"Ryan Ling, you bastard! Are you out of your mind, actually daring to touch my woman? I'm going to skin you alive right now!" Harlan Yanro howled like a madman, his voice tearing through the air as if he was about to annihilate everything in existence.
Right now, this is a Heavenly Immortal's fury—who would dare utter a single word of nonsense?
At this moment, even the biggest loudmouths didn’t dare say another word. Every gaze was locked onto Harlan Yanro—clearly, all roads had led to this, and now the top boss himself was finally making a move!
"Here we go!" Leon Long clenched his fists, while Celia Xiao and Joanna Long beside him widened their eyes. Since their relationship with Ryan Ling was anything but ordinary, they knew full well his goal was to bait this top boss into a showdown!
Even though Ryan Ling had played it cool when he explained his plan, now that this juggernaut was actually about to make a move, the two women couldn’t help but feel a jolt of fear inside.
This is a clash between peak geniuses!
Sure, both their reputations in Immortal-Domain City are nearly equal these days, but the other guy is still a Heavenly Immortal!
Just on that point alone, Ryan Ling probably doesn’t stand a chance against him!
"Ryan, it’s your moment to shine!" Lydia Jin’s eyes were wide too. Even though everything was happening a bit earlier than expected, she couldn’t help feeling a rush of anxiety—if anything, she wished the showdown would come even sooner!
He was dying to see how Ryan would fare against such a powerhouse!
"Young Master Harlan, I really don't like what you're saying. Are you pretending all the million people watching are blind?" Ryan Ling didn't give Harlan Yanro any face at all, his eyes sharp as torches.
"What did you just say? Say it again if you've got the guts, you bastard!" Harlan Yanro was already burning with rage, and now he was about to explode.
Ever since he hit the Heavenly Immortal Realm, Ryan was the first one to ever dare talk to him like this!
But Ryan Ling wasn’t scared at all. He just smiled and shot back, "Did I say anything wrong? Vanessa Ouyang and her entire Ouyang Family crew were the ones who attacked me first. I just defended myself—what, am I not allowed to win? Am I only supposed to lose? Just lie down and let people walk all over me?"
Faced with Ryan's questions, Harlan Yanro was clearly stumped for a reply!
Ryan didn’t hesitate, pressing on: "I may not come from much, but I know if a bunch of people gang up on me, I have to hit back—and when your clan's people pull dirty sneak attacks, I’m gonna pay them back a hundredfold. That’s just common sense, right? Don’t you agree?"
"I don't want to waste words with you. Let go of my woman right now, or I'll kill you!" Harlan Yanro snarled, his teeth grinding so hard they almost cracked.
"Let her go? Why should I? On this tournament stage, winner takes all. She lost, so by the rules, she's mine to deal with. What, just because you're a Heavenly Immortal, you get to rewrite centuries-old rules whenever you want?" Ryan shot back, sounding perfectly logical.
Just then, one of the tournament organizers seemed to realize things were getting out of hand, and rushed over to Harlan Yanro, pleading, "Young Master Harlan, this is really putting us in a tough spot. The tournament rules can't just be broken!"
"I'm a Heavenly Immortal, and today I will break the rules!" Harlan Yanro was already boiling over, shouting at the top of his lungs, trying to use his Heavenly Immortal status to crush everyone present.
Now the crowd was boiling with resentment. Harlan Yanro was blatantly provoking everyone’s bottom line—even if nobody dared speak up, the Long Family and Lydia Jin’s Glass Pavilion crew couldn’t hold back any longer.
"So what if you’re a Heavenly Immortal? Does reaching that realm mean you can do whatever you want, just toss out centuries-old rules like they’re nothing? If that’s the case, then as the Number One Holy Land of the Immortal Domain World under the Holy Way, the Glass Pavilion will be the first to say no!" Lydia Jin shouted, her voice echoing through the entire arena. Behind her, Glass Pavilion disciples raised the Holy Way Banner high once more!
The Holy Way is the spiritual backbone for countless families and sects in the Immortal Domain World!
No matter what, nobody would ever publicly slander the Holy Way—especially not with the whole world watching!
"Lydia Jin, are you looking to die?" Harlan Yanro’s eyes blazed gold—he wanted nothing more than to tear Lydia apart right then and there.
But Lydia Jin wasn’t scared in the slightest. If this had happened earlier, maybe she’d have hesitated a bit, but now she didn’t even blink.
Ryan Ling’s message was crystal clear—fight to the end, and this wasn’t some reckless brawl, but a battle he had real confidence in!
That’s why Lydia Jin was brimming with confidence!
She glared fiercely, stepped forward, and shouted, "Go ahead, Young Master Harlan! If you dare, kill me—the Pavilion Master of the world’s Number One Holy Land—right here!"
"Come on, wipe out every last one of us from the Glass Pavilion!" All around, the Glass Pavilion disciples shouted in unison.
That move was a total checkmate!
It boxed Harlan Yanro in completely—he was stuck, no way out!
All that swagger Harlan Yanro was trying to show off? Gone—he had no leg to stand on now!
"You son of a—" Harlan Yanro was so furious he could kill someone with just his glare!
But just then, scholars from Immortal-Domain City and all over the other worlds surged forward—these great scholars cared about etiquette above all, and even a Heavenly Immortal couldn’t just go wild in front of them!
"Young Master Harlan, you can’t just slaughter the Glass Pavilion here! If you do, the Holy Way will rain down heavenly punishment!"
"Exactly! You’re the banner of Immortal-Domain City, the first invincible Heavenly Immortal. You can’t trash the Holy Way—it’d wreck your reputation!"
"Please, Young Master Harlan, calm down—these are the tournament rules! Unless you absolutely have to, don’t break them!"
...
All these famous great scholars started shouting, their voices urgent and full of reason. More importantly, each one represented a powerful faction—these were the forces of the rites and teachings. If Harlan destroyed them, even as a Heavenly Immortal, the whole world would condemn him. It’d be like going from a wise ruler to a hated tyrant, all because he broke the rites and teachings!
Right now, Harlan Yanro had reached peak power—and this whole tournament was supposed to be about prestige and reputation. If he pissed off all these factions, that was the last thing he wanted!
Harlan Yanro looked downright helpless.
No matter how strong he was, he couldn’t just go wild now!
"Since you’re not talking, Young Master Harlan, I’ll handle my defeated enemies myself!" Ryan Ling didn’t hesitate—he yanked Vanessa Ouyang over, because a beauty like her deserved some fun. The rest of the Ouyang Family’s forces? Ryan tossed them all into Primeval Heavenwood as fertilizer. As for that sneaky old bastard who tried to ambush him, Ryan kicked him straight into a cesspit—let him choke to death on filth!
After all that, Ryan Ling felt absolutely amazing!
He’d just publicly slapped Harlan Yanro in the face, and Harlan’s expression now? Pure venom.
"Ryan, we’ve really pissed him off now. I bet it’s going to be a brutal bloodbath next—he’ll come at you like a madman!" Lydia Jin hurried to Ryan’s side. She’d spoken up for him, but facing Harlan Yanro’s crazed stare, even Ryan was a little nervous inside!
After all, Harlan was a Heavenly Immortal, and in Lydia’s eyes, Ryan had already hit his ceiling.
"Brother Jin, do you really have so little faith in me?" Ryan Ling grinned. This was exactly the showdown he wanted—a battle with Harlan Yanro!
And right then, the previous match finally ended!
Harlan Yanro’s Heavenly Immortal aura flooded the whole arena—he couldn’t hold back anymore. He shot straight into the sky and pointed at Ryan Ling: "No more words. I challenge you—now!"