Ten flames of various hues, transforming into grotesque fire beasts, slowly ascended into the sky. The colorful firelight illuminated the dazed faces below, lending a rather comical sight to the scene. Ten kinds of flames, plus the first one, the Earth Heart Flame, made for a total of eleven! Xiao Yan could control all eleven with his own strength!
Staring at the stunning scene, the courtyard fell silent. After a moment, the sound of gasps began to echo. Controlling flames, each additional one required a significant strain on the soul’s power. With Cao Dan’s abilities, he could control at most four, which was enough to make him unparalleled in the Cao family. But now, Xiao Yan had shown him that there were always greater heights and more skilled individuals beyond oneself. Eleven types of flames… even if Cao Dan exerted all his soul’s power, he wouldn’t be able to fully control them, let alone shape them into beasts for combat.
The raging flames rose in the air, the intense heat making Cao Dan’s mouth dry, his already pale face becoming even paler. This act of Xiao Yan’s was a severe blow to him. “How could this be possible?” Cao Dan murmured, eyes full of disbelief. Xiao Yan appeared much younger than him, how could he control eleven flames? Even his sister, who was regarded as a demonic figure within the family, couldn’t do this…
“Impossible!” Cao Dan’s eyes turned red like a gambler who had lost everything. Roaring in anger, his mind stirred, and the four fire beasts in the sky bellowed deeply, charging ferociously towards Xiao Yan’s group of colorful fire beasts.
Xiao Yan watched indifferently, a cold smile crossing his lips. Casually waving his sleeve, his eleven fire beasts lunged forward like tigers descending a mountain, colliding fiercely with Cao Dan’s four. They tore at each other wildly, scattering fiery embers…
Facing the overwhelming number of fire beasts under Xiao Yan’s control, Cao Dan’s four were quickly overwhelmed. Their flames started to tear and dissipate. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, one by one, Cao Dan’s fire beasts vanished… When Cao Dan’s last fire beast faded, nine of Xiao Yan’s fire beasts still remained.
As Cao Dan’s final fire beast disappeared, his body jolted, and he staggered back two steps, a grunt escaping from his throat. Each of the fire beasts carried a bit of his soul, and their dissipation caused some damage to his soul force. The two old men behind him hurriedly supported him. He stared at the nine remaining fire beasts, his face alternating between green and white. He never expected to lose so miserably in what he thought was his strongest skill.
Xiao Yan glanced at him, opening his mouth slightly. The fire wolf transformed into a blue flame and rushed down, entering Xiao Yan’s mouth. The other eight fire beasts gradually turned to nothingness. Such unrefined beast fires could only be used once before they would fade away.
“Young Master Cao Dan, it’s over…” Retrieving the Earth Heart Flame, Xiao Yan looked much better than Cao Dan. His mastery of flame manipulation and strong soul force were far superior to Cao Dan’s.
Upon hearing this, Cao Dan’s face grew even uglier. Losing to Xiao Yan in front of so many people, especially in his forte, was a hard slap. “No wonder Ye Zhong put his hopes in you; you indeed have some skills. I’ve underestimated you,” Cao Dan said, gritting his teeth after several deep breaths to suppress his rage.
Xiao Yan smiled faintly. Cao Dan, despite being a seventh-grade alchemist, was at best a low-level one, not a formidable foe. Even if they met at the Alchemists’ Assembly, it wouldn’t be a big deal.
“Today, I’ve lost. As promised, my Cao family won’t cause trouble for a while. But your Ye family dreaming of returning to the Elder Council is a fantasy. The assessment is in less than a month, and I’m curious to see if you can even make it to the top three!”
Ye Zhong’s face changed, and he replied coldly, “This doesn’t need your concern.”
Cao Dan sneered, fixing Xiao Yan with a glare. “Xiao Yan, you are strong, but I believe you’ll regret offending the Cao family one day!”
“Finished? If so, then please leave.” Xiao Yan crossed his fingers, barely glancing at Cao Dan.
Furiously, Cao Dan would have wanted to teach this annoying fellow a lesson if not for the presence of two Dou Zun powerhouses supporting Xiao Yan. “You’re an alchemist, so I presume you’ll join the Assembly. My Cao family will take care of you then. Let’s go!”
Glaring at Xiao Yan, Cao Dan left, followed by the Cao family members with a collective sigh. Seeing the Cao family retreat, the Ye family members breathed a sigh of relief, cheering and looking at Xiao Yan with increased respect.
“Thank you, Big Brother Xiao Yan!” Xin Lan also sighed in relief, looking at Xiao Yan with gratitude.
Xiao Yan waved his hand. “Since I’ve promised, I’ll protect the Ye family until my promise is fulfilled.”
“Mr. Xiao Yan, our family is eternally grateful. If you ever need anything, just say the word. We will do our best, no matter the difficulty,” Ye Zhong bowed, speaking earnestly.
“No need for such formalities, Elder Ye.” Xiao Yan smiled, slightly stepping aside.
Ye Zhong smiled, then looked worriedly at where Cao Dan had disappeared. “From what Cao Dan said, I think the demonic woman of the Cao family has returned.”
“Demonic woman?” Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
Seeing Xiao Yan’s confusion, Ye Zhong continued, “What do you think of Cao Dan?”
“He isn’t too impressive, but his flame control is remarkable. And reaching the seventh grade at his age shows exceptional talent.”
“But in front of that demonic woman, Cao Dan is nothing,” Ye Zhong said bitterly. If they could produce such a person, they wouldn’t have to worry about strength. This woman single-handedly supports the entire Cao family.
“Oh?” Xiao Yan’s eyes showed surprise.
“The demonic woman is named Cao Ying. Her life is a legend. At birth, she displayed shocking soul force, nearly killing her mother. At seven, she became an alchemist, and at fifteen, she was specially admitted to the Pill Tower. She became a seventh-grade alchemist at twenty, and now she is twenty-two…”
The yard fell silent. The Ye family members hung their heads in shame, realizing they were far inferior. Even Xiao Yan’s face grew serious. The Central Plains truly harbored dragons and tigers. If his success was due to talent and hard work, then this Cao Ying was truly a chosen one.
“At twenty, she reached the seventh grade. These past two years, she must have improved. I suspect she might be at the peak of the seventh grade now…”
Ye Zhong explained, the entire yard quiet. A twenty-two-year-old peak seventh-grade alchemist was unprecedented.
“Cao Ying will definitely participate in the Assembly. To become a Pill Tower’s major figure, one must win the Assembly first. Her ambition is large, so she won’t miss it.”
Turning to Xiao Yan, Ye Zhong continued, “And she will be your greatest rival in the Assembly.”
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