187: After killing five more Rank 5 enemies, Xue'er was completely captivated.

"Clang, clang, clang—!"

The clash of metal echoed through the canyon.

The battle instantly escalated to a fever pitch.

Qin Lang stood firm like a pine tree at the bow of the ship, controlling it solely with his mind. The incomplete Sacred Artifact transformed into a streak of light, colliding fiercely with Long Xiaotian, the Fifth-Tier Grandmaster wielding a Battle Saber.

Sparks flew and energy waves surged.

Long Xiaotian, after all, was an veteran Fifth-Tier, with deep foundations. His inherited saber technique was impenetrable, blocking all of Qin Lang's incomparably sharp Sword Qi.

"Hmph! I thought you were something special!"

After a few exchanges, Long Xiaotian felt much more confident.

He had initially been wary of the rumors about Qin Lang slaying a Fifth-Tier, but now it seemed this brat was merely relying on a Divine Weapon.

"Brat, if this is all you've got, then today is your death day!"

Long Xiaotian sneered, and the Battle Saber in his hand burst with light. His offensive grew fiercer as he tried to force Qin Lang to reveal his trump card.

Qin Lang's expression was calm, completely unmoved.

Golden Chaos light swirled incessantly in his eyes.

Under the gaze of the Chaos Eye, Long Xiaotian's seemingly flawless saber technique was riddled with flaws.

"Playing around with you, and you actually took it seriously?"

Qin Lang's lips curled into a sneer.

He hadn't even used his full strength, instead multitasking and lightly flicking his fingers.

"Go!"

From the Sword Formation besieging Long Xiaotian, three Flying Swords suddenly split off, like vipers striking from their holes, shooting towards the three Fourth-Tier experts of the Long Family who were currently attacking Shangguan Hong, using strange and tricky angles.

This surprise attack was as fast as lightning!

"Pfft!"

The first to be hit was the unlucky fellow whose shoulder had already been pierced by a Flying Sword.

He was already overwhelmed by Su Muyue's Phoenix fire and had to guard against Shangguan Xue's Talisman bombardment. How could he possibly be distracted?

The Flying Sword instantly pierced his throat.

Blood spurted, and the man collapsed straight down without even uttering a scream.

"Third Brother!"

Long Xiaotian caught a glimpse of this scene from the corner of his eye and was instantly enraged.

"Bastard! I'll tear you to shreds!"

He roared, and his Primal Energy burned wildly throughout his body.

"Mad Dragon Slash!"

This was the Long Family's Clan-Protecting Ultimate Technique, which consumed an extreme amount of Primal Energy, but its power was enough to split mountains and cleave rocks.

Saber shadows filled the sky, converging into a ferocious giant Dragon, carrying a destructive aura, and slashing down at Qin Lang.

This attack sealed all escape routes!

"Comparing numbers? Or comparing momentum?"

Qin Lang sneered, his footwork becoming illusory and unpredictable.

Divine Shadow Without Trace, Major Achievement!

His figure left countless afterimages in the air. At the same time, he formed hand seals, and several huge Fireballs exploded beside him. Using the cover of the fire waves, he narrowly avoided the fatal saber edge.

"Boom!"

The Saber Qi struck the ground, carving a hundred-meter-long chasm.

But it missed.

Long Xiaotian gasped for breath, looking at the unharmed Qin Lang, a trace of fear finally rising in his heart.

He couldn't hit him, he simply couldn't hit him!

Moreover, this brat's Primal Energy seemed endless, even more abundant than his own, a Fifth-Tier!

"Retreat! Quick, retreat!"

Long Xiaotian was scared. He roared out the order and turned to flee himself.

"Trying to leave now? Too late!"

A cold glint flashed in Qin Lang's eyes.

He violently waved his hand, and a jet-black Potion Bottle flew out.

Six-Star Combat Potion—Destruction Bomb!

"Boom—!"

A violent explosion erupted behind Long Xiaotian, and the terrifying shockwave instantly engulfed him.

Smoke and dust billowed.

Moments later, a disheveled figure rushed out of the sea of flames.

Long Xiaotian's clothes were tattered, and he was covered in blood, but a Jade Pendant in his hand had shattered into dust—it was a life-saving trump card that had protected him from a disaster.

"Hahaha! Qin Lang! You can't kill me!"

Long Xiaotian laughed wildly, thinking he had escaped death.

However.

He looked up, and his smile instantly froze on his face.

Qin Lang was suspended in mid-air, chanting an obscure and ancient incantation.

This canyon was located beneath the Thundercloud Layer, already rich in lightning elements.

At this moment, heaven and earth changed color!

"Wrath... of the Thunder God!"

As Qin Lang's finger descended.

"Crack—!!!"

A purple heavenly lightning bolt, thicker than a bucket, like divine punishment from the heavens, struck precisely on top of the unsuspecting Long Xiaotian, who had just used his life-saving trump card.

There was no suspense.

Even his screams were drowned out by the thunder.

The mighty Fifth-Tier Gene Grandmaster, under this single strike, instantly turned into flying ash, leaving no bones behind!

Dead silence.

The entire scene was dead silent.

The remaining Long Family Head and the other Fourth-Tier expert were now scared out of their wits.

"Devil! He's a devil!"

The two no longer had any Battle Intent. Each crushed a precious Escape Talisman and fled frantically in separate directions.

"Hmph."

Qin Lang moved, chased one person, and cut them down with a single sword.

However, the Long Family Head was, after all, the patriarch of a clan. That Five-Star Divine Movement Talisman was extremely fast, disappearing into the sky in a flash, allowing him to narrowly escape.

The battle ended.

When everyone cleaned up the battlefield, they discovered that the traitorous Shangguan Tai brothers, who had been feigning death, had been cut into minced meat by Long Xiaotian's indiscriminate Saber Qi.

It could be said that they deserved their deaths.

"Thank you... thank you, nephew, for saving my life!"

Shangguan Hong walked over, supported by Su Dingfang, wanting to perform a grand bow, but Qin Lang quickly helped him up.

The old man looked at the ground full of corpses, his expression complex, but more filled with gratitude and awe.

He tremblingly pulled out a yellowed ancient book from his embrace.

"This is my Shangguan Family's secret technique, the 'Blood Burning Secret Art'."

"Although it has significant side effects, it can save your life at critical moments."

"Xue'er, keep it safe, and in the future... you must also share it with Qin Lang."

This tone, as if arranging his affairs before death, made Shangguan Xue's eyes redden.

"Grandpa..."

"I'm fine, it's just that these old bones need rest and recuperation."

Shangguan Hong waved his hand, his gaze towards Qin Lang filled with entrustment.

"It's too dangerous here. We'll return to Blue Star to recover from our injuries first."

"Xue'er is entrusted to you. Let her continue her training with you."

He could see that Qin Lang was no longer an ordinary person. His granddaughter would be safest only by following him.

Qin Lang nodded solemnly.

"Don't worry, with me here, no one can harm her in the slightest."

The flying boat took off, sending away the injured.

In the canyon, only Qin Lang, Su Muyue, and Shangguan Xue remained.

Shangguan Xue stood still, looking at the back of the man wiping blood from his broken sword.

The scenes from earlier replayed in her mind like a movie.

The domineering presence descending from the sky, the composure of slaying a Fifth-Tier with a single sword, and the declaration, "Who dares to touch my Qin Lang's woman?"

Every moment was like a heavy hammer, fiercely striking her heart.

Completely shattering all her modesty and reservations.

"Qin Lang..."

Shangguan Xue called out softly, her voice so tender it seemed to drip with water.

Qin Lang turned around, meeting her eyes, which rippled like water.

The affection within them was so strong it couldn't be dissolved.

It was complete surrender.

She no longer cared about being a cousin, nor about worldly opinions.

At this moment, she only wanted to give everything she had, without reservation, to this man.