Chapter 248: Since you seek death, I

Da Hu and Er Hu saw Li Yilan and Ye Xiaozhi, the two women, step onto the stage.

The two involuntarily exchanged a glance, a flicker of sinister intent flashing in their eyes.

The blazing sun stretched their shadows across the rune‑etched platform, like two crouching beasts.

Da Hu's knuckles whitened on his sword hilt, the flowing red flame runes on the blade especially glaring.

Er Hu stroked the massive hammer forged from meteoric iron.

The star‑stone set in the hammerhead flickered with his breath, a faint thunderous rumble echoing along the shaft.

They furtively glanced at the VIP seats where the Five Great Sects were seated.

On the white‑jade‑built viewing platform, the five sect masters sat upright on their cloud‑patterned thrones.

A subtle pressure lingered around them.

Da Hu recalled the pre‑match promise Li Tian Yuan, Chu Xiong, and Yang Cheng made to him and his brother in the secret chamber.

That voice seemed still to echo in their ears.

"If you can eliminate Li Yilan and Ye Xiaozhi, you two will not only become inner disciples of the Five Great Sects, but also gain access to the ancient legacy's secret cultivation arts."

Er Hu, recalling that promise, felt his Adam's apple roll.

Thinking of the legendary heavenly treasures, the greed in his heart blazed like fire.

Such temptation was enough to make them resort to any means.

Er Hu swung his iron hammer hard; the runes on its surface flared, making the ground tremble slightly.

He looked at Ye Xiaozhi on the platform and growled, "If you don't want to die, surrender now to spare yourself suffering!"

"With your puny frame, you're nothing but an ant before me."

Speaking, he deliberately dragged the huge hammer across the ground, sparks flying, gouging a deep trench in the stone platform.

Da Hu tilted his sword tip toward the ground, cold‑smiling silently, the intent of his Blazing Flame Sword Technique silently unfurling around him.

A crimson flame phantom condensed behind him into a roaring fire qilin.

That sword intent turned into raging flames that engulfed him.

Da Hu, wearing an air of supreme arrogance, said, "Li Yilan, right?"

"I hear you also wield a sword; I won't bully you. Break your sword, kneel, and surrender, and I'll spare your life."

"Because before me, you have no qualification to resist."

His voice was icy and arrogant, every word dripping with contempt.

Da Hu clearly didn't even regard Li Yilan.

In his eyes, this victory belonged to none but him.

Moreover, he even felt the Five Great Sects were making a fuss over nothing.

Dealing with these two girls—why would he and his brother need to lift a finger?

A random ordinary disciple of the Flame Sect could easily crush them.

He lightly flicked the sword hilt; the red jade pendant on the tassel chimed crisply, utterly relaxed.

Seeing Da Hu and Er Hu's outrageous words, the Flame Sect disciples instantly seethed with anger.

They stood beneath the viewing platform, waving flags embroidered with flame totems.

The rising and falling shouts echoed across the square: "Senior Brother Da Hu! Senior Brother Er Hu! Such domineering aura will surely scare them into losing control!"

"These two lovely girls—better to just take them into the chambers as concubines!"

Amid the laughter, many onlooking cultivators joined in, as if Li Yilan and Ye Xiaozhi were already in their pockets.

Seeing this, the Azure Cloud Sect members all turned livid.

Several elders clenched their fists, nails almost digging into their palms.

"The Flame Sect bullies people too much! A third‑rate sect dares to act so arrogantly!"

"Don't they fear retaliation from my Azure Cloud Sect?"

A white‑haired elder shouted, unable to contain his anger.

Furthermore, an Azure Cloud Sect elder, filled with righteous indignation, declared, "I propose we launch an all‑out sect war against them!"

"We must settle this score!"

"We cannot swallow this anger!"

Countless elders trembled with rage, the jade pendants at their waists clattering chaotically as they shook.

Just as the crowd's fervor peaked,

the Azure Cloud Sect's Grand Elder Mao Ping, however, remained calm, slowly producing an ancient black ledger.

Its surface was cracked with age's erosion, yet it exuded a heart‑pounding pressure.

Each page seemed to seal an ancient secret.

The Grand Elder's fingertip condensed essence blood, inscribing the two characters "Flame Sect" on the flyleaf.

As the ink seeped into the page, the world suddenly darkened, a low thunder rumbling faintly.

An invisible pressure spread outward.

As if foretelling the disaster awaiting the Flame Sect.

And this was precisely the Grand Elder's little blacklist book.

Obviously, the Flame Sect's deeds had long been judged by the Grand Elder as courting death.

The scene returned to the platform.

"How about it?"

"Want to surrender?" Da Hu glanced askance at Li Yilan, lifting a strand of hair with his sword tip, his eyes full of contempt.

That strand of hair turned to ash the instant it touched the sword tip.

Li Yilan curled the corner of her mouth into a mocking arc, speaking in an indifferent tone: "You're very much like a thing."

"Like what?"

Da Hu raised his brows, his heart full of disdain.

"Like a mad dog barking wildly."

Li Yilan's voice was clear and icy, piercing Da Hu like a sharp blade.

As she spoke, the Peerless Emperor Sword slowly appeared behind her, its blade flowing with mysterious runes, emitting a sword intent that made one's heart palpitate.

Seeing this, Da Hu's sword intent surged all over his body.

He coldly said: "It seems you prefer to refuse a toast and drink a forfeit."

"Since you seek death, I will grant you."

In an instant, the silver sword turned into a crimson fire dragon, wrapped in blazing heavenly flames, lunging straight at Li Yilan.

Da Hu muttered: "Blazing Flame Sword Technique, Fire Dragon Burns the Heavens!"

The fire dragon bared its fangs and claws; wherever it passed, the air ignited, leaving a long scorch mark.

The bluish stone on the ground melted under the high heat, emitting a "hissing" sound.

Li Yilan lifted her jade hand, and the Peerless Emperor Sword was instantly drawn.

Sword qi crisscrossed to form a silver sword curtain.

"Is that all you've got? I'll show you what true sword dao is!"

Her gaze was firm and sharp; the sword intent around her resonated with the Peerless Emperor Sword, forming a powerful force.

The silver sword curtain collided with the crimson fire dragon, fire sparks scattering, the whole arena trembling.

A powerful shockwave spread outward, forcing the surrounding spectators to retreat repeatedly; some lower‑cultivation cultivators were even overturned to the ground.

In just a few breaths, the two began exchanging over a dozen moves.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Er Hu saw this and gave a sinister chuckle.

"Originally, if you agreed to be my wife, I would have spared you a way out. Now you have only a dead end!"

"Because Li Yilan dared to humiliate my brother like this, I will surely make you pay the price!"

As he spoke, his muscles kept bulging, the power of the Lingxi Bloodline surging within his body.

Ye Xiaoxi pinched her nose and stepped back half a pace.

"First get rid of the garlic smell in your mouth before speaking, you ugly freak."

"With your looks, you still want to be my wife? That's pure daydreaming."