The man's expression changed abruptly upon seeing Zhou Yan's demeanor, and he sneered, "Kid, don't forget, you're in a dire situation. Do you think your injuries healing so quickly means you can contend with me?"
"I understand..."
Zhou Yan nodded, then looked up at the man and smiled faintly, "However, there's something even more astonishing that I know!"
"You..."
Hearing Zhou Yan's words, the man's face suddenly changed, as he sensed there was more to Zhou Yan's statement.
"Hmph, what else do you have to say?"
Staring coldly at Zhou Yan, the man asked in a low voice.
"Of course, I have more to say."
"Otherwise, why would I waste my breath with you? Wouldn't it be faster to just kill you!" Zhou Yan grinned.
At this, the man's face tensed, because Zhou Yan's words were not empty boasts. In his opinion, Zhou Yan was capable of backing up his claims.
Seeing the man's expression grow increasingly grim, a hint of playful mockery flickered in Zhou Yan's eyes.
"Hmph, are you trying to provoke our Fire God Sect?" the man retorted coldly. "Kid, no matter who supports you, I advise you not to act rashly, or your life will be in danger."
The man warned coldly, as he could tell that although Zhou Yan appeared somewhat weaker on the surface, there was something special protecting him.
"Heh, then I'd like to see just how powerful a master of my level truly is."
Zhou Yan let out a cold laugh, his gaze gradually turning icy.
"Good kid, that's interesting, I like it!"
"Then I'll play with you," the man sneered.
"You go first."
"But before you die, I'll tell you about your strength."
"Do you know why we attacked you?"
The man smirked, then looked at Zhou Yan and said calmly, "Because your strength has surpassed the scope of what we require."
"You should know what 'that thing' is, right?"
Upon hearing this, a look of shock crossed Zhou Yan's eyes. He knew exactly what the man meant by 'that thing'.
In his memory, when he was still in the academy, he had personally obtained something similar.
It was a strange energy that, after absorbing the lightning power within his body, would generate an incredibly potent force.
This energy could devour all other powers, and could even easily refine divine-grade yuan force!
This energy was born from a peculiar core found in extremely rare energy stone ore veins, and it possessed immense destructive power.
If it were placed within a cultivator's dantian, their physical body would be utterly ruined!
Therefore, upon learning of this, Zhou Yan's first reaction was to flee immediately, because he knew that if that energy stone entered his dantian, he would lose himself!
Unfortunately, at that time, he was too heavily injured to escape.
"The Fire God Sect, you want to deal with the energy stone ore vein within me?"
Zhou Yan asked the man coldly.
"Indeed, that's precisely it." The man nodded, his expression growing colder. "Kid, you should thank us. If it weren't for us, you would have long since died at the hands of those black-robed figures, and wouldn't be standing here spouting so much nonsense."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Hearing the man's words, Zhou Yan smiled, his smile laced with sarcasm and mockery. "Then prepare to face the consequences!"
"Hmph, I'd like to see what other tricks you have up your sleeve!"
With that, the man let out a cold roar and waved his hand, striking directly at Zhou Yan.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."
The moment his palm attack manifested, thirty-six long swords appeared in the sky, all radiating a sharp aura.
As the thirty-six swords descended rapidly, ear-splitting sonic booms erupted across the heavens.
"Boom!"
With a tremendous roar, Zhou Yan was sent flying back hundreds of feet before he could stabilize himself. His face turned somewhat pale.
Clearly, the previous exchange had not been easy for him.
After all, the opponent's strength was far too formidable, much more so than the black-clothed figures he had faced before.
"Kid, I know your physique is very special, and there's some peculiar entity within you."
"But that doesn't mean it can stop the pursuit of our Fire God Sect."
The man stared at Zhou Yan menacingly and said.
"I advise you to obediently hand over the energy stone within you, or you will surely not survive!"
Zhou Yan's pupils constricted, and his expression gradually turned grim. It was evident that the man's words had touched a nerve.
And that nerve was the energy stone within him!
Not only did the energy stone possess immense destructive power, but it also had potent healing effects.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan was somewhat stunned.
Because the role of this energy stone was simply too terrifying.
In Zhou Yan's eyes, the current Fire God Sect was practically a giant piece of fat meat!
It could be said that, in Zhou Yan's understanding, the disciples of the Fire God Sect were all treasures!
Once he could obtain the disciples of the Fire God Sect, his own strength would undoubtedly advance by leaps and bounds!
At that point, even when facing a powerful expert of the Divine King realm, he would be able to contend with them, and even have a chance to defeat them!
And in this world, two types of people were the most terrifying!
The first type was sects like the Fire God Sect. On this continent, they were true overlord-level existences, possessing unparalleled strength.
The second type was rogue cultivators like Zhou Yan. Because they lacked backing, they were often suppressed or even annihilated by various forces, thus being completely erased from this continent!
These were all actions orchestrated by the Fire God Sect, or other sects.
In Zhou Yan's memory, rogue cultivators like him, when encountering such situations, would usually choose to flee and not remain in place.
After all, on this continent where strength was paramount, who knew if there might be powerful enemies lurking around him?
"Fire God Sect? Do you think I'm scared?"