Chapter 998: Suppressing Yu Banruo

The divine undying blade and the golden blade roared as they clashed with a thunderous boom, forcing each other apart.

"When did you revive, Divine Undying King?" Xiao Nanfeng glanced at the blade in his hand.

"We can talk about that later, kid. Leave this cursed golden blade to me. You deal with Yu Banruo."

Xiao Nanfeng had lots of questions for the blade, but he held back and nodded. "Very well."

The blade broke free from Xiao Nanfeng's hand and slashed toward Yu Banruo.

"Die!" the blade roared.

As it slashed forward, tens of thousands of blue blades appeared in the air. The mighty river of blades surged toward Yu Banruo.

"Damn it!" Yu Banruo hissed. "Golden blade, attack!"

The golden blade flew out of Yu Banruo's grasp. It too slashed forward, summoning tens of thousands of golden blades.

Twin rivers in blue and gold collided in mid-air, igniting massive firestorms.

The divine undying blade and the golden blade engaged in a fierce battle in the air. Each strike shook the heavens.

Meanwhile, Xiao Nanfeng dashed toward Yu Banruo, who charged at him simultaneously.

"Hegemon's Fist!"

"Thousand Palms of Rulai!"

Both cultivators unleashed punches. The collision of their fists shattered the void, creating a small black hole surrounded by fiery shockwaves.

"Hegemon's Fist? Ha! The mighty Emperor Wei tried to use that against me. In the end, he still died at my hands." Yu Banruo sneered.

"We'll see," Xiao Nanfeng retorted.

With each strike, Xiao Nanfeng's fists grew faster and more powerful. Each blow battered Yu Banruo's defenses, forcing him back.

Though they seemed evenly matched, Xiao Nanfeng's fists carried a destructive force that gradually overwhelmed Yu Banruo.

"Impossible! Your Hegemon's Fist surpasses even Emperor Wei's? There's a destructive aura within it. What is this technique?!" Yu Banruo cried out in shock.

"It's still Hegemon's Fist, but with my own cultivation integrated into it," Xiao Nanfeng replied coldly.

Seizing an opening, Xiao Nanfeng landed a direct hit on Yu Banruo's chest. A massive, bloody hole was torn through Yu Banruo's torso, leaving him gravely injured.

"As if you could rival me! I will be the next Heavenly Emperor. A mere ant like you can only rely on the power of your empire. That won't last long," Yu Banruo spat out, wiping the blood from his chest and lunging at Xiao Nanfeng once more.

The two clashed in an intense exchange of blows.

Xiao Nanfeng grew more and more proficient with his Hegemon's Fist as he used it in combat. Yu Banruo coughed out blood again and again. If not for his Imposing Avatar of Rulai, he would be long dead—but still, he had managed to hold out.

Just like Yu Banruo had stated, as the fighting dragged on, Xiao Nanfeng's imperial might began to wane. He grew weaker, and gradually lost the upper hand.

"Ha! You're running out of steam, aren't you? Borrowed power can't last forever. Imperial might weakens with use. Soon, you'll have nothing left!" Yu Banruo taunted.

"Do you think that's all I can draw on?" Xiao Nanfeng sneered.

He retrieved three treasures and crushed them in his hand. Three towering giants—the eidola of Liu Miaoyin, the Divine Emperor, and Madam Rouge—appeared behind him.

To protect Xiao Nanfeng, the three women had each given him an eidolon to assist him in battle. Though a single one would have sufficed to defeat Yu Banruo, Xiao Nanfeng summoned all three at once.

Why? Because he could sense their presence. Madam Rouge wasn't the only one guarding him. The Divine Emperor and Liu Miaoyin were present amidst the throng as well, though they hadn't revealed themselves.

Using just a single eidolon over the others might incite jealousy. It would be better to use them all.

"Eidola, merge with me!" Xiao Nanfeng commanded.

The three colossal eidola merged with Xiao Nanfeng's body as a wave of energy erupted from him.

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"You're using three eidola at once?!" Yu Banruo exclaimed.

"Let's continue!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.

He threw another punch and struck Yu Banruo squarely. Yu Banruo crossed his palms in an attempt to block, but the immense force blasted him away and sent him crashing into the ground.

Xiao Nanfeng gave chase.

"No!" Break!" Yu Banruo cried out.

He was sent careening. He struck an island and shattered it, causing massive tsunamis to form.

Xiao Nanfeng pursued him relentlessly. There would be no reprieve. If not for Yu Banruo's Imposing Avatar of Rulai, he wouldn't have been able to hold out for so long.

Even so, his formidable defense was faltering in light of Xiao Nanfeng's newfound strength.

The onlookers watched the fight unfold with bated breath.

"Is Xiao Nanfeng really fighting against Yu Banruo? How could Xiao Nanfeng be so strong?"

"Yu Banruo's being countered! This is impossible!"

"Impossible!"

Countless shouts rang out. Many of the cultivators couldn't believe what they were seeing. Yu Banruo had lost what advantage he had. At this rate, he would be defeated in no time.

"As if you can become the Heavenly Emperor like this! You're nothing compared to Yu Fuli!" Xiao Nanfeng's voice boomed as his fists pummeled Yu Banruo.

"All you're doing is borrowing strength from those three women. If not for them, you wouldn't be a match for me at all!"

"So what? Even the Heavenly Emperor borrowed power from the people to challenge the heavens. Borrowing power isn't a flaw, but rather a skill. You can do it too!"

With another punch, Xiao Nanfeng sent Yu Banruo careening toward another island, which he shattered.

The battle had taken both a physical and an emotional toll on Yu Banruo. He was seething in rage.

As he grew accustomed to the three eidola, Xiao Nanfeng was able to fight more and more comfortably. Yu Banruo couldn't do anything against him. The cracks on Yu Banruo's body spiderwebbed as if his body were about to shatter completely.

"Xiao Nanfeng, you leave me no choice. Heartgate, burn!" Yu Banruo shouted.

Golden flames erupted from his body, engulfing Xiao Nanfeng and tearing apart the void with destructive force.

"Yu Banruo's using his heart force! He's renowned for its strength, and even the previous Heavenly Emperor once praised it. Xiao Nanfeng's done for!" a cultivator shouted.

"Nanfeng!" Liu Miaoyin and the divine Emperor shouted from afar.

"Don't interfere! He's fine. Yu Banruo's heart force can't harm him. Let him defeat Yu Banruo himself. It will allow him to temper his heart," Madam Rouge said.

Liu Miaoyin and the Divine Emperor hesitated, but ultimately held back. They gave Madam Rouge a complicated look.

Some of the spectators' faces twitched. They had thought about interfering, but didn't dare do so against the might of the three women.

Though they didn't quite understand what was going on, it was clear that the three women had gathered to protect Xiao Nanfeng. Even a saint would be deterred by their combined prowess.

Amidst the flames, Yu Banruo suddenly shouted, "You've opened your Heartgate, too? Impossible! How can you absorb my heart force? Stop it!"

The flames roiled. A void portal appeared in their midst, furiously devouring their essence. Even with his trump card, Yu Banruo couldn't seem to do anything against Xiao Nanfeng.

"Impossible. You must have just opened your Heartgate. How can you manifest it in reality? There's something wrong with your world of the heart—how are you absorbing my heart force?!" Yu Banruo spat out a mouthful of blood.

Even so, there was nothing he could do. Xiao Nanfeng's Heartgate continued to absorb Yu Banruo's golden flames, causing him to grow paler and paler.

"What sorcery is this? Stop it now!" Yu Banruo roared.

"Hegemon's Fist!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.

His fist struck Yu Banruo's head and shattered his skull in a spray of blood. His body collapsed, his Imposing Avatar of Rulai utterly broken.

Xiao Nanfeng grabbed Yu Banruo's body, and the Heartgate behind him finished off all the golden flames that remained on it.

Now that Yu Banruo had been drained of all his heart force, he seemed to wilt visibly.

"How could I have lost to you? I was to be the future Heavenly Emperor. I'm the Heavenly Emperor!" Yu Banruo shouted in despair.

"You're not worthy!" Xiao Nanfeng said coldly, delivering a final punch.

With a resounding explosion, Yu Banruo's body shattered as well.

"No!" Yu Banruo shrieked.

He transformed into a round mirror, covered in cracks and on the brink of collapse.

"Your Highness!" Yu Banruo's subordinates cried out, only to be swiftly subdued by Yan Zhenhuo, Ye Dafu, and the others.

Meanwhile, the divine undying blade overwhelmed the golden blade, devouring it in a single bite.

The battle was over, and the chaos gradually subsided.

Madam Rouge, the Divine Emperor, and Liu Miaoyin approached, a series of complicated emotions on their faces. They had expected Xiao Nanfeng to win, but not so decisively.

"Yu Banruo isn't dead yet. Help me seal him so he doesn't escape," Xiao Nanfeng said, handing them the cracked mirror.

The three women nodded, casting seals on the mirror. With a hum, Yu Banruo ended up thoroughly sealed.