"Come at me together," Zhang Lie said, without any fear despite facing the six enemy cultivators. He stepped forward calmly, each step causing the lake to ripple. His feet seemed to be attuned to a mysterious rhythm.

The strange harmony of his footsteps caused heaven and earth alike to resonate. A tremendous aura emanated from Zhang Lie, shocking the enemy cultivators.

Afar, despite the strength of the two cultivators who served as scouts, they coughed out blood upon being subject to the rhythm of Zhang Lie's footsteps. They retreated in shock, paling as they considered the enemy. Who was this cultivator, to be able to hurt them with just the sound of his footsteps?

"Incredible aura. Amazing!" the woman said, laughing. She moved with a graceful poise that exuded charm. Her body glimmered with light, as though she would strike at any moment.

Zhang Lie continued to walk. His rhythmic footsteps grew stronger and stronger, like the war drums of heaven.

"You're too prideful to be a servant. That won't do. We'll need to make you submit, then!" the purple-haired man exclaimed. He roared, summoning starlight to himself. The starlight manifested in the form of a translucent image that surrounded him, with a deer's antlers, a camel-like head, a cat's ears, lobster-like eyes, a camel's mouth, a lion's mane, a snake's neck, a bull's abdomen, and a carp's scales. It had front claws like those of an eagle and hind claws like those of a tiger.

Upon seeing the purple-haired man's visage, Zhang Lie recalled the two cultivators that had blocked his way across the log bridge.

One was surrounded with a deathly aura, while the other was a purplegold denglong.

The woman said that Zhang Lie had slain the purple-haired man's kin. Clearly, the purple-haired man was a purplegold denglong in his own right.

Compared to the one he had encountered at the log bridge, this one was clearly stronger.

Resounding soundwaves, imbued with starlight, surged forward.

Pale blue genetic energy rippled about Zhang Lie's arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.

"[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"

A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more genetic energy gathered around Zhang Lie's arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.

A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish slammed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.

Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged black dragons, transforming into a flood and magnifying the sound waves.As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie's signature genetic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.

The ground quaked.

A glimmering rope soared through the air like a dragon, piercing through the pale-blue storm of genetic energy and attempting to trap and kill Zhang Lie.

"[The Boundless Blade: Yawning Wave]!"

With a wave of his pointer finger, Zhang Lie unleashed a beam of sword energy to defend against the rope.

A raging shark swam forth along the beam.

A bolt of lightning exploded around him as a mortar of bone appeared. Chen Feng had struck to destroy the shark formed from genetic energy. The mortar smashed into the ground, causing it to explode in a series of shockwaves.

Smoke and dust filled the air.

"[The Boundless Blade: Ersatz Yawning Wave]!"

A sword flashed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. It defended against the shockwaves and canceled them out.Yang Ze stood to the side of the divine lake, wreathed in white fog.

Just then, several of the silver dragons within the lake, spooked by the explosions, dove deep down and vanished from sight.

"If you've scared my divine plants off, I'll brew potions with your blood," the purplegold denglong declared. He was tall and sturdy, purple hair scattered across his shoulders. His gaze was like an animal's.

"Your plants? Those silver-dragon lotuses belong to us," Yang Ze countered.

"Stand back. Let me have a go!" Chen Feng said. He was still upset that Zhang Lie had stepped on his skull, and he wanted to defeat him personally. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to swallow the shame and humiliation.

"Know your limits," Zhang Lie replied coolly.

Chen Feng frowned in rage. Light radiated from him as a purple longbow appeared in his hands, glimmering with a divine glow. He nocked an arrow and loosed it."After offending a member of the Hall of Immortals, even the genius protege of a supreme force would have a hard time surviving the subsequent pursuit. Your death draws near!" Chen Feng declared. Wind and storm surged around the arrow as it arced toward Zhang Lie, surrounded with lightning and a demonic aura.

The arrow hummed as it shot forth, unleashing all sorts of phenomena.

This was an arrow that Chen Feng had infused with killing intent; it sought out Zhang Lie's heart, to pierce through his body. He committed all his resources to this one attack.

The woman and the purplegold denglong nodded. An arrow of this caliber was strong beyond compare, and would easily have taken down most cultivators.

Even so, Zhang Lie stood tall and firm, without any intention of dodging the blow.

"[Ninecarp Transformation]!"

A black serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now so large and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.

Pitch-black genetic energy, thick and cloying like storm clouds, surrounded him.

As the divine arrow entered the clouds, its momentum swiftly dissipated. By the end of its flight, Zhang Lie easily caught it in his hand.

"What a joke. Do you think you can claim my life if you can't even become the next Immortal King?" Zhang Lie scoffed.

His naked disdain caused Chen Feng to flush scarlet. He shot out a rapid series of arrows. "Take this, then—[Godkilling Arrows]!"

Chen Feng leapt into the air, surrounded by void. Flowers bloomed around him, radiant in their potency.

The first arrow sent flames raining down.

The second arrow was filled with gold-attuned genetic energy, resonating with the heavens as it pierced through a horde of arclight dragons.

The third arrow caused the ground itself to surge. A boulder obliterated the dragon horde.The fourth arrow was like the raging sea, bringing a towering wave with it.

A series of five arrows heralded the five elemental forces with devastating strength. Even the purplegold denglong would have had to treat this blow seriously.

And that wasn't it. The final two arrows shot out consecutively, one sparking with blinding light, the other pitch-black like darkness.

They represented mastery over the forces of light and darkness, and were even stronger than the original five.

Zhang Lie frowned. Chen Feng's skill made it clear why the Hall of Immortals was such a frightening force. Even someone who had failed to become the next Immortal King possessed such strength and had access to such an incredible cultivation technique—it spoke volumes about the base of power that the Hall of Immortals possessed.