“Xiao Yan…” Little Healer Immortal slightly furrowed her brows, sensing the terror of Ancient Yuan. Despite her unwavering faith in Xiao Yan, she knew that this Ancient Yuan was a formidable adversary for him.
“Sometimes, one can’t avoid certain things…” Xiao Yan smiled at her. Turning to Xuner, whose teeth were clenched and whose face was slightly cold, he said, “Don’t worry. Even if he hadn’t initiated the fight, I would have needed to step forward. The Gu Clan values martial prowess, and only by doing so can I silence some voices.”
Xuner nodded slightly, but her gaze towards Ancient Yuan grew even colder. Over the past few days, Xiao Yan had faced numerous taunts in the Gu Clan, and now he was forced into combat. Even with her calm nature, it was hard for her not to feel a surge of anger within.
“Hehe, this little guy has quite the nerves. Be careful, and should you need help, this old man will lend a hand,” Elder Mangtian rubbed his beard, smiling. “Since you’re a student of Jia Nan College, I consider you half my disciple. I won’t let you fall in the Ancient Realm.”
It seemed that he was quite pleased that Xiao Yan had accepted the challenge from Ancient Yuan. Being weaker wasn’t terrifying; what was truly terrifying was the lack of courage to face a powerful opponent. Without such courage, how could one break through the numerous obstacles on the path of Dou Qi cultivation?
“Hehe, thank you, Headmaster,” Xiao Yan smiled and, without further ado, tapped the ground and soared into the spacious square under the watchful eyes of many, positioning himself opposite Ancient Yuan.
Looking at Xiao Yan, not far away, Ancient Yuan’s cold face showed a faint, almost imperceptible smile, “Regardless of your strength, the fact that you accepted is beyond my expectations.”
Xiao Yan glanced at this prodigy of the Gu Clan, with his distinctive black and white hair, exuding an eerie aura. His entire body was enveloped in a frigid energy like that of ten-thousand-year-old ice. He seemed to be forged from ice, and just a glance at him sent a chill deep into one’s heart.
“You should know why I sought you out…” As Xiao Yan’s brows twitched, he looked directly at Ancient Yuan and slowly said, “I know, but… it’s useless!”
Ancient Yuan nodded slightly, not surprised by the response, and said softly, “Since that’s the case, I must kill you…”
As the last word fell, the sky suddenly turned icy. The black and white hair of Ancient Yuan fluttered, and his figure vanished like a ghost.
At the moment Ancient Yuan vanished, Xiao Yan’s face became completely serious. This opponent was even stronger than the Nine Heavens Venerated of the Soul Palace. Any slip-up could lead to the most dire consequences. If he lost today, no one in the Gu Clan would support him and Xuner. Therefore, this battle, he absolutely could not lose!
“I left the Jia Ma Empire and spent a decade venturing across the continent, facing countless enemies, walking the line between life and death, more times than I can count. I have paid far more than you, this so-called genius, with your Dou Emperor bloodline. I don’t care for it, but if you want to kill me, you’d better be prepared to pay a price in blood!”
With a sudden clench of his fists, Xiao Yan unleashed his Dou Qi without reservation. The crackling of bones echoed as overwhelming Dou Qi rushed out, carrying a scorching gale that rapidly raised the temperature. At the same time, a resolute, cold shout erupted from his mouth.
Years of trials had made Xiao Yan’s personality as solid as a rock. He could always adjust himself to the perfect state when facing any challenge—an innate talent forged through years of adventure!
*Boom!*
As the shout faded, immense Dou Qi gathered in Xiao Yan’s right fist, and he swung his arm, unleashing a powerful force that crashed into the space before him.
His right fist slammed into the void, but just as it was about to hit, a slender hand reached out from the emptiness, striking with a sharp, bladelike force, slamming into Xiao Yan’s right fist.
The collision created a violent shockwave, cracking the ground beneath them and shattering the debris in the square.
The three elders of the Gu Clan, seeing this intense clash, flickered their gazes and soared into the air, forming seals and using Dou Qi to isolate the area.
“Hmm!”
Xiao Yan grunted, his feet touching the ground as he retreated, glancing at his right fist. Five claw marks had appeared, and blood seeped out, instantly staining his hand red.
Evidently, in their first encounter, Xiao Yan had suffered a slight setback. With the strength of a five-star Dou Zun, he indeed couldn’t match the eight-star level of Ancient Yuan head-on.
“Mountain Opening Seal!” Ancient Yuan sneered, changing his seal, and a fierce palm seal rushed towards Xiao Yan.
Faced with the fierce attack, Xiao Yan’s feet flashed with silver light, and he dodged swiftly.
“Mountain Opening Seal! Sea Reversing Seal!”
As the first strike missed, Ancient Yuan’s sneer grew, and his sealing technique formed multiple afterimages, continuously unleashing massive palm strikes that bombarded Xiao Yan. The Emperor’s Imprint was a skill he had mastered, and combining it with his overwhelming Dou Qi, he executed it effortlessly.
“Three Heavenly Fire Transformations! First Transformation! Second Transformation! Third Transformation!”
Faced with the overwhelming barrage of energy seals, Xiao Yan’s expression grew more serious. The Three Heavenly Fire Transformations were pushed to the limit, and his internal Dou Qi surged exponentially!
“Six Synergy Traveling Scale!”
Grasping with his hand, the dark, heavy scale appeared, casting countless shadows that enveloped a ten-yard radius around Xiao Yan in an instant.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
The numerous energy seals battered the heavy scale defenses, causing a chain reaction. The strong energy waves spread like a roaring flood, shaking the entire square violently.
Around the square, people watched the intense battle, their eyes shining with excitement. Many wanted to see how Xiao Yan, who was already considered among the top young talents in the Central Plains, would fare against the geniuses of the Gu Clan.
*Bang!*
A loud explosion resonated, and a figure flew back from mid-air, landing and skidding back a few steps before regaining balance.
“Flame Wave Splitting Seal!”
Xiao Yan, steadying himself, still had a stern expression. Swinging his heavy scale, a hundred-meter-long flame lash shot out, rushing towards Ancient Yuan at lightning speed.
“Trivial tricks, what good are these attacks with such power?!”
Facing the impressive flame lash, Ancient Yuan sneered, summoning white ice to cover his arm.
“Break!”
The ice-encased arm slammed into the flame lash, shattering it with a powerful shockwave.
“Is that all you…?”
As he broke the flame lash, Ancient Yuan’s sneer was interrupted by a sudden chill. A fast-rotating three-colored fire lotus shot towards his face. From it, he sensed a faintly destructive aura.
“Explode!”
Xiao Yan’s face turned cold, and as he changed his seal, a harsh shout rang out. The three-colored fire lotus expanded at an invisible speed, exploding into a terrible firestorm that swept out in all directions.
*Boom!*
As the firestorm raged, the ground crumbled, revealing a hundred-meter-wide pit. The Dou Qi barrier around the square also trembled violently.
“What a powerful technique, this boy is sly, hiding such a potent attack in the flames, catching Ancient Yuan off guard and achieving a surprise effect,” many strong spectators thought, nodding in appreciation. The experience gained from countless battles had indeed given Xiao Yan an edge.
Xiao Yan, observing the spreading firestorm, remained wary. While the three-colored fire lotus was powerful, it would take more than that to defeat an opponent of Ancient Yuan’s caliber, one of the Four Commanders of the Gu Clan.
* Bang!*
Just as Xiao Yan had this thought, the firestorm violently shook, and a bone-chilling aura spread out. Simultaneously, a massive wave of Dou Qi, like an ocean, roared out, filling the sky.
“You’ve endured many hardships, so what? I carry the Dou Emperor bloodline, and my cultivation is true to the ancient arts, far surpassing yours. You, a son of a declining Xiao Clan, what right do you have to fight me?”
As the vast Dou Qi roared, a cold, bone-piercing voice echoed, causing Xiao Yan’s expression to darken.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage