142: The battle for supremacy between world leaders, a struggle between the snipe and the clam.

The five of them sped toward the direction of the battle fluctuations. The further they went, the more violent the Spiritual Qi in the air became. Towering ancient trees were toppled in patches, and the ground was covered in cracks several yards deep. Rocks were shattered, creating a scene of doomsday.

"The center of the battle is a hundred miles ahead." Lin Fan sensed the energy ripples coming from ahead, his expression solemn. "Two World Lord level experts are in a duel, and at least five Half-step World Masters are in a chaotic battle."

"World Lord level?" Nangong Yu's face turned pale. "At this level of combat, even getting close is dangerous."

"Wealth is sought in danger." A look of determination flashed in Lin Fan's eyes. "A battle of this scale must be for something important. It's likely a clue to the Nirvana Divine Palace, or perhaps even the entrance itself."

Xia Qingyue nodded. "Sneak forward carefully and act as the situation dictates."

The five of them concealed their presence. Lin Fan even circulated his Eternal Indestructible Body to lower his life force fluctuations to the minimum, with Chaos Qi currents enveloping his body, making him seem to merge with the surrounding environment.

A hundred-mile distance was but a quarter-hour's journey for Divine Power Realm Cultivators.

When the five arrived at the edge of a valley that had been leveled, the sight before them shocked them.

Above the valley, two figures were fighting fiercely.

On the left was a middle-aged man in dark gold armor with a majestic countenance, holding a spear entwined with lightning. With every thrust of the spear, he drew down a sky full of thunderous light. Within a radius of several miles, electric snakes danced wildly, as if a god of thunder had descended to the world.

"That's the Great Xia's State-Protecting Marquis, Thunder Thousand Absolute!" Nangong Yu whispered. "A Middle Stage World Lord expert who guards the Northern Frontier year-round. Why would he appear here?"

On the right was a withered old man shrouded in black robes, holding a pitch-black skull scepter. As he waved the scepter, countless resentful souls and malevolent ghosts surged from the Void Realm, letting out ear-piercing shrieks and forming an army of the undead.

"One of the Dark Moon Divine Cult's four Great Protectors, Old Man Ghost Bone." Xia Qingyue's voice was cold. "Peak Early Stage World Lord, specialized in the Dao of Souls and necromancy Spells."

Every collision between the two World Lords triggered a tremor between heaven and earth. Lightning and resentful souls intertwined, illuminating half the sky, while the valley below had long been devastated beyond recognition by the battle's aftershocks.

In the valley, five figures were in a chaotic battle.

Three Half-step World Masters dressed as members of the Dark Moon Divine Cult were fighting fiercely with two generals wearing Great Xia military uniforms. Although the five were at similar Realms, the Dark Moon Divine Cult side clearly had the advantage in numbers and coordinated well, gradually gaining the upper hand.

"It's the 'Thunder Twins' under the State-Protecting Marquis." Nangong Yu recognized the two generals. "The brothers Lei Long and Thunder Tiger are both Half-step World Masters and are skilled in combined attack techniques."

"What are they fighting for?" Liu Qingqing pointed to the center of the valley.

There was a half-collapsed ancient altar. Suspended in the center of the altar was a blood-colored crystal the size of a fist. Something seemed to be sealed within the crystal, which emitted an ancient and mysterious aura.

A faint Dragon Might permeated around the blood-colored crystal.

"Is that a dragon blood crystal?" Tieshan's eyes widened. "The legendary treasure formed from the condensed essence blood of a True Dragon, containing the power and Legacy of a True Dragon!"

Lin Fan's gaze narrowed slightly.

In the blood-colored crystal, he felt a familiar aura—somewhat similar to the "emperor blood" Blood Butcher mentioned before he died, but even more ancient and pure.

"It's not an ordinary dragon blood crystal," Xia Qingyue suddenly said. "Look at the center of the crystal."

Everyone looked closely and discovered that inside the blood-colored crystal, a dragon-shaped phantom was faintly swimming. Although the phantom was small, it emitted a heart-palpitating pressure, as if they were facing not a phantom, but a real ancient True Dragon.

"A Dragon Soul!" Nangong Yu gasped. "A wisp of a True Dragon's remnant soul is sealed within this dragon blood crystal! No wonder it attracted World Lord level experts to fight for it!"

The True Dragon is a legendary Divine Beast that is World Lord level upon reaching adulthood, and the royalty among them can even reach the Transcendence Realm. A wisp of a True Dragon's remnant soul is of immeasurable value.

"Roar!" Just then, a heaven-shaking roar suddenly came from the depths of the valley.

Immediately after, the ground shook as a hill-like black shadow charged out from the dense forest!

It was a giant beast covered entirely in black scales, shaped like a lizard but with a dragon's head and wings on its back, over thirty yards long. Its eyes were blood-red, staring fixedly at the dragon blood crystal on the altar, its eyes filled with greed and rage.

"It's an Earth Dragon Beast!" General Thunder Tiger's expression changed. "A Peak sixth-rank Yao Beast that possesses a thin trace of True Dragon Bloodline! It was drawn here by the aura of the dragon blood crystal!"

Although the Earth Dragon Beast was only at the Peak of the Sixth Rank, equivalent to a human Half-step World Master, its Physical Body was incredibly strong, and with its trace of True Dragon Bloodline, its actual combat power was not inferior to an ordinary Early Stage World Lord!

"Vile beast, you dare covet the dragon blood crystal?" Old Man Ghost Bone snorted coldly. With a wave of his skull scepter, hundreds of resentful souls changed direction and pounced on the Earth Dragon Beast.

The Earth Dragon Beast roared and spat out a blast of black flames. Wherever the flames passed, the resentful souls let out shrill screams and were burned into green smoke.

With a flap of its wings, its massive body was unexpectedly agile, avoiding the encirclement of the resentful souls and lunging straight for the altar!

"Stop it!" Thunder Thousand Absolute forced back Old Man Ghost Bone with his spear and threw his lightning spear with a backhand motion.

The spear turned into a streak of purple lightning, instantly crossing a thousand yards and stabbing toward the Earth Dragon Beast's head.

The Earth Dragon Beast seemed to sense it and suddenly turned its head. Its dragon mouth opened, and it actually bit the lightning spear!

"Crack!"

Lightning exploded in its mouth. The Earth Dragon Beast groaned, and black blood seeped from the corners of its mouth, but it stubbornly held the spear in its teeth, gave a violent shake of its head, and threw the spear flying.

But with this delay, the brothers Lei Long and Thunder Tiger had already broken free from the Dark Moon Divine Cult's entanglement and stood together in front of the altar.

"Vile beast, back off!" Lei Long shouted, his war blade slashing out a hundred-yard blade glow.

The Earth Dragon Beast didn't dodge. It shattered the blade glow with one claw and swiped at Thunder Tiger with the other.

"Boom!"

Thunder Tiger raised his shield to resist but was sent flying dozens of yards by the shock, blood seeping from his mouth.

"Brother, this beast's strength is too great!" Thunder Tiger shouted.

"Form an array!" Lei Long gritted his teeth.

The two's auras connected, and lightning power swirled around them, faintly forming a lightning cage that protected the altar in the center.

The Earth Dragon Beast attacked frantically, each claw strike causing the lightning cage to tremble violently.

Seeing this, the three Half-step World Masters of the Dark Moon Divine Cult looked at each other and actually stopped temporarily, watching coldly from the sidelines.

"Let them fight the Earth Dragon Beast until both sides are wounded," one of them said with a sinister laugh.

Old Man Ghost Bone in the sky also stopped temporarily, confronting Thunder Thousand Absolute, clearly having the same idea.

"When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman gets the benefit," Lin Fan whispered as he watched the situation.

"Brother Lin, what should we do?" Nangong Yu asked.

"Wait." Lin Fan's gaze was sharp. "The Earth Dragon Beast and the Thunder Twins will soon decide a victor. No matter which side wins, they will be heavily exhausted. The people from the Dark Moon Divine Cult will strike then, and we will strike when the Dark Moon Divine Cult succeeds."

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?" Xia Qingyue looked at him.

"No." Lin Fan shook his head. "The oriole catches the mantis, and we are the final hunters."

He looked at the dragon blood crystal, a hint of desire flashing in his eyes.

If he could absorb the True Dragon's remnant soul, his Eternal Indestructible Body might be able to take another step forward.

Moreover, this dragon blood crystal appearing near Dragon Burial Valley likely had some connection to the Nirvana Divine Palace.

"Boom!" The battle below suddenly changed.

The Earth Dragon Beast, unable to land a blow for a long time, was completely enraged. It let out a long roar toward the sky, and blood-colored patterns suddenly appeared on its black scales as its aura surged frantically!

"It's burning its Bloodline!" Lei Long's face changed drastically. "Retreat!"

But it was already too late.

The Earth Dragon Beast's wings spread and gave a violent flap.

"Whoosh!" A black firestorm swept out, instantly engulfing the lightning cage.

"Pfft!" Lei Long and Thunder Tiger spat blood simultaneously as the lightning cage shattered with a bang.

A hint of cruelty flashed in the Earth Dragon Beast's eyes as its claws tore through the storm, lunging for their heads!

"How dare you, vile beast!" Thunder Thousand Absolute roared. He wanted to rescue them but was held back tightly by Old Man Ghost Bone.

At this critical moment, "Now!"

The three Half-step World Masters of the Dark Moon Divine Cult suddenly moved!

They weren't going to save Lei Long and Thunder Tiger, but were lunging straight for the dragon blood crystal on the altar!

" mean!" Thunder Thousand Absolute's eyes nearly split from rage.

Old Man Ghost Bone laughed loudly. "Thunder Thousand Absolute, the dragon blood crystal belongs to my Divine Cult now!"

"Is that so?"

A calm voice suddenly rang out.

Lin Fan had appeared above the altar at some unknown time.

He reached out with his right hand and made a grabbing motion toward the dragon blood crystal.

"Chaos Object Retrieval."

The space-time around the dragon blood crystal distorted slightly, and it actually vanished into thin air, appearing in Lin Fan's hand the next moment!

"Who?!"

"You're looking for death!"

The three from the Dark Moon Divine Cult were furious and turned to attack Lin Fan.

The Earth Dragon Beast also sensed the dragon blood crystal had changed hands. Abandoning Lei Long and Thunder Tiger, its blood-red eyes locked onto Lin Fan.

Thunder Thousand Absolute and Old Man Ghost Bone in the sky also stopped simultaneously, looking at this suddenly appearing young man with uncertainty.

Locked on by five great experts and a Peak sixth-rank Yao Beast burning its Bloodline, Lin Fan's expression remained unchanged.

He put the dragon blood crystal into his storage ring and looked at the three from the Dark Moon Divine Cult pouncing on him, a cold smile appearing on his lips.

"Heaven-Opening Fist Intent, Third Layer..." He took a deep breath. The Chaos Qi in his body circulated frantically, and his Eternal Indestructible Body let out a hum.

"Space Rend." He threw a punch. This time, the Fist Intent was no longer invisible.

The space in front of him cracked like a mirror, covered in dense fractures!

The faces of the three from the Dark Moon Divine Cult changed drastically. They wanted to retreat but had already crashed into that shattered space.

"Crack!"

"Aaah!"

The bodies of the three, along with the space they occupied, shattered together!

Flesh, bones, and Divine Soul were all sliced and annihilated by the spatial cracks!

After three breaths, the space returned to tranquility.

On the ground, only three pools of blood remained, proving that three Half-step World Masters had existed just moments ago.

Dead silence filled the area.

One punch, shattered space, and slew three Half-step World Masters!

Thunder Thousand Absolute, Old Man Ghost Bone, and the Earth Dragon Beast all looked at Lin Fan in shock, their eyes filled with disbelief.

"Eternal Indestructible Body, Heaven-Opening Fist Intent..." Old Man Ghost Bone stared intently at Lin Fan. "You are the Godchild of the Lin Family!"

Lin Fan did not answer, instead looking at the Earth Dragon Beast and the two World Lords.

"I'm taking the dragon blood crystal. Does anyone have an objection?" His voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable authority.

The Earth Dragon Beast growled, a hint of wariness flashing in its eyes, and it actually did not dare to step forward.

Thunder Thousand Absolute and Old Man Ghost Bone looked at each other, both seeing deep apprehension in the other's eyes.

This young man, clearly only at the Late Stage Divine Power Realm, had slain three Half-step World Masters with a single punch... Just how much strength was he hiding?