Upon entering the Scenic Land, Lan An took a deep breath, his Spirit Earth Cauldron in his dantian humming with excitement, thrilled to the extreme.
"The Earth Spiritual Energy here is even denser than before?" Lan An marveled silently. It seemed the Ancient Ferocious Prison Earth had indeed been drained significantly to enrich the Scenic Land.
Boom!
The Scenic Land's massive gate slammed shut. Unbeknownst to him, beyond the Second Elder and the brothers Bai Lie and Bai Yang, a group of others appeared, smirking at him.
It was the White Sand Emperor, Bai Quan, the Fifth Elder, Lu Lao, and the Seventh Elder.
The Great Elder was absent, as were the Third and Fourth Elders.
"Hmph, so impatient? Bringing out the whole lineup?"
Lan An frowned inwardly. His plan was for his wives to secretly eliminate the Second Elder and the two princes, then join the Hua Clan to gradually dismantle the White Sand Emperor's forces. He hadn't expected this group of old monsters to gather, their eyes gleaming with greed. They were beyond redemption.
In truth, Lan An misunderstood. The White Sand Emperor's group wasn't here for him. In their eyes, Wen Lang was merely a Spirit Transformation cultivator, easily handled by the Second Elder alone. They had entered earlier to cultivate, taking advantage of the freshly replenished Earth Spiritual Energy in the Scenic Land. Lan An's arrival simply coincided, making it convenient to deal with him and divvy up his assets.
"Greetings, everyone. Thanks for the warm welcome!" Lan An said with a smirk, inwardly assessing their strength.
The White Sand Emperor was at Mid Integration Realm but not fully recovered from prior injuries. Bai Quan was at Early Integration Realm. The Second Elder was Early Integration, nearing Mid Integration. The Fifth Elder was also Early Integration. Lu Lao and the Seventh Elder were at Peak Void Refinement.
Bai Lie and Bai Yang were both Mid Void Refinement.
The group's lips twitched at Lan An's words. Who did he think he was, deserving their welcome?
Bai Quan stepped forward, sneering. "Do you know your crime?"
"What crime?" Lan An feigned ignorance, secretly channeling his spiritual energy.
"You touched someone you shouldn't have…" Bai Quan said coldly.
"Oh, that little beast Bai Chun? What, the big beast wants justice for him?" Lan An asked, pretending to realize.
The group was dumbfounded. This reaction was beyond their expectations. Shouldn't he be begging for mercy? Facing a group of powerhouses, he dared to be so brazen?
"Courting death!" Bai Quan nearly spat blood, his hand condensing spiritual energy, lunging at Lan An.
ROAR!
A thunderous roar echoed from underground, halting everyone's actions.
"What's happening?" The White Sand Emperor frowned, looking at the Second Elder.
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is attempting to subdue the Ancient Ferocious Prison Earth!" the Second Elder said respectfully.
"Hmph, overestimating himself. A lesson will do him good!" The White Sand Emperor snorted, doubting his son's success.
Bai Lie's eyes flickered. Whether Bai Tian succeeded or failed, it benefited him.
"Deal with this little beast first!" Bai Quan, unconcerned, was itching to settle his grudge with Lan An.
"Hold on!" The White Sand Emperor waved, addressing Lan An with authority.
"Wen Lang, I know you're clever. Hand over the Desert Monarch's Veil and all your possessions, and we'll spare your life!"
Seeing the White Sand Emperor reveal his true colors, Lan An sneered. "Spare my life? Will you let me go?"
"Impossible. I'll imprison you for life, well-fed and carefree!" the White Sand Emperor said calmly.
"Go to hell!" Lan An laughed uproariously. "Cunning like you? My hometown's full of them. No wonder you're a useless cuckold!"
"How do you k—" The White Sand Emperor nearly choked on blood, swallowing the word "know."
The group noticed his reaction, their expressions turning odd.
"Brother, seize him, flay him, and soul-search him!" Not wanting to deal with a mere ant like Lan An, the White Sand Emperor waved.
"Die, brat!" Bai Quan grinned viciously, having waited for this moment.
A hand surging with spiritual energy formed a terrifying giant palm, grabbing at Lan An like he was a chicken.
Facing Bai Quan's attack, Lan An made a mocking face.
The air in the Scenic Land plummeted to freezing.
BOOM!
"Aaah, my hand!" Bai Quan screamed, his arm turning to ice and shattering, flesh mangled, bones exposed.
The group's faces paled.
Unnoticed, a noble, icy beauty appeared beside Lan An, wielding a Spirit Law Staff. She'd nearly taken Bai Quan's arm.
"The Empress?!" The group gaped, the White Sand Emperor's eyes nearly popping out.
Before their stunned gazes, Lan An wrapped his arm around Hua Qing Zhu's slender waist, leaning down to kiss her full lips.
Smack.
After a deep kiss, Hua Qing Zhu's cheeks flushed as she pushed him away, shooting him a seductive glance.
Silence.
Utter silence.
What had they just witnessed? Bai Lie and Bai Yang pinched each other's faces, the pain confirming this wasn't a dream.
"Well, dog Emperor, I'm the one who cuckolded you. Come kill me!" Lan An caressed Hua Qing Zhu's cheek, smirking at the White Sand Emperor.
The White Sand Emperor's eyes turned bloodshot, a rage like never before erupting in his chest. Like a wounded beast, he roared to the heavens.
"Kill them! Kill this filthy pair! Slaughter them with full force, then I'll exterminate the Hua Clan and make that wretch Hua Qing Zhu regret her foolish actions!"
With that, he transformed into a sandstorm, charging at Hua Qing Zhu and Lan An, striking first.
The Earth King Seal rapidly formed, crashing toward her head.
"Useless trash, I'll personally send you to your grave and wash away the disgusting title of Empress!" Hua Qing Zhu snorted coldly, her Spirit Law Staff dancing, Polar Ice surging.
Seeing this, Bai Quan and the Second Elder nodded, leaping into the air to aid the White Sand Emperor.
"Where are you going?" Lan An used Speed Shift, suddenly blocking their path.
"Courting death!" Bai Quan and the Second Elder sneered, too busy to wonder how he appeared so quickly, their hands lunging to crush the ant.
BOOM BOOM!
A dull collision sounded, and both retreated several steps, exclaiming,
"How is this possible?"
Beside Lan An, three massive Stone Golems appeared, like loyal guardians, their fists blocking the two.
"Such strength, comparable to Seventh Transformation Body Cultivators?" the Second Elder shouted in shock.
"Who are you?" Bai Quan stared at Lan An gravely. Someone with such tricks couldn't be a mere Spirit Transformation cultivator.
"Master of the Harem!"
Lan An declared domineeringly, ordering the three Stone Golems to attack ferociously.
Since the Second Elder was nearing Mid Integration, Lan An cautiously assigned two golems to him to avoid mistakes.
"What the hell is a harem?"
For now, Bai Quan and the Second Elder were entangled, unable to aid the White Sand Emperor.
"Join the fight!" The Fifth Elder, seeing this, transformed into a sandstorm, soaring into the sky.
"Five Thunder Strike!"
A Thunder Emperor Staff crackling with Fire Lightning smashed into his face.
"Courting death!" The Fifth Elder roared. A dignified Integration Realm expert, ambushed by a Peak Void Refinement cultivator?
His hand formed a fist, striking the Thunder Emperor Staff.
BOOM!
Yan Yue Qi was pushed back dozens of steps, her battle intent blazing, Golden Crow Void Flame roaring, flames soaring.
The Fifth Elder's arm went numb, eyeing the Thunder Emperor Staff warily. "A True-Grade treasure?"
"Fairy Twin Moons?" Recognizing Yan Yue Qi, the group below gasped.
"Thunder Hell Seal!"
Before the Fifth Elder could recover, a domineering strike hit his back.
BOOM!
His aged body flew back, his face paling, cracks appearing in his hidden armor.
Qin Meng Ying, like a fairy from the ninth heaven, stood proudly beside Yan Yue Qi, glaring coldly at the Fifth Elder.
"What's going on? Why so many powerful beauties?" Bai Lie and Bai Yang shuddered, their eyes wide with fear as they looked at Wen Lang, who watched calmly.
Was this man pretending to be weak to devour the strong? What was his goal?
Creak.
The underground gate opened. The Third and Fourth Elders, sensing the disturbance, came to investigate, only to witness a sky-shaking battle, shouting as if seeing ghosts,
"What's happening?"
"The Hua Clan betrayed us, joining outsiders! Help me!" The White Sand Emperor, wielding his High Spirit-Grade White Jade Seal, struggled against Hua Qing Zhu's relentless assault.
His prior injuries, despite potent elixirs, hadn't fully healed, leaving him at a disadvantage.
The Third and Fourth Elders exchanged glances, their aged bodies soaring to join the fray.
But soon, four stunning beauties appeared before them, their beauty enough to stir even a eunuch.
Yan Ruo Xue, Mu Zi Yin, Ji Ya, and Ji Bing.
"Husband, go subdue the Ancient Ferocious Prison Earth. Leave this to us!" Yan Ruo Xue said melodiously.
"Four little Void Refinement girls dare to stop us? Courting death!" The Third Elder sneered, his Earth King Seal swirling.
"Earth battle? You're pathetic!" Yan Ruo Xue's eyes hardened, her long hair flowing, an ancient, primal aura erupting from her.
To everyone's shock, she pressed her hand to the ground, intoning gravely,
"Water Desolation War Canon – Earth Desolation Technique!"
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
In that moment, the Earth Spiritual Energy in the ground, as if summoned by an emperor, surged toward Yan Ruo Xue's palm, obediently entering her body. Her veins pulsed, her green hair turned earthen brown, her eyes commanding. She became a Goddess of Earth. The white sand dulled, the ground cracked and barren, lifeless within a thousand miles as its energy fueled her. Her aura skyrocketed to Early Integration, faintly nearing Mid Integration.
"How is this possible? What technique is this?"
The group was horrified. Even powerhouses like Yan Yue Qi and Hua Qing Zhu grew solemn.
Yan Ruo Xue's display was terrifying. If she broke through to Integration, could even they defeat her?
The White Sand Dynasty's side burned with greed, craving such a technique. Compared to Yan Ruo Xue's ability to absorb Earth Energy and leap realms, they were like children playing in dirt.
"She's only at the first layer of the Water Desolation War Canon. If she advances, it'll be even more terrifying, with no side effects…" Jin Ni said calmly.
Lan An nodded joyfully. The Water Desolation Bloodline, dominant in water and earth battles, was indeed formidable.
Ignoring their thoughts, Yan Ruo Xue, her power nearly bursting, grew belligerent, locking onto the Third Elder and shouting,
"Earth War Fist!"
Her delicate hands formed fists, the Scenic Land's Earth Spiritual Energy cheering as if obeying an emperor, surging to empower her punches with unmatched force.
"Earth King Seal!"
The Third Elder, grave, countered, his Earth King Seal tearing through the air.
"Hmph, dare block my husband's path? Shatter!"
Yan Ruo Xue sneered, her fist smashing forward.
Crack!
The Earth King Seal crumbled before the Third Elder's bulging eyes, though it blocked her punch. His battle experience told him close combat was unwise, so he transformed into a sandstorm, soaring upward.
"Where are you going? Water Desolation Clone!" Yan Ruo Xue was unprecedentedly domineering.
Countless Water and Earth Spiritual Energies surged from her, forming a clone identical to her, at Peak Void Refinement, blocking the Third Elder. These techniques were hidden in the Water Desolation War Canon, exclusive to Water Desolation Bloodline holders.
Yan Ruo Xue soared, her main body and clone pummeling the Third Elder into a sorry state.
Seeing this, Ji Ya and Ji Bing exchanged glances, unwilling to be outdone.
The phantom of the Ling Ba Empress appeared behind Ji Ya, her Ling Ba Heaven-Imprisoning Hand striking at the Fourth Elder's head.
"Ice Snow Absolute Land!"
Ji Bing's eyes turned cold, the sky filling with snow and wind, countless ice spikes forming above and below, trapping the Fourth Elder with no escape, living up to its name.
"Fools!" The Fourth Elder sneered. Though powerful, these attacks were nothing to an Integration Realm expert.
But his smirk faded.
"Illusory Wood True Scripture – Phantom Shadow!"
A sharp sword aura struck his back, viciously lethal.
Mu Zi Yin, wielding her Purple Wood Sword, executed a perfect ambush.
"How?!" The Fourth Elder gasped.
Unnoticed, Mu Zi Yin had vanished, leaving a lifelike illusion that fooled his eyes and even his divine sense as an Integration Realm expert.
"Die!" The Fourth Elder spun with terrifying speed, punching Mu Zi Yin's mature form.
BOOM!
"Wretch, die!" He laughed, thinking he'd hit her.
But his triumph faded as his fist shattered another illusion.
Another killing intent struck from his right. He spun, punching again, only to destroy another illusion.
Mu Zi Yin's speed was terrifying, appearing and vanishing like a ghost, leaving only illusions.
At that moment, Ji Bing and Ji Ya's attacks arrived.
"Who are these people?"
The Fourth Elder's heart trembled, but as an Integration Realm expert, he easily dispelled their attacks with his Earth King Seal.
"Danger!" A threat loomed behind him. With his speed, he dodged.
Slash!
The Purple Wood Sword drew blood, a thin cut across his back.
"What a pity!" Mu Zi Yin sighed, having aimed for his neck.
Her form vanished into another illusion.
"Wretched sneak, die!" The Fourth Elder, enraged, wanted to hunt her.
But Ji Bing and Ji Ya gave him no chance, keeping their distance and bombarding him with techniques to pin him down.
With the trio's perfect coordination, the Fourth Elder was on the defensive.
"Why? What force could nurture such terrifying women?"
Seeing the dynasty's powerhouses overwhelmed, Bai Lie and Bai Yang's hearts shook. But as Golden List geniuses, they quickly devised a plan. "Capture Wen Lang! With him, this ends!"
Lu Lao and the Seventh Elder nodded, their Peak Void Refinement auras surging as they charged at Lan An.
With a faint smile, more beautiful figures appeared beside Lan An.
He turned abruptly, grinning ferociously, and charged at Bai Yang and Bai Lie.
As he'd said, anyone who coveted Bai Lian Hua must die!