Outside the Secret Realm, Fan Shan's mangled corpse hit the ground, torn asunder. The first death in this trial, from an Eighth-Grade power, no less.

  But what stunned the countless onlookers wasn't his fall—it was how Bai Su Mei killed him.

  "What did Bai Su Mei use? How could it boost her strength so terrifyingly?"

  This thought gripped every cultivator watching. Fan Shan's use of a cultivation-boosting pill was no surprise, but such pills left lasting damage. Bai Su Mei was different; after her surge, she was merely fatigued, her face slightly pale, her foundation untouched. The crowd grew warier of the women beside Lan An.

  "Likely a Secret Art!" an Academy elder concluded within the viewing space.

  "Secret Arts that boost cultivation aren't rare here, but one without harmful aftereffects is unheard of," another elder said gravely. They reasoned the art must be capped at lower realms, losing effect at higher stages, or it would be too overpowered.

  Inside the Secret Realm, Mu Song's aura turned ferocious. Before countless eyes, his sturdy flesh split, mutating. Thick fur sprouted, fangs and claws elongated, his body swelled tenfold, becoming a true beast-man. Bat-like wings grew, resembling a demon.

  "What blood did he consume?" Many faces darkened, sensing an invisible pressure from Mu Song.

  "Vampire blood, but a mere diluted drop, short-lived. Still, his strength has surged. Be cautious, Young Master!" Kim Nhi warned.

  As Mu Song completed his transformation, the Blood Star Sect's First Saint Son, battling Mu Bai Yin, sneered gleefully. He'd secretly given Mu Song that Vampire Blood.

  "One-Strike Kill!" Mu Bai Yin seized his distraction, her Purple Plum Blade flashing, aiming a lethal blow.

  "Blood Pearl!" The First Saint Son panicked, raising his pearl to block, but a slash severed two fingers, leaving a gruesome, unhealing wound. "Wretch, daring to sneak attack me? Die!" he roared, counterattacking with full force. Mu Bai Yin smiled confidently, parrying with ease.

  Before terrified gazes, Mu Song roared savagely, his claws tearing a corner of the Peach Blossom Array.

  "Explode!" Seeing her array ravaged, Hua Yu Fei shouted delicately. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The formation detonated, crashing into Mu Song. He howled in pain.

  As dust settled, Mu Song stood ferocious, his blood-red eyes fixed on Bai Su Mei, fury intensifying.

  "His strength now rivals a Fifth-Turn Body Cultivator!" Kim Nhi noted.

  Lan An frowned, condensing a Star-Piercing Finger at Mu Song's heart. Whoosh! Sensing danger, Mu Song flapped his wings, dodging. But the finger's speed pierced a wing, blood gushing. Mu Song charged Lan An, razor claws lunging.

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  "Die!" Lan Yu bellowed. Above, thunder rumbled, a bolt aiming for Lan An's head.

  Yu Han, eyeing the black beast in his arms with murderous intent, hurled it forth. "Go, my mightiest beast! Let the heavens tremble beneath you!"

  Three deafening roars echoed. The tiny beast swelled into a mountain. Pitch-black, dog-like, its maw spanned half its body, utterly grotesque.

  "Devouring Dog, bearing a faint trace of Taotie blood. No simple foe, Young Master!" Kim Nhi said gravely.

  Three devastating attacks converged: Lan Yu's thunder, Mu Song's claws, and the Devouring Dog's maw. Lan An faced three foes, yet remained eerily calm.

  Suddenly, the Dragon King Halberd appeared in his hand. Blood Iron Battle Armor and Blood Iron Crystal Boots encased him. He leapt skyward.

  ROAR! A commanding roar echoed, a colossal figure wreathed in purple thunder emerging beneath Lan An. He landed on its back.

  Purple Thunder Gryphon.

  Purple lightning cloaked the sky, dwarfing Lan Yu's thunder. The thunderbolt descended, repelling all attacks. Lan Yu's thunder shattered. Mu Song was blasted back. The Devouring Dog swallowed the bolt, yelping in pain, warily eyeing the new arrival.

  "Purple Thunder Gryphon? Wasn't this beast extinct since ancient times?" Yu Han paled, muttering in disbelief. To see one now, owned by his foe, drove Yu Han mad with envy. He roared, "Kill him! I'll seize the Purple Thunder Gryphon!"

  Mu Song, blasted back, charged again, claws slashing at Lan An.

  "Lan Moon Ice Palm—Furious Thunder Barrage!" Lan Yu roared, condensing two Heaven-Grade techniques simultaneously: Ice and Thunder. The Devouring Dog recovered, forming a massive dark orb, brimming with destructive power.

  Once more, the three strongest foes unleashed their might against Lan An.

  "Sweeping Transcending Armies!" Facing the triple onslaught, Lan An, atop Little Lion (Purple Thunder Gryphon), sneered, swinging the Dragon King Halberd savagely.

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  His arms numbed, Little Lion forced back by the force. Opposite, Lan Yu, Mu Song, and the Devouring Dog were flung back, struggling to rise.

  "How? How is he so strong?" Lan Yu stared at his bloodied arms.

  Lan An ignored their thoughts. Little Lion, in sync, became lightning, charging Mu Song. First, slay this Vampire. The Dragon King Halberd thrust brutally, its tip wreathed in Variant Fire.

  Mu Song, fearless, roared, blood condensing into claws slashing at the halberd. BOOM! Like a mantis against a chariot, he was blasted back, an arm charred, utterly wretched.

  Lan An prepared to strike again, but sensed two stealthy attacks behind him.

  He deftly swung the halberd backward. CLANG! The ambushers flinched, their strikes missing, hitting his Blood Iron Battle Armor, leaving Lan An unscathed.

  Little Lion, enraged, roared. ROAR! Lion's Roar, a sonic wave laced with thunder, sent the ambushers flying.

  Lan An now observed his attackers as they rose. A man with blood-red hair, pale skin, effeminate, wielding sharp claws. Another, face obscured by a cloak, held a Low Heaven-Grade Slaughter Sword.

  "I don't fight nameless rats! State your names!" Lan An gripped the Dragon King Halberd, his voice a cold command.

  "Xue Zi!" The red-haired man spoke softly, his shifty eyes leering at the harem.

  "Haha, Wang Lin!" A haughty voice came from the cloaked figure.

  Meanwhile, Mu Song reverted to normal, the Vampire Blood's power spent. He glared at Lan An and Bai Su Mei, tossing his Token. Teleported out, he preserved his life.

  Xue Zi, Wang Lin, Lan Yu, and the Devouring Dog now faced Lan An warily.

  "Wang Lin? I've no grudge with Celestial Mountain Immortal Realm," Lan An said, puzzled.

  "Indeed. Hand over your Star-Piercing Finger technique, and I, Wang, will leave this battle," Wang Lin proposed.

  Lan An chuckled, "You covet my Star-Piercing Finger? Is a Ninth-Grade power so poor it lacks Heaven-Grade techniques?"

  Ignoring the taunt, Wang Lin's face darkened, "I know you won't give more. Just the Star-Piercing Finger, and I'm gone."

  "Hahaha!" Lan An laughed skyward, his voice echoing. His laughter mocked Wang Lin, enraging him.

  Lan An ceased, killing intent flooding all directions. A domineering voice, befitting an overlord, resounded:

  "A mere ant dares threaten a dragon soaring the nine heavens. What's more laughable?"