Inside the grand formation.
With Neron Vale's arrival, the panicked Sun-Soul experts instantly calmed down, as if they'd just taken a tranquilizer. Some even began to hatch other schemes.
Ian Song's gaze swept coolly over Neron Vale's face, a trace of mockery and disdain curling at his lips. In fact, the old man had arrived long ago, simply blending in among the ordinary spectators.
Others might not have noticed him, but Ian Song's senses were sharp enough to catch him instantly.
When the Sun-Soul experts had the upper hand, he stayed hidden. But as soon as they fell into danger, he showed up—then immediately asked Ian Song to spare them. Clearly, he was trying to win hearts. Even if Ian let those Sun-Souls go, they'd never thank him; all their gratitude would go straight to Neron Vale.
Put simply, the old man was using Ian as a tool to buy himself goodwill.
Seeing through this, Ian Song had no reason to be polite. He sneered, "Emperor Abyss, huh? Aren't you a bit too full of yourself? Tell me, why should I give you face? Is it just because your reputation is so big?"
Ian's words left all the Sun-Souls stunned. A flash of coldness passed through Neron Vale's eyes, but he quickly hid it and said, "As the saying goes, 'Let others off when you can.' Young friend, is there really any need to go this far?"
"Let others off when you can? Sounds nice. Did this bunch ever give me a way out?" Ian's face twisted in disgust. "What I hate most are Saintly hypocrites like you. It's easy for you to sound righteous when they haven't hurt you. If they had, I bet you'd be even more ruthless than me!"
Neron Vale hadn't heard the term 'Saintly hypocrite' before, but he got the gist. Unable to hold back his anger, his aged face turned cold. "Evan Chu, you can insult me all you want, but I hope you'll at least listen to my advice and let bygones be bygones."
Just then.
An elder from the War-God Sect strode forward, his face twisted with anger. "Emperor Abyss, I am Elder Sun Gongming of the War-God Sect. This Evan Chu is a bloodthirsty fiend, a little demon! Even our sect master was slain by his sword. Emperor Abyss, please uphold justice for the War-God Sect and kill this demon for us—avenge our sect and rid humanity of a future scourge!
Raymond Zhuge immediately chimed in, "That's right, Emperor Abyss! Evan Chu is far too murderous. If we let him live, he'll become a disaster for the human race!"
Ian Song's eyes flashed with cold light. "You really have no idea what you're messing with. Daring to call for my death right in front of me? Fine, I'll send you off myself!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Ian Song raised his Azure Flood-Dragon Sword.
"How dare you!"
Seeing Ian Song still daring to act, Neron Vale's face darkened with rage. An overwhelming aura erupted from his body. In the next instant, he stepped forward to stand directly in front of Ian, his voice cold: "Evan Chu, if you insist on going your own way, then I'll have to deal with you myself!"
Ian Song sneered, "So what if you deal with me personally? Whoever I, Evan Chu, want dead—no one can save them. But since you're old and creaky, I'll give you a chance. Get lost right now and I won't hold it against you!"
"Outrageous!"
Neron Vale was completely enraged. He raised his hand and struck out with a palm.
The force of this palm was boundless, like a rising sun—brimming with vibrant life, yet carrying a hidden threat of death. Its power was easily on par with a late Fusion expert.
After the Sun-Soul Realm comes the Law-Phase Realm.
This 'law-phase' is not the same as the usual kind. It's said that, once a Sun-Soul cultivator reaches the peak, they may merge with the world's Dao and create their own law-phase.
The most common law-phases are weapon law-phases and spirit beast law-phases. Rarer ones include mountains, rivers, seas, and lakes. The rarest of all is forging a law-phase into a divine beast.
Neron Vale had once served as the emperor of Valeguard, and emperors are called 'True Dragon Sons of Heaven.' So, the law-phase he condensed was a fire dragon.
Feeling the power of Neron Vale's palm, Ian Song was unimpressed. Was this the strength of a Law-Phase cultivator?
Boom!
He swung his sword at the palm, easily shredding it to pieces.
At the same time, he turned into a streak of blood-red light.
"Ah! Ah!"
Two agonized screams rang out—it was Raymond Zhuge and Elder Sun Gongming, both sliced clean in half by Ian Song's sword.
Seeing this, the remaining Sun-Soul experts sucked in a breath. He could kill two people even while facing Emperor Abyss—meaning his strength was at least equal to, if not greater than, Emperor Abyss himself.
"You little bastard, you're courting death!"
Seeing Raymond Zhuge and Elder Sun Gongming killed, Neron Vale felt utterly humiliated. His body shuddered and transformed into a fire dragon over twenty zhang long and as thick as a barrel.
After releasing his law-phase, Neron Vale's aura surged again, reaching at least the peak of late Fusion.
"Aaaang! Aaang! Aaang!"
The fire dragon glared with eyes like giant copper bells, roaring as it charged straight at Ian Song.
"Good! Bring it on!"
A cold light flashed in Ian Song's eyes. With a casual toss, a small pagoda rapidly expanded in midair. Instantly, a powerful suppressive force radiated out, pinning the fire dragon so it couldn't move.
Bang!
Ian Song waved his hand, unleashing a giant energy palm that slapped the fire dragon straight into the ground, leaving a dragon-shaped crater.
"What?"
"Impossible!"
"Did Emperor Abyss just lose?"
"How can Evan Chu's strength be greater than Emperor Abyss's?"
Seeing this, the Sun-Soul experts found it hard to accept. At the same time, a nameless dread welled up inside them. If even Emperor Abyss wasn't his match, what kind of fate awaited them?
"An immortal treasure? How do you have such a powerful immortal treasure?"
The fire dragon shot up from the ground, staring warily at the pagoda hovering above Ian Song's head, its face full of shock.
'Immortal treasure' is the general term for weapons refined by cultivators.
Normally, martial artists can't control immortal treasures at all—only cultivators can.
"None of your damn business!"
Ian Song didn't give Neron Vale any face at all. He sneered and struck again.
Bang!
Neron Vale's law-phase was slapped from the sky once more, smashing into the ground and leaving another huge pit.
"It's over!"
Seeing Neron Vale sent flying without resistance, the remaining Sun-Soul experts all showed looks of utter despair.
"Young Master Chu, my Dragon-Martial Sect wishes to apologize and offer a gift to satisfy you. Please, spare us just this once!" Right then, Titus Xuanyuan, the sect master of Dragon-Martial Sect, bowed deeply to Ian Song, his voice full of pleading.
Hearing this, the others' eyes lit up. They quickly followed suit, eager to apologize and offer gifts.
"So, what do you plan to use to buy your lives?" Ian Song asked with obvious interest.
Titus Xuanyuan said, "My Dragon-Martial Sect can offer a thousand spirit crystals, a hundred God-grade medicines, and ten divine weapons!"
"Not enough!" Ian Song glanced up.
Titus Xuanyuan's heart trembled. "Young Master, please name your price."
"Add your sect's King-grade cultivation technique on top of that!" Ian Song said slowly.