What Are You Saying!? How Did I Steal the Beast Emperor's Seal!?

A young man stood beside the stout man, sneering, “General, your mission is complete!”

The Tiger Shark chuckled sheepishly. “Very well, we shall take our leave. Also, by my king's command, there are eight thousand Palkin Sea Clan warriors conveniently training nearby. If you require them, you may summon them at any time!”

“My thanks,” the stout man acknowledged with cold indifference.

After the Tiger Shark led the Merfolk away, the young man grumbled indignantly, “He's merely a preliminary Six-Star Battle God, yet he presumes to be my friend!? Hmph, what an insignificant creature!”

The stout man waved a dismissive hand. “Forget it. Our target this time is at sea, and we require the Sea Clan's assistance, so let him be for now.”

The young man nodded, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. “Uncle, just leave it to me. There’s only one instructor on the island who could even remotely be considered a worthy opponent. I alone can handle them all!”

The stout man glared at the youth, chastising him, “How many times have I told you? While we beastmen are courageous, we are not brainless Merfolk. Do you know why I didn't act on Battle God Isle? Hm?” He reprimanded coldly, “Firstly, Battle God Isle is humanity's spiritual cornerstone. Francis is rumored to have a Nine-Star Master by his side. If we start a conflict, it would inevitably alarm the Battle God Academy, and that Stubborn Old Coot Zigurd would undoubtedly react! Secondly, didn't you see? Demoness Betty of the Thunder Halberd Batuk household lives right next to Francis, and Keane, the Earth General, is also there. According to the pact between our Five Great Fallen Gods Clans, it is not yet time to confront them directly!”

The young man lowered his head, reluctantly acknowledging his mistake.

The stout man continued, “Wantonly slaying Battle God Academy instructors goes against the interests of our Saint Baton Family! But don't despair. Your uncle will give you an opportunity: go kill a solitary Francis and reclaim the Beast Emperor’s Seal!”

The young man nodded, committing it to memory, but grumbled inwardly, *I am already a Seven-Star Battle God, yet I must deal with a mere Four-Star Fighter. How humiliating!*

On Sharkstone Reef, Lily offered Du Chen a few more pointers, then suddenly pointed into the distance. “Charles has been defeated. Frinda must be preparing to challenge you, the strongest.” She glanced at her pocket watch. “Defeating Charles in less than a minute, Frinda is truly impressive. She must already be at the peak of Four-Star!”

“I don't know if that Frinda has a screw loose, always wanting to challenge me! She's no match for me at all!” Du Chen felt at a loss for words.

“Only cowards specifically seek out opponents weaker than themselves! I don't believe Frinda has a problem,” Lily retorted, surprised.

“You're even stronger, why doesn't she challenge you!?” Du Chen muttered under his breath.

“I believe if she were to defeat you, her next target would undoubtedly be me!” Lily replied with certainty.

“Why?” This time, it was Du Chen who was puzzled.

“That's how I was back then. But I always stopped at my sister. I could never defeat Sister Lucy! Of course, the current Frinda has absolutely no chance of defeating you! Francis, prepare yourself; you have less than two minutes of combat time! Because in two minutes, I will step in—and I won't hold back! Oh, and I don't want to see you cheating with your Lotus Sacred Artifact! While it is indeed your sacred artifact, its power is simply too immense, and frequent use isn't beneficial for your strength progression.”

Du Chen chuckled softly, then stepped onto a rock and vaulted out of the Mountain Hollow. “Very well, I shall await Miss Lily’s presence!”

Suddenly, a sharp pang pierced his heart, as if he had lost something incredibly important, leaving him with an overwhelming sense of loss. Upon landing, he stumbled, nearly losing his footing… This sensation—his sacred artifact was being forcibly acknowledged mastery by someone else! Ha! Brockman had already stolen the Sacred Artifact Box that I had acknowledged mastery over, which meant he had taken the Beast Emperor's Seal! Haha!

Du Chen was overjoyed, yet a faint worry lingered. That Sacred Artifact Box was a Four-Star artifact. Theoretically, only a Titled Battle God could compel it to acknowledge mastery. Brockman stole it the day after Du Chen left and could still force it to acknowledge mastery, which implied a Titled Battle God-level expert was with him!

In truth, Du Chen miscalculated one point. He didn’t know Brockman possessed the Art of Artifact Annihilation, so he only considered the presence of a master. However, this didn't affect his plan, because there was still a clever little mechanism within that Sacred Artifact Box…

He hastened his steps and met Frinda, who had come looking for him.

“Classmate Francis, I thought you had already fled!” Frinda pointed her sword-tip downward and smiled. “Last time I lost to you, I was thoroughly convinced, but I have refined my Secret Technique. I hope Classmate Francis will graciously impart his wisdom!”

*You cheeky lass, since you're so eager for me to give you a proper thrashing, I don't mind.*

Du Chen unhooked the sacred artifact sphere from his waist, transforming it into the Vanishing Snow longsword, and smiled. “Classmate Frinda, please don't say 'impart wisdom'; this is merely a friendly spar between classmates! Also, my second brother…” Du Chen gazed into the distance. Charles lay far off on the beach, motionless, looking much like an abandoned pup…

“He's only fainted; it’s nothing serious! I was very careful!” No sooner had Frinda spoken than her longsword split into two in her hands, sword light spiraling before her, a dazzling radiance like the midday sun. “Let's skip the probing moves. Please observe my improved Sun God's Fury!”

“Very well. Let’s decide this quickly; time is tight this round. Perhaps only one minute,” Du Chen said helplessly.

“You underestimate me! You will regret this!” Frinda, clearly misunderstanding, erupted in anger!

The scene from their previous encounter repeated itself. Snow and ice swirled across Sharkstone Reef, while a scorching sun blazed. Frinda, wielding her twin swords, soared into the sky. In a flash, a massive fireball descended from above, like a setting sun.

With her beautiful eyes fixed on Du Chen’s every move, Frinda mused inwardly, *Francis's ‘Vanishing Snow’ technique is a captivating dance of ebb and flow, yet executed with seamless grace! First, it slows the opponent with ice and snow, then bewilders them with illusions. Finally, when the opponent falls into the trap, he uses his Water-Elemental Battle Mage Secret Technique to swiftly move behind them for a single, fatal strike… It is indeed formidable. But the most crucial element of ‘Vanishing Snow’ is that ice sculpture illusion! As long as I see through his illusion and locate his true body, I can defeat Francis instantly with my family's Secret Technique!*

With her thoughts firm, Frinda refused to let any minute movement from Du Chen escape her notice, guarding against him using an illusion again!

The area around Du Chen was already covered in ice and snow. As soon as the fireball Frinda controlled entered the icy region, it began to spin rapidly. The blazing flames instantly consumed the Ice Shard Wind Blades. Then, Frinda saw Du Chen, just like last time, wave his sword to summon ice and snow, transforming himself into a towering ice sculpture in the blink of an eye!

*An illusion!* Frinda was certain, but she didn’t believe Du Chen would be so foolish as to use the same illusion twice in battle. Therefore, while fixing her gaze on the ice sculpture, her battle qi surged forth, attuning her senses to every fluctuation of fire element around her, lest Du Chen release an illusion elsewhere—but this, in turn, dispersed much of her battle qi…

However, what Du Chen did next far exceeded Frinda’s expectations. Not only did he *not* use an illusion to bewilder his opponent, he instead roared loudly, bringing his hands together to lift the newly condensed ice sculpture—and the ice sculpture had undeniably taken the form of a towering Cloud-Piercing Greatsword!

*An illusion!?* Deboning had scorned that as flashy but impractical, and Du Chen had long since improved it!

“Classmate Frinda, why does your movement seem hesitant? What a pity!” Du Chen laughed heartily, then brought the high-held Cloud-Piercing Ice Blade crashing down. Devoid of any flourish, it possessed only an unstoppable momentum, a power and speed capable of cleaving through a thousand armies!

With a thunderous roar, the sun-like fireball collided with the colossal ice sword. Du Chen took one step back, while Frinda was blasted backward, sent flying!

Du Chen rubbed his nose. “Deboning was right, this move is better used this way! It seems less than a minute has passed!”

Everyone was improving, but Du Chen’s progress, it seemed, was slightly faster than Frinda’s.

With a flick of his longsword, 'boom, boom…' sounds resonated without end. The Cloud-Piercing Ice Blade shattered inch by inch, revealing the true form of the Vanishing Snow Sword.

Boom, boom, boom! The deafening sound grew louder and louder. Du Chen couldn't help but be stunned. He abandoned his intention to approach Frinda and offer polite words, pretending to be a good person. He mused, *Where is that sound coming from? I've already shattered the ice sword!*

He cast a glance behind him and was utterly shocked. The previously calm sea had suddenly grown tumultuous, its surging waters becoming increasingly violent. In an instant, a tsunami swept in like mountains toppling and seas overturning. Winds howled and waves danced wildly, shaking heaven and earth. Even far on the island, Du Chen’s face turned pale from the sheer power of nature.

“Training is temporarily canceled, everyone levitate into the air!” Lily's voice rang out. She flew high in the sky, surveyed the entire island, then launched herself towards the unconscious Charles—everyone else's speed was not slow, and Francis even had his Lotus Sacred Artifact for protection, so saving Charles came first!

“Whoosh… BOOM!” A row of waves like towering skyscrapers crashed onto the island, making the very ground tremble. Immediately after, a second row of waves followed hard on their heels, then a third, a fourth…

The power of nature was incomparable. Du Chen naturally wouldn’t directly contend with the monstrous waves. He turned and levitated, swiftly floating towards the highest point of Sharkstone Reef. By now, the waves had already submerged the spot where he had just stood!

No sooner had Du Chen taken flight than the recently receded seawater surged back with an almost sentient malice, as if a nimble hand suddenly clasped Du Chen’s ankle.

*Damn it, these waves aren't natural! They're the work of a High-level Battle God!?*

The scenery before him abruptly shifted. Du Chen was instantly pulled into the seawater. He covertly clasped two Lotuses, about to unleash Deboning, but then he heard a thunderous roar, “Francis!”

Following the sound, Du Chen realized his surroundings had changed. A moment ago, he was on a barren island; now, he was in a mysterious and unsettling space. Above, below, and all around him was water; he couldn't discern sky from ground!

Standing before him was a young Lionkin beastman, tall and powerfully built, easily two heads taller than Du Chen. His humanoid features were highly refined; apart from a noble mane around his neck and a slightly flattened lion’s nose, he was almost indistinguishable from a human. He wore pale golden battle armor, and the sacred artifact in his hand was quite peculiar: one end was a massive wolf-tooth warhammer, while the other was a back-bladed great axe.

Lotus Internal Force coursed into his Lotuses. Du Chen could unleash Deboning and slay the young Lionkin before him in the blink of an eye, but he didn't rush to act. Instead, he mused, *A beastman, and from the Royal Lionkin Clan no less! Could he be from…*

Thinking this, Du Chen smiled. “This must be a High-level Battle God's illusionary magic formation, correct? Then Your Excellency must be the sole true entity within this space, correct?”

The young man didn’t answer. Instead, he slowly raised his Hammer-Axe Sacred Artifact, locking onto Du Chen from a distance. *A mere Four-Star Fighter presumes to question a direct descendant of my Saint Baton Family!?*

The murderous intent radiating from him drew a faint smile from Du Chen. “Are you from the Saint Baton Family?” he asked, pointing to the mark on the young man’s chest—a blood-red axe, representing the World-Shattering Blood Axe of Undying Death God Lynch Baton!

The young man smirked with an air of arrogant detachment. “It’s rare that you even know of our family!” He slowly advanced towards Du Chen. “Since you know the name of Saint Baton, and yet still dare to steal the Beast Emperor’s Seal! You have quite the audacity!”

“What are you saying!? How did I steal the Beast Emperor's Seal!?” Du Chen cried out with an utterly wronged expression. “You insult me! I demand a duel! Unless you apologize!”

Du Chen's unexpected words and demeanor momentarily stunned the young man. However, he quickly scoffed disdainfully. “A thief would, of course, never admit his crimes!”

He abruptly quickened his pace. “A duel, you say! I shall grant it! Once I capture you, a descendant of Saint Baton will certainly make you speak the truth!” Before his words fully registered, he was already upon Du Chen. The peculiar axe-hammer sacred artifact was raised high and descended with savage force!

Du Chen mused, *If it were anyone else, I’d unleash my Lotuses and Deboning to kill you outright. But the Saint Baton Family…*

*Aunt Sherine said they are all fanatics, narrow-minded, or to put it less politely, deranged individuals. And they only respect strength! So, to make them follow my plan, I’ll need to employ some special methods!*

Carefully observing the young man, Du Chen recognized from the mark on his battle armor that he was a Seven-Star Battle God, only slightly stronger than himself. He was confident he still had a fighting chance!

A duel it is, then!