The sudden appearance of the black-robed young man plunged the bustling arena into a brief silence. Upon hearing his words, everyone immediately recognized who had arrived. The members of the Rock Gate burst into thunderous cheers, while the onlookers glanced at Xiao Yan with a hint of interest, their eyes filled with anticipation. After his contest with Han Xue, Xiao Yan’s alchemy skills were well-known in the Inner Academy, but excellent alchemy did not necessarily mean that his combat power was invincible. In this place where only the strongest fists commanded respect, nothing else mattered.
Thus, as Xiao Yan made his appearance, everyone was eager to see if this young man, so skilled in alchemy, also possessed formidable combat strength.
When Xuner was repelled, feeling that familiar power, the powerful golden light between her jade-like hands gradually dissipated. She allowed the gentle force to push her out of the battle circle. Her beautiful eyes fixed on the tall figure in the arena, and she quietly set her worries aside.
“Brother Xiao Yan, from now on, it’s your time,” she said.
“Heh, Xiao Yan, you finally decided to show up?” Bai Cheng’s shoulder shook, and he stomped the ground, dissipating the force. He looked up at the black-robed young man and couldn’t help but sneer.
Xiao Yan shot him a glance. As his palm flipped, the massive Heavy Black Scale appeared. Grasping the handle tightly, he swung it fiercely, causing a strong gust of wind to whistle through the arena. “It seems Senior Bai Cheng misses me a lot, but unfortunately, Senior Bai Cheng is not a woman. Otherwise, I’d be quite happy.”
“Haha.” Hearing Xiao Yan’s teasing, the audience erupted in laughter.
Bai Cheng’s eye twitched, and he coldly said, “Sharp-tongued, let’s see what excuse you can come up with this time.”
“No excuses. I accepted Wu Hao’s challenge. I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. Let’s settle all our past grievances today,” Xiao Yan replied with a light laugh. The Heavy Black Scale landed heavily on the hard floor, cracking it slightly. He looked up and smiled at Bai Cheng.
“Haha, good, you have guts. But don’t blame me if I use my full strength and humiliate you,” Bai Cheng laughed, a hint of joy on his face as he saw Xiao Yan finally ready to fight instead of escaping.
“Senior Bai Cheng, you still talk too much,” Xiao Yan smiled, though his words only darkened Bai Cheng’s face further.
“Let’s hope your mouth doesn’t beg for mercy later,” Bai Cheng growled, finally stopping. He grasped his deep yellow spear, which vibrated slightly, and dense yellow battle qi surged out, enveloping the spear in an instant.
“Earth-type battle qi, huh…” Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow at the color of Bai Cheng’s battle qi. This familiar battle qi was known for its longevity and resilience, making it last much longer in battle compared to others of the same level. It was also focused on defense, using its longevity and strength to exhaust the opponent. The best way to fight someone with such battle qi was to use overwhelming force to suppress them quickly.
Xiao Yan twisted his body slightly, and a robust green battle qi surged out from within. As the battle qi emerged, a powerful aura spread, and many people were stunned by its intensity.
“Battle Spirit?” On the stands, Xuner and Hu Jia, along with Wu Hao, exchanged glances, their eyes filled with surprise and delight. They hadn’t expected Xiao Yan to break through to the Battle Spirit rank in just two months. Such a cultivation speed was extraordinary, even for someone training non-stop in the “Heavenly Fire Refining Qi Tower.”
“This guy… reached the Battle Spirit rank in less than half a month?” Lin Xiu Ya and the others were equally astonished. When they had met Xiao Yan in the mountains, his strength was at most at the eight or nine-star Great Battle Master level. While the gap to the Battle Spirit rank wasn’t far, they knew how difficult it was to make the leap. Thus, they were surprised by Xiao Yan’s current strength.
“No wonder he dared to face Bai Cheng head-on; he has advanced. But even so, there’s still a six-star gap between them, which isn’t easy to close,” Yan Hao said with a smile, still in shock.
“I believe he can win,” Han Yue, with her cold beauty, said with a smile. Even when Xiao Yan was just a five or six-star Great Battle Master, he had made a three-star Battle Spirit cautious. Now, with his strength greatly increased, Han Yue had significant confidence in him, even though Bai Cheng was six ranks higher.
“I also have some confidence in him. I wonder what he’s thinking,” Lin Xiu Ya lazily stretched, his gaze drifting to a dark, shadowy area. He smiled.
As the audience was abuzz with excitement over Xiao Yan’s aura, Bai Cheng was momentarily stunned, his eyes flashing with shock. After a moment, his expression became more serious, and he sneered, “No wonder you’re more arrogant. You’ve advanced, haven’t you?”
Xiao Yan’s body trembled slightly, and the crisp sound of bones colliding echoed like fireworks inside him. After a while, he took a deep breath, feeling the immense power in his muscles and bones. He smiled, looked up at Bai Cheng, and silently gripped the handle of the Heavy Black Scale. He slowly stepped forward, the scale dragging across the ground, leaving a white trail.
Bai Cheng, watching Xiao Yan approach, felt the rising pressure. His hand tightened on the yellow spear, his eyes fixed on Xiao Yan’s steps. As Xiao Yan entered the ten-meter range, Bai Cheng suddenly shouted, and a thick, viscous yellow battle qi surged from his body.
Stomping the ground, Bai Cheng’s figure turned into a yellow blur. The spear tip condensed battle qi rapidly, and his body, aided by the momentum, merged with the spear. The spear cut through the air, producing a hissing sound with significant force.
A six-star Battle Spirit, fully charged, could shatter boulders. Facing Bai Cheng’s fierce attack, Xiao Yan didn’t block it directly. A faint silver light shimmered on his feet, and his figure disappeared mysteriously.
Suddenly losing his target, Bai Cheng’s face changed. Such speed! He could only see a black shadow flash by. He was shocked because Xiao Yan never had such speed before, even with his advancement, it shouldn’t have improved so much.
Thoughts racing, Bai Cheng’s spear suddenly shifted, stabbing behind him.
“Clang!” A clear, ringing sound with sparks erupted in the arena. The spear blocked the heavy black scale, and the immense force bent the spear slightly.
“This guy’s strength has skyrocketed. What’s going on? Even with advancement, it shouldn’t increase this much. His strength, speed, and reaction time are completely transformed,” Bai Cheng thought, feeling the power from the spear, his heart roiling with shock.
Ignoring Bai Cheng’s shock, Xiao Yan’s Heavy Black Scale swung with a powerful whistling sound, striking down harshly. The extremely heavy scale was wielded more nimbly than Bai Cheng’s spear, and the force of his attacks caused Bai Cheng to fluster initially.
But Bai Cheng was a six-star Battle Spirit. Under Xiao Yan’s heavy blows, he gradually steadied himself. The profound battle qi of a six-star Battle Spirit surged out, countering Xiao Yan’s weighty attacks, and he began to counterattack fiercely. The spear moved like a venomous snake hidden in the sand, always targeting vital points.
In the arena, the two figures darted around, the green and yellow battle qi turning the battlefield into a two-colored realm. Each clash of the scale and spear sent visible waves of force rippling out, spreading cracks on the hard floor.
“Bang!” The Heavy Black Scale and the spear clashed, and Xiao Yan and Bai Cheng exchanged a powerful blow. Bai Cheng stumbled back two steps, while Xiao Yan retreated four. Despite his strength, Xiao Yan was at a disadvantage against Bai Cheng’s six-star battle qi.
On the stands, seeing Xiao Yan at a disadvantage, the audience sighed. The members of the “White Gang” took the opportunity to mock and jeer.
“Hmph, mere brute force, nothing to see here,” Bai Cheng sneered, gaining the upper hand. “If you only rely on that, you might as well give up.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yan’s lips curled in a cold smile. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, he forcefully plunged the Heavy Black Scale into the ground, his hands forming strange seals. As the seals formed, a blazing green flame surged out, engulfing him. The flame then suddenly retracted, darting back into his body.
“Heavenly Fire Three Mysterious Changes: Lotus Transformation!” With a mental shout, Xiao Yan’s body trembled, and an overwhelming energy surged from his meridians, flowing like a flood to every corner of his body.
Feeling the sudden surge of battle qi, Xiao Yan’s lips curved, and he gripped the Heavy Black Scale again. Looking at Bai Cheng, he smirked, “Let’s go again!”
With that, Xiao Yan dashed forward, his figure turning into a black line. Each step left a half-inch-deep footprint, and the intense charge was like a human-shaped beast, striking a visual impact!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage