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Chapter 444: Hanba

It wasn’t long before Zhao Lan was covered in blood from head to toe. The ground within ten meters of him was dyed red with his own blood, and his energies weren’t nearly as strong as it was at the beginning.

“Face me directly if you dare, Ye Qing! Fight me fair and square!”

Zhao Lan roared with bloodshot eyes. “I thought you wanted to kill me? Come on, then! Come on!”

“Nah. Your idea about cutting me into pieces and crippling me yada yada sounds pretty good, so I’ve decided to reciprocate the favor. I’m going to bleed you until you have no more blood to bleed. What do you say? Nothing? I’ll take that as a yes then.”

Even as he spoke, more wounds were appearing on Zhao Lan’s body. When the spectators saw Ye Qing trouncing Zhao Lan like an adult beating up a defenseless child, they couldn’t help but complain,

“How come Zhao Lan couldn’t put up a fight at all? I thought he was better than this!”

“Yeah. He thought he could take revenge for his brother like this? He would have a better chance begging for Ye Qing’s mercy!”

The disparaging comments kept getting worse and worse, so Yang Zhao decided to put an end to it and explained, “It’s not that Zhao Lan is too weak. It’s just that the Qing Emperor Junior’s martial arts just so happens to counter Zhao Lan’s perfectly.”

“Zhao Lan has poor mobility, but that’s fine because his fighting style is a defensive one. He wins his battles by being on the defense and outlasting his opponents.”

“However, not only is the Qing Emperor Junior’s movement art profound, his saber is as swift and unpredictable as a phantom. He is the antithesis of Zhao Lan’s fighting style, which is why Zhao Lan is unable to put up a fight at all.”

Someone recalled Zhao Lan and Zhao Bu’er’s match and voiced his doubts, “That’s not right. Zhao Bu’er’s movement art is pretty strong as well, but he wasn’t able to defeat Zhao Lan. Why’s that?”

“There are two reasons. One, Zhao Bu’er’s cultivation level is slightly lower than Zhao Lan’s. Two, Zhao Bu’er’s movement art is strong, but he attacks far too slowly to take advantage of it, not to mention that his Ghost Razor couldn’t leave a scratch on Zhao Lan. That is why he ultimately lost his battle.”

Enlightened by Yang Zhao’s explanation, someone asked, “At this rate, Zhao Lan is going to lose, isn’t he?”

“If this is the extent of Zhao Lan’s skill, then yes, he will lose for sure,” Yang Zhao answered.

As Yang Zhao predicted, Zhao Lan gained dozens more wounds in just a dozen or so breaths. Each wound was deep enough to reveal the bones.

By now, Zhao Lan’s “Eight Directions Art of Begging” could no longer keep up with the rate he was receiving wounds.

Zhao Lan felt himself getting weaker and weaker. This was natural considering that he was losing too much blood. But the weaker he got, the more excited he became. His bloodshot eyes were positively shining with madness.

After all, the stronger his foe, the more pleasurable it would be to ruin him later.

“Hahaha... good, very good, Ye Qing! I’m glad you didn’t disappoint me!”

Zhao Lan laughed madly. “I was worried that you might be too weak to withstsand what I’m about to do to you. That would’ve sucked out the fun and diminished my vengeance. But now? Hahaha! Hahahahaha!”

“Has Zhao Lan gone insane? Did he seriously think he can still turn things around considering his condition?” Chu Nianjiu scoffed when he heard Zhao Lan’s taunt. He wasn’t the only one. Most people thought the same thing as well.

But not Ye Qing. He was one of the few people who suddenly felt a bad, bad feeling about this. Pushing off the air and rounding back toward Zhao Lan like a returning swift, he swung Red Sleeve with the intent to slice the warrior into two halves.

Ye Qing could have ended this much sooner. The only reason he dragged it out was to pay back Zhao Lan for what he did to Lin Yuhuai. But now that the situation had changed, he didn’t hesitate to attack with the intent to kill.

“Hahaha... Are you ready to receive my gift?”

But as Ye Qing got close, he noticed an unnatural redness creeping over Zhao Lan’s face. Blue and black veins criss-crossed his face and gave him the impression of a ghoul.

The next moment, Zhao Lan opened his mouth and let loose a mighty roar. A terrible, scorching hot heat wave swept across the entire battlefield and turned the town into a sea of fire. But unlike a normal fire, this one was filled with death, epidemic, filth and squalor.

And Ye Qing was caught in the middle of it.

“Gasp! What the...”

“What an evil presence!”

To say that the sudden turn of events caught everyone by surprise would be an understatement. Even Hong Jianglong had shot up to his feet.

A Disaster-class Stranger?! Hong Jianglong’s thoughts raced. Did Zhao Lan use a Disaster-class Strange Artifact or swallow the blood essence of a Disaster-class Stranger?

No, that can’t be right. There is no way Zhao Lan can endure the rebound of a Disaster-class Strange Artifact or the blood essence of a Disaster-class Stranger. He can’t be that stupid, can he?

One thing for certain, Ye Qing was in danger. The aura coming from the platform felt threatening even to him, much less anyone else.

“Roar!”

A furious roar erupted from the platform, and the sea of fire grew even fiercer. Some parts of the dry, sundered ground actually turned into molten lava as a silhouette slowly stepped out of the sea of fire.

The silhouette was about ten meters tall, and his face still bore some resemblance to Zhao Lan. However, he was completely bare and withered like a corpse. A sheen of dark light covered his body, and a scarlet eyeball had grown out of the top of its head. It rotated here and there like it was alive.

The ground Zhao Lan stepped on was cracked and melted. He was also giving off an inauspicious, burning aura of death, epidemic, filth and squalor.

Forget Ye Qing, even those outside the platform felt hot and uncomfortable. Everyone was losing water rapidly as the corrupted energy invaded their bodies.

“The noble man says that those who keep to the straight path shall be immune to all evils!”

When Fang Muyun saw this, he waved his sleeve and summoned a gust of wind through the peak. Like a soothing breeze in the middle of a hot summer, the breeze took away the heat and suffocation completely and left behind only refreshment and calm.

“Thank you, Mister Farseeing.”

Everyone bowed in Fang Muyun’s direction and thanked him.

“Is that the legendary Hanba?” Lei Xiaodan spoke up.

“Hanba?” Surprise overcame Yang Shixiu. “Do you mean the legendary Hanba whose gaze can curse any realm with a terrible drought, and whose footsteps can turn any land into a scorching wasteland that spans at least hundreds of kilometers?!”

Hanba was a drought ghost born from a dead body[1]. It possessed a baleful aura because its appearance always heralded the coming of death and disaster.

“Does this mean that Zhao Lan consumed the Hanba’s blood essence?” Zhang Tiancheng exclaimed in shock. “The Hanba is a Disaster-class Stranger. Even a single drop of blood essence contains an unimaginable amount of power, and... it looks like Zhao Lan consumed an undiluted drop of blood essence? Is he suicidal?”

Hong Jianglong frowned even harder and took a step forward. However, Zhou Hengshan immediately blocked his way.

“What are you doing, Lord Hong? You’re not planning on breaking the rules of the Hidden Dragon Meet, are you?” A hint of ridicule flashed within Zhou Hengshan’s narrow, flabby eyes.

“He’s right, Lord Hong. Are you really going to break the rules when you’re the host of this tournament?”

“Calm down, Lord Hong!”

A couple of people joined in and taunted Hong Jianglong as well.”

“Hmph. The Hanba is a Disaster-class Stranger, and Zhao Lan is nowhere strong enough to endure its power. He is absolutely going to succumb to its power and transform into a Stranger.”

Hong Jianglong replied coldly, “If Zhao Lan turns into a Stranger—a Hanba—I shouldn’t need to tell you what’s going to happen, do I? Do you really want to see Tian Yong burn?”

“You exaggerate, Lord Hong!” Someone laughed unkindly. “There are at least five Grandmasters present at the scene. Surely you’re not telling me that a puny Stranger like that can burn Tian Yong?”

“A puny Stranger? You don’t understand shit.” Hong Jianglong retorted mercilessly. “Do you know why we call them Disaster-class Strangers? Every time they appear, their energies would mingle and alter the world around it. Usually, it manifests itself as some sort of destructive phenomenon; a calamity.”

“Even if you managed to kill the Disaster-class Stranger instantly, the disaster that results from its appearance would not disappear until it has run its course. To say it’s a pain in the ass to deal with would be an understatement.”

“Not only that, Zhao Lan consumed the blood essence of a Hanba, one of the most terrifying Disaster-class Strangers out there. Zhao Lan wouldn’t possess its full strength as a matter of course, there is a chance that his transformation may trigger some sort of disaster. If it did happen, and innocents were harmed as a result, who’s going to take responsibility for it? Me, or you?”

“Er...” This time, no one could say a word against Hong Jianglong. His concerns were valid after all.

“Get lost!” Hong Jianglong took a step forward and slammed into Zhou Hengshan. There was a soundless rumble, and the entire mountain seemed to shudder a little.

“Wait, Lord Hong.”

Chu Wangsun suddenly broke his silence. “I am gladdened by your concern for the people, but look closely. Although Zhao Lan possessed the aura of a Disaster-class Stranger, he didn’t possess its power. If I’m not mistaken, the blood essence Zhao Lan consumed probably belonged to an immature Hanba, and even at its strongest, an immature Hanba is a Phenomenon-class Stranger at most. Theoretically speaking, this power should still be within Zhao Lan’s control, so you don’t need to worry too much about it.”

“Yeah, Brother Hong. The situation is not as bad as you think,” Lei Xiaodan also advised.

Hong Jianglong narrowed his eyes and perceived Zhao Lan’s aura carefully. A moment later, his expression turned ugly.

He was hoping to interfere with the match on account of exceptional circumstances to one, prevent the worst case scenario he feared from happening, and two, to save Ye Qing. But if Zhao Lan really could control the blood essence he consumed, then his intervention would be viewed as interfering with the Hidden Dragon Meet. The consequences would be severe to put it mildly.

“Is there anything else you’d like to say, Lord Hong?” Zhou Hengshan asked with an ugly smirk that made his already ugly face even uglier than before.

“Hmph.” Although Hong Jianglong was anxious, he had no choice but to return to his kiosk.

“Hahahaha!” Zhou Hengshan laughed a little before pouring salt on the wound. “Don’t worry, Lord Hong. The Qing Emperor Junior is a member of the Pacification Bureau. I doubt that Zhao Lan would dare to kill him. At worst, he’s going to cripple him, so relax, okay? Hahahahaha!”

Zhou Hengshan was laughing, and Hong Jianglong was grim and silent. Everyone else was silent because they weren’t foolish enough to draw the Grandmasters’ attention. They could only set their sights on the platform once more.

On the platform, the Hanba Zhao Lan had transformed to looked around for a bit before charging into the sea of fire. There was a loud explosion and a scattering of flames, and a man rushed out of the fire. It was none other than Ye Qing.

Right now, the young man cut quite the sorry figure. He was completely covered in soot, and he looked like he had taken quite the blow.

While he was flying away from Zhao Lan, he swung his sleeve to change his trajectory and fall back toward the ground. He had just steadied himself when a shadow suddenly loomed over him. A millstone-sized hand was descending from above to grab him.

The second his right foot touched the scorched earth, he kicked off and leaned forward almost parallel to the ground. He just barely avoided Zhao Lan’s grab.

1. Seriously, they really should have just cremated the bodies lol. All of them. ☜