Chapter 132: Capture

What is sheer audacity? This is it!

One must admit that Lin Fan’s boldness had reached a lawless extent; he actually dared to set his sights on the Mysterious Man.

The true identity of the Mysterious Man remained unknown to all, but his strength was legendary. Perhaps his avatar’s Void-Breaking Realm was not particularly terrifying, but the power of his true Ancestral Realm body was enough to strike fear into the hearts of countless people.

However, when considered carefully, Lin Fan’s plan was not merely a fantasy.

Firstly, the Mysterious Man’s true body was in the Endless Sea and could not intervene in the Great Jin Kingdom. It was impossible for Lin Fan to be assassinated by him in the short term. Secondly, the power of the Ancestral Artifact on Lin Fan’s body could last for some time, which was enough for him to elevate his combat strength to the Title level.

"No time to lose. Delay breeds change. Let's go!"

Having made his decision, Lin Fan did not hesitate. He soared into the air and charged directly toward the ancient small city.

"This is a dead city seized by the Emperor, complete with a Soul-Devouring Array. He has truly exhausted every possible means to resurrect the Empress."

At that moment, the Mysterious Man had no idea that someone was coming to ambush him. He walked through the void as if strolling through his own private garden.

"Zombies?"

Suddenly, the Mysterious Man frowned. He saw figures appearing before him—the very same group of zombies that had previously attacked Lin Fan and his companions.

"This race exists outside the Five Elements and beyond the Three Realms; they should not be here. Could there be other secrets hidden within Wangwu Mountain?"

Filled with suspicion, the Mysterious Man flicked his fingers repeatedly, casting divine patterns. He was performing a technique of divination, seeking to understand the true reason for the zombies’ appearance.

"Begone!"

Just then, a low roar emanated from the void. The Mysterious Man was horrified and scrambled backward, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

"What is happening? That aura..."

The Mysterious Man’s eyes flickered, but in the end, he dared not move forward. Wangwu Mountain, which he had previously thought held no more secrets, was now shrouded in an even deeper mist.

"My apologies for the intrusion. Farewell!"

The Mysterious Man cupped his hands toward the empty void, then veered away from the city and flew in another direction.

At that exact moment, the void violently shattered as a massive fist descended.

Lin Fan had arrived. He struck without hesitation, giving the Mysterious Man no time to react.

"You go too far!"

The Mysterious Man felt his scalp tingle, followed by a surge of towering rage. He believed that since he had already retreated, the person in the shadows should have no reason to attack. Yet, reality proved the exact opposite.

"If you want to fight, then let us fight!"

The Mysterious Man roared and erupted with his full power. Two divine beams shot from his pupils, tearing through the void as they sought to shatter the incoming fist.

"As expected of an Ancestral Realm expert. Even though this is merely a Void-Breaking avatar, the foundation of his realm remains. This attack has reached the Title level."

Lin Fan’s brows twitched. He was slightly surprised by the Mysterious Man’s strength. A chasm existed between the Title Realm and the Void-Breaking Realm; unless one possessed an Ancestral Artifact, it was impossible to bridge that gap. Yet, the Mysterious Man was able to ignore this constraint, illustrating the terrifying power of an Ancestral Realm expert.

"Powerful, but not enough!"

Lin Fan remained expressionless as he increased his power. His massive fist moved with unstoppable force, and with a thunderous boom, the Mysterious Man’s dual beams were shattered.

Lin Fan followed up with another strike, his true form emerging from the void to stand directly before the Mysterious Man.

"It’s you?!"

The Mysterious Man was momentarily stunned, never expecting that it was Lin Fan hunting him. But as a seasoned ancestor, he regained his composure in a blink.

"How dare you! Get out of here!"

His cold roar echoed through the firmament. The Mysterious Man swept his hand, sending a divine beam shooting toward the heavens, tearing the sky as it rushed toward Lin Fan.

"Do you still think you are that Ancestral Realm expert? You are merely a Void-Breaking avatar, and your Ancestral Artifact is gone. What do you have left to fight me with?"

Lin Fan was not intimidated in the slightest. He struck with dominance, his entire body glowing like a true god. He unleashed heavy blows, causing seven giant stars to hang in the heavens. Endless stellar power rained down, accompanied by threads of divine patterns, any one of which could crush a Heavenly Human Realm cultivator.

"Bang!"

The Mysterious Man coughed up blood again and stumbled backward. The killing intent in his eyes seemed to solidify, turning chilling.

"You are courting death. My true body will cross the boundaries to reach you, and when that day comes, no matter how great your abilities, you will be executed by me."

Although the Mysterious Man was shocked by the power of the Ancestral Artifact Lin Fan wielded, he felt no panic. In his view, his identity as an Ancestral Realm expert was enough to make anyone shrink back in fear.

"If you were truly capable of crossing the boundaries, would you have waited until now? The Endless Sea and the Great Jin Kingdom are mortal enemies. The moment you dared to enter here, you would be detected. By what right do you threaten me?"

Lin Fan sneered. He had already thought everything through; otherwise, he would never have attacked the Mysterious Man. An Ancestral Realm expert would be met with extreme caution wherever they went, and it was simply impossible for the Mysterious Man to bypass the ancestors of the Great Jin Kingdom and descend in his true form.

"You..."

The Mysterious Man’s expression shifted. He had never seen someone so audacious and was momentarily at a loss for what to do.

The battle erupted. Lin Fan roared at the sky, unleashing a barrage of techniques. The entire world seemed to be facing an apocalypse, with the earth overturning and the heavens collapsing.

Lin Fan grew stronger the more he fought, remaining perfectly composed. The Ancestral Artifact pushed his power to the peak of the Title Realm. If he were in the outside world, this strength would be enough to sweep across an entire region; it was enough to settle the fate of the world.

Although the Mysterious Man was an Ancestral Realm expert, his avatar was too weak to be a match for Lin Fan. In the end, he was defeated, sent flying thousands of feet away by Lin Fan, his blood painting the sky.

Lin Fan strode forward like a dragon or a tiger, his hand covering the sky as he seized the Mysterious Man. He did not leave immediately.

"The Mysterious Man bowed to the void earlier. Could there be a supreme master hidden here?"

Lin Fan pondered. He had not arrived early, but he had witnessed the Mysterious Man’s gesture.

After a moment of contemplation, Lin Fan left. Even if a supreme master were hidden here, it had nothing to do with him. Once he realized this, he ceased to care.

"What a daring individual, to actually dare to lay a hand on him."

Half an hour after Lin Fan had departed, that very voice resonated through the void—it belonged to that hidden expert.

"Ah!"

At the same time, in the distant depths of the Endless Sea, a figure let out a long howl. Huge waves surged to the heavens as his form appeared in mid-air, murderous intent rising.

"You are courting death!"

The Mysterious Man’s true body spoke in a stern, chilling voice. Soon after, the seawater beneath him began to freeze into a thin layer of ice.

"No matter who is protecting you from behind, you will die this time."

The Mysterious Man’s figure dissipated, leaving only these words echoing in the air, lingering for a long, long time.