Chapter 94: Fierce Battle

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In Yuan Kai’s mind, a similar thought was brewing: “I can't let this drag on any longer. With so many people watching, it’s humiliating—I must end this fight quickly!” His internal energy was already half depleted; if he wanted to finish the battle, he would have to unleash all his remaining power in a single, decisive strike—delivering the most formidable blow of the Divine Hand of Miao Tian.

But Lin Zhan was even faster. The third form of the Blazing Fire Fist—Fist Blaze!

This time, it was more than just an explosive fist of flames. Judging by the force of the strike, besides the crackling golden flames, there were also flashes of silvery arcs of electricity interwoven—evidence of the infusion of primal spiritual force.

Golden fire, silvery light—a single punch to annihilate!

For the final time, Yuan Kai brought his palms together and struck out. His palm force swept out unrestrained, carrying a suffocating aura of death.

This was the strongest technique of Divine Hand of Miao Tian, known as the Phantom Palm.

With the palm technique completed, he thrust it squarely at Lin Zhan.

Twin palms against a single fist—even before they met, the entire crowd was stunned.

“Look, Yuan Kai rarely uses the Phantom Palm. That kid’s time is up, I’d wager.”

“Indeed, in all my years, I’ve never seen anyone survive Yuan Kai’s Phantom Palm.”

Among the black-clad men, whispers of discussion began.

Young Master Wei, seeing Yuan Kai resort to his ultimate move, flailed his arms excitedly. “Ha! The damned fool is finally going to witness the might of Young Master Wei! That’ll teach you to bully me, to snap my fingers!”

Lin Zhan was taken aback. With a title like Divine Hand of Miao Tian, he’d expected something righteous and radiant, yet what emanated was an eerie, sinister aura—clearly the dark arts of a demonic cult. Disgust rose in his heart, and he invested even greater force into his punch.

Fists and palms collided again, this time with a violence greater than any previous exchange.

The two great doors of the inn’s courtyard could not withstand the shock; they flew apart, crashed against a pillar, and shattered with a resounding crack.

The enclosing walls, too, were affected. The centuries-old ice atop them began to melt, trickling water down their surfaces. What had once been smooth now showed a layer of thawing slush.

A spray of blood arced through the air—Yuan Kai, suffering from the backlash of the impact, had coughed it up in a single spurt.

“Yuan Kai, fall back, now!” Wei Xiaoran, sensing disaster, shouted a warning, but it was already too late.

Boom!

Suddenly, the ground where Lin Zhan and Yuan Kai fought caved in, creating a deep pit—the shockwave from fist and palm had collapsed it. Yuan Kai’s arm, from palm to shoulder, was utterly destroyed, burning away in the fist-blaze to nothing but wisps of black smoke, finally dissipating into the air.

Yuan Kai’s face contorted with agony, his eyes clouded with despair as he looked to where his arms had once been, fear gripping him. “Ah! My hands!”

With a nimble leap, Lin Zhan struck down with another heavy punch, smashing Yuan Kai into the icy ground.

Only in the moment before death did Yuan Kai finally understand: though they were both first-rank on the Yellow Tier, Lin Zhan’s first-rank was truly formidable!

“Rodent! It’s my turn now!” Lin Zhan had not even caught his breath before another man in black surged forth, his robe unfurling, arms outstretched—his whole form resembling a giant, nocturnal bat.

The immense black shadow nearly engulfed the entire ice pit, and the temperature plummeted sharply.

“Heh, as expected of the Wei household—none of your techniques are anything but sinister and bizarre!”

While the bat-like figure had yet to fully descend, Lin Zhan sprang straight upward, rocketing toward the sky.

Whoosh!

Had he not witnessed it himself, Lin Zhan would never have believed a person’s robe could have such a vast wingspan—this was no ordinary birdman, but a veritable great birdman.

Leaping above the black-robed assailant, Lin Zhan soared even higher. The whole city of Fuyang seemed to unfold beneath him. If not for wind and snow obscuring his vision, it might have been an infinitely beautiful nightscape.

As his upward momentum waned, Lin Zhan forcibly twisted his body, turning headfirst, and summoned a fresh surge of spiritual force. Both fists forward, he plummeted down in a powerful assault!

The insult of being called a ‘rodent’ had thoroughly ignited Lin Zhan’s fighting spirit.

“Not everyone has the right to call themselves ‘this elder’—you’re unworthy!”

So what if you’re at the peak of Yellow Tier, first rank? Here’s a double helping of the third form of Blazing Fire Fist!

Golden flames and silvery light—let’s roast a giant birdman until he’s well done. No need to thank me!

The bat-like black-clad man never turned around, but when Lin Zhan’s fists crashed onto the back of his neck, he fell from the air like a bird with broken wings, losing all grace in his flight. Struggling to muster his spiritual force, he twisted desperately, as if trying to face his opponent.

“No need to turn around, I’m not interested in your thanks!” Lin Zhan instantly retracted his fists, using the recoil to spin in the air, then stomped down with legs weighted as if by a thousand pounds.

Beneath him was a freshly made pit. The black-robed man fell ever deeper, Lin Zhan following to stamp down mercilessly.

When the Blazing Fire Fist is unleashed through the legs, it becomes the Blazing Fire Kick.

This was Lin Zhan’s complete mastery and fusion of the technique. Whether he had used fist or sword before, the execution was perfect; now, with his legs, it was just as deadly.

Bones and sinews shattered—his foe was already dead by the time the body hit the pit where Yuan Kai had fallen.

A moment later, Lin Zhan landed lightly, standing with hands behind his back by the edge of the pit, his gaze sharp as lightning, fixing on Wei Xiaoran. “Who’s next?”

A ripple of agitation and unrest swept through the circle of black-clad men.

Wei Xiaoran pressed his palm down, signaling them to remain calm, then addressed them one by one.

“Heh, yes, this is the cruelty of battle—either you die or I do. If we are outmatched, what should the sons of the Wei family do?”

“Exterminate!” All the black-clad men seemed to shudder as one, shouting in unison.

“Very well. Now hear my command: all those below Yellow Tier, second rank, fall back twenty paces. Those of Yellow Tier, second rank and above, join forces and destroy this foe!”

Damn, he’s got some nerve, Lin Zhan thought, genuinely impressed by Wei Xiaoran’s arrangement. It was as if this were a live demonstration, a lesson for his men. Now that two had died, perhaps he felt there was nothing more to be learned by observation—now it was time to act, to temper their ruthlessness in real combat.

At that moment, Young Master Wei looked at Lin Zhan as if he were already a dead man, a cruel smile playing at the corners of his mouth, as if to say, “You’ve got spirit, but it’s a pity—you’re doomed. You shouldn’t have crossed the Wei household.”

With that, he retreated along with the lower-ranked black-clad men.

Good! Good! Good!

Lin Zhan echoed the word three times in his heart. “Excellent—now things get interesting!”

Eight opponents, all above second rank on the Yellow Tier, formed a tight semicircle around Lin Zhan, exerting immense pressure.

The White Bone Tower couldn’t be deployed in time, and with over a hundred people inside, it might not even unleash its full power. Lin Zhan had no choice but to act—his mind flickered, and with a swift motion, he summoned the Ink Sword from the wall. As his hand gripped the heavy blade, he seemed to feel a surge of excitement emanate from it.

Fight! I, Lin Zhan, fear nothing!