Chapter 362: The Battle at the Peak

In an instant, a 360-degree turnaround occurred. A sound of breaking air came from behind, led by seven or eight elders, with hundreds more warriors rushing toward them one after another! Seeing them arrive, Jiao Hong’s face turned ashen.
“Great, haha… Excellent! Our Black Phoenix clan is not meant to perish!” Things changed too quickly; even Merk was stunned for a moment before laughing. Seeing his reinforcements arrive, although those warriors were not very strong, they were the clan’s last line of defense—the hidden strength that protected the elders’ secret training. It was only used now because the clan was in extreme danger. All of them were god-tier warriors, including many at the later or middle stages of godhood, showing just how powerful this hidden force was—the foundation of the four great clans, unmatched by ordinary families.
The cry of counterattack rang out, and the morale-high Black Phoenix clan quickly suppressed the fierce Demon Clan and Mi Jiao Clan, gradually turning the tide of battle.
In the distance, the most eye-catching scene was the battle between Rod and the Bone-Elder. Their explosive power was astonishing; their figures were barely visible, with only the turmoil in space and continuous roars audible.
Wherever they passed, blood flew everywhere, causing the members of the Demon Clan and Mi Jiao Clan to pale with fear and flee without hesitation, trying to avoid these two. Unfortunately, their speed was too fast, and their attacks were too deadly, leaving no time for them to dodge! Blood sprayed everywhere, and the air was filled with the stench of blood.
Fights erupted on all fronts at this moment. The Black Phoenix clan had escaped its predicament. It had to be said that the warriors brought by the guardians were incredibly strong—even Rod was secretly impressed. This group was no less formidable than the Scythe of Death Squad. Meanwhile, Rod saw their combat strength again after several years. Through years of training, their combat skills had reached a terrifying level. Especially Nightingale, Thayer, andViskey—under their leadership, the Scythe of Death Squad, with Lucy’s support, was like a sharp blade, piercing straight into the enemy’s heart, achieving unstoppable success wherever they went.
As the situation there gradually turned in their favor, Rod also relaxed and devoted himself fully to the battle at hand, unleashing his full combat power.

Boom… After another exchange of blows, the two parted ways once more. This time, it seemed they had reached a tacit understanding—neither rushed to attack again. They stayed in place, breathing heavily, staring at each other. The brief but intense battle had taken a huge toll on both of them.

The Bone-Old Man’s face was icy cold as he stared at Rod, his eyes flickering constantly. Rod’s strength had far exceeded his expectations. Was this the strength a warrior at the Yin Huang realm should possess? By no means. He himself had been in the Yang Xuan realm for some time and had fully adapted to its strength! Although the Yang Xuan realm was only one level above the Yin Huang realm, the difference in strength was enormous—a fact he knew all too well. So why now…?

On the other side, Rod also stared coldly at the Bone-Old Man. He took a deep breath to calm his fighting spirit. After such a fierce battle, his internal energy was in turmoil. He had to admit that this guy was one of the strongest enemies he had ever faced, and this battle was by far the most difficult!

But if he could kill this man, the Black Phoenix clan would surely reap tremendous benefits from this battle. Otherwise…

“Tiger Roar!” With a furious cry, the old man’s hands suddenly transformed into claws as he dashed toward Rod, swinging his arms like two living serpents, creating countless afterimages that rushed at Rod like a storm.

The immense force caused the air to surge violently, producing deep rumbling sounds.

“Dragon Roar!” Rod’s expression changed slightly as he instantly unleashed the Dragon Roar Sword. A flash of white light appeared, and the sword energy spread everywhere, knocking down plants and trees as it passed. A cold wind howled.

The elements around them became chaotic under the influence of the two, forming turbulent air currents that eventually turned into numerous giant tornadoes, wreaking havoc.

Cries of pain filled the air as people around rushed to take cover, their eyes filled with horror.

At that moment, the battlefield seemed to calm down. It seemed both sides had reached a consensus to retreat immediately rather than continue fighting.

The battle between the two had affected the entire battlefield. If they continued to fight, both sides would suffer heavy losses. Under such circumstances, neither side wanted to incur further losses, so they chose silence, watching the battle unfold in mutual understanding.

The intense battle left everyone in awe. This was the clash between true strongmen, a confrontation at the pinnacle.

“Can Brother Rod win?” Watching the battle over there, Lucy clenched her fists tightly, looking worried as she asked Nightingale. At that moment, she felt powerless, realizing that her own strength wasn’t much—at least, she couldn’t offer Rod any help here.
She knew how strong that old man was; he was at the Yang Xuan realm! Could Rod really withstand him with his Yin Huang realm strength? Would he be in danger?
“Don’t worry, he definitely can!” Nightingale replied firmly, though her expression remained serious. The opponent’s strength was simply too great, to the point where it made her feel terrified.
“Don’t worry!” Turning to look at Lucy, Nightingale reached out and held her small hand to comfort her.
“Mm, he definitely can!” Seemingly inspired, Lucy said firmly as well.
Elsewhere, everyone stared wide-eyed at the battle above. The two figures’ shifting silhouettes created a howling sound in the air, keeping everyone on edge. Everyone knew that the struggle between the two had determined the outcome of this battle—whichever side won would lead their team to ultimate victory.
“Damn it! When did he become so strong~!” In the distance, Jiao Hong frowned darkly as he watched the two fighting and shouted angrily at the people beside him.
“We… we don’t know either!” Seeing the stalemate between the two, with neither side gaining an advantage, the Sixth Elder said helplessly. The Second Elder also had a troubled expression, his face filled with complexity.
Rod—when did this guy become so strong? Weren’t he only at the Yin Huang realm? How did he become so formidable? They knew that old man was at the Yang Xuan realm—how could Rod even fight him?
At that moment, a chill spread through their hearts. The reason they had chosen to betray the Black Phoenix clan back then was not only due to the temptation of the Xuan Dan and status but also because of such a powerful enemy!
A being at the Yang Xuan realm—something the Black Phoenix clan couldn’t possibly defeat. It was because of him that they concluded the Black Phoenix clan would surely lose this battle, so they chose to surrender to the Mi Jiao clan.
Who would have thought that Rod could now fight him, and seemingly without falling behind? Such strength left them stunned, and some even regretted their decision. If they had known, they wouldn’t have made such a choice.
Now, with no way back, they were tightly tied to the Mi Jiao clan, hoping only that the old man could kill Rod—only then could they be saved.

Otherwise, once Rod wins, it’s easy to imagine that the Black Phoenix clan’s morale will soar, while the Mi Jiao clan’s morale will plummet—so the outcome is obvious. If the Black Phoenix clan manages to survive this crisis or even wins, neither of these two traitors will have an easy time; endless pursuit awaits them!
Boom… deafening like thunder, the two parted again. A trickle of blood appeared at Rod’s lips, and the Bone-Withered Old Man wasn’t faring any better. His original masked conical hat was ruined, revealing a face that was utterly terrifying—countless wrinkles covered his face, hanging loosely, his complexion pale with blood constantly seeping from his lips. In a state of utter disarray!
“Rod! You’re doomed today!” For the first time in a thousand years, being in such a pitiful state filled the Bone-Withered Old Man with rage as he shouted at Rod.
“Who will die is still uncertain! How much of these external forces do you think you can control? You’re overestimating yourself!” Rod replied coldly, quietly calming his combat energy while suppressing the Furnishing Heaven within him. This kind of battle wasn’t one he could assist in.
“Fight again!” The next moment, Rod charged at the old man once more, unleashing the Shadowless Sword. His figure split into two, then four—within moments, thirty-two versions of himself rushed at the old man from all directions.
With his current strength, he could now manifest thirty-two versions of the Shadowless Sword, nearing perfection—its power was self-evident.
“Shadowless! It’s reached this level!” Nightingale and the others, who had seen the sword’s previous form, exclaimed in shock at Rod’s move. Thirty-two forms, indistinguishable from reality, each with real attacking power—who among them could withstand this now?
Not only Nightingale and the others were astonished; even Merk and Jiao Hong stared in disbelief at those split figures, drenched in cold sweat. Their instincts told them that none of them could survive this move!
What about Rod’s opponent? What about that old man? Many wondered inwardly.
“Mountain-shaking force!” Seeing Rod’s move, a hint of surprise flashed in the old man’s eyes, followed by a roar. He waved his hands, sending waves of palm wind—endless gusts like mountains collapsing rushed toward Rod, accompanied by roaring sounds.
“Break!”

Rod’s voice carried an ethereal quality, coming from all directions. Thirty-two figures drew their swords simultaneously, aiming at the withered-old man.
Boom…
“Pfft…” After a series of roars, only a muffled groan was heard. Two figures separated again, and the thirty-two figures vanished in an instant, leaving only Rod’s true form, whose complexion had paled even further.
Yet he was far in better condition than the withered-old man, who was already in a miserable state—his clothes tattered, his hair messy and hanging down, resembling a wildman.