Fang Hao and that Lava Fire Lizard fought in the valley until the sky turned dark and the earth grew dim, with sand and stones flying everywhere! This beast had thick skin and tough flesh, possessed terrifying strength, and could even spit fire and lava. Relying on its home-field advantage, it was incredibly fierce! Fang Hao had only recently achieved a Breakthrough to the Golden Core stage, and his Realm wasn’t yet fully stable. He fought with some hesitation, nearly getting hit by the scalding lava several times. His clothes were charred in several places, and a tuft of his hair was singed, leaving him in a wretched state.

However, he was someone who had experienced life-and-death combat after all, and his foundation was solid. Starfall Sword Art, Dividing Light Sword Shadow, and Star Shattering Finger were deployed in turns. He used Divine Spirit Steps and Shrinking the Ground to an Inch with great finesse, leaping up and down around the fire lizard, specifically targeting its weak spots like the gaps in its scales and its eyes.

Although the fire lizard was fierce, its mind wasn’t very sharp, and its attacks were straightforward. Fang Hao seized a flaw when it missed a pounce. The empty clarity mirror flashed, dazing it. Taking advantage of the moment its vision blurred, he concentrated all his Spiritual Qi into the yitian sword and used the move Meteor Strike, ruthlessly stabbing it into the relatively soft area beneath its neck!

Puchi!

Scalding Yao blood sprayed all over Fang Hao! The fire lizard let out a shrill scream of agony as its massive Physical Body crashed to the ground, twitching a few times before falling still.

"Whew... whew... finally finished it!" Fang Hao leaned on his sword, gasping for breath. Most of his Spiritual Qi was depleted, and he was exhausted. This Fourth-tier Peak Demon Beast was indeed difficult to deal with. He quickly took out a qi recovery pill and stuffed it into his mouth, then looked around alertly. After confirming there was no other danger, he sat on the ground to regulate his breathing.

After resting for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, feeling some of his strength return, Fang Hao stood up, prepared to pick those three enticing crimson flame vermillion fruits. These were the spoils of war he had risked his life for!

He walked to the edge of the lava pool, looking at the three fruits that were so red they were turning purple, emitting a rich fruit fragrance and scorching Spiritual Qi. He felt delighted. With these, whether for Alchemy or direct refinement, they could significantly enhance his fire-attribute Spiritual Root and Physical Body strength!

He reached out, cautiously attempting to pick the vermilion fruit closest to him...

"Stop!"

Just as his fingertips were about to touch the fruit, an arrogant, sharp shout came from the valley entrance like a clap of thunder! Immediately after, three sharp streaks of light rushed in at extreme speed, instantly landing in front of Fang Hao and surrounding him in a triangular formation!

Fang Hao’s heart skipped a beat as he abruptly pulled back his hand. He held the yitian sword horizontally in front of him, his gaze instantly turning cold. He had been too focused on the fight, and with his Spiritual Qi consumption being so high, his Divine Sense perception had weakened significantly; he hadn’t even noticed someone approaching!

He looked closely and saw the three people surrounding him. They weren’t very old, appearing to be in their early twenties, each dressed in magnificent robes and carrying themselves with an air of natural superiority and overbearing arrogance. The Spiritual Qi fluctuations emanating from them were all clearly at the Early Golden Core Stage! Moreover, their Auras were a bit unstable, showing they had only recently achieved a Breakthrough and their Realm wasn’t yet fully stabilized.

Most conspicuously, they all had bright yellow jade pendants hanging from their waists, engraved with a flourished character for "Mu" that looked like a flying Dragon and dancing Phoenix!

"Mingling Empire royalty, members of the Mu Family!" Fang Hao’s heart sank, thinking to himself that things were bad! Whatever he feared most had come true! Why had these pampered ancestors come here?

The leader was a fair-faced youth with an arrogant gaze. He glanced at the Lava Fire Lizard’s corpse on the ground, then at Fang Hao’s wretched appearance and the three crimson flame vermillion fruits. A disdainful sneer curled on his lips: "Humph! A mere Loose Cultivator, your luck is quite good to actually kill this fire lizard. However, these crimson flame vermillion fruits are spiritual treasures of heaven and earth, not something a lowly person like you is worthy of possessing! If you know what’s good for you, get lost immediately! This Prince will spare your life!"

A tall, thin youth beside him also chimed in with a sarcastic tone: "The Third Prince Your Highness is right! These vermilion fruits are full of Spiritual Qi, just right for Your Highness to stabilize his Golden Core Realm! You peasant, why don’t you thank him and get out of here!"

Another short, stout youth didn’t speak, but his eyes stared greedily at the vermilion fruits, his hand already on his sword hilt.

Hearing them repeatedly call him a "lowly person" and "peasant," the fire in Fang Hao’s heart flared up! Damn it, is being royalty that big of a deal? You dare be so arrogant just after a Breakthrough to the Golden Core? I risked my life to kill the Demon Beast, and you come along wanting to snatch the prize? And you’ll spare my life? To hell with you!

Suppressing his anger, he said coldly, "Gentlemen, I killed this fire lizard, so the vermilion fruits naturally belong to me. There should be a first-come, first-served rule for everything, shouldn’t there?"

"First-come, first-served?" The Third Prince sneered as if he had heard a huge joke. "In this Secret Realm, strength is the rule! Whatever this Prince sets his eyes on is mine! I’ll give you three breaths of time to disappear immediately! Otherwise, don’t blame this Prince’s sword for being merciless!" As he spoke, he drew a magnificent longsword encrusted with jewels from his waist with a "qiang" sound. The sword tip pointed directly at Fang Hao, and his Early Golden Core Stage Spiritual Pressure was released without reservation! The two beside him also drew their swords simultaneously, their Aura looking aggressive!

Fang Hao’s gaze turned completely cold. It seemed this wouldn’t end peacefully. These three guys, relying on their royal status and numbers, were completely unreasonable and intended to rob him openly!

He quickly scanned the three of them. They were all Early Golden Core Stage cultivators who had just achieved a Breakthrough, with unstable Auras and likely clumsy coordination. Their actual combat experience certainly couldn’t match his own, having climbed out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Although he had just finished a fight and was quite depleted, he still had his trump cards. If they really started fighting, he wouldn’t necessarily be afraid of them!

"You want the vermilion fruits? Fine!" Fang Hao suddenly smiled, a trace of chill in his smile. "Come and get them yourselves! Let’s see if you have the ability!"

"Seeking death!" The Third Prince was furious; he hadn’t expected a Loose Cultivator to dare speak to him like that! He barked, "Attack! Kill him!"

Before his voice had even faded, the longsword in his hand erupted with dazzling golden light. A sharp, matchless Sword Qi, like a golden Dragon emerging from the sea, stabbed straight at Fang Hao’s face! It was the imperial secret technique, "Imperial Sovereign World-Shocking Sword"!

The tall, thin one and the short, stout youth beside him also attacked simultaneously! The tall, thin one’s sword technique was tricky, transforming into dozens of sword shadows that enveloped Fang Hao’s vital points! The short, stout youth’s sword momentum was heavy, a "Cleaving Mount Hua" strike aimed at Fang Hao’s legs!

The three joined forces, Sword Qi crisscrossing, instantly sealing off all of Fang Hao’s paths of retreat!

"Good timing!" Cold light flashed in Fang Hao’s eyes as he advanced instead of retreating! He pushed Divine Spirit Steps to the limit, his figure weaving through the sword net like a phantom. He narrowly avoided the Third Prince’s strongest frontal strike and the short, stout youth’s heavy cleave. Simultaneously, the yitian sword transformed into a flash of light, and Dividing Light Sword Shadow erupted instantly, with dozens of condensed Sword Qi precisely meeting the tall, thin youth’s tricky sword shadows!

Ding ding dang dang—!

A dense clanging of metal echoed! The tall, thin youth’s sword shadows were all crushed! He groaned, forced back two steps, with a look of horror on his face! The opponent’s sword was both fast and ruthless!

Having succeeded in one move, Fang Hao didn’t stop. Shrinking the Ground to an Inch instantly closed the distance between him and the Third Prince, and his left hand’s Star Shattering Finger silently pointed toward the other’s wrist!

The Third Prince hadn’t expected Fang Hao’s movement technique to be so eerie. His reaction was a beat slow, and his wrist went numb, causing his sword momentum to stall!

"Protect Your Highness!" the short, stout youth roared, his heavy sword sweeping across to force Fang Hao back!

But Fang Hao was like a loach; he twisted his body, avoiding the heavy sword. The yitian sword whirled back in a Meteor Stab, aiming directly at the short, stout youth’s exposed ribs!

The short, stout youth was shocked and hurriedly brought his sword back to block!

Dang!

A loud bang! The short, stout youth felt a massive force transmit through his sword; the webbing between his thumb and forefinger split, and the longsword nearly flew from his hand as he was sent stumbling back!

In the blink of an eye, relying on his superb movement techniques and ruthless sword skills, Fang Hao actually fought three against one without falling behind. Instead, he was subtly gaining the upper hand!

"Bastard!" The Third Prince was both shocked and enraged, feeling he had lost face! As a dignified prince, he was actually being suppressed by a Loose Cultivator? He roared, golden light surging from his body, clearly intending to use some secret technique!

Fang Hao’s eyes narrowed, knowing he couldn’t let him use it! With a thought, a Third-grade High Grade ’Spirit-Binding Talisman’ he had been holding in his hand was instantly activated, turning into a golden light that shot toward the Third Prince!

Caught off guard, the Third Prince was entangled by the golden light, and the circulation of Spiritual Qi in his body immediately stalled! His secret technique was interrupted!

"Now!" Killing intent exploded in Fang Hao’s eyes! The yitian sword erupted with unprecedented brilliance—Starfall Sword Art: Meteor Strike! Man and sword became one, transforming into a streak of light that tore through space, stabbing directly at the Third Prince’s heart! He had been building momentum for this strike for a long time, intending to capture the leader to defeat the followers!

"Your Highness, watch out!" The tall, thin one and the short, stout youth were frightened until their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, desperately trying to come to his rescue, but it was already too late!

As the Third Prince watched the lethal sword light rapidly enlarge in his pupils, a look of terror appeared on his face for the first time! He struggled desperately, trying to break free from the Spirit-Binding Talisman, but...

Puchi!

The sword tip pierced through his protective spiritual light without any resistance and stabbed into his heart!

"You... you dare..." The Third Prince’s eyes widened, looking at the sword in his chest in disbelief, then at Fang Hao, his gaze filled with resentment and despair.

Fang Hao flicked his wrist, and Sword Qi exploded!

Bang!

The Third Prince’s heart shattered, and he died on the spot! His corpse slumped to the ground.

"Your Highness!" The tall, thin one and the short, stout youth let out shrill cries, their eyes turning red! "You killed the Third Prince! You’re dead! The Mu Family won’t let you off!"

The two pounced on Fang Hao like mad dogs, ready to fight to the death!

"Humph! If I kill you, who will know it was me?" Fang Hao sneered. His killing intent was already roused, and he would definitely leave no survivors! He deployed Divine Spirit Steps again, dodging their frantic attacks. The yitian sword was like the Reaper’s scythe; in a few flashes, the Star Shattering Finger combined with exquisite sword moves precisely pierced the tall, thin youth’s throat and the short, stout youth’s Dantian!

Putong! Putong!

The two corpses hit the ground, and the valley returned to silence, leaving only the "gudu" sound of the bubbling lava.

Gasping for breath, Fang Hao looked at the three corpses on the ground, his expression dark. He didn’t want to cause trouble, but if trouble came to his door, he wouldn’t be soft-hearted either. So what if they were royalty? In this Secret Realm, life and death are determined by fate!

He quickly cleaned up the battlefield, collecting the three storage rings and the magnificent longsword, then used fire to burn the corpses to ashes, erasing all traces. Then, he walked to the vermilion fruit tree and carefully picked the three crimson flame vermillion fruits, placing them in a jade box.

Afterward, he took out the Lava Fire Lizard’s essence blood and the Fourth-tier Yao Core and placed them into the chaos pill cauldron space.

Having finished all this, he didn’t dare stay for a moment. He immediately used his movement technique and rushed out of the valley without looking back, disappearing into the vast mountain forest.