Thunder crashed through the depths of Thousand Arrows Forest, violent and relentless, turning the dark canopy above the clearing into a flickering sea of light.Everyone present finally understood why Damon Ashford had been so determined to claim the Heavenly Flame. He had cultivated a lightning-based martial art. The implications were staggering. If he managed to obtain the Thunderfire Blaze, his power would soar to terrifying new heights.Iris Ashbourne felt her chest tighten with dread. What could they possibly do now? Against such overwhelming strength, did Nick Crane even stand a chance of fighting back?Even Elder Benedict watched with mounting alarm. He had to admit, Nick's courage was nothing short of extraordinary. A mere Warlord Saint daring to face someone at the peak of the Warlord Ascendant tier? Even if Elder Benedict himself reached that pinnacle, he would never act so recklessly. He didn't know whether to call Nick brave or foolish.The Warlord Sa

Nick's reckless, death-defying ferocity sent a chill down Damon's spine.Could this man truly feel no pain at all? The thought was horrifying.Damon clenched his teeth, parrying Nick's relentless attacks while channeling every ounce of his inner force to its maximum potential. Never before had he faced such a persistent opponent.The injuries covering Nick's body were gruesome. Any ordinary person would have collapsed long ago, yet Nick not only endured but continued to press forward with overwhelming fighting spirit, challenging Damon again and again.The Goldwyn family members stood frozen in disbelief. This Nick Crane had to be insane! At this stage, instead of conceding defeat, he was still locked in brutal combat with Damon. Was this truly normal behavior for a Warlord Saint? Shouldn't he cower like the other Warlord Saints from the Ashbourne family, too terrified to even protest? Nick had completely shattered everything they thought they understood.No

"You... you're insane!""You killed the Ashford young master!"Everyone from the Goldwyn family stood frozen in disbelief. This was Damon Ashford they were talking about. Nick Crane, that madman, had actually dared to kill him. The Ashford family would never let this slide. This time, Nick was truly finished.The Ashbourne family members were equally stunned. Nick really did kill without hesitation. Their attempts to stop him moments ago had fallen on completely deaf ears, as if he hadn't heard a single word.Iris Ashbourne stared at the scene before her, mouth agape. The Ashbourne Warlord Saint had already released the force that had been restraining her. She rushed forward, stopping in front of Nick.The two Nine-Fanged Mites were now feasting contentedly on their spoils of war. They tore into Damon's body bite after bite, chunk after chunk. A human at the Warlord Ascendant tier made for quite the nourishing meal for them. The sound of crunching bones sent

Nick Crane carried Iris Ashbourne on his back as she urged him to go faster, pushing through the forest with determined speed.Before long, they caught up with the main body of the Ashbourne family forces.This time, not a single Warlord Saint from the Ashbourne family had fallen. At worst, a few had sustained serious injuries, but they were all alive. That was what mattered.Outside the Thousand Arrows Forest, Gordon Ashbourne waited with mounting anxiety. He had no idea what had transpired inside. The uncertainty gnawed at him, each passing minute stretching longer than the last."Patriarch, please don't worry yourself," one of his subordinates said, trying to offer reassurance. "The young miss and the others are blessed. Nothing will happen to them."Gordon could only nod at his subordinate's words, though his expression remained tight with concern."With Elder Benedict there, I'm not too worried about the dangers of the forest itself." He paused, hi