A little while before, when Dongfang Ming had only just managed to have Huangfu Rui land a strike onto Zi Jin.

On the other side of the mountain.

The battle between Bai Yunfei and Qin Long was reaching its critical point. The Ardent Sun Glove had already stolen away half of Qin Long’s attributes and inhibited his strength while supplementing Bai Yunfei’s own. Both of Qin Long’s arms weren’t even in any shape to be used anymore after enduring a single blast from the Chaotic Dual Dragon Burst.

The way Qin Long strengthened himself was different than the method Zhang Zhenshan and Lin Dongxiao used. Zhang Zhenshan used an especially potent arcane Bloodsoul Dark Arts to devour other people’s soulforce and lifeforce to increase his own. Lin Dongxiao fused himself with a soulbeast puppet so he make use of the power of the mid-stage class eight soulbeast puppet. But Qin Long had done what Dongfang Ming had done and was using a ‘demonic core’!!

It took Dongfang Ming thirty years to forge a demonic body for himself with a perfected demonic core. The core Qin Long was using today was nothing more than a replica. A mockery of the real thing and could hardly compare to the power Dongfang Ming could draw out from his.

Dongfang Ming took thirty years to craft a perfect demonic core. It was inevitable that Qin Long would craft an inferior version of it in a much shorter amount of time. Furthermore, the price Qin Long paid was far more drastic—he no longer had his human intellect.

Prior to Qin Long, Dongfang Ming once attempted to ‘mass-produce’ these inferior cores so they could be used to create empowered servants. Of each and every attempt, however, only Qin Long managed to prove to be a ‘success’.

Similarly, Zhang Zhenshan was the only person within the last thousand years to prove capable of using the Bloodsoul Dark Arts.

Zhang Zhenshan, Lin Dongxiao, and Qin Long were three examples of men who managed to grow stronger through different ‘perverse’ methods. But they were also good examples of the great costs for power, and why even the Soul Refining School would think twice before attempting to try it again, even if they could.

......

“Xiao Qi!!”

Bai Yunfei was surprised, how was Qin Long able to recover from having his chest split apart? Regardless, Bai Yunfei decided it was better to call upon Xiao Qi to help him. Using the Chaotic Dual Dragon Burst was one thing, but he had to remember he wasn’t fighting by himself.

“Chirp!!”

In a flash of violet light, Xiao Qi streaked across the skies toward Qin Long.

Xiao Qi opted not to use the spatial edges. It’d be pointless since Qin Long was protected by the power of Law. Like a bolt of lightning, Xiao Qi let out a net of lightning all around Qin Long.

“Boom boom boom boom boom...”

The violet bolts of lightning impacted everywhere against the curtain of dark-green light. The two Laws battled it out between one another for supremacy, but it was Xiao Qi’s attacks that were the ultimate victor. With the ability to increase the powers of his own attacks, Xiao Qi was able to have most of his lightning bolts break through the barrier and strike Qin Long’s person!

Qin Long was beset by a wave of violet and dark-green light as he stood there. He didn’t bother to move at all from his spot, choosing to instead allow the lightning bolts to hit him when they did. Despite the fierce explosions of energy whenever they landed, Qin Long had yet to be knocked unconscious or die. All of his wounds were gone now. Any time a new wound was sustained, the broken parts of his flesh would wriggle and sizzle as if burning for a moment before it regenerated what was missing.

The bombardment from Xiao Qi lasted multiple seconds and gave Qin Long no time to gather his breath. It was noticeable that Qin Long was starting to tire with how his aura was weakening bit by bit. If this went on any longer, then his soulforce would run out and he would inevitably meet his doom.

But that would take time, and time was of the essence right now. Xiao Qi was simply distracting Qin Long so he wouldn’t be able to regenerate from his wounds while Bai Yunfei bidded his time to gather his strength!

Power was already coursing through Bai Yunfei’s body due to him stealing Qin Long’s attributes, but that power was making another extreme leap in strength to help him reach the level of a Mid-stage Soul Emperor!

Dual Flame Artes: ‘Coil’ Form!

“Bang!!”

Bai Yunfei kicked off against his footing at once. Now a bright-red streak of light, Bai Yunfei shot toward the area Xiao Qi was bombarding!

He brought with him an indomitable amount of power to strike fear into the hearts of anyone there to witness him. Left hand shining with a golden light, Bai Yunfei lashed out to punch at Qin Long with it!

“Boom!!”

There was an ear-deafening crack as the force of Bai Yunfei’s punch created a shockwave and billowed away from the area with devastating force.

Bai Yunfei’s fist landed squarely onto Qin Long’s chest. Without arms to protect himself, Qin Long was left without any choice but to watch as Bai Yunfei punched a hole through him!

Something could be seen pulsating near the edge of the hole. It glowed a dark-red color and pulsated rhythmically like a heart. The dark-red light slowly encompassed Qin Long’s body and looked like it was trying to regenerate his wounds once again.

Despite not knowing what in the world this was, Bai Yunfei knew if he didn’t strike now, there wouldn’t be a second time...

“Chirp!!”

An excited chirp filled the air as Xiao Qi descended once again. Knowing the proper time and place to strike, Xiao Qi let loose multiple spatial edges down onto Qin Long!

Things were looking dire for Qin Long. Without the power of Law to protect him, he could only watch powerlessly as the sky around him was filled with spatial edges.

Nothing was left in the space where Qin Long once stood. It was an empty expanse without even a single trace of his person left in sight...

Not even a piece of flesh or bone.

............

......

“It’s been ten minutes already, what’s going on...has Qin Long managed to hurt Bai Yunfei or not...?”

In the outside world, Mo Ni was staring daggers at the sphere of prismatic light created by the Interdimensional Phantasm in confusion.

He didn’t believe Qin Long had the power to kill Bai Yunfei, but his carefully ‘nurtured’ creation should still deal enough damage to shave away a good portion of Bai Yunfei’s energy. In the best case scenario, Bai Yunfei would be so haggard and close to death that Mo Ni would be able to step in and easily kill him.

“Huff...hrgghhh...”

A deep growl arose from the person beside him. “What is it?” Mo Ni gave the man on his left a small glare, “You can’t wait any longer, Gui Nu? Be at ease, your time to take vengeance will come soon enough. Whether you want to drink his blood or eat his flesh...he’s yours to deal with.”

“Yes...Gui Nu will deal with Bai Yunfei and the Black Dragon King will deal with his soulbeast partner. I’ll deal with Xiao Binzi and that other Early-stage Soul Emperor. You’ll wait on the sidelines and wait for a chance to destroy them...” Lu Suxing muttuered to Mo Ni as he watched the area around them. His hands twitched every so often as he prepared himself to mobilize at a moment’s notice.

“Look! The Phantasm is fading away, be careful!”

Lu Suxing shouted moments later as the prismatic light from the Interdimensional Phantasm began to recede from the area.

Mo Ni was on the high alert at once, “That fast? Is Qin Long dead already?! What...what did Bai Yunfei do?!”

The two men were startled at the rapidness of the battle. They had guessed that the battle would end soon, but not that soon! Then as they were trying to process that, two gigantic dragons came flying out from the light!

“Roar!!”

The two dragons let out a roar that reverberated throughout the world, the two of them reaching impeccable speeds as it traveled toward Mo Ni and Lu Suxing!

Caught completely off guard, Mo Ni, Lu Suxing, and even the Black Dragon King began to retreat to safety.

“Gui Nu, block it!!” Mo Ni barked.

“Roar!!”

A primal roar exploded from Gui Nu. Like a beast unshackled, he leaped at the gigantic dragons with explosive vigor. A bloodthirsty aura began to radiate from his person along with the foul stench of blood. Blood-red light pooled over him and transformed into a giant demonic being to charge at the two dragons with him!

“Boom!!”

The demonic being struck the two dragons with the intent of destroying it. Energy ran rampant across the skies in large amounts, and not even Mo Ni and the others were untouched.

“What’s going on?! Why is...eh?! What!!!”

Confused by the rapid developments taking place, Lu Suxing began to let out a cry of terror upon sensing something dreadful!

A powerful presence had just suddenly popped up within his vicinity and was rapidly getting closer!

“Whoosh!!”

Lu Suxing heard it first. A streak of displaced wind followed by a burst of light. Then a bright-red spear appeared right in front of his very eyes to strike him through!