The Spellmaster's Humiliation

Rand cried out in alarm, chanting incantations frantically. Terrifying purple lightning and black flames rained down from the sky, trying to break free from Xiao Chen's grasp. But to his shock, he discovered it was the power of the Mortal-Shedding Fifth Heaven—overwhelmingly suppressing his Fourth Heaven spell energy. The advantage was absolute.

For a spellmaster, being caught by a martial artist was a catastrophic disaster. Their close-combat abilities were too poor, their bodies too frail compared to a martial practitioner's. Ranged attacks were their only effective method.

Rand did not wish to die. He knew Xiao Chen was ruthless and merciless. Now he had no choice but to cast a life-preserving incantation that would cost him a great deal of life essence.

"Sacred Armor, shield my body!"

Blinding radiance burst from Rand's body; the dazzling light condensed into a tangible suit of sacred armor, wrapping him from head to toe, protecting him completely.

At the same moment, Xiao Chen slammed him to the ground. With an arrogant and contemptuous attacking posture—a three-hundred-sixty-degree spinning sweep—he kicked Rand's head viciously.

Even with the Sacred Armor protecting him, Rand let out a pained groan. The fierce spinning kick sent him tumbling more than ten meters away, dizzy and disoriented, nearly falling among the fallen branches and withered leaves.

Before he could soar into the air, Xiao Chen stepped across the void and came after him. Another leg lashed down like a splitter, smashing Rand directly into the ground. Xiao Chen pressed his foot on Rand's chest, then kicked him hard, sending him rolling across the earth.

The Sacred Armor nearly shattered; its energy light flickered violently. Rand felt two ribs break, the pain nearly forcing him to scream aloud.

The proud golden-haired spellmaster, the formidable Rand—how had he ever been treated like this? This was no longer a battle; it was a beating. For him, it was the deepest humiliation.

Xiao Chen was savage!

A fearsome light coiled around his body, his long hair whipping wildly, radiating an overpowering, domineering presence. He seized Rand by the collar and then unleashed a furious combination of straight punches, uppercuts, hooks, palm strikes, and hammer fists. After the brutal combo, Rand was sent flying more than twenty meters. Xiao Chen followed relentlessly, each punch landing with crushing force.

Without the Sacred Armor, Rand would have been reduced to pulp, his flesh and blood ground into mud. Even so, the immense power penetrated the light armor, breaking at least fifteen of his bones.

This was a savage beating—no, it had already surpassed a beating. This was brutal, violent abuse!

Rand, once so arrogantly self-assured, now felt like he was going mad. It could be said that this was entirely his own doing—he had wanted to test Xiao Chen's measure, and in return he had suffered a crushing defeat and a relentless onslaught.

His dignity was utterly trampled!

Rand was filled with shame and rage to the extreme. He had once looked down on Xiao Chen from a lofty height, utterly contemptuous of him. But now he was being brutally beaten by that same man. The contrast was so immense that he nearly passed out from fury and mortification.

A midair back-kick, a three-hundred-sixty-degree spinning side-kick, a vicious rising kick... Finally, Xiao Chen planted one foot on Rand's chest and, with a hint of disdain, shook his other hand at the man beneath him.

"You—are—not—good enough."

Responding to Rand's earlier contempt with such an attitude—this made Rand wish he could smash his head against the ground. Shame, resentment, fury... his self-respect was grievously wounded. He had lost utterly.

Xiao Chen decided to deliver the killing blow. He did not believe he could not shatter that Sacred Armor. If Yan Qingcheng wanted revenge for Rand later, let her come! For now, he did not want to let this great enemy live. Since the battle had reached this point, letting Rand go would only mean a mortal foe in the future.

Rand did not want to die. At the brink of death, every person has a fierce will to survive. He risked half his life to escape, unleashing a forbidden incantation. He forcibly drew upon his life essence to replenish the Sacred Armor. A dazzling divine radiance burst forth; his body blazed like a golden sun. He struggled violently beneath Xiao Chen's foot.

Xiao Chen's killing intent was firm. He was determined to slay Rand. He rained down furious blows, smashing Rand into the shattered ground. But these attacks could not break through the armor. Rand was like a divine turtle in its shell; the layer of light around him was astonishingly resilient.

A merciless beating!

Though Xiao Chen could not breach the light screen, he continued to strike. He stomped Rand deep into the earth and rock, his terrifying force penetrating the light barrier, breaking several more of Rand's bones.

Rand was enraged, almost wishing he could kill himself. Finally, he burned his life essence, burrowing deep into the ground, then tunneling up not far away and shooting into the sky. Like a meteor, he streaked across the sky and fled. That was his life force burning!

There was no way to pursue. Xiao Chen did not waste any effort. He watched calmly as Rand disappeared into the distant sky. He knew that even if Rand escaped, he would be a cripple for at least half a year. His skeleton was shattered in too many places. There was nothing to worry about.

The broken Rand would surely taste the bitterness of failure in the shadow of defeat. This kind of spiritual torment was far more agonizing for a prideful practitioner than instant death. Perhaps this was the greatest punishment for his earlier arrogance and conceit.

Above the valley, the watchers from the various alliances all shouted, a wave of uproar washing over the crowd. This was a magnificent battle.

Xiao Chen had single-handedly challenged the Revenge Alliance and won a complete victory!

Many alliances sprang into action, preparing to recruit Xiao Chen. Such a powerful practitioner on Dragon Island was a blade worth securing.

Xiao Chen did not look back. He strode out of the valley.

When he reached the mouth of the valley, he left afterimages in the forest, vanishing before the crowd's eyes, trying to avoid the alliances that would surely try to recruit him. However, the founders of many alliances had clearly anticipated this. In the distant woods, people kept blocking his path, inviting him to join their factions.

Among them were extremely powerful alliances, such as the Invincible Alliance founded by a descendant of Dugu Qiubai's lineage, and the Flying Dagger Alliance founded by a descendant of Li Xunhuan's lineage.

There were also alliances of beautiful women, like the Blue Rain Alliance. Its founder, Lan Yu, left a deep impression on Xiao Chen—a gentle, mild-mannered beauty. Compared to the forceful presence of Zhao Lin'er and Yan Qingcheng, she was a soft, water-like woman.

And the Rouge Alliance...

Xiao Chen could not afford to offend any of them. He thanked them for their invitations first, then politely declined.

Finally, Xiao Chen shook off everyone and wanted to return to his secluded refuge. This battle had consumed too much of his energy, and staying in this area for too long might bring danger.

On the road, a woman of peerless beauty and grace blocked his way. Her purple robe fluttered; she seemed to have gathered all the spiritual wisdom of heaven and earth, filled with an ethereal and transcendent aura. It was Yan Qingcheng.