Amid the arena’s lingering confusion following Han Nian’s earlier shout, a powerful gust of wind suddenly swept down from above, accompanied by the heavy, rhythmic flapping of wings. Instinctively, everyone looked up toward the sky. There, a gigantic Water Crane hovered directly above the arena. Its shadow blocked out part of the sunlight, creating an invisible pressure that weighed down on everything below. Standing on the creature’s back were two figures dressed in black. One of them appeared older, his face cold and expressionless. He opened his mouth and spoke—not loudly, yet his voice echoed throughout the entire arena, amplified by Qi. "Who… killed my son?" His tone was calm, but every word pressed heavily on the hearts of the cultivators who heard it. Below, Han Nian immediately noticed the change in Zhang Wei, who stood nearby. The man’s body trembled violently, his face turned pale, and even his breathing became irregular. "Uncle Zhang," Han Nian called softly, placing

The sky above the arena turned dark as a terrifying aura erupted from He Jing’s body. His spiritual pressure spread like an invisible tide, pressing down on everything below. Cultivators who had been standing were forced to their knees—or even flattened to the ground."This… this is pressure from the Diamond Level…" an elder muttered with labored breathing."Fall back! Now!" another shouted. "This isn’t a battle we can watch up close!"In an instant, the arena descended into chaos. People fled as far as they could, though many felt their steps weighed down—as if the air itself were crushing them.Above, He Jing stood atop the restless Water Crane."You will die in the most painful way!" he roared. His aura trembled violently before he shot downward along with his mount like a black bolt splitting the sky.Below, Han Nian exhaled softly and rolled up his sleeves. His gaze locked onto the incoming attack without the slightest hesitation."Come," he murmured.Swoosh!Just as the crushing

"Heh… you really pushed me this far…" He Jing’s hoarse voice echoed, heavy and filled with an even denser killing intent. His breathing was ragged, yet the aura around his body grew increasingly violent after breaking through to Diamond Level, Third Star. Though still unstable, the pressure he emitted caused the ground beneath him to crack slowly, as if it could no longer withstand the presence of someone at that level.In the distance, Lin Yue was about to step forward—but immediately froze when Han Nian’s voice rang out:"Don’t come any closer! This isn’t a fight you can interfere in!"His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. Lin Yue’s movement halted midair before she gritted her teeth and landed again, her face filled with worry."But… you—"She stopped mid-sentence.Han Nian didn’t even turn around. He simply stood there, staring at He Jing with eyes that had become completely serious."Heh… still worrying about others at a time like this? Kid, you really don’t know your

Lei Ying hovered in the air with its wings fully spread, its massive body radiating crackling lightning aura. But if someone looked closely, they would realize the spirit beast was in a state of extreme panic. Its sharp eyes stared downward—fixated on Han Nian’s weak, barely breathing figure.“Wake up… wake up quickly, Boss!” Lei Ying’s voice echoed within its own mind through their soul bond. Its body trembled slightly. “If you die… I’ll die too… don’t leave me…” The tone was no longer commanding—it was pure fear, something rarely seen from a ferocious beast like it.Han Tian, noticing Lei Ying’s arrival, reacted immediately. He turned to Lin Yue with a tense expression.“Hurry! Let’s get him onto Lei Ying’s back! This is the only way!” His voice was urgent. Without waiting for a reply, he tried to lift Han Nian, but his hands trembled at the sight of the gaping wound in his brother’s chest.“Damn it… why did you push yourself this far…” he muttered hoarsely.Lin Yue quickly nodded,

Han Nian, who had just begun to feel a bit better, suddenly fell silent. His brows furrowed as if he had realized something important. Then his eyes widened, and he half-sat up on the bed, exclaiming, “Wait… my clothes… who changed them?” His voice sounded panicked, almost like a shout, instantly turning the previously warm atmosphere awkward.Lin Yue, who stood beside him, raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a flat expression. “Why are you shouting like that?” she said casually, then continued without hesitation, “Su Mei and I changed them.” She crossed her arms and added lazily, “Your clothes were completely destroyed back then, so we had no choice. We even tried to take something from your spatial ring, but there was a sealing formation… so we used your brother’s clothes instead.” Her words trailed off slightly at the end, but they were clear enough to make Han Nian freeze.Han Tian, standing not far away, covered his face with one hand, his shoulders trembling slightly as he