The man took several steps back, unleashing several bursts of internal energy from his hands in quick succession. These strikes finally created a fissure in the combined assault of Zhang Yang and the others, especially targeting Long Feng, who, being only at the late Second Layer, barely managed to evade two targeted bursts.

The combined attack from the two men and the beast was forced to halt temporarily, though they had succeeded in pushing the man back. To have forced back a master of the Fourth Layer of Internal Energy with their combined effort left Long Feng in a state of disbelief even after the attack subsided.

Fourth Layer of Internal Energy—elders of that level within the clan were invincible presences; he had always felt utterly incapable of resisting them before those elders. “Good, good!” The man, having retreated a few steps, uttered the word "good" twice in succession.

The look on his face became intensely serious. He hadn't underestimated the two men and the beast from the start, but now he realized he had still gauged them too low.

The coordination between these two people and the beast was already sufficient to contend with a Fourth Layer Internal Energy master. Of course, it was merely contending; there was absolutely no possibility of them defeating a Fourth Layer master.

The Fourth Layer of Internal Energy was far more formidable than the Third Layer—it was a qualitative leap. A Fourth Layer practitioner could depart at any moment if they didn't wish to be entangled, and even lightning speed might not guarantee keeping up.

Watching the retreating man, a small surge of elation and excitement stirred within Zhang Yang. Forcing back a Fourth Layer master was indeed an achievement, but this was hardly the time to savor it; a single misstep could turn this triumph into disaster.

Should they fail, no one knew what fate awaited them in this desolate wilderness. “I won’t hold back anymore; all of you must be cautious!” The man raised his palm and spoke softly.

Zhang Yang and Long Feng’s eyes sharpened, watching him tensely. The man’s palm slowly began to change color, turning a deep, fiery red, as if ignited.

“Flame Palm!” Zhang Yang murmured the three words softly, his expression tinged with bitterness. Flame Palm was an advanced cultivation technique.

Ordinary Internal Energy cultivators could learn it, but true mastery required reaching the Fourth Layer of Internal Energy. Only the immense internal energy of that level could generate sufficient heat within the palm to unleash the Flame Palm's true power.

“Not good!” Zhang Yang’s expression shifted again; he suddenly recalled another effect of the Flame Palm. Beyond direct combat, the Flame Palm could generate immense high-temperature thermal energy, incinerating all toxins—it was a major bane to all poisons.

The advantage Zhang Yang and his companions had enjoyed previously was entirely due to the poisonous mist expelled by Lightning. Without that mist, the man would never have been so apprehensive.

Zhang Yang knew this because the Flame Palm was recorded in his clan’s texts; he even knew the cultivation method, though his current internal energy level was insufficient for effective practice. Unfortunately, his reaction was too slow.

The man was already closing in, his palm sweeping out repeatedly. Wherever his palm strikes grazed, the poisonous mist was eroded by the intense heat, vanishing without a trace.

In a short while, the vast expanse of mist was reduced to a small patch. The sight stunned even Lightning; the poisonous vapor it had painstakingly expelled was being nullified by the opponent.

This represented the majority of its stored reserve. Without the mist, the man lost all reservations.

He lunged forward, reaching out to seize Lightning. This man was clever; he had already discerned that the most significant threat among his opponents—the two people and the beast—was the swift, agile Fox-tailed Marten.

“Squeak squeak squeak!” Lightning immediately cried out and darted away rapidly. Zhang Yang reacted instantly, brandishing the Dragon-Devouring Dagger and surging forward to support Lightning.

Lightning’s greatest assets were its speed and toxicity; its brute strength likely couldn't even match an ordinary adult. Competing in strength against this master would be pure self-flagellation.

Long Feng’s Snow Whip also lashed out; they shared a deep understanding—whoever was in danger, the others would support. The two acted hastily, but their coordination remained decent.

The man unleashed two palms to neutralize their attack, allowing the Fox-tailed Marten to escape successfully. His assault had not gone as planned this time.

Despite the lack of success, his maneuver had thrown Zhang Yang and the others into disarray, and he had destroyed the poisonous mist, placing him in the advantageous position now. His inherent strength was superior, and now he held the advantage, making Zhang Yang’s situation increasingly difficult.

“Smack! Smack!” “Swish!

Swish!” The intense battle raged on. Any tree surrounding them, no matter how thick, could not escape being snapped at the waist if struck; these individuals were truly formidable.

“That’s not right; didn’t you already experience some depletion? How is your internal energy still so ample?” After fighting for a while, the man frowned to himself; he had spotted another anomaly.

Zhang Yang and Long Feng seemed to grow more energetic the longer they fought. Although their internal energy couldn't match his, their stamina was not lacking, showing no signs of lagging internal energy reserves.

Based on the previous exchange, he had predicted that both men should have consumed at least two-thirds of their energy by now and should be struggling to maintain the fight, rather than appearing so vibrant. Regrettably, his question received no answer.

Shadowless could restore their condition on the spot; this was one of his greatest secrets and could never be revealed to the enemy before him. Their current only advantage was this: to outlast the opponent through attrition.

Even a Fourth Layer master’s internal energy would eventually deplete. With Shadowless assisting their replenishment, they had no fear of that outcome.

If they fought to the end and simply held out, even if they couldn't win, they could ensure their safety. At this moment, Zhang Yang wasn't even considering victory.

Facing these two men and the beast, the man’s surprise grew deeper. He had only recently broken through to the Fourth Layer of Internal Energy, and his skill felt itchy to test, which was why he had watched Zhang Yang and Long Feng sparring today, eager for a match.

It was similar to how Zhang Yang had sought opponents when he first broke through. He had originally expected that this duo and the beast could only keep him occupied for a short time, and taking them down should present no real problem.

But he hadn't anticipated they would be this tenacious; winning wouldn't be easy. Cannot win?

The mere thought was unbelievable to him. He was a peak master of the Fourth Layer; even newly ascended, he was vastly superior to anyone in the Third Layer.

His opponents consisted of two at the Third Layer and one at the Second Layer. How could such a combination possibly defeat him?

If someone had told him this in the past, he would have dismissed it as a joke, but now he had to admit that without employing his true abilities, a straight-up confrontation with this combination would mean he couldn't win. To exert his full strength would equate to admitting defeat, and he couldn't afford that humiliation.

Furthermore, while the Flame Palm was potent, it was also a significant drain on internal energy. Coupled with his prior expenditures, his current internal energy reserves were already substantially diminished.

His eyes darted, and the man suddenly broke away from the combined assault of Zhang Yang and Lightning, moving rapidly toward Long Feng. Long Feng had maintained a distance, relying only on the Snow Whip for support.

He knew he was the weakest link; with his current strength, closing the distance wouldn't help but would only deliver himself up for slaughter. The moment the man moved, Zhang Yang sensed something amiss.

Unfortunately, the man’s speed was too great; Zhang Yang couldn't intervene in time, and the man was already beside Long Feng. The man refrained from releasing his internal energy externally, as that consumed too much.

However, if he was engaged in close combat, Long Feng was guaranteed a terrible fate. Faced with the enemy suddenly appearing before him, Long Feng’s face was filled with terror.

He wanted to flee, but he understood that with his speed, escape was impossible; the gap in cultivation was too vast, the opponent’s strength too high—running wouldn't avail him. With no one to assist, Long Feng had only himself to rely on in that moment.

In that instant, resolution flared in Long Feng’s eyes. If he cannot escape, he must fight; even if he dies, he cannot let this Fourth Layer master off easily.

The man’s hand was now above Long Feng’s head, capable of striking down and shattering Long Feng’s skull with a single blow. However, he could also switch from striking to grasping, completely subduing Long Feng.

The man chose the latter; he hadn't intended to kill Long Feng. “Dragon Transformation Art?

You are from the Long family?” The man’s face suddenly contorted in horror. Long Feng’s face cycled through three distinct colors—black, white, and red—blended on his features, creating a terrifying mask.

Dragon Transformation Art? Hearing the name called out, Zhang Yang also started, horror and fear instantly flashing across his face.

The Dragon Transformation Art was famous, a secret not shared within the Long family. This technique could excavate a person’s potential, instantly boosting their strength.

Techniques that offered instantaneous power amplification usually carried a high cost. The Dragon Transformation Art was an advanced skill that provided a significant boost, essentially elevating Long Feng to the late Third Layer, a full realm higher.

This magnitude of strength increase was truly immense, but the price was his own life. The cost was indeed exorbitant.

“Smack, smack, smack!” Mid-motion, the man’s hand abruptly changed direction, striking Long Feng’s body instead. Long Feng staggered back a few steps, his eyes turning blood-red, and he roared as he lunged toward the man.

“Zhang Yang, go quickly!” As he shouted, he warned Zhang Yang. Having used the Dragon Transformation Art, he had only about half an hour left to live, and he intended to use those thirty minutes to hold the man back, at least creating an opportunity for Zhang Yang and the others to escape.

The power of the late Third Layer, coupled with a reckless fighting style, would surely require the peak Fourth Layer master to concentrate fully, leaving him no time for anything else. With that, Zhang Yang and the others would have covered a vast distance in half an hour, making escape from this man entirely feasible.

“Impulsive little fellow!” The man retreated while sighing. A pair of gloves suddenly appeared on his hands, which he swiftly pulled on.

With the gloved hands, he met Long Feng’s charge head-on several times. With every impact, Long Feng felt his internal energy violently shake within his body, and his strength plummeted rapidly.

Mid-Third Layer, early Third Layer—after being struck a dozen times, his power reverted to the late Second Layer. The potent internal energy cultivated through the life-force expenditure of the Dragon Transformation Art vanished entirely.

At this moment, Zhang Yang had not yet left. Long Feng cast a look of deep unwillingness at the man before him, then his eyes went dark, and consciousness faded away.

……………… Second chapter update. In the next chapter, the man's identity will be revealed.

Who can guess who he is?