Seeing the Vulture Guard suddenly turn his attention to himself and Pharmacist Elder, Xiao Yan’s expression also changed slightly. Earlier, this person had been evenly matched with Pharmacist Elder, and now, after devouring the souls of Yun Shan and several elders of the Cloudy Flame Sect, his strength had skyrocketed. With this disparity, it was clear that Pharmacist Elder would find it difficult to stand against him. Moreover, in Xiao Yan’s gravely injured state, he was no match for the Vulture Guard. Therefore, not only could he not provide any assistance to Pharmacist Elder, but rushing in would also distract Pharmacist Elder to protect him.
“Let’s fight him!” clenching his left hand, Xiao Yan gritted his teeth and made up his mind. If this guy really intended to harm Pharmacist Elder, even if it cost his life, he would not let him get away easily.
Just as these thoughts flashed through Xiao Yan’s mind, Pharmacist Elder slowly grabbed his arm and smiled faintly, “Let me handle this. You go to Hai Bo Dong’s side.”
Xiao Yan was taken aback, turning his head to look at Pharmacist Elder’s face, which bore a smile. After a moment, he gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, “Teacher, you…”
“Don’t worry. Even if his strength has increased, it won’t be easy for him to kill me,” Pharmacist Elder laughed and shook his head. Before Xiao Yan could reply, he slammed his palm on Xiao Yan’s shoulder, releasing a soft force that pushed him towards Hai Bo Dong and the others.
“This Vulture Guard has said it before, none of you will escape today,” the Vulture Guard sneered as he watched Xiao Yan protected by Hai Bo Dong and the others. His crimson eyes glared from beneath the black cloak at the indifferent face of Pharmacist Elder. “Pharmacist Chen, do you really think you can still be my match with my current strength?”
“Wanting an old man’s soul without paying a price…it’s impossible…” Pharmaclist Elder snapped his fingers, and a dense, ghastly white flame appeared in his palm, rising and swirling. The scorching heat caused the very space to warp.
“The Vulture Guard has already paid the price,” his crimson eyes flickering, the Vulture Guard spoke coldly, “So, it is time for you to offer your soul!”
Feeling the icy, murderous intent emanating from the Vulture Guard, Pharmacist Elder’s heart also sank. As he suspected, the Vulture Guard’s forceful absorption of the souls of strong individuals like Yun Shan had significant consequences.
As his heart sank, Pharmacist Elder did not waste any more words. Profound and formidable soul power surged out of his body, invisible to the naked eye but clearly felt, spreading a terrifying pressure across the sky.
“Ha ha, are you ready to fight to the death? But it’s too late now!” Seeing Pharmacist Elder’s actions, the Vulture Guard laughed strangely. He waved his sleeve, and strange dark mists billowed out, condensing into a dark cloud layer that blocked out the sunlight. In an instant, the sky over the Cloudy Flame Mountain turned dark.
The Vulture Guard’s move to cover the sky drew gasps from many strong individuals. This power was simply too terrifying.
Amidst the swirling black clouds, the Vulture Guard mysteriously disappeared. Suddenly, the whole sky became eerily silent. In such a ghastly atmosphere, even a Battle Emperor would feel uneasy.
A strange, chilling wind swept by, and the densely wrapped Pharmaclist Elder, engulfed in ghastly white flames, suddenly narrowed his eyes. He then spun around and delivered a fierce punch into the empty void behind him.
As the fist moved, the overwhelming soul power surrounding him surged, and the bony fist seemed to shake the very space. Carrying a mighty force, it struck fiercely.
**BOOM!** Where the fist landed, a shadow oddly appeared. As their fists collided, powerful ripples spread in all directions, creating thunderous roars in the sky.
**SWISH! SWISH!**
The two figures disappeared again, then reappeared a hundred meters apart. The rolling thunder, the flashes of light, each emergence of a figure resulted in a powerful impact, causing fear in the hearts of those below.
In the sky, dark clouds rolled, occasionally cracking open under the intense surges, allowing sunlight to pour through, but even the sunlight felt cold and harsh.
On a tree branch, Xiao Yan gazed at the sounds of thunder above, his face grim. Despite his severe injuries, his superb perception as an alchemist allowed him to understand the battle’s situation better than others.
Pharmacist Elder’s strength was indeed formidable, but even in his soul form, he still relied on the Bone Chilling Soul Fire to match the Vulture Guard after the latter used his secret techniques. However, Pharmacist Elder was clearly at a disadvantage. If the battle dragged on, Pharmacist Elder was bound to lose!
Not fully understanding the true strength of a Battle Sect, Xiao Yan couldn’t ascertain the Vulture Guard’s current rank after using his secret techniques, but it was likely at least six stars, considering Yun Shan was a two- or three-star Battle Sect.
“Xiao Yan, what should we do?” Hai Bo Dong frowned, looking at the sky. He could sense that Pharmacist Elder was in trouble, but he was powerless to help. Although he was nearing peak Battle Emperor, he couldn’t interfere in a Battle Sect battle.
Xiao Yan’s face was somber, unable to come up with a solution. If he wasn’t so badly injured, he could have used the Buddha’s Anger Lotus formed by the union of three different flames to at least hurt the Vulture Guard and help Pharmacist Elder. But now, he was too injured even to defend himself.
“Let’s wait and see…” his voice heavy, Xiao Yan fell silent, his gaze fixed on the sky. He resolved that if things reached a critical point, he would intervene, even if it cost his life!
Seeing Xiao Yan’s resolve, Hai Bo Dong sighed inwardly. He clenched his fists and watched the battle under the dark clouds. Due to his friendship with Xiao Yan, he wouldn’t stand idly by if Pharmacist Elder was captured. If it came to that, he would risk everything.
In the sky, lightning flashed, and the dark clouds were torn open by the powerful surges, allowing a ray of sunlight to shine through. As the light illuminated the two figures, they clashed fiercely, creating a deafening explosion that left many with ringing ears and some bleeding. The shockwave matched the damage of Xiao Yan’s “Lion’s and Tiger’s Fissure Roar.”
The loud noise resounded, and the two figures flew back. A low, pained grunt caught Xiao Yan’s ear, revealing that Pharmacist Elder was injured!
After this fierce clash, the dark clouds thinned, and sunlight filtered through, dispelling some of the darkness on the square.
“Ha ha, as expected of the renowned Grand Alchemist, still tough to crack at this point. But how long can you keep this up?” The Vulture Guard levitated in the air, sneering at Pharmacist Elder’s increasingly ghostly form.
“Old man doesn’t believe your condition can last either,” Pharmacist Elder said flatly, keeping his weakening state hidden.
Red light flashed under the black cloak, and after a moment, the Vulture Guard sneered, “I’m foolish. Instead of grabbing an easy target, I chose you, a prickly one. If I capture that kid, will you surrender?”
Ignoring Pharmacist Elder’s reaction, the Vulture Guard sped towards Xiao Yan.
“Despicable!” Pharmacist Elder’s expression changed, and with a roar, he abandoned his caution and chased after the Vulture Guard.
The Vulture Guard was terrifyingly fast, appearing near Xiao Yan almost immediately. Two breaths later, he was within striking distance!
Seeing the Vulture Guard approaching, Hai Bo Dong and the others grew alarmed. Duan Lan, Mu Chen, and other Dou Wangs backed away in fear, leaving only Hai Bo Dong and Jia Xing Tian to hold their ground.
Shocked by the Vulture Guard’s sudden change in target, Hai Bo Dong quickly reacted. He bit his lip and moved in front of Xiao Yan, with Jia Xing Tian and the other strong individuals hesitantly joining him, except for the three Black-Skull Domain experts.
“Overestimating yourself, get out of the way!” The Vulture Guard snarled as he approached. He swung his sleeve, sending eerie black mist toward Hai Bo Dong and the others. Forming a giant hand, it smacked them down despite their joint efforts, due to the vast strength difference.
With the strong ones dealt with, the Vulture Guard appeared in front of Xiao Yan, laughing menacingly.
“Boy, hand over your Xiao Family’s treasures, and I’ll make your death quick!”
Beneath his black cloak, a skull-like face emerged, and a ghostly hand shot out, aiming for defenseless Xiao Yan.
As the ghostly hand neared, Xiao Yan clenched his teeth, trying to summon the remaining Dou Qi for a final desperate defense. Everyone knew the outcome if Xiao Yan faced the Vulture Guard, but they could only watch.
As the ghostly hand descended, a ripple in space interrupted the attack. A slender, ivory hand flashed out, its fingers gracefully curved, forming an arcane arc. A horrifying force blasted out, striking the Vulture Guard and making him stagger slightly.
Seizing the moment, the ivory hand grabbed Xiao Yan and swiftly retreated.
“Who dares to interfere with my Soul Hall?” The Vulture Guard’s face darkened as he glared at a beautiful, enchanting woman.
The enchanting woman glanced indifferently at the Vulture Guard, her voice echoing, “His life…is mine.”
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