Gazing at the emerald-red crystal suspended mid-air, Xiao Yan took a gentle breath. After a long moment, he finally suppressed the excitement in his heart. His palm slightly curved, and a soft yet firm force burst forth. The demonic core, which was faintly emanating a fearful energy fluctuation, did not resist this mild strength but instead smoothly descended from the air, hovering just two inches above Xiao Yan’s palm.
The flickering emerald-red light illuminated Xiao Yan’s face, reflecting an eerie luster in his dark eyes. Just as Xiao Yan was mesmerized by the demonic core, Zi Yan beside him suddenly tugged at his sleeve, snapping him out of his trance.
Shifting his gaze away from the demonic core, Xiao Yan took a deep breath, his eyes flickering with shock. This cursed object exuded an eerie aura from the inside out; one could only wonder what terrifying beast it had once belonged to before death.
With a flick of his hand, an emerald-green jade box appeared in his grasp. Due to the fear he felt towards the demonic core, Xiao Yan did not dare to handle it casually. Instead, he enveloped it with a gentle force and carefully transferred it into the jade box.
“Click!”
The jade box closed softly, isolating the strange demonic core. Only then did Xiao Yan release his held breath. Moving his hand, he carefully stored the jade box in his storage ring.
“This damned thing…” After storing the jade box, Xiao Yan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Suddenly, he noticed that his back was drenched in sweat. He muttered with a lingering sense of fear, “Just a corpse, but it made me so disheveled and anxious. It’s quite a spectral event.”
Despite the fear, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but feel a tinge of relief and joy. No matter how great the risks he faced tonight, the gains were significant enough to justify the fright.
“Just a corpse, and you got scared like this. How embarrassing…” Seeing Xiao Yan’s expression, Zi Yan giggled, covering her mouth.
Xiao Yan glared at the little girl, but remembering that without her help, he would have lost the majority of the beast’s corpse, he didn’t argue. He gave Zi Yan’s head a good rub, saying, “Alright, it’s over. You should get some rest. And remember, don’t mention tonight’s events to anyone.”
Although Xiao Yan wasn’t sure what the cursed beast was, from the night’s events, it was clear it was no ordinary creature. If word got out, it could cause significant trouble. Understanding this, Zi Yan nodded, satisfied with her ten sharp and hard bone tips. She turned and swished her purple ponytail, striding confidently through the door.
Relieved to see off the little missy, Xiao Yan sighed, waving his sleeve to close the door. Yawning, he stretched. The night had been exhausting. With a movement, he jumped onto the bed, and with a snap of his fingers, the room lights dimmed.
Though the night was filled with danger, it passed safely, and despite the perils, Xiao Yan gained much.
* * *
“Creak.”
The next morning, the tightly shut door slowly creaked open. Xiao Yan walked out, squinting at the warm sunlight. Smiling, he moved to the spacious courtyard, channeling his Dou Qi through his body.
“Hey!” Feeling the surge of powerful energy within him, Xiao Yan shouted, performing a set of fluid, powerful punches. Though not a profound skill, under the strength of his Dou Qi, the movements were still impressive. The leaves on the ground were scattered as his fists whirled through the air.
Completing the routine, Xiao Yan stood up, feeling that his strikes were stronger than before. This might be due to inhaling the emerald-red blood’s wild energy yesterday.
“Clap, clap!”
As Xiao Yan finished, clapping and laughter followed. “Such powerful Dou Qi! Even from a distance, my Dou Qi was shaken. As expected, a Battle Emperor is truly remarkable.”
Turning to the sound, Xiao Yan saw Xiao Li standing at the courtyard entrance, smiling at him.
“Brother.”
Xiao Yan smiled, calling out to Xiao Li.
“Your Dou Qi is so strong. I assume your strength is not just the initial stage of Battle Emperor?”
Xiao Li walked in, a bit puzzled. Initial-stage Battle Emperors he had met before didn’t cause such a stir in his own Dou Qi.
“Consider me a four-star Battle Emperor,” Xiao Yan laughed casually. To Xiao Li, he had nothing to hide. Of course, his true combat power rivaled peak Battle Emperor, and even with some cards up his sleeve, he could fight Battle Sects, though at great personal risk.
Hearing this, Xiao Li was surprised, shaking his head in disbelief. “Your cultivation speed is amazing.”
“Are you at peak Dou Wang now? Your speed isn’t slow either. Break through to Battle Emperor, and the Sheng Poison Pill will be completely neutralized.”
Scanning Xiao Li, Xiao Yan could tell the latter was close to the Battle Emperor level, with only a thin line separating them.
“Yes, thanks to the Inner College’s Flaming Sky Pyre, where I often practiced. It sped up my cultivation significantly until the Heart Flame was exhausted,” Xiao Li said wryly.
Xiao Yan felt a bit awkward. It seemed he needed to find a permanent solution. Otherwise, he couldn’t constantly return to the Inner College to replenish the Heart Flame.
“It seems the Heart Flame greatly boosts your cultivation,” Xiao Yan murmured, stroking his chin.
“Indeed, but only at the bottom layer of the Flaming Sky Pyre,” Xiao Li nodded.
“You won’t need to go there anymore.” Thinking for a while, Xiao Yan smiled. Under Xiao Li’s puzzled gaze, he snapped his fingers, summoning an invisible flame.
The invisible flame, like a tiny snake, coiled around his finger, then stabbed lightly at Xiao Li’s heart.
“Sizzle!” The heat instantly burned Xiao Li’s clothes, and he stiffened, sweating profusely, but he endured, knowing Xiao Yan meant no harm.
The flame quickly sank into Xiao Li’s skin, creating a flame mark on his chest. As the mark appeared, Xiao Li relaxed, wiping his sweat, “Brother, what are you doing?”
A hint of pallor marked Xiao Yan’s face. “This is a Seed of Heart Flame I’ve planted in you using the Fallen Heart Flame. Use your Dou Qi to activate it, and it will yield better results than the Flaming Sky Pyre. I predict it will last one or two years, and by then, you should reach Battle Emperor. At that point, its effect will weaken, and its disappearance won’t matter.”
Xiao Li was surprised but pleased. “You’ve really grown in tricks.”
Xiao Yan smiled, just as a Xiaomen elder rushed in, bowing, “Elder Suqian asks you to come to the front courtyard. The Old Eagle Mountain Lord has left the city!”
Xiao Yan’s eyes narrowed. “Finally, willing to leave the city, huh?”
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