Sikong Anye and the others were approaching now, catching the tail end of Jun Mo Xie’s words. Sikong Anye turned back, offered a smile to Duanmu Chao Dan, and praised, “This kid’s shamelessness reminds me so much of your younger self!”

Duanmu Chao Fan instantly flew into a rage, grabbing Ran and sputtering, “I—I—How—How—How—How…”

Sikong Anye hastily threw up his hands in surrender, laughing as if he were weeping, wailing in agony, “I was wrong, Big Brother, I shouldn’t have provoked you. Listening to you speak is truly too painful. I’ll change! Isn’t that enough? Damn it, why haven’t I managed to kick this foul-mouthed habit of mine after all these decades when facing you!”

Amidst the chaos, Dongfang Wenqing pushed Jun Wu Yi’s wheelchair forward, stopping before Jun Mo Xie.

Jun Wu Yi offered a faint, somewhat helpless smile, looking at his nephew and softly asking, “You?”

Jun Mo Xie grinned cheekily, “Third Uncle, you are truly divine. Battling several Nine-Star Peak Xuan Beasts single-handedly, moving with such ease, and ultimately retreating completely unscathed—that alone is remarkable enough. But what is truly most admirable is that you never shifted from your wheelchair position throughout the entire ordeal. Your nephew is deeply impressed, utterly convinced.”

“You little imp!” Jun Wu Yi shot him a glare and snorted, but he asked no further questions. He knew perfectly well that Jun Mo Xie was deeply involved in this affair, yet he chose not to press the issue. This was simply not the venue for such an inquiry. Firstly, too many eyes and ears were present; secondly, Jun Wu Yi was already certain it was Jun Mo Xie’s doing. How he accomplished it remained his nephew’s secret, and secrets are best kept close.

Some things are better known to one person than seen by many—this was the principle.

Thus, Jun Wu Yi elected to remain silent.

Yet, Jun Wu Yi felt even greater pride, because the person who created this miracle was his own nephew! Besides his nephew, Jun Wu Yi genuinely did not believe any other human on this earth could achieve such a feat!

From this perspective alone, it could be said he already surpassed all others under heaven!

At this moment, a clear space had formed in the center of the gathering.

In the very heart of this clearing, a devastatingly beautiful woman clad in green stood quietly, like an isolated magnolia in a secluded valley. This maiden was not only blessed with unparalleled looks, but what was even rarer was the gentle, refined temperament that naturally radiated from her.

Her figure was explosive, boasting an exaggerated curve of hips and bust, with a slender waist so tiny it seemed it might snap in a stronger breeze. On any other woman, a figure like this would immediately evoke the impression of a supreme courtesan, a worldly temptress!

But on this maiden, there was none of that aura! Instead, one felt an impression of pure charm, deep warmth, and playful spirit…

Her eyes were clear as still water, her features exquisite. A slight breeze stirred her soft, long hair, lending her an almost transcendent quality. Yet, what most immediately drew affection was the sheer purity etched upon the green-clad maiden’s face—a purity that suggested utter ignorance of the world, inspiring a powerful urge to protect her!

The Snake King!

How could such a peerless beauty, embodying the very essence of heaven and earth, whose features were like a painting, so ethereal and transcendent, be linked to the legendary Snake King, one of the Divine Punishment Xuan Beast rulers, notorious for commanding all poisons and wielding cruel, ruthless means? The gap between them was like heaven and earth!

Yet, she was poison incarnate!

This green-clad maiden was the Snake King, one of the Twelve Beast Kings of the Divine Punishment Forest! She was also the Sovereign of Ten Thousand Poisons, a terrifying ruler within the Divine Punishment Forest—the Snake King!

Qian Xun!

Jun Mo Xie was genuinely taken aback. Why had Venerable Mei not dispatched the strongest Beast King besides himself, the Crane King He Chongxiao, but instead chosen the Snake King? Did the Snake King Qian Xun possess abilities that surpassed the Crane King? Or was the strategy to counter poison with poison? Jun Mo Xie pondered, but dismissed it as unlikely.

It was well known that although the Snake King was the King of Poisons, the Sovereign of Ten Thousand Poisons, her opponent was recognized as one of the Eight Great Supremes of the continent! Once Xuan cultivation reached the Supreme level, while they might not be entirely impervious to all poisons and evil arts, ordinary toxins would generally become ineffective.

Furthermore, any individual at the Supreme level possessed shrewd calculation and vast combat experience. They were fully aware of any venomous creatures that might pose a threat and likely devised countermeasures long before an enemy could deploy them.

In such a scenario, what use was even the most lethal poison? Even those legendary toxins that promised instant death upon contact would have significantly diminished effect against a Supreme-level expert!

The human continent’s side engaged in tense deliberation, and a figure cloaked in black strode out from the crowd, taking his position opposite the Snake King. As Jun Mo Xie had predicted, the champion chosen by the continent was the Cold-Blooded Supreme, Lei Wu Bei!

This choice was anticipated by Jun Mo Xie, but in his mind, Lei Wu Bei was not the optimal candidate. The best choice would have been Ying Bo Kong. When fighting an opponent wielding potent poisons, speed and rapid decisive action were paramount, favoring high accuracy, high evasion, and maximum agility.

These comprehensive advantages naturally belonged to Ying Bo Kong, especially since Ying Bo Kong’s Soaring Eagle Movement technique was the Snake King’s natural nemesis! Eagles eat snakes!

But if Jun Mo Xie could see this, surely the Allied Forces of the Continent could not have missed it? Shi Chang Xiao and the others wanted Ying Bo Kong to fight, but they dared not. The situation was clear: this was the third bout in a three-match wager; the continent had already lost one. If they lost another, the third match would be rendered moot.

Aside from Ying Bo Kong’s obvious disdain for Li Jue Tian and his son, his close relationship with Young Master Jun was also plainly visible. The Jun family’s near-total escape from this conflict, despite the overwhelming disparity in power, made it unbelievable that they had no underhanded dealings with the Divine Punishment side.

Relying on luck? An entire contingent of three hundred people having such incredible luck that the Heavens favored them all on the same day? Only an idiot would believe that.

While everyone trusted the Jun family and believed Ying Bo Kong would not betray the continent for personal gain, what if there was a minute chance? Who could bear that responsibility? Therefore, the Allied Forces chose the second-best option: Lei Wu Bei!

Moreover, Lei Wu Bei’s established merit in combat was far more robust than Ying Bo Kong’s.

With the combatants decided—the Continent’s Fifth Supreme versus the Divine Punishment Beast King, the Sovereign of Ten Thousand Poisons, Qian Xun!

Just then, a lithe figure flashed out from the opposite Divine Punishment Forest like a streak of light, leaving behind a sequence of crisp afterimages. Moving with lightning speed, the figure arrived before Jun Wu Yi and Dongfang Wenqing, abruptly seizing Jun Mo Xie, who stood between the two, and then retreating just as fluidly, leaving behind an array of distinct afterimages!

On the field, two long trails of residual shadows appeared, one on the left and one on the right, forming two dense, nearly parallel lines, like two perfectly arrayed columns of soldiers standing opposite each other before vanishing simultaneously!

“Immortal Incarnation, Thousand Illusions! Heaven and Earth Cage!” Lei Bao Yu and Bu Kuang exclaimed in unison. They were genuinely shocked by the endless, profound techniques displayed by the Master of Divine Punishment!

How many ultimate trump cards did this Venerable Mei have yet to unleash? Had his power truly reached a level comparable to the Lord of the Reclusive Immortal Palace?

But… within the Divine Punishment forces, there was still ‘him,’ the two swallowed hard.

The move Venerable Mei used to seize Jun Mo Xie was the very same Heaven and Earth Cage he had employed against Li Jue Tian! Venerable Mei remained utterly baffled as to how Jun Mo Xie could disappear from his grasp without a sound, but he surmised it must be some profound, obscure secret technique.

Coupled with the strong possibility that Young Master Jun was the disciple of that mysterious master, this ability became somewhat understandable. However, when facing such a secret art, while he might not fully comprehend it or even know how to counter it, completely guarding against or subduing Young Master Jun was an entirely different matter!

Therefore, Venerable Mei’s grab for Jun Mo Xie this time was a decisive application of the Heaven and Earth Cage, capable of imprisoning all celestial and terrestrial energy! The reason he hadn't used it on the Young Master before was that the boy’s cultivation was far too weak—using such a divine technique would be akin to using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Now that it was confirmed the boy, though weak, possessed unparalleled escape skills, it was necessary to strike with full force, snatching him cleanly, returning him to the beast horde, and tossing him down near himself! He landed squarely on his rear!

With a poof, Jun Mo Xie felt a sharp sting in his backside. Fortunately, there were no stones beneath him, or he would have been severely injured where it mattered most.

Jun Wu Yi raised an eyebrow. Dongfang Wenqing quickly whispered in his ear, “The one who just attacked was the Master of Divine Punishment. He likely took a liking to Mo Xie’s extraordinary talent. I overheard him mentioning taking Mo Xie as a disciple; this is fortune, not disaster, for Mo Xie. Please remain calm!” Jun Wu Yi grunted, his eyes clouded with worry. But he knew that facing the most powerful figure in the Divine Punishment faction, he was utterly powerless, able only to hope his nephew would meet with good fortune.

No one anticipated Venerable Mei would suddenly execute such a move! Not even Jun Mo Xie himself. By the time he reacted, he found his entire body completely paralyzed. Finally, with a mere thought, he attempted to flee into the Hong Jun Pagoda to escape his captor, only to discover—much to his surprise and dismay—that while his spiritual sense could still connect to the Pagoda, his physical body remained immobile!

This was a genuine catastrophe!

Under Venerable Mei’s Heaven and Earth Cage, which could seal all spiritual energy, Jun Mo Xie was forcefully returned to his original, initial state on the first layer. He was restored to a state where only spiritual consciousness could enter, but the physical body was barred! Jun Mo Xie seethed inwardly. Why does this damned old man keep targeting me? What is his intention?

How did I offend him? Must he pursue me relentlessly? Has he become addicted to tormenting me? Is he some kind of sadist?! But who am I, really? There are so many Divine Xuan Supremes here; tormenting any one of them would surely yield him more satisfaction than me. Why lock onto only me? Jun Mo Xie was utterly baffled.

“Stay still! Sit quietly and don’t move! Or you’ll regret it!” Venerable Mei delivered a sharp kick to his backside. He was positioned directly behind Jun Mo Xie, so a slight movement of his calf was imperceptible to anyone else. Jun Mo Xie absorbed the brutal kick, the pain searing through him, yet he remained perfectly motionless, his facial expression still fixed in a smile…

A wise man doesn't fight battles he cannot win. Just wait, old man!