Ultragene Warlord

The Holywing cultivator's golden lance surged with killing intent. His hair floated in the air, charged with static, as he flew toward her with a shield of lightning around him. The golden lance pierced through the wood dragons and the forest that they had formed.

Zhou Ying swooped forward, void rifts surrounding her body like wind.

The two combatants struck each other in a clash of metal.

Golden light flared as the lance pierced through Zhou Ying's forehead. Her features turned stiff as blood shot through the air.

The golden lance transformed back into a bolt of lightning and exploded.

Zhou Ying's body split apart into pieces, each charred black.

Someone sighed. "What a pity for a beauty like her..."

The Holywing cultivator preened proudly. "You should be proud of the fact that it took me over a hundred rounds of sparring to pierce you through the head—but unfortunately for you, I'm an existence you can never hope to best."

His spear thrust was a very clean attack.

Throughout the entire fight, Zhou Ying had pressured him to a significant extent, and it was difficult for someone of her stature to do as much. His final thrust that ended her, however, was a stroke of beauty that he could be proud of for a very long time.

Just as the Holywing cultivator was growing complacent in his pride, Zhou Ying's charred body transformed into a flurry of golden leaves.

"This—!"

The Holywing cultivator was startled.

"Do you think you can kill me within my domain? Who do you think I am?" Zhou Ying's voice came from all around the battlefield.

Within a horde of wood dragons, Zhou Ying had a near-absolute advantage. It was trivial for her to create a clone of herself.

The Holywing cultivator gaped. The wings to his back glowed and transformed into two divine swords, sweeping around him in a graceful arc and clearing the wood dragons in the vicinity.

"The other Holywing cultivator I faced in the qualifiers was tricked by this technique, too. You don't have a great memory, do you?"

Golden leaves fluttered through the air as dozens, hundreds of Zhou Yings appeared from within the forest.

The Holywing cultivator shouted and waved his divine wings in an even stronger sword slash.

The sword energy flowed like a river, transforming into a hurricane of blades. All the wood dragons around the island were obliterated.

"Don't just look at your opponent—but in front of you, above you, and even below you."

The earth crumbled as a black figure emerged from within—none other than Zhou Ying.

"[Storm of Leaves: Eightfold Void Cut]!" A tendril appeared to Zhou Ying's back, and another dagger manifested. Zhou Ying whirled like a dervish, corkscrewing into the air.

"[Heaven's Blaze]!"

The Holywing cultivator responded decisively, with blazing flames rising up from his body.

Blue lightning burst forth.

The black corkscrew pierced through the lightning. Eight void cuts landed on the Holywing cultivator and caused him to dissipate in a shower of light. Mental particles gathered on the back of Zhou Ying's palm.

Zhang Lie frowned. "Get ready!"

Before Zhou Ying could smile in victory, waves of energy pierced through the sky. A frightening attack swept across the heavens, targeting Zhou Ying from afar.

Zhou Ying, still buoyed by victory, was caught off guard by the attack. She blanched as the attack approached her in an unprepared state.

Zhang Lie and the others made their moves immediately.

Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged black dragons, flooding the area and striking the long-ranged attack.

As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie's signature genetic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.

A raging tide approached as four figures appeared by Zhou Ying's side, surrounding her from each of the cardinal directions.

Zhou Ying smiled in pleasant surprise. "Captain!"

Seeing the four figures around Zhou Ying, the cultivators that were raring to make a move had no choice but to hold back.

"Damn it, they're the stellar hunter's companions!"

"Apparently, they're very fearsome in a fight."

"They even managed to take down the Solarvine. They're all supposed to be very strong."

Zhou Ying smiled happily. "Captain, you've finally made it here!"

Zhang Lie said, "It looks like you managed to obtain some rare treasure within that portal."

"Have a look, Captain!" Zhou Ying retrieved a bone talisman that looked as though it were made of jade. It sparkled with mysterious energy.

Upon seeing that token, all the cultivators' eyes shone with greed.

"I do have to thank that Holywing. I unintentionally arrived by the island to find that Holywing present. He forced me to enter the portal with him and explore what lay within to trigger any traps that might be present."

Zhou Ying had had the ability to resist from the very beginning, but she too wanted to see what lay within. As such, she allowed the Holywing cultivator to order her around without much resistance. When she then found the bone talisman, the Holywing cultivator tried to attack her, only to find that she was no easy opponent to take down.

"Hehe, I was prepared to be backstabbed. The Holywing cultivator never expected that I would be so strong. You'd all have found his expression amusing, I'd expect."

Upon seeing Zhang Lie and the others, Zhou Ying visibly relaxed.

"We'll talk about the details later. Let's deal with the trouble before us first."

"Hand over that bone talisman!" The first cultivator that attacked was tall and slender, lithe and muscular, surrounded by fulgent light that hid their appearance. All that was revealed was a pair of electric eyes, the pupils of which were two glowing runes.

His posture alone differentiated him from a common cultivator. Runes flashed into existence around him.

His black hair was scattered, and he wielded a halberd of void. He looked down at the gathered spectators with pride and dominance, evoking fear in those whom his gaze met.

Zhang Lie and the others thought that the cultivator before them looked familiar, but they didn't recall where they had seen him before. The cultivators all around them shouted, "Isn't that the Immortal King's replacement?"

"To think that he would appear here himself..."

"No matter how strong the stellar hunters are, they might not be a match for the Immortal King's replacement."

Li Feng's eyes were clear and limpid, his skin and muscles radiant. He began to glow. "Captain, leave this opponent to me. I'd like to test out my newfound strength."

"Be careful." Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith retreated.

The two cultivators locked gazes. Even before the fight started, the clash between their auras was sufficient to cause the ground to quake and the lake water to ripple. The beasts all around were startled; it felt as though a devastating fight was right on the horizon.

Li Feng narrowed his eyes and called out disdainfully, "The Immortal King's substitute? Ha!"

"I recognize you."