The Fire Lotus, only the size of a palm, hovered above Xiao Yan’s palm. The lotus heart was divided into four colors, looking exceptionally resplendent. However, beneath this dazzling exterior, a terrifying and destructive force lurked. At this moment, Xiao Yan’s face turned extremely pale; merging four different kinds of Heavenly Flames was far from easy, as he had imagined. Although he had previously managed to merge a destructive fire lotus, Huo Huo wasn’t a true Heavenly Flame and thus, required less trouble to merge. This time, though, he was dealing with four genuine Heavenly Flames. The complexity of merging them immediately became apparent. If it weren’t for the fact that Xiao Yan’s strength had now skyrocketed and his soul had entered the so-called Spirit Realm, he wouldn’t have been able to successfully merge the four Heavenly Flames and create the destructive Fire Lotus. Moreover, the Fire Lotus wasn’t completely stable yet. Its internal destructive energy was far too formidable. Even Xiao Yan had to handle it with extreme caution, balancing the energies before daring to use it against an enemy.
Cold sweat continuously dripped from Xiao Yan’s forehead, flowing down his face like a stream. His gaze was fixed on the slowly rotating Fire Lotus in his palm, infusing it with a boundless soul power.
“Such frightening destructive power.”
In the sky not far away, the Star Plucking Old Fiend also looked startled at this scene. The destructive power emanating from the Fire Lotus caused him to feel uneasy, even with his vast experience.
“How could this brat, with only the strength of a Nine-Star Battle Sect, exert such a dreadful attack?” the Star Plucking Old Fiend’s lips quivered, and his eyes surged with killing intent. This boy must not be allowed to live!
With this vicious thought, the Star Plucking Old Fiend’s expression turned sinister. He moved instantly, transforming into a blur, rushing towards Xiao Yan. He sensed that Xiao Yan’s attack was not quite complete, and if interrupted, would cause severe backlash, potentially nullifying the threat and eliminating Xiao Yan himself, two birds with one stone.
Just as the Star Plucking Old Fiend moved, Zi Yan detected him and shouted, “Big guy, quick, stop him!”
Upon hearing this, Xiong Zhan laughed bitterly and nodded. Stomping on the void, he shot out like a cannonball, catching up with the Star Plucking Old Fiend within a few breaths. Roaring, he swung his iron fist, aiming a heavy blow at the old fiend’s back.
“Roar!”
Xiong Zhan, being a powerful Ancient Dragon Bear, possessed immense strength. This punch made the very air around him warp, forming a deep arc in the invisible air. A piercing sound rang out, non-stop.
Sensing the fierce punch from behind, the Star Plucking Old Fiend’s eyes flashed with a malevolent light. Taking a glance at Xiao Yan, who was close by, he gritted his teeth and twisted his body strangely, not turning to fight.
Xiong Zhan was taken aback when the Star Plucking Old Fiend didn’t turn, but he didn’t care. If you won’t turn, then take the hit.
“Boom!”
A punch carrying immense force shattered the air and smashed into the Star Plucking Old Fiend’s shoulder, causing a low thud. As the punch landed, thick black fog gushed from the Star Plucking Old Fiend’s shoulder, softening the impact, yet still some of the force penetrated, striking heavily on the shoulder.
This heavy blow turned the Star Plucking Old Fiend’s face pale, and faint sounds of breaking bones could be heard. Evidently, Xiong Zhan’s punch had broken several of his bones.
Despite the direct hit, the Star Plucking Old Fiend’s eyes showed a sinister smile. Using the push from the punch, he sped up, appearing in an instant above Xiao Yan’s head, a hideous laugh rumbling from his throat.
“You fool!” Seeing this, Zi Yan, already pale, lost all color. She stomped her foot and berated Xiong Zhan.
Seeing the Star Plucking Old Fiend willing to take a hit to kill Xiao Yan, Xiong Zhan smiled bitterly and charged forward, trying to knock the old fiend away in the last moment.
But it was too late. The moment the Star Plucking Old Fiend appeared, his hand seal changed, and a torrent of black gas formed a half-foot-wide, pitch-black ghost claw in front of him. The dark, eerie-looking claw, reminiscent of a Death God’s hand, induced a chilling sensation.
“Nine Nether Soul Hand!”
Formed, the black ghost claw, the Star Plucking Old Fiend’s face contorted even more. With a cold, fierce cry, he swung the claw mercilessly, slamming it down towards Xiao Yan’s chest.
The Star Plucking Old Fiend’s attack mobilized all of his Dou Qi. Though the claw wasn’t large, wherever it passed, space instantly collapsed, revealing abyssal voids. Under this aura, the claw appeared even more sinister.
“Swish!”
The claw flashed, piercing through the void, and appeared in front of Xiao Yan. The fierce, icy wind it carried made Xiao Yan sense extreme danger.
At this critical juncture, no one could save Xiao Yan. Sensing his dire situation, Xiao Yan looked at the Star Plucking Old Fiend’s grotesque face, and his eyes suddenly went wild.
“If I die, you’ll accompany me!”
Driven by madness, Xiao Yan ceased caring about the instability of the Fire Lotus. With a shake of his arm, the Fire Lotus shot out, transforming into a streak of fire, heading straight for the Star Plucking Old Fiend.
“Boom!”
A thunderous explosion followed as the Fire Lotus launched. In that instant, a destructive force, like a storm, swept across the sky. The entire mountain range trembled, giant cracks spreading from the valley. The massive Hall of Souls swayed, its many experts fleeing in panic.
The sudden destructive force also caught the attention of the Dou Zuns in the sky. Gazing at it, their expressions turned shocked. They quickly retreated, fearing the destructive power.
“Bang!”
As the destructive force spread, the sinister ghost claw slammed into Xiao Yan’s chest. The overwhelming, grim power erupted like a volcano.
“Puff!”
Receiving such a fatal blow, Xiao Yan’s face turned ghastly pale. Blood spurted from his mouth, and crackling sounds of breaking bones came from his chest. His body, struck by the monstrous force, flew back like a cannonball.
Amidst the shock, Xiao Yan’s lips curled into a sinister smirk, seeing the Star Plucking Old Fiend’s face filled with horror.
The Fire Lotus exploded.
“Boom!”
A hundred-zhang-tall flame storm erupted, connecting heaven and earth like a divine sign. The flame storm raged, and the destructive waves, like ripples, spread, causing the once-impregnable dark hall to collapse, its strong members turning to black ashes.
The destructive wave spread for almost a kilometer, turning everything to scorched earth, dense forests vanishing in an instant.
High in the sky, the Dou Zuns were stunned, seeing the valley obliterated in an instant. Even some of the top figures of the Hall of Souls couldn’t do such damage.
“Bang!”
Xiao Yan’s flying body slammed into the mountain wall, buried under rolling boulders. A graceful figure hurried over, shaking off the stones, lifting Xiao Yan up to avoid the expanding devastation.
“How is he?”
Xiong Zhan, flashing to Zi Yan’s side, asked urgently, seeing Xiao Yan covered in blood, his chest sunken.
Zi Yan’s face was grim, witnessing Xiao Yan’s worst injury. A full-force blow from a Five-Star Dou Zun, which no one could withstand, left Xiao Yan in a dire state.
“Whoosh!”
Wind howled as Grand Master of Wind and Little Healer Immortal rushed over. Seeing Xiao Yan, their faces changed.
As they worried, two more powerful auras, stronger than the Star Plucking Old Fiend, emerged from the raging flames.
Sensing these auras, Grand Master of Wind and others felt a chill. These auras belonged to the Hall of Souls.
The firestorm raged, while the two auras became increasingly clear. Moments later, the firestorm halted, and a tremendous force burst out, reversing and dissipating the storm.
Seeing the vanishing firestorm, Mu Gu Elder sighed in relief. If it continued, those in the branch hall would’ve been buried underground.
As the storm dissipated, two old figures appeared, their auras surging, creating a great pressure, tightening everyone’s hearts.
“After all these years, you are the first, Xiao Yan, to dare destroy my Hall of Souls…”
An unfamiliar, cold, old voice echoed through the heavens as the two figures appeared.
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