394 The Final Destination?

The spear thundered through the air, narrowly missing Fang Huo as he jerked his head back.

“If only I were a second quicker,” lamented a second elderly man emerging from the forest.

Fang Huo’s heart sank, feeling like his luck had taken a turn for the worse. Given the circumstances, it was likely that ten people had arrived in this vicinity. Yet, he had already bumped into forty percent of the rival group.

Whoosh!

A second spear flew from behind. The wielder moved silently like a ghost, catching Fang Huo off guard. He barely twisted his wounded body aside as the spear sliced past the muscles under his armpit.

“Damn it!” he muttered, as the old man slipped back into the forest, leaving him to face the imminent threat alone.

In front of him was a bold adversary, and lurking behind him was a predator. Such a duo was indeed a formidable challenge. Fang Huo anxiously waited, his gaze slowly turning blurry. The golden fur on his body flickered weakly.

“Waiting for backup?” the elder from the Fang family taunted. “Do you think we’d dare to confront you without having made proper arrangements?”

Fang Huo’s heart pounded nervously.

“We are as much in this fight as you are. We all possess the king’s force, which gives us an edge in this battle, even if our vitality is waning,” he continued, his grin growing sinister. “The illusion realm can only hold so many people. As long as we eliminate them quickly enough, even the most powerful opponent won’t find enough people to fight.”

His smile grew wider, revealing a chilling malice. “At worst, we’d end up in a one-on-one duel. You were too hasty, too driven by the sight of your fallen comrades. Your confidence betrayed you. You believed that being young and prospective kings gave you an upper hand.”

The elder from the Fang family mocked him openly. Suddenly, he roared at Fang Huo, the veins on his forehead throbbing visibly, “Who are you to look down on us!”

He used the lion’s roar technique in conjunction with his yell, effectively concealing his companion lurking in the darkness. The duo’s coordination was flawless.

The next moment, a spear emerged silently from behind, striking Fang Huo. The impact drew blood that trickled down the spear’s tip.

Fang Huo glanced at the spear that had breached his shoulder armor and clenched his teeth. He roared in fury. His dulled golden fur sprang back to life amidst his desperation. “Lion spirit, help me!” he implored.

Boom!

Fang Huo’s eyes sharpened, taking on a wild, beast-like glint. His body tensed for a moment as his normally faintly glowing yellow pupils turned vertical. He roared, channeling his inner beast.

Crack!

The spear impaled in his body snapped under the pressure of his flexing muscles. He thrust his palms forward with an imposing force, sending the opponents in front and behind him flying, albeit only by a couple of meters.

The old man holding the spear silently retrieved another spear previously planted in the ground and vanished from sight.

The old man didn’t rush to attack. Instead, he evaded Fang Huo’s fierce onslaught, staying hidden. But he kept close whenever Fang Huo tried to flee. “I’m intimately familiar with the Lion Spirit Mountain’s cultivation techniques, so your moves won’t work on me.”

Despair seeped into Fang Huo’s heart, a despair unlike anything he’d experienced before. If his great-grandfather hadn’t plotted against him successfully, he was confident he could fight the two alone. But now… time was their ally, and death was all he could foresee.

Mockery tainted the great-grandfather’s voice once more. “At best, one person will come to your rescue. No matter who it is, no matter how strong… you can’t escape death. Why not just surrender and meet your end under my hands?”

Suddenly, a familiar scent wafted into Fang Huo’s nostrils. A faint trace of poisonous mist in the air, harmless but a clear signal. His comrades were almost here.

“How could my king’s heart be shattered by your foul words?” he roared defiantly, his aura visibly strengthening.

“Stubborn!” The elder from the Fang family scoffed, launching a punch at Fang Huo.

All the hair on Fang Huo’s body stood on end in response. He decisively turned his back to the elder, swinging his fist.

Bang!

His punch met another, their forces evenly matched.

“Is this your reinforcement?” the elder sneered. But then, Qin Huai in front of him vanished.

Stunned, he swung his fist again, missing his target. Not only was the person gone, but Fang Huo had disappeared as well. Even his partner was missing.

He looked around in confusion, seeing only the forest and the sweet-smelling grass. The bronze wall that was once in the distance was now replaced by a floating bronze chest.

“What happened?” he cried out in bewilderment. “Where am I? Have I arrived at the final destination?”