Chapter Seven: The Western Frontier Hunt!

At this very moment, Yufan suddenly felt his body enveloped by a powerful current of energy. Like a surging, tumultuous ocean wave, this energy welled up endlessly from within his limbs and bones. As time passed, this current gradually merged and permeated with that singular, strange aura already within him. They were like two rivers, once flowing separately, that had met at a certain juncture to converge into a force even more vast and mysterious.

During this process, Lei Xiaodian's state of mind became increasingly calm and profound. He could clearly perceive the subtle changes in his surroundings; even the dust in the air seemed to be whispering secrets to him.

I do not know how much time had passed, but when Lei Xiaodian opened his eyes again, he was startled to find a group of people from the Righteous Realm standing above the ruined temple. They were dressed in ornate robes, their expressions grave and solemn, radiating an intangible sense of oppression. The leader was named Fang Shisan, who hailed from a powerful and mysterious family in the Southern Realm. At this moment, Fang Shisan was confronting another man—Fang Yu.

"Long time no see, Fang Yu! Oh, my, my... so the person standing here is Yufan! Tsk, tsk, tsk, I never expected that useless piece of trash to still be jumping around. Truly beyond my expectations!" Fang Shisan said with a mocking, sarcastic tone.

Hearing this, Fang Yu was so angry he cursed, "Fang Shisan, how is it that your mouth is still so filthy?"

Beside them, Yufan gripped his fists tightly, a sharp, murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

Just then, Fang Shisan abruptly changed his tone, saying coldly, "We have already wiped out the Cloud Sect. If you are smart, you will hand over the Sacred Fire of the Cloud Sect immediately! Otherwise, do not blame us for being impolite!"

Faced with such a threat, the rage in Yufan's heart flared, but he forced himself not to lash out. Nevertheless, his clenched fists and the killing intent in his eyes laid his inner fury bare. A cold, chilling smile touched the corners of Fang Shisan's mouth.

In that instant, the spiritual energy within him erupted like a volcano. A surging, powerful force poured from his dantian, rapidly gathering in his limbs. His body trembled slightly, as if unable to bear the impact of such immense power, yet it simultaneously emanated a heart-stopping aura. The surrounding air seemed to be churned by this energy, forming a massive vortex that wrapped tightly around him.

Fang Shisan’s robes snapped in the wind like a flag dancing in a gale. He gripped his long sword, and with a sweep of his arm, the blade carved a brilliant arc through the air. A sharp, piercing sound of displaced air screamed out, as if the space itself were being torn asunder. This sword energy, filled with infinite malice and pressure, surged toward his enemy’s heart with an unstoppable, headlong momentum. Wherever it passed, the void rippled, demonstrating its terrifying power.

Elder Jian snorted coldly, "Fang Shisan, how dare you speak such wild words!" Fang Yu chuckled to himself, muttering softly, "It has been a long time, Senior Brother Jian."

Just then, Elder Jian struck with his own sword, instantly unleashing a ferociously sharp blast of energy that shot straight toward Fang Shisan. Yet, faced with this sudden attack, Fang Shisan remained remarkably calm and poised. He merely lifted his palm, and an invisible force emerged, forming a transparent shield that easily repelled the sword energy. As the energy collided with the shield, a crisp sound rang out, and the surrounding air fluctuated violently.

Elder Jian’s expression shifted slightly, and he barked angrily, "What dignity do you people have left? How dare you call yourselves a righteous sect!" His voice was filled with rage and disdain, as if deeply disappointed by the actions of Fang Shisan and his cohorts.

"Senior Brother Jian is as impatient as ever!" Fang Shisan burst into hearty laughter. "Ha! What is dignity worth? In this world, the strong rule and the weak suffer. If you are weak, that is the fate you deserve; and if I fall one day, it will simply be the result of the cruel laws of survival."

Yufan was incensed and shouted, "What a so-called 'righteous sect'! Truly shameless! You people pillage and slaughter, committing every evil—how can you call yourselves people of the righteous path?"

Fang Shisan replied, "Dignity? Ha! Hahaha..." He chuckled to himself, thinking, *Yufan, oh Yufan, you should hurry and find a safe place to hide before you lose your life...*

"Senior brother, sister, if you are wise, hand over the Cloud Sect's Sacred Fire! Otherwise, do not blame me for being ruthless! If you hand it over obediently, I might just spare your lives..." the man opposite them clamored.

"Hmph! You want the Sacred Fire? Not a chance! If you have the ability, get past me first!" Fang Shisan snorted, opened his eyes wide, and a look of determination flashed through them. He quickly brought his hands together, chanting under his breath, and a powerful aura radiated from his body. The next moment, he vanished! He had used his signature technique—the Teleportation Art!

However, Elder Jian was a veteran of countless battles. Just as Fang Shisan materialized behind him to deliver a fatal blow, the elder sensed the danger and shifted his stance, easily dodging the strike. Elder Jian was secretly surprised: *I never expected Fang Shisan to possess such a formidable technique!* Still, he felt no fear; rather, it stoked an even stronger fighting spirit.

A fierce battle ensued. Sword light flickered, palm winds howled, and the very air seemed to be torn apart. Meanwhile, Fang Shisan's subordinates took the opportunity to sneak toward Yufan and Fang Yu, attempting to strike them down.

Fang Shisan’s swordsmanship was erratic and unpredictable. It seemed at once illusory and tangible; every move concealed a follow-up, nested within others. The sword momentum was as colorful as a rainbow, yet filled with an eerie, mysterious aura. This made it impossible for Elder Jian to decipher the pattern, forcing him to push his own sword style to its limit to neutralize the opponent's fierce onslaught.

Suddenly, Fang Shisan laughed aloud, "Hahaha, Senior Brother, I shall use my full strength now!" Before the words faded, a figure and sword light intertwined. The speed was so fast it seemed like a single strike, but it was actually an illusion created by countless overlapping sword shadows. The sword wind stirred, blowing their robes, and the immense energy surged directly toward Elder Jian.

In an instant, Elder Jian was struck by the energy, his body flying backward to crash heavily into the ground, coughing up blood. He stared at Fang Shisan in disbelief, gasping, "Your power... how did it become this strong?"

Fang Shisan smiled slightly and replied modestly, "Thank you for the praise, Senior Brother. It is just that I have had some recent insights and deepened my understanding of the sword path." Having said this, he gently flicked his long sword, triggering a series of crisp, melodious rings, announcing his new breakthrough.

"Senior Brother, hand over the Sacred Fire, or do not blame me for being discourteous," Fang Shisan demanded.

"Dream on," Elder Jian retorted. "I will never give it to you."

"Then let me show you how Yufan dies!"

A series of hurried footsteps approached, drawing near to Lei Xiaodian, but he was alerted by a divine energy lingering within Yufan. Lei turned abruptly, dodging three five-colored sword energy beams. Yufan gripped Fang Shisan’s arm with one hand, his grip as immovable as iron pincers. He exerted strength with his single hand, his knuckles white, his sharp nails piercing Fang Shisan's skin. Fang Shisan broke free, stumbling back while clutching his arm. "You brat, your reactions are fast."

At that moment, a strange energy leaked from behind Yufan. "Lei Xiaodian, do not blame me for being impolite," Fang Shisan hissed. With a sharp click, seven streaks of cold light flew from his belt and sleeves toward Lei Xiaodian.

Suddenly, the seven streaks of cold light seemed to be pulled by a mysterious force, flying straight toward Lei Xiaodian. To everyone's shock, as they neared Yufan's body, they were instantly consumed by a strange aura radiating from him.

Watching this, Fang Shisan was filled with fear and shock. He never imagined that this seemingly ordinary young man would possess such astonishing power! Realizing he had encountered a formidable enemy whose strength far exceeded his own, Fang Shisan made a split-second decision and ordered a retreat.

At his command, his subordinates scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing the scene. Yufan stood quietly in place, his eyes revealing a sense of conviction and confidence, as if the thrilling battle that had just occurred was nothing more than a trivial episode.

Yufan rushed to Elder Jian’s side with lightning speed, asking anxiously, "Elder Jian, are you alright?" Elder Jian gritted his teeth against the pain and replied, "Don't worry, old man, I'm not that easy to kill." He was full of doubt; Yufan never possessed such agile movements before—why was he so nimble today?

Just as he was about to ask, Yufan interrupted. "Uh... that is a long story. Let's retreat quickly! Those guys behind us will likely catch up soon." As he spoke, Yufan hurriedly helped the elder up, and together with the senior sister, they followed Fang Yu deep into the forest. Throughout the journey, they dared not stop for a moment, the sound of the wind and rustling leaves echoing in their ears as if the entire forest were chasing them.