In a clearing of the forest, over a dozen moonlight stones were embedded in the trunks of the surrounding trees, their emitted light illuminating the area. The thick fog, somewhat dispersed by the earlier intense battle, made the visibility in the area much clearer.
In the center of the clearing stood four figures—three men and one woman—each exuding a strong aura, evidently not to be underestimated. Among the men, one with a deep yellow robe and a scar on his face was perched on a branch, leaning against the tree trunk. He cast a lazy gaze below and casually said, “Hurry up…”
The three men in the clearing, all dressed in yellow robes and wearing the same emblem on their chests, apparently belonging to the same faction, immediately nodded in response.
“Hand over the Spirit White Fox, or don’t think we haven’t done cruel things before,” the woman, holding a long sword, commanded. Her light green dress hugged her alluring figure, and her luscious hair, tied loosely with a green ribbon, cascaded down to her waist. Her young and beautiful face was none other than Nalan Yanran, who once accompanied Yun Yun when they left the Jia Ma Empire. Over the years, she had lost her initial naivety, exuding a captivating maturity and allure.
Perched on Nalan Yanran’s shoulder was a small white fox, its fur pristine and silky, making it irresistibly adorable and a powerful charm for any woman. The little white fox, sensing the killing intent from the opposing trio, shuddered slightly, and soft, whimpering sounds escaped its lips.
Feeling the fear of the little fox, Nalan Yanran gently caressed its head, then slowly lifted her head, fixing her icy gaze on the three men opposite her. Gripping her sword tightly, her sharp aura seeped through her fingers as two cold words escaped her lips, “Keep dreaming.”
“Hehe, such a stubborn beauty, but also quite inflexible. With your five-star Battle Emperor strength, you won’t escape us. Hand over the white fox, or I wouldn’t mind enjoying how enchanting you can be,” the man in the yellow robe leered at Nalan Yanran, licking his lips lasciviously.
Hearing these crude words, Nalan Yanran’s face grew even colder. She knew the three men’s strength was around the four-star Battle Emperor level. Individually, she could defeat them within a short time, but all three together would be too much, especially with their synchronized teamwork. The confrontation earlier almost got her in trouble. The most pressure came from the man sitting on the branch, who hadn’t yet intervened but whose presence subtly weighed upon her, indicating he was far more formidable.
“The Earth Spirit Sect truly breeds garbage,” Nalan Yanran sneered, mentioning their sect’s name, causing the three yellow-robed men’s faces to darken. Despite their repute within the Earth Spirit Sect, facing a five-star Battle Emperor was not a task they relished. The only reason they were in this predicament was due to needing the Spirit White Fox to guide them through Tianmu Mountain. But now committed, there was no turning back.
Exchanging glances, the trio decided to stop wasting time, forming a triangle to encircle Nalan Yanran, and unleashed their potent, deep yellow qi.
“Draw Earth Prison!” Slamming their hands to the ground, the earth trembled and reshaped into a mud prison that trapped Nalan Yanran.
Reacting swiftly, Nalan Yanran twirled, releasing torrents of sharp qi, cleaving the prison, fracturing it quickly.
Seeing the prison collapse, the three slammed their hands, summoning earth spears, gripping them tight, and launched themselves towards the center where Nalan Yanran was. Her strikes, though precise and lethal, failed to overpower the trio, who relied on their earth-element’s defensive qualities to wear her down.
Understanding their strategy, Nalan Yanran, unable to rest, found herself increasingly drained. Their coordination was seamless, and her opportunities to strike back dwindled as the prolonged battle continued.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Her lightning-fast strikes deflected, Nalan Yanran’s face turned frigid as her qi surged forth fiercely. The earth spears shattered under her attack, but the trio, undeterred, summoned more spears, this time reinforced with yellow armor, adding to their tenacious defense.
“A true five-star Battle Emperor, indeed troublesome. But it ends here; your qi is nearly exhausted. Hand over the Spirit White Fox, and we’ll let you go,” a gravelly voice from under a deep yellow helm said.
“Spare me such lies; they are fit only for deceiving children,” Nalan Yanran retorted coldly, no longer the same inexperienced girl, having learned much from her travels in Central Plain.
“Stubborn and asking for death!” Agitated, the three raised their hands, and six columns of yellow qi formed, shaping a triangular halo.
“Earth Spirit, Soil Fusion Technique!” Roaring in unison, a powerful wave of qi condensed in front of one, combining all their power. Even Nalan Yanran paled at the display.
The twisted yellow qi morphed into a ferocious earth dragon, roaring as it charged, carving a deep trench in its wake.
“The Earth Spirit Sect’s Soil Fusion Technique does hold some merit,” mused the man on the branch, observing the clash.
Nalan Yanran bit her lip, throwing the white fox away, summoning a deep blue wind wall. The dragon, cut and shaken by the swirling winds, still pressed on, shattering the wall and bearing down on her. Pale and cornered, Nalan Yanran found herself ensnared by a strange black energy.
Just as the earth dragon was about to strike, a sharp punch burst from the dense fog, hitting the dragon and dispersing it in a flash of light. Everyone, including the man on the branch, was stunned, turning toward the source of the sudden intervention.
“Who dares interfere? I am Huangtian of the Earth Spirit Sect. Stay out of our business!” the yellow-clothed man growled, scanning the surroundings warily.
“To bully a lady, what an embarrassment for the Earth Spirit Sect,” a mocking voice emerged from the fog, followed by a slim figure stepping into view.
Stunned and trembling, Nalan Yanran looked up, ready to thank her savior, but froze, her brain momentarily seizing as she stared at the familiar face, barely managing to whisper, “Xiao… Xiao Yan?”
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