Chapter 1194: Golden Crow Sacred Fire

The Golden Crow Prince gritted his teeth. The physical bodies of the demon race were inherently stronger than humans, and as Golden Crows, members of the imperial family, they were the elite among demons. They had refined their true forms to the utmost during cultivation. How could he possibly be inferior to this guy? If he himself was in such discomfort, his opponent must clearly be at his limit too. Just a little more persistence, and he could make him completely collapse!

He roared, and all the phantoms merged together, finally revealing his gleaming Golden Crow true form.

Zu An laughed heartily, "So, you really are a bird-man!"

After the intense battle, Zu An’s blood and qi were also churning. The opponent's Golden Crow streamers were too fast; even with his Sunflower Phantoms pushed to their limit, he couldn't evade all attacks. So he quickly decided to only dodge vital strikes and use his physical body to withstand the rest, exchanging blows.

Even though his body had been refined multiple times by the Grand Primordial Sutra, he was still struggling somewhat from the Golden Crow Prince's direct, bone-jarring blows. His skin was cracking all over, and many places were oozing blood.

However, the Grand Primordial Sutra had not only tempered his physical body but also granted him powerful regenerative abilities. So, while his appearance was frightening, the injuries didn't have much of a real impact.

In contrast, the Golden Crow Prince was in a worse state. His eye sockets were swollen like steamed buns, and his naturally narrow eyes were reduced to mere slits. Where was his usual dashing and spirited demeanor now?

Hearing Zu An's mockery, a furious rage welled up in his heart. When had he ever been so dishevelled!

Rage value from the Golden Crow Prince: 711711711…

He merged his form, and various lethal moves, like surging waves, attacked his opponent all at once.

Zu An's fighting spirit was also high, and he clashed with him again.

The masters he had previously faced were often far stronger than him. Each time he fought, he could only rely on various external skills and tricks to snatch a sliver of hope. He had never fought with such exhilaration and satisfaction as he did today.

Although the Golden Crow Prince's cultivation was one major realm higher than his, Zu An's combat power could not be judged by conventional standards. His cultivation progression was much harder than that of ordinary people, but similarly, his combat power at the same level was also significantly stronger. Of course, the Golden Crow Prince's true strength was indeed still somewhat greater, but it was within an acceptable range. Relying on his formidable physical body and the battle experience cultivated from countless near-death escapes under terrifying figures at the Earth Immortal and Grandmaster levels, Zu An forcefully turned the tide of battle into an even match, and even gradually gained the upper hand.

Seeing the state of the battle between the two, all the onlookers below were astonished. Elders Bai and Qing couldn't help but look at Yu Yanluo: "Clan leader, is this Young Master Zu truly human? How can his physical body be so powerful, allowing him to fight the Golden Crow Prince for so long?"

The demon race revered strength above all else. Initially, they had dismissed him as just a pretty face, the clan leader's male concubine, and naturally didn't take him seriously. Now, seeing his combat power, they even addressed him as Young Master Zu.

Feeling their shock, Yu Yanluo inwardly felt a thrill, but feigned composure and said, "Naturally, he is a genuine human."

"Could it be a dragon bloodline left behind among humans?" Elder Bai still seemed disbelieving. How could a human body be so formidable?

"No," Yu Yanluo replied simply, but with an undeniable certainty in her tone.

In fact, Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue had also harbored some doubts, as Zu An's physical body was incredibly strong, to an absurd degree. However, seeing Yu Yanluo's answer, they both breathed a sigh of relief. That woman had personally experienced it not long ago, and no one was more convincing than her.

Just then, the battle on the mountaintop changed again. With a crisp *smack*, Zu An landed a heavy slap directly on the Golden Crow Prince's face, sending a spray of blood from his mouth.

Zu An pressed his advantage, his fists, as big as bowls, continuously pounded the opponent's body. The muffled thuds made the faces of the people at the foot of the mountain change dramatically. If such power were to land on them, they would probably have long turned into a mist of blood.

The golden-armored guards beside the Golden Crow Prince, who had previously been calmly observing, now wore expressions of disbelief. Their prince, who had always been unrivalled among those of his own rank, was actually being beaten so badly by someone with inferior cultivation?

Despite their shock, they didn't forget their duty. One by one, they quietly gripped their weapons, ready to rush forward and rescue the prince the moment his life was truly in danger.

The Golden Crow Prince, shaking violently, finally transformed into a streak of light and fled to another mountaintop a hundred *zhang* away.

Zu An did not pursue him. His summons, Great Wind, had a cooldown, and his straight-line speed was still a bit slower than the prince's innate abilities. "What, are you running away and admitting defeat?" he called out.

The Golden Crow Prince spat out a mouthful of bloody foam, his expression somewhat ferocious: "I have to admit, I did underestimate you before, but your moment of triumph ends here. You're just relying on your thick skin and tough flesh. Before true power, you are still nothing more than a fish on a chopping block."

Rage value from the Golden Crow Prince: 888888888…

He was now filled with extreme regret, wondering why he had chosen to compete in physical strength with this guy. He had originally intended to crush an ant directly, but instead, the ant had bitten him. If word of today's events got out, he would lose face even if he won.

Zu An was instantly amused: "Do you want a mirror to see what you look like right now? I've beaten you into a pig's head, and you're still spouting such nonsense?"

The Golden Crow Prince's expression was icy: "Your body is indeed far stronger than I imagined, but unfortunately, true combat power isn't solely based on physical strength. Let me show you this prince's true power."

As he spoke, golden flames erupted all over his body. Soon, the bloodstains disappeared, and all the wounds on his face fully healed. He seemed as spirited and dashing as he had been when he first appeared.

His hair billowed, and his entire body glowed with golden light. His previously somewhat disheartened aura suddenly amplified several times, and he soared through the sky like a heavenly deity.

The golden-armored warriors, who had been worried about him, cheered. Many citizens of the Snake Clan were also dazzled, wondering if this was the next Demon Emperor, truly immensely powerful.

It was no wonder they were "disloyal" and supported the other side. This was because the demon race had always believed in the supremacy of the strong, and everyone hoped for a powerful Demon Emperor to lead them.

Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue looked on with surprised expressions. Yu Yanluo hurriedly asked, "Why does he look as if he hasn't been injured, and his aura is much stronger than before?"

Yan Xuehen explained, "It's a unique skill of the Golden Crow clan. Legend has it that the Golden Crow progenitor created it by imitating the phoenix's nirvana. By burning the Golden Crow Sacred Flame, they can cleanse all injuries on their bodies and simultaneously enhance their combat power."

Yun Jianyue also sighed, "The demon race is a naturally combative race. Their various innate abilities and powers give them a huge advantage over human cultivators."

Yan Xuehen, however, said, "This is both their advantage and their disadvantage. The strength of the demon race often relies on bloodline inheritance. If the bloodline is not pure enough, their potential strength is destined not to be very high. This means that although demons are numerous, the number of true top-tier masters among them is fewer than among human cultivators. Humans, while lacking various innate powers, do not rely on bloodline inheritance but mainly on learning. A vast population base allows humanity to produce more and more new powerful individuals."

Little Bai and Little Qing, standing nearby, had been listening with ears perked up. Their expressions showed a mix of confusion and awe. These two delicate-looking women didn't seem much older than them, yet how could their perspectives be so grand?

Yu Yanluo, however, grew anxious: "Then wouldn't the Golden Crow Prince be invincible?" This tactic of using the Golden Crow Sacred Flame was simply cheating!

Yan Xuehen replied, "Don't worry, it's certainly not unlimited. With the Golden Crow Prince's current cultivation, his body can only endure using it once or twice a day at most."

Yun Jianyue also glanced at Yu Yanluo: "Don't worry, your man's recovery ability isn't bad either. While it's not as instantaneous as the Golden Crow Sacred Flame, when it comes to endurance, he's much stronger than the Golden Crow Prince."

Yu Yanluo's face flushed slightly. The other woman had merely repeated her own description from moments ago, yet why did she feel so strange about it?

At that moment, Zu An, observing his opponent's Super Saiyan-like appearance from the mountaintop, said, "Do you have to be so flashy about it? As if no one else can use fire."

As he spoke, fierce flames also erupted around him.

"Phoenix Divine Flame?" At that moment, a faintly audible gasp suddenly came from the void.