm Xuan Hao Hongye.
Before she could recover her breath, Xuan Hao Hongye's killing strike closed in again.
"Eight Desolations Art: Primordial Desolation: Wolf Smoke Spreads."
"Imperial Zenith Scripture: The Sovereign's Descent."
As their second ultimate techniques clashed, a crimson trickle appeared at the corner of Song Yanran's lips.
Under the suppression of the Mandala Formation, both Divine Sense and cultivation were severely disrupted, rendering their attacks incomplete and gradually pushing them into a disadvantage.
Shen Zhao, who had been closely observing the battle from outside the formation, frowned. Knowing that Song Yanran would surely perish if he didn't intervene immediately, he rolled up his sleeves and joined the fray without hesitation.
"Switching in. I'll handle this round."
"Be careful. This formation is extremely peculiar."
Song Yanran didn't refuse, immediately retreating behind Shen Zhao.
Xuan Hao Hongye snorted coldly. "You again. This king asks only one thing: Where are the Darba People?"
"They've already attained blissful rebirth. Are you envious?"
"Then your lives—yours and Song Yanran's—will serve as their burial companions."
"A joke. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were actually impressive. Have you already forgotten the experience of taking three of my palms and giving one in return?"
"A man's abilities change after three days. More than a month has passed. I thought I understood all your tricks, but it seems I was mistaken. Enough talk. Attack!"
Xuan Hao Hongye made a gesture of invitation.
Shen Zhao casually placed one hand behind his back, secretly transforming it into a claw.
The two faced each other, neither daring to make the first move.
At the same moment, Ji Bingyan followed Lin Feng to the temple where the Nine Nether Apostles were gathered. She began using the Spirit God Great Art to probe the interior.
After a moment, she withdrew her Divine Sense and murmured, "There are a total of 337 Nine Nether Apostles inside, exactly as the intelligence indicated."
Just as she finished speaking, a peerless figure appeared a hundred paces behind her, radiating immense spiritual might. He gazed at the temple, where evil energy churned like a stormy sea.
This was Jun Yutian, the foremost subordinate of Empress Mu Qiuyue of the Northern Domain Profound Heaven Immortal Dynasty. He had been ordered by the Empress to assist Shen Zhao, repaying a past debt for Shen Zhao's help in suppressing the Northern Domain's rebellion.
"The Nine Nether Evil Radiance is treacherous," Jun Yutian observed. "Forcing our way through the formation might endanger the innocent in the city. Fortunately, this Mandala Formation is incomplete; it lacks the Supreme Yin Soul Consciousness to suppress it. It relies entirely on manual activation. Once the Supreme Yang Qi reaches its peak and reveals the formation's core, we can shatter it with a single strike."
As a Quasi-Emperor at the peak of his power, Jun Yutian, a master of the art of *Qimen Dunjia* (Mysterious Gates and Divination), had instantly perceived the Mandala Formation's flaws.
He glanced at the sky.
"There are still two hours until noon. I hope Shen Zhao can hold out that long."
As they spoke, the Imperial-Grade Spirit Sword behind him, Dawnlight, began absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy, awaiting Jun Yutian to draw it and unleash its power.
Meanwhile...
Xuan Hao Hongye and Shen Zhao had been locked in a standoff for over fifteen minutes.
Each man was wary of the other, neither daring to make a rash move.
Finally, Xuan Hao Hongye broke the silence: "Last time, you stood your ground against my three strikes. Why are you hesitant to attack now? Or was my prediction correct—you were already severely injured then, merely suppressing your wounds?"
Shen Zhao replied, "You'll know the truth if you try."
"Then I won't hold back."
With a sudden palm strike, Xuan Hao Hongye channeled seventy percent of his power, reserving thirty percent to test Shen Zhao's true strength.
The ferocious palm force surged toward him. Shen Zhao's expression darkened as he gathered his energy and retaliated with a palm strike of his own.
Dao Essence erupted like a waterfall, and scorching heatwaves ignited into a dazzling display of light, blooming like fireworks in the void.
"Ugh~"
Shen Zhao stumbled back two steps, but quickly stabilized himself.
"Your defense this time differs slightly from before. It confirms my prediction: you are destined to die here today."
Xuan Hao Hongye immediately manifested the Heaven-Shaking Hand and launched a relentless assault.
"Jade-Shattering, Gold-Splitting!"
Shen Zhao stood firm as a mountain, his Qi Sea in his dantian forming a world of its own. He condensed his finger and met the incoming strike.
Their palms met, and heaven and earth resonated as they retreated several steps each.
Seeing his opportunity, Shen Zhao condensed his fingers into a point, aiming to pierce the opponent's defenses.
But...
Xuan Hao Hongye had anticipated this move. He dodged all the finger strikes and closed the distance, smashing a fist into Shen Zhao's chest.
Caught off guard, Shen Zhao coughed up a mouthful of crimson blood. Despite his injuries, he forced himself to raise his hand and strike back with the "Overturning Clouds and Raining Rain" palm technique.
However, Xuan Hao Hongye had predicted the move the moment Shen Zhao began to execute it. He evaded again and sent Shen Zhao flying backward with a thunderous kick.
The Xiongnu King followed with a relentless barrage of killing blows:
"Eight Desolations Art: Spring Thunder Resounds Through Heavenly Rivers."
"Eight Desolations Art: Spiritual Might Reveres the Cool Mountain."
"Eight Desolations Art: The Great River Dries Up."
Unable to recover his breath in time, Shen Zhao struggled to block.
The Xiongnu King's attacks were swift and fierce, amplified by the Heaven-Shaking Hand Mandala Formation. Each blow shook heaven and earth, slamming into Shen Zhao's flesh. Dust billowed into the sky, and smoke filled the air.
*Pfft~*
Three consecutive strikes, coupled with Xuan Hao Hongye's fist that had shattered his defenses, sent Shen Zhao staggering back over ten steps. He coughed up another gush of blood and knelt on one knee, struggling to dissipate the residual force coursing through his body.
Behind him, Song Yanran watched in disbelief.
Her heart pounding with concern for Shen Zhao, she moved to intervene, but he raised a hand to stop her.
"You seem remarkably familiar with my techniques and fighting style?"
In response to Shen Zhao's question, Xuan Hao Hongye crossed his arms, adopting an arrogant stance that seemed to look down on the world.
"That's right. Someone revealed the full extent of your life's learned techniques to me. To be honest, without the Mandala Formation's enhancement, I wouldn't have been able to break through all your attacks so easily."
"Impossible!" Shen Zhao's face was filled with disbelief. "Even if you knew the characteristics of my techniques, you could never have mastered them so thoroughly in such a short time."
"You're right. Even the most talented individual would need at least thirty years to fully decipher your complex techniques. But I only needed to grasp the essence of your technique's energy recovery. With that, I could easily suppress you. You never expected this, did you? That I could so effortlessly render your energy circulation methods utterly defenseless?"
Shen Zhao frowned. "The Xiongnu King is indeed the most talented ruler of the Xiongnu Kingdom in the past millennium. However, you've overlooked the most crucial point."
"What point?"
"You can counter my techniques, but..."
Shen Zhao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, a faint smile curling his lips.
In the next moment, he slowly rose to his feet, his gaze becoming more serious than ever, sending a shiver through Xuan Hao Hongye.
"You can't counter me, the man himself. Shen Zhao! No more acting. It's time to send you on your way."
-----------------------
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(End of Chapter)