Chapter 530: Shocking! Jiang Lan's Ambition Was Far Underestimated; The Saint's Appearance Decides the Finale

“No…”

Uganda roared in fury, but it was clearly useless. His limbs and torso exploded, leaving only his head behind.

At his realm, his Life Force was so immense that he didn’t die, even from such an injury.

But before a Saint, any heaven-defying abilities he possessed were useless.

Jiang Lan watched the scene, shaking his head inwardly. ‘I still have a long way to go.’ Although Uganda’s strength was only comparable to the first step of the Human Race’s Tribulation Bridge Realm, he was by no means an opponent Jiang Lan could easily kill at his current level.

However, if he condensed a Heaven and Earth Dharma Aspect and broke through to the Seventh Realm, their roles today would have been reversed.

Still, rather than fighting opponents beyond his level, he preferred to overwhelm them with a superior realm. Uganda was a Great Power, but no matter how strong he was, before a Saint, he was nothing more than a slightly sturdier ant.

‘If I had the realm of a Saint…’

Shaking his head slightly, Jiang Lan reined in his thoughts. With Uganda incapacitated, the other Barbarian Race experts completely lost their fighting spirit. They were utterly terrified. Facing a living Saint, who would dare to resist?

The slightest hint of defiance would mean instant annihilation of both body and soul.

With a beckoning gesture, the Holy Resentment Bow on the ground transformed into a streak of black light and flew into Jiang Lan’s hand.

Li Ran might look down on such an item, but to Jiang Lan, it was a treasure. Once he performed Refinement on it and erased the will within, it would become an incredibly deadly weapon.

“It has been a long time, Master. Your invincible bearing is as peerless as ever…”

“This disciple considered every possible outcome, even the chance that Jiang Lintian himself would appear. But I never imagined that you, Master, would be the one to come.”

Huangfu Hao had been watching the entire time, not foolish enough to overreach and intervene. He sighed softly and finally spoke.

He pulled back the hood he had been wearing, revealing a hazy, indistinct face that looked as if it were made of mist.

Jiang Lan had long suspected that he lacked a physical body, so this sight came as no surprise.

“If everything in the world unfolded as you predicted and wished,” Li Ran said indifferently, “then how did you end up in this predicament?”

Huangfu Hao fell silent for a moment before asking, “What I don’t understand is, what matter brought you here in person, Master?”

“It couldn’t possibly be because of this boy.”

He knew Jiang Lan was a peerless, heaven-sent genius—far more outstanding than either Jiang Lintian or himself had been back in their day.

Even Li Ran himself had been far from Jiang Lan’s equal at the same age.

‘The boy is an absolute monster.’

But even so, that wasn’t reason enough for a Saint like Li Ran to offer his personal protection.

“You overestimate me, Martial Uncle,” Jiang Lan said with a smile, offering an explanation. “In fact, it was thanks to your clandestine help that I was confident I could get my grandfather to make this trip personally.”

Scheming against a Saint’s Noble Family was not something that could be set in motion with just a few words from him, nor was it something he could accomplish at his current level.

Without an immense prize on the line, Li Ran would never have traveled all the way to Immortal Ascension Island himself.

He had seemed relaxed and carefree these past few days, but in reality, he had been laying the groundwork for what was to come.

By analyzing the plot developments he was familiar with, along with Helian Wen’s actions, it was easy for him to deduce Huangfu Hao’s plan.

Furthermore, Huangfu Hao had grown very close with the Barbarian Race recently, even giving the appearance of a sincere and dedicated partnership.

Jiang Lan knew perfectly well what he was truly after.

“I see…” Huangfu Hao fell silent again, only now beginning to faintly understand.

‘The Helian Family.’

‘Li Ran came in person for the Helian Family.’

‘Only a prize of this magnitude could motivate a Saint to intervene. I should have realized it sooner, but I underestimated Jiang Lan’s ambition and appetite.’

‘The audacity to plot against a Saint’s Noble Family… even I don’t have that kind of nerve.’

“I was wary of you because of Jiang Lintian, but I never imagined you would be even more dangerous than he is…” Huangfu Hao sighed, as if resigned to his fate.

Jiang Lan simply maintained his smile, offering no reply.

“Since you’ve come personally, Master, I suppose there is no escaping death for me,” Huangfu Hao added.

Li Ran watched him with a cold gaze. “I never interfered in your rivalry with Lin Tian. You were less skilled than him and were utterly defeated. I thought that by now, you would have understood. Yet you stubbornly believe that I showed favoritism, and you hold a grudge against me for it…”

At these words, Huangfu Hao’s composure shattered. “If not for your biased signals, Master, why would Junior Sister have accepted Jiang Lintian’s proposal after their final battle? We were childhood sweethearts! I was always the one who treated her best! You promised you would betroth her to me!”

Upon hearing this, Li Ran closed his eyes, as if he no longer wished to even acknowledge him.

Jiang Lan’s expression, however, grew curious.

Although his parents had never told him about this, Huangfu Hao’s complicated expression upon seeing him earlier had allowed him to guess some of the story…

‘The childhood friend never stands a chance against the one who falls from the sky. It truly is a timeless rule.’

After venting years of accumulated resentment, Huangfu Hao quickly regained his composure, realizing that saying anything more was useless.

His entire being just seemed to deflate with despair.

Li Ran opened his eyes. As he opened his palm, a cluster of crystalline threads appeared. They were glittering gold, translucent and fine, and less than twenty feet long. They unfurled and shot toward Huangfu Hao to bind him.

He didn’t struggle in the slightest. Even though this was only an avatar, he did not choose to self-destruct.

Before a Saint, any form of resistance was futile.

“The God-Binding Rope…”

Jiang Lan recognized the item. It was said that even an anointed god, once bound by it, could not break free. All of their powers would be sealed, rendering them helpless.