Brilliant beams of multicolored light filled the sky as several figures instantly launched their attacks at the middle-aged man. This was perhaps the most terrifying assault Evan Chu had ever witnessed—he couldn’t help but feel a surge of fear.
At the same time, those beasts Evan considered magical also spewed flames and icy fire, with attack power far surpassing even his own Star-Cleave. The immersive realism of the scene made chills run down Evan’s spine.
This was true strength—just a wave of the hand could destroy heaven and earth. Evan actually found himself worrying for the middle-aged man, but the battle continued to unfold in a heart-stopping spectacle.
The middle-aged man’s sword light danced in an impenetrable curtain, intercepting all the attacks from the group. He attacked and defended simultaneously, a clear display of his extraordinary power.
Seeing the middle-aged man’s prowess, the one riding the magical beast frowned slightly, then produced a pagoda-shaped weapon and said to him:
“I’ll give you one last chance. If you keep being so stubborn, you’ll really end up dead.”
The middle-aged man glanced at the pagoda-shaped weapon in the other’s hand, a hint of surprise flashing across his face. He slashed out with his sword, then swiftly fled into the distant void, clearly afraid of that weapon.
Seeing him flee, the man atop the beast didn’t care at all. He laughed, “Guess I’ll have to kill this guy myself. Go tell the master: the item has fallen into Solarion Palace’s hands. If you want it, you’ll need a new plan.”
With that, the beast beneath him roared and vanished from sight in an instant—its speed was countless times faster than Evan’s teleportation.
Sweat beaded Evan’s forehead as he finally realized what true power was. He had a hunch that the solitary Demon Sovereign was none other than that middle-aged man.
The scene flashed again. The middle-aged man had fled to a desolate, uninhabited desert, utterly exhausted. Just as he stopped, that terrifying voice sounded behind him.
“Why’d you stop running? With my Ragewind Courser, you could flee to the ends of the earth and it’d be pointless. Its speed is among the best of all immortal beasts, and its tracking abilities are second to none. Hand over the item—I’ll spare you here since no one’s around.” said the man atop the beast.
“Brandon Gale, don’t push me too far! I told you, I already gave the item to Solarion Palace. If you’re so capable, go there yourself! Is bullying a Da Luo Golden Immortal supposed to be impressive?” the middle-aged man retorted angrily.
“Solarion Palace? You think I’d believe that? You’d really hand over such a heaven-defying treasure to Solarion Palace? If you did, why wouldn’t they send someone to protect you, or have you join them? Your lies might work on others, but you’re not fooling me.” Brandon Gale sneered.
The middle-aged man glanced at Brandon Gale and said, “I’ve always loved my freedom—I don’t like being bound by sects. Solarion Palace did want me to stay, but I refused. Believe me or not, I don’t care. Show me what you can do! I’d like to see how one of the eight Storm Sovereign Palace Immortal Lords acts so shamelessly.”
Finishing his words, the middle-aged man gripped his sword tighter. Its blade shimmered with multicolored light, and Evan felt a strange sense of familiarity with it, as if he’d seen it before, though he couldn’t place it. He knew an earth-shaking battle was about to begin.
“Trying to provoke me? Wrong move—I don’t fall for that. Since you want to die, I’ll grant your wish! Today, you’ll taste the power of my supreme immortal artifact, the Exquisite Gale Tower!” Brandon Gale declared.
The middle-aged man knew escape was impossible, but a head-on fight would be suicide. As they clashed, he pulled out a red jade pendant, standing motionless as agony twisted his face.
Evan couldn’t understand why he looked so pained, but Luna, the sword spirit, knew exactly what was happening: the man was splitting his primordial spirit and soul—a desperate method of survival.
He knew he was doomed, but by leaving part of his primordial spirit or soul behind, he might have a chance to live again. That’s exactly what the middle-aged man was trying to do.
Seeing the pain on the middle-aged man’s face, Brandon Gale instantly understood and shouted angrily, “You actually think you can preserve your primordial spirit in front of me? Wishful thinking! Die!”
He hurled the Exquisite Gale Tower at the middle-aged man. But instead of fear, the man flashed a strange smile; his features twisted with a grim, fearless resolve.
The Exquisite Gale Tower shone with dazzling light as its body rapidly expanded, transforming into a mountain-sized structure that quickly hovered above the middle-aged man.
If trapped by the Exquisite Gale Tower, even a Da Luo Golden Immortal would have no chance of survival. The terrifying astral winds inside could tear apart the body, while the flowing gales could scatter one’s primordial spirit and soul.
As the tower was about to fall, the middle-aged man swung his sword with all his might, unleashing a lightning bolt that split the sky. A spatial black hole appeared nearby.
In that instant, he flung the red jade pendant into the spatial black hole, and almost simultaneously, the Exquisite Gale Tower crashed down on him.
Watching this, Evan felt certain—the man wanted to send the pendant into the black hole before dying, probably as a way to survive or hide some secret.
Almost immediately, a massive explosion erupted inside the Exquisite Gale Tower, blasting it hundreds of meters into the air and, even more shockingly, leaving cracks across its surface.
“Self-detonation! Damn it, he self-destructed! My Exquisite Gale Tower!” Brandon Gale panicked, rushing into the sky to inspect his beloved weapon.
The Exquisite Gale Tower slowly shrank. Seeing the cracks on its body, Brandon Gale felt a pang of heartache. “A Da Luo Golden Immortal’s self-destruction should be much stronger than this. That last sword strike even tore open space—my full power might not manage that. Did he burn his immortal body before self-destructing, so the blast was weaker?” he muttered.
The vision ended there, leaving Evan with countless questions and wild speculations. He had no idea what the red jade pendant was, or if the middle-aged man was truly dead. Just then, an ancient voice echoed in his mind once again…