Horn's footsteps echoed like a hammer striking Han Qingshan's heart.
"This is impossible!" Han Qingshan shouted, his voice cracking with rage. "There's no way I'm going to lose to a worthless wretch like you."
His aura, vast and overwhelming, surged like a volcano on the brink of eruption. The ground beneath him splintered and shattered, unable to withstand the pressure.
"Don't think that just because you withstood one of my attacks, I'll submit!" Han Qingshan's voice was filled with venom. "I'll be the one laughing last!"
His clothes whipped around him as his power grew, darker and more menacing. The ground trembled as he took a step forward, a violent quake rippling outwards, sending debris flying like a storm of needles.
Black mist seeped from Han Qingshan's body, gathering and coalescing into a massive, grotesque face that loomed behind him, its gaping mouth lined with jagged fangs.
"Han Qingshan, you've practiced forbidden arts," Mr. Qiao gasped, horror evident in his voice. "You deserve to die!"
Forbidden arts, outlawed by the Xia Kingdom, were known to require unspeakable sacrifices in their cultivation. Discovering a practitioner meant certain death. But Han Qingshan, fueled by desperation, was beyond reasoning.
"As long as all of you die here," Han Qingshan sneered, "no one will know what I've done."
His eyes, filled with malice, locked onto Horn. "You've pushed me to the brink, boy. Your strength is undeniable, but it doesn't matter. You're a mere child playing in the realm of creation."
Han Qingshan, once a formidable figure, now appeared monstrous, his power swelling beyond the limits of creation. Han Ziyi, who had earlier recoiled in fear, now clung to a sliver of hope.
"Grandfather, kill him! End this now!" she urged.
The spectral face behind Han Qingshan twisted and contorted, preparing to unleash its fury. "It ends today!" Han Qingshan declared, ready to strike.
But before he could move, Horn's calm voice cut through the tension. "Enough of this noise."
With a casual flick of his finger, Horn pointed at the grotesque visage. The room held its breath, expecting a clash of titanic energies.
Instead, there was nothing but a quiet pfft as the ghostly face disintegrated into nothingness. The black mist evaporated, and Han Qingshan staggered back, blood pouring from his mouth as his aura collapsed.
"You... you're beyond the realm of creation," Han Qingshan stammered, his voice trembling with fear. "Are you... are you in the Heavenly Star Realm?"
He could barely comprehend it. The Heavenly Star Realm was a place of myth, a height few ever reached. Yet here was Horn, a mere youth, effortlessly surpassing what Han Qingshan had spent a lifetime striving for.
Mr. Wei, Mr. Qiao, and the others watched in stunned silence. Horn had shattered their understanding of power.
Horn stepped closer to Han Qingshan, who was now visibly trembling. "Any last tricks up your sleeve?" Horn asked, his voice devoid of emotion.
Han Qingshan's breath came in ragged gasps. He was cornered, the bravado gone from his voice. "I'm the vice president of the Immortal Martial Academy in the imperial capital. If you kill me, even you won't escape the consequences."
Desperation clawed at him as he pleaded, "Let's end this here. I swear I won't trouble you again. I'll leave immediately!"
Horn didn't respond. His right hand shot out, gripping Han Qingshan by the forehead. With a brutal yank, Horn tore the man's head from his body.
Blood gushed from the decapitated corpse as Horn tossed the head to the ground, letting it roll to Han Ziyi's feet. She collapsed, her face drained of color.
Crawling to Horn, she begged, "Please, spare me! I'll do anything—be your woman, your slave. Just don't kill me."
Her voice quivered, desperate to survive. She groveled, offering herself without shame, but Horn's expression remained unchanged.
"Do you think you're worthy?" he asked, his voice dripping with disdain.