Though Yun Yun's voice wasn't particularly loud, amplified by her Dou Qi, it carried clearly even to magical beasts a hundred miles away.
Countless beasts raised their heads to the sky, filled with anger but not daring to speak out. Such an overwhelming presence was something they had only ever sensed from the Amethyst Winged Lion King.
Just as the magical beasts trembled in fear, a dazzling purple light illuminated half the sky, and the temperature in the mountain range soared rapidly.
A massive magical beast shot out from the distant mountains, swiftly appearing within Yun Yun's line of sight.
"Human woman, why do you disturb this king's rest?" the Amethyst Winged Lion King growled in human speech.
Yun Yun replied indifferently, "I wish to trade for the Purple Spirit Crystal."
"Purple Spirit Crystal? My Amethyst Winged Lion lineage sheds only one small piece every twenty years. Its value is beyond measure!" the Lion King declared with pride.
Yun Yun remained unmoved. "Beyond measure, but not priceless."
Hearing this, the Lion King let out a booming laugh. "Unless you can produce a Human Form Elixir, don't even think about it."
"Human Form Elixir?!" Yun Yun's beautiful eyes narrowed. That was a seventh-tier pill! The strongest alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire was only at the sixth tier!
"It seems negotiations are impossible." With a flick of her wrist, Yun Yun drew her sword, tracing a mysterious arc in the air.
In an instant, her vast Dou Qi surged forth, gathering into raging winds around her. The noble white robes fluttered in the gale, making her appear even more ethereal, like a celestial being descending to earth.
As her Dou Qi condensed, the ancient sword in her hand trembled violently, and a deep, thumb-thick beam of light slowly formed along its edge.
The moment this light appeared, even space itself seemed to shudder.
Yun Yun glanced at her sword in surprise. Only when she fully mobilized her Dou Qi did she realize how much smoother its circulation had become compared to before.
So, not only has my strength increased, but my aptitude has also improved dramatically?
This astonishing transformation left her utterly stunned.
While Yun Yun was still processing this, the Lion King roared furiously:
"Humans are always like this! But the Magic Beast Mountain Range is not your territory—you have no right to act so arrogantly here!"
The deep growl from its massive maw reverberated through the nearby mountains.
Seeing Yun Yun immediately resort to a powerful Dou Technique, the Lion King assumed she had never intended to negotiate in the first place.
As it spoke, the Lion King's body erupted with intense purple light, shining as brilliantly as a miniature sun.
Witnessing the Lion King's overwhelming aura, Yun Yun accelerated her Dou Qi output, causing the ancient sword in her hand to hum continuously.
In the past, she might have engaged in some back-and-forth with the Lion King, attempting to negotiate for the Purple Spirit Crystal.
But this place wasn't far from the valley where Yao Yan was. After what had happened, she had no desire to see him again.
With her Dou Qi surging, the sword in her hand trembled violently.
"Wind's Extreme: Annihilation!"
A deep, thumb-thick beam of light shot forth instantly.
A breath later, the Lion King's purple light contracted abruptly, transforming into a deep violet beam that shot forward with a thunderous roar.
"Amethyst Seal!"
Just as the two terrifying Dou Techniques were about to collide, a figure streaked into the battlefield like a falling meteor.
"Yao Yan?!" Recognizing the newcomer, Yun Yun's grip on her sword loosened in shock, nearly dropping it at this critical moment.
"Another human?" The Lion King was momentarily stunned before sneering. The Amethyst Seal can seal away Dou Qi. That human woman may be no good, but her technique is formidable. Even I, as the ruler of magical beasts, had to use my strongest ability to counter it. And now, a human with no Dou Qi dares to interfere?
This human's fate is sealed—death is inevitable!
"No Tree, No Platform!" Xiao Yan pressed his palms together, his mind empty of distractions. His Dou Qi transformed into golden holy energy, condensing into mystical runes that swirled around him.
The two terrifying Dou Techniques crashed into him. Amidst the violent shockwaves, Xiao Yan redirected and neutralized their destructive forces, dispersing the energy ripples outward from his body.
Instantly, the winds and clouds shifted violently, sweeping across the sky. The nearby mountains trembled under the aftershocks, as if facing doomsday.
"Mirror's Clarity, Platform's Absence." Xiao Yan spread his hands, releasing a gentle yet overwhelming aura that stabilized the chaotic surroundings and dispelled the killing intent in the air.
In the blink of an eye, everything returned to normal, as if the battle had never happened.
Xiao Yan glanced between the two combatants. "The fighting ends here. If you have matters to discuss, do so peacefully."
The Lion King's blood-red eyes, each the size of lanterns, stared at Xiao Yan in disbelief. For now, it held back, growling:
"The Purple Spirit Crystal is a rare treasure of my Amethyst Winged Lion lineage. Unless you can produce a Human Form Elixir, don't even think about taking it."
Yun Yun was equally shocked by Xiao Yan's strength. The collision of those two Dou Techniques was something even a legendary Dou Zong powerhouse wouldn't dare take lightly. Even if a Dou Zong could neutralize it, they certainly wouldn't have done so as effortlessly as he did…
Forcing down her embarrassment, she said, "A Human Form Elixir is something even the Jia Ma Empire's top experts would struggle to produce."
Sheathing her sword, she turned to the Lion King. "I'm willing to offer three fifth-tier magical cores, along with a high-level Earth-tier cultivation method and Dou Technique suitable for your use."
"I want only the Human Form Elixir." The Lion King didn't even bat an eyelid.
"The Purple Spirit Crystal… I, Yun—Yun Zhi, must obtain it!" Yun Yun nearly revealed her sect affiliation but caught herself just in time.
The Lion King turned to Xiao Yan. "Human, what say you?"
Xiao Yan replied calmly, "While the Purple Spirit Crystal is indeed rare—shed only once every twenty years—the lifespan of magical beasts is long. Twenty years is but a blink to you, so you must have more than one piece. It's not as priceless as you claim."
"Moreover, both this material and the Amethyst Winged Lion that produces it are quite extraordinary. I'm very… interested." Xiao Yan's gaze lingered on the Lion King, brimming with fascination.
"Oh?!" The Lion King's brow furrowed. "Humans are truly insatiable. Now you dare to set your sights on this king?"
"Yao Yan, you—!!" Yun Yun hadn't expected that before even dealing with the Lion King, she'd now have another formidable competitor.
Xiao Yan tilted his head slightly. "Don't worry. You broke through to four-star Dou Huang thanks to my secret technique. Did you think you could leave without paying a price?"
(End of Chapter)
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