"I couldn't ask for more!" Lan An declared, his voice calm but resolute.
The Dan Clan's Twin Ancestors, Dan Tian Xing and Dan Yan Ji, nodded gravely at Huo Li, tossing him a storage ring. Huo Li's eyes gleamed as he caught it, his towering frame taking three earth-shaking steps, confidence surging as he sneered at Lan An.
"Ready to die, brat?"
Lan An remained silent, stepping forward with poise. His Late Fusion Realm aura erupted, a storm of power rippling outward.
Huo Li smirked, suppressing his cultivation to Late Fusion Realm. Rubbing his brawny wrists, he radiated killing intent.
"I was once a genius too. You're not the only one who can fight above your level!"
"You talk too much. Let's go!" Lan An replied, his calm demeanor unsettling the Twin Ancestors.
They glanced at the storage ring they'd given Huo Li, filled with potent pills, and their unease faded slightly. The crowd, regaining their composure, buzzed with anticipation, their divine senses locking onto the duel. Bolder cultivators even pulled out Image Recording Jades, hoping to capture the moment.
Before, fear of the Dan Clan might have restrained them, but with Bach Vo Sinh's presence, Sea Continent's cultivators grew daring, emboldened by his backing.
"Grandfather, who'll win?" a young genius from a Seventh-Grade clan asked, his eyes burning as he watched the sky.
The youth, a prodigy aiming to join Sacred Lotus Academy within a century, felt like a grain of sand before these titans.
His grandfather, a Late Refining Void expert, pondered deeply before shaking his head.
"Hard to say. Young Master Lan An is a rising star with extraordinary combat prowess, but Elder Huo Li, an Integration Realm expert, retains his experience despite suppressing his cultivation. Add the Dan Clan's pills, and it's anyone's game."
The youth nodded, his fists clenched, anticipation surging. Across Sea Continent, countless others shared his excitement, eager for a heaven-shaking clash between a prodigy and a suppressed titan.
Logically, Huo Li, having reached Integration Realm, possessed top-tier talent on Viet Dragon Star. Lan An faced a steep challenge. Yet Wu San Niang's sly smile, the Elf Queen's serene confidence, and A Lian Ya's calm demeanor suggested Lan An wasn't fighting for survival but strolling leisurely.
"No more surprises," Tian Die Dao yawned, her alluring face bored. "I could sleep and still know the outcome."
"I'm curious about that pill the Dan Clan gave Huo Li," Bao Qiao pouted, her delicate lips pursed.
"Huo Li better not be too foolish, or he won't even get to use it," Cheng Bi sighed, shaking her head. Having known Lan An longest, she'd studied his battles and understood his terrifying prowess.
"I've always felt Lan An hides his true depths," Le Huan said, her ninja instincts sensing lethal danger in him.
U Ji remained silent, her eyes blazing with battle lust. Even if it meant bitter defeat, she vowed to challenge Lan An someday.
At Heavenly Secret Palace, elders muttered among themselves.
"Challenging a Child of Heavenly Fate at the same level? Has Huo Li eaten tiger guts?"
Recalling the fate of those who divined Lan An's secrets, they shivered.
"If he's her disciple, his Child of Heavenly Fate status is likely true," the Heavenly Secret Palace Master rasped, prompting nods of agreement.
Huo Li faced Lan An, finding only calm in the youth's ancient-well eyes, devoid of emotion. Lan An mused inwardly, realizing it had been ages since he fought an equal-level opponent. His enemies were always far above his realm, making this duel feel unfamiliar.
But unfamiliar didn't mean careless. This was a rare chance. His eyes sharpened like lightning, his aura shifting. In every battle, "underestimation" was absent from Lan An's dictionary.
Sensing the intense danger, Huo Li cursed inwardly, "Playing tricks!"
"Better take those pills, brat, or you won't even have time for last words," a secret voice transmitted to Huo Li, startling him.
It was Bach Vo Sinh, the Headmaster himself. Though puzzled, Huo Li trusted the Tribulation Crossing expert's warning.
Wu San Niang shot Bach Vo Sinh a knowing glance, smirking disdainfully. She summoned a majestic throne, lounging cross-legged, her toned legs captivating the crowd.
The Twin Ancestors nodded at Huo Li, confirming their approval for him to use the pills. Huo Li nodded back, resolute.
Before the puzzled crowd, with the duel yet to begin, Huo Li revealed two pills. One, the size of a dragon's eye, glowed deep red, as if containing a sea of flames.
"Oh? Ascension Flame Pill, a Heavenly Grade Supreme Pill," Tian Die Dao's group noted, their eyes brightening. Duo Bao Pavilion could refine it, but with less purity than the Dan Clan's, fetching astronomical prices. It multiplied fire-based attacks' power, rivaling Strange Fires, but left users unable to wield fire energy for half a year.
Ignoring the crowd's murmurs, Huo Li revealed another pill—golden, shimmering with mystic black veins, its visual impact striking.
Even Bao Qiao frowned, muttering, "The Dan Clan's generous. No wonder they're pill tycoons."
"Golden Combat Pill, a Supreme Spirit Grade pill, top-tier even for the Dan Clan," Cheng Bi said, her ample chest heaving, eyes gleaming.
"As a major clan, they can't skimp when Huo Li's fighting for their honor," Tian Die Dao said lazily.
The women nodded, agreeing.
"What's that pill? It looks extraordinary," A Lian Ya whispered, her brows furrowed with worry.
"Golden Combat Pill. You'll see its effects soon," the Elf Queen said calmly, a hint of intrigue in her voice. Such pills, made from rare materials, were scarce even on Elf Island.
"Thanks to you, I get to use these miraculous pills," Huo Li said, staring at the pills with fervent zeal. "The side effects are steep, but I'm willing!"
As a Fire Underworld Sect elder and Integration Realm expert, he had many pills, but these were once-in-a-lifetime treasures. His only regret was using them while suppressed. Yet, his Integration Realm physique could handle them, unlike others who'd crumble.
Under curious gazes, Huo Li swallowed the Ascension Flame Pill. Boom! His Great Strength Earth Flame surged like it had consumed a potent stimulant, forming a colossal giant piercing the clouds, radiating dominance. The flames warped space, rivaling Purple Heart Sky-Burning Flame's intensity.
Roar! The flame giant behind Huo Li gained a spark of sentience, glaring at Lan An with savage intent, roaring ceaselessly.
"The Ascension Flame Pill lives up to its name. Great Strength Earth Flame now rivals top-10 Strange Fires, if only briefly," Sea Continent's knowledgeable elders marveled.
If the Twin Ancestors used it, the power would be even more terrifying.
"Feeling the heat, brat?" Huo Li taunted, exhilarated by his enhanced flames, provoking Lan An.
Roar! His Great Strength Earth Flame roared, boiling the sea, amplifying his aura.
Undeterred, Huo Li's eyes blazed red with resolve. He swallowed the Golden Combat Pill without hesitation. Crack! Space around him shattered, an overwhelming aura flooding the area. The crowd's hearts clenched.
"Aaagh!" Huo Li roared, his body trembling as blood seeped from his pores. His skin turned golden, mystic black veins pulsing with terrifying power. His bones, flesh, and blood glowed gold, boosting his combat and defense comprehensively. Even his Great Strength Earth Flame shimmered gold with black traces.
Unlike other power-boosting pills limited by realm, the Golden Combat Pill enhanced even Tribulation Crossing experts. Crack! Huo Li's casual punch fractured space.
"I never thought I'd shatter space at Fusion Realm with a mere gesture," Huo Li laughed arrogantly. "Not bad at all!"
The crowd grew solemn. Only Refining Void experts could affect space, yet Huo Li, with the Golden Combat Pill, did so effortlessly. At Integration Realm, its effects would be unimaginable.
No one had time to ponder, as Huo Li could no longer restrain himself. His surging power demanded release through battle—by tearing apart his prey.
"How do you want to die, brat?" Huo Li growled, his golden form vanishing.
Roar! His Great Strength Earth Flame followed, burning through space, trampling the sea, charging with apocalyptic force.
"Heavenly Fire Steel Fist!" Four flaming fists smashed toward Lan An, shattering space in their path.
Lan An raised his head, activating Speed Shift to evade the attack's range. Boom! The missed strike carved four bottomless chasms into the sea, a terrifying display.
"End this quickly!" Dan Tian Xing shouted, unease gripping him at Lan An's speed.
"No problem!" Huo Li nodded, startled by Speed Shift. Speed was king, and he admitted inferiority at the same level.
"Fire Underworld Sect's strongest Spirit Grade technique—Underworld Flame Shatters Mountains!" Huo Li raised his hands, flames surging as he stood like a fire god.
His flame giant mirrored him, raising massive arms to condense power. Two colossal fireballs formed, spinning like flaming planets, sucking in air and matter, creating a vacuum for hundreds of miles.
"Let's see you dodge now! Survive this, and you can die satisfied!" Huo Li roared, his twin fireballs growing denser.
Before them, Lan An seemed an insignificant ant. "Underworld Flame Shatters Mountains—legend says a Fire Underworld Sect ancestor obliterated an Eighth-Grade dynasty with it," elders whispered. Huo Li's attack matched a Refining Void expert's Spirit Grade technique, amplified by the pills to a higher realm.
All eyes turned to Lan An, expecting fear. Instead, they found calm, like an autumn lake, not a trace of worry.
Then, a change erupted. His hair billowed, turning golden—brighter, nobler than the Golden Combat Pill's glow. His aura transformed, shaking the heavens.
"Heavenly Emperor Transformation—Peerless Under Heaven!" Lan An declared, his voice cold, his presence like an emperor scorning his foe.
"This secret art…" elders gasped, sensing its profound effects.
It wasn't over. The crowd's eyes widened as purple and golden flames roared forth, joined by purple and black thunder, blending seamlessly with perfect harmony.
The Twin Ancestors' faces paled, dread washing over them.