An intangible storm of soul energy coiled around the Heavenly Fire Venerable, his ethereal figure hovering in midair, continuously emitting waves of strange energy. His calm gaze turned to Ice Symbol, whose face was twisted in shock. Without a word, he vanished in a mysterious manner. At the moment of the Heavenly Fire Venerable’s disappearance, a chill gripped Ice Symbol’s heart, and he swiftly retreated, shouting, “Sir, I am Ice Symbol, an elder of the Glacier Valley. Today’s matter has nothing to do with you. In the name of the Glacier Valley, please do not interfere! We will surely reward you handsomely afterward!”
Ice Symbol’s voice held a trace of panic; the sudden appearance of an eight-star Battle Sect powerhouse had instantly reversed the situation. He could not understand how such a fearsome lineup could be with a mere boy.
“Glacier Valley? Is that so impressive? Just the name alone cannot intimidate me.” After Ice Symbol’s shout, the space before him fluctuated, and the Heavenly Fire Venerable reappeared. He gave a faint smile and then lightly swung his palm outward. Though it seemed weak, Ice Symbol felt a deep chill, and his battle qi erupted, forming a suit of ice armor. The armor was pure white, seemingly fragile but extraordinarily strong.
However, in the eyes of the Heavenly Fire Venerable, this strength was not worth mentioning. Although he only had the power of an eight-star Battle Sect now, his experience remained that of a Dou Zun. A six-star Battle Sect was not enough to command his attention.
*Pong!*
His light palm landed on the ice armor, and a vast amount of soul energy surged out like a flood.
*Crack!*
Amidst this overwhelming force, the sturdy ice armor cracked. With a loud *Pong*, it shattered!
*Puff!*
As the ice armor broke, Ice Symbol’s face paled, and he spat out a mouthful of blood tinged with cold energy, retreating hastily. As he retreated, his face contorted with rage. Glaring at the Heavenly Fire Venerable, he roared, “Ice Crane, kill that boy!”
Not far behind Ice Symbol, Ice Crane, who had just recovered from the shock, gritted his teeth and waved his arm, barking, “Follow me, and capture the girl and kill the boy at all costs!”
The disciples of the Glacier Valley glanced nervously at the Heavenly Fire Venerable in the sky and then to the other battleground, where Ice Yuan was being driven into a corner by the Earth Demon Puppet. They had no time to focus on the changes around them.
“Attack now!” Ice Crane yelled fiercely, and the disciples shivered. They quickly responded, nodding respectfully.
With a grim nod, Ice Crane stomped his foot and shot towards Xiao Yan like a bolt of lightning. The disciples followed, activating their battle qi and forming arcs of light, surrounding Xiao Yan.
Seeing Ice Crane and the others attacking, Ice Symbol’s eyes flashed with malevolence. Cold energy surged once more as he actively engaged the Heavenly Fire Venerable. Now, it seemed only by capturing Xiao Yan would they be able to make the puppet and the mysterious soul body hesitate, or else they were doomed.
At the edge of the mountain ravine, Xiao Yan watched the incoming forces of the Glacier Valley, a cold smile on his face. Turning to Little Healer Immortal, he said softly, “I’ll handle them. Don’t interfere.”
Little Healer Immortal nodded slightly. Among them, the leading Ice Crane was a two-star Battle Sect, and the other disciples included several Battle Emperors. But with Xiao Yan’s abilities, he should be able to manage.
Slowly stepping forward, Xiao Yan quickly formed intricate seals. A spectral figure emerged from his forehead, writhing until it transformed into a replica of Xiao Yan. This was Xiao Yan’s Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body, strengthened through the refining in the Sky Mountain Blood Pond. Now, it should possess the strength of a peak Battle Emperor. While it might not be enough to deal with Ice Crane, stopping the other disciples wouldn’t be hard.
“Go,” Xiao Yan flicked his finger, and the soul replica nodded, vanishing in a flash of silver light. Reappearing behind Ice Crane, it intercepted the incoming disciples.
The sudden appearance of the soul replica startled Ice Crane, and his gaze hardened. Staring at Xiao Yan, he sneered, “Boy, you have many tricks, but with your one-star Battle Sect strength, you are no match for me!”
With a burst of icy battle qi, ten fingers of frost condensed into sharp ice needles. “If news of this reaches the Glacier Valley, there will be no place for you in the Pill Realm!”
Ice Crane smiled wickedly and, with a stomp, charged at Xiao Yan with a flash of lightning, brimming with frigid energy.
Xiao Yan merely shook his head. A two-star Battle Sect was nothing new; he had killed one even before advancing to Battle Sect, and now…
*Pong!*
In a flash, Ice Crane appeared before Xiao Yan, his fist filled with sharp ice needles aimed at Xiao Yan’s chest. The cold-fueled fist arrived, but Xiao Yan’s lips curled in a cold smile. Extending his hand, emerald flames rose from his palm.
*Hiss!*
The ice-clad fist struck Xiao Yan’s palm, but the ice melted instantly. The chilling energy dissipated, and the force of the punch dropped dramatically. It barely pushed Xiao Yan back an inch.
“A two-star Battle Sect of the Glacier Valley, such a disappointment.” Grasping Ice Crane’s fist tightly, Xiao Yan shook his head, a touch of mockery in his voice. The Glacier Valley’s ice power was ineffective against his fire.
Seeing his strike easily blocked, Ice Crane’s eyes widened in disbelief, and upon noticing the emerald flame, he shrieked, “Different Flame?”
“Correct…” Xiao Yan smiled, his coldness thick. Spinning his palm, he clenched it into a fist and shouted, “Eight Extremes Collapse!”
A powerful punch struck Ice Crane’s fist, a surge of latent heat charging into his body. Under the Different Flame, Ice Crane’s frigid battle qi was powerless, dissolving in a flurry of chaos.
*Puff!*
Disrupted battle qi forced Ice Crane to spit out blood. Gritting his teeth, he frantically activated his remaining energy, gathering it in his arm. Thick ice covered his arm, gleaming like crystal, with a snake pattern writhing on its surface.
“Ice Snake Arm!” Ice Crane’s face reddened, a roar escaping his throat. The cold energy around him surged, and his strength doubled.
“Bastard, receive my punch!” His face twisted, madness in his eyes. Roaring, he punched again.
Ice blocks formed in the air as the coldness froze the moisture. The chilling aura rushed at Xiao Yan, but he was unfazed. Emerald flames erupted from his body, gathering in his right fist to form a blazing green fire wolf. Undeterred, Xiao Yan launched his punch.
The fire wolf roared, evaporating the cold, and collided with Ice Crane’s ice arm. An explosion of force sent rocks cracking. The clash lasted a moment, and Ice Crane watched in horror as his ice arm melted.
Sensing the deadlock, Xiao Yan’s strength spiked. Another surge of force shattered Ice Crane’s ice arm, sending ice shards flying. Pale, Ice Crane retreated, crashing into a rock, spitting more blood. Stunned, he found it hard to believe that a one-star Battle Sect could have such terrifying power.
Struggling to stand, a shadow appeared before him. A cold foot tapped his temple, freezing him.
“The Glacier Valley is nothing more…”
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