💖 If you enjoy my work, consider supporting me on Patreon! I'm offering advanced chapters there as a thank-you to readers.
--------------------
Check out advanced chapters on : patreon.com/Veni_V
---------------
Green light flashed in the eyes of the Snow Empress as she finished her sentence. Her body moved instantly, becoming a blur like a bolt of lightning cutting through the air. She lunged straight toward Tang Chen without any hesitation.
A second later, her scorpion tail stinger appeared right in front of his throat. It glowed with a dark blue aura that felt like death itself. She moved so fast that she seemed to teleport, leaving even the sound of her movement behind. This was a strike backed by 400,000 years of cultivation. She clearly intended to kill him with a single blow.
The Red King watched this happen and felt a surge of rage. He let out a loud, angry roar that shook the air. His massive body suddenly glowed with a bright crimson light.
The light shrank down quickly, and just as the Snow Empress was about to pierce Tang Chen, a huge figure appeared. This figure was as big as a mountain and covered in dark red flames. It stood like a solid fortress, blocking the path and protecting Tang Chen.
A loud metallic clang rang out as the two powers met. The red-haired giant, which was the human form of the Red King, used his burning hands to catch the stinger. He had grabbed the deadly tail of the Snow Empress just in time. The power of extreme ice and extreme fire fought against each other, creating a loud sizzling sound. Thick clouds of white mist and bright sparks flew everywhere, hiding the two powerful beings from view.
The muscles on the Red King's arms grew larger as he used his great strength. The flame patterns on his skin glowed brightly, showing how much power he was using. At the same time, the tail of the Snow Empress shook violently within his grip. Its dark blue light flickered as she tried to pull away from the burning heat.
The Red King looked up at the Jade Scorpion in front of him and spoke in a deep, serious voice. He told her that she must not be rude because this young man was a special guest of the Star Dou Great Forest. He also reminded her that the boy was the partner of the Auspicious Beast.
The Snow Empress felt a sharp, burning pain in her tail. She was surprised and very angry. She did not expect the Red King to be so fast or to transform into a human just to stop her attack. She struggled hard to get free and spoke with a cold, arrogant voice.
She said she did not care if he was a guest of the Star Dou Great Forest. To her, that forest had nothing to do with the Extreme North Land. She claimed the boy committed a crime by absorbing the spirit ring of the Heavenly Dream Ice Worm and entering her forbidden land. She ordered the Red King to get out of her way.
The Red King called her stubborn and shouted in response. He pushed his fire energy into her body through the tail stinger, making it feel like a volcano was erupting. He stepped down hard on the frozen ground and used that force to swing her entire body. He threw her through the air with incredible strength.
The Snow Empress crashed heavily into a large glacier. The impact sent pieces of ice flying in every direction, and huge cracks spread out like a web across the frozen surface. A moment later, a bright green light shot up from the broken ice. She was not hurt; instead, her aura became even more terrifying because she was so furious. She screamed that the Red King was looking for death.
The temperature around them dropped even lower. The snow and ice of the Extreme North Land seemed to listen to her command. She gathered all that power behind her, no longer holding back any of her strength. She was now using the true power of the world. The Red King did not back down. He roared at the sky, and flames shot up around him. These flames turned into three huge fire tornadoes that rushed forward to meet the snowstorm.
A massive explosion of sound filled the air. The two extreme powers of ice and fire destroyed each other upon contact. The energy from the clash tore the clouds apart and shattered ancient glaciers. It caused a giant avalanche that moved for miles. The white snow looked like a massive ocean wave as it fell from the mountains, looking like it would bury everything in sight. This battle between two Vicious Beasts made the sky and earth lose their color.
The fight between the Red King and the Snow Empress became even more intense. Every time they hit each other, the ground shook and the ice cracked. Since they were both very strong, it was hard to tell who would win. The Snow Empress looked at the Red King with cold eyes. She asked him why a spirit beast like him would want to protect a human. She asked if he had forgotten how humans treated their kind.
She knew she had to end this quickly. The Auspicious Beast was nearby, and if Di Tian arrived, things would get much worse. She pretended to attack but then moved back. She looked at the Titan Snow Demon King, who was standing nearby, and spoke to him. She called him Ah Tai and asked if he wanted to prove his strength to her. She told him to stop the Red King while she went to catch the human boy. She mentioned that she was very interested in the energy the boy had taken from the Heavenly Dream.
Her words worked perfectly on the Titan Snow Demon King. He had always admired the Snow Empress and wanted to show her his power. He felt a sudden urge to fight. His huge eyes turned red with excitement. Without waiting, his mountain-like body moved forward. He felt like a moving mountain of snow as he crashed into the Red King.
The Red King was shocked and angry. He did not think the Snow Empress would be so clever as to use the Titan Snow Demon King against him. This giant was just as strong as he was, so he had to focus all his power on the new threat. Once again, dark red flames and freezing cold air smashed together. The Red King was stuck fighting the Titan Snow Demon King and could not get away.
He shouted that the move was low and cowardly, but he could not break free from the heavy attacks. In that short moment, the Snow Empress turned into a streak of green light. She was moving so fast that most people could not even see her. She flew around the two fighting giants and appeared right in front of Tang Chen and Xiao Ruier. She looked at the human and asked who would protect him now.
Meanwhile, far away in Longxing City, things were very different. This city was in the north of the Star Luo Empire. It did not look like the busy Heaven Dou City. Instead, it looked strong and tough. The home of the Defense Clan sat in the west part of the city. It had tall walls made of hard stone and a gate that looked like it could never be moved.
Tai Tan led Tang Hao, Tang San, and their group to this large gate. Tai Tan walked up and knocked loudly on the metal ring. He shouted for the "Old Rhino" to open up. A few minutes later, they heard heavy footsteps from the other side. The heavy wooden door opened slowly with a loud creaking sound.
A very large old man appeared. He was even bigger than Tai Tan. He had healthy red skin and hair that looked like sharp needles. This was Niu Gao, the leader of the Defense Clan. When he saw Tai Tan, he smiled and opened his arms for a hug. He asked what his old friend was doing there and told him to come inside.
But then, Niu Gao looked past Tai Tan's shoulder. He saw a tall, quiet man standing there. The man looked like he had seen many hard years, and his outline was very familiar. Niu Gao's smile froze and then disappeared. He looked shocked and very angry. This was the anger he had kept inside for more than ten years.
Niu Gao's face turned pale as he stared at Tang Hao. Without saying anything, he stepped back and grabbed the heavy doors. He tried to slam them shut to lock out the past. Tai Tan expected this. He moved fast and stuck his thick arm into the crack of the door. He was so strong that Niu Gao could not close it.
Niu Gao roared at Tai Tan. His voice was so loud it made people's ears hurt. He stopped trying to close the door and pointed a thick finger at Tai Tan's nose. He was shaking because he was so mad. He asked Tai Tan what he was thinking. He wanted to know why Tai Tan would bring someone who caused so much trouble to his home.
He asked if Tai Tan had forgotten how the four clans had suffered. He reminded him of the people who died because of Spirit Hall. He spoke with hate in his voice. He said that when the Clear Sky Sect left them and hid in the mountains, Tang Hao was nowhere to be found.
He said they were hunted like animals and almost wiped out while he was gone. He asked how Tai Tan could bring him here now. He called Tai Tan old and weak for wanting to serve his old master again. He finished by saying he had no respect left for Tai Tan at all.