When they heard the Flood Dragon King say that the little white flood dragon no longer seemed to be in this world…

And when they recalled what Lu Qing had said before leaving—that one day, he would return to the Great World of Tianyuan—

All the great experts understood. That fiend had most likely already escaped from the Great World of Tianyuan.

There was no way they could track him down anymore.

At once, the expressions of every expert grew terribly dark.

None of them had expected that even with the eight mighty Five-Tribulation Nascent Soul cultivators joining hands, this would be the result.

“Wu He, what should we do next?”

After a long silence, the Elephant King finally spoke.

“What else can we do? Go back and prepare. That fiend already said it himself—he’ll return one day.

With the talent and potential he’s shown, when he comes back, he’ll surely be even stronger than now.

The next time we meet, it’ll be either his death or ours.”

Hall Master Wu’s voice was heavy with frustration. His mood had sunk to the bottom.

In his heart, the reason everything had gone so wrong today was entirely because of these beast kings.

If they had followed the original plan and immediately joined forces to suppress the fiend, never giving him the chance to use his artifact, none of this would have happened.

And now? A golden opportunity had been wasted by these foolish beast kings. They had lost the bride and the soldiers, both.

Fortunately, it was the White Ape King who had fallen this time. If it had been one of their human Nascent Soul experts, Hall Master Wu would have gone mad.

The beast kings, of course, could hear the dissatisfaction in Hall Master Wu’s tone. But this wasn’t the time to argue. Every word he spoke struck fear into their hearts.

Yes. That fiend had only just endured his tribulation and stepped into the early-stage Nascent Soul Realm, yet he had still crushed the White Ape King.

True, part of it was because the White Ape King had been careless. But this only proved that the fiend’s strength was already enough to pose a real threat to them.

If he had such power at the early stage, his potential was terrifying beyond imagination.

Given enough time, who could know how far he would grow?

An enemy like that, hiding in the dark, returning at any time for revenge—just thinking of it made the beast kings’ hearts tremble.

Seeing their fearful expressions, Hall Master Wu felt an odd surge of satisfaction.

But he didn’t show it. He only spoke sternly. “So, the only option now is for our two sides to truly cooperate.

We don’t know when that fiend will return for revenge. But that’s also our chance.

As long as he dares appear, we’ll have another opportunity to besiege and kill him.

But this time, we must plan carefully.

No more disunity. No more letting him slip through our fingers.”

The beast kings’ faces flushed with shame.

They knew well that most of the blame for this failure rested on their side.

The Elephant King pondered a moment, then said, “Wu He, what do you suggest we do to cooperate?”

“This is no small matter. We must discuss it thoroughly.

That fiend may have escaped, but he’s revealed many of his abilities. As long as we prepare properly, next time he will not leave alive!”

…

While the Nascent Soul experts were busy planning how to deal with Lu Qing…

Elsewhere, within the trial secret realm left behind by that supreme existence of the Wu Clan…

Several exotic beasts with Foundation Establishment auras were hunting for food.

Suddenly, they froze, quivering in fear as they looked upward.

A spatial vortex had appeared above them, from which a stream of light shot down.

Landing on the ground, Lu Qing’s figure emerged.

He had dismissed the True Witch Body, returning to his normal size.

The moment his feet touched the ground, he ignored the nearby beasts. Instead, he immediately summoned the Li Huo Cauldron.

Because just as he had entered the void, Yan had transmitted to him.

“Master, the White Ape King is too strong—we can hardly suppress him anymore!”

Lu Qing had also sensed it: waves of terrifying power were bursting from within the cauldron, threatening to break free.

He wasted no time. The Li Huo Cauldron grew into a mountain-sized giant and slammed onto the ground. With a flash, his true body flew into its depths.

But at that very moment, in a mysterious space within the trial secret realm, a consciousness stirred.

“Hm? The fluctuations of the Secret Realm Jade Tablet? That brat has returned?”

The mysterious presence immediately understood: Lu Qing had used the jade tablet to return.

“So soon, and he already burned a life-saving chance? Did he face a danger he couldn’t handle?”

The presence extended its awareness, just in time to see Lu Qing streak into the cauldron.

“That boy doesn’t look injured. Wait… his aura…”

Unaware he was being observed, Lu Qing entered the cauldron’s space.

Inside, a gigantic white ape was roaring to the heavens, shaking the artifact’s inner world with each strike.

Above him, a massive flame chi dragon coiled, straining to stabilize the space.

As for Xiaoli and Wuxing, they had long since hidden themselves away, powerless before such a battle.

“You little worm! Just an artifact spirit, and you dare think to bind me? Watch as I shatter this space and tear you apart!”

The White Ape King roared, slamming his palms together. The artifact space trembled violently. Yan’s form warped, nearly collapsing.

“Damn it… no wonder he’s a Five-Tribulation Nascent Soul who’s begun to comprehend the Laws of Space. If Master hadn’t blasted him apart once, wounding his foundation, this one strike would have broken me and freed him!”

Even weakened, every move from the White Ape King injured Yan.

If not for being the spirit of the Li Huo Cauldron, with full control of its space, Yan would have already lost control to the White Ape King.

But even while badly wounded, Yan endured. He poured everything into holding the king down, waiting for Lu Qing.

The White Ape King laughed wildly. “Still holding out? Waiting for your master to save you? Useless! He may have trapped me, but he won’t escape the Elephant King and the others.

Submit now, and when your master is captured, perhaps I’ll spare you from being refined!”

But Yan ignored him, clinging on with desperate resolve.

At that moment, the suppressive force of the cauldron’s space surged tenfold.

The White Ape King’s body froze.

A calm voice followed: “Worthy of a Five-Tribulation beast king. Even after I blasted your body apart, you still have this much power.”

“Master!”

Yan’s joy overflowed. His chi dragon form collapsed into a weak humanoid figure at Lu Qing’s side.

“Ah Qing!”

From the corner, Xiaoli and the others rushed over, thrilled to see him safe.

The White Ape King, however, could only gape in shock.

“You—your true body? How could you be here? What about the Elephant King and the rest?”

“Already left behind,” Lu Qing said coldly. “No one is coming to save you, white monkey. This is your death.”

“Impossible! With the Ten Directions Pillars sealing space, you couldn’t have escaped them!”

“There’s no such thing as impossible. Even a Five-Tribulation Nascent Soul like you was blown apart by my staff. Now—die!”

Golden staff in hand, Lu Qing unleashed the True Witch Body once more and charged.

With his weapon lost earlier and unable to use spatial transference in this sealed space, the White Ape King had no choice but to fight barehanded.

Claws clashed against the golden staff. The first blow he barely withstood.

The second shattered his claws.

The third and fourth smashed his body apart again.

And still he reformed, burning away his essence each time.

Again and again, Lu Qing blasted him apart.

By the tenth time, the White Ape King’s aura had withered, his face twisted with despair.

He had waited in vain—no rescue was coming.

The fiend had truly escaped the others and returned to finish him.

With nothing left, the White Ape King’s gaze hardened.

“Fiend, this time you win. But don’t be proud. One day, the Elephant King and the rest will avenge me!”

A destructive aura burst from his body.

“Self-detonation of the Nascent Soul?”

Lu Qing sneered. He had been prepared for this.

At the last instant, he hurled the White Ape King out of the cauldron.

Boom!

The explosion shook the entire secret realm.

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