Seeing Heijin's move, Jerah, far in the rear, felt a sudden dread. As a Sword Saint himself, he knew all too well how unwise it was to clash head-on with another Sword Saint. While Heijin had reached the rank of Great Swordsman, he was still significantly outmatched against Mo Han.

Indeed, as the two bursts of fighting aura collided, Mo Han's momentum did not lessen in the slightest as he surged forward, completely ignoring the attacks from behind. Heijin’s weapon was instantly shattered by Mo Han, and his entire body was flung back by Mo Han’s overwhelming power. Upon landing, Heijin retreated several steps, desperately trying to use the ground beneath him to absorb the force of Mo Han's aura. With every step Heijin took, the flagstones beneath his feet immediately cracked, but he successfully negated the damage dealt by Mo Han's energy.

In a single move, Mo Han not only broke the enemy's encirclement but also forced Heijin back. This realization caused the hearts of the Dark Elders to sink. They now understood that although the Sword Saint and Great Swordsman ranks were separated by only one level, the difference in actual strength was vast. Moreover, with the Holy Sword of Light in Mo Han’s grasp, they stood no chance of victory.

With this thought in mind.

The remaining three Dark Elders exchanged a glance, nodding in unison. Immediately, one of them raised his sword and lunged fiercely towards Liu Yanran, who lay on the ground nearby. The other two Elders sprang towards Mo Han, attempting to prevent him from moving to rescue her. However, an unexpected event unfolded before them.

Mo Han showed no intention of intervening, merely watching the Dark Elder attacking Liu Yanran with a cold sneer. In Mo Han’s eyes,

a flicker of killing intent emerged. With a furious roar, a brilliant white light erupted. The two Dark Elders lunging at Mo Han suddenly felt a crushing weight upon them, as if an invisible pressure was descending.

It was the unique manifestation of a Sword Saint: the Sword Saint Domain. Within this domain, the strength of all creatures was severely diminished, while Mo Han’s own power received a noticeable boost.

The two Dark Elders were greatly alarmed. Forgetting their attack on Mo Han, they hurriedly circulated their fighting auras to resist the pressure. Mo Han, however, paid them no mind, instead pursuing the cloaked figure aiming for Liu Yanran.

Given the current distance, Mo Han realized he would not reach Liu Yanran in time to help.

The Dark Elder charging at Liu Yanran was rapidly closing the gap, a savage glint in his eyes. He abruptly raised his longsword, bringing it down with all his might toward the defenseless Liu Yanran, intending a killing blow.

Just then, a flash of white light appeared. A small, white barrier suddenly burst into existence around Liu Yanran’s body.

This was the Holy Light Barrier, the most potent protective magic of the Church of Light. However, this barrier had been modified by Mo Han, its volume greatly reduced to form a miniature version of the Holy Light Barrier.

It turned out that while talking to the Blood Killer Jerah, Mo Han had secretly laid down this Holy Light Barrier to protect Liu Yanran. No wonder Mo Han had confidently stayed away from her and hadn't panicked when the Dark Elder attacked; he had prepared for this.

As the Dark Elder’s sword struck the barrier, he instantly felt an enormous repulsive force surge back toward him. He lost all control of his body and was violently pushed backward.

But even as he retreated, the Dark Elder heard the cries of alarm from his comrades behind him. Before he could react, a chilling sensation swept across his chest. Mo Han’s half-exposed Holy Sword of Light had pierced straight through his body. The Dark Elder perished instantly, without even time for a scream.

From the moment the three Dark Elders launched their attack, to Mo Han repelling the two attacking him, then using the Holy Light Barrier's rebound to force the third back, and finally plunging his sword home while the enemy was unstable—the entire sequence took mere seconds. Clearly, everything had been calculated by Mo Han.

Mo Han had deliberately moved away from Liu Yanran’s side specifically to provoke these Dark Elders into attacking, thus creating an opportunity for a decisive, fatal blow. Everything had unfolded precisely according to his plan. The Elders had tried to use Liu Yanran against Mo Han, completely falling into his trap.

Jerah, who had been observing from the rear, suddenly began to clap his hands and spoke with a smile, “Chen Mo Han is indeed Chen Mo Han. What a perfect offensive. Even I must admire your skill. It seems your past achievements weren't just down to luck. Were it not for the Oath, I, Jerah, would truly want a match with you. It’s rare to find a Sword Saint on the continent these days; I haven't fought seriously in ages.”

Mo Han did not appreciate Jerah's praise, replying coldly, "Enough nonsense. If you want a fight, come down here. If you intend to defeat me using these riffraff, you're dreaming."

Hearing this, Blood Killer Jerah showed no anger, only chuckling. He pulled a flute from his robes and began to blow a shrill, piercing sound that filled the entire hall. Upon hearing the melody, Mo Han’s expression darkened, and his brow furrowed.

Mo Han was far too familiar with that flute sound. Back in Tianlong City, Jerah had used this very music to control the powerful Yin Puppet Warriors against them. If Mo Han hadn't successfully tricked the Blood Killer into a wager then, Murong Tian’s army would have been wiped out. It was a testament to the terrifying strength of those Yin Puppets.

But an even greater shock awaited Mo Han. As the flute music sounded, the Dark Elders and Dark Warriors retreated in an orderly fashion. Mo Han let them go, making no move to stop them. Simultaneously, from the dark corners of the hall, several figures clad entirely in black slowly emerged. The moment Mo Han saw their faces, his own expression drastically changed.

The five figures—four men and one woman—were all familiar faces to Mo Han. They were Liu Yanran's master, the former Pope of the Dark Church, along with several other elders who were devoted followers of the former Pope—precisely the faction Blood Killer was maneuvering against.

However, the Dark Pope and the accompanying elders now stood with vacant, lifeless eyes, staring blankly ahead. A faint black mist subtly emanated from the exposed skin on their bodies—the distinctive mark of Yin Puppet Warriors. Mo Han was stunned by Jerah’s inhumanity in turning the former Pope and these elders into puppets. This development was completely beyond anything he had anticipated.

Controlled by the flute music, these individuals, now transformed into Yin Puppets, slowly encircled Mo Han. Seeing this, Blood Killer Jerah laughed triumphantly, "Chen Mo Han, aren't my Yin Puppets impressive? They are a hundred times stronger than the previous batch. Do you still think you have an easy victory?" Mo Han coldly retorted, "I always thought you were bloodthirsty, but I never realized you were this inhumane. The Dark Pope was your senior sister. If you killed her to seize the position, I could perhaps understand. But to show no regard for your shared lineage and turn her and those elders into Yin Puppets—are you not afraid of alienating the rest of the Dark Church? Are you not afraid of suffering the same fate someday?" Hearing Mo Han's words, Blood Killer Jerah burst into laughter, sneering dismissively, "Nonsense! As long as my power is absolute and my authority is immense, people will willingly serve me. Why should I care what others think? Chen Mo Han, you disappoint me. For someone so clever, you fail to grasp such a simple truth?" Mo Han shook his head wearily. "Words fail us when we disagree so fundamentally. I believe there is nothing left to discuss between us."

Hearing Mo Han's response, Blood Killer Jerah let out a cold snort. "Since you are so eager to die, I will grant your wish today."

With that said, Jerah commanded the Yin Puppets coldly, "You five, kill the man before you."

As Jerah finished speaking, the Yin Puppets immediately drew their weapons and lunged at Mo Han, adopting a style of relentless offense with no regard for defense. This immediately increased the pressure on Mo Han tenfold. The former Dark Pope alone possessed the strength of a Sword Saint, and now fighting with reckless abandon, dealing with her was a headache in itself.

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