Indeed, that was the case.

The finger strike, which should have been able to instantly kill a Martial Artist of the same rank or even a mid-Eighth Grade expert, hadn't left so much as a scratch on Yomotsu Hiraka.

"Ridiculous."

Yomotsu Hiraka's gaze was cold, staring at Xu Huang as if looking at a dead man.

He no longer relied on his physical strength. Instead, he made a grasping motion with his right hand in the empty air, and a ten-meter-long spear condensed from seawater formed in his firm grip.

He, Yomotsu Hiraka, was afraid of Xu Lai.

But human Martial Artists of a much lower Boundary, like Xu Huang and Feng Lang, were no different from ants in his eyes.

The seawater spear was infused with Spiritual Energy.

Yomotsu Hiraka hurled it fiercely, transforming it into a streak of light aimed directly at Xu Huang's brow!

"..."

Xu Huang's pupils contracted.

I can feel it... a life-or-death crisis! But I... can't move!

The terrifying Realm pressure enveloped him once again, leaving Xu Huang to do nothing but watch helplessly as the spear drew closer and closer, until it stopped just three inches from his brow!

"How dare you, vile creature!"

Martial Ancestors like Niu Taishan roared in anger. The nine of them, combining their strength, managed to briefly break through the oppressive Realm pressure.

They simultaneously mobilized all the Spiritual Energy in their bodies or used Secret Techniques, attempting to block the spear for Xu Huang.

However... they failed!

The attacks and defenses of Niu Taishan and the others were as flimsy as paper, pierced through with ease.

The seawater spear pinned Xu Huang firmly to the sandy ground!

Blood stained the spear red.

Xu Huang's eyes dimmed as he coughed up a violent mouthful of blood, mixed with fragments of his internal organs.

His face was deathly pale, and he was clearly on the verge of dying from his severe injuries.

His lips quivered, and he trembled for a long time, unable to utter a single word. He could only gasp for breath as he watched his own lifeblood drain away.

Hm?

Yomotsu Hiraka furrowed his brow deeply.

What's going on? That strike should have easily killed even a Ninth Grade Martial Artist of the Human Race. But this human... Why is he still clinging to life? And that other human I hit with my tail earlier didn't die either. Once might be a coincidence, but twice in a row... It's Xu Lai. He's protecting these people!

This thought flashed through Yomotsu Hiraka's mind, leaving him somewhat hesitant to attack again.

After all, Xu Lai's strength was likely at the very peak not just in Hua Country, but... throughout the entire Human Race!

Yomotsu Hiraka glanced up at the dark clouds in the sky, which were already flickering with sparks of lightning.

Mother might be about to make her move! A jolt of joy went through Yomotsu Hiraka, and he cast his hesitation aside.

"Let's fight it out with him!"

Seeing Xu Huang grievously wounded and near death, Niu Taishan's eyes turned red. The entire group roared and charged toward Yomotsu Hiraka.

The result was, of course, predictable.

Once Yomotsu Hiraka suppressed his fear of Xu Lai, he attacked without mercy, unleashing nearly his full strength!

And yet, not a single one of them died. They were all just left critically injured and unconscious.

Only Feng Lang and Xu Huang still clung to a sliver of consciousness, their eyes meeting from hundreds of meters away.

To withstand a strike from a Great Demon Realm expert and survive... I, Xu Huang, have lived a worthy life! he roared madly in his heart. A Great Demon... a terrifying monster that can instantly kill a Ninth Grade Martial Artist. For a Seventh Grade Martial Artist of the Human Race to take one of its blows is truly something to be proud of.

As Feng Lang saw Yomotsu Hiraka's massive tail sweep toward him, his gaze filled with regret.

It's a shame there's no wine for one last drink before I die. Is this the end? So be it.

They closed their eyes, ready to embrace death, when they suddenly remembered Xu Lai standing at the very back!

Feng Lang's heart lurched, and he called out weakly, "Xu Lai, you have to... run."

Heh, humans are so hypocritical. Clearly unable to save themselves, yet still worried about the safety of others... the Thunder Beast thought, looking down on the scene from high within the dark clouds, her eyes filled with scorn.

"Devour these human Martial Ancestors," the Thunder Beast's voice echoed in Yomotsu Hiraka's ears. "With me here, even if Xu Lai is at the peak of the Human Race's Divine Gate Realm, he won't be able to harm you in the slightest!"

The Demon Race had a cultivation limit: the peak of the Demon King Realm. The Human Race had one as well: the peak of the Divine Gate Realm.

At these ultimate Boundaries, the strength of the Demon Race was a notch above that of the Human Race. Correspondingly, although humans cultivated much faster, their lifespans were significantly shorter.

Hearing the voice in his ear, Yomotsu Hiraka's eight heads lunged simultaneously toward the human Martial Artists on the ground. Monsters were a great source of nourishment for humans, and powerful humans were the same for monsters. By devouring these eleven people, Yomotsu Hiraka was confident that he could raise his own Boundary by a small margin.

"You're courting death."

From a corner, Xu Lai glanced over. Yomotsu Hiraka's eight heads exploded simultaneously, filling the air with a bloody mist. The massive serpentine body writhed wildly as its agonized screams echoed throughout the prison of seawater. The sound was so filled with pain it made one's scalp tingle!

Xu Huang and Feng Lang stared, dumbfounded. What was happening? Why had the Sea Demon's heads suddenly exploded?

BOOM!

Thunder cracked across the sky.

Dark clouds now covered a ten-mile radius, and an apocalyptic, terrifying aura spread out. The very void trembled, on the verge of collapse.

A bolt of lightning struck the ground, and a woman with a face covered in scars appeared beside Yomotsu Hiraka.

She was the Thunder Beast!

Her eyes reflected an endless chill as a cold voice rang out. "Xu Lai, it seems I've underestimated you!"

"Who are you?" Xu Lai asked calmly. "And why are you causing trouble for me today?"

"And you think you're worthy of knowing my name?" the Thunder Beast replied, her expression indifferent. "You killed my husband, Yomotsu Harukichi, and you wounded my son, Yomotsu Hiraka. Have you decided how you want to die?"

Yomotsu Harukichi?

Yomotsu Hiraka?

Xu Huang and Feng Lang's pupils shrank. The Demon King Realm powerhouse of Sakura Country, Orochi, was named Yomotsu Harukichi, and his son, Yomotsu Hiraka, was one of the most prominent Great Demons.

That meant the woman's identity was obvious...

She was the Thunder Beast, known throughout Sakura Country as the Thunder God!

A thunderous roar exploded in Xu Huang and Feng Lang's minds. The world seemed to go dark as they nearly fainted from pure fright. The Thunder God was infamous for her cruelty. She had killed countless powerful humans from Sakura Country, Hua Country, and other nations. No one she targeted ever escaped!

Xu Lai... How in the world did he provoke such a formidable deity!?

"A moment ago," Feng Lang said suddenly, "did she say he 'killed her husband'?"

"..."

Xu Huang fell silent.

After a long pause, he managed a dry chuckle. "It... it can't be, right? That's a Demon King. In all of Hua Country, you can count the Divine Gate Realm experts who could kill a Demon King on one hand. Xu Lai can't possibly be a Divine Gate expert, can he?"

To be honest, they even doubted whether Xu Lai was a Seventh Grade Martial Ancestor. A Martial Ancestor in his twenties, while monstrous, was still somewhat comprehensible; after all, geniuses did exist in the world.

But a Divine Gate Realm expert in his twenties... The very thought made them feel as if the world had gone mad!

Faced with the woman's cold words, Xu Lai simply looked stunned.

"Yomotsu Harukichi? Who is that?"

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