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The moment Lan Minghua appeared, every gaze turned to him, and silence fell over the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
His lazy posture and casual tone made it seem as if he held the continent's great powers in utter disregard. Those who had been murmuring in discontent moments before now didn't dare to even breathe too loudly.
After all, a man's reputation precedes him. He was known as a ruthless figure who could kill a Titled Douluo—not someone they could afford to provoke lightly.
Still, some were more than just wary; they were outright excited.
"Lan Minghua, you're finally here!" A vicious glint flashed in Tang San's eyes. He had waited far too long for this day.
Sensing the hostility, Lan Minghua instantly located Tang San. A faint smile touched his lips, but he ignored him—he ignored everyone. He casually led Oscar and the other three toward an empty table.
Such blatant disrespect for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect made Bone Douluo and the others grit their teeth in fury. But they knew this was not the right time to move against Lan Minghua.
"Let him be arrogant for now. Once the competition begins, I'll make sure he loses all face."
Tang San was one of the main figures of this banquet. Lan Minghua's snub against the sect was a snub against him. Yet, he had no choice but to swallow his anger.
However, there are always fools eager to prove themselves.
Huyan Zhen was one such fool.
"Hmph, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is a bunch of cowards. Someone is walking all over them, and they don't even dare to make a sound. Unworthy of being one of the Seven Great Sects!"
Huyan Zhen, the "Celestial Elephant," was the Sect Master of the Elephant Armored Sect, one of the Seven Great Sects, and an eighty-sixth ranked Soul Douluo. (More than a year later, during the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, he would reach the eighty-seventh rank.) Although he was only a rank eighty-six Soul Douluo, his defensive power was not inferior to that of an ordinary Titled Douluo.
Hearing this, Chrysanthemum Douluo showed a look of disgust.
"That idiot. Courting death just to show off. Fine. I already warned him. If he insists on dying, then let him."
With that, Chrysanthemum Douluo closed his eyes, ignoring the matter entirely.
Seeing that Chrysanthemum Douluo didn't stop him, Huyan Zhen's heart leaped with joy.
"Since His Excellency Chrysanthemum Douluo said nothing, doesn't that mean he tacitly agrees? If I can teach Lan Minghua a lesson, I can raise the prestige of my Elephant Armored Sect while suppressing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"
Lan Minghua's deeds were indeed shocking, but even if the news came from Spirit Hall itself, it wasn't guaranteed to be accurate.
"Seeing is believing," Huyan Zhen thought. "My defense is no weaker than an average Titled Douluo's. Even if Lan Minghua is that strong, he can't possibly kill me in one hit. Let me test if you really have the strength to back up your reputation!"
With that, Huyan Zhen moved. His mountain-like body leaped into the air, crashing down like an iron meteor to block Lan Minghua's path with a thunderous boom.
Lan Minghua waved a hand to dismiss the dust, looking with annoyance at the man blocking his way. "Huh? So there really is someone who isn't afraid to die."
As the dust settled, an old man with dark skin, eyes like copper bells, and a snow-white beard stood before him.
Recognizing him, Lan Minghua immediately understood. "Ah, no wonder. So it's the hard-headed fool who takes the Sea God's Trident head-on—the Celestial Elephant, Huyan Zhen."
Seeing this unfold, a flicker of joy crossed Tang San's face. He could endure for a while, but he didn't want to see Lan Minghua's arrogance go unchecked.
Bone Douluo shook his head. "That old fool Huyan Zhen is desperate for the spotlight. Today is Rongrong's big day. He'd better not die here in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
Sword Douluo remained silent. To him, Lan Minghua felt more unfathomable than ever. Offending him would bring the entire banquet to a halt.
On the field, two figures—one large, one small—faced off. Lan Minghua was about 1.7 or 1.8 meters tall, while Huyan Zhen was a towering two and a half meters. In appearance alone, Huyan Zhen was far more intimidating.
Everyone present watched with anticipation, eager to see what would happen. One was a powerhouse from an old, established sect; the other was a rising star. This clash of old versus new was already worth the price of admission.
Huyan Zhen looked at a Lan Minghua who seemed full of openings, a disdainful smirk on his face. "Such arrogance. You kept us all waiting."
Lan Minghua, still with his dead-fish eyes, seemed not to hear. Rubbing his stomach, he said, "Spit it out already. I'm waiting to eat."
His words silenced the entire hall. The utter contempt in his voice made everyone draw a sharp breath.
As for Huyan Zhen, the target of the insult, he trembled with rage.
"Brat, you dare ignore me? You're courting death!"
He had been looking for an excuse to strike, and now he had one. In an instant, his Martial Spirit possessed him, and his body was covered in a layer of scales that shimmered like diamonds. This was the signature ability of his Martial Spirit, the Diamond Mammoth.
"Boy, you'll pay for your arrogance!"
He stomped heavily, and his massive body shot forward like a cannonball. He crossed the short distance in an instant, appearing before Lan Minghua. He raised a fist the size of a clay pot and brought it smashing down toward Lan Minghua's head with vicious intent.
Excitement flashed in the eyes of the onlookers. They were all hoping for a good show before the feast began.
"What the hell is this?"
Lan Minghua hadn't expected Huyan Zhen to attack so recklessly. As expected of the most hard-headed man on the Douluo Continent.
But he had no intention of being gawked at like a monkey in a circus. He raised his right hand and, with even greater speed, slapped it across Huyan Zhen's face.
Huyan Zhen felt no soul power fluctuation from the blow and paid it no mind. His face was already covered in diamond scales; surely that was enough to block it. As long as his own fist landed on Lan Minghua's head, it would be a worthy trade.
However, from the very beginning, he had made one fatal miscalculation.
Lan Minghua's true strength.
The moment the palm struck his face, the supposedly indestructible diamond scales shattered. A visible ripple spread across Huyan Zhen's old face as teeth and blood sprayed from his mouth.
CRACK!
A sickening snap echoed as his head was twisted a full two rotations by the force of the slap. A moment later, his colossal body was sent spinning into the air like a top. With a series of pops and cracks, every bone in his body shattered. Blood splattered across the ground as his form was grotesquely twisted into the shape of a corkscrew.
With a final boom, he slammed into the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
Huyan Zhen, Sect Master of the Elephant Armored Sect, was dead.
Everyone's eyes went wide with utter disbelief.
A rank eighty-six defense-type Soul Douluo, killed with a single slap.
Oscar swallowed hard at the sight. "Master, this is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's big day. Was it really okay to make that guy splash his blood all over the place?"
Lan Minghua rolled his eyes and continued walking toward the empty seats.
He spoke in a calm tone, his voice not loud, but clear enough for everyone in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to hear.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Blood is red, a color for celebration. What's so wrong with that on a festive day? Now, let's get this feast started. I haven't eaten anything all day."
(End of Chapter)