A sudden, cold reprimand echoed on the stone platform, attracting some surprised glances. As these gazes swept over Xiao Yan and Feng Qing-er, who had stepped onto the stone platform, a few people’s eyes turned rather gleeful.
“Brother Xiao Yan?” The ancient clan group, encamped at another part of the stone platform, also turned their gazes due to Feng Qing-er’s voice. Among them, the girl in green robes, who had been meditating with her eyes closed, opened her eyes at this moment. Her beautiful eyes gazed at the slender youth who had stepped onto the stone platform, momentarily stunned, before a hint of joy appeared in her eyes.
“Hehe, it seems like Xiao Yan is in a bit of trouble, huh? I didn’t think he would have a grudge with the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan.” A man in silver robes, smiling warmly, spoke. This man was not unfamiliar; he was one of the four commanders of the Ancient Clan who had entered the Celestial Tomb with Xiao Yan, Gu Hua.
Upon hearing this, Xuner’s willow eyebrows slightly furrowed, and her bright eyes turned to the side, where a woman in colorful robes was standing. She softly said, “This Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan is truly too overbearing.”
“Let’s not be hasty in intervening, Xiao Yan can handle it,” Gu Qingyang laughed lightly. With his perception, he could naturally sense that Xiao Yan had already reached the strength of a Nine-Star Dou Zun. Although Feng Qing-er’s aura was somewhat strange, back then, when Xiao Yan was only a Five-Star Dou Zun, he had still managed to defeat the Eight-Star peak-level Gu Yao. Now, it would be even less of a problem.
Xuner nodded slightly, and her gaze suddenly turned to behind Xiao Yan, eventually settling on Cai Lin, her eyes flickering with an inexplicable emotion.
The stone platform, which had originally been abuzz with discussions, fell silent as all eyes turned towards Xiao Yan.
“A noisy woman, pay her no mind.” However, under the numerous gazes, Xiao Yan merely smiled slightly, not even turning his head towards Feng Qing-er. He simply tilted his head and said casually to the group behind him, then continued stepping forward towards the platform.
Hearing these words, a look of iron-faced anger rushed to Feng Qing-er’s face. Her eyes were extraordinarily cold, and she waved her hand violently, sending a stream of colorful light streaking through the air like lightning, tearing through space, and ruthlessly shooting toward Xiao Yan’s head.
In the face of Feng Qing-er’s sudden attack, Xiao Yan’s steps suddenly halted. His left hand darted out like a thunderclap, grasping the colorful stream in an instant. At the same time, a terrifying flame rapidly appeared, transforming into a blazing line of fire, rushing along the stream toward Feng Qing-er.
With a cold gaze, Feng Qing-er noticed, but she knew the might of Xiao Yan’s ‘Heavenly Flame.’ She slashed with her jade finger, cutting the stream mid-air. Simultaneously, a vast, ancient, and weathered aura surged from her body, a faint sound of a phoenix’s cry resounding across the sky.
“This feeling…it’s indeed the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix…”
Feeling Feng Qing-er’s aura, a thought stirred in Xiao Yan’s heart. This aura resembled the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix they had encountered in the ancient forest at the remains of the Dou Sage, though it had long perished. Although he didn’t know the exact reason, Xiao Yan was sure that Feng Qing-er’s sudden surge in strength was related to that perished Ancient Heavenly Phoenix.
“Xiao Yan, today I’ll take your life to repay the pain you’ve caused me!” Feng Qing-er glared at Xiao Yan with a cold, vengeful face. If not for Xiao Yan and his companions taking the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit, they would not have been punished upon their return. Fortunately, the bones brought back from the ancient forest still contained some Heavenly Phoenix essence, though fragile, hidden deep within. To obtain this pure essence, the strong of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan chose to transplant the bones, which contained the Heavenly Phoenix essence, directly into the bodies of their clan members. This process caused immense pain, and out of ten young clan members, only two succeeded, one being Feng Qing-er. The other eight, however, lost their lives.
“Seeing how Feng Qing-er moves without hesitation, the group behind Xiao Yan, including Cai Lin, also had a flash of coldness in their eyes. Their Dou Qi surged, and their sharp gazes fixed on the former, their palms gathering Dou Qi.
“Are you Xiao Yan? Since Feng Qing-er wants to spar with you, you should go alone. The rest of you need not intervene; otherwise, you might suffer the consequences.” As the Dou Qi of Cai Lin and the others surged, a calm voice came from behind Feng Qing-er. Everyone’s gaze turned to see a man in white robes. What was most peculiar was that this man’s eyes were multi-colored, extremely eerie.
As the man with multicolored pupils spoke, the dozen or so strong warriors of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan beside him also glared menacingly at Xiao Yan and his companions, clearly ready to attack if provoked.
“Perhaps it is you who will suffer the consequences,” a calm voice interrupted, coming from another direction, causing the man with multicolored pupils to pause slightly.
“Hehe, a one-on-one fight, there’s no need for interference. I just don’t like bullying behavior,” Gu Qingyang smiled lightly, then turned his gaze to Xiao Yan, nodding slightly.
In response to Gu Qingyang’s gesture, Xiao Yan returned a smile, but his gaze remained on the girl in green among the ancient clan. The Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan was no ordinary force, and even the Ancient Clan wouldn’t easily provoke them. Now that they were willing to intervene, it was likely because of Xuner.
The girl in green, noticing Xiao Yan’s gaze, also smiled sweetly, her radiant beauty catching the attention of many powerful fighters nearby.
“Hehe, very well, since that’s the case, let’s let you try,” the man with multicolored pupils stared at Gu Qingyang for a moment, clearly not expecting Xiao Yan to have such a relationship with the Ancient Clan. However, he was cunning and smiled, turning to Feng Qing-er and speaking calmly.
Hearing this, Feng Qing-er nodded, her icy gaze fixed on Xiao Yan. “Xiao Yan, do you dare to step forward?”
Xiao Yan smiled, reaching out to stop the group behind him. Most of these people were unfamiliar, and from their glances, Xiao Yan detected a sense of schadenfreude. He was here for the Bodhi Ancient Tree, but given the complex and powerful mix of individuals present, he needed to make a statement. Retreat was not an option.
“As you wish,” Xiao Yan slowly walked forward, a small smile still on his face, but his eyes flashed with a cold intent. Though unsure why Feng Qing-er’s strength had surged, she had always been behind him. Even now, her strength was only at the Three Rotation Dou Zun peak level, a match many Nine-Star Dou Zuns might struggle with, but for Xiao Yan, it was nothing…
“Hmph!” Seeing Xiao Yan step forward, Feng Qing-er’s face twisted into a cold smile. Stomping her foot, a flood of colorful silk ribbons, like sharp blades, shot out, enveloping him in a ten-zhang radius, leaving no place to hide!
“Still the same old trick, the power has surged, but it cannot be fully controlled, like a beggar who found a treasure but can’t use it,” seeing the colorful silk, Xiao Yan shook his head slowly. Stepping forward, thick flames erupted from his body, enveloping him. Any ribbon that dared to enter the flame range turned to ashes, raining down.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Xiao Yan moved leisurely towards Feng Qing-er, his demeanor quite relaxed.
In contrast, Feng Qing-er’s face was a mask of anger, unable to comprehend why her new strength posed no threat to Xiao Yan. Her pride couldn’t bear it!
“Heavenly Phoenix Shadow!” Full of rage, Feng Qing-er’s shout reverberated as her Dou Qi surged, forming a giant image of the Heavenly Phoenix in the sky. The ancient, overwhelming pressure spread out.
A piercing phoenix cry echoed from the colossal Heavenly Phoenix, its wings spreading, carrying a terrifying might, shooting towards Xiao Yan below. The sheer force caused the faces of many powerful fighters to change.
Facing the massive Heavenly Phoenix, Xiao Yan finally stopped, gazing up as the Phoenix grew larger in his vision. He was certain that Feng Qing-er’s sudden power surge was linked to the remains of the Heavenly Phoenix in the ancient forest.
“Xiao Yan, meet your end!” Seeing the Heavenly Phoenix was only a hundred zhang away from Xiao Yan, Feng Qing-er’s hatred grew, her icy shout echoing across the entire square. There was no way for Xiao Yan to dodge now!
“Still a mere trifling trick,” Xiao Yan smiled at Feng Qing-er’s icy shout, making no move to evade. He simply shook his head slowly, his black eyes glowing with golden light.
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