144: Chapter 144 An exquisitely beautiful woman! Defeat…

Zhou Liangan threw his head back and laughed, his laughter hearty yet tinged with a hint of unbridled arrogance. His gaze swept over Family Head Nie Zining and Family Head Li Yunxin before him, his tone flippant yet laced with unquestionable dominance: "The beauties are quite straightforward. Since that is the case, this seat shall spare the lives of you two beauties."

As his words fell, the atmosphere on the scene instantly stagnated to the extreme. The already tense air seemed to be gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and even the surrounding wind ceased. Everyone's gaze was locked firmly onto Zhou Liangan, waiting to see his next move.

The moment his voice fell, the Aura around Zhou Liangan changed abruptly. The Nirvana Power that had been dormant within him completely broke free from its shackles, erupting without reservation.

A vast pressure, like a bursting flood, swept in all directions, instantly shrouding the entire arena and making everyone present feel an oppression originating from the depths of their Souls.

The pure Nirvana Power slowly circulated and condensed around him, first forming a faint halo, then becoming increasingly dense, transforming into a tangible stream of energy that coiled around his limbs and bones, setting him off like a deity from the Nine Heavens, majestic and inviolable.

Yet, this Nirvana Power was completely different from the power of ordinary Nirvana Realm experts. It lacked that sense of pure purification and rebirth; instead, it carried a hint of a cold, domineering Devouring Power, as if it could devour everything in the world, absorbing all energy and vitality.

What was even more alarming was that above this devouring Aura, there lingered a layer of faint, almost invisible threads of Karma. Those threads were dense and intricate, coiled around the Nirvana Power, exuding an arcane and terrifying Aura, as if anyone who touched this power would be dragged into an endless cycle of Karma and Reincarnation, never to escape for eternity.

The people present felt their minds tremble just by sensing it slightly, as if they would be completely devoured by this strange and powerful force in the next second, unable to even muster the thought of resistance.

The Cultivators present, whether they were disciples of the Gongye Family or experts from various factions who had come to stir up trouble, all looked at each other involuntarily after sensing this terrifying Nirvana Power. Their eyes were full of unbelievable horror, and their brows were furrowed with deep solemnity.

They had lived for so many years, yet they had never seen such a strange Nirvana Power. That sense of devouring and the Aura of entangled Karma far exceeded their understanding of the Nirvana Realm. They stood rooted to the spot, their bodies stiff, and even their breathing became cautious, for fear of disturbing this terrifying existence before them.

Grand Elder Gongye Dan stood at the forefront of the Gongye Family crowd, his eyes fixed firmly on the peculiar Nirvana Power around Zhou Liangan. First, he widened his eyes, his pupils contracting violently, his face filled with shock, as if he had seen the most incredible thing in the world.

But after only a moment, the shock was replaced by ecstasy. He threw his head back and let out a hearty, unbridled laugh, his laughter filled with excitement and anticipation, his voice trembling slightly from excessive excitement: "Hahaha! My Gongye Family, dormant for thousands of years, finally has hope for revival! Finally, there is a chance to recreate the glory of the past!"

While Grand Elder Gongye Dan was in ecstasy, Family Head Nie Zining, Family Head Li Yunxin, Family Head Qi Wencheng, and Family Head Gongxi Xingde felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave, with boundless panic rising from the depths of their hearts.

The four of them had originally come together, thinking that dealing with a junior who had just entered the Enlightenment Realm would be a simple task. But at this moment, feeling that peculiar and incomparably vast power on Zhou Liangan, they felt their whole bodies go cold, with chilliness permeating their limbs and bones. The fear in their hearts spread wildly like a tide, impossible to suppress.

The four of them looked at each other subconsciously, seeing the same panic and fear in each other's eyes. Cold sweat streamed down their foreheads, sliding down their cheeks and dripping onto their clothes, yet they were completely unaware.

Their originally rosy complexions were now pale to the extreme, without a trace of blood, their lips trembling slightly. The spiritual power within their bodies had become chaotic due to this fear, and it was extremely sluggish to circulate.

Family Head Nie Zining frowned tightly, her brows knitting into a deep furrow, her heart in turmoil, filled with confusion and shock.

She lowered her voice, yet deliberately controlled the volume so that the surrounding members of the Gongye Family could hear clearly, her tone filled with disbelief: "Merely having just entered the Enlightenment Realm, yet being able to control Nirvana Power, and even Cultivate Nirvana Power to such a level—such talent can be called a Prodigy. Would such a person really be successfully Possessed by that old rascal Gongye Hong?"

Her words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly causing a huge uproar among the people of the Gongye Family.

Grand Elder Gongye Dan, who had been filled with ecstasy, saw his smile instantly freeze upon hearing these words, and doubts couldn't help but arise in his heart.

That's right, such a stunning and brilliant Prodigy, with Heaven-Defying talent and infinite potential, how could he be easily Possessed by the Family Head Gongye Hong?

Could there be some hidden story in this? For a moment, his gaze toward Zhou Liangan became more complex, no longer simple anticipation, but with a hint of inquiry and unease.

Zhou Liangan saw all this in his eyes, a cold smile curling the corners of his mouth. He scanned Family Head Nie Zining with a playful look, his tone carrying a hint of mockery: "Beauty! This strategy of sowing discord is quite well used. You want to disturb the Gongye Family's thoughts and seize the opportunity to find a way to survive. Unfortunately, in the face of absolute power, all conspiracies and tricks, all little schemes, are illusory and vulnerable."

The moment his voice fell, Zhou Liangan said no more. He slowly raised his right hand and pointed gently at Family Head Nie Zining from a distance.

This finger seemed understated, without the slightest Aura, but with his movement, the terrifying Nirvana Power around him surged instantly, turning into a sharp stream of energy that swept across the sky, carrying the power to destroy the world, and instantly locked onto Family Head Nie Zining.

This Nirvana Power was extremely fast, as if it had crossed the distance of space, appearing instantly before Family Head Nie Zining. The sense of being locked on was incomparably strong, making her instantly feel a fatal crisis.

Family Head Nie Zining's heart tightened, her pupils shrinking violently. Daring not to pause for even a second, she moved her body, unleashing all her cultivation, and retreated rapidly toward the rear, wanting to dodge this attack.

But no matter how she used her movement techniques, or how much she increased her speed to the limit, she found that she could never shake off the lock of that Nirvana Power. It was as if that power had stuck to her body; no matter where she retreated, it followed behind, impossible to avoid, with nowhere to retreat.

A sense of despair instantly flooded her heart. She subconsciously raised her head, her beautiful eyes looking at Family Head Li Yunxin, Family Head Qi Wencheng, and Family Head Gongxi Xingde beside her, her gaze carrying a hint of a plea for help, hoping that the three of them could join forces to resist.

But the other three were already scared out of their wits by the strength Zhou Liangan had displayed; their hearts were filled only with fear, so how could they still have any thought of resisting?

They realized that Zhou Liangan's terror far exceeded their imagination; staying behind would only lead to death. Without the slightest hesitation, they turned and fled in different directions in a panic, just wanting to escape this place of trouble as quickly as possible and save their own lives.

Seeing the three of them abandon her without hesitation, Family Head Nie Zining was both angry and hateful. She gritted her silver teeth, her originally jade-white, charming, and moving pretty face now ugly to the extreme, filled with lividness and anger.

She glared at the three who were fleeing, then looked at the approaching Zhou Liangan, and shouted sternly: "Brat! Do not be arrogant! Do not think that this bit of power allows you to do whatever you want!"

With a cold snort, Family Head Nie Zining suppressed the fear and panic in her heart, trying to steady the other three, and said loudly: "Now that the four of us join forces to fight this fiend, we may not be without a chance of winning! But if you flee now, he will surely hold a grudge for today's enmity. As the saying goes, 'The monk may run, but the temple cannot run away.' Your respective Family Foundations are all in this region; there is nowhere to escape. Sooner or later, you will be broken one by one by this person, and by then, your entire Family will be annihilated along with you!"

Her words were heart-piercing, striking the weak spot of the three. Family Head Li Yunxin, Family Head Qi Wencheng, and Family Head Gongxi Xingde, who had already fled some distance, instantly stopped their steps, looks of hesitation appearing on their faces.

They knew in their hearts that what Family Head Nie Zining said was the truth. The strength Zhou Liangan had displayed was too terrifying. If they let him leave today, they would inevitably face retaliation in the future. With his methods, annihilating their Families would only be a matter of time.

Rather than having their Families suffer in the future, it was better to fight to the death now; perhaps there was still a glimmer of hope.

Thinking this through, the three no longer hesitated. They turned and returned, standing side by side with Family Head Nie Zining. The four of them exchanged glances, instantly reaching an agreement to go all out and join forces to fight Zhou Liangan.

The first to strike was Family Head Li Yunxin. She waved her fair hand gently, her sleeves fluttering, her movements elegant yet carrying endless chilliness.

In an instant, an Aura of extreme cold erupted from her body, sweeping toward Zhou Liangan.

This freezing power was extraordinary. Not only could it freeze a person's Physical Body, causing blood to coagulate and bones to stiffen, but even more terrifyingly, this cold air could directly invade the Divine Soul, freezing the Soul body, making it impossible for even the Divine Soul to operate in the extreme cold, which could be called extremely strange.

Zhou Liangan instantly felt the strangeness of this freezing power, but he did not have the slightest panic. Instead, a playful smile curled the corners of his mouth, and he spoke in a relaxed tone: "Interesting! It is truly interesting. I did not expect your Ice and Snow Power to be able to damage the Divine Soul. It is indeed somewhat mysterious, and it is worth me looking at you with high regard."

As his voice fell, Zhou Liangan stepped lightly. With one step, his figure stood as stable as Mount Tai, standing in place.

He no longer held back, immediately operating the Tianji Qiankun Technique within his body. The vast power of the Cultivation Technique instantly circulated through his entire body, firmly protecting his Meridians and Physical Body.

At the same time, the incomparably vast power of Luck within his body was also mobilized, surging out from his Dantian, forming an airtight golden curtain of light on the surface of his body.

This curtain of light was condensed from pure power of Luck. It was brilliant with golden light, incomparably thick, and exuded an auspicious yet domineering Aura, firmly protecting Zhou Liangan within, as if putting on a layer of indestructible armor for him.

The Ice and Snow Power released by Family Head Li Yunxin with all her might crashed fiercely against the golden curtain of light, but it was blocked firmly outside, unable to penetrate at all. Not even a trace of cold air could approach Zhou Liangan's body; it could only continuously condense and dissipate outside the curtain of light, turning into specks of ice that fell to the ground.

Seeing Family Head Li Yunxin's attack easily resolved, Family Head Qi Wencheng's face darkened. Daring not to have the slightest reservation, he waved his hand, his sleeves fluttering violently.

Immediately after, a soft sword, silvery-white throughout and as soft as silk, was flung out rapidly from his sleeve. The soft sword circled and rose into the air, emitting a sharp sound of piercing the air. In the next second, it transformed into thousands of sharp silver sword lights, dense and packed, like a rainstorm, stabbing fiercely toward Zhou Liangan.

Each sword light contained his lifelong cultivation, incomparably sharp, carrying the power to pierce the Void Realm, wanting to pierce through Zhou Liangan along with that golden curtain of light.

Almost at the same time, Family Head Gongxi Xingde's eyes flashed with cold killing intent. He suddenly waved the Taoist robe on his body, and as his sleeves fluttered, an extremely pure clear Qi surged out from his sleeve.

This clear Qi seemed plain, but it carried a rich pressure of the Dao, thick and vast, containing the power of the Laws of Heaven and Earth, crushing toward Zhou Liangan, wanting to use the power of the Dao to suppress Zhou Liangan's cultivation and disintegrate his defense.

On the other side, Family Head Nie Zining was locked down tightly by Zhou Liangan's Nirvana Power. Facing imminent crisis, her eyes turned ruthless. Without the slightest hesitation, she decisively consumed a Substitute Talisman she had treasured for many years.

This Substitute Talisman was a rare treasure capable of bearing a fatal blow for its owner at a critical moment. As the talisman paper burned, a phantom emerged from her body, blocking the Nirvana Power Zhou Liangan had unleashed from afar. The phantom vanished instantly, and Family Head Nie Zining took the opportunity to break free from the lockdown.

After escaping the crisis, Family Head Nie Zining dared not linger for even a moment. She waved her fair hand again, her figure light and graceful, like a Fairy descending to the mortal world, yet the Aura around her became incomparably bewitching.

Her eyes slowly changed color. Her originally clear eyes now completely displayed a bewitching purple, with the purple light flaring brilliantly, revealing a mysterious and powerful force.

Immediately after, in the Void Realm behind her, a colossal and magnificent purple Emperor Star slowly condensed. The Emperor Star shone with immense radiance, emitting a terrifying stellar pressure, as if it intended to shroud the entire world within it. This was her trump card, a technique for which she had utilized the majority of her own cultivation, hoping to use it to kill Zhou Liangan.

During this life-and-death struggle, all four of them understood that facing a Prodigy like Zhou Liangan, any probing was tantamount to seeking their own destruction. Thus, they held nothing back from the start, unleashing their respective signature ultimate killing techniques. Every move was a desperate, life-risking measure of infinite power, as they sought to overwhelm Zhou Liangan by attacking four-against-one.

Grand Elder Gongye Dan stood to the side, watching the four unleash their killing moves simultaneously. As four powerful forces attacked Zhou Liangan, his heart leaped into his throat, and his palms were slick with cold sweat from nervousness.

He asked himself, with his own strength, he feared he would have no chance of winning against any one of the four, let alone being able to defend himself, let alone resisting their combined attack.

At this moment, all his focus was fixed on Zhou Liangan. He stared at the battlefield without blinking, praying inwardly, hoping that Zhou Liangan could strike back forcefully, repel all these people, and preserve the Gongye Family, as well as the hope for the Gongye Family's resurgence.

Facing the violent, combined attack of the four, Zhou Liangan remained calm, showing not the slightest panic. He merely gave a cold laugh and shook his head slightly, his tone filled with disdain and contempt: "You four have gone to such lengths, using all your strength, yet if this is all the skill you have! Then this boring game can end now."

As his voice fell, Zhou Liangan held back no longer. He waved his right hand casually, a relaxed and effortless motion, as if he were merely brushing away a speck of dust.

Yet, with his movement, the Nirvana Power, Devouring Power, and the vast Luck within his body—three distinct yet incomparably powerful forces—instantly fused in his palm.

The three forces complemented and intertwined with each other without the slightest conflict; instead, they erupted with even more formidable power, coalescing into three lifelike Dragon phantoms.

These three Dragon phantoms were brilliantly golden, their scales distinct, whiskers flowing, and eyes dignified. No sooner had they formed than they let out a Dragon roar that shook the heavens and earth.

The Dragon roar was deafening, like a thunderclap, spreading across the entire field and even far beyond, causing all living creatures within a radius of several miles to feel this Dragon Aura and tremble. The three Dragon phantoms, wrapped in immense power, soared into the air and crashed fiercely into the four people's attacks.

A violent roar erupted, and the heavens and earth seemed to tremble. The four's ultimate attacks were, in the face of the three Dragon phantoms, completely unable to withstand a single blow.

Wherever the Dragon phantoms passed, the power of ice and snow instantly melted, thousands of sword lights shattered, the pure Qi of the Dao dissipated directly, and the light of the purple Emperor Star was fiercely suppressed. In a brief instant, the combined offensive of the four was completely blown apart, turning into fragments of energy that dissipated into the air.

After crushing the four's offensive, only two of the three Dragon phantoms were consumed. The final remaining Dragon phantom, its power undiminished, suddenly split in two in mid-air, transforming into two slightly smaller Dragon phantoms. Carrying endless momentum, they struck fiercely toward Family Head Qi Wencheng and Family Head Gongxi Xingde, their targets clear and merciless.

Seeing this, Family Head Qi Wencheng and Family Head Gongxi Xingde were terrified, their Souls flying away and spirits scattering. They couldn't help but curse Zhou Liangan inwardly, cursing this bastard for being extremely lustful. It was clear he feared them and yet coveted the beauty of Family Head Nie Zining and Family Head Li Yunxin, so he intentionally spared the two women and only unleashed his lethal attacks on them. It was truly excessive.

But now, facing the lethal strike of the Dragon phantoms, they didn't even have time to curse. They could only exhaust all their cultivation, mobilize all defensive measures, and struggle bitterly, hoping to block this fatal blow.

As for Family Head Li Yunxin and Family Head Nie Zining, seeing that Zhou Liangan only attacked Family Head Qi Wencheng and Family Head Gongxi Xingde and had no intention of pursuing them, they instantly understood the reason. They couldn't help but sigh inwardly; it was fortunate that they were women and possessed some beauty, which prevented this lustful young man from having the intent to kill them, allowing them to save their lives.

The two women dared not linger for another moment, fearing Zhou Liangan might change his mind. They immediately turned around, unleashed their fastest movement techniques, and fled rapidly into the distance, wanting only to escape this place as quickly as possible and stay as far away from this terrifying Prodigy as possible.

Zhou Liangan watched the two women flee, merely giving a cold laugh. He had no intention of pursuing them and did not take them to heart.

Just as Family Head Nie Zining had said before, one can escape the monk but not the temple. The moment the two women turned to flee, he had already quietly planted a seed of Divine Thought upon them.

This Divine Thought seed was incredibly secretive, blending into their Divine Souls so they could not detect it at all. No matter where they fled to the ends of the earth, Zhou Liangan could rely on this strand of Divine Thought to pinpoint their locations. No matter what, these two women could not escape; he would have plenty of time to deal with them in the future.

Of course, the most important thing was that Zhou Liangan was currently unable to split himself. The two women were fleeing in different directions; pursuing them would be difficult, and capturing them alive would be even harder. By comparison, killing these two men who were useless to him was the optimal solution for now.

On the battlefield, only Family Head Gongxi Xingde and Family Head Qi Wencheng remained, struggling bitterly under the bombardment of the Dragon phantoms. Both were covered in wounds, their spiritual energy exhausted. Their previous arrogance was long gone, and they could only kneel and beg Zhou Liangan for mercy, their voices miserable and full of pleading, hoping that Zhou Liangan would spare their lives.

But Zhou Liangan's eyes were cold, and his heart remained unmoved. Regarding these two people who had repeatedly provoked him and tried to kill him, he had no intention of letting them go. Since they dared to make a move, they had to bear the price of failure.

Family Head Qi Wencheng was struggling increasingly hard, blood seeping continuously from his wounds. Under the chaotic state of his spiritual energy, he violently spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning pale as paper.

Watching the Dragon phantoms drawing ever closer, he knew he could no longer defend against them. In order to survive, he steeled his heart, gritted his teeth, looked at Zhou Liangan, and shouted loudly: "Family Head Gongye, please show mercy! My daughter has peerless beauty, rare in this world, and her Physique is extremely special—she is a Human Furnace for cultivation that is hard to find in ten thousand years. If you need it, Family Head, I am willing to offer my daughter to you, to be dealt with as you please. I only ask that you spare my life!"

Hearing Family Head Qi Wencheng's humble and bottomless plea for mercy, Zhou Liangan curled his lips into a mocking smile and slowly repeated: "Peerless beauty?"

Zhou Liangan secretly searched the memories that Gongye Hong had left for him.

In this person's memory, Family Head Qi Wencheng's daughter was indeed a heavenly beauty of unparalleled grace.

It was just that at the time, the Gongye Family was gradually weakening, so this old thing only had the heart of a thief but lacked the guts.

Zhou Liangan's tone was full of playfulness, but his hand movements did not hesitate in the slightest.

As soon as his voice fell, he raised a hand and grabbed fiercely in the air toward Family Head Qi Wencheng.

An invisible yet incomparably powerful force instantly erupted, locking Family Head Qi Wencheng's entire body firmly. Family Head Qi Wencheng felt his Meridians bound tightly; he couldn't move a muscle, let alone circulate his spiritual energy or beg for mercy. His whole body froze in place, his face instantly turning pale as paper, and even breathing became incredibly difficult.

Just as he had controlled Family Head Qi Wencheng, Family Head Gongxi Xingde, who was to the side, saw his companion subdued and knew he could not escape death. Terrified to the point of his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, he opened his mouth to beg for mercy, wanting to speak the same compromising words as Family Head Qi Wencheng.

But before he could get the words out, Zhou Liangan gave him no opportunity at all. The divided Dragon phantom had already crashed before him, its immense power crushing down instantly. With a dull thud of "Bang," Family Head Gongxi Xingde didn't even have time to scream; his entire Physical Body exploded, turning into a cluster of scarlet, pungent blood mist that drifted in the air.

With his Physical Body destroyed, Family Head Gongxi Xingde's remaining Divine Soul dared not linger. It turned into a faint streak of light, exhausting its last ounce of strength to flee frantically into the distance, wanting only to escape this slaughterhouse and find an opportunity for revenge in the future.

But no matter how fast he fled, he could not outpace Zhou Liangan's control.

In just a brief moment, a cluster of incomparably dense, eerie black mist suddenly surged from the Void Realm. It was as fast as lightning, instantly wrapping tightly around his frantically fleeing Divine Soul.

From within the black mist, the extremely shrill screams of Family Head Gongxi Xingde continued to emerge, the voice filled with despair and fear, mixed with unwilling threats: "No... how dare you kill me! The power behind me is immense; they will definitely not let you off, and you will pay the price... why not let me go, we can discuss everything!"

Zhou Liangan stood in place, his expression indifferent. He turned a deaf ear to his threats and pleas, directly activating the Devouring Power within his body.

That Devouring Power, carrying an eerie and cold Aura, instantly swept out. It first absorbed all the blood mist in the air, then wrapped around the black mist, dragging Family Head Gongxi Xingde's Divine Soul into it as well.

Accompanying the dissipation of the final shrill scream, Family Head Gongxi Xingde's Divine Soul and the remnants of his Physical Body were completely digested by the Devouring Power, transformed into incomparably pure energy that flowed continuously into Zhou Liangan's body, nourishing his Physical Body and Divine Soul bit by bit, making his Aura grow slightly stronger once more.

Family Head Qi Wencheng, controlled by Zhou Liangan from afar, watched with his own eyes as Family Head Gongxi Xingde's Physical Body exploded and his Divine Soul was devoured, without even a shred of room to resist. He was scared out of his wits on the spot.

His whole body couldn't stop trembling, cold sweat poured down his forehead, and his legs went weak, almost causing him to collapse to the ground. His eyes were filled with extreme fear, and he didn't even have the courage to look at Zhou Liangan, fearing that in the next second, he would suffer the same fate as Family Head Gongxi Xingde.

Zhou Liangan felt the abundant power within him and turned to look at Family Head Qi Wencheng, who was frightened out of his wits. A half-smile appeared on his face as he spoke slowly: "Since you say your daughter has peerless beauty, it would be a pity not to go to your Qi Family and see for myself. I would like to see just how beautiful your daughter really is."

How could Family Head Qi Wencheng dare to disobey in the slightest at this moment, fearing that one careless move would displease Zhou Liangan and cost him his life.

He hurriedly nodded like a pounding pestle, agreeing repeatedly. With a thought, he took out a warship. After the two boarded the warship, it transformed into a streak of light and sped rapidly in the direction of the Qi Family...

PS: The image shows Family Head Li Yunxin.