But Wen Ran didn't stop there. His crimson blade shifted targets in a heartbeat, slicing toward the man with black hair as Wen Ran side-stepped into a smooth spin. The blade struck the arm that had reached for his master's pill vial, and once again, a fiery talisman ignited to shield the cultivator. Though it prevented the limb from being severed, the sheer force behind Wen Ran's attack made the man wince in pain as his body slamd into his companion. The two staggered backward, nearly falling. The white-haired youth barely managed to catch his friend, his face still painted with panic.
I wonder how many life-saving talismans they've got… what a pain.
At last, the two attackers snapped out of their daze. They leapt back, drawing their weapons—sleek, black swords that glimred with a sinister sheen. Refined in fire and crafted from rare tal, they looked expensive… which instantly caught Wen Ran's attention.
Treasures… haha… good, good, very good.The sly fox within him grinned. He completely forgot about his master, or why the fight had even started. None of that mattered now. His blood surged, and his body burned with power as he stepped forward—and vanished.
The two n's eyes widened as they scanned the cave, but Wen Ran was nowhere to be seen. Only a single icy footprint remained where he had last stood.
Then, out of thin air, Wen Ran reappeared with his blade slashing down, cloaked in a layer of sharp ice. He had made his choice—to mask his identity. These fools thought he was a fire cultivator. If things went wrong, at least they wouldn't connect the dots. Maybe he could even pass himself off as soone else entirely, claiming he was rely defending his grandfather. Not that he expected them to listen or care.
The two n blocked together, their expressions turning serious. They now understood not to underestimate soone who could crack through their life-saving talismans with a single strike. Those talismans were gifts from their master—a cultivator at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. Very few at Wen Ran's cultivation level could manage such a feat. Yet once again, the raw force behind Wen Ran's powerful muscles sent the two of them staggering backward. He pressed the assault without pause, every strike calculated to force them toward the mouth of the cave. That was his goal. Fighting in such a confined space would be suicide. Outside, he would have room to move—and the advantage.
So they're both at the late Spirit Refinent stage. Good. This should be a good warm-up.
Wen Ran rotated his ice energy through his ridians and veins, letting it flow freely as a silent storm brewed within him. He wasn't in a rush—he wanted to test the limits of his strength. During the battle with the skeletons, he had realized sothing strange: his affinity for ice was far more natural than he first believed. Maybe it was the demonic path, rooted in Yin energy and slaughter, or maybe it was the body he reincarnated into—gifted, cold, and monstrous. Either way, he knew one thing for sure—his past life's experience would allow him to forge his own techniques.
"Who the hell are you?!" the black-haired man roared, his face twisted with rage. Pride bled from every inch of his voice. He couldn't accept it. Soone at the sa cultivation level—not just holding him back, but overwhelming him? That had never happened before. Not once. He and his brother were the pride of their sect, bathed in resources and praised as rising stars. And now? Now, this unknown brat had made them taste defeat.
Flas exploded from his body, wild and furious, setting the ground around him alight. His brother, seeing this, grinned with equal fury and followed his lead. His fla was even more intense, pure crimson heat igniting around his blade and cloaking his figure in blazing dominance. The cave shimred under their dual pressure, the heat distorting the air.
But Wen Ran only sneered.
In his hand, his crimson blade began to change. Ice began forming—thin at first, but quickly stacking, layering itself until the sword looked like it had been carved from a glacier. It grew in size, dense with freezing power, and with a single swing, he t their combined flas head-on.
The clash erupted like a volcano. Ice and fire exploded against each other in a blinding display—energy roaring as the forces battled for dominance.
Their fire… it's strong. Stronger than mine. But I'm not the sa as before. I'm no ordinary fire cultivator… thanks to the Ice Empress, I've stepped into sothing far beyond them!
His heart thundered, his blood boiling with determination. He pushed harder, spiritual energy flooding from his core, weaving both Yin and Yang into the edge of his swing.
The explosion shattered the space around the cave entrance. Dust and debris flew as the walls cracked and partially collapsed behind him, cutting off the path back inside.
Outside, the two brothers were sent flying like broken dolls. Their bodies hit the dirt hard, sliding across the ground with cuts slashing through their robes. Blood trickled from the edges of their lips. They gritted their teeth, their stunned expressions mixing pain and disbelief.
This power he wielded… it wasn't sothing soone at the first circle of Spirit Refinent should ever possess.
And more importantly, there was no way this monster was Wen Ran they were looking for, the appearance matched, but the fighting style and energy was completely different than the reports.
Suddenly, the crushed cave entrance exploded with a blast of icy energy, sending shattered rocks flying across the ground. A wild figure shot out with the storm—Wen Ran. His blade was already aiming for the neck of the white-haired brat, sharp and unwavering. Among the two, he could feel it. That one was the most dangerous. If he didn't deal with him now, this fight could turn ugly.
To both brothers, Wen Ran looked like a devil descending from the heavens. His white hair fluttered wildly in the wind, and those crimson eyes were already in front of them, filled with bloodlust and absolute intent. A suffocating wave of killing intent crashed down on them like a tidal wave, and for the white-haired youth, it was already too late.
His hands trembled, his body froze. That energy—so sharp, so cold—it made his heart feel like it had stopped beating. It wasn't fear… no, it was the instinctual sense of death crawling up his spine, whispering to him that his ti had co. That the heavens had already decided his fate, and Wen Ran was simply fulfilling it.
And then, his head flew.
It spun through the air, cleanly sliced from his neck, and dropped to the cold earth. Blood followed like a red ribbon. The brother never even saw the mont it happened. All he saw was the light vanish from those eyes, and the sword drop from his companion's hand.
He stood frozen, his eyes wide, heart trembling.
He gave up.
They were supposed to be the proud elites of their sect, the twin phoenixes. They had talents, resources, and pride… but none of that mattered now. Not against soone who had no hesitation. Soone who didn't flinch at the idea of killing them. Soone who didn't care who they were or what sect stood behind them.
They believed they were untouchable.
But that belief was shattered the mont they t him.
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