Fan Li!

Ranked thirty-second on the Heavenly List and a Martial Arts Grandmaster! His mastery of Flame True Qi was divine, earning him the title of Fire God! Upon his arrival, the very air seemed to heat up, scorching everything in its wake!

Jia Jianguo and the others stared at the sky in horror, a tsunami of shock washing over their hearts.

Walking on fire—was that something a human could do? Could the power of a Martial Artist really achieve such a feat? Their entire worldview was overturned. They could even feel their gun-wielding hands tremble as a fine sweat formed in their palms.

"Fan Li, I've been waiting for you for a long time," Lin Mu said, his expression barely changing as he watched Fan Li appear.

He was a little surprised, though. This Fan Li's control over fire was more formidable than anyone he had ever encountered. Perhaps it was due to the Cultivation Technique he practiced.

"Lin Wudi, I've been waiting for you for a long time, too," Fan Li replied. His red hair fluttered in the wind, his expression cold, his eyes filled with a chilling murderous intent. He stood upon the Flame Avenue, looking down on Lin Mu. "You killed my son and destroyed my sect. Today, this place will be your grave!"

BOOM!

As soon as his words fell, the Flame Avenue beneath his feet retracted and transformed into a fiery battle robe that draped over his body.

THUMP!

Fan Li descended from the sky, landing a meter from Lin Mu. The two locked eyes, and an intense fighting intent instantly erupted between them.

RUMBLE!

The ground between them cracked open as terrifying flames swept out. All the Fire Cloud Sect disciples fell back, and even the two thousand soldiers retreated, watching the two men with horrified expressions. They had never witnessed a battle between Martial Artists, and their hearts now pounded with a mixture of excitement, anticipation, worry, and nervousness.

As a member of the Dragon Protection Hall, Lin Mu was technically their superior. If anything happened to him, they would be hard-pressed to escape the blame.

Without turning his head, Fan Li commanded, "Disciples of the Fire Cloud Sect, retreat one hundred meters!"

With a wave of his hand, the flames on the Great Elder's body vanished. Fan Li then pushed him away with a palm strike, sending him flying toward the other disciples. The Fire Cloud Sect disciples supported the Great Elder as they watched Fan Li from a distance, their expressions filled with excitement.

"You all move back, too," Lin Mu said, waving for Jia Jianguo to lead his men away.

The soldiers all retreated. In stark contrast to the disorganized disciples of the Fire Cloud Sect, their steps were orderly and their actions meticulous. Although they were about to witness a great battle, these soldiers were all veterans of the battlefield, possessing incredible mental fortitude.

"Lin Wudi, achieving the rank of Martial Arts Grandmaster before the age of thirty, making you the number one figure in the Martial Arts World today?" Fan Li looked at Lin Mu, his eyes brimming with killing intent. "At the start of your career, you killed Yun Xu, slayed Xing Zirong, and claimed the tenth spot on the Heavenly List?"

Fan Li shook his head slightly. "To me, these are nothing more than superficial titles—flashy, but without substance."

Lin Mu smiled. "If you kill me, all of them will be yours."

Fan Li chuckled. "True, but I am not killing you for fame. I simply want to see what is so special about the so-called number one in the Martial Arts World!"

As he finished speaking, two flaming long sabers condensed in his hands, and he slashed directly toward Lin Mu. A Martial Arts Grandmaster can manifest their True Qi, condensing it into any form! Given Fan Li's control over flame, the power of these two sabers was not to be underestimated.

"Slash!"

As Fan Li's voice faded, he chopped down with both hands.

BOOM!

Two beams of flaming saber light cleaved directly at Lin Mu.

A look of delight appeared on the faces of the Fire Cloud Sect disciples, and the Great Elder exclaimed, "The Burning Wood Sword Technique?!"

The Burning Wood Sword Technique was a legendary art, said to be one of the seventy-two ultimate skills of Shaolin, possessing immense power. To cultivate such a skill, one had to be a Grandmaster or above and also possess exquisite control over flames.

It seems the Sect Leader has made significant gains during his seclusion!

As the two beams of flaming saber light roared toward him, Lin Mu's expression remained unchanged. He simply lifted a hand, brought two fingers together, and swept them through the air.

TSSSH!

A beam of sword light whistled out, slicing the two beams of flaming saber light in half. Sparks scattered everywhere, leaving Lin Mu completely unharmed.

WHOOSH!

However, just as Lin Mu dispelled the attack, a fist wreathed in flame shot out from the sparks, heading straight for his chest. Right before making contact, it struck forward with thunderous momentum.

"The Fire God Fist!" the Great Elder cried out again. The Fire God Fist was a martial art of a higher grade than the Fire Cloud Palm, considered by the Fire Cloud Sect to be their sect-guarding treasure.

Burning Wood Sword Technique and Fire God Fist! The Sect Leader's strength has really increased severalfold!

BAM!

The fist struck Lin Mu's chest squarely, a dull thud that echoed clearly in everyone's ears.

"It landed!"

Joy flashed across the faces of the Fire Cloud Sect disciples, all of them visibly exhilarated. In contrast, Jia Jianguo and his men turned pale with panic.

Chief...

However, Fan Li, who should have been celebrating a successful strike, saw his expression change drastically as he tried to yank his fist back. But it was too late.

POP!

Lin Mu's chest caved in slightly before bulging out, and a terrifying force erupted from his body.

"Hmph!"

Fan Li grunted, sent flying backward as if by an immense force, sliding more than ten meters.

"Sect Leader!" the disciples of the Fire Cloud Sect cried out, their eyes wide with shock.

The Sect Leader clearly landed his attack! Why is he the one retreating? And he looks like he's hurt!

Meanwhile, Jia Jianguo and the two thousand soldiers let out a brief cheer before quickly clamping their mouths shut.

"Lin Wudi, you truly did not disappoint me!" Fan Li declared as he looked up, his eyes fixated on Lin Mu, flames surging within his gaze.

"You're not weak either," Lin Mu replied with a slight smile, lightly brushing the dust from his clothes.

Fan Li's attacks had been incredibly swift; anyone else might have been injured. But Lin Mu was different. His powerful Divine Soul already placed him in an unassailable position during combat. On top of that, having completed the Construction of the Twelve Floors, his body was incredibly resilient, a perfect fusion of hard and soft. How could Fan Li possibly hope to defeat him?

"The warmup is over," Fan Li sneered, his lips curling with icy killing intent. "Now the real show begins!"

THUD!

He stomped his foot fiercely on the ground. The earth cracked, and the solid paving stones melted under the intense heat. Fan Li himself transformed into a figure of pure flame and charged toward Lin Mu.

"Well met!" Lin Mu laughed heartily, stepping forward to meet the charge as he threw a punch. "Deicide Fist!"

The two fists collided heavily, and terrifying Internal Energy swept out in all directions. Everyone felt as if they had been struck by a massive shockwave. Their bodies swayed, and some couldn't even remain standing, slumping to the ground as they watched the two combatants in horror.

In the center of the battlefield, two figures flickered in and out of existence. One was completely enveloped in flames, while the other used nothing but his iron fists to beat sparks from his opponent's flaming body.

GULP!

Jia Jianguo swallowed hard and muttered, "Such terrifying power!"

BOOM!

After another explosive exchange of fists, Fan Li was thrown back dozens of meters. He barely managed to halt his momentum by bracing himself against one of the plaza's buildings. Lin Mu, on the other hand, remained standing in the same spot, unmoved, as he slowly retracted his fist. After hundreds of exchanges, it was clear Lin Mu had the upper hand.

"Excellent! Lin Wudi, you are truly without peer in any age!" Fan Li wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze burning intensely. "To encounter a rival like you in this lifetime is a true joy!"

"You're not weak either."

Lin Mu wasn't lying. In terms of sheer power, this Fan Li is almost on par with Xing Zirong. Of course, compared to me, he's still lacking by a wide margin.

"Lin Wudi, our battle today has been exhilarating!" Fan Li stared at Lin Mu, his tone complex. "But you killed my son, and countless disciples of my sect died by your hand. As their Sect Leader, by all rights, I must avenge this!"

CRACK!

Fan Li slammed his palm against the nearby building, ripping something out from within it. He pointed it at Lin Mu. "Today, we will not only determine who is superior but also who lives and who dies!"

"Proceed!"

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