"Heh, standing behind a woman makes you bold, even the way you speak changes," Phantom Butterfly Princess sneered.
"But arrogant people must pay the price for their arrogance!"
She then glanced at Princess Bai Lu, her tone playful:
"Sister Bai Lu, if he loses, you won't interfere, will you?"
Princess Bai Lu hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath, her expression indifferent. "Of course not."
She had confidence in him—after all, during their first meeting, he had almost beaten her...
"Good!"
Phantom Butterfly Princess laughed coldly. Her body suddenly erupted with a vast, nine-colored light, like an aurora covering the sky.
Within that brilliant light, a massive nine-colored butterfly appeared, its wings flapping as it swooped down toward Jin Zhi.
"Hmph!"
Jin Zhi snorted, and an overwhelming wave of blood energy burst from him, dyeing the sky red like a sea of blood. From within the blood-red ocean, a true dragon emerged, charging toward the nine-colored butterfly.
Boom!
In the intense collision, the blinding light swallowed everyone's sight, and at the same time, Phantom Butterfly Princess shot into the air, attacking Jin Zhi directly.
"You think I'm scared of you?!"
Jin Zhi refused to back down, rushing forward to meet her. The two clashed fiercely in the sky.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each collision erupted in dazzling flashes, like a series of nuclear explosions, making it impossible to see what was happening inside.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Inside the light, Jin Zhi and Phantom Butterfly Princess engaged in raw, hand-to-hand combat, clashing with their physical strength.
The Beast Tribe was known for its powerful bodies, and the Sky-Splitting Butterfly was one of its supreme bloodlines. Phantom Butterfly Princess's physical strength was naturally formidable.
As a True Dragon, Jin Zhi's physical body was nearly as strong as a divine body, equally terrifying.
Thus, the battle was fierce, and both fighters were shocked by each other's strength.
Never underestimate anyone in this world!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The fight continued. Neither side defended, and their reckless attacks left both of them bloodied.
However, Jin Zhi was at a slight disadvantage—not because he was weaker, but because his anatomy put him at a physical disadvantage.
Their blows landed solidly on each other.
When Phantom Butterfly Princess punched his chest, the impact was so fierce it nearly shattered his ribs and injured his organs.
Yet when he struck the same spot on her, for some reason, much of his strength seemed to dissipate, as though he was punching into a pillow...
But he wasn't worried.
He had already noticed her weak spot. Every time he hit her chest, although the damage wasn't severe, her face would flush, and her breathing would falter for just a moment. Though brief, in a battle between experts, even a fleeting hesitation could determine the outcome!
Bang! Bang!
Once again, they struck each other's chests, a powerful shockwave erupting, sending both flying backward.
Phantom Butterfly Princess's face flushed again, and her breathing grew ragged for a brief moment.
"Now's my chance!"
In that instant, Jin Zhi's eyes flashed. He transformed into his true dragon form and unleashed a mighty dragon tail attack.
"Heavenly Wings Shield!"
Phantom Butterfly Princess, her face pale, quickly activated a defensive technique. Two massive, colorful butterfly wings materialized to shield her.
However.
With her energy in chaos, the power of her technique was greatly diminished. How could she block Jin Zhi's full-force, well-timed strike?
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, the butterfly wings shattered like brittle twigs, and Jin Zhi's enormous dragon tail slammed into Phantom Butterfly Princess.
Spurt!
She spat blood and was sent flying. At the same time, pieces of her clothing, like fluttering butterflies, scattered through the air.
"Whoa! Her clothes exploded!"
"Chance!"
"Don't miss it!"
The nearby lackey disciples, who had been watching from a distance, instantly widened their eyes, leaping to their feet involuntarily.
But soon, they were disappointed.
Because they saw that, although Phantom Butterfly Princess's outer dress had been torn apart, she still wore a form-fitting battle dress underneath. It appeared thin, but was indestructible.
"Ah, I knew it!"
"These important people are never sincere..."
"False hope, oh well, never mind."
They sighed in disappointment, shaking their heads as they squatted back down, hiding in the corners without moving.
At this moment, Phantom Butterfly Princess bit her lip, casting a resentful glance at Jin Zhi, whispering, "You win."
Her blood-stained lips made her even more alluring, exuding a vulnerable charm that evoked a desire for tenderness.
"Thanks for letting me win."
Jin Zhi responded indifferently.
Though he hadn't torn off her wings as he had threatened, breaking her clothes was enough.
"If you had known earlier, why bother..."
Princess Bai Lu huffed softly, intending to make a sarcastic remark, but when she saw Phantom Butterfly Princess's expression, a sense of caution suddenly arose within her. She quickly said, "Big Brother Jin, Junior Brother Qin, let's go!"
With that, she hurriedly led the two of them away.
Phantom Butterfly Princess remained standing, her gaze distant, lost in thought.
"Princess, should we kill him?"
The black-robed Emperor beside her asked in a low voice.
"No!"
Phantom Butterfly Princess instinctively shouted.
Then, regaining her composure, she explained calmly, "Losing is losing. I can win, and I can lose. There's nothing unacceptable about it. If I were to seek revenge after losing, it would only show a lack of grace. Not only would it bring shame to my father, but it would also affect my own mindset."
The black-robed Emperor was taken aback.
The princess, known for her pride, coldness, and even extremism, had suddenly gained this level of insight. It was unexpected.
"Still, it's a good thing."
The loyal protector thought with relief.
...
Three days passed quickly.
The news of Phantom Butterfly Princess's defeat by Jin Zhi spread throughout the Holy Academy, causing a stir. But... nothing more came of it.
No one dared to challenge them.
And no one came to curry favor.
After all, the geniuses who entered the Holy Academy were proud and self-respecting. They wouldn't easily stoop to flattery—except, perhaps, for those who were inclined to fawn.
During this time, Qin Zi reflected deeply on his shortcomings from the previous battle.
He had been ashamed.
He had thought he could sweep away all the heroes under heaven.
In reality, no one in his realm could defeat him. However... people weren't fighting him within the same realm!
When someone's cultivation level crushed his, it made him feel awkward.
Though he possessed an extraordinary constitution, he had once believed that his talent could overcome everything. But when others had equally remarkable talents and started with more resources, the gap became apparent.
"No, I must work harder!"
So, he threw himself into rigorous cultivation at the Holy Academy.
The Holy Academy had all kinds of rare resources, as well as special cultivation grounds like the Gravity Tower, the Body-Refining Pool, and the Laws Ladder...
Having infiltrated the Beast Tribe's Holy Academy, it would be a waste not to use these rare resources.
Finally.
After half a year, when he had built up a "resistance" to all of the cultivation grounds in the Holy Academy, his cultivation realm made another breakthrough.
He became a Six Tribulation Emperor!
And on that day, a violent tremor came from one of the small worlds floating outside the Holy Academy's suspended continent.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Buzz! Buzz!
The small world shook violently, emitting a blinding light, like a burning fireball.
"It's the Beast God Small World!"
"The Beast God's Heart is about to appear again!"