The battle between Nascent Soul cultivators erupted over Fuliu City as neither side was willing to yield. However, Lei Hong Tianxian, having only recently survived his fourth Nascent Soul tribulation, was still outmatched by Ku Jian Laoren, a four-tribulation Nascent Soul cultivator with deep accumulated power.
"The Star Lord is in danger!"
Fusi Si looked up at the earth-shattering battle, her heart filled with shock. Even though they were both Nascent Soul cultivators, the combat of those below four tribulations paled in comparison to this.
An area spanning a thousand miles was engulfed by destructive lightning and corrosive sword light. The earth below was crisscrossed with ravines, as if it had experienced an apocalypse!
Fusi Si suspected that if this battle had occurred on a weaker life planet, the planet itself might have disintegrated.
Protected by Lei Hong Tianxian's Dao Domain, Fuliu City suffered less impact. Yet, even a sliver of Ku Jian Laoren's Dao Domain's power that leaked out caused a large number of cultivators in Fuliu City to perish.
"It seems our Fuliu City is doomed!"
Fu Mengtian sighed in his heart. Ku Jian Laoren's murderous intent was too strong, and the Star Lord could not stop him.
After dozens of exchanges, Lei Hong Tianxian could no longer withstand Ku Jian Laoren's fierce attacks. He was grazed by a sword energy, a gash a foot long appearing on his body.
"If your strength is insufficient, you should be more low-key. With your ability, you still can't stop me."
After injuring Lei Hong Tianxian, Ku Jian Laoren did not press his attack. After all, Lei Hong Tianxian had just survived his fourth Nascent Soul tribulation, making him a core strength of the Zhenhuo Dongtian. Once his strength stabilized, he would surely be transferred from the Great Rock Star and promoted to elder.
Conflict between cultivators was normal, but if he killed Lei Hong Tianxian, the Zhenhuo Dongtian would not let it go.
Lei Hong Tianxian held his spear with one hand, purple lightning flickering on his chest. The gruesome wound was slowly healing, but the power of the dried sword was constantly eroding his body. He had no strength left to fight; he had lost this battle.
There was no anger in his eyes, only dejection and helplessness.
"I have failed you all."
Lei Hong Tianxian looked at the countless corpses in Fuliu City, his heart filled with guilt. As Star Lord, his duty was to protect all living beings on the planet. If they fought amongst themselves, he could ignore it, but if an external threat arose, he had to stand out.
However, this time, he was truly powerless.
Unable to bear watching the scene, Lei Hong Tianxian prepared to turn and leave. But as he turned, his Dao Domain sensed someone suddenly breaking in and flying towards Fuliu City at extreme speed.
Lei Hong Tianxian sensed it, and Ku Jian Laoren naturally did as well. A hint of anticipation appeared in his sunken eyes, and his movements halted.
Hundreds of miles away, Zhang Fan sensed that something was amiss. The world was filled with a power of intense corrosiveness that grew stronger the closer he got to Fuliu City.
"Gong Ziru was an elder of Heisha Dongtian. It's very likely someone from Heisha Dongtian has arrived," Liu Mu reminded him.
"No matter who it is, let's go and see," Zhang Fan said. Having broken through to the Nascent Soul stage and survived his first Nascent Soul tribulation, Zhang Fan's strength had greatly increased. He did not take ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators seriously.
Liu Mu nodded. With his current strength, he could exchange a few blows with even a four-tribulation Nascent Soul cultivator, let alone Zhang Fan, whose strength was not inferior to his.
At Zhang Fan's current speed, the distance of several hundred miles was covered in a few breaths.
However, when they arrived at Fuliu City, they witnessed the scene they least wished to see.
Fuliu City, once bustling with millions of inhabitants, was now a dead city. The main streets, once thronged with traffic, were now littered with corpses, resembling a mass grave.
"You are the murderer of Gong Ziru, Zhang Fan?"
Zhang Fan followed the voice and saw a gaunt old man looking at him with a strange smile. The intensely corrosive power emanated from him, spreading outwards.
"He actually came."
Fusi Si looked up at the figure, her heart filled with complex emotions.
Zhang Fan glanced at Ku Jian Laoren, ignored him, and floated down with Liu Mu to stand beside Fu Mengtian.
"Where is Fufeng?"
Zhang Fan, not seeing Fufeng, asked.
"He is dead. Ku Jian Laoren besieged Fuliu City and intended to slaughter everyone. Fufeng went to plead, and Ku Jian Laoren killed him," Fu Mengtian sighed. "Young friend Zhang Fan, I am glad you have come. It proves Fufeng did not make friends with the wrong person."
"However, Ku Jian Laoren is not to be underestimated. Even the Star Lord, who just survived his fourth Nascent Soul tribulation, is no match for him. If you have a chance, you should leave quickly."
"Dead?"
Zhang Fan nodded calmly. "Fufeng and I were acquaintances. I will avenge him."
Millions had died in Fuliu City, their blood essence drained, their deaths horrific. But to Zhang Fan, this was a minor matter.
If a battle at the Divine Transformation Heavenly Immortal level erupted on a life planet, even the residual shockwaves could easily destroy it, causing billions of lives to perish.
"That devilish old man Ku Jian is so ruthless, resorting to slaughtering entire cities at the slightest provocation. This man cannot be spared!"
Compared to Zhang Fan's calmness, Liu Mu was furious. He was about to move to fight Ku Jian Laoren.
"Let me do it."
Zhang Fan stopped Liu Mu. Every three tribulations in the Nascent Soul stage was a threshold. Ku Jian Laoren, having survived the fourth Nascent Soul tribulation, possessed strength that could almost crush cultivators below the four-tribulation Nascent Soul stage.
Although Liu Mu cultivated a top-tier golden core, he was only a one-tribulation Nascent Soul cultivator, still far from being a match.
Fu Mengtian was about to intervene, but saw Zhang Fan flash and appear in the sky above Fuliu City, confronting Ku Jian Laoren.
"You are Zhang Fan? You dared to kill my Heisha Dongtian elder and still show yourself before me? You have quite the nerve." Ku Jian Laoren sized up Zhang Fan with some curiosity.
Lei Hong Tianxian, who had been preparing to leave, also stopped and looked at the youth with curiosity.
"Heh heh!"
Zhang Fan wasted no time with pleasantries. With a light laugh, his bronze ancient sword appeared in his hand. He channeled the power of the Sword Dao rules and slashed out. The dazzling sword light tore through the sky, heading straight for Ku Jian Laoren.
"Oh?"
Zhang Fan's strike surprised Ku Jian Laoren. He could see at a glance that Zhang Fan was only a one-tribulation Nascent Soul cultivator, yet the power of this sword strike was even stronger than that of an ordinary peak three-tribulation Nascent Soul expert.
"The rumors are true. With your ability to unleash such power as a one-tribulation Nascent Soul, it seems you must have cultivated the ultimate golden Nascent Soul?"
Ku Jian Laoren casually waved his hand, and countless sword-like phantoms emerged from the heavens and earth, colliding with the dazzling sword light.
"Dao Domain? I have one too!"
As Zhang Fan willed it, the power of heaven and earth surged like waves. Thunder rumbled in the sky, sword intent pervaded, and dense Sword Dao rules and Thunder Dao rules shot out from Zhang Fan's body, distributing themselves throughout the domain, totaling nearly two thousand.
Primarily Sword Dao, supplemented by Thunder Dao, it formed a Thunder-Sword Dao domain covering several hundred miles.
"How is this possible?"
Everyone was shocked by Zhang Fan's Dao Domain.