As the beam burst out, the disciples barely dodged aside, their movements turning hurried as the flame tore past them. It did not disperse after missing, instead continuing forward as it locked onto the next target in its path.

The beam shot straight toward Lin Xiao Tian, forcing him to move at once as he picked up Miao-Miao and stepped aside without hesitation. Fuck you, I am not even in the fight, he thought, his face scrunched in a frown.

The dragon continued attacking in a berserk state, releasing bursts of flame without pause as the disciples scattered to avoid it. Wherever the fire touched, it did not fade, instead consuming everything it came into contact with.

Seeing this, a chill spread through the group as their movements grew sharper and more cautious. The dragon no longer targeted anyone directly, yet its random destruction made it even harder to approach.

As the rampage continued, Tianhe suddenly withdrew his beast transformation, his presence settling as he stepped forward again. His gaze remained steady as he spoke without raising his voice.

"Hold it for a while," he said calmly, his tone leaving no room for hesitation.

At that moment, the dragon lashed out again, and Yan Feng moved to intercept, his sword meeting the incoming flame. The moment it made contact, the blade burned away instantly, leaving nothing behind.

Yan Feng did not hesitate as he stepped back at once, discarding the loss without reaction. Hearing Tianhe’s words, he nodded slightly, and the others followed without question.

They moved again, tightening their formation as they began forcing the dragon back, slowly trying to guide it into a controlled position despite its chaotic attacks.

While the others struggled to hold it back, Tianhe stepped out of the formation and sat down calmly, his posture settling into meditation without the slightest hesitation. The chaos around him did not reach his expression, as if the battlefield had nothing to do with him.

A faint light gathered at his brow, and in the next moment a dragon soul slowly emerged, its form coiling outward before covering his body. It did not rush, instead spreading steadily as his aura began to rise in a controlled manner.

The pressure around him changed completely, no longer wild or explosive, but deep and oppressive in a way that felt far more absolute. His transformation began again, yet this time it carried a sense of dominance that was far more regal.

Sensing this, the dragon’s movements faltered for a brief moment before turning even more violent. Its attacks grew sharper and more chaotic, as if something within it had been provoked beyond control.

If one looked closely into its eyes, beneath the madness and fear, there was something else hidden deeper. A faint sense of reverence lingered there, buried beneath instinct and rage, refusing to disappear.

The dragon crashed forward again, its movements heavier now, yet far more violent as each strike carried reckless force. The disciples moved together to intercept, but their rhythm no longer held as cleanly under the pressure.

Yan Feng stepped in first, his remaining sword cutting toward its neck, yet the dragon twisted and forced him back before the strike could land cleanly. The heat from its body surged outward, forcing him to retreat another step.

Xiaoshan roared and charged from the side, his halberd smashing down with full strength, but the dragon met it head-on this time. The impact threw him backward, his arms numbing as his footing nearly broke under the force. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Miao Han moved immediately to cover the opening, his spear striking toward its eye, yet the dragon jerked away just enough to avoid a fatal hit. The counter came instantly, forcing him to block as the recoil pushed him across the ground.

The formation broke apart under the constant pressure, each of them forced to react instead of control the flow. Their attacks still landed at times, but none were clean enough to slow it down.

The dragon’s flames surged again, sweeping across the field as the disciples scattered to avoid being caught. Their movements grew tighter and more cautious, yet the strain was beginning to show with every passing exchange.

As they moved to reposition, the dragon suddenly whipped its tail toward Bai Xue without warning, the strike cutting through the air with crushing force. She barely had time to react before the shadow of it fell over her.

Xiaoshan rushed forward at once, stepping into its path as he raised his halberd to block, but another claw struck toward him at the same time. The two attacks came together, leaving him no space to retreat.

At the last moment, he shoved Bai Xue aside and forced her out of danger, his body turning back just as the attacks closed in. With one hand he swung his halberd toward the tail, while his other palm met the incoming claw directly.

His muscles bulged as he held his ground, forcing both strikes back through sheer strength alone. For a brief moment, it seemed like he had stopped it completely.

Then the fire spread the moment his palm made contact, black flames latched onto his arm and surged upward instantly, burning through flesh as if it was nothing. Xiaoshan’s expression tightened as he pushed back the claw.

Seeing this, panic flashed across the others as their formation broke without control. Lin Xiao Tian’s face paled slightly, his calm finally cracking as his gaze locked onto Xiaoshan.

The dragon did not pause for even a moment, as if it had finally found an opening worth exploiting. Its body twisted again, and another attack lashed straight toward Xiaoshan before he could recover It’s Body ignoring everyone else even as they attacked him.

Seeing the situation, Xiaoshan’s expression hardened as he clenched his teeth, his gaze steady despite the flames spreading across his arm.

The pain twisted through him, yet he did not hesitate as he raised his halberd with clear resolve and then it fell—.