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"How can this Xiao Yan be so full of himself, claiming he can defeat Miss Feng in just one move?"
"That's impossible. Miss Feng has already reached the Dou Ancestor realm, and even though Xiao Yan is a 3-star Dou Ancestor, the winner is far from certain."
"Hmph, he's clearly spent too long in that backwater North-Western Region and has no idea what the Central Plains truly is."
"Does he really think the Central Plains is like that impoverished, remote little country of his?"
Xiao Yan's brazen words caused even Venerable Jian's expression to shift. He shook his head and said, "Someone valued so highly by Venerable Lei must possess considerable strength. Defeating her in one move requires more than mere 3-star Dou Ancestor cultivation."
Venerable Huang Quan let out a scornful sneer. "Hehe, it's been ages since this old man has encountered such an insolent brat. The previous ones have all ended up in the Yellow Springs."
Only Venerable Feng stayed silent, his brows knitted tightly as he scrutinized Xiao Yan from head to toe. Yet, he couldn't pinpoint the source of this odd feeling that tugged at him.
"I thought this would be an intriguing fight, but it turns out this Xiao Yan is just an overconfident fool," Fei Tian said with a cold laugh. He had assumed that someone who could break his Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body would possess some genuine strength and insight. Clearly, he had misjudged him.
"Even I couldn't defeat Miss Feng in one move after her breakthrough to the Dou Ancestor realm. Her techniques are far from simple," the Western Pavilion Master said indifferently from the side. "A 9-star Dou Ancestor might overpower her, but in one strike? Impossible. They might not even breach her defenses."
What's more, Feng Qing Er had cultivated both the Three Thousand Lightning Movement and the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body. Combined with her wind and lightning dual-attribute body, her speed rivaled that of ordinary high-star Dou Ancestors.
Xiao Yan waved to Qing Lin beside him. "Qing Lin, you and the others should step back. I don't want you getting hurt."
Qing Lin nodded with a gentle smile and floated gracefully out of the arena.
Nalan Yanran sheathed her sword and shot him a glance. "You'd better actually defeat her in one move."
Seeing the look in her eyes, Xiao Yan chuckled. "Don't worry, it'll be just like with you."
"You!" Nalan Yanran stomped her foot in frustration before leaving the plaza.
At this moment, Feng Qing Er, the 'female lead' in this confrontational drama, had a face dark with fury. Her noble and stunning features were now twisted with anger.
"Xiao Yan! I thought you were an opponent worthy of my full strength, but I see now you're nothing but a fool! Underestimating me will cost you dearly!" Feng Qing Er spat through gritted teeth, her voice laced with rage.
Xiao Yan shrugged casually. "You were the one who underestimated me first."
He often challenged opponents above his level for a simple reason—he knew they were far beneath him. Now, being the one challenged, didn't that mean Feng Qing Er considered his higher cultivation insignificant? She clearly didn't take him seriously at all.
Since that was the case, today, he, Xiao Yan, would teach her that there was always a sky beyond the sky, and people beyond people!
"Good, very good! Xiao Yan, I, Feng Qing Er, will see just how you plan to defeat me in one move!"
"Bloodline Devouring Spirit!"
Following Feng Qing Er's loud shout, a dense crimson glow erupted from her palm, swiftly enveloping her seven-colored dress-clad body.
The blood-red energy condensed into thick red light, which she inhaled through her delicate mouth.
Feng Qing Er's slender frame shuddered as the red glow entered her body. A pair of vibrant phoenix wings unfurled from her back, and in that instant, her aura surged explosively!
The surge didn't last long before it stabilized, but in that brief moment, her strength had skyrocketed from peak 1-star Dou Ancestor to peak 3-star Dou Ancestor. Such a ferocious leap left onlookers utterly stunned.
On the sidelines, Zi Yan sensed the eruption of bloodline strength and couldn't help but curl her lips. "Tch, no wonder. So this girl is one of those mixed-feather wild chickens."
It turned out that feeling was her mouth watering!
"A 3-star Dou Ancestor is nothing special!" Feng Qing Er's pupils transformed, shifting from purple to cyan eyewhites with silver irises. Terrifying wind and lightning power poured ceaselessly from her body.
This bloodline Secret Technique had even temporarily amplified the bloodline strength within her. The level of this Secret Technique was at least High Di Class!
When Feng Qing Er completely released her concealment and exposed her Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe identity, even the three Venerables' pupils constricted. Their gazes snapped toward Venerable Lei in unison.
"It's actually the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe!" Venerable Huang Quan exclaimed in shock. He never would have imagined the Wind Lightning Pavilion had forged ties with one of the three major magical beast tribes!
Even Venerable Jian's face grew grave. With the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe's backing, it wouldn't be long before the Wind Lightning Pavilion rose to the level of the Three Valleys!
"Hehe, for Qing Er to resort to her tribe's Secret Method, Xiao Yan can take pride in pushing her this far," Venerable Lei stroked his beard with a faint smile, a trace of barely concealed smugness in his expression.
Venerable Feng, as always, remained silent, his eyes fixed intently on Xiao Yan in the arena. What surprised him was that even after Feng Qing Er's strength surged and her Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe identity was revealed, Xiao Yan's demeanor remained as calm as still water, his expression unruffled.
It was as though the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe meant nothing to him.
"Oh, so you're from the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe. No wonder you're so arrogant, thinking you can defeat someone above your level," Xiao Yan nodded to himself. Finally, he understood the source of Feng Qing Er's overwhelming pride.
When the Ancient Void Dragon was absent, the Heaven Demon Phoenix reigned supreme!
Now that the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe had mysteriously disappeared, the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe held sway over the Beast Realm!
This was just like the Dou God Clans. If excluding the Gu Clan and Hun Clan, the Yan Clan and Lei Clan dominated the Dou Qi Continent.
Take Ling Quan, for instance—a mere Grade 6 Dou God Bloodline holder and legion commander in the Gu Realm, yet he carried himself with boundless arrogance. It was no surprise that Feng Qing Er displayed such haughtiness.
Seeing Xiao Yan remain so composed only further wounded Feng Qing Er's pride in her identity.
"I originally thought you were a smart person and would be willing to join my Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe. Now it seems you need some proper discipline," Feng Qing Er narrowed her eyes and said in a deep voice.
This world revered strength above all. Simply put, the strong were always right. If you thought they were wrong, then a beating would set things right.
In the minds of the natives of the Dou Qi Continent, the best way to make others submit was to beat them into submission, and this ideology was naturally deeply ingrained in Feng Qing Er. She had indeed taken a fancy to Xiao Yan's powerful alchemist talent. With his aid, she could potentially become the greatest genius in her tribe!
That was why she challenged him, thinking that she could make him submit to her by defeating him while challenging above her level.
Unfortunately, though her plan had merit, she had chosen the wrong target.
Noticing that Feng Qing Er was prepared, Xiao Yan suddenly flashed a toothy grin. "Don't say I'm bullying you with my higher cultivation. Here's a warning: don't hold back, or I'll turn you into a roasted chicken."
No sooner had Xiao Yan's taunting words fallen than the temperature across the entire Eastern Pavilion of the Wind Lightning Pavilion, and even throughout Lightning Mountain, spiked dramatically!
The dense lightning clouds and raging winds over Lightning Mountain seemed to encounter something terrifying and abruptly ceased!
The thunder fell silent, and the winds refused to howl!
Thump, thump, thump, thump!!
All four Venerables rose from their seats in unison, their faces contorted with shock. Their pupils shrank as they stared intently at the five clusters of flames beside Xiao Yan!
"Five kinds of Heavenly Flames!!!"
"Impossible! How can one person possess five kinds of Heavenly Flames!"
"Even a Dou Venerate would struggle to control two Heavenly Flames at once, let alone five!"
The three Venerables' minds were in utter chaos. This completely exceeded their understanding—exceeded even a Dou Venerate's comprehension!
Five kinds of Heavenly Flames! All of them genuine Heavenly Flames!
Yet soon, the Dou Venerates pieced it together. It had to be tied to Xiao Yan's Qi Method! He must possess an extraordinarily unique Qi Method that allowed him to harness multiple Heavenly Flames simultaneously!
Amid the spectacle of Xiao Yan summoning five Heavenly Flames, which captivated everyone's attention, no one noticed Venerable Feng at the far edge, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Venerable Feng's aged face quivered slightly, a glimmer of tears welling in his eyes.
"This... this Qi Method... this Qi Method! Could it be him!" It was almost unimaginable that something could stir such emotion in a Dou Venerate who had long been detached from worldly desires.
With tear-filled eyes, Venerable Feng gazed at Xiao Yan in the arena. He paid no heed to the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe or even the Heavenly Flames. All he wanted was to approach Xiao Yan and ask him directly.
Although it seemed slow when described, in fact, all of this unfolded in the mere instant Xiao Yan summoned the Heavenly Flames.
As Xiao Yan called forth the five Heavenly Flames, the natural energy across Lightning Mountain momentarily froze before erupting into endless, boiling power. The energy of the entire mountain, and even the whole Wind Lightning Mountain Range, seemed summoned in that fleeting moment.
The affected range reached a hundred miles in every direction!
'Five Ring Flame Expelling Technique.'
With a cold shout resonating in his mind, Xiao Yan's hand seal solidified sharply. The five Heavenly Flames beside him instantly transformed!
With his vastly improved Spiritual Strength, fire control, and cultivation, he could now fully display the Five Ring Flame Expelling Technique!
This technique required five distinct flames to form a wolf, leopard, lion, tiger, and dragon. When all five Fire Spirits emerged together, they created the Five Ring Flame Expelling Formation, a construct of terrifying might. The more Heavenly Flames involved, the more fearsome the formation became.
A Black Cat, Yin-Yang Twin Fish, Transparent Python, Flame Demon Tiger, and a blue Fire Flood Dragon took shape.
If a Di Class Dou Technique could stir natural energy, a Tian Class Dou Technique manifested world-altering phenomena!
Boom boom boom!!
The instant the five Heavenly Flames transformed into Fire Spirits, the lightning clouds and fierce winds enshrouding Lightning Mountain were blasted apart!
A searing beam of light pierced down from the sky!
A strange phenomenon occurred in the sky. The surrounding space suddenly fluctuated violently, and the once-calm natural energy surged as if drawn by an unseen force, becoming wildly turbulent. The entirety of Lightning Mountain turned into a furnace, the moisture in flowers and grass evaporating instantly.
It was as if the Sun God had descended, banishing the world's darkness. The ominous clouds over Lightning Mountain dissolved completely, and the crushing wind pressure vanished. Feng Qing Er, standing proud and noble in the arena like a phoenix, now resembled a turkey in an oven, stripped of all her former grandeur!
Before a Tian Class Dou Technique, the identity of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe meant nothing!
The five Heavenly Flame Spirits shook the land. Each stood in an ancient and mysterious formation, emitting terrifying, mysterious auras. They seemed to be the rulers of the sky!
"Tian Class Dou Technique!!!" Feng Qing Er's face finally twisted in horror, her complexion draining to a ghostly white!
Even with the Secret Techniques of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe, her wind and lightning dual body, and her Dou Ancestor cultivation, none of it mattered against a Tian Class Dou Technique, against the Five Ring Flame Expelling Formation powered by five Heavenly Flames!
She stood utterly dumbfounded. How could a Dou Ancestor wield a Tian Class Dou Technique?! This was beyond comprehension!
Moreover, his proficiency and execution speed were staggering. Even ordinary Dou Venerates struggled to cultivate Tian Class Dou Techniques. How could a mere 3-star Dou Ancestor achieve this!
"Just who are you!!"
Xiao Yan couldn't resist a smirk. "You still have the mind to question my identity? Don't say I lack compassion for beauty. I'll give you three seconds to deploy your strongest defensive Dou Technique. Three."
Feng Qing Er's mind reeled, unable to grasp the gravity of her situation.
"Two."
!! Feng Qing Er suddenly jolted back to reality. She was in mortal peril! A Tian Class Dou Technique could annihilate her in an instant!
"One."
"Demon Phoenix Bell!"
Feng Qing Er's jade-like hands flashed through a dizzying array of seals with lightning like speed. A sharp cry burst from her lips.
As her shout fell, a phantom black phoenix suddenly appeared behind her. It instantly came to life, raising its head to the sky with a piercing cry. Jet-black light suddenly flourished, then enveloped Feng Qing Er's body.
Once it encased her, the potent black light writhed briefly before coalescing into a colossal black bell over a hundred feet tall!
It was pitch black in color, and crafted on the surface of the enormous bell was a flying black phoenix with its wings spread. Unusual black flames continuously curled and rose from the bell's surface. This enormous bell was a little strange. Clearly, it was agglomerated from energy, but it seemed even more real than something with substance. Even the dark light flickering across it resembled something truly tangible.
Venerable Lei, who had intended to intervene, held back at this moment. The Demon Phoenix Bell was incredibly powerful. Even high-star Dou Ancestors would find it difficult to break through. It was created by an elite Dou Saint of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe and required the bloodline strength of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe to display. Its defense rivaled a quasi-Tian Class defensive Dou Technique.
Originally, this Demon Phoenix Bell could also be used to launch an extremely sharp sonic attack, possessing both offensive and defensive capabilities, making it extremely troublesome. It was a specialty of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe. Among those of equal cultivation, few could break it.
When fully mastered and combined with the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe's bloodline, it could reach quasi-Tian Class level. A hundred miles of land would be enveloped within the Demon Phoenix Bell, and when the bell tolled, all life within would be extinguished.
But for Feng Qing Er, who had only learned the rudiments of the technique, withstanding a true Tian Class Dou Technique was absolutely impossible.
"Five Ring Flame Expelling Formation!"
A thunderous roar heralded divine retribution! The five Heavenly Flames spun wildly, forming a circular formation. Then, a beam of light capable of melting space came crashing down.
The most excited person to see the Five Ring Flame Expelling Formation reappear in the world was none other than Venerable Tian Huo. This was his signature Dou Technique. Back in the day, he had relied on it to stand unrivaled among 5-star Dou Venerates, its dominance unmatched.
"This is the complete Five Ring Flame Expelling Formation, the might of five Heavenly Flames. Truly as fearsome as the scroll described!"
Boom!
The massive light beam directly engulfed the jet-black Demon Phoenix Bell. The black Heaven Demon Phoenix Flame on the bell was insignificant compared to the Heavenly Flames. Let alone five kinds, it couldn't even match one.
Whoosh!
As if divine punishment had descended, an endless, terrifying inferno rained down from the sky, threatening to destroy everything. When the rolling Heavenly Flames poured down, countless spectators on Lightning Mountain, the disciples of the Wind Lightning Pavilion, couldn't help but wet their pants in terror.
Even Tang Ying, Wang Chen, and others nearby paled in fear, scrambling to distance themselves from the plaza. A direct hit from this attack would reduce them to ash!
"My heavens!" Competing experts screamed, desperate to flee Lightning Mountain.
With a buzz, the protective formation of the Eastern Pavilion activated! It instantly sealed the entire Lightning Mountain, shielding it with a lightning array.
Amidst a series of deafening rumbles, it blocked the impact of the cascading flames. If not for this, Xiao Yan's attack would definitely have blasted straight through the entire Lightning Mountain!
The dazzling light gradually faded. The Fire Spirits in the sky disappeared as all the Heavenly Flames returned to Xiao Yan's body.
Gulp. Countless people swallowed their saliva at the same time, all very nervous about the result.
They weren't wondering if Xiao Yan could defeat Feng Qing Er in one move. The moment he summoned five Heavenly Flames and unleashed a Tian Class Dou Technique, the result was a foregone conclusion.
They were only curious about whether Feng Qing Er had died or not!
Defeating and killing were naturally two different matters. Feng Qing Er was, after all, from the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe. Magical beasts possessed exceptionally tough bodies and tenacious vitality.
Sizzle sizzle sizzle.
The entire plaza had melted into magma. In this molten purgatory, Feng Qing Er's seven-colored dress had burned to tatters. Despite her magical beast body and the Demon Phoenix Bell's protection, her flesh was severely burned.
That face that made men swoon was now covered in soot, stripped of its former glamour and charm.
Despite her serious injuries, Feng Qing Er's eyes still carried that arrogant gleam. She glared at the figure emerging from the smoke through gritted teeth.
She had actually been defeated in one move! Even the super geniuses in her tribe might not have accomplished this!
Xiao Yan approached her, crouching down before the severely injured Feng Qing Er. "You wanted me as your subordinate? No problem with the acting, but alas, your strength doesn't permit it!"
This Feng Qing Er was even greedier than him. She wanted him to be her alchemist and subordinate?! Even the Hall Master of the Hall of Souls couldn't order him, Xiao Yan, around!
Feng Qing Er's body was rapidly recovering, likely due to a life-saving medicinal pill she had taken.
Clenching her silver teeth, she glared at Xiao Yan with furious eyes, embodying the defiant spirit of a proud phoenix. Strange black flames slowly overflowed from her body.
Seeing these black flames appear, Xiao Yan lightly tapped his finger. The Nihility Devouring Flame, a black flame even darker than the Heaven Demon Phoenix Flame, surged forth and instantly devoured all her flames.
Xiao Yan pressed a finger to her forehead, his formidable Spiritual Strength suppressing her. His eyes narrowed as he spoke. "You don't truly believe I fear your Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe identity, do you?"
Just as Xiao Yan used his Spiritual Strength to subdue the bloodline strength within her, a sharp tearing sound rang out. The bone spikes on his back suddenly appeared, seemingly resonating with her bloodline.
"You! You actually refined my tribe's Bone Wings into a flying-type Dou Technique!"