Dugu Bachen’s face was grave in a way never seen before; his towering form stood utterly unyielding against the void, his iron saber blazing with a fierce light. The power surging within him burst forth again, and without hesitation, he cleaved a strike toward the colossal hand.

A sharper blade-light flashed, an even more tremendous aura erupted...

With a deafening boom, the massive swath of sword energy conjured by Dugu Bachen was instantly pulverized by Fang Zhentian’s palm strike. Even the iron saber in Dugu Bachen’s hand shattered, reduced to the finest iron filings. As for Dugu Bachen himself, he was hurled away like a mere tennis ball, flung for dozens of li until he slammed violently into a mountainous island, causing the entire landmass to crumble. A mouthful of blood erupted from his lips, and every bone in his body felt as if it had been pulverized.

Watching Dugu Bachen sent flying by a single palm, Leng Yueying, who was still trembling in the presence of Yulan, felt a sharp sting pierce her heart. Yet, before she could rush to check on him, Dugu Bachen’s figure was already soaring back into the fray.

His body began to swell rapidly, the garments clinging to him tearing apart under the strain, revealing layers of corded, powerful muscle. His withered hair stood erect, moving without wind, growing longer by the second. In mere breaths, his form had expanded to a height of one hundred zhang.

The power he had concealed for centuries erupted fully at this moment. Furthermore, Xuan Yuanjue, standing nearby, unleashed his own strength without reservation; his body began to inflate in tandem.

Their original physical forms were fundamentally incapable of containing this sheer magnitude of power.

The transcendent auras of the three powerhouses exploded forth completely. The dark clouds overhead thickened violently, and arcs of lightning surged between the masses of vapor. It was even faintly visible that within the black clouds, massive quantities of black flame were churning, laced with subtle streaks of crimson firelight.

The Red Lotus Karmic Fire...

That was the legendary Red Lotus Karmic Fire, a superlative flame rumored to be capable of incinerating both soul and flesh to ash with even the slightest contact.

The full commitment of these three great powerhouses had finally agitated the Heavenly Dao rules of this realm.

Sensing the clusters of Red Lotus Karmic Fire descending from the sky, Fang Zhentian’s expression shifted once more. At his level of cultivation, he inherently understood the terror of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, and it was precisely this fear that had kept him suppressing his own strength. He had never anticipated that unleashing only a fraction of his power, coupled with his current Blood Dragon physique, would invoke such a Heavenly Tribulation. But unexpectedly, Dugu Bachen and Xuan Yuanjue had concealed reserves of power far greater than he imagined.

Though their individual strengths were still inferior to his own, their combined might was enough to surpass his and certainly enough to summon the Heavenly Tribulation.

Seeing the detached expressions on their faces, Fang Zhentian understood: they had already seen past the boundaries of life and death. The only purpose of invoking the Red Lotus Karmic Fire now was to ensure mutual destruction with him.

“Very well, very well. You disregard the Heavenly Dao rules—truly excellent. You eight, you’ve watched long enough; it’s time for you to make a move!” A sinister grin twisted Fang Zhentian’s lips.

As his words faded, eight powerful auras suddenly manifested in the sky. Apart from one figure draped in blood-red robes, the other seven were all impeccably handsome and dashing men.

“Brother Fang, this calamity is of your making; we truly have no reason to intervene and assist you!” one of the men spoke directly.

“Feng Yan, stop spouting such cold nonsense, you bastard! Under the Heavenly Scourge, do you think it will spare you?” Fang Zhentian roared in fury, cursing loudly.

“Indeed, under the Heavenly Scourge, everyone present must endure its might. It is simply surprising that these two have increased their power so much within just a hundred years. However, it changes nothing. Brother Fang, you must resolve this matter, but as for the Heavenly Scourge, we will help you eliminate it!” the man named Feng Yan said with a gentle smile.

The others nodded in unison. Fang Zhentian glared in rage, making a rude gesture without another word.

Throughout the exchange, Dugu Bachen and Xuan Yuanjue had not spoken a single word. They knew these eight were the patriarchs of the other eight great families of the Gu Hua Continent, all top-tier experts who had reached the Venerable Rank.

If they intervened, the two of them would surely meet their end. But everything was playing out as they had calculated: the nine great families were fundamentally fractured. It would be a kindness if they didn't strike from the shadows, let alone help the Fang family. If they hadn't provoked this Heavenly Tribulation, these eight likely wouldn't have shown themselves at all.

At that moment, the bodies of the eight figures shot towards the sky. They began rapidly weaving arcane hand seals, and various colored lights poured upward, quickly coalescing into a massive barrier that completely sealed off the auras of Fang Zhentian, Dugu Bachen, and Xuan Yuanjue.

And then, the figures of the eight vanished from sight.

As for the mass of dark clouds above, while they did not immediately dissipate, they did not withdraw either, seemingly searching for the recent bursts of energy that had triggered them.

Fang Zhentian knew the eight would not intervene again, but this turn of events allowed him to unleash his power without restraint.

The blue light emanating from his body grew brighter and brighter, his azure scales flashing with dazzling radiance.

“All of you, perish! Dragon Subdues the Rivers and Lakes...” Fang Zhentian roared, his hands clawing at the void. A massive fissure ripped open in the empty space, and a colossal blue dragon silhouette surged out, bearing down upon Dugu Bachen and Xuan Yuanjue.

Simultaneously, Fang Zhentian’s massive, hundred-zhang body vanished from its original spot. When it reappeared, he had shrunk to human size, instantly standing beside Leng Yueying.

He raised his hand and brought it down toward the center of her back.

“Yueying...” Dugu Bachen, who had been bracing to fend off the giant dragon shadow, felt his world tilt when he saw Fang Zhentian materialize beside Leng Yueying. His usually calm features dissolved into utter panic. He surged toward Leng Yueying with reckless abandon, a sound bordering on a soul-tearing scream escaping his throat.

In an instant, Dugu Bachen’s body was battered by the dragon shadow, but he reached Leng Yueying at the same moment Fang Zhentian’s palm struck her back.

(Haven't eaten breakfast yet, going to grab some now. I’ll continue writing shortly, brothers, smash those votes—we can’t fall behind, right?)