Curses sounded out from beneath the Vice Sect Leaders feet, as she continuously dug her heels into John's back. Despite his incredibly powerful body, he was still feeling pain, and so he couldn't help but curse out.

"Motherfu-, get off me!

" John cursed out in rage. He was still unsure exactly what was going on, as one moment he was standing just fine, and then next he was slammed into the ground.

He had heard some words come from the person on top of him, but couldn't make them out due to the sound of debris falling back to the ground. As such, he had no idea it was the Vice-Sect Leader herself standing on top of him.

Boom!

John's aura exploded out powerfully as he attempted to fling whoever was on his back off. The Vice-Sect Leaders eyes widened slightly, in surprise at John's durability, and also guts to defy her so. She had expected him to be incapacitated from her previous blow, but he seemed to be completely fine.

A small smile crept up on the face of the Vice-Sect Leader, sending chills up the spine of Elder Thame who saw it. Everyone knew that such a smile was only bad news.

Bang!

The Vice-Sect leader slammed her foot into John's back once more, pressing his face deeper into the earth. John groaned out in pain, as this blow was even stronger than the first.

Heavenly Lightning Domain!

John couldn't turn around to attack whoever was on top of him, as he was pinned down on his stomach. He instantly activated his Heavenly Lightning Domain, and thirty six lighting nodes sprung into existence.

Twelve lightning nodes immediately lit up, slamming lightning strikes onto his assailant. Now that John was in the Late Core Formation Realm, his lightning node count went up even further, and he was able to unleash much stronger domain attacks.

The Vice-Sect Leaders eyes lit up once more, as she noticed how many nodes John was able to use. Those in the late Core Formation Realm could normally only use four nodes, but John had tripled that count due to his incredible essence dantian.

Lightning continued to slam down powerfully on the Vice-Sect Leader, but she stood there unflinchingly as if it was a light rain. Her foot slammed down onto John once more, even more powerful than the previous attack.

"Gah!

"

John couldn't help but moan out in pain, as the foot slammed onto his back. The creaking sounds of bones reaching their breaking point echoed out, as more and more force was placed into her back.

Supreme Battle Art!

John instantly increased his power with his Supreme Battle Art. He raised his arm and punched the earth below him, easily smashing a deeper hole in the earth beneath him.

This hole was all John needed to slip downwards and free of the foot on his back, and he took the opportunity instantly. His body finally broke free, and he immediately stood up and backed away from his assailant. He quickly spun around and was just about to dash forward, axe in hand, when he finally stopped.

His eyes went slightly wide as he finally noticed who it was that had landed on him. The Vice-Sect Leader stood there with a smug smile on her face as she stared at John.

"Come now, you're not going to stop no-

"

Che!

The Vice-Sect Leaders words cut off as she looked at the powerful battle art flying towards her. Her small smile became even larger as John's attack reached her in an instant.

Boom!

John's sudden attack landed directly on the Vice-Sect Leader, bathing her in a powerful battle axe battle art. John stared at the spot that he had attacked the Vice-Sect Leader, his face slightly grave.

'I probably just **ed up hard by attacking the Vice-Sect Leader, but I won't allow someone to step on me like that and not retaliate.'

Ever since he had retreated from Hunter and felt his dantian reject him, John had developed a slight personality shift. He had become more bloodthirsty, as well as more prideful. As such, he would not allow anyone to step on him in such a manner, no matter who they were.

"Hahaha,

" laughter began to sound out from within the fading explosion, as the Vice-Sect Leader's figure once again began to come back into view.

Her eyes locked onto John, a mix of amusement and joy seen within them.

"To think that after your last punishment, you still dare to attac-

"

"Shut up,

" John yelled in response, cutting the sect leader off. His axe, surrounded by three profound Dao's, unleashed yet another Sky Sundering Axe towards the Vice-Sect Leader.

"I won't forgive anyone who steps on me like that, regardless of the punishment.

"

Boom!

The Sky Sundering Axe battle art once again landed on the Vice-Sect Leader, causing a rain of earth to radiate outwards as a small crater was created beneath her feet.

Elder Thame, still standing to the side, stood there in stunned silence at the scene playing out before him.

"Hahaha,

" the laughter, even louder and more amused this time, echoed out once again. John was just about to send a third attack forward, when his throat was suddenly caught in a hand, and his body lifted off the ground.

His surprised face quickly turned grave, as he stared at the Vice-Sect Leader with narrowed eyes, who now held his throat in her hands.

Her fingers gripped down powerfully on his neck, not giving him any opportunity to break free. A large smile hung on her face as she stared intently at John, as if she had just found something amusing to play with.

"You have guts, which is rare, even within the War Hall. However,

" her voice trailed off as her eyes stared at John like a hawk, sending a shiver up his spine.

Boom!

John suddenly found himself slammed into the earth, his neck still held tight by the Vice-Sect Leader. The earth shattered beneath his body, as a wave of pain radiated throughout his entire body.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

The loud explosions had attracted a small crowd by this time, who had shown up just in time to see a boy, held by his neck, be repeatedly slammed into the earth by the Vice-Sect Leader. Each slam was completely brutal, and would cause everyone in the crowd to wince as each blow shattered the ground with its force.

Loud booms continued to echo for some time, as John's body was slammed non-stop into the earth. A large crater, nearly a hundred yards wide, had formed by this time, as each slam would enlarge the crater further.

Boom!

One final boom echoed out as John's body, already bloodied and bruised, was thrown to the ground by the Vice-Sect Leader.

John laid there motionlessly, as if he was dead. The Vice-Sect Leader looked at him for a moment before turning around and beginning to walk off.

"Elder Thame, take him to the infirmary and heal him up. Then tell him to find me.

"

Elder Thame nodded his head in confirmation as he watched the Vice-Sect Leader leave the battle-scarred area. He looked back to John, and shook his head, in both questioning and pity.

Elder Thame walked over to John, ready to carry him to the infirmary, when a voice sounded out before him.

"Is that crazy wench finally gone?

"

"Keep your voice down,

" Elder Thame cried out as he looked at John below. John was completely covered in blood, and looked like he was half dead. However, his expression was rather calm, completely shocking the Elder.

The Elder had expected him to be unconscious, and in need of immediate medical assistance, but his tone signified otherwise.

"She's gone,

" Elder Thame confirmed.

"Phew, finally. I thought that woman was actually going to kill me,

" John replied as he slowly stood up.

His beating had been incredibly brutal and painful, as the Vice-Sect Leader seemed to have compensated for his powerful body by increasing the force she put into her attacks. She made her attacks powerful enough to incapacitate any Late Core Formation cultivator.

However, John had completely unlocked his Limiter of Pain, massively increasing his body durability. Not only that, but he had also increased his durability in the Divine Trials, by taking the attacks of the temple creature head on. At his current state, his durability was far beyond anyone would ever expect a Core Formation youth capable of.

While he was definitely hurt, it was nothing that John could not withstand or deal with.

Elder Thame stared at John in surprise as he casually brushed the dirt off his robe. A small smile crept up on John's face as he looked at the Elder.

"Don't tell the Vice-Sect Leader of this. I don't want to catch another beating.

"

Elder Thame sat there silently for some time before shaking his head in disbelief at John's antics. He walked up and patted him on the back.

"Come, we must at least make a show of going to the infirmary, or the Vice-Sect Leader will return to give you another beating if she found out you were faking your injuries.

"

John nodded his head and followed behind Elder Thame as they both walked towards the infirmary in the War Hall.

Meanwhile, high above at the top of the War Hall Palace, a pair of eyes, framed by bright blue hair, stared down at John, as a smile crept up on her face.