“You… You’ve changed to a different heavenly flame?” Han Xue’s eyes were fixed on the emerald green fire swirling around Xiao Yan. Although the flame didn’t exhibit an overwhelming force, his incredibly sharp spiritual perception allowed him to faintly sense the terrifying power beneath the emerald green flames.
For Han Xue’s shock, Xiao Yan smiled. A wisp of emerald green flame danced like a sprite at his fingertips, causing the space around it to distort slightly as it flickered up and down playfully.
“Senior Brother, let me settle the harm our master suffered in the past today,” Xiao Yan said, lightly clenching his right hand. A huge, heavy ruler appeared, and with a swing, a pressurizing gust of wind rushed out, pointing towards Han Xue.
His face dark, Han Xue clenched his hand, deep blue flames surged rapidly, finally forming a slender flame sword. The tip pointed at Xiao Yan, and in a sinister voice, he said, “Don’t speak to me in such a condescending tone. I have no regrets for what happened back then. The only thing I regret is not obtaining the ‘Flame Decimation.’ But it doesn’t matter now, because you’ve brought it to me.”
“Truly, still a beast…” Xiao Yan sighed and shook his head, finally deciding not to waste any more words with this beast whose heart was clouded by the ‘Flame Decimation.’ A brilliant silver light flashed on his soles, and a dull thunderclap filled the air. At the sound of the thunder, Xiao Yan’s body suddenly trembled.
“A residual shadow? I didn’t expect you to have improved so much in just two years. Now, even without using the old man’s power, you can achieve this level, but do you think that’s useful against me?”
Looking at the unmoving figure of “Xiao Yan” hovering in mid-air, Han Xue sneered. His densely compressed deep blue fire wings fluttered slightly, and his body glided back a few meters. Just as he moved, a dark shadow appeared in front of him. The heavy ruler, carrying a terrifyingly oppressive gust and a shrill tearing sound, came slashing down!
Bending his body into a somewhat strange posture, the heavy ruler slashed past Han Xue’s face, and thanks to the protection of the “Sea Heart Flame,” it did not cause any damage to him.
“Little Junior Brother, though your strength has greatly increased, the battles I’ve experienced outnumber the meals you’ve eaten!”
Dodging Xiao Yan’s attack, Han Xue smirked coldly. His arm trembled, and the flame sword in his hand formed a very sharp and venomous arc, passing the heavy ruler and piercing straight for Xiao Yan’s chest.
“Ding!”
Facing Han Xue’s vicious attack, Xiao Yan’s expression remained unchanged. His wrist curved, and the heavy ruler rotated rapidly, flying back and blocking the flame sword like a shield.
“Chi! Chi!”
Han Xue, somewhat surprised by Xiao Yan’s quick reaction, quickly vibrated his arm. The flame sword in his hand split into countless swords, each one casting a real and virtual residue, with intense, hot gusts sweeping out, enveloping every part of Xiao Yan, an aggressive and masterful attack.
Facing Han Xue’s intense offensive, Xiao Yan showed no fear. Though he had lost the support of the Elder Pharmacist, his own strength was not much weaker than when he borrowed the Elder’s power. And because the power was completely his own, his control was even more dexterous.
His soles shimmered with a silver light, and Xiao Yan’s feet moved in a strange rhythm, his body swaying eerily left and right, evading all the sword shadows. Occasionally, he would wave the heavy ruler, deflecting some of the sword glows. The sparks from the ruler illuminated his young face, which seemed calm and collected.
As his body flashed, Xiao Yan abruptly stopped, and his eyes shone intensely. A low shout erupted from his throat, and the heavy ruler, wrapped in emerald green flames, shot out straight. In the midst of the sea of sword shadows, it struck a residual sword, seemingly real yet illusory.
“Ding!”
A clear sound echoed, and the sea of sword shadows abruptly dissipated, leaving only the flame sword and the heavy ruler colliding heavily!
“Ha!”
Feeling the ferocious force coming from the sword, Xiao Yan shouted, and powerful Dou Qi surged from all parts of his body, rushing into his arms along the meridians. With the influx of this Dou Qi, Xiao Yan’s arms became slightly thicker. Suddenly, his arm trembled, and an explosive force burst from the heavy ruler, rushing forcefully into the flame sword.
“Boom!”
The brutal force surged in, and the flame sword, condensed from the “Sea Heart Flame,” began to show cracks. Seeing this change, Han Xue’s face turned grim, and he quickly released the sword handle.
With the sword handle slipping from his grasp, the sword, deprived of its power source, instantly exploded with a crisp sound.
“This fellow’s heavenly flame is strange!”
Seeing the sword explode, Han Xue’s gaze flickered rapidly. When the other’s force surged into the sword, he clearly felt that the other’s heavenly flame was decomposing the “Sea Heart Flame”!
Having gained the upper hand, Xiao Yan did not hesitate. He slammed his palm onto the ruler’s hilt, and the emerald green flame-wrapped ruler shot towards Han Xue, close by, like a bolt of green lightning!
At such a close distance, even with Han Xue’s speed, it was hard to dodge. Thus, he covered his palm with the “Sea Heart Flame” and slammed it fiercely against the ruler.
“Clang!”
The impact of his palm against the ruler produced a metallic sound, and the force directly sent the ruler flying. However, at the moment of contact, the emerald green flame, like a sticky liquid, clung to his palm. Under the burning, the “Sea Heart Flame” began to thin visibly!
Seeing the increasingly fading “Sea Heart Flame,” unease rose in Han Xue. In this instant, he had confirmed that the heavenly flame Xiao Yan used was no longer the Green Lotus Earth Core Flame!
An extremely strong Dou Qi erupted from Han Xue’s palm, extinguishing the clinging emerald green flame after a short stalemate. Han Xue instantly retreated, looking gravely at the smiling black-robed youth. Two years had passed, and this guy was even more troublesome and unpredictable than before.
Seeing Han Xue easily escape the emerald green flame, Xiao Yan’s eyes flashed with surprise. This guy, just as the Elder Pharmacologist said, had outstanding talent in both alchemy and cultivation. While he himself had grown stronger in the last two years, this guy’s strength had also increased significantly. And perhaps, as he claimed, he had already touched the barrier of a Battle Sect, and might soon join the ranks of the super-strong.
“To be chosen as a student by that old man truly means something… I did underestimate you earlier.”
Looking at his slightly charred hand, Han Xue sighed and shook his head. He took a deep breath and stared at Xiao Yan with fierce eyes, sneering, “In these two years, while your strength has increased, I haven’t slacked off either…”
His voice fell, and the hand seals Han Xue made suddenly changed, followed by a massive surge of Dou Qi from his body. The strength of this Dou Qi far exceeded that of a typical peak Battle Emperor, almost reaching the level of a Battle Sect!
Such a powerful Dou Qi erupting caused the chaotic battlefield to fall silent. Numerous shocked and uncertain gazes turned towards them, and when these gazes fell on Han Xue, their expressions became lively.
“Has this guy almost reached the level of a Battle Sect…?”
Looking at Han Xue, whose hair was disheveled from the surge of Dou Qi, both the Inner College and the Black Corner Region experts were filled with shock. No one had seen Han Xue fight with all his might in recent years, and thus no one knew he had reached this level!
The sudden eruption of Dou Qi, even the battle between Su Qian and the Jin Yin Elders stagnated. Their gazes followed the burst of Dou Qi, and their eyes filled with different emotions.
“This guy is really deep. We didn’t know he was almost at that level…”
Jin Yin Elders exchanged a look, their eyes showing envy. They had been stuck at the peak of Battle Emperor for nearly ten years, making no progress. Yet, Han Xue, in less than five years, had shown signs of advancing to a higher level, a speed that stirred their jealousy.
Su Qian’s heart sank when he saw the source of the Dou Qi was Han Xue. If Han Xue had already half-entered the Battle Sect level, his combat power would increase exponentially, and if he used his heavenly flame, even Su Qian found it hard to believe he could defeat him. Let alone Xiao Yan?
Initially, Su Qian had hoped Xiao Yan would hold off Han Xue, but seeing the current situation, that hope seemed dashed. If Han Xue freed himself and joined the Jin Yin Elders, even Su Qian would be doomed, and the loss of the Inner College would be severe.
Sighing despondently, Su Qian steeled himself. Now, he could only place his hopes on the little guy who often created miracles. Other worries were useless.
“Can you stop Han Xue this time, kid?”
His gaze shifted to the black-robed youth, and Su Qian muttered softly.
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