“Ho ho, finally decided to put up a fight, did you? This old man is quite curious to see if there’s anyone in the Xiao family now who can possess the same domineering presence as Xiao Xuan did back in the day,” the Star Plucking Old Ghost said with a laugh as he saw Xiao Yan summon Pharmacist Elder into his ring, and the immense battle aura within Xiao Yan’s body surged like fiery dragons through his meridians. At this moment, he was undoubtedly displaying his full strength after devouring the Three Thousand Lotus Flame. However, he understood that facing the Five-Star Peak Dou Zun expert, the Star Plucking Old Ghost, anything less than his full strength would mean he’d have no chance to even strike back.
“Hand over the Xiao family ‘key,’ and I will spare your life,” the Star Plucking Old Ghost said with composure, smiling faintly at Xiao Yan’s burgeoning battle aura. With his strength at the peak of Five Star Dou Zun, he was not at all afraid of Xiao Yan, and the gap in rank between them was great enough to view the latter as nothing more than an ant.
For the Star Plucking Old Ghost’s words, however, Xiao Yan responded only with a sneer in his heart, fully ignoring them, and his gaze roamed around searching for a way to break through.
“With such reluctance, it seems this old man will have to do it himself…” Seeing this, the Star Plucking Old Ghost sighed, spread open his palm, and pointed five fingers towards Xiao Yan. Then, with a tremor, five thick black mists erupted from his fingertips, converging into eerie black chains amidst a loud rattling noise. The chain swirled mid-air, tore through space, and appeared above Xiao Yan’s head in the blink of an eye.
The sudden assault forced Xiao Yan’s expression to change slightly, and silver light flashed on his feet as he hastily retreated several steps.
*Whoosh!*
The chain thrust down ferociously from mid-air, brushing past Xiao Yan’s face before plunging fiercely into the hard black rock, causing the surrounding rocks to split instantly.
“Not slow reflexes,” the Star Plucking Old Ghost said with a smile, flicking his finger and making the chain leap up like a venomous snake, swirling with fierce wind, and rushing towards Xiao Yan’s vitals.
The speed of the attack was terrifying, leaving residual shadows in the sky, completely unpredictable.
*Clank, clank, clank!*
Facing the Star Plucking Old Ghost’s assault, Xiao Yan clenched his palm, and the Heavy Black Scale immediately appeared, its body coiling dense shadows of scales around him, completely blocking the attacks of the chains.
*Clang!*
The chains heavily struck the scale, the fearsome force making Xiao Yan scrape out deep marks on the ground, and his arms tingled with numbness.
“The prowess of a Five-Star Peak Dou Zun is truly terrifying.” After their brief exchange, Xiao Yan keenly felt the might of the Star Plucking Old Ghost, feeling the gravity of the situation. Escaping today would clearly not be as easy as imagined.
“Being able to block my attack with the power of a Nine-Star Battle Sect, one must admit, you are indeed one of a kind,” the Star Plucking Old Ghost laughed, looking at the solemn Xiao Yan, and then suddenly leaning forward slowly, like a predator about to feast.
“But I have no time to waste on you. After dealing with you, those pesky outsiders still need my attention,” laughed the Star Plucking Old Ghost, stepping lightly out, the space rippling, and his figure instantly vanishing.
As the Star Plucking Old Ghost disappeared, Xiao Yan sensed a withered hand emerge ethereally beside him, aiming at his throat. Although the hand didn’t appear to be covered in any battle qi, wherever it passed left a trace of dark, ruptured space.
Xiao Yan’s expression grew serious, and he urgently raised the heavy scale, swinging it savagely towards the approaching hand.
“Flame Splitting Wave!”
A mental roar echoed as a dozen-zhang-long glow of the scale rushed out and slammed heavily onto the withered hand. However, the seemingly fierce strike merely made the hand pause briefly before speeding up again, reappearing in front of Xiao Yan and striking his chest lightly, too fast for Xiao Yan to dodge, even with his own considerable speed. In desperation, Xiao Yan held the scale horizontally, intercepting the blow.
*Clang!*
The withered hand lightly landed on the scale, producing a crisp clang that reverberated through the air. The clash caused Xiao Yan’s expression to drastically change, the thin hand feeling like it weighed a mountain. Upon contact, the bones in his arms made a slight creaking sound.
*Boom!*
Under the tremendous force, Xiao Yan’s feet sank deeply into the rock, which at this point, seemed fragile as tofu. Barely withstanding the Star Plucking Old Ghost’s palm, Xiao Yan’s internal energy churned furiously, so he hurriedly flipped the scale and stepped, retreating at a rapid pace. He then planted his foot, straightening up, and looked at the Heavy Black Scale, appalled to find a faint palm print on it, despite its usual resilience.
“Quite a sturdy fellow…”
A few paces away, the figure of the Star Plucking Old Ghost gradually materialized, taking a glance at the scale Xiao Yan held and smiling faintly.
Xiao Yan gazed at the old man with caution, deciding he needed to leave the Soul Lock Great Hall. Outside, with Little Healer Immortal and others, things would be much easier. Lingering here, he risked being worn down by the elder, whose level of attack even the use of the Heavenly Fire Three Mystic Changes could scarcely withstand multiple times.
“Ho ho, don’t think of tricks; they won’t work in the face of absolute strength,” the Star Plucking Old Ghost said, seeming to understand Xiao Yan’s thoughts. He pressed his foot and darted toward Xiao Yan, his smile markedly more sinister, indicating his intent to finish things quickly.
Xiao Yan also sensed the shift, his silver-lighted feet flashing, retreating rapidly while forming a purple-brown flame in his hands. It swiftly transformed into an exquisitely beautiful lotus, emanating a wild, violent energy.
Since his soul power had reached the Spirit Realm, Xiao Yan could form the Lotus of the Vengeful Buddha Flame even more easily, almost instantly upon his thought.
As soon as the purple-brown lotus appeared, Xiao Yan hurled it at the Star Plucking Old Ghost, and his retreating speed intensified.
*Boom!*
When the lotus was only half a zhang from the Star Plucking Old Ghost, it exploded like thunder, filling the day with noise, and the terrifying fire waves swept out, causing cracks in the hall’s stone pillars. The entire plaza became a chaotic mess.
Though the lotus exploded, Xiao Yan remained vigilant, knowing the Lotus of the Vengeful Buddha Flame alone couldn’t eliminate the Star Plucking Old Ghost. His prediction was correct; soon, an aged figure emerged from the fire waves, identified as the Star Plucking Old Ghost. His clothes were tattered, making him look somewhat disheveled, and evidently, the lotus’ power had exceeded his expectations.
“Truly a Xiao family member, wielding the power to launch such a devastating attack at the Nine-Star Battle Sect level,” the Star Plucking Old Ghost commented, eyeing Xiao Yan with a sinister glint.
With an unchanged expression, Xiao Yan’s eyes flashed, and he stomped the ground, shooting up. Streams of purple-brown flames surged from his body, blasting out.
*Ding, ding, dong!*
The flames lashed against the thick chains above the Soul Lock Great Hall, easily breaking them. The innumerable light orbs inside the hall burst, revealing tormented and lost souls, opening their eyes in confusion.
These spirits, recognizing their new reality, screamed and fled the hall chaotically.
“Courting death!” The Star Plucking Old Ghost’s expression changed upon seeing Xiao Yan release so many souls. Instantly turning into a beam of light, he rushed toward the former.
*Hmph!*
Facing the Star Plucking Old Ghost’s murderous intent, Xiao Yan coldly snorted, gripping three purplish-black spheres, the Flame Thunder Seeds he had prepared in the stars.
*Whizz, whizz!*
Throwing the arm, the flame thunder seeds formed a pattern, rushing towards the Star Plucking Old Ghost, exploding upon reaching a close distance.
*Boom!*
The terrifying blast wave shattered more of the black chains, and the souls flitted about, fleeing the hall like a swarm.
Through the explosion, the Star Plucking Old Ghost managed to break through, his face now seething with barely suppressed rage, having been frustrated by Xiao Yan’s tactics.
“Damnation! With these souls gone, yours will pay the price!”
“Star-Plucking Hand!”
Black smoke enveloped the Star Plucking Old Ghost, his right hand bizarrely enlarging as he lunged like a specter, grabbing at Xiao Yan, freezing the space around him, and closing on the terrified young man.
“Xiao clan’s little one, it ends here!”
With a vicious grin, the Star Plucking Old Ghost’s hand gripped firmly, collapsing the space around Xiao Yan. Expecting to see shredded remains, instead, the body dissipated into thin air, leaving the old ghost stunned.
“Not right, a fake!”
Realizing the deception, the Star Plucking Old Ghost turned to the exit. There, a silhouette resembling a monkey darted out — unquestionably Xiao Yan.
Seeing Xiao Yan’s receding back, the Star Plucking Old Ghost’s face turned grim, shocked to have been toyed with by a younger generation.
“Xiao Yan, let’s see where you run to today!”
A low, furious roar shook the great hall.
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