Chapter 68: Confrontation with the Battle Sect

Protector Vulture remained seated where he was.

With a sharp hiss, a black chain shot forth like a venomous serpent, piercing through space and transforming into a blurred line of shadow that streaked toward Lin An, who stood not far away.

The tip of the chain was extraordinarily sharp, covered in profound runes, with spiral patterns winding about it. Under the surging energy of Protector Vulture, the chain exuded a faint aura of murderous intent. Clearly, this dark-hued chain was no ordinary iron.

The chain, tearing through space, instantly shattered Lin An’s prepared attack, and with undiminished force, continued its onslaught toward him.

Their assaults were not only effective against soul bodies, but exerted significant power even on ordinary experts. What’s more, in Protector Vulture’s eyes, this youth before him was no more than an ant.

From Lin An’s palm, pale white flames and the Earth Core Lotus Flame tumbled and surged, then suddenly merged into a fiery arrow that shot out and collided fiercely with the black chain.

A muffled boom sounded as the two forces met—not a deafening explosion, but rather a quiet ripple of energy, dark with streaks of bone-white, spreading silently outward. Even space itself seemed to quiver where the force passed.

Many priceless ornaments within the great hall were reduced to dust in an instant.

“This is the Cloudmist Sect’s territory. Anything damaged here must be compensated for!” Lin An said with a tinge of regret.

Yun Shan and Yao Chen exchanged speechless glances. Facing an expert of the Soul Hall at such a time, concern for property seemed laughably trivial. Survival was the only thing that mattered!

Yao Chen and Yun Shan looked at each other and nodded silently. At the slightest sign of danger, they would immediately act to rescue Lin An.

“Facing death and still oblivious. I truly wonder if you’ve lost your mind, or if you’ve just grown too accustomed to being a prodigy in this backwater Jia Ma Empire and now fancy yourself untouchable?” Protector Vulture said, brows furrowed.

At the same time, he recognized the two types of flame Lin An wielded as Heavenly Flames—elements with a restraining effect against their Soul Hall.

“If you’re so confident, are you interested in taking this fight outside?” Lin An replied.

Protector Vulture sneered. “I might consider it, but do you really have the qualifications?”

Lin An merely smiled. Suddenly, a dense, chilling aura surged from his body, expanding outward like a tidal wave, engulfing the surrounding space.

Protector Vulture immediately sensed this sinister energy, and his eyes lit up with surprise and delight.

This eerie black mist was a supreme treasure for their Soul Hall’s cultivation methods—the benefits exceeded all imagination.

He even thought that if he could cultivate within this black mist for long enough, he might have a chance to break through to the Dou Saint realm.

Protector Vulture had no patience left for empty words; his desire to obtain Lin An’s secret had become urgent.

As if anticipating his intentions, Lin An flew directly toward the exit of the great hall.

After all, it was because of someone’s greed for this sinister aura that Lin An had once found his opportunity—otherwise, who could say how things might have turned out?

Protector Vulture moved with astonishing speed. The moment Lin An appeared in the plaza beyond, Protector Vulture was already at his back.

“Threefold Soul Lock!”

A hand wreathed in black mist extended, shifting through a mysterious seal. Three chains, hovering above Protector Vulture’s head, shot forward with a harsh whistle, slicing through the air.

The three chains raced out, weaving together into a net that sealed off all of Lin An’s escape routes.

Lin An snorted coldly. In an instant, the power of Yama’s Descent erupted. Simultaneously, his tricolored mysterious flame formed three chains, twisting together and meeting the oncoming assault.

Clang! Clang!

The collision of chains and flame emitted a series of crisp, metallic rings, even throwing sparks into the air. No matter how unpredictable and fierce the chain attacks, Lin An met them with calm composure.

Protector Vulture was visibly stunned; despite such efforts, he had achieved no decisive result. His expression grew ever more unsightly.

He could clearly feel that every time the chains clashed with the flames, waves of alternating heat and chill surged along the length of the chains, making him profoundly uncomfortable.

In his view, someone of Lin An’s power should not have been able to withstand a single blow.

Now, even he found this battle troublesome.

Relying on Yama’s Descent, combined with the two Heavenly Flames and the eerie fusion of sinister energy to form a tricolored blaze, Lin An fought Protector Vulture to a standstill. Even in Yun Shan’s eyes, it was clear that a decisive victory could not be determined in the short term.

“Could it be... that young master will create a miracle today—slaying a Douzong-level Protector Vulture while still at the level of a Dou Grandmaster?”

If anyone had told Yun Shan this in the past, he would have thought them insane or utterly stupid.

For a Dou Grandmaster to challenge a Dou Spirit was already a feat; to defeat a Douzong was unthinkable.

But Lin An was different. He wielded two powerful Heavenly Flames, possessed a mysterious sinister aura, and with Yama’s Descent could amplify his strength fiftyfold in an instant. With so many methods at his disposal, perhaps he truly had a chance.

Everyone held their breath, staring at the sky where terrifying crashes and waves of energy erupted, fearing that the next moment would bring an unimaginable outcome.

“Isn’t that Lin An? Who’s he fighting? Such terrifying power—could it be a Dou Sovereign?”

“Impossible! Lin An only joined the Cloudmist Sect recently. No matter how gifted, he couldn’t possibly contend evenly with a Dou Sovereign.”

“Even if not a Dou Sovereign, it must be a Dou King at least. If Lin An can really defeat such a foe, he’ll become a legend in the Jia Ma Empire—perhaps even all of the Dou Qi Continent.”

The formation array over the plaza had already been activated. The temperature of Lin An’s Heavenly Flame and the pressure of Protector Vulture’s Douzong aura were both significantly suppressed. Otherwise, few Cloudmist Sect disciples present would have survived.

“Junior Brother Lin An... Is he really just venting his frustrations?” Nalan Yanran wondered, recalling Lin An’s brooding expression on the battlefield not long ago.

Yet what puzzled her most was that her junior brother, with such strength—able to contend with even a Douzong—had been defeated by that mysterious black-robed youth.

For some reason, Nalan Yanran couldn’t shake the feeling that her junior brother might know the identity of that black-robed youth.

Even she herself felt a sense of familiarity.

But rack her brains as she might, she simply could not recall who the black-robed figure truly was.