As he gazed at Yi Chen, whose face was ashen and who spat out a mouthful of blood, Xiao Yan smiled faintly. His fingers gently traced the blood-red storage ring in his hand, which he had forcibly removed from Yi Chen’s finger during their clash. Since Yi Chen had been insulted and had lost today, it was only natural that he should leave behind something.
“Return my storage ring!” Yi Chen wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes turning a menacing red as he glared at Xiao Yan. The ferocity in his gaze made him look like a wild beast.
“Consider this as a small interest payment,” Xiao Yan chuckled lightly before speaking in a nonchalant tone, “You have already lost the match on the stage. Take your people and leave.”
Yi Chen’s face twitched; his eyes, filled with hatred, glared at Xiao Yan. Waves of murderous intent surged in his eyes, indicating that he was far from willing to admit defeat. In his view, his defeat was solely due to miscalculating Xiao Yan’s moves. Had he been more cautious, he would not have lost so humiliatingly.
As Yi Chen’s face turned green, the look on Chen Tian Nan’s face beside him also became sinister. He had underestimated Xiao Yan, failing to realize that even Yi Asura, renowned for his ruthlessness in the Celestial Demon Sect, had fallen to Xiao Yan. From this, it was clear that Xiao Yan was truly exceptional among the younger generation across the Central Plains, not just in fighting but also in alchemy, where he surpassed many elders of the Pill Tower.
“There is no room to let this boy grow, or he will become a great threat in the future,” a cold murderous intent flashed through Chen Tian Nan’s mind. He swiftly stepped forward, appearing mere feet away from Xiao Yan, and roared, “Impudent brat! In the heat of sparring, you actually rob others? Did your master never teach you the basic courtesies?”
As soon as the roar fell, Chen Tian Nan thrust his massive hand through the air, aiming for Xiao Yan’s head. It was evident that if Xiao Yan were to be caught, his head would explode like a watermelon.
“Chen Tian Nan!” Qiu Ling, who was outside the arena, shouted angrily.
Ignoring Qiu Ling’s outburst, Chen Tian Nan’s murderous intent towards Xiao Yan reached its peak. If he did not kill Xiao Yan today, he would not rest easy in the future.
“Boy, pay with your life!” Chen Tian Nan snarled, his hand just about to strike Xiao Yan. However, a cold smirk appeared on Xiao Yan’s face, and with a flick of his finger, a dark-golden figure suddenly materialized in front of him.
*Clang!*
Chen Tian Nan’s hand collided heavily with the dark-golden figure, producing a clear metallic sound. The force of the blow, however, failed to move the figure the slightest bit. The sudden numbness that spread through his hand caused Chen Tian Nan’s face to change. Lifting his eyes, he saw a blank, emotionless face, followed by a dark-golden fist that shattered the air and launched directly at his head.
Faced with the golden, radiant punch, Chen Tian Nan’s hair stood on end. Vast amounts of fighting qi surged in his palm, and he hurriedly blocked it with a forceful strike.
*Boom!*
A low rumble echoed in midair, creating invisible shockwaves that radiated outwards. The stone platform, originally as hard as rock, crumbled into dust.
The impact of the exchange caused Chen Tian Nan to fly backwards, then fall to the ground, retreating several paces. Stunned, he raised his head, staring at the dark-golden puppet in front of Xiao Yan. The intense numbness in his hand sent his heart into turmoil. Despite recognizing the figure as a puppet, its strength left him utterly chilled.
A Dou Zun-level puppet? At this thought, Chen Tian Nan’s mouth felt dry. Few could achieve such a level in their lifetime, yet this puppet before him possessed such terrifying power?
*Ring, ring!*
Seeing Chen Tian Nan retreat, the group of Xuanming Sect members pulled out their weapons from their storage rings, their faces filled with murderous intent. They seemed ready to charge at Xiao Yan at a moment’s notice.
*Swoosh!*
As they brandished their weapons, two figures slowly emerged next to Xiao Yan. Their cold gazes swept the area, and the vast aura emanating from them caused the hostile crowd to take a step back.
“Two Dou Zuns?” Naturally, the two that appeared next to Xiao Yan were the Little Healer Immortal and the Heavenly Fire Venerable. Neither of them had acted until now, believing that Xiao Yan could handle the situation. However, they hadn’t expected Chen Tian Nan to attack suddenly.
Upon seeing the arrival of the two, Chen Tian Nan’s face changed slightly. He could sense their formidable strength: they were genuine Dou Zuns. Moreover, the most dangerous one was the beautiful, young-looking woman in white, who exuded a sense of peril.
What weighed heavily on him was the motionless puppet standing before Xiao Yan. After their earlier clash, Chen Tian Nan knew well that if he were to fight, the puppet alone would be enough to make him pay dearly.
“This brat is indeed strange, surrounded by so many powerful experts. Even without the Pill Tower’s protection, these people probably couldn’t do anything to him,” Chen Tian Nan’s lips twitched. After some consideration, he realized that even if he brought more people, they wouldn’t be strong enough. Three Dou Zuns, even with the Xuanming Sect’s foundation, was a formidable force.
Facing this sudden turn of events, Chen Tian Nan found himself in an awkward position. Defeated in both fighting and looting, what else could he do?
Yi Chen’s expression also changed. Though he was confident in his own abilities, he still had to reign in his arrogance when facing Dou Zuns. The difference between Peak Battle Sect and Dou Zun was too vast to measure. Today, their purpose in coming here was likely to be futile.
In the face of real power, any words were useless. If they could bring ten Dou Zuns, they wouldn’t need to say anything. Unfortunately, they didn’t have such numbers and were even outnumbered by Xiao Yan’s side. How could they fight?
“Master Chen, you’ve caused enough trouble today. If you continue, even the three heads of the sect might not condone it!” Qiu Ling’s face was grim. Chen Tian Nan causing a disturbance at the Pill Tower’s entrance would bring no good to the Pill Tower. Fortunately, Xiao Yan was capable, not only overcoming the crisis but also slapping the Xuanming Sect in the face.
Hearing this, Chen Tian Nan’s face changed. Yi Chen’s eyes also turned icy, and he spoke coldly, “Do you think our Xuanming Sect’s things are so easily taken, Elder Qiu?”
“It’s called a war trophy,” Xiao Yan corrected, grinning. The smile made Yi Chen want to spit fire.
“Stop with your insolent talk, boy,” Chen Tian Nan sneered. Before he could finish, a cold voice suddenly resounded.
“Master Chen, this farce should come to an end today. Continue, and don’t blame the Pill Tower for being unforgiving. And Yi Chen, if you can declare enmity between the Xuanming Sect and the Pill Tower, then go ahead. I would like to see how Celestial Demon Child answers you!”
As the cold voice echoed, the space in front of Xiao Yan distorted, and Xiaoyi stepped out, her eyes filled with a malevolent gleam. Her gaze was imposing and dignified.
Seeing Xiaoyi appear, Qiu Ling quickly bowed, and the faces of Chen Tian Nan and Yi Chen drastically changed. Whether in status or reputation, Xiaoyi was far beyond them. Even if Celestial Demon Child were here, he would still treat her with respect. For a moment, even the proud Yi Chen was drenched in cold sweat. He had spoken arrogantly, but he knew the Xuanming Sect would not risk offending the Pill Tower for a single Xiao Yan.
“Since President Xiaoyi has intervened, we’ll stop here for today. But if I find any evidence, I will not let this go,” Chen Tian Nan’s lips trembled, and he finally gritted his teeth, throwing a harsh word before waving his sleeve and leading his group away, ashamed. He had not expected that a Pill Tower giant would personally intervene for Xiao Yan.
Seeing Chen Tian Nan retreat, Yi Chen could only clench his teeth in frustration, casting a grim look at Xiao Yan before turning and leaving, with a hint of disgrace in his steps.
Watching the fleeing group, Xiao Yan shook his head, tossing the blood-red storage ring in his hand. “A pack of pretenders…”
“Why did you come out? Qiu Ling would have handled it…”
Xiaoyi turned, reprimanding Xiao Yan.
“Could I back down when they laid a challenge?” Xiao Yan replied with a smile.
“Fine, I won’t bother with you. You’re just like that old man…” Xiaoyi shook her head, turning to walk back into the Pill Tower. As she passed Xiao Yan, she whispered into his ear, “Come in. We have the information about Yao Chen’s detention…”
Hearing this, Xiao Yan’s smile slowly faded, replaced by a cold, sharp expression.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage