The Demon with Holy Radiance

Two seconds passed in heavy silence. No one in the crowd dared to make a sound; they barely even breathed.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Elder Wen Zhao had come to deal with Yang An personally. But to everyone’s surprise, Yang An gave no response, as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

"El... Elder..."

As Wen Zhao’s expression grew darker, the immense pressure he exuded washed over everyone present. Someone, trembling, tried to get Yang An’s attention.

Yang An took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes, a flash of anger in their depths.

’I was trying to learn Qiangui Mountain’s Techniques in my mind. It’s difficult without anything concrete to work with, and I’d just found a lead when this guy Wen Zhao showed up.’

’I really don’t want to deal with this guy, but he’s here to cause trouble. I’ll have to put the Technique aside and handle this first.’

"I thought you were so injured you’d lost your senses. It seems Elder Mu is doing just fine after all."

Seeing Yang An finally react, the anger on Wen Zhao’s face dissipated, replaced by a mocking sneer.

"Elder Wen Zhao, if you have something to say, say it. If not, I won’t be keeping you company."

Yang An gave him a cold look, his tone icy and utterly uncompromising.

At his words, Wen Zhao’s expression froze. Even the surrounding Cultivators were stunned into silence.

They had expected Yang An to stand up to Elder Wen Zhao, but they never imagined he’d be so confrontational, showing the Elder absolutely no respect.

As if sensing what was coming, the surrounding Cultivators began to back away, hoping to avoid becoming collateral damage when Wen Zhao inevitably exploded. Still, they couldn’t help but worry for Yang An.

After all, Yang An had defied the order for their sakes. Even an idiot knew that following Wen Zhao’s command was a death sentence.

"How dare you, Mu’an! You defied a direct order, and when I come to find you myself, you remain this defiant? If I don’t punish you for your crime today, how can I appease the masses!

Now, come back to the island with me obediently and accept your punishment!"

Wen Zhao dropped the pretense. A vicious glint appeared in his eyes as he unleashed the full might of his Insect Dao aura, concealing nothing. The pressure was so immense that the surrounding Cultivators could barely breathe.

He had originally planned to be more subtle, to keep things low-key. That way, even if he punished Yang An, it wouldn’t draw too much attention or give anyone leverage against him.

But since Yang An was being so utterly uncooperative, he couldn’t be bothered to act anymore.

Yang An wasn’t surprised in the least; he had long since guessed the purpose of the man’s visit.

"Accept punishment? And what crime might that be?

Elder Wen Zhao, you make sending us to our deaths sound so righteous. If I am guilty, then in my eyes, your sins are far greater. Why don’t you punish yourself first?"

Yang An sneered. Wen Zhao’s face flushed red then paled, and he seethed with rage.

"Nonsense! I say you are guilty, and so you are! Since you won’t come back with me to accept your punishment, don’t blame me for getting rough."

Without giving Yang An a chance to say another word, Wen Zhao struck, intending to drag him back to the island by force.

Even if Zhuan Yu didn’t interfere, Pavilion Master Thirty Flow might find out. He had to settle this matter decisively and give Yang An no opportunity to turn things around.

The moment he finished speaking, Wen Zhao—with his green hair and beard—unleashed an aura so dense it seemed solid. Masses of green vapor twisted together like seaweed, instantly forming a massive, ferocious serpent that lunged at Yang An, its maw wide open.

The green serpent was incredibly fast. Its frenzied fangs, like a row of jagged teeth, were upon Yang An in the blink of an eye.

Wen Zhao had no intention of giving Yang An any chance to fight back. At the same time, he knew Yang An’s current Cultivation Level was Insect Dao and couldn’t be underestimated. Thus, he used seventy to eighty percent of his strength in this attack, infusing it with his own Power of Rules.

Though the green vapor that normally emanated from him looked like a poisonous mist, it wasn’t poison at all. It was a type of flame born from the Power of Rules.

Should this green flame touch any living being, it could instantly shatter their will, making them abandon all resistance.

Even Zhuan Yu, another Insect Dao cultivator, wouldn’t dare let himself be touched by this Power of Rules. He was incredibly wary of it whenever they fought.

’Once I’ve captured Yang An, I’ll silence everyone here. Then I’ll take him back to the island and deal with him secretly. No one will find out what I’ve done for a while.’

’By the time anyone finds out, it’ll be debatable whether Yang An is even still alive. And even if the Pavilion Master learns of it, I’ll be the one to ’explain’ what happened.’

Wen Zhao’s plan was perfect. He had everything figured out, from start to finish, for how he would handle Yang An.

But then, something happened that he couldn’t comprehend. The unexpected occurred.

Just as the great green serpent was about to swallow Yang An whole—its verdant aura already brushing against his clothes—it suddenly froze in front of him, stock-still, as the distant Cultivators watched in hiding.

The air suddenly grew scorching hot, the temperature seeming to rise infinitely in an instant. Countless rays of light radiated from a single point, enveloping the green serpent. In a flash, the serpent silently disintegrated.

As the serpent collapsed, the green aura burst outward, but before it could even scatter, the light transformed it into black smoke.

For a moment, Wen Zhao stared at the scene as if he had seen a ghost, his pupils constricting in utter shock.

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