Chapter 106: The Ancestor of the Reincarnation Valley

Not far from the Reincarnation Valley, a pillar of fire shot into the sky like a falling meteorite, slamming into the ground and creating a massive crater. An old man with flaming red hair emerged from the pit, his expression dark and somber.

He radiated an incredibly powerful aura, far more formidable than Yang Rong’s. He was likely at the peak of the Yang Realm; while Yang Rong’s true strength was mediocre due to her reliance on illusion arrays, this old man possessed immense reserves of power and true energy.

"Song Tian, did I not warn you? You were not to force me out of seclusion unless it was a matter of life and death. If you do not have a reasonable explanation for this, prepare to be punished," the old man said in a deep, gravelly voice. He took note of Song Tian’s injuries and the dire state of the valley, pausing for a moment before turning his gaze toward Chu Han, his face growing increasingly grim.

Chu Han was slightly surprised that the Reincarnation Valley possessed such an ancestor, but he did not shrink back. Having already come to the valley today, he was committed to a fight to the death; no one would stand in his way.

"Ancestor, forgive me. I was forced into this. The Reincarnation Valley is at a critical juncture of survival. I would not have dared to wake you otherwise. This man, Chu Han, trespassed into the valley, killed our elders, and left me severely wounded. Without your intervention, the Reincarnation Valley would cease to exist." Song Tian’s body trembled as he recounted the events, his voice filled with feigned tears, conveniently omitting their relentless provocation of Chu Han and focusing solely on his intent to destroy the sect.

Chu Han sneered at such a man, but he leaned forward slightly, ready to strike at any moment. He knew this would be a difficult battle; the old man before him would not be easy to overcome.

"So, you are Chu Han? Why have you slaughtered the people of my Reincarnation Valley? If you cannot provide a satisfactory reason, I shall end you here and now." The red-haired old man, seemingly hot-tempered, flew into a rage upon hearing Song Tian’s words. Flames erupted from his body, the intense heat warping the surrounding air.

Chu Han merely scoffed. He couldn't even be bothered to list the sins of the Reincarnation Valley—it was a disgrace to the cultivation world. Lightning crackled across his body, growing thicker and more violent, the snapping sounds making one’s scalp tingle. His eyes grew sharp and cold.

"Hmph, enough talk. Does a trash sect like yours even need me to explain its own crimes? If you want to fight, let’s get on with it. I don’t have all day to waste on you."

Chu Han let out a cold snort and lunged forward, his fist enveloped in blue lightning. The sheer force of his movement tore through the air with a piercing whistle.

The old man had not expected Chu Han to take the initiative. Having reached the peak of the Yang Realm, he could easily gauge Chu Han’s cultivation level. Yet, the fact that a youth would dare to attack first earned a flicker of respect from him.

For Chu Han, however, offense was always the best defense. Striking first allowed him to seize a psychological advantage and intimidate his opponent.

Facing the incoming assault, the old man remained unfazed. He raised his right hand to parry Chu Han’s strike. When their fists collided, a thunderous boom erupted. The shockwave blew the surrounding onlookers away, and the ground shattered beneath their feet, a testament to the immense power held by both combatants.

Chu Han felt a jolt of numbness run through his right arm. This old man’s strength was on par with his own, and it seemed he had cultivated some secret technique to enhance his raw power. It was truly surprising for someone in the Yang Realm to possess such physical might.

The old man was even more astonished. Chu Han was clearly only at the fourth level of the Dao Palace realm, yet he could hold his own in raw strength—and the old man prided himself on his physical prowess. He looked at the youth with a mix of shock and intrigue; such potential was enough to look down upon the masses, especially considering Chu Han appeared to be only in his twenties.

They broke apart, and Chu Han charged again, channeling his Thunderclap Palm. Lightning coiled around him as he launched a second wave of attacks.

The old man stepped back, conjuring a wall of flame to block Chu Han’s path. However, the fire had no effect on Chu Han, who burst through the flames. The lightning in the air coalesced into a massive python, wrapping itself around the old man.

The electricity surged into the old man’s body, causing his skin to turn a deep, dark red. No matter how the python thrashed and struck, it could not penetrate his hardened hide.

"You are strong—the strongest youth I have ever encountered. But you are still no match for me. Our difference in cultivation is simply too vast. If you continue this, I will no longer hold back." The old man reached out, grabbed the lightning python, slammed it into the ground, and crushed it underfoot until it vanished into sparks. Even then, he did not forget to offer a word of praise.

Privately, he was puzzled. He wondered what kind of grudge Song Tian held against this youth to bring the sect to such ruin. If he could recruit Chu Han into the Reincarnation Valley, it would surely elevate the sect to a new level of power.

Chu Han ignored him completely and charged again. Dark clouds gathered overhead, and bolts of lightning as thick as an arm rained down. The old man easily deflected them, then leaped into the air and stomped down toward Chu Han.

Knowing the sheer force of the old man’s blow, Chu Han dodged just in time. The old man landed, shattering the ground into debris; a direct hit would surely have pulverized his bones.

Realizing he could not win without revealing his true capabilities, Chu Han closed his eyes. Two meter-long daggers of condensed lightning appeared in his hands. They looked plain, but their razor-sharp edge made the onlookers shudder.

"Lightning Chain Slash!"

Chu Han opened his eyes and roared. Wielding the lightning blades, he charged with blinding speed. The onlookers saw only a flash of light, and then Chu Han vanished.

Only the red-haired old man could track his movements. He raised his hands to block the strikes, but Chu Han’s assault did not stop. His hands moved in a blur of continuous slashes, accelerating until even the old man could no longer keep up.

As the lightning blades bit into the old man’s dark red skin, fresh wounds opened, blood flowing freely. The old man was stunned; he had never imagined that Chu Han could actually pierce his defenses.

Shock notwithstanding, he launched a counterattack. He grabbed one of the blades, intending to drive a fist into Chu Han’s chest, but Chu Han immediately stabbed the other blade into the old man’s arm, forcing him to grunt and retreat several steps.

With two blades in perfect synchronization, Chu Han achieved a balance of offense and defense that seemed impenetrable, even to the red-haired old man.

Chu Han circled behind him and lunged, but the blade failed to pierce the skin. A massive stone had appeared between them—at the last second, the old man had stomped the ground, causing a slab of rock to rise and block the fatal strike.