"Hmm? Gone?"

For a moment, Tiran's presence vanished from the Ghost Mountain's perception.

"Oh, you dare talk about who's flat-chested! You, who doesn't even have a chest to speak of, have the nerve to mention this lady?!"

Angry voices from Tiran rang above, and as I looked up, I saw the princess raising her left hand in the air, gripping emptiness, while a massive ice spear, with terrifying Chi thunderously fast, descended from the sky.

I'm a guy, so obviously I don't have a chest! Maybe I have bigger chest muscles than you! Ghost Mountain instinctively muttered in his mind upon hearing this, but a split second of distraction made him realize the imminent danger.

This wasn't like his clone technique, creating illusions through rapid movement and puppet replacements that made it hard for the human eye to track. There were boundaries set by Ghost Mountain throughout the surrounding space with threads, much like a spider's web. If Tiran traversed through them, even if not visible, one could sense vibrations and preempt accordingly. But just now... that was truly instant teleportation.

Tiran wasn't a Magic user, so he couldn't possibly employ spatial teleportation Magic. Moreover, even if it were teleportation Magic, it required a charging time. This kind of swift flash across space could only mean he directly pierced through space.

Although the temporal difference between using the principles of space to teleport and moving quickly wasn't significant over such a short distance, it was this brief moment that Ghost Mountain couldn't preempt which decided the outcome of the battle.

The ice spear struck, and there was no dodging it.

"Arghhh!"

Realizing the unavoidable, Ghost Mountain unleashed all his tricks: activating his protective amulets while earth-flow barriers rose from the ground in an attempt to form a blockade.

However, facing a massive ice spear provoked by Tiran's rage, Ghost Mountain's resistance was too hasty. The earth-flow barrier shattered by the immense kinetic energy carried by the ice spear before it could even form fully. The ice spear plunged into the ground, and as the frosty Chi exploded upon impact, spreading concentric circles of ice shards.

After unleashing a tremendously powerful spear, Tiran swiftly swung his right-hand longsword, unleashing a sword beam that accurately predicted Ghost Mountain, who had just used earth-traveling techniques to emerge from the ground not far away. Though to disperse the power widely, this sword still broke through the already vulnerable Ghost Mountain, leaving a wound stretching diagonally from his left shoulder to his right ribs.

*Cough* *Cough*

After taking a combo, even with all of Ghost Mountain's tricks, he could barely hold on. Kneeling on one knee, he struggled to prop himself up with both hands to prevent collapse.

At this moment, Tiran had already approached him with a sword, aiming down at him from a higher position, the sword edge pointing at Ghost Mountain's forehead. Icy coldness emanated from his feet, condensing into sharp ice spikes pressing against vital points on Ghost Mountain's body.

"You've lost."

Tiran still wore a slightly displeased expression as he pondered whether to decisively strike him down or spare him temporarily to gather information.

"Seeing your true strength that day... you've truly mastered the path... I'm not begrudging this loss." Despite the numerous injuries covering his body, Ghost Mountain bled profusely, forming a small pool on the ground. The half-frozen blood clung to his face, making him look incredibly pitiful, yet he managed to smile.

"But, it's a bit too early to make me surrender. Miss, you've misunderstood one thing. Those Qingyu Guards at the post were not controlled by me through puppetry like the corpses; they are soldiers transformed through corpse sorcery. Even if I can't control them directly in battle, they can still act on my orders... I reckon they must have taken down that young lady by now, right? She's the daughter of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. If you don't want her harmed, it would be wise to cooperate..."

"Oh, that was unexpected," Tiran remained calm despite Ghost Mountain's surprise, glanced into the distance without changing his expression, "But you underestimated them, didn't you?"

"What? How is that possible?!" Ghost Mountain widened his eyes slightly, struggled to sit up and looked over, just in time to see a burly purple figure pinching the neck of a Qingyu guard, while Qiaoqiao delivered a beautiful side kick that sent his head flying.

"The Qiao family really lives up to its name," Tiran waved towards Qiaoqiao, nodded in approval, "But speaking of which, is that really the Avatar Envoy of the Platinum Star?"

"Pla...What?" Ghost Mountain couldn't understand at all.

"It's nothing, just relax," Tiran rolled her eyes, not intending to be polite to the bastard who attacked her and insulted her flat chest, "I'd consider it light if I just stab you to death."

"Wait!"

"What? Any last words? Keep it to yourself, anyway, I won't remember."

"No, no! Let's make a deal! I'll tell you some important information, just don't kill me!"

"..." Tiran pondered for a second, she slightly took back the sword at Ghost Mountain's neck, "Go ahead."

"Although I serve His Highness Xiangjidian, ambushing you lovely ladies wasn't His Highness's orders; it was that annoying brat who works with him that sent me."

"Yuan?"

Seeing Tiran's reaction, Ghost Mountain felt like he caught a lifeline, "Yes! That guy goes by that name, he told me to delay you."

"Delay me? What's the point?" Tiran had a bad feeling about this; according to the information she obtained from the Prime Minister, Aya should have escaped from Yuan and sought help from Xingjian, whose strength was definitely at least on par with Yuan's Holy Rank disgrace. Even if the little Angel Tiran had a hand in the Holy Spirit, she couldn't imagine that Xingjian, fighting on their home turf, could lose.

In that case, Aya's safety should be assured.

"Well, I'm not sure about that, but he seems to have some agreement with Xingjian. After helping His Highness Xiangjidian in the fight against the Holy Rank, and after cooperating against His Highness Xiangling, every day he wanders between the city and the Witch Tower."

"What?!"

The Princess's heart immediately tensed up. So, Aya thought she could get help from Xingjian, but in reality, was walking straight into a trap?

And this thick-eyebrowed Xingjian had also betrayed the revolution?

"Alright, deal. "

Upon hearing Tiran's words, Ghost Mountain relaxed his expression, but as soon as he looked up, his eyes darkened. Tiran lifted her foot and kicked him on the forehead, knocking him unconscious. Tiran thrust a few swords through important parts of his body according to the Oriental cultivation system, such as the Dantian, Yu Fu, chest, and lungs. She then froze the wounds to stop the bleeding and half of his body, waiting for the city guards or palace guards to come and take him back.

Qiaoqiao saw that Tiran had finished the battle and retracted the Avatar, running over, "Miss Tiran, what do we do now... are we there yet?"

"Yes, we need to figure out how to proceed next," Tiran rubbed her temples, damn it, how do we deal with another Holy Rank? This is not something she could handle on her own; General Xiangling, please hurry and take care of things over there and come help.

At the outskirts of the city, the Holy Rank faced off against the Holy Rank, or rather, earth immortals against earth immortals.

The fierce battle between the Ghost Forest and the Chuyun Sword Sect's sect leaders continued unabated. The Ghost Forest's sorcery surpassed Ghost Mountain, which had been defeated by Tiran, by more than a level. Even though both were practitioners of the Five Elements, the Ghost Forest's sorcery was at a grandmaster level that specialized in that one skill. It could be said to be unparalleled. Although it seemed mischievous, this was the privilege bestowed upon practitioners of "sorcery" by the heretical path.

The difference between the "Dao" in the East and the rules of the Western world also manifested itself. Their Dao was more of an illusory concept rather than solid rules such as time, space, burning, flowing, and growing.

The Ghost Forest, who had mastered sorcery to the highest level, could fully bear the title of "expert." Moreover, in the late stages, they could even unleash their ultimate move. The battles were magnificent, with the ground sometimes churning with earth dragons roaring out, sometimes raining down fire and meteors, sometimes haunted by a cold wind as a hundred ghosts walked by. If judged solely on the spectacle, the Ghost Forest would definitely overwhelm their opponents.

On the other hand, their opponent perfectly interpreted what was meant by "breaking myriad laws with one sword." Named the Chuyun Sword Sect, their sect leader was naturally a pure sword practitioner like Mo Yi's senior sister Zhilan. The essence of swordsmanship was condensed in one sentence: courage and ability to break anything in front of you with a single sword.

Chang Lifu practiced the sacred sword passed down from the Chuyun Sword Sect’s founders. It was said that the sword was gained after the first sect leader observed the churning clouds and the rising and setting suns from the summit of the mountains for decades. Within the movements of the sword lay the intention of ascending, facing the incoming attacks with continuous and ever-changing sword movements that seemed to collapse upon contact but, in reality, dissipated the fierce attacks into the sword's intention.

The attacks from both sides were back and forth, with no one able to completely suppress the other. The only thing suffering was the surrounding ground, with each exchange shaving off a meter of soil and stone.

"Your 'sorcery' is indeed a notch stronger than the previous old thief. Given time, it might even allow you to revive the Witch Mountain lineage."

"Stop talking nonsense! You understand the cause of that catastrophe better than I do. The necromantic rituals were clearly done by that messy-haired disciple of your sect leader to frame Witch Mountain and protect the so-called righteous reputation. Disgusting!"

"Haha, the world has already branded your Witch Mountain as a crooked and evil sect. Even if you shout loudly, what use is it? Breaking through my three-foot sword formation is futile. Today, I will slay you with my sword and eliminate the remnants of Witch Mountain!"

"Great! Let's see if today will be your death or—"

Squelch!

In a fit of rage, Ghost Mountain opened his arms, and the faint silver threads spread wildly, weaving a dangerous killing formation surrounding Chang Lifu. But at that moment, a bloody flower suddenly burst forth from Ghost Mountain's chest.

In Ghost Mountain's stunned gaze, the sharp tip of a lance protruded through his chest, with its blade adorned with fragments of flesh and bone, creating a terrifying sight.

"This… is... impossible..."

Ghost Mountain was completely baffled. How could the traditional showdown between himself and Chang Lifu, two generations of enmity, which was supposed to end in a decisive battle, be cut short by a backstab?

However, the person holding the lance behind him did not give him a chance to contemplate further. With a flick upward, the lance split Ghost Mountain from chest to head, causing his head to fly like a ball while his body fell limply to the ground.

So-called cultivators were not as difficult to kill as in cultivation novels, with avatars and out-of-body experiences that were hard to defeat. A single swipe from Xiang Ling from behind and Ghost Mountain had already met his demise.

Chang Lifu across from him had just snapped out of his daze, but still looked dumbfounded. Xiang Ling's stealth and sudden assassination were textbook-perfect. Although both were emotionally charged due to their sect's animosity, it was truly fantastical for Ghost Mountain, who was also an earth immortal, to be stabbed to death with a single lance... no, it was too unrealistic.

"May I ask who you are? Why do you interfere in the grievances between the Cloud Sword Sect and the Witch Mountain."

A young woman in bright armor shook her long spear and shouldered it, casting a cold glance at Chang Lifeng:

"I have no interest in your disputes, I'm just here to take down someone who's in my way. As for you, you have two choices, either leave or die."