"Hasn't the weather among the Snake-People Tribe been strangely unpredictable lately?"
After a moment of daze, a snake-person inside the city looked up at the thick and heavy dark clouds above, scratching his head in confusion.
This kind of change—they had seen it more than once.
Although it looked extremely frightening, it had never caused any harm.
Like a falling meteor, Xiao Yan plunged straight into the depths of the clouds. His arms spread wide, and he pushed the Heavenly-rank technique within his body to its absolute limit.
In an instant, the lightning flickering through the dark clouds was shattered by an invisible force, dispersing into the purest form of energy.
A scorching sensation enveloped the entire royal city at that moment, as the energy of heaven and earth boiled violently, like water brought to a furious boil.
Streams of tangible energy surged madly into Xiao Yan's body.
The range of this absorption was vast—encompassing the entire sky above the Snake-People royal city.
Under Xiao Yan's control, the low-level Heavenly-rank technique displayed an effect far surpassing its grade. Only Xiao Yan possessed such capability.
Within his body existed the terrifying embryonic Emperor Flame that protected him. Even if the energy of the entire city poured into him, it would be instantly refined into the purest energy, then converted through his technique into part of his Dou Qi.
The scorching heat that engulfed the Snake-People royal city lasted but an instant; the next moment, the entire city suddenly turned unprecedentedly cold.
After absorbing a massive wave of worldly energy, Xiao Yan's mastery of his technique rose to another level. When he began absorbing again, he selectively drew only the fire-attribute portion of the mixed heavenly energy.
Having condensed multiple Heavenly Flames, his body now contained several of them. His affinity for fire far exceeded that of most cultivators across the Dou Qi Continent.
Xiao Yan stood like the center of a terrifying vortex within the dark clouds, his body releasing ripples strong enough to make space itself tremble, as he rapidly absorbed the surrounding energy.
Within a few breaths, all the fire-attribute energy above the Snake-People royal city had been completely absorbed and refined by Xiao Yan.
Precisely because of the absence of this rich fire energy, the city's temperature dropped to a level never before seen.
Yet even so, this amount of energy was far from enough for Xiao Yan to break through to the Dou Zong realm.
At the critical moment of his breakthrough, Xiao Yan's body erupted with a devouring power even stronger than a black hole.
Waves of invisible ripples spread from his body, rapidly expanding to the very borders of the Snake-People royal city, madly drawing in the fire-attribute energy lingering in the air.
Endless fire-attribute energy cascaded down from the heavens like a magnificent red river, pouring endlessly into Xiao Yan's body.
Under this pull, the once-scorching Tagor Desert suddenly seemed to be plunged into a harsh winter. The temperature plummeted, and a bone-chilling cold swept across the sands.
Xiao Yan became like an infinite abyss, endlessly devouring the surrounding fire-attribute energy until even heaven and earth themselves changed color.
The dark clouds that moments ago seemed ready to unleash thunder now transformed into fiery clouds—red light filled the skies, blazing like a sea of flames.
Within the Snake-People royal city, countless snake-people raised their heads, their eyes filled with astonishment as they gazed at the clouds above—radiant and molten, like living magma. Such a sight had never appeared before.
Despite the molten sky, the ground grew colder and colder.
Of course, for those with Snake-People blood, this was no bad thing at all.
The lower the temperature, the more suitable their environment for survival.
"Has the Snake Spirit finally manifested?" Countless snake-people folded their hands before them and prayed devoutly.
As time passed rapidly, nearly all the fire-attribute energy across the entire Tagor Desert had been absorbed and refined by Xiao Yan.
This depletion of single-attribute energy not only changed the desert itself but even affected the border cities adjoining it.
In Stone Desert City, countless mercenaries preparing to head out for missions stepped through their doors—only to freeze in surprise.
In this desert-edge city, it was always so hot that even going shirtless in light clothes made them sweat.
"How... how is there a chill in the air?" The mercenaries were startled and puzzled.
The bold and fiery Snowy Lan stepped out of her room, only to feel a cold wind rush toward her. She quickly crossed her arms in front of her chest.
As time had passed, Snowy Lan's delicate and refined face had become even more striking. Yet the slightly arched brows, like those of a proud leopardess, still carried her untamed spirit.
Her short attire barely contained her ample curves, her seductive waist rivaling even that of the snake-women.
Beneath her short leather shorts stretched a pair of long, elegant legs.
"This weather?" Snowy Lan tilted her head to the sky, puzzled by its usual shade of blue.
Having lived in Stone Desert City since childhood, she had never once witnessed such strange weather.
While countless mercenaries were confused, within a secret chamber of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, Hai Bodong—who had promised Xiao Yan to guard the place—suddenly opened his eyes.
"The ice-attribute energy in the air has increased?" His calm expression changed slightly.
In the unique environment of the Tagor Desert, not only was it unsuitable for snake-people to live in, but it was also unfavorable for a cultivator like him, whose Dou Qi belonged to the ice attribute.
After a few breaths, sensing the change in the heavenly energy, Hai Bodong was stunned.
"It's not that the ice energy has increased—but that the fire energy of heaven and earth has dried up. As the direct opposite of fire, the ice energy has naturally become more apparent."
"To cause such a drastic shift in the energy of an entire desert… could it be that little fellow?" In his mind, the image of a young man with a handsome face surfaced.
At the same time, Yun Yun—who had left the Snake-People city to regroup with her disciples—also sensed the change in the world's energy.
"The wind-attribute energy is easier to absorb now?" Yun Yun's jade lips parted slightly in surprise, though a glimmer of joy flashed in her eyes. This change was extremely beneficial to her cultivation and breakthrough.
Looking toward the depths of the Tagor Desert, her eyes, clear as water, reflected the image of a black-robed man. "Is it him?"
As the countless streams of energy were absorbed and refined, the crimson glow over the Snake-People royal city quickly converged into Xiao Yan's body.
At the moment everything returned to normal, Xiao Yan's Dou Qi—within his infinite sea of flames—had reached its peak.
The pair of Dou Qi wings behind him slowly faded, yet his thin figure did not fall.
Standing like a spear in the sky, Xiao Yan lightly stepped on the void. His newly attained power after breaking through was fully under his control. The vast and majestic aura of a Dou Zong powerhouse was completely restrained within him.
Feeling the surge of power that came with becoming a Dou Zong, Xiao Yan clenched his fists. Even that small motion made the space around him tremble.
End of Chapter)
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