Chapter Fifty-Two: Sweeping Through All Obstacles

"Courting death!" Jiang Yun's eyes were bloodshot, his rage burning. Never before had anyone dared to treat him with such contempt, as if he were nothing more than an ant beneath their feet. "Even if I risk the backlash of my divine powers today, I will kill you!"

A divine radiance swept across the heavens, shrouding everything in its brilliance. Jiang Yun's face darkened to an extreme, and he cast aside all ancient names, stepping forward to confront Lin Fan directly.

The Fangtian halberd erupted with a terrifying brilliance; it was a treasure weapon, unleashing a powerful surge that shot toward Lin Fan's descending foot.

"So you wish to forge your fate alongside the treasure, borrowing its strength to step into the Vein-Condensing Realm—and you’re nearly there. Such audacity! If you had a bit more time, you’d be the first among the inner sect’s top ten to ascend," Lin Fan’s gaze was sharp as a blade, seeing through the whole affair and admiring Jiang Yun’s resolve.

It must be understood that only those in the Vein-Condensing Realm can truly master a treasure weapon. Those in the Flesh Realm may wield some of its power, but a single misstep could mean being devoured by the weapon’s backlash. Few dared as much as Jiang Yun.

"My heart aspires to the clouds; I refuse to fall behind anyone. Yet today, a demon has been planted within my heart. If I do not kill you, my mind will never be whole," Jiang Yun howled. His life had always been filled with glory and honor, never so belittled as today. If he failed to slay Lin Fan, his cultivation would be hindered, and the Vein-Condensing Realm would be out of reach.

A complete treasure awakened, unleashing a terrifying might; its iridescence drowned the nine heavens in its glow.

"Hmph. Get lost!" Lin Fan's gaze was as sharp as knives, beams of divine light crossing the sky. The black spear in his hand, wielded like a club, struck downward, a divine light cascading like a suspended galaxy.

Clang!

The colossal crash was like thunder from the heavens. The spear collided with the Fangtian halberd, unleashing a devastating shock. It was as if stars exploded, blinding in their intensity.

Jiang Yun’s expression changed. His strength, not quite equal to Cheng Wushuang's, was about eighteen elephants’ worth. In such a clash, he naturally fell short of Lin Fan.

His body staggered backward, cracking the earth beneath his feet.

Then, a massive foot descended, crushing him several hundred feet. At the same time, the Lanyin Pavilion collapsed, dissolving into dust amidst the swirling sand.

"Ah…"

Jiang Yun’s hatred burned to madness, his mournful howl piercing the heavens. At this moment, he held nothing back, unleashing his full power. His hair flew wildly, as if a demonic god from hell had crossed realms.

"You’re courting death!" The Fangtian halberd swept across the skies, lines of divine light manifesting. In that instant, it awakened on its own, unleashing the terrifying might of the Vein-Condensing Realm.

Within the treasure, a spirit had already formed—though it lacked consciousness. Clearly, Jiang Yun had roused the spirit within the halberd.

"So this is a treasure weapon? What immense power! In the hands of someone in the Vein-Condensing Realm, its might would be unimaginable." Lin Fan’s face grew grave; at last, he truly sensed the terror of a treasure weapon. If it awakened on its own, its combat strength would rival an average Vein-Condensing cultivator.

Buzz!

The black spear trembled, growing hot. The white dragon patterns seemed to come alive, and a terrible dragon’s roar resounded through the heavens.

Lin Fan was elated; he knew the spirit within the black spear had awakened and would not submit to being suppressed. A dreadful aura swept forth.

"Annihilation!" Lin Fan roared, gripping the spear. With dragon-like strides, his entire being seemed aflame, fighting with wild abandon. His terrifying aura was unmistakable as he prepared to unleash a killing blow.

The black spear thrust forward, power erupting, meeting the Fangtian halberd head-on.

"Today, you are destined to bleed," came a cold voice, like the voice of death itself. Lin Fan’s black hair fell loose, his eyes shining like twin stars.

He unleashed a slaughtering technique, the black spear locking against the Fangtian halberd, while he himself charged at Jiang Yun, ready to strike with all his might.

There was no pretense, no illusion—every blow landed true. Lin Fan and Jiang Yun collided like stars, unleashing a monstrous shockwave.

The Divine Creation Fist was brought to its peak; in that moment, he seemed a true dragon reborn. Terrifying strength engulfed everything, his blood surging like a vast ocean.

Jiang Yun roared, deploying every technique he knew, but he could not withstand Lin Fan’s Divine Creation Fist. After dozens of exchanges, a figure was sent flying, blood trailing across the sky, crashing heavily onto the earth.

"Fifth in the inner sect? I’d like to see what tricks you have left," Lin Fan’s momentum soared to its peak after defeating both Cheng Wushuang and Jiang Yun, like a divine king descending, surveying the mortal realm.

Cheng Wushuang and Jiang Yun were formidable, but nowhere near the level of Jian Yi. In other words, the top three of the inner sect were a tier above the top five. Lin Fan was confident, believing he could suppress Yao Yuewu.

"You—" Yao Yuewu’s face was grim; she had witnessed the battle from start to finish, fully aware of Lin Fan’s terrifying power. To her dismay, she realized her own strength might not even match his.

Were Cheng Wushuang and Jiang Yun weak? No, they were both powerful, each with precedent for slaying Vein-Condensing cultivators. They were among the strongest in the Flesh Realm, and aside from the inner sect’s top three, few could defeat them. Yao Yuewu was confident, but not to such a degree; uncertainty had already crept into her heart.

"Your heart wavers; you are doomed to defeat." Lin Fan stood calmly, his mere presence a suffocating pressure.

Gu Ming seized the opportunity, sending Yao Yuewu flying dozens of feet, blood at her lips.

Meanwhile, the battle between Chen Daolin and Jian Yi neared its end. Both were bloodied, unleashing every forbidden technique, but neither could overcome the other. Unless it was a fight to the death, a draw was inevitable.

Lin Fan ceased his attacks, gazing toward the horizon.

The battle between Cheng Yan and Mo Shifeng raged on. Their strengths were evenly matched; victory would not be decided quickly, and Lin Fan spared them no attention.

Duanmu Ci truly deserved the title of Divine Son; having stepped into the Heaven-Man Realm, his every movement resonated with heaven, carrying incomparable might. Even the sky was pierced.

Yun Xi was even more enigmatic, managing to withstand Duanmu Ci’s assault for a time with only the power of the Vein-Condensing Realm. Who knew what techniques she employed? Yet the gap between Vein-Condensing and Heaven-Man was vast, impossible for most to cross. Yun Xi was already coughing blood, showing signs of fatigue.

"It should be about time. Those few shouldn’t remain idle much longer," Lin Fan’s gaze flickered, plans already forming in his mind.

Just then, a brilliant light rose in the distance, like a sea of stars. A tremendous might descended, weighing heavily upon the hearts of all present.

"What a powerful aura—that’s the dominion of the Heaven-Man Realm. I wonder which tier Chu Yunji has reached," Lin Fan mused. Everything was unfolding just as he had anticipated.