Beneath the azure sky, the sounds of wind being torn apart by swift figures continued to echo. The resounding clashes of energy burst forth like a continuous volley of firecrackers. The immense power of these fluctuations could be faintly sensed even from a hundred miles away. At this moment, most of the Inner Academy had been turned into a complete mess under the aftershocks of the battle, forcing the students to retreat further outwards to avoid the impact.
As they withdrew, their gazes remained fixed on the chaotic battle in the sky. Among them, many more eyes were filled with fiery excitement and anticipation, focused on a specific battlefield. Here, a young figure was freely unleashing his strength, while his opponent, a highly esteemed Battle Emperor powerhouse in the Black-Corner Region, was at a complete disadvantage, appearing extremely bedraggled.
“Looks like Xiao Yan is going to win,” said Liu Qing, his eyes burning as he watched the two faintly visible figures, his voice tinged with an unmasked sense of amazement.
Behind him, a graceful and beautiful figure stood, her identity clearly that of Liu Qing’s cousin, Liu Fei. At that moment, the woman who had always harbored resentment towards Xiao Yan no longer felt any of the old hostility when she looked at the figure in the sky. Gently covering her red lips with her slender hand, her beautiful eyes flashed with an unusual light, her lovely face filled with complex emotions. She had never expected that someone she had once disdained would now display such terrifying strength, a power that even Liu Qing found awe-inspiring. This kind of power far surpassed the scope of a student, and even some of the elder members of the Inner Academy had not reached such a height.
If before, when Xiao Yan clashed evenly with Liu Qing and ended up drawing with him, Liu Fei had come to respect him with a measure of wariness, then now, the strength he displayed made this proud and domineering woman feel like a meek little cat in his presence. She could no longer summon the courage to resist or even offend him! Because even her greatest support, Liu Qing, was completely powerless against such strength.
And so, when Xiao Yan had forced Fan Lao, a Battle Emperor, into a complete disadvantage, the resentment Liu Fei held towards him dissipated automatically and completely. Though she was arrogant, she wasn’t stupid. She knew whom she could offend and whom she couldn’t…
**”Wow!”**
Just as Liu Fei’s thoughts were swirling, a sudden exclamation arose from the crowd. She hurriedly raised her head, and her beautiful eyes gazed at the battlefield that was being closely watched by the entire academy. Even though it was far away, she could still sense an immensely powerful gale that suddenly emerged.
**”Eight Extremes Collapse”**
In the sky, Xiao Yan, who had just gotten closer to Fan Lao, suddenly narrowed his eyes. His palm, which was about to strike Fan Lao’s shoulder, suddenly clenched, and his elbow jutted forward sharply. As he dashed forward, a mighty force instantly condensed at his elbow.
Finally, with a cold cry, accompanied by a deep, low sound of air compression, he viciously struck Fan Lao, who had already turned pale, in the chest.
**”Boom!”**
The muffled sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed in the sky, and then, everyone vaguely saw that the blood membrane that had been continuously enveloping Fan Lao’s body finally shattered. Xiao Yan’s elbow firmly pressed against Fan Lao’s chest!
Already battered by Xiao Yan’s fierce attacks, Fan Lao’s internal Dou Qi had become unstable, and the only protective blood membrane had been shattered. Therefore, the overwhelming force hit him directly in the chest, exploding upon impact.
**”Puff!”**
With the blood membrane shattered, Fan Lao, bereft of his last defense, finally showed signs of defeat. With that force erupting, his pale face quickly flushed with a rosy hue. A mouthful of fresh blood, unable to be restrained, spewed out. His body, like a cannonball, slid across the sky and crashed heavily into a pile of rubble, sending debris flying in all directions.
Fan Lao’s defeat brought a sudden silence over the whole field. The loss of a Battle Emperor was a significant setback for the Black-Corner Region. And with Fan Lao defeated, no one could restrain Xiao Yan. If he were to join the large-scale battle, the current stalemate would be broken, and the original advantage of the Black-Corner Region might be overturned!
This was understood not only by the powerful combatants but also by the countless Inner Academy students below. Therefore, when Fan Lao spat blood and crashed to the ground, a wild cheer erupted, converging and rising into the clouds, lingering for a long time.
In the sky, Xia Yan’s blue-flame wings slowly flapped. He kept his gaze fixed on where Fan Lao had landed. Only after he clearly sensed the weakened aura did he let out a sigh of relief. With the help of Elder Medicine, he could temporarily fight on par with a Battle Emperor. Although if he used Elder Medicine’s power without restraint, he could have defeated Fan Lao more quickly, Xiao Yan knew that Elder Medicine was also wary of exposing his identity. With so many powerful individuals present, if he were to be exposed, it wouldn’t be a good thing for Xiao Yan, whose current strength was insufficient to protect Elder Medicine.
Still, even though Xiao Yan hadn’t fully utilized Elder Medicine’s power, he managed to defeat Fan Lao through the strength of the Green Lotus Heart Flame and its effect on Fan Lao, which made the victory not too difficult.
**”Can’t let this old dog live, or there will be endless trouble in the future.”**
A ruthless glint flashed through his eyes. Xiao Yan knew all too well how troublesome it could be to make a mortal enemy of a Battle Emperor. Therefore, he naturally wouldn’t miss the chance to crush a fallen foe. Just as this thought flashed through his mind, Xiao Yan’s body sprang into action. With a flutter of his wings, he transformed into a ball of green flame, and like a falling meteor, he streaked down towards where Fan Lao had landed, shocking everyone.
“Old dog, die!” The cold, intent-filled shout echoed through the sky. The green flame flashed down like lightning, smashing into the rubble, sending shockwaves of force that shattered nearby debris. Thick cracks spread out like a spider web.
“Ah!” The green flame struck, followed by a shrill scream. A beam of blood-colored light shot out from the area where the flames spread. The dull, almost lifeless color was a stark contrast to its former vibrant glow.
The blood light moved with incredible speed, appearing hundreds of meters above the ground in an instant, revealing the figure within—the bloodstained Fan Lao. However, he now appeared extremely haggard, not only drenched in blood but also visibly thinner, like a desiccated corpse…
“What incredible speed…”
On the ground, the green flame flickered as Xiao Yan soared back into the sky. His chilly gaze fixed on the distant, ashen-faced Fan Lao, who was barely breathing. Seeing his appearance, Xiao Yan knew that the old man had instantly vaporized the blood in his body, unleashing a speed even he couldn’t match, allowing him to escape a certain death.
“Xiao Yan! Do you intend to exterminate us all?” Fan Lao yelled, his voice hoarse, maintaining a great distance from Xiao Yan.
“As a leader of the Black-Corner Region, isn’t that a bit ridiculous? Aren’t such things commonplace for you?”
Xiao Yan sneered, his gaze never leaving Fan Lao. His Dou Qi surged, ready to unleash another fatal strike at any moment.
Fan Lao’s face alternated between pale and green, and after a moment, he gave a wry smile. “Actually, this is a misunderstanding…”
“Ha, I agree…” Hearing Fan Lao’s words, Xiao Yan stroked his chin, nodding in apparent agreement. But just as Fan Lao was stunned by his reaction, a subtle rumble boomed, and Xiao Yan’s figure vanished!
**”Sss…”**
As the rumble sounded, Fan Lao’s pupils constricted, and he gritted his teeth, slamming a fist into his chest. A burst of blood fog spewed forth, and in the mist, his figure transformed back into a beam of blood light, vanishing from the spot.
Just as Fan Lao’s figure disappeared, Xiao Yan reappeared in a strange manner, launching a powerful punch aimed at the remaining shadow, dispersing it into nothingness.
Frowning slightly, Xiao Yan raised his head, scanning the area, and his gaze finally settled on a spot in the sky a few hundred meters away. There, Fan Lao, his face nearly transparent, reappeared.
**”Self-inflicted wounds again… I’ll see how much blood you can afford to lose.”**
A chilling grin split his lips. Just as Xiao Yan was about to finish off Fan Lao, a crisp sound of an energy barrier shattering echoed through the world.
Though the sound was not particularly loud, it had a magical effect, causing all the battles in the sky to come to an abrupt halt. Countless gazes shifted downward, eventually settling on the pinnacle of the Flaming Sky Flame Tower, which now had a ruptured tip. Instantly, everyone’s faces changed drastically!
“Darn it… this beast has broken through the seal again…” Su Qian’s face immediately paled, his gaze shifting to the Flaming Sky Flame Tower, his voice filled with undeniable shock.
**”This must be the Flame of the Flaming Sky Flame Tower. I didn’t expect it to have developed a sentience…”**
Han Feng’s eyes also followed the source of the sound, landing on the tower’s peak. His eyes were alight with fanaticism, his body trembling with excitement.
Atop the tower, the black energy membrane, without warning, had burst open. In the darkness, a pair of giant snake-like eyes, glowing with flame, slowly appeared, sweeping over everyone in the sky, sending a chill down their spines.
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