Though the earlier battle had claimed three lives and left one’s body destroyed, it had taken barely any time. Everyone stared at Lan Xiaobu in shock. With such strength, in a one-on-one fight, no one here could even scratch him.
The few powerhouses who knew Yi Xie felt a chill down their spines. Yi Xie might not be the strongest, but when it came to ambushes, no one could fend him off.
If ambushing was counted as strength, Yi Xie was someone no one dared provoke. His proven Beast Soul was the Recall Demon Beast, though its true name was the Glance-Back Beast.
Despite the poetic ring to its name, this divine beast was anything but simple.
It was called the Glance-Back Beast because by the time you noticed its presence, you could only recall it in your mind for a fleeting breath. Its speed was so immense that you’d only realise you’d encountered it after it had killed or devoured you.
Da Xuanqiong, arguably the strongest among them, had witnessed Yi Xie’s ambush firsthand. He’d sensed it the moment Yi Xie moved, but by then, Yi Xie had vanished. With such a technique, Da Xuanqiong would struggle to evade. Yet Yi Xie hadn’t managed to ambush Lan Xiaobu—not only that, he’d been gravely wounded by Lan Xiaobu’s divine ability.
Yi Xie’s strength now was likely less than half of what it had been, a testament to Lan Xiaobu’s might.
Such a formidable figure, yet he’d disguised himself as a mere First-Turn Sage. One could only imagine how many powerhouses who’d crossed him had met their end. “Hall Master, his entrapment divine array was just a hollow shell—it’s been torn apart by us. Why not…” an elder from Sky Desert Hall whispered to Hall Master Zhen Changtian.
Zhen Changtian, still reeling from Lan Xiaobu’s power, knew someone who could block Yi Xie’s ambush and cripple him was beyond Sky Desert Hall’s reach.
No wonder this man had eradicated the Beast Soul Sect and still dared come to Li Zhou Palace to finish the job.
Yet at that moment, he heard his elder’s words. He shot a cold glance at the Sixth-Turn elder beside him and said icily, “Do you think everyone else is blind and you’re the only one who sees clearly?”
Zhen Changtian was certain the Void Entrapment Divine Array, destroyed by three Ninth-Turn powerhouses, wasn’t Lan Xiaobu’s main array.
First, it had been broken too easily. With Lan Xiaobu’s strength, how could he craft such a flimsy void pattern? More crucially, standing in Time Mountain Plaza, he could still feel an oppressive dread.
This pointed to one thing: outside the plaza, there was likely another entrapment array—Lan Xiaobu’s true trump card.
If his guess was right, that was terrifying. A grand array so potent they couldn’t sense it—how strong was he? Not just Zhen Changtian—all the Ninth-Turn powerhouses felt the same oppression. Yet none could pinpoint Lan Xiaobu’s array.
Void divine arrays were inherently hard to detect. After breaking one they’d barely noticed, only to find another threat lurking, who’d dare act rashly? “Lan Xiaobu, you destroyed my Beast Soul Sect for no reason. Even if my sect falls today, you won’t get off easy. Even if you leave here, someone will come for you.
“In this vast cosmos, there’s always cause and effect,” Yi Xie shouted fiercely. He was genuinely afraid. Fused with his proven divine beast, the Recall Demon Beast, his power wasn’t just about speed—it carried a rule-defying, one-hit-kill strike. His innate divine ability, Recall Slash, should’ve been unstoppable, even by Lan Xiaobu’s Horn Tone Kill. Nor should Lan Xiaobu’s domain have held him back.
Yet after piercing Lan Xiaobu’s divine ability and domain, he’d encountered a chaotic, ruleless slashing wheel pattern that shattered his Recall Slash and left him gravely injured.
If the other sects didn’t act, Lan Xiaobu could truly wipe out the Beast [text cuts off here in the original].
Moreover, he could see the same issue the other sect masters could. So, expecting these cunning old foxes to intervene was slim. The Palace Master and elders of Li Zhou Palace were dumbstruck. Just how heaven-defying was this friend Zhi Yi had casually met?
He’d effortlessly crushed Yi Xie of the Beast Soul Sect, slain a Ninth-Turn Sage, an Eighth-Turn Sage, and a Seventh-Turn Sage.
With a wave, Lan Xiaobu summoned Taichuan onto Time Mountain Plaza. The divine beast Taichuan, now proven, exuded an ancient, primal aura. As this majestic creature appeared, everyone seemed to piece it together.
With such a beast, it’d be odd if the Beast Soul Sect didn’t covet it. Yi Xie’s face shifted when he saw Taichuan—he understood now. If time could rewind, he’d have crushed Bai Xixi himself. As the sect’s inheritance maiden, she was more trouble than she was worth. Stealing a powerhouse’s divine beast? That was begging for disaster. Stealing beasts was standard for the Beast Soul Sect, but you’d at least check the beast’s origins… Yi Xie sighed inwardly.
He thought this now, but in truth, did the Beast Soul Sect ever bother with a beast’s backstory when stealing?
Historically, if the Beast Soul Sect wanted a beast—even from a star-level sect—they took it. Since when did they investigate a beast’s history?
In this void plane, who could make the Beast Soul Sect think twice? At that moment, he grasped a truth: no matter how strong a sect, sometimes rules mattered. Someone who could humble the Beast Soul Sect existed—they just hadn’t met him before.
Sure enough, Lan Xiaobu said coldly, “This is my beast companion. It was snatched away during its proving by none other than Bai Xixi. Tell me, was I wrong to destroy your Beast Soul Sect?” Without giving Yi Xie a chance to argue, he produced a crystal ball, its footage clearly showing Bai Xixi and Han Yue Shan abducting Taichuan during its proving.
The crowd fell silent. Forget the airtight evidence Lan Xiaobu presented.
Even a flimsier excuse would’ve sufficed for a powerhouse to raze a planet. Yet Lan Xiaobu didn’t stop there, turning to Zhen Changtian, “What’s your name?” Zhen Changtian, already wary of Lan Xiaobu, tensed at the question but snorted, “Zhen Changtian of Sky Desert Hall.”
He wanted to spit a threat but, seeing Yi Xie’s state, held back.
Lan Xiaobu said calmly, “You just said Zhi Yi of Li Zhou Palace killed Bai Xixi and stole her Time Dao Scroll, so you came to destroy Li Zhou Star.” Zhen Changtian snapped, “Isn’t that true? Didn’t you attack the Beast Soul Sect because your beast was taken?” Yi Xie fumed at this.
This bastard was throwing the Beast Soul Sect under the cart, using it as a negative example. Lan Xiaobu laughed, pulling out a replica Time Dao Scroll, “Too bad I’m the one who got the Time Dao Scroll—it’s got nothing to do with Bai Xixi.
“What’s more, I killed Bai Xixi myself. Any objections?” Zhen Changtian’s face turned ashen. Lan Xiaobu’s tone was a slap in the face, yet he dared not retort. He’d seen the Beast Soul Sect battered by Lan Xiaobu.
And both Yellow Spring Sacred Sect and Saint Wasteland seemed wary of him. If Lan Xiaobu turned on Sky Desert Hall, would those two help? Doubtful.
Plus, Li Zhou Palace was right there. Though its Palace Master was injured, most of its strength remained.
Knowing Shan Bu’ang, with a powerhouse like Lan Xiaobu aiding them, he’d throw the whole sect into the fight if it came to blows.
“Friend Lan, we misjudged this matter…” Da Xuanqiong of Saint Wasteland stepped forward, unease growing. He’d probed the surroundings with his divine sense and still found no trace of an array.
Yet he was certain they were locked in one, and Lan Xiaobu could trigger it anytime. Combined with Lan Xiaobu’s strength, he realised Saint Wasteland hadn’t yet crossed him—there was still room to back off.
Otherwise, even a mutual defeat today wouldn’t kill Lan Xiaobu.
What a joke—Lan Xiaobu could block Yi Xie’s Recall Slash; numbers wouldn’t take him down. As long as he survived, Saint Wasteland, with its name and address, would be a sitting duck.
So, Saint Wasteland couldn’t risk it today. Zhen Changtian, a seasoned schemer, laughed as if Lan Xiaobu’s earlier jab never happened, “Sometimes misunderstandings linger if not cleared up. Since that’s the case, we’ll drop the Time Tree—we’re willing to gift it to Friend Lan to clear the air.”
“Laughable. Is the Time Tree yours to give?
“You’re offering it to Friend Lan? Right now, everyone’s vying for it, and Zhi Yi of Li Zhou Palace has the best shot. When the time comes, Li Zhou Palace will gift it—no need for you, Sky Desert Hall,” Shan Bu’ang chuckled, stepping forward to bow to Lan Xiaobu, “Shan Bu’ang of Li Zhou Palace greets Lord Lan. Thank you for upholding justice.”
A powerhouse of Lan Xiaobu’s calibre was undoubtedly a Dao Lord.
As Lan Xiaobu opened his mouth to reply, a shocked cry rang out, “The Time Tree…” All eyes turned to Time Mountain’s peak, where Zhi Yi reached for the Time Tree. But the next moment, it broke free, soaring out of Time Mountain and vanishing into the void.
The crowd exchanged glances. It was obvious—even if Zhi Yi reached it first, the Time Tree refused her as its master, fleeing into the void.
