The overwhelming aura emanating from the fist instantly enveloped everyone, and a powerful pressure they had never felt before forced their legs to involuntarily kneel.
"Is this... the strength of a Dou Emperor?" Sha Luo didn't realize that this was the power of a Dou Ancestor.
The strongest expert he had ever seen was a Dou Emperor. As for those above the Dou Emperor level, they were likely beyond his lifetime.
"Is our Pavilion Master this powerful?" The members of the Lofty Cloud Pavilion were utterly stunned.
Nalan Yanran's beautiful eyes flickered with an unusual light. "Junior Brother, is this the true strength you've been hiding?"
The Sixth Elder, who had remained hidden until now, looked as if he had seen a ghost.
A Dou Ancestor? Are you kidding?
"Xiao Yanzi..."
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li's expressions changed as they witnessed this scene. If that terrifying punch landed, Xiao Yanzi would likely...
"Ah! Save me! Leader, save me!"
Just as the two were worrying about Xiao Yan, scorching magma instantly engulfed several members of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group.
The other mercenaries who were touched by the magma also suffered varying degrees of injuries.
Before the battle even began, the Desert Iron Mercenary Group had already lost more than half of its members.
"Brothers, what are you waiting for? Charge!" Sha Luo shouted loudly, wearing an expression of someone ready to beat a drowning dog.
The Lofty Cloud Pavilion took advantage of the situation and surged forward.
On Xiao Yan's side, due to the effects of the Divine Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength, Yao Lao's soul power was heavily suppressed, allowing him to use only half of his strength.
Having barely dodged the lightning pillar, the massive punch now seemed impossible to evade.
He could only raise the Mystic Heavy Ruler in front of him, hoping to block part of the attack with its defensive capabilities.
Boom!
A figure, like a cannonball, was sent flying backward at high speed.
Chen Mo naturally understood the principle of striking while the iron was hot. With a flash, he appeared above Xiao Yan, the Nethergod Spear in his hand, its tip aimed directly at Xiao Yan's heart, and thrust it down with full force.
"Xiao Yanzi!"
"Young Master Xiao Yan!"
Xiao Ding, Xiao Li, and Qing Lin watched in panic.
"Arrogant! How dare you lose focus while fighting me!" Sha Luo slashed fiercely at Xiao Ding's back.
"Leader!"
"Big Brother!"
Before one battle could conclude, the other side was already severely injured. Xiao Li could only grit his teeth and rush over to help Xiao Ding.
At this critical moment.
A sharp screech was heard as the spear tip struck an energy shield that had suddenly appeared.
The energy shield shattered, but in the next moment, Xiao Yan's figure was already a considerable distance away from Chen Mo.
"Finally decided to show yourself, huh?" Ignoring the half-dead Xiao Yan, Chen Mo raised his head and fixed his gaze on a void.
In the next moment, a black figure eerily emerged from the void.
It was an old man in a black robe, standing aloft in the void, looking down at everyone.
"Staying in the void without external assistance... a Dou Emperor." The crowd below gasped.
"Another Dou Emperor." For those at lower levels, it was impossible to tell that Chen Mo and Xiao Yan were relying on external forces.
Seeing that the time on his temporary power-up was about to run out, Chen Mo frowned. He had noticed a Dou Emperor-level expert hiding in the void when he emerged from the passage, and he had been wondering who it was.
Now, it seemed clear that it must be Ling Ying.
However, wasn't he supposed to appear only during the three-year agreement?
Was this due to other changes caused by my presence?
Or perhaps.
Has he been silently protecting Xiao Yan all this time?
Chen Mo's eyes turned cold as he demanded, "You want to protect him?"
"I never expected that even in a small empire like Jia Ma, there would be someone of such exceptional talent." Ling Ying didn't know where he had slipped up, allowing the young man to discover him early.
He didn't hide his intentions either, nodding and saying, "This young man named Xiao Yan, I must take him away today, no matter what."
"Just you?" Chen Mo glanced at the old man with disdain.
"From what I know, this power doesn't belong to you. It must have a time limit. Once it expires—"
Ling Ying didn't finish the latter half of his sentence. Such an overt threat was something he, as an experienced man, wouldn't make.
Especially when this power hadn't yet disappeared.
"Before the time limit expires, I have the confidence to send you to hell first."
Chen Mo spoke coldly. If you say you'll protect him, then protect him. Wouldn't that make me lose face?
Chen Mo didn't immediately strike, so Ling Ying knew the other party needed a way out.
"Speak, what will it take for you to let him go?"
"Simple, have him get out of the Tager Great Desert, and—"
"Impossible."
Before Chen Mo could finish his conditions, Xiao Yan interrupted. He had come here to search for the Strange Fire and improve his Flame Mantra. How could he possibly leave?
"Then there's nothing more to discuss."
Chen Mo's body slowly rose into the air, and in the blink of an eye, he was at the same height as Ling Ying.
Before the time limit expired, he needed to deal with this troublesome old man first.
"Wait." Ling Ying, seeing the aura about to burst forth from the other's body, panicked. The gap between a Dou Emperor and a Dou Ancestor was still quite significant.
"I agree."
"Good."
Neither of them paid attention to Xiao Yan's shouting below.
Ling Ying continued, "What other conditions do you have? Speak them all at once."
"As expected of one of the Eight Great Clans, so magnanimous." To prevent him from going back on his word after the time limit expired, Chen Mo pointed out his identity, adding a non-existent major force behind himself.
Ling Ying's pupils constricted. How did he know his identity? He speculated inwardly, "Is he also from one of the Eight Great Clans? Judging by that Thunder Spell earlier, could he be from the Thunder Clan?"
Chen Mo continued, "You know, I just came out of the passage, and he immediately wanted to fight and kill. My subordinates, because of my involvement, were severely injured. So, it's not too much to ask for some medical expenses, right?"
Hearing this, the members of the Lofty Cloud Pavilion, who had been lively just moments ago, immediately lay down, crying out in pain, "I can't take it, my hand hurts so much."
"My leg hurts too."
"My whole body is in pain."
Ling Ying's mouth twitched. Such exaggerated acting, could you at least make it a bit more convincing?
Without bothering with them, Ling Ying flicked his black robe, and in the next moment, a pile of bottles and jars floated in mid-air before Chen Mo.
Chen Mo unceremoniously collected them, smiling, "Now that Xiao Yan's compensation is settled, let's talk about his two brothers."
Ling Ying frowned, "What do you mean?"
"Earlier, you only said you'd protect Xiao Yan, not his brothers. One thing at a time, what I'm saying is quite reasonable."
Sha Luo understood immediately and fell to the ground, spitting blood.
"You see, my capable subordinate has been beaten until he's spitting blood."
Ling Ying reluctantly paid another wave of compensation.
Just when he thought it was over.
"Let's discuss the compensation f
or his brother's subordinates."
Ling Ying couldn't bear it any longer. With a flick of his sleeve, he whisked Xiao Yan and his two brothers away.
(End of chapter)