As Yun Shan’s chilling words, laced with murderous intent, struck the air, Xiao Yan’s expression darkened considerably. A mighty surge of verdant斗气 spiraled from his body like a fierce flame, wrapping itself tightly around him in a cocoon of power. The Skyfire Three Mystical Metamorphosis—he had not once employed it since breaking free from beneath the ruins of Nanam Academy. Yet now, his internal异火 had already merged the Green Lotus Earthfire with陨落heart炎, and the prowess bestowed by this arcane technique was intimately bound to the potency of异火 within it. Thus, this time when Xiao Yan unleashed its force, his might surged far beyond its former capability.
In his youth, having only stood at the斗灵 tier, Xiao Yan had wielded this power to clash evenly with fighters like Liu Qing and Lin Xui-Ya, seasoned斗灵 elites, and even early斗王 powerhouses—at least excluding the usage of those ultimate hidden cards. Now having scaled into late斗王 heights, and once the technique unboxed, Xiao Yan’s sheer surface strength equaled or outpaced four- or five-star斗皇 exponents. Augmented by the esoteric power within the Burn Scroll, flesh and bone tempered through elixirs of legendary strength, as well as myriad powerful斗技, Xiao Yan’s full-fought force could easily rival even斗皇巅峰 warriors!
A flicker snapped from his fingers—and swiftly, the monstrous玄weight尺 shimmered to form in his palm once more. Its daunting heft made Xiao Yan’s hand dip momentarily before righting itself once the strain met seasoned adaptation. With the many years passed embracing its cumbersome grip, this weight carried nothing near the same burden it once posed for Xiao Yan. Although its restrictive nature did slow斗气 circulation slightly—thereby lessening offensive potential—through prolonged training its detraction had nearly vanished into irrelevance, thus carrying little impact against Xiao Yan these years.
Hails of explosive clashing energies boomed across in rapid bursts nearby—but Xiao Yan showed never a distracted glint in those eyes. Keeping unwaveringly fixed with fierce intent toward Yun Shan, Xiao Yan coiled his toes taut beneath him like an ambush-bound lion, muscles quivering subtly beneath his frame, concealing potential akin to explosive fury.
Eyeing Xiao Yan who stood so alertly, poised for the most harrowed encounter, Yun Shan instead smiled darkly. The billows of fabric danced under a flow of斗气, turning the soft sleeves into blades of rigid steel, for one of斗宗 cultivation, could transmute anything—even one single hair—into a murder weapon deadly in might.
“”Come forth! Permit this Sect Lord to glimpse by what fortune you dare to step into these skies again—what gives this arrogance wings?””
From his palm whirled deep-green energy like spiraled gales, and the glacial tone fell once more upon Yuanshan’s lips. Xiao Yan did not so much as twitch a muscle, nor deign to speak; radiant, gleaming silver light coiled rapidly over his feet. The next tremor—his body flared from sight with sudden velocity…
Watching the still figure of Xiao Yan with narrowed stares, Yun Shan flicked fingertips in unseen movements beneath silk. Next, with chilling scoff released from his bosom, he struck violently with sweeping silk sleeve forward toward a random corner of sky—””Peng!!!”””
Firm-as-iron fabric cut through void, yet just short there—a sudden undulating ripple bloomed across empty expanse, then a looming darkness erupted forth. With a black silhouette came down a devastating downward swipe of a huge cleaver, meeting Yunshan’s assault forthwith with no quarter shown.
They crashed midair—a dull reverberation rang out—a rumble like clapping thunder. Shockwaves rolled outward in rippled spiraling currents. And within the wake of that storm, the very air trembled.
The moment broke, Yun Shan’s frame absorbed the pressure within an undaunted quiver of the shoulder. However, the looming shadow recoiled backward in swift paces, barely stabilizing only following a handful of steps backward. Emerging fully with form redefined: unmistakably Xiao Yan once more—the man supposed distant a space apart.
“”True indeed, your swiftness borders incredible—at least against斗皇 elites; yet against myself, such prowess holds no sting.”
Unmoved, Xiao Yan tightened curled fists. The aged foe’s backside bore fading echoes of where he had just vanished—nothing lingered now save a shadow’s bare whisper.
“”Is it so then… then will it fare thus…?””
Xiao Yan gave a slight glance towards this old blowhard cloaked in arrogance, an underglide hum hummed in throat as his hand suddenly re-formed an incantation seal. Immediately, a swirl of deep violet-black light spouted in spirals behind. Emerging through that swirling vortex—two solidlike wings shaped of pitch and violet darkness. These shadow-veined appendages coiled outward, rising from behind emerald-flared wings like layered plumes.
Naturally, he revealed the much-dormant Violet Glazed Dragonwings. After breaking toward斗王 potential and wielding wings wholly forged of斗气, its aerial velocity easily eclipsed the Dragonwings. So naturally this ability had remained tucked away in the recesses over time. However—never did Xiao Yan deem them powerless—such combat techniques had long remained a rarity among warring exponents; a scarcity attributed directly to their secondary nature—an even subtler power yet…
They could overlay—overlaying entailed superimposing upon one shape to form an even graver force, amplifying all latent potential. So for avian斗技, by merging winged extensions atop one another following斗王 awakening, velocity attained by this new form would skyrocket beyond that of an isolated emerald flame set.
Only flaw? The sheer demand devouring torrents of precious斗气. Elsewise—such propulsion could grant flight rivaling meteor strikes for swiftness…
Just as Skyfire Three was a forgotten wonder in this age—an ability revealed this battle—likewise these layered wings brought sudden shock to even Yun Shan who’d yet sensed any expectation behind.
Undoubtedly now—aerial speed had once more scaled into even steeper heights. Not even Yun Shan dare scoff this velocity easily without grave miscalculation.
After layering the twin appendages, their verdant glow now dimmed to inky greens. With each flap sent subtle streaks of energy coiling over Xiao Yan’s body. Whereas once resided radiant beauty in the fiery wings’ former brilliance, so too now remained something heavier in shadow-hewing hues—an aura more commanding reverence though less adorned.
Vibrations surged gently through those folded wings now, churning thickets of solid wind spinning round and around his silhouette before howling outwards like gale.
Light-footed sensation coursed suddenly within Xiao Yan’s body—as the lightness of wind took hold—his lips curled upward. His eyes turned toward Yun Shan—the old scowling shadow less certain upon those grizzled facial lines—and a taunting question flared: “”Yun old hound—now—what remains for you, to call this wasted force?”
Echoing words met with zero leeway for reply. Wings flaring hard, Xiao Yan vanished abruptly amid soft crackling rolls reminiscent of thunder’s hush. And the blink later… appearing unmistakably at the upwind zenith of Yuanshan’s presence. He grasped the huge blade with both fists as the voice raised in battle-cry: swung forth like breaking sky—plummeted upon Yun Shan like collapsing mountaintop with nothing but pure power in its trail.
No artistry lay behind its arc—naked rawness surged through each crushing pound behind the cleaver’s mass alone. Within its path’s half meter circumference, compressed currents tore the heavens’ very air outward in all directions so violent as to carve briefly a void—a vacuum within its downward slash’s wake!
Still, peering aloft at this descending cleaver, Yuanshan uttered nothing save another cold chortle. Tight fisted and launched skyward as his fist punched through intervening space, compressive air exploded suddenly into form—mature into an invisible blast wave of sheer force—racing skyward amidst piercingly shrill, high-pitched shrieks toward its mark.
“”PENG!!!”
Impact burst forth just half a zhang above Yuanshan’s own head: cleaver collided full with pressure missile, each shaking against the other. Tremors surged across the blade—and only Xiao Yan’s iron grip staved this crushing rebound of energy from prying loose the shaft entirely from his grasp.
Body trembling only once at force received—no retreat shadowed Xiao Yan’s frame—wings surged and his body morphed in a blink through that very backlash, becoming a streak through heavens—closing straight on Yun Shan’s form now—as his fists clenched, twisting limbs with ghosty tremors. Explosive force gathered upon one fist and in an instant—he released it, delivering a devastating straight to Yunshan’s sternum like ancient inch strike techniques!
“”Jie Ji Beng!!!”” The low chant barely left Xiao Yan’s lips before the wind pressure surrounding the fist multiplied—surging into a fearsome force feared even among masters.
Speed had served him well; yet Yun Shan—expanse-prowess斗宗—stood no helpless foe by any reckoning. This dire moment summoned his reaction: with a stomp of foot, roaring斗气 flowed throughout his figure like surging seas; in an eye’s blink, condensed thick deep-green energy黏着 upon chest surface—an impervioius shield.
“”CHI!”
Impact. The devastating blast struck dead center upon the slime-layer shield—only faint hisses answered the crushing force unleashed. All that terror—like it had merely vanished. Devoured. Silently diffused.
”The very trick was played upon me…three seasons’ prior already…” As Xiao Yan’s visage revealed but a flicker of stunned incomprehension, Yunshan let loose yet another scorned snort.
”Yet, can it still draw from you more regret this day…?”
He countered with same venomous expression. His limb now suddenly twisted sideways—sharp cracks snapped from bones aligning anew in macabre cadence—an underwave current rippled forth along his forearm, and then, the punch pulsed anew—reaching straight beyond that sludged buffer… then—erupts! As if an explosion buried beneath the fabric of Yunshan himself.
Hit directly with this unseen current strike’s secret art, Yun Shi’s expression darkened further; chest retracted briefly before forcefully protruding outward, emitting from within an overwhelming surge of boundless energy—unleashing an elemental gale that blanketed surroundings… Xiao Yan stood within that deadly point-blank scope.
Fleet movements carried across successive steps along the sky-air—but not without strain. Only a time lengthened to an eternity did Xiao Yan manage the last of this recoil. His chest tightened—a stinging suffocating pressure blooming within.
With frigid eyes tracking this withdrawing prey’s course, Yun Shan slowly glanced at where torn silks now flapped against his torso. Beneath ripped cloth—exposing his chest, there appeared—bodily engraved—an outlined palm—blood-hued and freshly imprinted. Clearly, the token left behind by Xiao Yan’s hand.
“”Haha… Splendid—you’ve done a splendid thing! Since breaking toward斗宗 heights… you alone… alone have marked these bones of mine. I admire that handprint…” The smile curled bitter. Eyes turned glacial and glimmered with death.
“”…Since achieving this depth… Allow this Sect Lord now to carve deep for you—to illustrate what defines a TRUE斗宗 master!””
He roared the final word into a tempest of rage as deathly will seethed and rolled ever outward from him like cold fire licking into frosty night.
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