Gazing coldly at the rapidly fading life in Diaoyan, Xiao Yan let out a light breath. With a wave of his hand, the Nalan Ring on the latter’s finger detached and fell into Xiao Yan’s palm. Since Diaoyan had fallen, the soul imprint within the Nalan Ring had also dissipated, allowing Xiao Yan’s soul power to enter it unimpeded. After a brief rummage, a scroll that resembled flames appeared in his hand. On one side of the scroll were three glaring words, “Lan Yan Jue.” Seeing the “Lan Yan Jue” in his hands, Xiao Yan finally heaved a sigh of relief. He carelessly tossed Diaoyan’s cooling corpse to the ground and then stored the scroll within the Nalan Ring. After the recent battle, Xiao Yan’s interest in the so-called “Lan Yan Jue” had grown even stronger. The name of this technique wasn’t particularly unique; it was rather common, and some of the techniques Xiao Yan had encountered in the past shared the same name. Yet, in terms of sheer efficacy, the “Lan Yan Jue” from Demon Flame Valley was truly outstanding. Although the man-made variant flames couldn’t match true variant flames, they far surpassed ordinary flames. Of course, what Xiao Yan most craved was not these artificial variant flames but the control over flames granted by the “Lan Yan Jue.” After the intense battle with Diaoyan and the two others, Xiao Yan could see that although their soul powers were not exceptionally strong, they managed to manipulate the “Life Transforming Fire” to create the “Stellar Flame Phoenix,” clearly a feat attributable to the “Lan Yan Jue.” Thus, if Xiao Yan could master this technique, his control over flames would surely make significant strides. Having swiftly dealt with Diaoyan’s trio, Xiao Yan’s gaze turned to the other ongoing battles in the sky. A low, rumbling sound drew his attention.
*Boom!*
The sound of the energy explosion came from Zi Yan’s battlefield. Under the combined assault of Mo Ya and Qi Shan, she looked somewhat disheveled. Despite her formidable strength, Mo Ya seemed to have mastered a technique specifically for countering brute force, rendering each of Zi Yan’s powerful blows as futile as striking a soft cushion. Meanwhile, the cunning old Qi Shan continually seized every opportunity to attack, leaving her at a disadvantage. Had it not been for her terrifying power, she might have already suffered a complete defeat.
*Boom!*
Zi Yan’s fists clashed once more with Mo Ya. But he twisted his body in a strange way, causing Zi Yan’s punches to disperse oddly. Then, Qi Shan spotted an opening and lunged, shoulder-first, into Zi Yan. The sudden burst of force sent her reeling backward, treading the sky several times before regaining balance. She wiped a thin streak of blood from her lips, a faint purple glow flickering in her gem-like eyes.
“Don’t bother. I can handle them. Go help the others.” Steadying herself, Zi Yan turned to Xiao Yan, who was rushing to her aid, and spoke softly. Her small face, usually graced with a smile, now bore a look of serious determination.
Hearing her words, Xiao Yan paused, studying her face closely. She no longer seemed like the innocent little girl from before, but rather a provoked beast king, fiercely guarding its dignity.
“Alright,” he said, nodding and taking a step back. He knew well the terrifying power that lay hidden within this tiny girl—enough to take on a Battle Sect powerhouse if unleashed.
At the same time, Mo Ya and Qi Shan realized that Xiao Yan had just taken down three elders of Demon Flame Valley. Their faces blanched. Such a feat, for someone who seemed to be only a four-star Battle Emperor, was astounding. Stunned, they exchanged uneasy glances, grateful they hadn’t tangled with him first.
“Hurry and capture this little girl. Use her as a hostage to force Xiao Yan to hand over the Bodhi Divine Essence and the Breaking Sect Pill.” Mo Ya’s eyes glinted with malevolence as he muttered to Qi Shan.
Qi Shan nodded, though the tactic felt underhanded. It didn’t matter; desperate times called for drastic measures, and this violet-haired little girl was anything but easy to handle. Her monstrous strength had nearly killed them more than once.
While Mo Ya and Qi Shan were forming their nefarious plan, a rich purple light began to spread over Zi Yan’s body, casting her luminous blue eyes in a dazzling glow…
*Rumble!*
As the purple light grew, cracks appeared in Zi Yan’s clothing, and Xiao Yan watched in astonishment as her small body quickly elongated. Her purple hair lengthened rapidly, stopping just above her hips, revealing the graceful silhouette of a mature beauty before Xiao Yan. This transformation, though not new to him, still left him awe-struck. In that moment, Zi Yan, once a cute loli, transformed into a radiant, alluring woman, exuding a peculiar charm.
Her eyes, filled with the purple glow, fixed on the stunned Mo Ya and Qi Shan. A seductive smile played on her lips, and her Dou Qi wings flared. In a flash, she appeared before Mo Ya, and her long, resilient leg swung towards his head, compressing the air ahead into an invisible cannonball.
Feeling the immense surge of force, Mo Ya’s face twisted in horror. His hands moved swiftly, adopting a strange posture, ready to counter. But unlike before, when her leg met his palms, the brute force demolished his defenses. Losing the means to deflect the blow, the full brunt of the force landed on Mo Ya.
*Crack!* *Boom!*
With a sickening snap, Mo Ya’s bones shattered, his face contorting grotesquely. A jet of blood spurted from his mouth, and his body rocketed towards the earth, crashing into the forest below with such force that the area caved in, leaving gaping fissures like giant snakes winding outward.
Outside the combat circle, Xiao Yan, watching Zi Yan dispatch Mo Ya with a single kick, let out a relieved breath. He gave the now-mature and captivating Zi Yan a thumbs-up before turning his attention to the more critical battles unfolding elsewhere.
Han Feng, Moe Tianxing, and Grand Elder Su Qian, along with Little Healer Immortal, were in a titanic clash. Each move they made shook the air, sending waves of terrifying energy radiating outward. No one dared to venture near, fearing collateral damage. Surveying the scene, Xiao Yan furrowed his brow.
Moe Tianxing and Little Healer Immortal seemed evenly matched, both around the level of a four-star Battle Sect. However, Little Healer Immortal’s eerie poison skills gave her a slight edge. Xiao Yan wasn’t too worried about her, knowing her Cataclysm Poison Body made her a formidable opponent.
The situation with Grand Elder Su Qian, however, was a bit dire. Though he was a skilled fighter, he was slightly weaker, hovering around the three-star Battle Sect level. Normally, he would easily overpower the old Han Feng, but things had changed. After surviving a brush with death, Han Feng’s strength skyrocketed, reaching a level on par with seasoned Battle Sect powerhouses. With his bolstered soul power, he posed a genuine threat to Grand Elder Su Qian, putting the elder at a slight disadvantage. Still, no grave peril loomed; defeating Su Qian wouldn’t come easy even for the strengthened Han Feng.
“These guys must have received significant help from the Soul Hall… But can he withstand another ‘Furious Lotus Buddha’s Wrath’?” Xiao Yan muttered, a dark smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he locked onto the triumphant Han Feng.
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