*Swoosh*

Bai Qi's claws slashed at his opponent in an arc-like movement.

*Swoosh* *Swoosh*

Bu Zan countered by sending his two fists to meet them, and as they connected, he moved his body forward, intending to tackle Bai Qi. And while closing in with a flame-covered opponent would appear unlogical, the strange grey-colored qi exuded by every pore of Bu Zan's body perfectly countered all attempts of the [Ghostflame] to burn him.

*Swoosh*

But in place of avoiding the tackle or meeting it with one of his own, Bai Qi abruptly roared.

*Roar*

But it wasn't because of emotions or to say anything. No, it was a kind-of primal roar, and it carried with itself the so-called [Might of a Ruler]. And not even of Bai Qi's self or cultivation method, but from the small part of [White Tiger] blood that now cruised his body.

Bai Qi could also add the spiritual flame to that list, but for one, he did consider the [Ghostflame] something that he both obtained and tamed by himself. As for wondering, how could not he if it was common knowledge that rarely more than one of such qualities could coexist with another one?

Bu Zan's qi was thrown into disarray for a moment because of the roar, and it allowed Bai Qi to continue holding the initiative in their clash. He suddenly made a complete summersault, with his wings and then his talons slashing at Bu Zan. Thus, forcing the latter to move back. While the [Gate] qi protected him from all elements, it wasn't as if he was invulnerable. And Bu Zan had no desire to test just how sharp were the wings and claws.

Bu Zan inwardly doubted that he was even fighting a cultivator, and if not for the [Grey Gate] being part of the [Demon Worship] alliance, he would have thought that Bai Qi was an authentic demon!

Having forced his opponent a few steps back, Bai Qi followed just a moment later and released a crazed barrage of swipes, slashes, kicks, and whatever else came into his mind.

*Thump* *Swoosh* *Thump* *Step* *Step* *Slash*

Bu Zan managed to dodge, block, or retreat from all he felt that it wasn't because of his instincts. And indeed, Bai Qi's barrage wasn't even aimed at any vitals. It was as if he was attacking in a trance. Bu Zan assumed and resolved to try and confirm it.

At first, it was a small attempt to distract Bai Qi with the help of a weak spirit technique. But the flame-covered opponent reacted as if it was an attack, blocking the small and probably harmless rock spear.

Still, Bu Zan considered this not enough as it did not stop the crazed attacks coming at him. Thus, he resorted to similar tricks several times until he grew secure with his theory. Bu Zan decided, and after blocking another direct slash coming at him, used the force behind it to slide back. But in place of stopping and bracing, he kicked off the ground and glid for almost thirty feet more.

The fanged and horned visage of Bai Qi showed no emotions, but as he stopped attacking for a few moments before rushing after Bu Zan, the latter triumphally smiled.

"Surging Avalanche, Wave!" While Bu Zan felt at ease with this, one of his most destructive skills, he still controlled it carefully. After all, the suddenly rising and gliding forward rocks could travel for close to half a mile, and while Bu Zan did not care about the other power cultivators, he could not allow himself to kill them openly either.

But in truth, that Bai Qi's visage did not reveal the latter's emotions affected Bu Zan's judgment. As if not for the flames, he would have seen how Bai Qi smirked as soon as Bu Zan started his prepared and proven plan.

Before, Bai Qi had indeed once fought on pure instincts. But it wasn't a part of his methods or even a trance. After all, if one's practically unconscious, it would be the only way to act.

But this time? Bai Qi was in a perfect state and had planned for everything of this. And not because of any hardships fighting against Bu Zan but because there were just too many enemies around, and while they did not attack him, they were slowly overwhelming the five members of the 35th tower.

Thus, Bai Qi needed to make Bu Zan move back and slightly to the side to enact what had been his plan since the start - killing the saber-wielding cultivator that attacked him previously!

*Crack* *Rumble* *Swoosh*

The flame-covered Bai Qi disappeared from the path of the nearly flying rocks that emerged from the ground on Bu Zan's command. And using his utmost speed moved towards the just starting to react [Grey Gate] elite.

"Regretfully for you, I wasn't crazed or entranced." Bai Qi's voice entered Bu Zan's ears even before the latter stopped injecting aura into the 'Surging Avalanche' skill.

*Swoosh*

Ten, close to a foot each, blade-like claws of fire flew at the undefended Bu Zan.

*Clang*

But they bounced from his body, inflicting no harm whatsoever.

"Closing the Gates." The best defensive skill of their sect-like group was already active, but Bu Zan almost felt that he should mention its name.

"Not bad!" But for some reason, Bai Qi's voice was almost delighted as his planned surprise attack failed.

Bu Zan questioned himself but found no answer, at least not until the figure in front broke off and rushed to the still, standing and defending Mo Tao.

But Bu Zan's understanding came late. After all, to deactivate [Closing the Gates] and enter his stopped [Open Gate] state, he would require more than a few breaths!

Bai Qi's approach to Mo Tao had been almost instantaneous, but the latter remained calm. With all the disadvantages of [Closing the Gates], it was a powerful defensive skill that could shrug off attacks from two levels above the user.

And while it also consumed both inner qi and aura's soul power in enormous quantities when blocking an attack, it was indeed impenetrable for a 3rd level Warrior Lord. At least if the user was a 1st level Warrior Lord like Mo Tao was.

Mo Tao was so sure of his defense that he did not even think why Bai Qi suddenly had chosen to attack him now. And it was something he should have thought about. After all, why would an experienced opponent do so? Especially as it meant losing the advantage obtained in the fight with Bu Zan.

And he neither paid attention to the strange crimson glowing around what should be Bai Qi's index finger claw.

*Splatter*

A ray of concentrated scarlet flame with black streaks suddenly shot off and penetrated the supposedly absolute defense. And then entered Mo Tao's body, piercing the latter's dantian!

"AAAAAHHH!!" Mo Tao's pained scream, as he felt how the connection to his spirit pool was destroyed was loud enough to make even the quarter of a mile away, near the tower, cultivators turn.

*Slash* *Splatter* *Plop*

But it was quickly severed as Bai Qi's claw, in a single, almost lazy movement ended his life.

"YOU BASTARD!" Bu Zan roared as he comprehended that not only did he again fail to prevent the death of another cultivator from his power, but he had now lost everyone except a few wounded men. Men that remained alive only because he did not bring them here!

"GATE, SHATTER!" With bloodshot eyes and a crazed expression, Bu Zan bellowed an instant later.

His fury was enough to drop any reservations he had before. And he ended activating [Shatter] right away. This latter was a way to destroy the gate-like construct that the [Grey Gate] cultivation formed and nurtured inside one's dantian. An almost last-resort skill, as it would require over a week of meditation and healing to repair. Not to mention that during that time, the cultivator would be severely weakened.

*Tremble*

The amount of qi that surged from Bu Zan and how his aura forcefully exploded as the stored qi entered his soul, made both earth and air tremble.

Bu Zan also changed visually, as his skin turned grey, but all of the usually invisible pathways glowed white, filling him with a myriad of small lines.

He looked at Bai Qi with eyes that were not furious, but over that, and launched forward with a speed that was not just on the verge but actually appeared to have broken the formation's limits!

Bai Qi could only say to himself as he prepared to meet the enraged and, to call it somehow boosted, cultivator.

*Swoosh* *Thump*

Bai Qi's reflexes allowed him to block the quick and twice from before strong punch. Even so, he was sent sliding back, against his will, for over ten feet.

The [Black Flame Demon Incarnation] was Bai Qi's strongest offensive state, but it also counted with a defense superior to a 3rd level Warrior Lord and not by a small margin. Still, he felt how his arms went numb from the impact!

His interest in the battle rose, and Bai Qi agitated his qi, infusing all of his limbs to the maximum while his aura began over-infusing the skill.

***

*Crash* *Thump* *Swoosh*

For the next minute or so, Bai Qi and Bu Zan, both in their peak, if not over it, state savagely clashed.

Each of their attacks made the air tear, and a couple of them even affected the void, which was usually untouched by any attacks below the Warrior King realm.

Obviously, such a clash would attract attention. And while neither of them paid heed to it, at least openly, some of the far-away cultivators noted it and began gathering at a safe distance.

The only ones that did not stop what they were doing were the now exactly twenty attacking Elder Ye Zexi and her four disciples.

Still, the sudden surges of aura and qi coming from Bai Qi's and Bu Zan's battle did slightly help the already tired elder. She had never been a battle maniac, but to help her disciples remain alive, she had been vaulting in and out from the void for several minutes already, killing, attacking, wounding, defending, and doing whatever she could to lessen the burden on the four.

And only thanks to the wild and almost selfless, as she had already received three or four wounds, actions of the Elder, her four disciples remained alive and nearly unharmed.

Appearing in between a 2nd level Warrior Lord's ax and Zi Hanying, Ye Zexi blocked the former and pushed back the latter, saving the 1st level Warrior Lord disciple life.

{Don't leave each other sides at all, even when using the void.} Sending a qi transmission, the Elder disappeared again now to appear behind the ax-wielding opponent. But she did not even have the chance to attack him, being forced to pounce sideways and distract another attacker who was about to release a martial skill.

***

Bai Qi may be fighting, and now it wasn't such an easy fight as before as well. Still, a small part of his consciousness had been always following Elder Ye Zexi and her disciples.

And thanks to it, even before the latter was wounded, again, he understood that he had to choose. Either he rushed to save them, or he fought this battle to the end.

Deciding in a split second, Bai Qi allowed Bu Zan's aura-created fist to reach him, and feeling how his forearm cracked, was sent flying back.

Bai Qi inwardly added, and while his reasons were more of repaying the few minor wounds that the clash would leave, he also considered his overall objective for the so-called present.

*Swoosh*

Bu Zan wasn't sure why his opponent suddenly allowed to be hit, or why now Bai Qi started moving around randomly as if avoiding fighting.

*Swoosh* *Swoosh*

Bu Zan could only ask himself as he tried to intercept Bai Qi, but the latter scurried away.

*Swoosh* *Swoosh* *Swoosh*

Another failed attempt at interception, and Bu Zan was now sure that something was about to happen. But what?!

"Coward!" "Fight!" "We are here to look!" A few shouts from the, uncalled for, public followed, but neither Bu Zan nor Bai Qi paid attention to them. The former's full senses were now on the latter while the latter, in turn, was flaying his aura with no reason.

Bai Qi's aura was expanding and conmpressing, but such soul power spending had to mean something, and Bu Zan only found one option.

*Tremble*

But he was wrong, and it was proved just a moment later, as Bai Qi's aura returned to normal, and his ten claws shone white.

Bu Zan could sense that it was something offensive and that it would be dangerous to ignore, but, what exactly would it be?

"I am sorry to leave you, but..." Bai Qi's voice trailed off, as he changed positions again and raised his claws.

Bu Zan did not even notice how he thought in place of voicing the question, but Bai Qi's continued as if he had heard him.

"But, I will return for your head later. Or well, for you to kill me like you promised and could not until now." Bai Qi ended with a grin, and brought his claws down.

Bai Qi could only think as he attempted what he had never tried, using ten skills at the same time. And while not the strongest now, [Imperial Blade] wasn't a weak or cheap to use skill either.

"Slice!" Compelling himself with a roar, Bai Qi released the ten aura-slash-type skills.

"RUN YOU, IDIOTS!" And only then, Bu Zan understood what did Bai Qi was about to do. But even though he shouted for the thousand feet away cultivators to escape, he did not pay any more attention to them, as the slash-like skills, and each of them was a single skill indeed, were just too quick to avoid entirely!