An Understated Dominance

 Facing the three black-furred corpse fiends, whose bodies were impervious to blades or spears, Dustin moved like drifting smoke, weaving effortlessly through their relentless assault. He no longer met their strength head-on; instead, his sword strikes became exceedingly precise and cunning, the tip always finding the weak points—the joints where the limbs connected or the nodes where the corpse talismans’ energy converged—piercing them with pinpoint accuracy. Clang! Clang! Shhhh! Sparks flew. One of the corpse fiends had its knee joint pierced through by a strand of sword qi, its movement freezing instantly. Another had the control talisman on its back sliced open by the sword tip, and it began staggering about wildly like a headless fly. The third, the fiercest of the trio, slashed straight for Dustin’s chest with razor-like claws—but he twisted aside with a move of flawless precision, then countered with a backhanded thrust, a streak of blue-white light flashing like a meteor pi...

Dustin’s words — “You are demons, not immortals” — cracked like thunder through the decadent and eerie halls of the so-called Immortal Palace of Penglai. The moment the words left his lips, the grand hall’s temperature seemed to plunge to freezing. Even the spiritual mist rising from the wine pools froze in mid-air for an instant. The men and women who had been indulging in pleasure stiffened as if their throats had been clamped shut. Terror seized them; they shrank back, not daring to breathe too loudly. The delicate man’s fingers froze upon the strings of his zither. The enchanting smile on the peerless woman’s face hardened into an icy mask. Even Ao Kun, ever languid and detached, finally let a clear flicker of anger cross his deep eyes. The struggle of an ant could be amusing to watch — but an ant daring to mock and deny the heavens? That was an affront to divine authority. “Insolent fool!” The robed man was the first to erupt. He hurled his jade wine cup to the ground, shattering ...

The sudden change left   Margaret ,   A’Long , and the others exchanging uneasy glances, unsure whether this was a blessing or a curse. Dustin  adjusted his breathing for a moment. A hint of color returned to his pale face. He gazed at the radiant rainbow bridge before him — its glow alluring yet laced with ominous mystery — his eyes deep and unreadable. He could feel it. At the other end of that bridge were  Ao Kun  and the others — the very heart of that luxurious palace. “It seems that unless I defeat the true master, I’ll never uncover the real secret of the Jade Pool.” Dustin  slowly rose to his feet. Though his aura was still weak, his eyes once again shone with sharp determination. “Stay here and wait for me. I’ll be back soon.” “I’m coming with you!”  Margaret  said without hesitation, her tone resolute. Dustin  glanced at her, seeing the worry and unyielding resolve in her eyes. At last, he nodded. “Stay close.” The two stepped forwa...

The longsword planted before him hummed without pause as Dustin’s hands formed seals so swiftly they left afterimages in the air. The Xuanqing True Qi that had dimmed from the fierce battle did not wane further. Instead, it surged with an even deeper and more restrained might, drawing upon the primordial laws that governed the heavens and earth around him. He was no longer merely circulating his own energy—he was resonating with the very fabric of the world itself! “Stars of the heavens, heed my command! Xuanqing Seal of Exorcism— Suppress! ” Dustin’s deep and commanding voice seemed to carry the very decree of heaven and earth. As his final word “Suppress” rang out, the sword thrust into the ground erupted with dazzling azure light, piercing straight into the clouds. At that instant, above the platform shrouded in Yaochi’s spiritual mist and the corrupted miasma from the sealing rift, faint shadows of the celestial stars emerged—shimmering and vast. An ancient, majestic power ...

 “Form up! Protect the Princess!” A’Long forced down the piercing pain in his soul and roared hoarsely. Together with the other two guards, he mustered the last of their inner strength, forming a crude triangular defense formation to shield  Margaret ,  Qingzhu , and the dying Old Zhang behind them. But deep down, they all knew—their defense was nothing but paper before those four terrifying puppets. The battle was about to erupt. At the same time, deep within Penglai Island, inside a lavish palace— The banquet of wine and flesh continued, the music of indulgence echoing through the hall. Without a sound,  Ao Kun’s  figure appeared once more on his massive white jade recliner, as though he had never left. “Big brother has returned?” The effeminate man paused his playing of the zither and looked up with a smile. The robed man and the stunning woman beside him also turned their eyes toward Ao Kun. Ao Kun ignored them. He reclined lazily, accepting a cup of fine wi...

After crossing the death zone, the scene ahead suddenly opened wide. At the end of the path lay a vast circular platform, entirely paved with pure white jade. The platform floated above the waters of the Jade Pool, surrounded by mist and clouds. Spiritual energy filled the air like gentle rain. At its center was a spring barely a few feet across—but the liquid flowing from it was no ordinary water. It shimmered with  seven-colored radiance , thick and luminous like liquid light. The purity of its vitality and aura— it was from this spring that all the surrounding life force emanated! Yet the moment they stepped onto the white jade platform, the serenity vanished. The spiritual richness brought no comfort; instead, an even deeper, more terrifying  pressure  descended— far greater than what  Bai Chan  or even the chaotic laws had unleashed before. It was as if a mountain had materialized upon their chests, crushing their hearts and souls. At the platform’s center,...

 “Let’s move. This place isn’t safe to linger.” Dustin  stepped first onto the slick, broken path, his pace steady as ever. Yet  Margaret  could sense that his aura had grown even more restrained than before— as if he were quietly gathering power, preparing for the unknown challenges ahead. The group followed in silence, tension hanging thick in the air. A’Long  and the other two guards gripped their weapons tightly, eyes darting to the sides where the dark red lake water churned restlessly, fearing that another monster might emerge at any moment. Qingzhu  supported  Old Zhang , whose condition was worsening. The erosion of dragon-blood miasma was draining his life force; his eyes were already losing focus. As they ventured deeper, the surroundings began to change in eerie ways. The once-clear boundary between the azure lake and the blood-polluted waters began to blur. The two colors seeped and twisted together like merging paint, creating a grotesque,...