Staking one's life for a cause may seem like the noble thing to do; yet how many would truly choose to die unless there's no other choice?

When sect elites or family cultivators ventured out, their elders would usually grant them many protective measures. The purpose was to keep promising talents from ever reaching that point. Rogue cultivators were, if anything, even more cautious with their lives. Sect and family cultivators had backing, but everything a rogue cultivator had was earned through immense hardship and many times the effort. Once a life-or-death battle began, the loser would lose everything. All their efforts would come to nothing, and they'd even become a stepping stone for others.

As a descendant of the Great Zhou's imperial family, Huangfu Song had lived in comfort since childhood. Even after the upheaval that forced him into exile in the Northern Sea and reduced him to a rogue cultivator, he still had the support of people like Elder Gui and Elder Ye. He also had the protection of a late-stage Adept, Purple Empress. There was no way he would risk his life over Surging Lake.

Meanwhile, Luo Chen was the exact opposite. In his youth, he had to carefully budget every single spirit stone, and those spirit stones were earned through untold hardships. In every conflict, unless it erupted suddenly, he planned ahead as much as he could. He never acted carelessly, and the moment he decided to act, he went all out. Just like the battle at Xiaohuan Mountain when he destroyed the Duan family, when he stayed behind the scenes and slowly built up a Fireball. Or in the recent battle at Coldlight Island, when he carefully set up the formations and then instantly used the Sky Roc Transformation, without a second thought. The moment push came to shove, he showed his full strength and never thought of holding anything back. A trump card was only useful when it was used. If he died, those trump cards would belong to someone else's deck.

Feeling Luo Chen's steadily rising spirit pressure, Huangfu Song released his own. At the seventh stage of Golden Core, he could hold himself steady. He forced down his anger and said, "Azure Yang, do we really have to take it this far? I sent that card because I wanted to settle this peacefully."

Luo Chen sneered. "I didn't reply. That should have made it perfectly clear I wasn't interested. So why are you forcing your way in?"

Huangfu Song faltered for a moment, then said, "Surging Lake is extremely important to me. As for you, I'm not even sure why you're here in the first place. You're on your own with just a few attendants and a couple of spirit beasts, so why not rent a low-grade third-tier spirit land?"

"You're at the seventh stage, and a low-grade spirit land like this wouldn't do much for your cultivation. So why cling to this one?" retorted Luo Chen.

Instead of answering the question or trying to justify himself, Luo Chen had challenged Huangfu Song instead! His attitude was just far too firm. At the same time, Huangfu Song was deeply shocked. He had already pushed his spirit pressure to its limit, and it should have suppressed anyone below the seventh stage. Yet Luo Chen's fifth-stage pressure matched his without losing ground, and it even showed signs of pushing back. Was he really only at the fifth stage?

Huangfu Song steadied himself. He tried to keep his tone calm, but a hint of impatience still slipped through. "What will it take for you to give up Surging Lake?"

Still trying to negotiate? Luo Chen revealed a mocking smile, then slowly shook his head and said, "Nothing!"

With this word, his spirit pressure also rose to the peak. In the air, two waves of mana clashed. Huangfu Song trembled and staggered for a moment. Luo Chen, on the other hand, stood firm as a mountain.

The six Adepts behind Huangfu Song were shocked out of their wits. They understood exactly what this meant: Luo Chen's mana was purer and more powerful than Huangfu Song's! Even if the difference was slight, it was still a clear advantage!

Huangfu Song's expression turned grim. Since Luo Chen appeared, he had been forced back and even forced to use his ultimate defensive measures against that earlier palm strike. In verbal exchanges, he had not gained an inch. Now even in spirit pressure, he was at a disadvantage! Everything had gone beyond what he expected. He still believed that, with his trump cards, he could win in a direct battle. But the rumors about Luo Chen's many abilities were just as daunting. If it came to using trump cards, the cost would be too high. Yet now, under the eyes of all, he could not back down. He lowered his head, and his right hand started forming seals behind his back. Perhaps that will work.

Suddenly, he shouted, "Devil Lord Azure Yang, this land isn't really yours to begin with and I have the right to take it. Why cling so stubbornly to Surging Lake?"

Luo Chen frowned and replied, "Surging Lake may not be much, but I've spent years building it up. How could I just hand it over so easily... hm?"

As he spoke, his expression suddenly changed. Black radiance flashed across his body. Inside him, the Forsaken Chess Piece trembled slightly, as if it had been struck. A divine soul attack? Or... one of those rumored curse arts from the devil sect?"

As Luo Chen weighed the possibilities, Huangfu Song kept his gaze fixed on him, not missing a single change in expression. When Luo Chen said it wouldn't be given up "so easily," Huangfu Song almost felt the weight lift from his chest. That meant there was still room to negotiate. Just as he expected, his secret technique was working. With nothing more than a few words, he could subtly shake his opponent's will without them even realizing it. But in the very next moment, Luo Chen's faint murmur made his heart tighten. Something was off.

The fact that his cultivation matches mine is one thing. But his divine soul is just as strong? He shrugged off my Imperial Voice and reacted that fast... No. I need to press this further and wear down his will. Then, whether we talk or fight, it will all be under my control.

But just as he opened his mouth to speak again, his body suddenly froze. His eyes met Luo Chen's gaze, which was as deep as an abyss and cold as ice, and he instantly became dazed. Illusions appeared within his sea of consciousness. Then, a strand of purple light emerged from his chest and blocked Luo Chen's soul attack. Huangfu Song felt relieved. Fortunately, he had an enchanted treasure left by his ancestor that could resist illusions as long as the caster was not a Sage. Such crude illusions were nothing more than parlor tricks before that.

However, the illusion suddenly changed. Grand celestial palaces appeared, floating in the sky amid drifting clouds and radiating an immortal aura. Heavenly maidens danced gracefully, and immortals in fine robes conversed and laughed. Yet as they descended, those figures turned into vengeful ghosts and rushed toward him. As it turned out, those palaces were no heavenly realm but ghostly dwellings.

Hisssss...

The purple light flared and surged into his sea of consciousness. It tore through the illusions and drove them away. Huangfu Song jolted and woke from the illusion. It felt as if a long time had passed, yet in reality, it had been no more than a brief moment. Cold sweat ran down his back, and he instinctively avoided Luo Chen's gaze.

Luo Chen's calm voice sounded in his ear. "Fellow Daoist Huangfu, please."

Huangfu Song opened his mouth, yet no words came out. Clearly, his Imperial Voice had failed to suppress the opponent. Instead, Luo Chen's illusion had shaken his mind. If not for the protection left by his Nascent Soul ancestor, he would have been killed ten times over in that short moment, and maybe even with it.... A trace of fear rose within him. He feared both the lingering ghostly visions and the other strange abilities of Devil Lord Azure Yang. Almost by instinct, he turned away. "Let's go."

"Master, what are you saying?"

Huangfu Song froze at Elder Ye's question; he instinctively shook his head. "No, I..."

This time, Luo Chen's voice grew even colder. "Fellow Daoist Huangfu, the weather is not good today, and I won't be seeing you out. You can leave now."

It was clear that he was restraining himself. If they did not leave now, he would take action, and the moment he made a move, that move would be absolutely cataclysmic. He was like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

Huangfu Song forced an ugly smile. "Apologies for the disturbance."