The sounds of dining tables snapping, wine glasses shattering, and floor tiles splintering converged into a din that drew everyone's attention. Guests and servers scattered in haste, watching from a distance to yield ample room for the combatants.
Guan Ya and the others had just dodged the first wave of wind blades when a second wave coalesced, whistling through the air as it shot toward them.
*Again?*
A harsh glint flashed in World Returns to Fire's eyes. Just as he was about to discard all martial decorum and rally his companions to gang up on this arrogant second-generation spirit scion, a fierce gale whipped up beside him, raising a wall of wind before the group.
The wind blades collided against the wall with continuous soft thuds, dissolving into currents of gentle breeze.
"Julian Meade, if you want a fight, I can duel you!" Wings of the Wind God stepped forward, glaring fearlessly at the blond-haired, blue-eyed young man.
Julian Meade glanced sideways at him. "Who are you?"
"Anti-Black-and-White Alliance, Wings of the Wind God!" the handsome youth said in a deep voice. "We're both Wind Mages, both Level 6. It's fairer that way!"
"Anti-Black-and-White Alliance? What a repulsive name. Does a small fry like you even deserve to be here?" Julian Meade grabbed a cloak woven of white feathers, draped it over his shoulders, and waved his hand sharply.
*Wuuu—*
A terrifying gale whipped up within the hall. A violent whirlwind surged up directly from beneath Wings of the Wind God's feet, slamming him violently against the ceiling.
*Bang!*
A gaping hole was smashed into the ceiling, raining down dense chunks of concrete.
Wings of the Wind God plummeted immediately afterward, curling up in agony. Fine, lacerating wounds crisscrossed his entire body, sliced open by the ferocious wind, turning him into a bloody figure.
Julian Meade didn't spare him a second glance, remarking casually, "Throw him out."
Immediately, two members of Heaven's Punishment stepped forward, hoisted Wings of the Wind God up, and carried him out.
The team leaders of the Anti-Black-and-White Alliance were brimming with fury, yet dared not speak out. They repeatedly glanced toward the Saints of the Five Elements Alliance, but seeing no reaction from them, they reluctantly pursued the two Heaven's Punishment members.
The representatives of the major organizations began whispering among themselves. Through their interactions during the banquet, they had all become acquainted with this Wind Mage—a Level 6 Saint and the face of Chinatown's Anti-Black-and-White Alliance.
Yet he had been severely injured by Julian Meade so easily.
Even if Julian's experience points exceeded his opponent's, defeating him so effortlessly shouldn't have been possible... Everyone turned their eyes toward the white-feathered cloak on the second-generation spirit scion's shoulders.
"That cloak..." The Merchant Reilly Eugene narrowed his eyes. After scrutinizing it carefully for a moment, realization struck him. "The Egret Cloak! A Dominator-grade item, one that Executive Officer Sean used to wield!"
The whispers turned into an uproar.
Dominator-grade items were exceedingly rare. Even for a Chief Executive Officer like Sean Meade, the number he possessed was limited. That he would bestow it on someone indicated that its quality was relatively modest among its rank and overlapped with his own skill set, but regardless of its lower tier, a Dominator item was still a Dominator item.
Now there was a good show to watch.
The surrounding guests grew excited, looking forward to the confrontation between the two sides. This was one of the very reasons they had attended the gathering.
"Are you going to come at me all at once, or one by one?" Julian Meade eyed the Saints of the Five Elements Alliance haughtily. "I'll give you five seconds. If you don't answer, I'll blow you all to the ceiling together."
His gaze lingered on Asano Ryo for a moment. She was indeed an exceptional beauty; no wonder Brady was so obsessed with her.
Aside from Asano Ryo, the two young women from the Five Elements Alliance were even more stunning.
Brady was far too soft. Women or enemies, once you forced them to submit, you could do whatever you pleased with them. And brute force was the simplest way to compel submission.
He harbored not the slightest inclination toward tender affection for the fair sex. On the contrary, he believed that the more domineering he was tonight, the more submissive they would be in the future.
Zhang Yuanqing placed a restraining hand on Brother Red Chicken's shoulder and turned his head to Sun Miaomiao. "Go attend to Wings of the Wind God's wounds."
As a Spirit Realm walker from the Second District, Sun Miaomiao lacked neither healing items nor Life Source Fluid.
Sun Miaomiao nodded, lifted her dress skirt, and hurried out of the hall.
Zhang Yuanqing then looked off at the three Dominators in the distance. Donna from the Association of the God of Beauty had her brow furrowed and was whispering into Sean Meade's ear, seemingly attempting to avert the clash.
Sean Meade shook his head slightly.
He couldn't be bothered to stoop to the level of juniors, but that did not mean he would swallow his pride and reprimand his son's retaliation after his own nephew had been beaten up.
The Meade family originated from the gangs of the Free Confederation, roaming the West. Back then, the Meades held a glass of tequila in one hand with revolvers tucked into their waists, casually blowing their enemies' brains out between laughter and conversation.
Then they would offer the corpse a drink of strong liquor.
In the eyes of mobsters, vengeance was a virtue.
Winni Berent spoke in a frigid tone. "Julian, take off your item. You are not the only one who possesses a Dominator-grade item."
Julian curled his lips. "Chief Prosecutor, I don't need the Egret Cloak to deal with them. I only used it to swat an annoying fly."
With that, he took off the Egret Cloak and stored it back into his inventory.
Zhang Yuanqing withdrew his gaze and looked toward Julian.
*Arrogant, aren't you? Let's make you a little more arrogant, then...* Zhang Yuanqing covertly influenced the other man's emotions, then pointed toward the outside of the hall to further provoke Julian: "Get your ass out here!"
He proactively strode toward the hall's entrance.
Julian was taken aback, then snorted coldly. "I've seen the surveillance footage of you beating Brady. You were the ringleader. Tonight, I'm going to snap your bones and mince you into pieces with wind blades."
He surmised that this Beast King wanted to use the open terrain to engage him in a protracted battle. But to a Wind Mage, every enemy grounded on the earth was merely a sitting duck.
Riding the wind, his cape flapping noisily, Julian drifted out of the hall.
The roomful of guests followed close behind, exiting the banquet hall. The Merchant Reilly Eugene turned and whispered a few words into his subordinate's ear.
The subordinate hurried eagerly out of the villa toward the parking area, then ran back carrying recording equipment to film from afar.
Reilly Eugene was a consummate merchant, and a merchant never passed up an opportunity to make money. He intended to film the clash between the two sides and sell the video on the online forums of the major Orderly organizations.
Gliding out of the villa, Julian swiftly ascended into the sky. Looking down from above, he saw the formally dressed guests swarming outside, and the youth named Jumang stopping beside the fountain, speaking in low tones with the members of the Anti-Black-and-White Alliance.
After a brief exchange, the fellow known as Wings of the Wind God led his subordinates back toward the steps.
Julian called out loudly, "Run as much as you like! I'll pay for anything that gets destroyed, including the guests' cars."
With a sweep of his hand, he unleashed a barrage of wind blades, blanketing the enemy from above.
Zhang Yuanqing bent and sprang from his knees, darting to the left to evade the blades. But before he could even find his footing, a potent, terrifying gale suddenly erupted beneath his feet, sweeping him straight into the sky.
Dense, sharp wind blades tore his suit apart in an instant and sliced into his skin.
"Not good..." Wings of the Wind God's expression shifted.
He understood the terror of the Gale skill better than anyone. Hurricane was the primary offensive skill of a Level 6 Gale Walker; every wisp of wind was like steel wire, slicing whatever was drawn into it to pieces.
The spectating guests were not surprised in the least; they had come specifically to watch Julian teach the Five Elements Alliance Saints a lesson.
The representatives of the major organizations had researched the Five Elements Alliance team's dossiers. There were several Level 5 Saints, but not a single Level 6, while this youth named Jumang was merely a Level 4 Beast King.
A Level 6 Gale Walker fighting a Beast King was like a Transcendent dealing with an ordinary mortal.
Suddenly, pitch-black feathers sprouted across Zhang Yuanqing as he was trapped in the gale. His arms flattened and elongated, coated in dense plumage; his lips protruded into a long, hooked beak; his legs transformed into razor-sharp talons; and fanned tail feathers sprouted from his tailbone.
In an instant, he morphed into a giant eagle with a five-meter wingspan.
*Skreeee—!*
Amid a piercing, clarion screech, the giant eagle beat its wings and ripped through the hurricane, rocketing into the sky and hurtling toward Julian like a fighter jet, its pointed beak aimed like a spear.
Julian's expression warped, and he hurriedly raised a wind wall.
*Bang!*
The wind wall, the pride of Wind Mages, shattered in a split second. However, Julian used that brief moment to pull open some distance. With his face drained of color, he hesitated not an instant; opening his inventory, he snatched out the Egret Cloak and draped it across his back.
The next second, the giant eagle shattered his form—yet it was only an afterimage.
Zhang Yuanqing flapped his wings and soared higher, climbing to altitudes invisible to the naked eye of ordinary mortals. A pair of amber, circular pupils scanned the ground below, swiftly locking onto Julian's silhouette.
What he had activated was the beast-transformation skill of the Azure Emperor Jade Belt. The Azure Emperor Jade Belt was a Dominator-grade item; when a Saint assumed beast form, it boosted their level, the only restriction being that it could not cross tier boundaries.
Therefore, as a peak-stage Saint, assuming beast form still kept him at peak Saint stage—yet this was precisely what Zhang Yuanqing needed most.
Without exposing his true class, the Azure Emperor Jade Belt was the only item that allowed him to maintain peak Level 6 combat power. For that reason, he had quietly donned the Azure Emperor Jade Belt before stepping out of the hall.
Of course, even if the item's existence were exposed, it wouldn't pose much of a problem. Very few people in the Second District had ever seen the Azure Emperor Jade Belt, and it was considered one of Yuanshi Tianzun's relics—and Yuanshi Tianzun's girlfriend just happened to be in the team.
Even if the higher-ups of the Five Elements Alliance saw the Azure Emperor Jade Belt, they would harbor no suspicions.
Having dodged the collision, Julian tilted his head up, staring in shock and suspicion at the soaring eagle beating its wings.
He knew Beast Kings of the Second District possessed the ability to transform into animals, but what was with this ferocious aura? What was with this terrifying offensive power?
A similar pressure and aura was something Julian had once felt from Osmond while serving at headquarters.
This was the aura of peak Level 6. When someone's experience points reached one hundred percent, their body underwent a kind of metamorphosis—a transformation shifting toward that of a Dominator—so that whenever they advanced to Dominator in the future, their physical form could withstand the cross-stage influx of spiritual power.
Wasn't this Beast King named Jumang supposed to be Level 4?
The same confusion arose in the minds of the spectating guests. Everyone looked up into the night sky, tracking the giant eagle's blurred silhouette, their faces filled with astonishment.
This was completely different from what they had anticipated. Jumang was actually a peak Saint?
Level 6 and peak Level 6 were not the same thing at all. She hadn't expected Jumang to be a peak Saint; in official organizations, a peak Level 6 Saint was practically a Dominator-in-reserve, every single one a cherished treasure.
Winni Berent raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised, but even more delighted.
*Phew, Mr. Yuanshi really has so many tricks up his sleeve...* Annie let out a sigh of relief, the heart in her throat settling back down. Then she noticed President Donna gazing up at the night sky, eyes sparkling, as if she had found something of great interest.
Sean Meade frowned, his expression turning solemn and grave.
By contrast, the members of the Five Elements Alliance were extraordinarily calm, possessing immense faith in their guild master.
While thoughts flickered in Julian's mind, the hairs on his spine suddenly stood on end. A dark shadow swooped down from the high sky, exceeding the speed of sound.
*Faster than me!* Julian's heart sank. His pupils turned translucent, and the "Gale" sigil surfaced on his forehead.
The Gale Walker's Deterrence!
A psychic deterrence skill that suppressed all aerial foes.
However, the deterrent effect that had never failed before seemed to have zero impact on the giant eagle. It hurtled through the air beyond the speed of sound, moving so fast it left afterimages behind.
—Skills of the mental domain could hardly affect a peak Level 6 Dream Master.
Julian decisively activated the Egret Cloak's skill. With howling shrieks of wind, whirlwind after whirlwind coalesced around Julian, rotating about him at high speeds in a magnificent, awe-inspiring display.
Wind King Domain!
A function of the Egret Cloak, it served as both a formidable area-of-effect offensive skill and a lethal strangling defensive net formed by the hurricanes churning around the caster at blinding speed.
Ripping apart any enemy daring enough to approach.
Winds wailed across the ground while hurricanes danced madly high above, a doomsday-like spectacle that struck visceral dread into the guests below.
The giant eagle glided deftly across the night sky, diving, pivoting, and banking with incomparable agility, dodging the converging pursuit of the tornadoes until it successfully pierced into the core, hurtling straight at Julian Meade.
"Damn it!" Julian Meade's face darkened. The Wind King Domain was his trump card, a skill that had never failed him in the Saint realm. Even fellow Wind Mages of the same rank could only back away and dare not approach when he unleashed this technique.
This was the first time he had ever encountered an opponent of equal level who was faster and more agile than him, breaking through the blockade of the Wind King Domain purely through speed and flight maneuvers.
Julian initially wanted to evade temporarily, but for reasons unknown, an intense contempt surged in his heart, coupled with a deep aversion to losing face.
*A mere foreigner from the Second District—what right does he have to make me back down?*
*With so many people watching, wouldn't retreating cost me all my dignity?*
This wave of emotion had come out of nowhere, yet he followed his impulse. Refusing to dodge or retreat, he thrust both hands forward, raising a wind wall while coalescing a barrage of wind blades in front of him to saturate the space ahead indiscriminately.
The Egret Cloak provided a massive enhancement to Wind Mage skills; the tier of this wind wall was completely different from the one before.
*Clang, clang, clang!*
The wind blades slashed against the giant eagle, sparks flying from its rigid feathers.
Practically the next instant, the giant eagle crashed into the wind wall. A mist of blood erupted immediately; its pointed beak snapped first, and feathers harder than steel drifted through the air.
*Dead? Foolish idiot. The stronger the attack, the more violent the rebound of the wind wall. You didn't even understand a Wind Mage's skills, yet dared to cross hands with me?* Julian Meade rejoiced inwardly, arrogance and smug satisfaction rising within him once more.
Right then, he suddenly noticed that the falling eagle carcass abruptly vanished.
Julian froze. Before he could react, he saw a figure materialize outside the wind wall—none other than the supposedly dead Jumang!
*Not dead?!* Julian's face drained of color. Just as he was about to ride the wind in retreat, Jumang thrust his arm out preemptively, piercing the wind wall with slight effort and clamping onto Julian's throat.
In the next instant, a torrential barrage of punches rained down on Julian's face, making stars explode before his eyes and sending his head spinning. Teeth flew out one after another, his cheeks swelled high, and his lips split open.
Exerting force through his legs, Zhang Yuanqing clamped down and snapped the Wind Mage's ribs. Gripping Julian's hair with one hand, he balled his other hand into a fist, repeatedly smashing heavy blows into his cheeks, the back of his head, and his face.
The force behind his punches wasn't overwhelming, because the price of using the beast form was cellular rupture and gene mutation—an agonizing pain sufficient to drive even a Saint unconscious.
Zhang Yuanqing had reinforced his fighting will and suppressed the agony, but the physical damage was real and wouldn't vanish simply because he couldn't feel the pain.
Julian bobbed and drifted in midair, lurching left and right like a drunken bird.
Wind blades fired erratically in all directions, yet none could strike Jumang mounted on his back.
As a fragile Wind Mage, this was the inevitable outcome once a close-combat class closed the distance.
Julian shrieked piteously. The agony and vertigo stripped away all his composure, prompting him to form a wind blade behind him, its edge aimed at his own body.
"Go on, stab right through both our backs. Let's see who dies first, you or me," Zhang Yuanqing sneered.
Julian froze stiff, and the wind blade behind his back slowly dissolved.
"Useless trash!" Zhang Yuanqing drove an elbow strike hard into his temple.
Julian's eyes rolled back as he passed out, plummeting from the sky with Zhang Yuanqing in tow.
Wind roared in his ears. Zhang Yuanqing ripped the cloak from Julian's shoulders, stowed it into his inventory to claim ownership, then quickly pulled it out and draped it over his back, instantly mastering the power to manipulate air currents.
*Whoosh.*
A gentle breeze rose from the ground, supporting the two descending figures and bringing them to a steady landing.
Along the veranda outside the hall's entrance, the smartly dressed guests wore blank, dumbfounded expressions.
This outcome was completely different from what they had envisioned, and even the duration defied their expectations: Julian, equipped with a Dominator-grade item, had been defeated in an aerial battle.
When did the Five Elements Alliance gain such a formidable figure?
Reilly Eugene rushed over to his subordinate, asking excitedly, "Did you record it? Did you get it all?"
Chapter 683